Tempting, but you might as well stick with it out a little while longer. Oddly part of you doesn't want to dishonor the agreement with Dr. Gossey even if her assistant is a bitch.

Elana doesn't make many more complaints fortunately and when she does it's mostly at the driver anyway, though you can imagine you'll soon be on the receiving end completely.

By the time you reach Hessla, night is starting to fall. Elana orders the carriage to stop and then asks the driver where is the best place to stay in the town. The driver suggests the Cozy Krak Inn. He mentions that it is fairly expensive though that usually means it's never completely filled, but Elana tells him she isn't worried about the price.

The carriage makes its way through Hessla, which is definitely not how you expected it look. You imagined pirates and vagabonds of all types getting into fights and drinking in the streets, but just like the driver said, it isn't actually all that bad.

When you get to the Cozy Krak Inn, you see a large decorated building, which wouldn't be out of place in the richer areas of Klyton. It's actually a little more creative looking since it has a whole sea theme complete with some wall murals of sailors battling a giant squid and the inn sign also being in the shape of a squid.

"Ugh, how gauche. I suppose it will have to do." Elana remarks and gets out of the carriage. You step off from the top.

"I'm going to go in and getting the room, you grab the supplies from the carriage."
"Wait a minute. I'm just supposed to be here for protection. I didn't hear anything about being your porter. Besides, doesn't a place like this usually have someone to do that?"
"Maybe, but I'm telling YOU to do it. I'm not risking having the locals run off with valuable equipment and you're getting paid to protect EVERYTHING, so do your job and look out for the stuff!" Elana remarks and doesn't even give you a chance to retort before she's entered the inn.

You just stand there speechless for a moment.

"Um…there's a cart over there which should help you get it in all one trip." The driver points out in an attempt to be sympathetic to your plight.
"Thanks." You grumble and begin to unload the carriage.

You should have just hijacked it.

After you're done unloading everything, the driver mentions that if you're looking for a place to unwind, the Sultry Siren is a good location. He then bids you good night and takes his leave.

You enter the inn and find that it resembles more of a mansion than any inn you've ever seen. No creaky wooden floors, dim lighting or drunken louts sitting at a nearby bar. You see a desk where Elana is talking with someone and a couple of mean looking men holding poleaxes standing just inside the doorway.

You arrive just in time for Elana to finish bitching at the desk clerk and start bitching at you instead.

She first goes on to complain that there is no lift so she has to walk to her room on the top floor like a commoner. This is even worse news for you since now you have to lug everything up several flights of stairs.

After getting to the room, she complains that it doesn't match anything she's used to in Klyton and goes on about how inferior it is. You almost feel like saying you live in a place run by a cranky old man and how your closest neighbors consist of a drunken priest and a whore.

Trying to make the best of this, you remain upbeat.

"Well, we aren't going to be here long hopefully. Let's just try to get some rest." You say.
"What are you doing?" Elana says.
"I'm just laying down."
"Not on the bed you're not!"
"But there are TWO beds and I'm not going to try anything!"
"Pfft. I'm not worried about that." Elana says and then brandishes a small ornate pistol. Smaller than other ones you've seen actually, but you still don't want to risk getting shot by it and move out of the way when she thoughtlessly points it at you.

"Will you stop waving that thing around?" you say.
"I told Dr. Gossey I didn't need an escort and could take care of myself." Elana remarks.
"Yeah, okay you're not a woman to be messed with, got it. But I don't see why I have to sleep on the floor when there are two beds."
"The floor? You're not sleeping on the floor either. This is MY room. You want a room here, you pay for it yourself!"
"…What? Are you serious? Dr. Gossey said this trip was paid for!"
"Maybe for me, never said anything about you. Your payment is AFTER the job is done. In fact, shouldn't you just be standing guard outside my door?"

You have no words. You just don't. You thought dealing with the lowlifes that hang around the Welcome Mat was a chore, but it still pales in comparison to this. If this wasn't a paying job, there is no way you'd deal with this.

However, since it is, you don't say anything and just grab a chair in the room and exit.

Placing the chair nearby, you sit down and make a mental note about never working a real job ever again. The kicker is, you still have a bunch of over grown rats to acquire. Still, you agreed to this so you continue to make the effort and sit outside like a loser.

Eventually enough time passes and you start feeling tired or at least bored enough that you'd rather be doing something else. You briefly think about finding another place to stay or even going to the Sultry Siren like the driver suggested, but you really don't feel like dealing with the stairs again or spending your money. You then wonder if maybe you shouldn't take this opportunity to break into some of the other rooms.

