Always have to remember the goal.� There was no way I was going to take all these guys in a fight, unarmed and without Buster.� My ultimate aim was simply to escape uninjured.
The big guy was talking again.� �Seeing as you�re new �round here, how about you buy us a drink, then, eh?�� His friends indicated their approval by displaying a variety of improvised weaponry.� One backed up his leader: �Yeah!�
�Thass a very good idea, for I am..�, I replied.� They didn�t get to find out what I am because I accompanied my speech with a grand theatrical gesture, wide and sweeping, which threw me off balance and sent me crashing, with a giggle and a �whoops!�, into my chief antagonist.
By the time he had reacted and made to push me away, I had already plucked the dagger from his belt and plunged it into his thigh.� With an oddly high-pitched scream he collapsed.
In a panic situation, people will often follow the first voice of authority, even if that voice had apparently been too drunk to form coherent words a moment ago.
�Quickly!� Help him.� Do something, he�s bleeding.�
Some of the men started towards their downed companion and while their focus was on him, I slowly backed away.
I was far enough away from the group that by the time the injured man managed to direct his gang to the culprit, I already had a good start.� They were all heavy-set men more suited to drinking than running and I was sure that I could outrun them.� However, I had a busy night ahead of me and I didn�t want to exhaust myself having to sprint through the unfamiliar streets of this section of DownTown.
Instead, I made sure that I had sufficient distance between me and my pursuers.� Then I hopped onto a window still, pulled myself up onto a second story balcony.� From there it was an easy climb onto the roof.� Remembering that DownTown buildings can be in poor repair, I took care to be sure of my footing.� I looked over the edge of the roof to see the men milling below, looking like dogs that had treed a squirrel.
One of them had the bright idea to throw something at me, but at this distance I wasn�t concerned that he would be anywhere near his mark.� Whatever it was he threw span off into the night.
I gave the frustrated men below a jaunty wave and set off across the rooftops.