The air in the Sump was as putrid as usual, which the man with the pompadour and the leather coat thought was truly a shame. He could remember what the air in this region tasted like before the construction plans for the very first building were laid. Truly the purest in all of Valoran. But the industrial age hit this region hard, and while progress for progress's sake was beneficial in the long run, the factories and all that came with them turned the atmosphere into a veritable hellscape in which even the air itself burned those who breathed it in. It was no wonder that the Wind Sovereign claimed this land. This was where she was needed more than anywhere else on Runeterra.
The stranger leaned against a building, appearing as though he had no where to be. Not only was he not wearing breathing apparatus of any kind, he was smoking. The nonchalant manner in which he carried himself was clear to the trio that descended from a nearby staircase that this was no show of grit, no facade. The stranger was truly unbothered. The woman and the two guys with her crossed the practically deserted courtyard over to where he stood.
"You said you had a job for us," she asked, glancing around.
She was probably worried about a gang belonging to one of the local chembarons happening upon their meeting. Her two buddies, one tall, the other short and wide, were both identically as nervous as she was and said nothing. The short one kept readjusting his filtration mask. The stranger nearly chuckled to himself. Chembarons and roving bands of hoodlums were the least of their worries this deep into the city. Rumor had it that the dreadnought had broken loose and liked to roam this particular area. He decided to make this quick.
With his free hand, the stranger reached into his coat pocket and pulled out three large coin pouches and handed one to each of them, declaring,"Half now, half when it's done."
"When what's done?" the woman pressed.
Reaching into his inner coat pocket, the stranger removed a shiny silver flask and unscrewed the cap. He drank deeply, savoring the burn of the liquid fire. That's when he asked the trio a single question.
"How good are you three at acting?"