by Brian Keller
“At least Yoren arranged for me to have access to the Palace library”, she thought. Of course, it wasn’t devoted to the study of Talent, as the University’s library was, but she’d found plenty of interesting material to occupy her time. She’d begun by looking for any material relating to the Mad Wizard but found precious little. Her search eventually led her to study the history of the city. She’d even found a few older books pre-dating the current regime. It was a rare occurrence to discover any evidence of whatever existed before. Unexpectedly, she learned that the Kingdom of Rhychevel had once been a colony of a larger empire. She read the book from front to back but could find no mention of the name of that empire, only that their political hierarchy was based entirely on economics. It had little in the way of a national army or navy, these forces were employed directly by the ruling merchants. As she read, she remarked to herself about the rarity of finding such a book, “I can only guess that usurpers, or conquerors, must believe that removing any previous traces would imply, by default, that nothing had happened before, and everything that existed could be attributed to the current regime. Either that or it was to create some illusion of finality”. A phrase she’d heard from washer women, “Out with the old, in with the new” seemed to summarize that mentality.
The library had provided a welcome distraction but her mind kept returning to the nagging question, “What will happen to me after we kill or capture the Gifted young man?” Naturally, she assumed she’d be returned to the University, as a neighbor might return a borrowed shovel or saw. But the Spymaster had alluded to continued employment. “Doing what?” she wondered, “I’m barely allowed to do anything now!”
*****
After three days of shifting stones and carrying lumber, Cooper was ready to return to the Waterfront. If he was honest, that thought was prompted as much by the desire to escape the mundane repetition as it was to pursue the Spymaster. He’d decided the best way for him to arrange a meeting was to approach the Secret Police. He could give them the details and be gone while they were still trying to creatively deny being Secret Police.
Considering the remaining preparations, it was too soon to kill the Spymaster. He sat down and unrolled the letter he’d written before commissioning the copper tubes. Much had happened since then and he wanted to make sure he didn’t need to write a new message. Considering the intended recipient, it deserved the extra attention. He read it, and re-read it. Satisfied, he rolled it up and slid it into one of his two remaining tubes, then sealed it and tagged it. He placed the tube in his pile of worldly belongings and returned to working on the reconstruction. It was almost lunchtime when he heard some shouting from the south. He dropped the boards he was carrying and sprinted to the noise. He heard Rukle yelling from his vantage point on top of one of the broken building walls, “Don’t take another step! I’ll kill you!” His voice had a note of uncertainty because Spen was on the ground, shouting at Rukle, “Put down your bow! I know him!” Cooper continued to sprint until he had Spen in sight. Looking past the boy Cooper immediately recognized the intruder. “Utsef!” He blurted the man’s name before he could prevent himself and felt immediately ashamed. Ustef placed his hands on his hips and glowered at him, “So this is what happens when you have no supervision? Discipline just becomes an afterthought?” Rukle had lowered his bow, “That’s Ut-? Nevermind.” He dropped down from the wall and stepped toward the new arrival with an outstretched hand, “Since we’re naming names, I’m Rukle, sir. No hard feelings, I hope.” Utsef vigorously accepted the handshake, nearly pulling Rukle off balance, “None, whatsoever. In fact, you acted as you should.” He chuckled and released Rukle’s hand as he raised an eyebrow at Cooper. Cooper was attempting to recover from the shock of seeing his teacher, “You said you wouldn’t come! I never expected…” Utsef winked, “Sometimes I even surprise myself.” He lifted his head to survey the surroundings, “We discussed your plans at such length… I wanted to see how you’re progressing.” He turned to face Cooper, “And to answer your question before you ask it – No, I’m not staying. I’ve been in the city for a couple of days; spoken to a few people but mostly just listened. I’ve heard a few tales of some unexplained events and learned of the general disgust and frustrations regarding Apex.” Cooper had been watching the man closely. His posture indicated that he was at ease with his surroundings, but his eyes never rested on any single feature for more than a few seconds. He was uncomfortable, but trying hard not to look like it. Cooper swept his arm in a wide arc, as if to present the Ruins with a single gesture, “Let’s show you around. We’ll make introductions as we go.” When they found Miss Camilla, Utsef dug into his pack and drew out a bulging leather sack and handed it to her, “I didn’t know who I should give these to. Seeing you’re here makes that decision easy.” She smiled and greeted him, “Hello, sir. It’s been a very long time.” She accepted the bundle with some hesitation until he explained, “Live herb seedlings - with moist dirt packed around the roots. And not the kind you use for cooking. I have no doubt you’ll recognize them. They need to be planted properly as soon as possible.” Miss Camilla smiled gratefully, “Anything in here that requires special care?” Utsef shook his head, “Not especially. Nothing that should be unsafe to handle, anyway.” Once the tour was complete and most of the introductions done, Utsef asked, “Where are the rest of the Journeymen?” Most of the remaining Guild members returned to their duties as Cooper sat down, indicating that Utsef should join him, “There’s a lot to explain. I’ll try to summarize it briefly. Stop me whenever you like.”
