Part 17 (1/2)

Elades provided a narrative of the complete fight, pointing at various locations as he went through the events. Duke didn't interrupt but looked hard at each place Elades pointed to. After he was finished Duke thought for a bit. ”Elades, did you see Ticca ride over this Nhia-Samri?”

”No, sir, but I have the description from nine separate witnesses to the event.”

”d.a.m.n! That had to have been a h.e.l.l of a maneuver to pull off. You came to the fight after they had already been fighting for at least three minutes?”

”More like five, sir. I cannot be sure, but that is what I feel is about right from the descriptions.”

”Ticca fought this guy head-to-head for five minutes before your squad got here. Then four of your squad tried to hit him with thrown knives, which he avoided, while still trying to kill Ticca. By your reports she only started Daggering six cycles ago. That is a pretty d.a.m.ned good performance for one so young and inexperienced. Any chance he was letting her go, just making it feel hard for her?”

”I don't think so, sir, unless he was an unbelievably good actor; he desperately wanted to kill her. Five of us engaged him long enough to let Ticca break away, but he walked over us and gave chase. I tell you there was rage and hate in his eyes. I truly believe he wanted to kill her and he went practically berserk when the gate cut him off from her. He shouted some pretty intense oaths while he pounded on the closed gate with his knives. If he was acting for her benefit, that wouldn't have been needed. By that time all of Alpha Squad was present and we still couldn't stop him, sir. He fought as fast and hard with all of us as he did with Ticca; if he was any better he'd have had an easier time getting away from us. I am seriously impressed with her speed and knife skills. She is better than any of us.”

Duke was staring at the gate as they spoke. ”Did they say anything? Especially Ticca?”

”The Nhia-Samri asked her who she was. She didn't answer him.” Thinking back, Elades concentrated. ”You know, I think she did say something.”

Duke looked at him. ”What did she say exactly, Elades?”

Elades thought about it, making the moment clear in his head. Ticca had run and jumped up the five feet to the top of the closing gate. The Nhia-Samri lightly wounded him and a couple of his squad. He had knocked them aside and started to run for the gate. Ticca had reached the far side and did a jumping half twist flip, landing ready to fight. She didn't look happy that the Nhia-Samri was already giving chase. She then exasperatedly called out for the gate to hurry up and close.

”Sir, she said, 'd.a.m.n it, close already!' from the far side of the gate.”

Duke looked at him. ”Are you sure?”

Elades nodded and Duke turned back to the gate. He said something and the gate smoothly slid open. Then he said something else and the gate began slowly closing. When it had reached about five feet high Duke looked at Elades. ”Commander, please say it the way Ticca did.”

”d.a.m.n it, close already!”

The gate continued its slow, steady rise.

After a few moments Duke said, ”d.a.m.n it, close already!”

The gate snapped shut in the blink of an eye, slamming so hard that more of the loosened masonry was launched into the air to fall down at random. Duke yelped in surprise, jumping backwards at the sudden motion and the immense thunderclap it caused. Elades, having witnessed this before, still jumped at the sound as well. They both looked up and saw the incoming masonry and dodged the falling rocks. When the rain of rock had ended, Duke sat down and looked at the gate in genuine surprise, his mouth open. ”Well that is a new one. h.e.l.l, that isn't in any of the texts. I wonder which f.u.c.king idiot added that ability. Now I have to test every d.a.m.ned city. I wonder what other inspirational commands that idiot allowed for.”

Elades was a bit confused, but he knew that wasn't unusual for working with Duke.

Duke looked down. ”We have a serious problem. New standing orders: if Ticca comes back, do not oppose her in anything, and I need to know every move she makes.”

”Yes sir. Who is she?”

”That is a good question, and we are not the only ones asking it. There are several possibilities, and some of them worry me greatly. Especially since it was either her scent, or our man in green, that I followed from Vestul's death-site to the Dolphin. There were only two key scents where Vestul died, besides that of Vestul himself.” Duke turned around, putting his back to the gate. ”Now back to our business. Whatever she is up to she'll deal with it. I have some Nhia-Samri to deal with presently. Let me see that cloth you have stored.”

Elades went over to a doorway belonging to an empty house, where they had locked up the ripped clothing from the Nhia-Samri while trying to grab him. Elades was glad senior Daggers had been here with him as they knew enough to not touch the cloth too much and to keep it sealed. Just inside the doorway were three large steel bowls from a nearby bakery with inverted bowls on top as covers. He carefully picked up the first set of bowls so as to not disturb the cover, and placed them on the ground in front of Duke. Duke exhaled deeply bent down and pus.h.i.+ng the top bowl off breathed in deeply through his nose. He then stuck his nose right into the cloth and whiffled through his nose as he moved the rags around with his snout.

