<div align="center"><strong>-= Griffin Kingston, Captain - Oxhorn Saloon - Buzzard's Gulch - Avalon =-</strong></div><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/Corvus269/Characters/griff-2-headshot.jpg) (http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/Corvus269/Characters/Griffabs.jpg)</div>The exchange hadn't been as eventful as Griff had anticipated, which was a relief considering he had to go in without his only reliable backup. With the departure of Sasha and Si, it fell to Vincent to make sure Griff didn't go into undesirable situations with his back exposed. He would have words with his co-pilot later. Right now, he needed a stiff drink in the worst way, and as it just so happened, the man with whom he'd just met, one of Abernathy's associates, had forfeited a full bottle of top notch whiskey with the seal still intact. Hurrying back to the saloon where he'd dropped off the stow away, he questioned why he was even returning to her to begin with. She was not part of his crew and had no place on his on ship. She was a criminal, after all, stealing passage, stealing food and water, stealing clothes and air... on the other hand, she had undoubtedly saved Mae's life, and like it or not, that went a long way on her behalf.<br/><br/>Parking the skiff behind the saloon, Griff moved cautiously through the alley between the two tallest buildings in town, each being three stories high. Breaking the seal to the bottle, he made his way to the entrance of the Oxhorn Saloo with the Buzzard's Roost hotel being directly across the alley. Pushing the door open, Griff stepped inside, taking a healthy pull from the bottle of whiskey clutched tightly in his gloved hand. His duster hung down to his knees, concealing the LeMat Model 16 (http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n216/lolddawg/lolddawg2/SidkitMalReynolds.jpg) revolver holstered at his hip. Of course, he was required to check the piece at the door, and following a quick pat down, he was allowed entrance, though the less than thorough inspection missed the Neotech Derringer (http://www.amderringer.com/pix/m1.jpg) hidden away in the stealth sheath sown into the sleeve of his duster. He gave the bouncer a smug grin as he moved deeper into the building, chocolate brown eyes scanning the room for 'Small Fry'.<br/><br/>He spotted the strawberry blonde in the company of a few townspeople, a couple of whom seemed mighty cozy. As he made his way over to the group, he couldn't help but wonder if 'Small Fry' knew them and paranoia began to set it. After all that happened in recent weeks, Griff was on edge about everything.<strong>"Damn you, Vince for leaving me high and dry like this,"</strong>he muttered to himself as he made his way over to her. Setting the bottle down on the table with a<em>thud</em>he glanced to the couple on the chair before turning to the blonde in the stetson and 'Small Fry.'<strong>" Friends of yours?"</strong>The thought that she had scouted his ship and had somehow made contact with her crew to make arrangements to take his ship off his hands crossed his mind, though he tried to remain calm and not let his suspicions show, playing his cards close to his chest, lest his tip his hand and blow the only advantage he might have; Surprise.<br/><br/><strong>"Come join me in a drink. I could sure use it after the past few weeks I've had."</strong>His eyes shifted to the man with the woman perched in his lap. He couldn't see her face as her back was turned to him, but something about her was oddly familiar.<strong>"I can't drink this whole bottle by myself now,"</strong>he laughed.<strong>"Well, actually I could, but I don't think that would be very wise. I might not be able to find my way back to my ship if I did."</strong>Glancing around, he assessed his surroundings, checking for exits, possible weapons in case his two-shot derringer wasn't enough should things turn ugly. That's when he noticed the alliance scumbags gathered at a table across the room, none of whom seemed to be paying him any attention as they drank and laughed boisterously among themselves.<strong>"Qing wa kao de liu mang,"</strong>he muttered softly to himself.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Qing wa kao de liu mang = Frog-humping son of a bitch