by V. J. Timlin
“Rose, it’s us. Nat and Anouk.” Nat’s voice soothed truth.
A flash passed over Rose’s face. Disbelief? “Show yourselves.”
Nat turned the beam of light towards Anouk. As soon as the light left her, Rose launched forward, bringing down the pan, targeting Nat. The beam shifted and made a quick circular move in the air. First came a thud, then a grunt and a bigger thud. Silence.
“W…what just happened?” Anouk asked.
“I knocked Rose out.” Nat directed the torch at Rose’s unmoving face. He knelt and touched her neck.
“She’s not dead, is she?” Anouk asked.
“I didn’t hit her that hard, but she will have a headache when she comes around.”
“Why did she attack us?”
“She must have thought they came back or something.” Nat slipped his hand under Rose’s arm. “Help me lift her.”
Anouk moved over to the other side of Rose’s body. Together they lifted her on Nat’s shoulder. Although Rose was short and slight of build, getting her limp body on Nat’s back wasn’t easy. After several moments, Rose rested on Nat like a sack of flour.
“Let’s take her to the caravan.” He toted her out of the bakery.
Anouk took a firmer grip of her katana and followed him. They traced their way back to an empty slot—or rather a dump, judging by the piled and smelling rubbish—between two run-down buildings. Anouk couldn’t understand why the old couple had insisted on hiding the wagon there, but guessed the stench worked as a suitable repellent against prying eyes.
As soon as the still unconscious Rose was boarded, Fitzwil clicked his tongue to the mare. She started to pull the wagon slowly as if knowing there was an injured person on board.
Nat lowered Rose on the bed. Vari sat next to her and checked Rose for bruises. “She’ll be fine. I’ll apply some soothing balm to reduce the swelling, and when she comes around, I’ll make her tea for a headache.”
“Not the white stuff, eh?” Anouk asked, with a mischievous grin.
Vari frowned. “No, but we can apply some on your gun wound. I’m sure it’s not healed yet.”
Anouk stifled a groan.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t make jokes about the white balm,” Nat whispered to Anouk.
“Gotcha.”
Rose stirred and moaned when Vari rubbed arnica on the back of her head.
“Be still, Rose. You’re with friends now,” Vari said with a soft voice.
Rose darted disoriented eyes from face to face. Slowly recognition replaced confusion, and she burst into tears. “I’m so sorry about all this.”
Nat stepped forward and took her hand into his. “It should be us who are apologising to you.”
Rose pressed her forehead on Nat’s palm and cried. Anouk’s heart twisted. The last few days must have been absolute hell.
After some minutes Rose calmed down and pulled away, wiping her eyes. “They broke into my house when I was away and took my girls. When I came back, there were men waiting. They told me if I didn’t do as they said, the girls would die. I had no choice.”
“You need not explain. We understand.” Nat smiled. “Your girls are safe now.”
Rose closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. “Thank you.”
“They were held at Madam Valeria’s brothel and are still there,” Nat continued. “One of the women we trust is taking care of them, and they were sleeping peacefully when we left.”
Rose’s eyes widened, but no rebuke entered into them. “And they are unharmed?”
“Untouched and unharmed.”
Rose closed her eyes again and her shoulders relaxed. “Thank goodness.”
“We’ll take you there, but before that, we need to talk.”
She looked up and nodded. “Certainly. I think I can help you a bit. I managed to do some eavesdropping, you know. We were held in an empty warehouse in the port. They knew you wouldn’t walk straight into another trap, but they thought you might come to investigate the bakery’s neighbourhood. Normally they pay kids in The Pits to take rumours to the bounty hunters, and that’s how they got Rekka and the two others, but they thought a message coming from me would still work better.”
“Aye, the reward is big enough, many are ready to check even the most dubious leads.”
Anouk shuddered. “How cruel!”
Rose continued, “As soon as they knew I sent you the warning, they took my girls, saying if you didn’t come, they would die. So I sent you another message saying as much.” Rose turned to look away. “I’m sorry I deceived you, but it was either Valintina and Danja… or you.”
