Albà Estades works as a factor near the Westcrown docks; thankfully the local gang earns their protection money and none of his goods go missing during the riots. (He personally is also fine; he boards at a modest house, and was not targeted. The scar is from his unmourned father.) He is at his desk when the clock strikes eight, watching the mirror, the morning's prices already written clearly on his slate. When you work with wizards in Absalom, several hours to the East, you have to make concessions to their schedule.
The mirror clouds, and then shows a faraway desk, with the prices in Absalom and a letter to copy and deliver. He blanches when the sees the addressee, but begins to write it down anyway.