Jack carefully moved down the snowy steps toward the buildings entrance.  Even though he had healed his side, it still burned.  Restoration wasn't his strongest magical skill.  As he approached the door, his eyes fell up on a small plaque that read; 'Thalmor Embassy, Elenwen's Solar'.  Jack sighed in relief.  At least, he was on the right track.  Crouching low, Jack slowly pushed open the door.  He didn't know who would be on the other side... but he hoped everyone was out to lunch.  The moment he cracked the door open, he heard voices.  A nervous disgruntled nord man was the first to speak, telling a robed High Elf.  "But, I need that money! I earned it- I-".  The robed high elf crossed his arms defiantly, snapping back.  "When he proves to have the information we need. Then you will get paid. We can't just go around paying people for turning in their friends if they are no use to us". 

The man shifted uncomfortably, replying shakily.  "I know he has the information that your looking for. He told me himself".  The High Elf shrugged looking bored as he stated coldly.  "Well, he refuses to share that information with us. So, until he does. We don't pay".  The man rubbed his hands anxiously together, pleading with the High Elf.  "Please. Just let me talk to him. I can reason with him. Get him to tell you what you want to know. He's my friend".  The High Elf looked down on the shorter man with a stern expression as he sneered out.  "I don't believe he is your friend anymore. Not after you turned him in for money. Besides, you did your job. If he has the information. We will get it out of him. You can be sure of that".  The High Elf started to turn away, but the man grabbed his arm to say in a cold voice.  "What will be left of him when you get what you want"?  The high Elf yanked his arm free of the man's grip, telling him in a calm threatening tone.  "That really isn't any of your concern now. Go home. I've had enough of your petty sympathy for a friend you clearly didn't like all that well to begin with". 

The High Elf started to move toward a door, when the man snapped out after him.  "He's still my friend"!  The High Elf turned on his heel at the door to snap back bitterly.  "Than you shouldn't have turned him in! Now get out"!  The High Elf slipped off into the next room, leaving the man to stare after him in silence.  Jack felt for the man a little.  The Thalmor hardly kept their word to anyone that they didn't see a value in.  Cautiously, Jack slipped in and headed quickly off to hide behind a stone counter to his right.  The man didn't noticed him.  He seemed lost in his thoughts.  Then he suddenly turned and headed toward the exit, grumbling out.  "Pointy-eared son of a bitch! Their all liars"!  The man slammed the door as he left and Jack watched a Thalmor soldier walk down the steps.  The Thalmor soldier moved to lean back against the post to stand guard over the lobby and Jack mouthed a curse. 

The damn guard was the one person between him and the desk he saw in the back room.  Jack swiped a sliver cup off the counter and tossed it to the ground out in the open by the counter.  He needed the guard to come a little closer to him.  The cup clanged across the cement floor, making the guard turn his head in its direction.  Jack smirked as the guards suspicion drew him cautiously closer to investigate.  The guard gripped the hilt of his elven sword and began to lean around the counter.  Jack waited, listening to the mans armor rustle louder as he drew closer.  When the man peeked around the counter and locked eyes with him, Jack flashed him a smile before punching him in the face.  The guard was knocked off his feet, toppling to the floor.  The guard tried to recover quickly, but Jack had the advantage. 

Jack snatched the guards elven helmet off his head and as the guard drew his sword out, Jack hit him hard across the face with his own helmet.  Jack didn't know if the guard was dead or just knocked out, but he didn't have time to check.  Dashing over to the desk, Jack started rummaging through the papers on the desk.  Most were documents about money debts and trade routes.  Jack moved around the desk to start opening drawers.  His fingers and eyes scanned over every paper looking for key words about dragons.  When he had searched all the desk drawers, Jack started to lose hope.  If the Thalmor weren't the cause for the dragon, than what were they looking for?  What information were they trying to get from people?  Jack turned slightly and spotted a wooden chest. 

As quietly as he could, Jack kneeled down to open the chest.  Rummaging through more papers and journals that seemed to document every day since Elenwen was stationed in Skyrim.  Then he came across two journals that were tied together by a leather strap.  The only reason it even caught his attention was because the top journal had Delphine's name written on the cover.  Jack slipped off his knapsack to slip them into his bag, when a letter fell out of one of them.  Shoving the journals into his bag, he picked up the letter and read it to himself quickly and silently. 