Three hours later, they were still in deep discussion. Cooper had answered many of Utsef’s questions and had been absorbing as much as he could of the older man’s wisdom when Birt entered the building, asking loudly, “So this is the mythical Utsef?” Utsef abruptly stood with a laugh, “Mythical?” He turned to Cooper, “What lies have you been telling?” Cooper remained seated, shrugged and replied, “I’ve been known to quote you from time to time, or credit you when making a valid point, or counter-point.” Birt scoffed and offered, “I’m Birt, sir. And I’d say that we have you to thank for our current situation, but it might end up sounding like blame.” Utsef looked around then asked for clarification, “How so?” Birt smiled, “Because you didn’t tell Cooper that his plan was almost impossible!” Utsef shook his head as he chuckled, “Point of fact, I did tell him. I’ll accept neither credit nor blame. I simply advised him as best I could when he refused to be discouraged.” Cooper sighed, “You both realize that I’m right here, don’t you?” Utsef winked, “Of course. I’ve always known where you are, despite your best attempts at stealth.” Now Cooper stood, “In the Forest, maybe; but now we’re in the city, and I’ve Manifested.” Utsef conceded, “Those are fair points. I’ll leave the city to you.” He nodded to Birt then sat back down across from Cooper, “I’ll stay for a couple of days. We can take the plan apart, look at all the components, and determine what remains to be done.” This statement made Cooper feel both grateful and defensive, at the same time. Evidently, it showed. Birt pointed an accusing finger at him and blurted to Utsef, “Did you see that? You saw it too, right?!” Utsef chuckled, “I saw it. He knows I’ll be critical of his plans, but he values my input. He also knows that I’m no longer in a position to “grade” him.” Cooper muttered, “Of course not, now the only thing at stake is the future of the Guild here in Paleros.” Utsef smiled, “Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, you know.” Cooper raised his eyebrows in mock amazement, “Really? And here I’ve been accused of having no humor at all.” Cooper leaned to give Birt a long stare and Utsef laughed boisterously and rocked backward as he slapped both thighs, then replied “I think you have a terrific sense of humor!” Then he winked and added, “But you’d make a poor court jester.” Birt turned away, shaking his head, “I’ll leave before you both start playing ‘pull my finger’ or something.” Birt was out of earshot when Utsef spoke again, “You’ve got a good group here. They not only trust you, t
hey believe in you.” Cooper shrugged, “We’re working toward a common goal. I’m glad you’re here. The plan is good, but I can’t believe that I’ve thought of everything.”
By nightfall, they’d dug little holes to symbolize some things and made small piles from the dirt to signify other things. They’d collected a bunch of rocks to expand their discussion when they decided to examine the plan spatially as well as chronologically. They ended up adding more wood to a fire they’d built so they could continue to work by firelight. This continued until the cooks threatened to withhold breakfast if they burned up all the wood intended for cooking fires. The two Assassins conceded victory to the ladies. The entire membership would be seeking their blood if they interfered with breakfast, and they knew it. They continued by the light of a few carefully arranged lanterns for a few hours longer, until they began to succumb to the drowsiness that everyone else in the Guild had accepted hours earlier.
Cooper woke to the sounds of steel on steel. As he bolted awake he thought he heard the sounds of Rukle cursing. He didn’t even take the time to secure his belt. He simply grabbed it long enough to unsheathe the blades and let it drop somewhere between his bed and the door. Pushing the door aside he was blinded momentarily by the morning sun. “How had I slept so late?!” Not knowing the threat, he crouched as he rushed out of the doorway, making himself a small, unpredictable target while his eyes adjusted. Rising from his crouch, he tried to focus on where the noises were coming from. There was no clank of armor, no sounds of shouted orders, simply the rapid ringing of blades meeting blades. He heard Utsef laugh then call out, “Good! But faster with that half-turn. Protect that shoulder. A deep cut there and you won’t be raising that arm.” Cooper also heard Rukle’s pained voice call out to him, “Good morning, sleepyhead. Care to step over here and get me loose?” Cooper’s eyesight had adjusted and he saw Utsef and Spen circling each other while Rukle lay in the dust, cursing, tangled in netting made of fine woven wire. Cooper took one more look at the scene, then walked back inside to get dressed. Rukle shouted at his back, “So I’ll just wait right here, shall I? Hey! You’re coming back out, right?”
