Accidental Traitors

The Hanlon arms group were kind of secretive.  And I don't just mean that like they weren't open about who was in charge (they weren't) or that they hid their factories and warehouses in weird places (they did, including one disguised as a farm).  Their motivations in general were hard to figure out. Like they supported Ronerawth in general, but previous traitors have been found with Hanlon arms caches (they claimed stolen/purchased legally).  On top of that unlike every other major group in Ronerawth they had no representative in the capitol, or were even involved in politics.  They didn't get involved in mining disputes, or labor union issues or anything.  It lead to a lot of talk that the people who work for Hanlon were all enslaved magical something or others, as no one seemed to actually work for them that anyone knew (which was ridiculous I met their very human workers once, though I will admit I didn't exactly hang around to see if they were real people...).

I go over all of this to explain that while I was visiting one of their warehouses to pick up explosives, it wasn't like it was in a major city or really under any surveillence of Ronerawth. It actually had taken me years to even find one of their warehouses (previously their weapon shipments to my shop just arrived by crate with a note detailing where I can put payment, this went on decades before I finally got in the "circle" to find where the weapons were coming from), I don't know if Ronerawth even knew it was there (it was disguised as a milk farm, though there were no animals to milk).  I knocked on the door and a nicely dressed man greeted me, there were no guards or even other people.  Which again was odd for a warehouse full of weaponry, to the right of the door I knocked on were large double doors probably for loading and unloading freight, but I dunno could have been a place for a huge cannon, you can never tell with some people.

"Trezlan Lorentino what a pleasant surprise." When I stop by some place out of the blue to meet someone who would have no idea I'm coming, well it makes me a bit leery when they not only address me personally, but warmly.

"You have me at a loss."

"Toneron Hanlon," He extended his hand and I shook it to be polite, "I believe you knew my grandfather."

"Knew is a very generous assessment of my association."

"Of course, you're looking good, glad to hear you got your magic and with it necromancy back, follow me will you?" I was a bit taken back, I knew Hanlon was aware of me as a person, a bit more alarmed they knew about my troubles and my necromancy. We passed out of the hallway and into an office, again I saw no one in the warehouse, nor were their houses or horses for workers.  I was getting more than a little creeped out.

"I need a bomb." I decided to be blunt as I sat in a chair that felt overly too soft, yet inviting all the same.

"Of course you do." His eyes had lit up, for a second I thought it was a trap, that I had been lead to slaughter by a smiling madman and now the noose would close in.  "Do you also need some less than honest mercenaries who would be willing to over throw the government?"

"No just the bomb, aren't you a little worried what I'll do with it?"

"I assume you'll blow something up, and thats fine with me, sure you don't need those mercenaries? I have some good leads should you need some men not happy with the government." He had an unnatural smile, like you weren't seeing a real smile, but whatever behind the smile wanted to think you were.

"You don't care that I'm labeled a traitor?"

"Traitor and hero are only decided by the victor, wars are good for business, if you fail the government buys more to suppress your actions, if you win we stood behind a glorious revolution, either way its fantastic for Hanlon." Remember this for later, not like immediately but this stance comes back...

"I'm a bit taken back by your vision Mr. Hanlon."

"Because you think we care who runs this place Mr. Lorentino.  We don't care, the same way you and Morley (again creepy how they knew my associates/enemies), we only care about Hanlon." This sentiment has started to creep up other places,  I worry about it becoming more popular even today, religions are one thing, they follow gods, what do corporations follow?

"So about that bomb?"

"How big do you need it?"

"Something big enough to cause a lot of panic and blow a large hole in a fortified structure."

"I'll have a wagon and horses out front for you Mr. Lorentino, would you like an upgrade to your pistol while you're here? I notice its an older model."

"No I'm good thanks."

"Good good, do you need a guard or will you be riding alone."

"I'll be fine Mr. Hanlon."

"Please call me Toneron, Mr. Hanlon was my father, now if you excuse me I have other business to deal with." The door opened though there was no one there to open it (I checked though tried not to make it look obvious) and I was shocked when the cart and horses were outside of the warehouse, they even had the horse I'd ridden with attached in a harnes.  I saw no workers, or even footprints of people who had brought this cart into existence.  I started to feel wrong in a way that I couldn't explain, leaving the fake milk farm became an overriding desire.  I got the horses going with the reins and felt better with the creepy warehouse behind me, until I looked on the seat next to me and saw a map with a simple note.

"Though you might need directions to the prison, good luck Trezlan." It was written in what almost looked like a womans hand, though I hadn't seen any women there, and I won't even go over that I hadn't mentioned I was blowing up a prison.  I got the feeling I'd somehow signed a deal with an entity that was not simply a weapon manufacturer, and what I was paying with was not going to be money.  At the same time though, I had bigger problems.  Like breaking that idiot prince out of jail! And now I had the means and method for doing just that, so later concerns would have to wait till they came back to bite me in the ass later!