With each passing moment, Axion formed an addition in the plan more but his thoughts were interrupted with the voices outside the door. It was muffled but he tried to listen in.
"We don't know his name-" the unfamiliar voice said "But this is the victim of that night in this room, yes?"
"Correct, sir."
Axion backed away from the door and knew it was now time to bolt. He took a deep breath, a little bit earlier having put on some clothes that weren't from the Hospital, running towards the window and instead of jumping, he kicked himself towards the left side, releasing a grunt.
His left hand caught the ledge he had previously looked at whilst advising the plan, using his feet to push himself up a little bit more and kicking himself off the building to the one besides it despite it being quite far away, with a wince, grabbing ahold of a vine but slipping and falling, catching it last second once again, reflexively even attempting to catch it with his right before gripping it with the left arm, slowing down his fall greatly but slipping again and falling on his back.
"Ow…" he stood back up and started walking away, vanishing into the crowd.
The High Guard entered his room and saw that he wasn't there any longer. They checked out the window and saw no one. "No longer here." one of the two uttered. "Dammit…" the other one replied.
"Sirs, if you don't mind me asking, what is this about?" the doctor who took his blood earlier asked curiously as he stood at the frame of the door. "Is he in any sort of trouble?"
"No. Just had some questions regarding that night. Perhaps you can answer them for us."
"Of course, as long as I do not break any confidentiality or terms of hospitality."
One of the High Guards took a few steps towards him whilst the other looked around the room and noticed that the one whom they wished to question had changed his attire before bolting. "First." the guard began "What exactly occurred that night and who brought him in?"
"I wasn't present there but from what I heard he was brought in by some tall and big fella, blood everywhere. He was clinging on to dear life is what they said. Lucky to be alive." the doctor replied to his question sincerely
The guard nodded as he crossed his arms "I see, I see… And what did that 'fella' say?"
The doctor wasn't quite sure at the top of his head for the details and tried to recall the best he could in the heat of the moment, scratching his head too "I'm not sure exactly. From what was written in the report, in short he elaborated that he was hit by something sharp and that he needed urgent help, even paying with a golden coin. Not sure exactly to be honest, sir. Why do you ask?"
The High Guard looked him in the eyes "It could be something linked to the Micma House incident so we're going off of reports of some civilians. That's all."
"Oh alright. I haven't heard much about that." the doctor was upfront and serious "What exactly happened in the incident?"
The guard took a few steps closer and spoke in a quieter tone "A woman and child were killed and the House was broken into and robbed right under our noses. We're looking to keep it… Discreet, unofficial, off the record… Whichever word you may want to use."
The doctor noted that information "I didn't even know… Good to know. I do have to ask, if discretion is needed, why tell me?" his tone was questionable but implied that they needed him.
The man sighed "We may need you, doc. Formally, my name is Hendrick." he said as he removed his gauntlet and offered to shake his hand. The doctor accepted and shook his hand "I am Raynald. Nice to meet you." to which the man quickly responded "Likewise."
He stepped back a step or two and crossed his arms back "Anything else unusual that could link?" Hendrick asked but was slightly disappointed by the answer.
"Unfortunately not." Raynald's response was quick "I will do my best to keep an eye out but I just had a patient run away and this is not business for the High Guard so if you wouldn't mind…"
"'Course not. Let's go, Kian.." he said to the other High Guard as they left the room and soon the hospital.
Axion, on the other hand, bumped on a cart and snatched a cloak off it, placing it on to conceal his missing arm. He paced through the marketplace and headed back towards Panor Alley. During the walk past the marketplace, which was very small and mostly the people were just trying to get by, he felt something in his pocket.
'Huh? What's this?' Axion thought to himself, reaching into his pocket and feeling a circular steel type of object. Upon pulling it out, it was most definitely a gold coin. He didn't know from whom or what but when he heard someone exclaim "5 apple strudels for only 1 Gold Coin!" he felt hungrier than he was in the last few months.
Axion paced towards the stand, past the people and was the first in line. "Did I hear that correctly?" he asked the stand runner, he was older with a gray mustache and beard, bald too.
"Yes you did, young man! 5 for only 1 gold coin!" he exclaimed happily to which Axion nodded and reached into his pocket, taking out 1 gold coin. "I'll have just that." he said a little cheerfully.
"Splendid! Right away!"
"Why 5 for 1 though, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Well…" the older man's smile faded. "My wife is sick with the Virexia illness and she can't make any more. Business has been getting worse and worse with the day so it's best to make the most before I lose everything. She usually makes the strudels and I don't want them to get bad due to bad business so… As you surely anticipated, I'm handing out more whilst they're good!" The man's replies were genuine and pure-hearted intentions even.
Axion knew what Virexia was. An illness that somehow someone is infected with due to the Valakars species. How or why is unknown to bastards or anyone in Panor Alley.
He nodded at his words "That's awfully kind of you sir and I am sorry about your wife."
"Thank you, young man." his smile began to form back on his face "Well then, let's do business now!"
"Alright. 5 for 1 gold please"
The old man bumped 5 of the strudels a little forward "Here you go!"
Axion nodded with a light smile of his own and took out the coin to hand it to him but randomly was bumped into and had the coin taken from his hand by a masked figure that ran in front of him and took it.