Carson paused when he walked into a house he expected to be nearly empty and instead came face to face with a half-dozen Runners. Given the venom in some of their looks his hand strayed toward the pistol at his side, but Malia's presence was enough to still him. He paced quietly inside and pulled the door shut behind him, allowing them to finish their talk. He fixed the boy who accused them of sleeping together with his iciest glare, and didn't relent until the boy was shifting where he stood. From what he gleaned, though, it sounded like whatever shadowy forces which were on the offensive had struck again. He approached the table when asked, and set the arrow on the table in the middle of the room. The note fell open from around it.<br/><br/>On the soft barkcloth a few simple lines had been written.<i>Strider - There are things you need to know. Meet me alone at sundown where the boy died.<br/>
</i><br/>"It's a callout," he explained. "While I was on patrol someone fired an arrow at me from outside the wall. I've blocked the hole in the wall--whoever fired this at me knew about it, was inspecting it. And they weren't from inside the town." He folded his arms and looked around at the group. "I'm sure that's a problem to you guys, given your need for covert movement. I'll assist in opening a new way out--something more discreet than a gaping hole in the town's defenses." He paused and bowed his head in thought, then looked up at Malia. He held her gaze for a long moment before he looked around at the others.<br/><br/>"There's a new town about seven hour's walk from here. Only four people know its location. Soon to be five. Part of what Malia and I are planning is to go there, and to alert the others who know where it is of the situation developing here and elsewhere. Yes, the others are Striders. None of them have the skull tattoo, though. I'd trust them with my life. And if the people targeting all of you have training as Striders, we'll need all the help we can get."