89

She stops, and you see the smile slip off her face as she fixes her gaze on something over your shoulder. Turning around, you see that there are a few people heading for the entrance to the Town Hall—and although you don't recognize any of them, their smart, expensive-looking suits give them the look of professional, experienced businesspeople.

Rana gives a slow nod.

"Okay—it looks like the people from Clarence Industries are arriving. I'm guessing Mr. Clarence will be here personally pretty soon. I want there to be a lot of activity on our side when he arrives, so if you do want to stay with the protest, that'd be great—but getting names is important as well, so it's up to you."

You hesitate just a little longer as you watch the people in suits disappear into the Town Hall. The protesters around you seem to be giving their all, but you get the feeling that keeping that energy up for as long as it might take for Mr. Clarence to get here could be quite tiring. You also spot a few passers-by making their way along the street, and although some of them glance at the protesters with interest, a lot of them lower their eyes rather than interact with the crowd. Getting enough names for the petition may not be the easiest thing, either—though you're sure you could give it a shot.

But of course, the mention of Mr. Clarence has put another thought in your head—namely that, with him here, you might have the perfect chance to find out some more about what he wants to discuss with the Town Council. It's not like the Town Hall is locked; if you're quick and careful enough, you might even be able to follow him inside and hear a little of their conversation. It's not exactly part of the protest, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be useful to know what he's planning—and maybe find out if he's telling the Town Council anything that he's keeping from the rest of the town. Of course, that doesn't mean Rana would be too happy with that choice.

Now Rana looks at you expectantly, still waiting for your reply. You can see that she's determined for today to be a success—and that from the way her fingers grip the edge of the table, she's anxious that the protest keep up its momentum.

What will you do?