“We never got the message.”
Rose whipped a surprised gaze towards Nat and Anouk that in an instant twisted into a grimace of pain. “Shouldn’t make any abrupt movements.” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t realise the message never reached you, but it doesn’t matter anymore. They took me to the bakery. I was supposed to assure you it wasn’t a trap and answer any more messages you sent. But when I got your message about Stalo’s escape, I lied to the men saying he’d been caught. They didn’t believe me at first, but then one of their comrades came running and told them Madam Valeria’s was raided. As soon as they heard that, they fled, abandoning me. I stayed at the bakery. I thought I’d find the girls in the morning light. Then I heard someone coming inside and thought Stalo had come to finish me.” Rose swallowed. “I’m sorry I attacked you. You learn in The Pits not to trust anyone after dark, no matter what they say, or who they sound like.”
The Pits was already dangerous during the daytime, and Anouk had some taste of its lethalness in the small hours. So yes, she wouldn’t trust anyone either. She forced a smile. “Don’t worry, Rose. We do understand that.”
“Aye,” Nat said. “You mentioned you did some eavesdropping.”
“Yes. Captain Biddulph came to question one of the men about Garbage Island. The man used to work at the refinery there, but got sacked for too much drinking. The captain’s interest in the island struck me as odd. There is nothing but warehouses, the refinery and some barracks for workers. Also, I learned Stalo has a brother.”
The caravan stopped. Vari looked out of the window. “We’re at Madam Valeria’s. The tea is ready, so if you drink it first, I’ll see you to the brothel.”
“Thank you, but I want to see my girls right away.” Rose pushed to sit up. Her face distorted in pain and she sank her head in her hands.
Vari took a cup of steaming tea to Rose, a waft of herbs followed in her tail. “Drink it, Rose. I’ve added some herbs to help with the pain.”
Rose accepted the cup and sipped from it as fast as the hot liquid allowed. Anouk was sure Rose burned her tongue, but was so much of a hurry to be reunited with her daughters, she cared not.
“It takes some time before the tea kicks in, so before that, I suggest you move cautiously,” Vari said.
Rose handed the empty cup back with a smile. “Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
Anouk cleared her throat. “Ah, Rose, before you go back home, there is something you need to know.”
“Yes?”
“When you sent that first message, asking us to come as soon as possible. Well, we did, that same night. As you know there were men waiting for us. So, you’ll find your home a bit… messy.”
Rose shook her head slowly. “I’m not going back. We’ll stay at my sister’s. She’s been trying to get us to move in with her ever since Alarik died.”
“Well, that sounds like a good arrangement.”
Rose gave Anouk a wry smile. “You don’t know my sister. Anyway, I need to see my babies now.”
“I’ll see you to the brothel,” Vari said. “Let’s leave these professionals to weave their schemes, shall we?”
Vari offered her arm to Rose and she took it. They left, Rose leaning on Vari.
Nat rubbed his chin. “So Garbage Island.”
“Sounds like a lovely vacation spot,” Anouk muttered.
He chuckled.
“It’s a small island not far from Rondon’s shore. Industrial scrap metal and other metal waste are taken there to be dismantled and melted down for reuse.”
“Do you think Stalo has gone into hiding there?”
“It’s possible. The island is not easy to get onto, so it’s a rather good place to hide, albeit a primitive one.”
“And we are checking it out, aren’t we?”
“Of course.” Nat winked.
“Of course.” Anouk sighed. “And how will we get there?”
“There is a steam freighter that ships the metal to the island every night.”
“Ah, I think I saw it on the night we rescued you from the Ibars’ warehouse.” Anouk stopped and frowned at Nat. “Why do I have a feeling we are going to sneak onto the boat and travel as stowaways?”
“Because that’s what we are going to do.” Nat grinned.
“Why can’t we pay someone to take us there and wait for us while we do our investigations? If Stalo is there, we have to get him back to Rondon, don’t we?”
