Demonkin (49 page)

“What about?” asked the captain.

“That is none of your business,” answered the colonel. “Where is he?”

“I am afraid that it is my business,” retorted the captain. “I am the Commanding Officer of the Olansk garrison, and the welfare of my men is a primary concern.”

“You intend to defy me, Captain?” the colonel scowled with emphasis on the word captain.

“I am aware of the difference in our ranks,” replied the captain, “but I have been ordered to command this garrison, and I intend to do so to the best of my abilities. I have reason to believe that Captain Kent’s life is in danger. As such, I must be cautious in determining who has contact with him. Do you have new orders for the captain that I might examine?”

Captain Takir fully expected an outburst of anger from the colonel, but that was not the reaction given. The colonel frowned and nodded.

“Have there been attempts on his life?”

“Four so far.”

The colonel turned and opened the door. He looked at his men and nodded towards the exit from the garrison. One of the men nodded back and left the building. The colonel closed the door and stood quietly.

“I do hope that you are not planning to force your way into the garrison,” stated Captain Takir. “My men would be obligated to defend the garrison, and unnecessary bloodshed would solve nothing.”

“You’re pretty cocky for a commander of the castoffs of the Federation,” quipped the colonel. “Your men appear to be slovenly, ill-equipped, and out of condition. I do not think it would take a full two squads to defeat all of them.”

Captain Takir opened his mouth to retort, but the door opened before he could speak. His jaw dropped when a general strode into the room.

“What is the problem, Colonel Magee?” asked the general.

“Captain Takir is not inclined to cooperate, General Forshire. He says that he is exercising his responsibility as Commander of the Olansk garrison to refuse contact with Captain Kent.”

General Forshire smiled thinly at the captain. “You might want to rethink your position, Captain. I have come all the way from Despair to speak with Captain Kent, and I intend to do so.”

“As I explained to your colonel,” the captain said nervously, “there have been attempts on the captain’s life. With all due respect to your rank, General, I must insist on knowing the nature of any business involving Captain Kent. As Commander of the Olansk garrison, it is my right and responsibility.”

“Your position here can easily be changed if you persist in obstructing me,” the general replied sternly.

“That would take an order from Grand General Kyrga,” declared the captain.

“I can do better than that,” the general replied with a slight smile as he handed a paper to the captain. “You will see that those orders are signed by the emperor himself. I have complete authority over Olansk.”

The captain stared at the paper and swallowed hard. He nodded in defeat and handed the paper back to the general. “I yield to your authority, General Forshire. I shall have Captain Kent brought here immediately.”

“Wait,” said the general as the captain headed for the door. “Tell me about him first.”

“I don’t know a lot about him,” frowned the captain. “He just arrived this month from Despair, but assassins have been trying to kill him since the day he arrived. So far there have been four attempts. My men managed to identify all of the assassins, but none of them were willing to surrender. My men killed all of them. The last attack was only an hour ago. Captain Kent refuses to say why someone would want him dead, but I am sure that he knows who is sending the killers. When he heard that soldiers were coming into the city, he tried to flee. I have him locked in a cell until he tells me what is going on.”

General Forshire nodded silently and frowned as he listened. “It might be better for you if you do not know,” he eventually said.

“Are you the someone that he fears?” asked the captain.

“No,” replied the general. “I want him kept alive, but I also need him to talk. Disperse your men and then show my men where he is being held. I want him brought here. Colonel, you may allow normal movement into and out of the garrison.”

The two junior officers left the room, and the general sat on the desk and waited. A few moments later, the door opened and two men dragged Captain Kent into the room. It was clear that the captain had fought his removal from the cell. Captain Takir and Colonel Magee also entered the room.

“Sit him in that chair,” ordered the general. “Captain Takir, wait outside the room. I may have need of you before I am done.”

Captain Takir reluctantly retreated, and Colonel Magee ordered his two men out of the room and then closed the door behind them. Captain Kent tried to run out of the room, but the colonel drew his sword and stood with his back against the door.

