Page 1471

~~((The 6 Pages of New Year's + Double Monday = Page 5 of 8))~~
No words were exchanged, but everyone kept throwing glances and glares in Dunstan’s direction, and he wasn’t shy in returning them, either. Perhaps they were trying to tell him to leave without actually having to tell him, and perhaps he was doing the same.

All in all, it made for an intensely uncomfortable atmosphere.

But not an unfamiliar one.

In fact, after two weeks in this place, Cisco had long since grown weary of this. Maybe Dennex was right and staying totally quiet was the wisest course of action here, but frankly, it was obnoxious. And besides, Cisco had always hated this sort of passive aggression. He much preferred proper confrontation.

“So I hear you’re all a bunch of a criminals,” said Cisco.

Dunstan just about drowned in the glass of water he was drinking from.

Cisco didn’t avert his gaze from the other Rofals, though. He wanted to see their faces, their reactions.

Lucia laughed. Jonah glared. Elwood scowled.

“Is that what Dunce over there told you?” said Elwood. He was a tall man with a gravely voice and a strong, clean shaven jawline. He was wearing silky red-and-gold pajamas, but that didn’t inform Cisco of much, because everyone else was doing the same. There wasn’t a whole lot of motivation to get properly dressed when everyone knew they weren’t going anywhere. Not to mention, there wasn’t much variety of clothing available here, either.

“You shouldn’t put too much credence in what that loser says,” said Jonah. Compared to Elwood, this guy looked pretty small, though he was probably around average weight and height.

And they all had the same dark hair and thick, arched eyebrows.

“Okay,” said Cisco flatly. “So tell me what the truth is, then.”

And perhaps they hadn’t expected him to say that, because both men paused.

“Elwood here is an illegal arms dealer,” said Dunstan, having found his composure again. “And Jonah--well, he’s just a loan shark, but he gets his jollies from smacking kids around, probably to vent his frustration over how pathetic he is.”

Jonah shot up out of his seat and stomped toward them. “You fuckin’ little--!” He backhanded Dunstan hard enough to knock him out of his chair. “Cecilia shoulda taught you some fuckin’ manners!”

‘Kick his ass, Dunstan!’ said Rezamaar, grabbing his shoulder to invoke the servant’s vigor.

“That wasn’t necessary, Reza,” said Dunstan.

“What’re you talkin’ about, huh, bitch?!” said Jonah. “Get up so I can put your ass down again!”

And Dunstan did get back up.

Having fought Dunstan himself, Cisco knew this wasn’t going to be pretty. But at the same time, Dunstan didn’t look out of control. He seemed entirely calm. Cisco might have decided to step in, otherwise.

Jonah swung, and Dunstan caught his fist with one hand as if it were a tennis ball. Jonah barely got the chance to look surprised before Dunstan swept one of his legs, shoved him to the floor, and sat on him. He kept Jonah’s hand, though, and twisted the wrist a little.

“You little fucker--agh!”