“Because it’s an industrial area, and it’s guarded. The company that owns it doesn’t want any visitors. So that’s why we can’t go there during the daytime. An approaching unscheduled boat will raise suspicions.”
“Guess you’re right, but how will we get Stalo and Captain Biddulph off the island back to the mainland?”
“On the steamboat, of course.”
Anouk’s eyebrows shot up. “As stowaways?”
“No, it’d be too risky. We’ll call the enforcers and they’ll come to pick them and us up.”
“You are awfully sure about this.” Anouk narrowed her eyes with suspicion. “Have you done this before?”
Nat’s grin widened.
“Okay, I might be a bit inexperienced, but why can’t we just tell the captain what we are up to and ask if we could board? He might be willing to help, especially if we paid for the journey handsomely.”
“And jeopardise the surprise element? Stalo is most likely keeping an eye on the ship, so if the crew behaves normally, he won’t suspect a thing.”
Anouk lifted her palms, facing Nat. “Alright, alright. We’ll do it your way.”
“Glad to hear you approve, partner.” Nat smiled with a glint of cheekiness in his eyes but then his expression sobered. “You played your role extremely well at Madam Valeria’s. It was a dangerous mission and the chances of survival weren’t favourable, yet you didn’t hesitate.” Nat placed his hand on her shoulder. “I trust you with my life.”
Nat’s confession tightened Anouk’s throat. “Likewise.”
Nat nodded once. “I’m honoured. I’m afraid, though, this mission won’t be any less dangerous, especially if Stalo has indeed taken refuge there.”
“I know.”
Nat squeezed her shoulder gently before continuing with a warm tone. “We have the whole day tomorrow to come up with a plan and to prepare. We start with a visit to Amanda’s Emporium to get more weapons.”
Anouk smiled. Since when had she become more excited about a man taking her shopping for weapons than sexy lingerie? “Yes, I need a new Phines. Stalo stole mine.”
* * *
The darkness lay heavy over Rondon Port. The lights of the harbour and headlights of steam-powered cranes pierced the night like solitary stars. Clangs and hisses of steam engines and occasional shouts of the men cut through the general background buzz.
Anouk and Nat slipped past the warehouses towards the wharf where dockworkers were busy loading the freighter for Garbage Island.
The shoulder straps of her backpack bit into Anouk’s shoulders. She tried to adjust them once again, but to no avail. She gritted her teeth against the pain. There was nothing she could do. They needed everything that was in her pack: gas bombs, knockout gases, ammunition, and food.
She had fastened her katana on her waist. On the other hip hung her brand new Phines revolver. She touched it with her hand; the feel of the cool metal against her fingers brought a smile on her face. No one could argue she hadn’t come prepared.
The skeleton of Ibars’ warehouse came into view. A few charred beams rose from the rubble like ghosts. The sight sparked a cold shiver down her spine. The memory of saving Nat was still raw. Now the abandoned warehouse had reduced into a pile of debris. There was no sign it had been the stage where the death scene of eight men had been played out—the men hired by Stalo. He left bodies and sorrow behind like the Grim Reaper. Anouk wondered if it was selfish to hope she and Nat would not end up like the others. No, she decided.
Nat and Anouk hid behind a warehouse, observing the ship. The cranes worked tirelessly, loading scrap metal from huge heaps at the dock onto the deck. The engines exhausted pillars of smoke skyward like volcanoes. Metal shrieked when the cranes’ grapples squeezed around the scrap. A thunder followed when they released their load onto the deck. The noise was deafening.
The steam freighter looked more a large version of a tugboat. The back part was for the metal junk, the front situated a small wheelhouse and behind it, a tall smokestack. It released a similar thick smoke as the cranes, upwards in the night sky. The lights of the machines and the dock illuminated the boat like a solo performer on the stage. Men came and went in a constant flow around it.
“How on earth are we going to board the ship without being noticed?” Anouk whispered in Nat’s ear.
