You laugh heartily at the predictability of these fools. "Fleecable, all of you!" This angers the thugs very much. "Hey!" they say almost as one, rushing towards you. "None may mock Edwin VanCleef's dialogue and live!" It looks like that plan didn't work out very well. And the Moonbrook Brigade seems not to be interested in bailing you out.
Charge the thugs. There's no way that doing what the thugs are doing out of unjustified anger towards you could make the situation even worse, right? Hold the line. Try to remedy your past recklessness and hope that the Moonbrook Brigade isn't too stupid to come in and assist you.