Very important work.

Marcel sees some people moving in the shadows once they get to one of the outlying areas, in the direction the dragon came from.

If they can move, they can't be too badly hurt... which seems odd, given this is near to where the dragon started its rampage. Marcel stealthily slinks closer for a better look.

Seem on average a bit shorter than most farmers around here - who're almost entirely humans - and their silhouette is odd, hunched and furtive in a way human posture usually isn't.

They definitely don't see him. In fact, one misses a rock in the road and trips, cursing softly in draconic.

Draconic..!  Marcel silently curses himself for not learning the language while investigating the cult. He slips back to the others, keeping an eye on the suspicious group. "Je pense that I have found some cultists skulking about. Perhaps we ought to capture them, or tail them to their hideout?"

"Think the rescue folks can do without us at this point?"

"Maybe? I do think we should try follow that lead."

"We're mostly caught up..." One of the rescue folks says. "But y'all've been awful helpful - and we don't want any bad actors lurking around where we're working."

"Mhm... okay, think we have time to go grab Pennie?" 

"I doubt it, we could lose them. And we wouldn't want to leave the dragon unguarded unless the national guard has arrived. They wanted our help with interrogation, non?" Marcel keeps his eyes trained on the suspicious figures. "You can go check on her if you like, but mon objectif principal is keeping a finger on the pulse of the cult. I'm following them. If you're not coming, I will come find you when I need assistance."

He follows Marcel's gaze, squinting. "Oh no, count me in. Temperance?"

"Huh, I will come with you two. Tama is too good as a scout to not to use."

"So long as you can keep up and keep quiet..." Marcel slinks after the targets, sticking to shadows and keeping his distance.

The targets don't spot their followers - or half of the rocks in their path. Temperance and Marcel are able to keep track of them, but not Joy.

Lack of sleep must be getting to him. He tails Marcel and Temperance, since they seem to know where they're going. 

The targets seem to be heading along the river, away from the city - toward a concrete parking lot by a defunct ferry, in fact, with two cars sitting silently in the dark. They start arguing lowly among themselves, mostly about which way to go from here - two don't want to run away with their tails between their legs, while the other three are talking about just cutting their losses.

"Looks like they are making plans to escape. I daresay we cannot allow that, ouais? Think we can disable les voitures before engaging them, just to be safe?"

"Can't be too difficult. Sneaking up and puncturing the tires should do it."

"Which one of you wants to go do that? I will stay in the back."

Shrug, "I'll do it." 

Off he goes, sneaking around to the other side of the first car from the Suspicious Figures.

Suspicious Figures don't see him, despite the handful of rocks he accidentally kicks and the occasional heavy footfall. They're too busy hissing at each other.

Marcel winces, thankful the suspicious figures are so oblivious, and makes his way over to the other car, pricking up his ears to try to listen in on the conversation.

They definitely don't see, hear, or at all suspect Marcel even exists. He's silenter than a shadow.

Also, he hears:

"Look, just 'cause the deal went south, doesn't mean we can't follow through - "

" - this's gonna be shit on our reputation - "

"You wanna be there when we tell the boss what happened? I don't, at least not without saying I fought like hell to fix this clusterfuck - "

"Yeah? Think boss's gonna appreciate it if we fuck up more?"

"I wasn't the one with the shitty intel here - "

"Which's why we need to split; we don't know what kind of viper den we'd be walking into digging ourselves further into this mess - "

They don't seem to be inclined to use names at all.

He is really off his game today. Still, they didn't notice anything, at least. He reaches the car and unsheathes a dagger to deal with the tires. 

Marcel opts to take a more delicate approach, unscrewing the tire valves to let the air out. He sees Joy readying a knife and silently gestures at him to follow suit. Meanwhile, he keeps listening keenly, curious just how much they'll let slip.