The continent has been a mess lately, the Salt craze still raging. The best place to be to avoid the kingdoms' is the Island Cities. It's better than the corrupt monarchies warring left and right. You are residing in the south part of the island; at least it hasn't got the Queen's cronies roaming the streets.

One fateful day, you swing open the doors of an old saloon downtown, expecting to hear the chatter of patrons. Thing is, you don't. It's near-silent in the lamplit room, except for conversations and the melody played on that piano in the corner. Well, I guess night isn't the time you'd hear the regulars' arguments, or whatever they yell on about.

You sit down at a wooden table near a raised stage to watch the pianist perform. As you watch, you notice his eyes dart from the customers, to the piano itself, then to a door in the back of the saloon. Whenever he glances at the back door, his fingers slip onto the wrong keys. The piece ends on a flat chord.

The pianist stands up, adjusts his hat, then walks off toward the back door. He opens the door and hurries out. That seemed odd, so you stand up too. You go over to the door and turn the handle; the door creaks open a bit. The alley behind the door appears empty, so you open the door all the way and enter the street.

Then you hear a voice, two in fact.

"Did you get it?" one voice says. Their tone is calm. You recognize it as the pianist's voice from when you heard it the last time you went to the saloon.

"Yes, I did," says the other voice, a male voice, not nearly as gentle or quiet as the pianist's. More of a sneer than anything.

"Sorry it took so long, Farid. Paulina's minions checked me back in Moon City. Didn't go that good. For them."

"Oh, Conrad, not again! You'll be sent to the jail if you keep that--."

He stops. "Someone's here. You should leave."

Footsteps echo in the alley; the unknown man disappears.

"I know you're there, no use hiding!" the pianist yells, coming into view.