Orienta. Part 1

February 3rd 899:
We left for Orienta. We weren't sure what to expect and the BPN didn't really give any clues as to what we were to do once we got there. "Find and investigate the shifting market". That's it, no helpful hints - no contacts just 6 words.
I've never travelled by train this far before, and the way the rest of the team is looking out the window, I suspect they haven't either. I try to sleep a bit but my eyes keep opening and I look at G'rr who's on the edge of his seat looking at something far away. Greg is holding his sword, every now and then he smiles and touches the edge with a tenderness you rarely see. Jack is resting, it is obvious that he's thinking about our last assignment and how we're to solve this next one, he's flexing his fingers sometimes touching his gun, he nods when he notice I look at him. Sean is sleeping - or pretending to be, his lips are moving and I'm guessing he's telling himself small secrets, sometimes I'd wish I knew what was going on in his head. Blue is sitting relaxed in his seat, sometimes he's frowning and muttering but when he notice me looking at him he smiles, large drops of drool running down his face. Allan is eating, his mother insisted on making food for him, reluctantly he asks if I want a bite, I shake my head. I smile at everyone of them and sighs. This is my team, the people who'll keep me safe, my team... I sleep.

We arrive in Orienta, I'm still a bit groggy from the sleeping, and the trainstation doesn't make it any better. I don't think I've ever seen so many people in one place and they're all running or yelling or selling something. I try to stay close to the rest of the team and as we move through the crowd I realize how much we look like operatives - even in our travelling clothes. We decide to try and find someplace to stay and get into something less noticeable, we have to get Blue out of the way too as people are staring at him with obvious curiousity.
We rent a couple of rooms with an old lady. She seems like a total nutcase and she keeps referring to Blue as a demon. She stuffs our faces with food and tea and tells us all sorts of weird things about dragons and demons and other fantastic creatures. Half of it we don't understand, but it's OK since she probably don't really understand who we are anyway.
We leave Allan, G'rr and Blue with the lady, I can't help smiling as I watch our huge stormer with a tiny teacup in his claw, they'll be fine!
We take a look around the slums, everything is dirty and rainy - much like Mort DT only here we really don't understand anything. People are yelling a lot in their strange tongue. We're often stopped by dirty barefooted children who pulls at our legs or arms to get us to go with them. Eventually we decide to go take a look at some sort of games house. We notice a lot of clean welldressed guys with sunglasses (!!!) entering and our curiousity pulls us there. We enter a very beautifull room with luxurious interior and loads of small oriental guys at tables. Around them is large oriental guys with weapons and mean expressions - bodyguards. There's a bit of shouting at some of the tables when money changes hands but otherwise it seems as if everyone here is friends. When people turn to stare at us I notice that I'm the only woman here, except for the delicate and very beautiful hostess'. Obviously Sean doesn't notice and I trail behind him to the nearest table. The yakuza-guys at the table welcome him and tell him to take a seat, and as he sits I stand behind him one hand on his shoulder. As they tell him to join the game we both realize that we have no cash with us - or at least not the amount these guys spend. Jack and Greg leaves to get more money and meanwhile Sean tries to keep the conversation going. The suits tries to get him to bet his badge, his gun or his suit but he turns them all down. One of the bosses who's been keeping in the background (but I noticed him looking at me), asks if Sean'll care to bet his bodyguard. I look the boss straight in the eyes and squeezes Sean shoulder, if he stakes me I'll pull his head off!
Sean looks at me and smiles and I tell him, without looking away from the boss, that he would regret staking me in a game he doesn't know. Sean sighs and tell them no. Instead he wagers his right pinkie - stupid Brainwaster!
During the game Sean tries to keep the conversation going, but none of the players seem eager to tell anything. I try to observe everything, but the boss who asked for me as part of the stake keeps drawing my attention, and I find myself staring at him most of the time.
Sean loses his finger to one of the bosses and after that wager they're not interested in money, they want other body parts. I drag Sean out of there and meet up with Jack and Greg. We walk down the street wondering what to do next, when a large black car pulls up beside us. The door opens and I see "my" boss in the backseat, I look at the boys, none of them object, I tell them "see you guys later, I'll call" as I jump into the car and drives away.