EV released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as the thugs let them pass and even agreed to guard the manhole. She had to admire the elf's way of handling things - without even a hint of violence he had somehow managed to turn the situation around and convince the boys to help them. For now they happily believed that the bits of metal scrounged from her prototype could be traded in for shiny platinum at the local bank with a quick show of some numbers. Of course, no doubt when they realized the bank numbers she'd given them were false, their need for vengeance would double. Somehow EV doubted they would live long enough for that.

"Is it really okay," she whispered under her breath when they were far enough away and she could get close enough to him not to be overheard, "to leave them to die like that?"

She knew that if he had not manipulated the thugs they would have killed them both without a second thought. But it was different when it came to sentencing someone else to die. The Vench hoped they were more clever than they looked and would at least kill themselves for fast deaths rather than suffer torture at the hands of the Central agents. At the least that might prevent any mention of the elf's involvement in her plight. No need to make any more people targets.

They emerged out into the largest open part of Sector 4. A dozen consecutive house tides had wiped the area clear of buildings, but rather than sub-dividing the sector, the residents had decided to clear away the rubble and create a central hub. Into this open space hundreds of unfoldable stalls, stacking tables, and neon signs competed for attention - creating a virtual maze of activity. A few primative droids wheeled among the crowds bearing advertisements for this shop or that. All manner of items - both legal and not - could be found for sale. EV herself had sometimes contracted out a stall to sell minor trinkets when money became too much of an issue to ignore anymore.

She led them down through the food section first. The air here was rich with spices and pungent aromas, some more of an acquired taste than others. The Vench paused beside an open vat of natto for a moment, hoping the fermenting odors would cover up some of the smell of the sewer that still lingered upon them. The more they could hide any distinguishing features of their passage, the better.

"Hopefully the crowd will cover our tracks for some time, but if we want shelter, we're going to have to find someplace with security that doesn't feel too bad about gently dissuading the military." That meant somewhere with its feet on the wrong side of the law. EV could only think of one place, but even the thought of it made her green stripes flush a scarlet pink. She tried to push the blush down, but it was a few minutes before she once again returned to her normal color.

"I do know of one place that might serve our needs. It was ... discussed while I still worked in Centerpiece, but I've never been myself." Even as she spoke, she was moving in that direction. It might have been one of the most foolish ideas she'd had all day, or it might just work. The area of the market they were in had changed from offering food to offering more exotic items - mixes that would simulate euphoria, salves that would take on any texture. She took a narrow ally between two stalls, ignoring the strange Vench harness one of the shopkeepers was trying to convince the elf to buy. It's exact purpose was a little too questionable for EV to ponder fully.

"It's a place the elite of Centerpiece go when they need to be ... discrete. The owners are Ruin-ers, but they have a strict privacy policy that can sometimes be very...forcibly enforced. I know it seems a bit counterproductive to go to someplace over running with people from CP when its Central agents that are chasing us, but what happens in there never comes out. Even if agents busted down the door, they still would say nothing, because some of their best customers are even higher up. It's a bit of a risk still, but I don't think it's somewhere they would think to look for us. We can buy at least a bit of time."

She paused a few turns away from the hotel to let the elf think over her suggestion.