“We have to wait for the right moment,” Nat whispered back.
“And that is?”
“When the loading is finished and they are ready to depart.”
“I don’t want to sound sceptical, but there are too many people around, and the boat is lit like a Christmas tree.”
Nat twisted his head. “A Christmas tree?”
“It’s a decorated spruce and part of a big seasonal celebration back home where a man called Father Christmas brings gifts down the chimney when everyone is sleeping.”
“So he breaks into a house to give presents?”
Anouk frowned at him. “Now you’re just making it sound weird.”
“Because it is weird.”
“No, it’s not. I’ll explain it some other time.”
“Looking forward to it.” Nat returned his attention to the work around the boat. “The captain will go to that office there…” Nat pointed at a building behind a crane “…to complete the documents before the ship sets sail to the island.”
“But what about the lights?”
“The cranes switch off their lights when finished, so that’s our signal.”
“There doesn’t seem to be many hiding places on that boat.”
“We hide in the scrap metal.”
“Nice,” Anouk muttered. Being squashed to death hadn’t yet been on her list of possible ways to die horribly while trying to capture the maniacal former warlord! “How about when we get to the island?”
“That should be easy enough. They don’t unload until the morning.”
“Well, that sounds much better.”
The loading went on for another hour before the clanging and thunder stopped and the lights of the cranes were switched off. All the activity around the freighter quieted. The dim-lit dock appeared otherworldly after the bustle.
“The captain is walking to the office, and the crew is boarding. Good,” Nat whispered. “This is our moment. Keep out of the light.”
Anouk nodded.
“Let’s go.” Nat darted towards the boat, hugging the shadows. Anouk followed suit and broke into a run. Her backpack swayed, banging against her spine like a blacksmith pounding his anvil.
Nat jumped from the dock over the water to the boat. There was only a soft thud and then he vanished into the shadows. Anouk prepared to leap after him.
“Oi!” came an angry cry behind her.
Anouk spun. A man, clad in a dark uniform and sailor’s cap, was running towards her from the office. She froze on her feet.
“Oi! You have no business there,” the man shouted again.
“Ju
mp,” Nat called from the boat.
Anouk hesitated, looking back and forth between the man and the ship—the man was closing fast.
“Oh, fuck,” Anouk squealed and jumped. She landed on the deck with a loud awkward thud. Her teeth clattered from the impact. At the same time, something splashed into the water. Hands grabbed Anouk and pulled her out of the light behind a large metal plate. Another squeal escaped her lips.
“Shush, it’s me,” Nat whispered.
The man reached the edge of the dock and peered into the water. Then he walked to the gangplank and called to someone, “Hey, Justin! We have a stowaway. We must search the ship.”
Chapter 25
The torch beam swept back and forth over the deck of the small freighter. Slow steps came closer and stopped. The light moved past the metal rubble. Anouk’s hiding place. She held her breath, straining her ears, but the pounding of her heart made it even more challenging to hear over the random clanks and screeches.
She needed to drink. All the moisture had vanished from her mouth, making her tongue dry as a piece of parchment in the dustiest archive. She tried to urge it back by rubbing her tongue against her palate, but managed only to cause a tickle in the back of her throat. She pressed her hands to her mouth, tight. Still, the cough was like an explosion in her ears. She froze, sure the men heard it too.
The footfall resumed and edged even closer. Anouk tensed her muscles, squeezing the prod in her hand. Wait for it… How effective the electric charge would be against a grown man when zapped on his ankle, she didn’t know, but she was prepared to try.
Her palms sweat inside her gloves. She wanted to take them off, but a pair of black boots stopped just in front of her.
“Justin?” the man called.
Anouk’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yeah?” Justin replied from the other end of the boat.
“Have you spotted anything there?”
“No. Have you?”
“Not yet,” the man called.
Anouk loosened her death grip around her weapon. Maybe they would give up the search now.
“How many did you see, Dray?” Justin asked. Judging by the sound of approaching feet, Justin was walking towards his comrade.
