Anya Fromell's Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

Anya pushed open the teahouse door and stepped inside, her boots clicking against the wooden floor. The tables stood empty this early in the morning. She needed to learn how informants worked, how they passed secrets without getting caught. Her paws trembled as she pulled out a small notebook and sat down. Who could she trust? How much should she pay? What questions would make traders talk? She wrote down every question she could think of, filling three pages before the tea kettle whistled in the back room. She closed the notebook and stood up. The teahouse needed something to draw the right people in, sailors who traveled between ports and heard everything worth knowing. Down near the docks, she found a small office with clean windows and a painted sign showing ships and waves. The Navy Recruiter Office was exactly what she needed to study. She watched how the staff greeted visitors, how they asked casual questions about routes and cargo. They made talking feel easy, like sharing stories over drinks instead of business. Back at the teahouse, Anya set up a black safe with gold trim near the side entrance. The Nokebox would keep her documents and payment records protected from fire and thieves. She tested the lock three times, making sure it clicked firmly. Next to it, she assembled a tiki bar painted blue and red. The outdoor setup would let dusty travelers wash their hands and grab a cold drink before coming inside. It made the whole place feel welcoming, like a spot where anyone could stop and rest. She sat at one of the round tables and opened her notebook again. Three new names were written inside, sailors she'd met at the recruiter office who seemed interested in extra coin. Tomorrow she would offer them simple work, just reporting what ships came and went. Small steps would build her network, one contact at a time. Her paw steadied as she wrote down her first real plan.