Neil reloaded quickly, grinning wickedly at the skaven scurrying away in fear. But it was a short lived victory. He pulled himself away from the opening to check on Emmaline, who looked none the worse for wear. The slight scuff on her healthy cheek somehow enhancing her beauty. Luckily none of the bandits were relaxed enough to really pay too much attention, their boots stomping on the floors as they ran back and forth, cursing and shouting at each other. It was then Neil noticed that things had grown quieter. Not silent, of course. There was still the occasional glowing bullet slicing through wood, but no clan rats surged forward and the strange firearms the skaven used weren't assailing them quite as horribly. 

"We got guys watching our ass?" Neil asked Johann, who had come back into the long gallery and knelt down again, sporting a pistol in one hand and a notched military saber in the other. He peered out of the window before ducking back down, having evidently seen nothing to fire at. There was the faint smell of something rancid in the air. 

"I got Clause and Kurt keeping an eye on it, and Brant's barred the doors." He said, and coughed from the dust flying everywhere. He snorted and kicked a piece of fallen wood away from his position. "Hell of a day to join the crew." 

"Least we had some fun, beforehand." Neil remarked casually, giving Emmaline a smile that brightened the room. She smiled back, but it was whiped from her face, her jaw dropping and her eyes widening. Neil wasn't sure what the matter was, but he rolled away from the wall just as Emmaline screamed his name, and in a split second he saw her concern. What almost looked like a floating ball of green was hurtling toward the shattered window between them and Johann. Neil tossed his hochland rifle and leaped as best he could from the awkward position, and if he wasn't so blessed by Ranald with quick reflexes and clever fingers, all three of them would have died a most painful death. 

He felt the globe of poison glass land heavily in his grasp, and his breath caught when it still 'clunked' against the floor. By Ranald's luck, his hands had halted the momentum just enough to keep it from breaking, and Neil's lips formed a tight 'o' in amazement at how close that was. 

"Here, let me take it," Emmaline whispered, but Neil hugged it close to his chest when she reached for it. 

"Babe, I love you, but you're kinda clumsy." He said. 

She placed her hands on her hips, her knees on the floor. "Someone needs to hold it while you fire, numbskull." 

"Oh don't worry, they'll get their globe back." Neil said with a grin, and he hopped to his feet and poked his head out of the window. Even as he did so, he saw a cloaked rat with an ornate mask and a large pack strapped to its back producing another globe. Its eyes couldn't be seen, but the glass coverings made it look almost as if the skaven were part insect. "Johann!" 

The bandit boss was already on it, readying a shot. A moment later, a kick and a flash of smoke. The rat fell over, cracking some of the glass with its fall. By Neil's estimation the skaven was twenty meters out, and Neil stood to his full height and tossed the globe he had to land amidst the ever billowing gas. Emmaline yanked at Neil's arm, and he nodded. "Boss, we got to get away from the gallery. We don't know if the gas will come this way." Emphasizing the word 'boss' to keep up the facade they wanted to join the outfit.

"What'll it do?" He asked hoarsely, reloading.

"Bad shit, let's go!" Neil remarked, and he followed Emmaline into the lobby down the corridor. As the two thieves rounded the corner, they heard the sound of screeching and the sound of iron on iron. A man grunted and yelped. Neil flipped his hochland rifle, hefting it as they entered the scene. Two skaven lay dead on the floor, bleeding from heavy cuts. One of the bandits was dead too, a falchion still embedded in his skull. Another bandit furiously defended himself against three skaven as more streamed out of what to Neil appeared to be a closet behind the staircase. 

"Sigmar's balls." Neil and Emmaline remarked together, Neil redirecting his rifle and firing into the group hounding the bandit, Neil thought his name was Clause. The bullet punctured the neck of the first and the skull of a second, dropping two at once. Neil spun his brass covered rifle and ran in like it was a club, battering one of the skaven that had decided to sneak up behind the dueling bandit. If they didn't think of something, they might be surrounded again in a matter of moments. Emmaline pulled Neil back with the strength of desperation, and Neil saw her wild look. 

He looked back at the other skaven charging in to harass Clause. 

Clause hacked and stabbed, but took a cut in his ribs. He kicked the skaven in the head, but more swarmed around him, and Neil saw his eyes sweep over his and Emmaline as the two thieves turned and ran down the corridor. His cries of help followed them, but were muffled when Neil slammed the doors and Emmaline spun and performed a spell that melted the brass on the knobs and locks, fusing the doors together. The two sprinted back the way they had come, Neil holding Emmaline's hand as the lovers ran to a better position.