It was just risky everything they were trying to do. Finding the gate would be very bad if they had any type of force. The idea they could be traveling merchants in any reality was fading away. Maybe they should have just gotten on a boat and left.
Hazelton was a fairly large town, with crisscrossing streets, and multiple buildings everywhere. The most unique part of the town was its acceptance of traveling merchants, there were stalls everywhere, not just occupied but available to rent for those coming in. Hazelton also had a network of security guards as well as Magistrates for disputes between vendors and customers, or other vendors. And had made a lot of that process streamlined. It was easy to tell a stall to pack up, and leave for a season. And most vendors wouldn't want that. There was a strict curfew for the outdoor vendors as well. This benefited the locals as they were to be the only ones open for the night life in the town, having inside locations.
There were various loosely formed districts, for clothing, weapons, armor, medicine, and other similar types of products. Kurt thought these districts probably moved around naturally as vendors came and went.
The town seemed busy but not crowded. As there were people coming from every direction. Kurt and Sara had walked there from the gate's location. They had never been to the town before but their guide Jerry had. They were taking in all the vendors. Following Jerry, they walked to a section of the town that seemed to have very few vendors. The building seemed to have changed as well, looking more like a warehouse, and factories. Walking to one of the warehouses labeled "Montgomery Trading Co." they ended up in a waiting room.
The receptionist looked up at Jerry and said, "Jerry what are you doing here?" she started rummaging around some papers in front of her, "we shouldn't be expecting anything?"
"No, I'm not here to drop off anything."
"Well I don't have any work for you either. If I knew you were in town I could have gotten you haul."
putting up his hands, "Nothing like that, I'm just trying to get a meeting with Carl, I got something he will be interested in."
"That's strange, what's it about?"
"It's something I would like to discuss with him in person, trust me you know I don't go around wasting people's time if I can help it."
"Well, that's rather mysterious, but let me check," she took out a book and started to turn the pages, "I think I can squeeze you in, wanna come back just before curfew? He doesn't have much at the end of day. He's not even here right now unfortunately."
"That's perfect."
Since it was the morning this meant everyone basically had the rest of the day free. Jerry said he would meet them later and returned back to his family, it was a bit of a walk but nothing he couldn't do.
Kurt and Sara enjoyed the town together looking at all it had to offer. They had gotten some meat on a stick, Kurt had bought some cookware they were desperately missing, or rather to make Susan happy. Sara had gotten herself a few new clothes.
They had realized there were more levels to stalls than he originally thought as well, as certain stalls seemed to only sell in bulk while others were much more inviting. Obviously the food stalls were the most welcoming to any passerby. It made him realize having a whole warehouse here was on a completely different level than any stall. It meant you had buyers and sellers of much larger quantities.
"So you think it's all going to work out?" said Kurt.
"Like the meeting? I don't see why not," said Sara.
"I'm just worried, he's going to ask where we are getting from."
"So we just tell him."
"Isn't that dangerous."
"Of course, but what other options do we have, to set up a stall in plain sight?" waving at all the stalls around them. "You know it will catch attention, it already did, we need help. And looking at his warehouse, he seems like the perfect person. We can always go with option c."
"Option c?
"Keep running. But is that much safer Kurt? It seemed to have worked out with Jerry. But you're right he's going to ask, he has to. So the question isn't about telling him, it's about how much we tell him. He can press, but we would be able to say the exclusive access to a gate is basically what we are offering, not its location."
"But it moves."
"Exactly," said Sara.
"So you're still hoping that the fact gates can move is just not something anyone's going to think of."
"Two weeks ago, would you think that it was possible? Would it be a thought you honestly contemplated, maybe with a clan that has access, but this guy doesn't."
It had gotten to the time that they were to meet back up with Jerry, and to their surprise apparently they were going to be joined by everyone, including Susan and Layla were coming, and they would take the carriage there and come from the back this time. But Jerry was still here to get them, just not according to the plan.
"What happened here?" said Kurt.
"Well, you see, Susan, she seems to think Carl would want to see my boy. And, I didn't exactly think it was an option to tell Layla no here or there," making a hand signal of Kurt understood to mean this side and the other side of the gate, "I'm not trying to stir up any trouble, but it did get a bit away from me, I'm afraid."
"So what all," Sara started counting on her fingers, "five of us are coming to this meeting?"
"Well six you forgot about the baby." said Jerry, "it will actually probably be fine, Carl probably will want to see Robby, or at least be polite enough to appear so. It would be his first chance. Susan knows Carl too of course."
"Well I guess we have no other option."