”d.a.m.n it! It was Ticca I followed from Vestul's body to the Dolphin. This guy was nowhere near there. That is NOT what I expected. What the h.e.l.l is going on here? This guy attacked Ticca at the Dolphin, was ridden over by a horse, jumped up on that horse, pulled Ticca off of it, and they both landed like a circus act and fought like devils for over five minutes. But for what and why?” Duke put his nose down and walked back and forth around the area, snuffling like a bloodhound. He stopped where the two Nhia-Samri, along with the one in green, had fallen. ”Uh huh, well now, that means that these two are his accomplices.”

”We have their clothing as well, sir.”

Duke looked up. ”I was going to ask for those next, but first I want to make sure I am in top shape for this. I don't think we'll get a second chance here. I believe I have them pretty clearly. Bring out their clothing so I can confirm this.”

Elades went back to the same house and brought back two other sets of bowls. Duke scented from them. ”Yep, that is exactly what I predicted from the scene. I'll call him target B. This one is what I expected too, he'll be target C. Of course our man in green, who is definitely a senior officer, will be target A. OK, that confirms everything is working as good as ever and I know everyone involved. But, none of these Nhia-Samri were the other scent I got at Vestul's a.s.sa.s.sination location. We are still missing one player here. I need answers. So time for a good old-fas.h.i.+oned hunt.”

With that Duke began moving back and forth, up and down roads and alleys. He didn't leave immediately, but went to the roofs by jumping on smaller buildings and then up on larger ones. After carefully examining their structures, he finally jumped down.

”We have been observed; I have a couple of other scents to key on. Which means they'll be ready. Once we have left the area you can let people back in. Have the guards keep things peaceful. Send word to Bravo that once I engage they are to fish hunt as fast as possible. I would prefer if it was within five minutes.”

”Shouldn't we just have everyone with us, sir?”

”No - there is an entry point at the city center that I have briefed them on.” With that, Duke stuck his nose down and started down the alleyway the Nhia-Samri had fled though after breaking away. Duke ran with speed, only stopping occasionally to spend some time moving back and forth on major streets. The Nhia-Samri was not stupid. He spent a great deal of time crossing back and forth on busy streets. He had to have picked up a cloak someplace to hide his b.l.o.o.d.y and ripped clothing.

Duke moved with confidence down streets and alleys; however, eventually he stopped. He then moved back and forth many times at an alley entrance. ”This has been cleaned. There is a chemical agent I don't know here, I can still smell it. It isn't dry yet. Two guards here, no one is allowed out. Anyone may come in. I want guards below in the Delivery Channel at this point too, with the same orders.” Duke howled like a hound on the track and then ran with speed up and down streets and alleyways, making it difficult for the Daggers to keep up. He would stop and call out, ”Pair of guards here and below! No one is allowed out!” He would then run back. Eventually there was a six-block square, around which a new perimeter had been established. The sun was setting but Duke didn't stop, and he kept howling from time to time. He began carefully moving up and down through the area. Occasionally he would stop and spend a lot of time snuffling a section of the streets. He never varied from his pattern. He also howled seemingly at random.

A number of people became very upset when they were not allowed out. However, a Dagger quickly showed up and explained by whose order they were being detained, which generally made everyone decide to patiently wait.

Finally Duke had finished with every street and alley in the six-block area. The sun was fully gone from the sky and twilight was just ending. Duke sat down near one of the main entry points through the area. ”Commander, more guards - I want this entire area sealed. Anyone can leave, if they strip down to nothing. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is allowed out of this area. Order some basic clothing for anyone leaving. They are only allowed to wear a s.h.i.+rt and pants we provide out. If they don't like that there are a number of empty houses where they can sleep. Bring food and drink for everyone.”

Duke walked away from the perimeter guards and directly across the park square. He knocked loudly on the door of a medium-sized house which commanded a view of the blockade. The house had a small yard and a full carriage circle in front. When a butler opened the door, Duke just pushed past him, yelling, ”Everyone out, go find an Inn, I am using this place tonight!”

A rich merchant stepped out of the library with a book in one hand a gla.s.s of amber liquid in the other, and an annoyed look on his face. He took one look at Duke, however, and made no argument. He ran, calling to his wife to bring the children as they were going out immediately. His wife came down the stairs, yelling at him, asking if he had lost his mind. When she saw Duke sitting in the main entry, she screamed and ran back up the stairs. After that it only took a few minutes before the entire house was completely abandoned. As the merchant left, he bowed deeply to Duke. ”Excellency, please help yourself - there is wine and excellent meat in the larder. We shall find lodging until you are satisfied.”