As you're pondering potential criminal activity, you spot a group of five rough looking men walking down the corridor. They don't look the sort who would stay here.

"Is this the room?" one of them says.
"No, it's further up the hall." Another remarks.
"What? Where that guy in the hood is sitting?"
"Yeah, I believe so."
"What the fuck, Metzger. I thought you said this was an easy one."
"There's just one guy there and he's smaller than all of us. You really think he's going to give us trouble? Metzger says.
"What if he's some highly skilled assassin? I mean he's got a hooded cloak and all…"
"By Dolak's barnacle encrusted balls, if you were any dumber…(Sigh) Just because someone is wearing a hooded cloak don't make them a highly skilled assassin. Besides, assassins kill people not sit outside hallways like guard dogs." Metzger remarks.

At this point these five men are nearby you, yet are still talking like you aren't here. You feel like you should stand up at this point.

"I can't help but notice you lot seem to be talking about me." You say.
"Yeah, and what if we are?" Metzger asks.
"Well, I suppose I might need to show off my assassin skills."
"Hah! You're no assassin and even if you are, you're too damn young to have been at it for very long, let alone skilled enough to take on five of us. My guess is, you're that rich bitch's escort or something. Not sure why she'd take a little thing like you though as a guard. Guess being rich doesn't mean being smart which is evident by the very fact she's staying here."
"What do you mean?"
"Nobody stays at the Cozy Krak Inn, or rather no right thinking Hessla native does, unless they want to be taken as a fucking slave. Fucking clueless visitors." Metzger laughs.

Well this isn't good.

"So you guys are all slavers huh?" you ask.
"Yeah, and since I'm in a generous mood I'm going to LET you walk away from this, because Yrid said you weren't the target." Metzger remarks.
"Who's Yrid?"
"The guy who drove you here. Sheesh, didn't you even bother to ask his name? In fact you weren't even supposed to be here, he said you'd probably be at the Sultry Siren fucking a whore or getting drunk given how much your boss was bitching at you."
"Trust me, I'm starting to think that was a better idea right now."
"Hah, got that right. So, I trust you're stepping aside then…" Metger says and starts advancing with his buddies.

This is a really difficult situation. As much as Elana has been a complete bitch to you, you aren't sure if her getting sold into slavery isn't disproportionate retribution.

You buy some time

You have to try.

"Okay. Okay. Hold on guys. I get it and I won't try to stop you…but uh…" you say trailing off
"But what?" Metzger asks.
"Well she's not quite as defenseless as you think. She's sleeping with not just one, but two pistols in there. Not to mention she's a crack shot with them."
"Bullshit."
"I'm fucking serious. You think I'm some bodyguard when all I really am is her glorified porter. I don't think you're aware of all the bitching I have to hear on a regular basis."
"So what are you saying exactly?"
"I'm saying let ME go in there and get her. If you lot go barging in, she's going to shoot at least two of you in the head before you subdue her. If I go in, she'll bitch me, but I can get in close enough and knock her ass out before she can do shit. Tired of working for her ass anyway, it'll be my damn pleasure to turn her over to you personally."
"So let me get this straight, you hate your employer so much that you're willing to risk getting shot just to turn her over to a bunch of slavers?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm…."

Metzger looks up and places his hand under his chin as if thinking really hard about this. Your mind races with ideas of what you're going to do as soon as you enter Elana's room and how much time you're going to have to slip out of a window before Metzger and his crew break down the door when you hastily barricade it.

That last minute planning is all for naught when you suddenly feel a fist to your face, knocking you on your ass. Before you can even get up, Metzger signals to his men to quickly subdue and shackle you.

"How stupid do you think I am boy? You go in there and warn her and make all of our jobs harder than it needs to be. Fuck that. I gave you a chance to leave and you chose to be a hero. Well, hope whoever buys your ass likes fucking heroes, because I anticipate you'll fetch a good price to some of those degenerates."

Metzger's men waste no time in relieving you of all your weapons and anything of value, then they put a bag over your head and knock you out.

By the time you come too, you're practically naked and shackled to two other miserable looking souls in a long line of other hopeless and depressed looking individuals. From what you can tell, you're probably on a ship. You don't see Elana, but you can only imagine that they got her too.

When you ask one of the other captives where you're going, nobody has a clue or they just don't answer at all.

Wherever you're going though, it's going to be a long way from here and an even longer time before you'll be able to make an escape, assuming you ever get the chance.

This is a horrible situation and one you definitely never saw in your future. All you wish is that you were back home with your family. You stifle some of your crying and try to remember that you need to remain strong if you ever hope to get out of this one day.

Your life may not be over yet, but your life as a rogue certainly is.