• The dust. The cramped space. The rats. It all culminated together to further make my body itch to get out of the small passageway, but I remained in place through sheer will and the hope that I could somehow use my suffering loyalty to con more money out of Crowsen. As far as I'm concerned, he owed me double what he offered originally for the job.
    "The preparations are made, Mr. Blake." The wheezing voice said in between fits of coughing. I seriously worried for the man's health. "All we need now is the pen and ink."
    "I can supply the ink, but the pen still troubles me." The deeper voice of Mr. Blake replied. This was obviously significant. A pen? Hard to find? Suspicious beyond a doubt, but I wasn't in the best mood to contemplate the true meaning. A particularly big, hairy, and ugly rat ran across my foot several times before starting to chew through the leather. I distractedly attempted to shake him off.
    "How is the letter, Mr. Jacomb?" I heard Mr. Blake mumble as I swung my focus back and forth between the aristocrat's conversation and the annoying pest upon my shoe. If I wasn't so cramped I would've reached down and strangled the thing already.
    "It is safe, Mr. Blake. The couriers are handling it delicately, I assure you."
    "Very good, my friend. Now we must-"
    THUMP
    My heart would've stopped if it could. The large rat continued to gnaw at the sole of my shoe, oblivious to what it had just done by biting me and causing me to kick out at the wall. I cursed my bad luck, prayed for the miracle of deft ears, and prepared to run if my prayers went unanswered. It was a long minute of silence before I heard the deep voice of Mr. Blake utter four simple words that sent a chill up my spine.
    "I smell a rat."

    To Be Continued...