Chapter 28: The Loyalists
As Samuel's boat arrived at the Hound Pits, the sound of gunfire resonated across the yard.
"Take Daud with you!" Corvo exclaimed as he disembarked.
Samuel and Daud sped off as Corvo ran to the side door of the pub and kicked it open. Behind the bar were Lydia, Cecella, and Callista.
"Friend or foe?" Lydia asked, pointing a trans rifle at Corvo.
"Friend!" Corvo exclaimed.
"Then get behind cover! Don't leave your ass sticking out!" Lydia yelled.
Corvo jumped behind the bar.
"What's going on?" Corvo asked.
"Pendleton's trying to remove all memory of the Loyalists. Sent a detachment of the City Watch to try and clean us out. We've been holed up here for about two days." Cecella explained.
"How's it going?" Corvo asked.
"Well, Slackjaw sent some exploding whiskey bottles. We've got enough tinned food and liquor to last us about a month. We've got a still in the basement to make our own elixirs. We can get ammo for our guns off the guards. And for power, we've got our own generator." Callista answered.
"Now where's Emily?" Corvo demanded.
"Pendleton's private goon Wallace took her. Said something about a painted lady." Lydia replied.
Lydia fired off a shot, killing a Tallboy.
"What can I do?" Corvo asked.
"Get across the yard to Piero's workshop. NOW MOVE IT!" Cecella ordered.
Corvo dashed across the yard from the pub in a frenzy. Blinking left and right, he dodged the bullets of the guards' new trans rifles. Leaping over a hastily built wall, he entered Piero's workshop. To his surprise, Piero and Sokolov were exchanging notes as if nothing was happening.
"Corvo?" Piero asked.
"Are you deaf or something? Don't you get that we're being shot at?" Corvo asked.
"Sokolov and I have been examining each other's research." Piero replied.
"And it appears that when my elixir is mixed with his, a reliable cure for the plague can be created!" Sokolov exclaimed.
"That's great! Now answer this: what's the painted lady?" Corvo asked.
"The Painted Lady? That's a name I haven't heard in a long time." Sokolov replied.
"What is it?" Corvo snarled.
"It's a ship designed to sail underwater. A submarine vessel, if you will." Sokolov answered.
"How would you know about it?" Corvo asked.
"It was built for the Imperial Navy under Empress Jessamine's father. I helped design it." Sokolov explained.
"Tell me where it is!" Corvo demanded.
"It's at Oliphant Island." Piero answered.
"And how do you know about it, Piero?" Corvo asked.
"It's pretty easy to find the files in the Royal Academy's Hall of Books." Piero replied.
And with that, Corvo dashed out of the workshop and to the dock. He fired a flare gun. Within minutes, Samuel and Daud returned.
"Samuel, get to Oliphant Island!" Corvo ordered.
The boat sped off.
