The cloaked, hooded woman had been leaning against that one wall for a while, drawing all kinds of attention. Maybe it was the two backpacks lying on the ground next to her, or the way she greeted everyone who passed by with a word or two, when no . No, it was most definitely the rifle on her back.

The train arrived, she looked at it, and at the people leaving it. He would be amongst all that people, or at least he said he would. It didn't take her too long to spot James - yup, that was him right there, talking to two persons she didn't know. No time to lose - before she was spotted...

She started quickly walking towards the tall man, who was facing the other way, and left the two backpacks lying there. She also took her Narcissus with her - she'd need it. People looked, and some gasped, as she got closer to him, unnoticed by her friend. When she was close enough, she pointed her rifle at the back of his head.

A second of silence. Then, she softly poked the back of his head with the barrel of the Narcissus.

"BANG!" She loudly shouted mere milliseconds after she poked him, causing the big guy to gasp and freeze in place. She then put the rifle on her back again (not taking more than a second at that, as if she had done the same thing a gazillion times) and clung to him, laughing.

"Oh, hi James!"

Lena happily shook the man's hand, and didn't say much more. She followed the old man - strange name, Oz - to a "nice place to chat", as he had put it. That place ended up being the place where Lena had been waiting for them, and where she had left her bags. Well, that was no coincidence, because it was Lena who was leading the way to retrieve her belongings.

"So Mr. Cheshire." In her opinion, that place was as good as any other. By-passers never care, and those who do care have no trouble spying on a conversation, no matter where it takes place. Besides, there was a bench there, and if they didn't hurry, someone else could take it.

"I am curious alright. What is our... job?"

That lone word had a lot of meaning to Lena. She was still half-expecting Oz to tell her a name and a location.

Oz was about to speak, but then Eleanor tapped him on the shoulder.
"Something on your mind, Nellie?"  He asked.  Eleanor scowled at him using her nickname in public, then pointed.  Oz looked through the crowd, then spotted a choppy brown haircut that could only belong to one person.  He smiled at James and Lena.
"If you would excuse me for a moment...  I believe my granddaughter has located one of my students..."  He pushed his way through the crows with surprising strength for someone of his stature.  He grabbed Lily by the arm.
"Ah, Lillian.  So good of you to join us."  He said cheerfully.  "I was hoping you'd accept my offer.  Right this way..."  He led her back to the group.  "You remember my granddaughter Eleanor?"  Eleanor nodded politely, but said nothing.  Oz introduced Lily around.  James tipped his hat with a polite 'how d'you do, ma'am'. 
"Now then, since we're here, how about we find somewhere a bit more private?"  Oz gestured over to a small cafe.  James cringed inwardly.  It looked expensive. 
"Nothing to worry about, James."  Oz said good-naturedly.  "I am funding this little venture.  Merely a business expense."  He winked.

They found a table in the corner.  James pulled out chairs for the ladies before sitting down himself.  Drinks were ordered, and they talked about nothing for a while.  Finally, Oz put down his glass.
"Enough of the small talk.  I assume you would like to know about what it is we will be doing..."  He reached into his pocket, fumbling for the small object that lay carefully wrapped in a handkerchief.  Eleanor groaned inwardly.  Here we go...  Grandfather always had a flair for the dramatic...

Such a great use of suspense. Lena would have to take notes: the way things were going, a seemingly trivial piece of information - or so she thought at first - had just become something truly desirable.

She had taken out her notepad when that Lillian person was introduced to them - she remembered she had drawn a happy face to show her new friend, but by the time she was finished drawing, the time for introductions was long gone.

The point being, she was holding her notepad.

Holding the information indefinitely will raise suspense, even if said information is not that important or interesting, she scribbled.

"Yes, move on and say when you're ready.", she said distractedly as she took notes. She was trying to agree with Lily, but she was too focused on her notes to pay full attention to what the girl had just said.

Curiously, Lily leaned over the table to grab the compass. Eleanor raised an eyebrow at this action, but Lily was too mesmerized by the object to notice.

"It's old, obviously," Lily commented. "But the design is beautiful. Quite interesting. Much nicer than mine. Oh, sorry." She set it back, but Oz only smiled.

"This compass is related to research?" she asked, now settled in her seat. "How's that gonna work? It's built to point to this place or is it going to start talking to us and giving directions? I don't mind. Either way's fine with me."

Looking around the table, she could see similar reactions on her companions' faces. They looked questioningly at the faded compass as it lay on the table. It looked nothing more than ordinary.

It won't.  Eleanor thought.  It's nothing more than a useless trinket...  I doubt it even IS from the Easterly.  Still, she kept her mouth shut.
"I haven't quite figured out how it works just yet..."  Oz shrugged.  "Will it help, I don't know.  But what I DO know is how we're going to get there."  He grinned.  Eleanor picked the compass back up and slipped the chain back over her head, buttoning up her collar again.

"I've researched the Easterly for years."  Oz said, lacing his fingers together on the table.  "There are hundreds, if not thousands of speculations as to what might have happened to her.  I've managed to narrow it down to three possible locations for her final resting place.  Nellie, if you please." 

Eleanor sighed, taking a small map from her satchel and spreading it on the table.  Oz grabbed the various cups and bottles belonging to the others and placed them at the corners to keep the map from re-rolling itself.

"She could have been blown off course.  There'd been quite a gale the last night she was seen.  That would land her out over the ocean, and scholars confirm that her supplies wouldn't last long enough to get her back home.  So she could be lying at the bottom of the sea, somewhere around the Verne Trench."  He tapped a point on the map.  "Our first stop will be Marinacea, to ask the residents about whether they've seen anything."

"Marinacea?"  James asked nervously.  "You mean Atlantis?  But..."  He bit back his nervousness.  True, humans had been able to live beneath the waves in that city of domes and spires... but if the Lord wanted humans to be able to live underwater, He would have made them have gills...