"Wake up, tough guy. It's chow time." A burly man kicked Mark and set a plate of food down on the floor next to him.

Mark slowly opened his eyes, looked up at the man, and then surveyed his surroundings. He realized that he was sitting on the floor with his wrists loosely chained to the wall of a small, dark room. Mark picked up the plate and inspected the food. As he did so, he felt a dull pain in the back of his head.

"Go ahead and eat it. The boss wants you alive. You already would've been dead if he didn't. It'll be a while before he comes, so no need to rush," the man noted before turning and leaving the room.

Meanwhile, Curt and Paul had been searching for Mark for nearly half of an hour. They had searched several pubs, walked a number of streets, and looked around the opera house without any luck. Curt was just about to suggest that they return to the inn when he saw a man, who was clearly drunk, stumbling in the direction of the opera house. Curt quickly recognized the man as the stalker who had tried to attack Mark in the old warehouse. Curt motioned to Paul that he wanted to follow the man.

Mark had just finished his food - which he found to be of surprisingly excellent quality - when the door opened and the burly man returned. The man released Mark's fetters from the wall and led him, still shackled, to a well-decorated room.

"Sit down and wait here," the man ordered.

Mark sat down on a plush sofa in the center of the room and watched the man leave. A few seconds later, another door on the other side of the room opened, and a tall, well-dressed man entered. The man wore a harlequin mask over his face, but Mark could tell that it was Hamilton. Mark had not been able to get very close to Hamilton after he left Curt and Autumn in the lobby of the opera house. He strained to remember what had happened. Mark recalled that he had followed Hamilton and the two women down a hallway, and then he was hit on the head from behind. Still, he was able to recognize that the man standing before him was indeed the same man he had followed.

"So it is you...such a small world we live in. How do you like my mask, Mark?" Hamilton asked.

"How do you know my name?" Mark replied as he scrutinized his captor.

Hamilton walked over to a chair that sat across from Mark, sat down, and crossed his legs. He chuckled softly and then slowly removed his mask. Mark gasped and looked at Hamilton in shock.

"John..." Mark whispered.

"It's a great mask. I purchased it for the masquerade ball I'm throwing...John? Hehe. No, the name is Hamilton. I had a friend named John once, but he is no more." Hamilton sat the mask down on the table beside him.

"I thought you were dead!" Mark exclaimed.

"Dead...yes, I tasted death once...as did you," Hamilton returned. "Remember that night around the fire?"

"We were ambushed...you were shot...I was shot...and..." Mark recalled.

"And that's where the memory ends...until you woke up in a farmer's hut," Hamilton finished.

"Yes, the farmer found me. I had him take me back to where he found me. Your body was gone though. He told me that he had buried you nearby and then showed me the grave. At the battle scene, I found your crystal pendant," Mark shared.

"Ah, my crystal pendant. I would like to have it back. Do you still have it?" Hamilton asked.

"I'm sorry, but no," Mark replied.

"Pity...it did come in handy. But anyway, back to the story. You wonder about the truth I imagine?" Hamilton teased. "Well, when the Dragon Knight Order was disbanded, we were offered military commands."

"And we denied those posts," Mark said with a tone of disgust.

"Wrong! You denied the post and made a fool of yourself by criticizing Richter. I later approached him and told him that I would accept the post. He told me that if I did him a favor, he would give me a post and more," Hamilton disclosed.

"So he asked you to kill me," Mark guessed.

"I was tired of standing in your shadow! You were the best. You were the one the men looked to. Now everyone looks to me!" Hamilton said angrily.

"John, what are you talking about?" Mark asked.

"Yes, I organized the ambush. But I couldn't bring myself to kill you, so I devised the double kill scenario. I would make it so they thought you were dead and so you thought I was dead...that way I got my post and reward without your death on my conscience," Hamilton laughed.

"And now?" Mark inquired

"I knew this day might come. I'm rather surprised it happened so soon...so what brings you to my neck of the woods, Mark?" Hamilton asked.

"What do you know about the myrrh tree sentries?" Mark returned.

"Sentries...hehe...you make it sound so organized. But then again, I guess it is becoming more organized with each passing day. To be honest, it is one of the most organized plans I have been a part of since the time our dragon knights stood against the monster invasion at Torenada," Hamilton reminisced.

"What kind of plan, John?" Mark pressed.

"I'm not stupid, Mark! The rest of the story is not a part of yours, which sadly is going to be coming to an end soon..." Hamilton's voice trailed off.

"So you've come to terms with having my death on your hands then?" Mark suggested.

"You have left me no other choice. You should never have come here," Hamilton said as he slowly shook his head.

While Mark and Hamilton had been speaking, Curt and Paul had followed the drunken man to a building that was adjacent to the opera house. They could find no way inside, so Curt suggested that they try to climb onto the roof. Fortunately, the building was only a single story, so Paul boosted Curt up onto the roof. Curt found a skylight on the roof and moved over to its edge. He peered down through the skylight and was shocked at what he saw. There below him sat Mark and a man who looked like he might be Hamilton. Curt noted that they were having a rather serious discussion, and he also noticed that Mark's wrists were chained together. Curt continued to watch.

"I have worked hard to build up my position here in Sumira. I could not easily cast it aside. You see me as unscrupulous, but I have done much good for Sumira and its people," Hamilton noted.

"I'm not so sure the good you speak of has reached everyone in the city, John," Mark challenged.

"I thought you might say as much. I know that on the surface, it appears that the rich are favored, but I assure you, I have been taking steps to reach out to the poor as well. I haven't totally forsaken our Dragon Knight Pledge," Hamilton added.

"That brings me some comfort," Mark said.

"Mark, I will ask this only once...although I know what your answer will be. Why not join me? We could work together and build Sumira into the greatest city that ever was," Hamilton offered.

"You know...part of me would like that, but the other part of me could never feel right about such a decision for it goes against my values," Mark replied.

"Yes, I know. I have wrestled with the decision myself. I guess sometimes in the big picture, circumstances require more than simple personal values," Hamilton mused.

"I guess that is where we disagree, John," Mark said sadly.

"Perhaps. Alas, it is late, and I have much to prepare for before tomorrow's ball. You can rest easy tonight. I won't kill you until after the ball. Wouldn't want to sour up such a joyous occasion," Hamilton said with a slight smile.

Hamilton rose from his chair, picked up his mask, nodded at Mark, and then turned and left the room. Mark sighed and hung his head. A few seconds later, the burly guard entered the room and escorted Mark back to his cell.

Having witnessed the exchange between Mark and Hamilton, Curt returned back to where Paul was waiting. As he and Paul walked back to the inn, Curt told Paul what he had seen.