Duke smiled, ”You are generous and I will; however, do not hesitate to send a bill to my home for any damages or replacement foods. I need a command post near the fight.” Duke then turned and used his tail to sweep everything in the room to a corner, breaking a number of statues. ”Commander, get his dining table and bring it here, empty. Send a message to Ladro saying that I am hungry and tired and need my maps of Llino here as soon as possible. I want all team leads for Alpha, Bravo, and Echo here in one mark. Also, double the guards on the upper and lower perimeter; call in Charlie and Delta if needed to provide some relief. I want rotating Daggers checking every point of entry at least every twenty minutes.”

With that he lay down on the side of the room and put his paws in the air, closing his eyes. Within a few minutes Duke was snoring while men rushed around to fulfill his commands. In one mark everything had been accomplished. The team leads all stood around the main room while Duke continued to snore. Ladro had brought some of Duke's staff and the maps had been placed on the table. There was also a long stick like a fis.h.i.+ng rod with two belted leather hoops attached near one end.

Elades was considering if he should wake Duke when like a clock striking the mark Duke made a snuffling sneeze, rolled over, sat up and started looked at the maps as if he had been doing it for some time. ”Listen up. The area has been heavily cleaned of all scents. Although very effective, I could still make out a point or two, but nothing definitive. Either this is new, or perhaps this is the first time I got to them before that agent fully dissipated, which is more likely.”

Echo lead asked, ”Do we go door-to-door then and raise the whole area?”

”No, there is a bit of a surprise here. Ticca was through here too. In fact she spent a lot of time wall-hugging.” Slipping his paw into the two hoops on the rod Duke bit the leather tips and pulled them tight. He then used the stick like any military commander used a pointing stick. Slapping the map at a precise location with the tip of the stick, he said, ”Ticca came into the area here.” He then moved the point along a route straight to a point near the middle of the area. ”She went up to here and spent a great deal of time circling this house.” He pointed at a large house that fronted one of the many park squares in the city. ”She then exited by the same route she came in. She did not approach the house.”

The commanders looked at the map with interest. Elades pointed at an alley near the house where a doorway into the house was indicated. ”You howled three times here. Why?”

”Nice catch. Every time I howled I had target A's scent. He has been all over this area, especially on the path towards the Dolphin. I was howling to scare the c.r.a.p out of any d.a.m.ned Nhia-Samri who were watching. I wanted them to know I had a hit. I suspect they know where they have been and so were able to understand my warning taunts.”

Echo lead asked, ”Won't that eliminate our element of surprise?”

Duke looked at the men. ”Commanders, do you really think we are going to surprise them?” Elades chuckled and Duke gave him a 'stop it' look.

Everyone looked serious at that. Many shook their heads 'no.'

”So this is going to be a direct attack?”

Duke smiled. ”Oh yes, yes indeed. I want to kill every single one of them. No one gets away this time.” He pointed at places around the house. ”They will be sneaking people out to attack us from behind. All units will hold at the edges of the perimeter except for two teams, which will be split in these locations. I will attack first. When I call for aid, one squad at a time will enter. This will flush them all out except for those who have been ordered to hide. Once we are finished, we will burn everything for two blocks around that house. That will flush out any hidden Nhia-Samri. Bravo, you will stop anyone trying to escape using the Delivery Channel. When we are finished you are going to send two teams to do a fish hunt under that house. There will be a sealed trunk someplace on the bottom within this perimeter. I want the contents of that chest captured. It will be b.o.o.by-trapped, so be careful. Once opened you will take everything out, being careful to not touch it with bare hands; use cloth gloves only, which are to be thrown into the water when done. You will secure some lead weights so they won't jiggle and place a single sheet of paper with a dictation I will give you later into the trunk and then put it back where you found it. We attack at dawn.”

Duke looked around while everyone pondered the plan and orders. When no one had any questions Duke said, ”Excellent. Now, get to work. Tell everyone to be well-rested and to eat lightly tonight. Dismissed. Ladro, dinner please.”

Elades coordinated much of the logistics. Once everything was lined up he found a quiet corner and got a few marks' sleep. Ladro woke him. ”Duke is up.” Rising, he did some quick stretches and joined the growing number of people in the entry-hall-turned-command-room. Duke was reviewing last minute details with the Bravo Squad Commander as Elades walked up.