Ren had managed to keep his mouth shut for the entire trip, despite his utter disgust for the dingier parts of the city. The poor disgusted him, with their lack of self-respect and general respect for the areas around them. They were filthy, crass, and revolting, not much better than animals living in their own filth. Night only served to throw a thin veil over the putrescence, gilding the garbage with amber diamonds of light. When Catalyst achieved its goals, Ren would see to it personally that places like this vanished.
Despite his revulsion toward the dregs of the city, Ren's real attention was on every movement, every face, every detail. He made sure to note side alleys and the nooks and crannies that hid in the shadows of the buildings around them. Sure, he's love to see Phero face down in his own blood, but not today. Today was a job, and that meant that Phero would have to live a little longer. He stuck close to Lerraine, figuring that if something was going to happen, the psychic would be first to know, after all, why else would they have sent her?
It wasn't too soon when they reached the wretched shack that tried to pass itself off as a bookstore, or as the sign seemed to read, thanks to the years of negligence, a 'rookstore'. "Castling Books," Noland pointed out, as if the three were too dumb to put two and two together,"B's rubbed out. Pro'lly should get ole Castling to fix the dang sign."
Ren made no comment, his attention elsewhere, as his eyes scanned for anything that looked suspect. He shot a glance toward Phero, as if confirming that the area seemed too good for an ambush, a rare look without utter loathing for the other man. They were lead inside, and what seemed to be a somewhat contrived conversation took place. Of course, the whole thing was a ruse, a code, he supposed, and the hag behind the counter started eying the three suspiciously. "Is that one even old enough to drink?" Ren met Mrs. Castling's gaze with his own, malevolent scowl. The staring contest was luckily cut short before Ren gave any thought to starting the fireworks early, and a secret passage was revealed.
Just great. If the three went in now, they would have their backs to the wall, and the Gambits would have every advantage.
Grudgingly, Ren had to admit it was a good plan on the Gambits' part.
Nolan seemed to try bargaining with Phero for, of all things, a few of the tails from the Ninetails. It seemed stupidly pointless to as such a thing, and Ren spoke up,"Let's stick to the business at hand, unless you would like to start offering some of your organs in trade. Just lead the way, fice." Ren never thought he'd be standing up for Phero, but he supposed that anyone who thought that something as elegant as a Ninetails was just a source of cash needed to be drawn and quartered.