As you emerge from the apartment, you note a young woman on the phone, hovering outside the apartment door of Sherri's left-hand neighbor. She's muttering nervously, "...yeah, I don't know... do you think he had some kind of psychotic break...? I know he was in a lot of debt but..." She trails off when she sees you emerge, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Everything's fine," the woman says, still looking a bit humiliated. "Um... you haven't happened to see Jorge around here lately, have you? Like, has he come out of the apartment or said anything weird...? His mom has been trying to find him but he's not answering his phone."
"Thanks. Sorry to bother you." She goes back to the phone and wanders off while talking. "His neighbors haven't seen him either... we'll have to call the college I guess, do you have their number...?"
It's still a bit cloudy outside, but generally a nice day for walking and not too cold. You pass a Starbucks, a gas station, a few small businesses and banks, and the local grocery store, which is always bustling. It's not quite as busy as you'd expect for the time of day, but the city is still alive as ever.
Teri is looking around for friends (she knows quite a few of the homeless people around here since they come to the library for computers and wifi) and saying hi when she sees them
As the library nears you note two things. First, the library is surrounded by "Under Renovations" signs and tape, clearly SECO's doing; the doors are locked and the windows are covered by white sheets from the inside. Evidently they have done their job in ensuring there's an Upside excuse for why the library is closed right now.
Second, there is a figure wrapped in scarves sitting on one of the benches by the door, a very small one who is placidly minding their business and kicking their legs together. It's hard to see their face under the scarves and hood.
It still seems empty; just the renovation signs, the benches, and this one lone figure.
@bobble The small figure looks up, beady eyes blinking, revealing it is a kenku. It makes a soft puttering sound, like an engine revving up. "You must be - my honored guests," it says, in a patchwork of three voices strung together. "We will talk. Do not be alarmed."
The kenku laughs, then mimics back, still perfectly imitating Robert: "Yes, they gave me great info. There's a whole lot to tell you. Where are you folks right now? I'll come to meet you and explain."
@bobble Kenku are a race of small-statured, birdlike humanoids who can near-perfectly imitate voices they have heard before, and string words together.
@AncientSwordRage The surface thoughts you detect are cloudy and difficult to read, almost as if the kenku has some level of mental fortitude or training against psychic intrusion. But you do pick up on: "They are frightened. Perhaps they have never met my kind before. Quite a way to begin a negotiation."
"I am here for a deal, and to help you," says Sail Snap, clicking its beak again; it seems to be a birdish nervous habit. "Robert is unharmed. You have the book?"
"He is not a prisoner. Only have his phone and his voice. That is not why I am here." Sail Snap takes out Robert's phone, which now has a cracked screen, and holds it up as proof.
"Will explain, but first. You have the book." Sail Snap mimics the sound of fluttering pages. "It is dangerous. It has hurt people. It has killed people. It is powerful. You would rather not have it. Yes?"
"It is bound to you. You struggle to control its power." Sail Snap extends her claws upwards, a bird's version of a placating gesture. "It... lashes out, yes?"
Sail Snap leans forward slightly. "You have no known way to unbind it from you. To remove its grip on your soul. That is something you desire. Yes? For all of this to go away?"
"I say nothing until we have a deal. This is not from the Dreaming Brethren. This is from me." The bird blinks rapidly again. "Am in danger just for meeting you. Was not supposed to do it."
"Have a friend named Goldfinch. We have... brood. I miss Goldfinch. Want to get out of... thing I have gotten into and go back to him." Sail Snap looks covertly between you. "In exchange for me telling. You help me get out."
Sail Snap eyes the beanbags, as if wondering if they have birdseed in them, then looks back at Sherri. "Thing..." She taps her talons together nervously. "You know of Dreamers?"
@bobble The backroom appears to have some kind of locking mechanism over it, much stronger than anything Oakwinkle produced previously, maybe implying that SECO wanted to be extra-sure nothing else was lifted from it. It has purple-and-white runes that weave together, like a cross-stitch.
The kenku tilts her head. "Was wrong, yes. You belong. Elemental dream magic comes to you... dream-book connects to you..." She looks over in Teri's direction. "You are magic too, yes?"