“Back in the chair, Kent,” ordered the general. “I am trying to save your life, but there is something that I need to know first.”

The captain warily took a seat, but his lips were pressed together tightly as if that would stop any words from escaping accidentally.

“I know that you led a force into Elfwoods,” stated the general. “What I want to know is who authorized the mission.”

The captain’s eyes widened in horror as his fears were confirmed. He had already figured out that the mission into Elfwoods was the reason he had been sent to Olansk, but to hear the general state it out loud caused a shiver to race up his spine. The captain wondered if they were trying to see if he would reveal what he knew. He thought they might even call off the assassins if he proved that he would not reveal anything. “No one authorized it,” lied the captain. “I did it on my own.”

“Don’t be a fool, Kent,” scowled the general. “Whoever sent you on that mission also transferred you to Olansk, but there was no signature on your orders. Why do you think you were sent way out here?”

“I never question my orders,” the captain replied with more bravado than he truly felt.

“A loyal soldier, eh?” smiled the general. “Very well then, I order you to tell me who authorized the mission into the Elfwoods.”

“You are not my commanding officer,” Captain Kent replied nervously.

“But I am,” replied General Forshire. “I am currently the Commanding Officer of Olansk, and you are assigned to my garrison.”

“I don’t believe you,” frowned the captain. “You are just saying that to get me to talk.”

Although the general was under no obligation to show his orders to the captain, he did. Captain Kent stared at the orders in disbelief.

“Grand General Kyrga is in charge of the army,” the captain said with skepticism. “Why has the emperor issued orders directly to you?”

“You insolent dog!” snapped Colonel Magee. “You are never to question General Forshire in that manner.”

Captain Kent turned his head and saw the colonel’s sword leveled at his neck. The colonel’s face was red with anger, and his jaw was set with determination.

“Easy, Colonel,” the general said softly. “Perhaps you should step outside for a while. In fact, I want the bodies of the latest assassins brought into this office. See to it.”

Captain Kent’s eyes were glued to the colonel. He watched Magee breathe deeply as he slowly sheathed his sword and nodded. The colonel backed out of the room and closed the door. The captain’s eyes glanced once at the general and then back to the door.

“Don’t even think about it, Captain. I would like to keep you alive, but if you will not speak, your death would hardly matter to me.”

The captain tore his eyes from the door and looked at the general. Sweat poured down his face as he tried to figure out what to do. He knew that one wrong move and he was dead.

“I know that you are afraid of whoever issued your orders, but I also know it was not the emperor, and he signed my orders. What more proof do you need to see before you cooperate?”

“I don’t want to cause any trouble,” the captain replied haltingly. “What difference does it make who issued my orders?”

“I have been tasked by the emperor to answer that question, and I intend to do so. If you will not answer my questions here, I will take you to Despair to stand before the emperor himself.”

“No!” The captain shook his head vigorously. “I can’t go back there. Ever. You do not know what you are asking of me.”

“I am pretty sure that I do know,” retorted the general, “but I must hear it from your own lips. Speak, or we depart for Despair within the hour.”

Captain Kent sat motionless, his lips still pressed tightly together. General Forshire stared at the man, but he did not speak. The minutes dragged on in silence until the door to the office opened, and four men carried in the bodies of the two assassins. Colonel Magee followed them. General Forshire looked at the two corpses and then pointed to one of them.

“Strip that corpse,” the general commanded. “Colonel Magee, inform Captain Takir that I want a military funeral set up within the hour. The procession is to be public and performed with full honors for a fallen officer.”

Captain Kent frowned as he stared at the corpses. While the assassins were probably soldiers, he wondered how the general could possibly know that one of them was an officer. Neither corpse wore a uniform.”

“He will want to know the identity of the deceased,” stated the colonel. “What should I say?”

“Tell him the funeral is for Captain Kent.” The general smiled thinly.

“You lied to me,” spat the captain as he leaped to his feet. “You said you weren’t going to kill me.”