'First emissary Elenwen, We anticipate a breakthrough in our efforts to uncover the party or power behind the dragon resurrection phenomenon. An informant has identified a possible lead, whom we have brought back to the embassy for a full interrogation. The subject is obstinate, but by all indications is holding back the information we seek. I have authorized intermediate manuel uncoiling - I do not expect more will be necessary, unless you feel time presses. I know you prefer to be present for the final questioning; I will inform you immediately when the subject is fully receptive. Two days should tell the tale. In the meantime, if you wish to audit our technique, your expertise is welcome, as always. I have placed the prisoner in the cell closet to your office stairs for your convenience.  - Rulindil, 3rd Em'. 

Jack's eyes rose up from the letter to look at a set of stairs leading down.  Was the prisoner the man that was turned in by his friend?  Was that why the Thalmor wizards were here?  To help extract information from someone about the dragons?  Jack folded up the letter and slipping it into his bag too.  Slipping back on his knapsack, Jack crept toward the stairs.  This wasn't suppose to be a rescue mission... but maybe he could get the information that the man knew by helping him break out.  He could only hope that the prisoner didn't tell the Thalmor anything yet.  If they got the information first than they would cover everything up.  Jack moved down the steps two at a time.  At the bottom of the steps was a wooden door, but when he tried to open it, he found it locked.  Jack glanced around for something to use on it, then rolled his eyes.  The key was hanging beside the door. 

Jack tried to suppress a chuckle.  Of course, Elenwen wouldn't value a prison door key as something to be carried around on her person.  Too dirty for her self-important image.  Jack took the key down and unlocked the door.  Then very carefully opened it.  Inside, he was up on a balcony that looked down on a desk and prison cells the lined the walls like cages.  Jack silently closed the door, before taking in the scene.  The robed High Elf from earlier was sitting behind a simple desk, jotting down things in his journal.  While a Thalmor soldier stood in the cell before him, beating on a nord man that was chained to the wall of his cell.  The female Thalmor solder punched the nord man in his bruised ribs, until the nord pleaded out weakly.  "Please... stop. I don't know anything else"!  The robed High Elf waved a hand for the soldier to stop, but didn't look up from his journal as he told the nord casually.  "Let's begin again". 

The nord tilted his head back against the wall and tugged at his iron restraints as he moaned out exhausted.  "Please for pities sake... I've told you everything"!  The robed High Elf sighed, waving his hand at the soldier for her to continue.  The nord's eyes widened and he tried to back away from her as he yelled out.  "NO"!  The female soldier approached the man.  This time she punched him across the face, letting her armored gloves bust up his face.  While the nord was being beaten, the robed High Elf stated carelessly.  "You know the rules... Start at the beginning".  The robed high elf waved for the soldier to stop, waiting for an answer.  However, the nord just bowed his head to the ground and spit a mouth full of his own blood.  The robed High Elf sighed heavily, sounding very annoyed as he said aloud.  "If you persist in this stubbornness, I'll have to-". 

The robed High Elf stopped short, shooting the soldier a look that Jack couldn't see.  She started to remove her dagger, when the nord looked up a bit startled as he pleaded out.  "WAIT, I'm catching my breath! Why wouldn't I tell you? I don't even know anything"!  The soldier removed her dagger and moved closer to the nord.  When suddenly the nord broke, telling the robed High Elf in fear.  "Wait! There's an old man... He lives in Riften. He could be this 'Esbern' your looking for, but I don't really know. He's old and he seemed kind of crazy. It's all I know".  The robed High Elf started to jot something down as he asked coyly.  "And his name is..."?  The nord shook his head unsettled as his eyes kept glancing at the soldiers dagger, but he answered shakily.  "I don't know his name. Gods, I've already told you everything a hundred times"! 

The solider moved closer to trace her dagger down the mans bare chest to his waist, causing the nord to wince and groan in pain.  Jack winced just seeing it.  While the robed High Elf, asked simply.  "And where can we find this nameless old man"?  The nord's whole focus was on the soldier's dagger as he practically stammered out.  "Like I said. I don't know. I've seen him down in the Ratway. Maybe he lives down there, but I don't know for sure"!  The robed High Elf suddenly closed up his journal, dryly stating out.  "That will be all for now. I must say I continue to be disappointed in your lack of cooperation. I hope next time you will do better".  The nord finally looked away from the dagger at his waist to yell at the robed High Elf.  "What else do you want with me? I've already told you everything! Listen, if you take me with you, I can take you to Riften. Show you where - AH"! 

