"No, I wasn't around for that. I had one of those rings--" Carter was cut off by another man suddenly appearing in the darkness. He wasn't wearing the traditional (well, the new traditional) Landel's costume but that was all right, he knew some people had other outfits too. He seemed like a nice guy, trying to warn them off, but Carter wasn't some greenhorn private.

"Don't worry, we've been out there before." He displayed his crowbar proudly. "And we've got protection. It's real neighborly of you, but we'll be fine." He tried to walk around the black-coated man, assuming he wouldn't do anything but complain in order to stop them.