Spying eyes?

As Brenan turned to go, he noticed a pair of well dressed young men watching him carefully. The larger of the two looked away as Brenan's gaze met his, but the other continued to study him openly. Brenan picked up the half filled mug and moved over to the table where the men were sitting.

These two were definitely better off than the scum Ruben had described to Brenan, but all the same he didn't care much for people interfering in his business. If these two wanted to eavesdrop on his conversations then they had better be willing to face the consequences of their behavior.

As Brenan approached the larger of the two shifted slightly in his seat freeing his left hip and the fine thin sword that hung from his belt from under the table. The move could be interpreted as a threat, but Brenan judged it more as a reasonable precaution. An experienced swordsman should never be caught without room to draw his blade. Brenan unbuttoned the front of his jacket allowing easier access to his handgun in response, the movement was not missed by the swordsman, who whispered something to his companion.

The slighter man appeared to be unarmed, but a large satchel sat open on the table in front of him and could easily hold a knife or even a flintlock that could be fired without even drawing the gun from the bag. Taking a seat across from the swordsman in a position that placed him away from the most likely line of fire from any concealed gun Brenan sat down without a word.

Both men nodded at him, but neither said anything as he sat at their table. From this close Brenan was able to make a few more observations. Both of the men looked fit and younger than he first thought, perhaps just in their twenties. Their faces showed a clear family resemblance, both shared the same light brown curly hair, broad mouths and square jaws and the shade of blue of their eyes was identical. The smaller man had ink stains on his fingers, and his wrists were thin and smooth. His brother's - Brenan by now felt pretty confident that they must be brothers - wrists were thick and hairy and covered with multiple scars from years of swordplay.

"If you're here to warn us off, forget it." Inkyfingers started the conversation abruptly. Brenan had no idea what he was talking about, but already he felt far less threatened by the two. He had seen many Veer agents working the free islands, so many he sometimes felt he could recognize them by their smell. These two men may have been trying to eavesdrop on his conversation with Ruben, but they were more concerned about their own issues than they were about his. Years of habit formed his response.

"Do you two really think you can handle this?" The question was vague enough that it could be interpreted in many ways, it was neither threatening nor reassuring but it did invite a response.

"That's none of your business" Answered the swordsman before his brother could say anything else. "Why did you join us?"

"Why were you two watching me?" Brenan countered with a question, still unwilling to volunteer any information but hoping the men might. He doubted that the swordsman would, but the smaller one seemed less reserved.

"He's not one of the them." Inky said to his brother. "I don't know who he is, but he's not after her." Brenan sat quietly as he took another drink from his mug. The swordsman nodded silently, he seemed to accept his brother's statement as fact. Brenan wondered how close the two brothers were, different, but instead of the differences pulling them apart, they seemed to rely on each other's strengths. Brenan also wondered who 'they' were, and what the brothers had done to antagonize them enough that they had to be warned off.

“My name is Captain Kilgore.” Brenan said extending his right hand forward for the first time. “People I know accuse me of seeing enemies in every shadow.” As both men shook his hand, Brenan noted the grip of the swordsman was easily as strong as his, and the brother also had a surprisingly strong hands. “I’m paranoid enough that I thought you two boys were spying on me, I think I was mistaken, allow me to apologize.” Turning back to the bar as he got up Brenan tossed Ruben another coin “Get these men a drink.” As Brenan moved to the door he heard Inky say:

“Wait, maybe you can help us.”