The soldier pressed her blade into his hip and the nord began to cry out loudly in pain.  While the robed High Elf told the nord bluntly.  "I don't need you to show me anything. You're doing just fine, right where you are".  The robed High Elf climbed up onto his feet and Jack quickly acted.  Conjuring his bound bow, Jack pulled back the string, aiming for the robed High Elf's back.  He had to kill them now before the information got out to anyone else.  Jack released the string, watching his arrow sink into the robed High Elf's back.  As his body collapsed to the ground, the solider ran from the cell.  She looked confused at first until she saw the blue arrow in his back before it vanished.  She only got a brief moment to look up at him, before he sent another arrow into her chest. 

Jack rushed down the steps to get to the lower floor.  The nord turned his blood stained face to watch him with anxious eyes as he asked weakly.  "Who are you"?  Jack only glanced at the nord as he swiped the journal off the desk.  Whatever information the robed High Elf was writing was his now.  Slipping off his knapsack again, Jack stashed the journal in with the others, answering the nord quickly.  "Nobody important. Let's just get out of here".  Jack moved to the dead female solider to take her keys for the cell.  Then moved into the cell to unlock the nords wrists from the wall.  When the shackles came free, the nord staggered to his feet, rubbing his sore wrists as he told Jack softly.  "Come on, this way. I've seen the guards use it to get rid of bodies. It must go somewhere".  The nord limped passed him to show him a trap door a few feet away from the cells. 

Jack swallowed to keep down his food.  The trap door was covered in thick coats of blood.  The nord bent down to lift the handle, when someone yelled out from the balcony above.  "Listen up, spy! You're trapped in here and we have your accomplice! Surrender immediately or you both die"!  Jack turned hoping not to see someone like Mark.  Only to find that the Thalmor guard had Malborn.  Malborn stared down at him with hollow eyes as he told Jack firmly.  "Just go! I'm dead already".  The nord grabbed Jack's wrist, muttering to him softly.  "You heard him. Let's go".  Jack yanked his wrist free, telling the nord without looking at him.  "No. I'm not leaving anyone behind".  The nord groaned loudly, but Jack had already made up his mind.  Moving closer, he watched the Thalmor put a sword to Malborn's neck.  Jack knew he couldn't get up there in time, but he had another plan. 

Taking a calming breath, Jack told Malborn seriously.  "Get ready to run".  There were only two guards.  He could deal with them.  Malborn stared at him confused as he took a deep breath.  Harnessing his strength, he yelled out loudly.  "FUS RO DAH"!  They hadn't expected it and the force of it, knocked the guards hard against the wall.  Jack had tried to aim it for the two guards only, but Malborn caught some of it as he stumbled to the floor, before running for the steps.  Jack made sure that Malborn had moved passed him, before turning to leave with them.  Together they climbed down the trapdoor and into a tunnel.  Jack paused long enough to cut Malborn's wrists free with his bound dagger, listening to him mumble out a bit scared.  "The Thalmor will now hunt me for the rest of my life... I hope this mission of yours was worth it". 

Jack didn't answer.  He really didn't know if all this was worth it.  He had journals... but he didn't know if they were really what he needed.  They ran quickly through the tunnel.  They couldn't waste time.  If the Thalmor knew where this tunnel let out, than they had to reach it first!  When they came to a cliff, they didn't think twice.  They just jumped down.  It wasn't that far.  Only the moment they landed, Jack heard the words he didn't want to hear.  Malborn and the nord both bolted, screaming out in horror.  "TROLL"!  Jack rose to his feet, but he didn't see it until it was too late.  Turning only slightly to look behind him, the Frost Troll lashed out!  Smacking Jack across the face with one of its large hands and knocking him roughly to the floor of the cave.  The hit dazed Jack so badly that his vision was out of focus as he tried to get up on all fours. 

He was seeing two of everything and the ground felt uneven.  The Frost Troll roared, charging toward him, but Jack's vision was going dark.  Feeling overcome by the pain, Jack limply fell back to the ground.  As his eyes closed, he swore he heard Mark call out his name.  To Be Continued...