As he ushered Captain into the hidden room under the stage, he turned on the light and tried to hide his consternation at the vision of assorted firearms on the tables.
Damn it T.C., why didn't you get the shit put away or shipped to the next destination?
B-Man then turned his attention to his friend.
Captain wrote:
What's all this then? Planning a little party?
"Let's just say that there are good reasons for them being here. I'll explain after the soldiers take off. Keep the light off so it don't bleed through the stage, or DO you want to be caught?"
As he leaves he gives a parting remark
"And DJ, you keep quiet too."
He closed the door and got the chairs set back up in front of it. He then nodded to T.C. as he got on top the stage and started playing the sax again to some popular tune.
Suddenly, the footfalls of soldiers were everpresent as they came into the building. T.C. went up to the Commander of the group, Major Gatshall, and started talking to him. Gatshall was guided to the bar and offered free booze as he and T.C. talked. The Major then ordered most of his men to exit the club, leaving only the Major's personal detail at the door. Raucous laughs emanated from Gatshall and T.C. as they drank and in the midst of this, an envelope was passed containing his "protection" payment for the month.
Before he left, the Major came up to the stage and pulled a chair out to sit down in front of B-Man.
G: "Hey B-Man, play me my tune."
"Yes Major. It's a pleasure, sir."
B-Man then started up with Gatshall's favorite song, a melodious song from decades ago. As the song comes to an end, he throws a Quid onto the stage, making a hollow sound as it bounces off the wood. Gatshall then raises an eyebrow.
G: "That sounds different. Something with the stage?"
B-Man goes tense but stops it quickly then taps the stage with his foot.
"No sir, just an old stage. She's falling apart, they don't make them like they used to and she's seen better days. This whole place could use some renovations but if that happened, I'd have to ask more money to play here and T.C. won't hear of it."
Gatshall then lets out a bellow of a laugh, his booze-addled brain not thinking clearly, and takes off with a wave of the hand. Just before he leaves, he turns around.
G: "Hey B-Man, you wouldn't have seen a new guy around these parts did ya? He would've been looking mysterious and might've killed someone with his bare hands."
"Well, there are MANY mysterious people here, why else would we be here? And your description would fit most of the population of Neo York. Any reason why I should?"
G: "Just keep an eye out for him, he's dangerous ex-military. Big reward on his head. Would go by Captain or something like that."
"I'll keep that in mind, Major. Safe trip, Sir!"
The relieving sound of the Convoy continuing on was heard throughout the BLUEStage Club. After a couple minutes to make sure no one else was hanging around, B-Man and T.C. meet up at the hidden door in the stage and open it up.
"Don't worry, it's me B-Man."
The two of them enter and turn on the light as they head inside to see DJ and Captain sitting down by the guns.
"So, now you know our secret cache. Since you're now immersed in this and it seems your story is legit, I'll let you know what we're doing. T.C. and I are Gunrunning Rebels. We work with a group that's trying to kick the Crown out of Old America called 'The Copperheads'. Military has no idea of this place. Major Gatshall, who came in just now, has no idea of our full intentions. He does know that we hate him and he hates us but we pay him protection money and he leaves us alone. Since you came up as a dangerous person with a bounty on your head, I think it's safe to say our interests are mutually beneficial if we work together. So...you interested in raising a lil' hell with us?"