Colonel Magee and another soldier grabbed the captain and forced him back into the chair. They stood next to him, forcing the captain to remain seated.

“The man who is trying to kill you is very powerful,” declared the general. “I doubt that I would get you back safely to Despair unless he thought you were already dead. That is why one of these assassins will be buried in your uniform.”

Captain Kent stared in wonder at the general, and eventually, the tenseness drained out of his body. He sighed heavily and nodded.

“What if I answer all of your questions right here?” asked the captain. “Will you still force me to go to Despair?”

“No,” replied the general. “Satisfy my curiosity, and I will come up with some way for you to disappear. Who authorized the mission into the Elfwoods?”

“Grand General Kyrga,” stated the captain. “I was told that the mission was secret, and I was not to inform anyone of our destination or purpose. In truth, the priest was the one giving the orders.”

“K’san?” questioned the general.

Captain Kent nodded. “I thought something was wrong when the priest attacked the elven king. When we carried off the elven women, I understood the need for secrecy. I didn’t expect to be transferred for faithfully following orders, so I didn’t suspect Kyrga of issuing those orders, but no one else would want me dead.”

“I suspected as much,” the general said softly. “Strip off your uniform so we can dress one of the corpses and get your funeral over with.”

“You will help me disappear?” pushed the captain. “You promised.”

“And disappear you will,” smiled the general. “Get that uniform off.”

* * * *

The sun was setting as the two men rode the wagon along the Calusa Road and approached the city gates of Calusa. The guards grew attentive as the wagon neared, and one of them waved for it to halt. The guards spread out as the wagon slowed to a halt and an officer stepped forward.

“Papers,” demanded the officer.

“I am Garth Shado,” declared the driver as he handed his papers to the officer. “I am a special agent for Sidney Mercado, and this man is Max Caber. He is the new agent for Sidney in Calusa.”

The officer glanced at the papers and handed them back. “I thought special agents didn’t use wagons. What are you carrying?”

“Fine Vinaforan wines,” smiled Garth. “You are correct about the nature of special agents, but there are times when a wagon is necessary. These fine wines are worth their weight in gold.”

“And the bandits let you get through to our city?” the officer asked skeptically.

“We didn’t see any bandits at all,” answered Garth, “but then again, my reputation is well known, and bottles of wine are hard to carry when you live on the back of a horse. I suspect the bandits would be more interested in gold, or jewels, or something else that they can easily haul along with them.”

The officer shrugged and nodded with disinterest. He backed away from the wagon and waved for the gates to open. Garth guided the wagon through the gates and into the city. The first thing he noticed was the heavy military presence in the city. It was in stark contrast to his first visit when the old king had died. He drove the wagon to the stables of the Spoke and Wheel Inn where he had first met Sidney Mercado so long ago. He remembered the more than adequate facilities for wagons, and that had not changed. A stableman greeted the Alceans pleasantly and offered to take care of the horses and guard the wagon. Garth tipped the man handsomely and then the Alceans entered the rear door of the inn. The Spoke and Wheel had been a gathering place for caravan merchants, but now the common room was practically empty. The Alceans sat at an empty table and ordered a meal.

“What now?” asked Max Caber.

“We get a room for the night,” answered Garth, “but that can wait until after the meal. While you secure the room, I need to find one of Sidney’s contacts in the city.”

Garth pulled a paper out of his pouch and scanned a list of names that Sidney had given him a long time ago. He found the city of Calusa listed, and there was only one name noted next to it. When the serving girl brought the food, Garth spoke to her before she could leave.

“Would you happen to know Melvin Nari?”

“Heard of him,” answered the girl. “Some kind of merchant I think.”

“Could you tell me where to find him?”

“Let me ask the innkeeper,” replied the girl as she left for the kitchen.

The Alceans started eating, but Garth kept a wary eye on the kitchen door without appearing to do so. When he saw the innkeeper stick his head out and look at him, Garth focused his eyes on the floor as if he were lost in thought.