That morning at breakfast they all gathered at the largest table. Rukle was still smarting, “Those wires have hooks on them!” He indicated Cooper, “And he just left me there!” The ladies serving breakfast seemed disinterested and Birt chided, “Quite trying to get an extra ‘sympathy portion’. If you want more, go for ‘seconds’.” Cooper asked Utsef, “How’s Spen doing? I haven’t had much time for practice lately.” Utsef shrugged, “He's doing better, but still needs instruction. He’s fast, but speed is no replacement for technique. I doubt he’ll become as fast as you, but speed isn’t the most important thing in making a fine Assassin anyway.” Dailen laughed, “Nobody’s as fast as Cooper.” He turned to Birt, “Remember that time in Weapons Class? Before Cooper had even Manifested, and Mister Skran had him demonstrate? He was so fast even then that Mister Skran made him do it again, so we could all see it!” Cooper’s mood darkened at the mention of that event, and Mister Skran. Utsef turned a scrutinizing eye at Cooper but said nothing. Cooper mumbled, “I don’t expect we’ll see Mister Skran again. I always wondered what he looked like. He kept his hood up so far, you could never see.” Utsef grunted, “His face had been burned.” Dailen spouted, “You knew him?” Utsef nodded, “Yes. He was one of my students once. He got those burns while training with me, in fact.” Cooper risked the question, “Care to elaborate on that? I knew he’d trained with you. I’ve always wondered…?” Utsef sighed, “He expected to become the next great Guild Assassin. When I informed him that he’d undoubtedly become one of the Guild’s top Enforcers, he became enraged and actually attacked me. Not training. He intended to injure me, or kill me, to demonstrate his skills. It was over in seconds, but he ended up on the ground in the cooking fire. He very nearly lost an eye. I had always explained that an Assassin who relied only on weapons, wasn’t an Assassin, he was an Enforcer sent to kill. I couldn’t make him understand… and after that he wouldn’t listen at all. I sent him home.” Rukle was confused, “Sir, what does an Assassin rely on, if not weapons?” Utsef turned to Cooper with a raised eyebrow, expecting him to answer. Cooper finished chewing the food he was eating, swallowed and cleared his throat, “His mind. His imagination. The ability to assess his surroundings and make immediate decisions. Weapons are just tools. Nothing more.” Utsef nodded with satisfaction and continued, “The Assassins first rule has nothing to do with killing. His, or her, first rule is Survival. Dead Assassins can’t complete contracts, but neither do timid ones. An Assassins mind is what allows them to balance risks, complete their contracts, but above all, stay alive.” Cooper nodded and went back to eating his breakfast, but his brain continued to work over what Utsef had said. If an existing plan began to look tenuous, then it was time for a new one. He’d decided that working through the Secret Police was still his best option for contacting Aporigh, but if that didn’t pan out he wondered whether it might be necessary to change tactics.
For the rest of the day, and most of the next, Utsef sat with Cooper and the other Guild members as they discussed the raid on the prison. Utsef admitted, “I know nothing about operating a ship. I have no advice to offer.” He focused on Cooper, “Describe for me again how you’ll be moving the prisoners off the ship and bringing them back into the city.” That was a discussion that lasted several hours. By the time they were finished Cooper had diagrams of two specialty items that would need to be designed and built, within the next thirty days. He shook his head in frustration and thought, “How could I have neglected something so important? I just hadn’t thought things through with the necessary detail.” He wondered what other details he might have missed. He also wondered whether the timeline was still realistic. He nodded to Utsef, “Have I mentioned how glad I am that you’ve come?” Birt snorted, “Do you mean overall? Or just since breakfast? You’ve told him at least five times and that’s just the times I’ve heard.” Utsef leaned back, “I’m glad to help. This needs to be planned carefully for obvious reasons, but everything still hinges on some events and responses that are beyond your control. Have you thought about that?” Cooper shook his head, “Nothing we’ve planned relies on those conditions, they just significantly reduce the risks and provide some additional security.” Ustef shifted to lean forward, “And the risks to the others? Your allies?” Cooper shrugged, “It might cause a little increased pressure on them, but there shouldn’t be any actual evidence to link them to the events.” Rukle grunted, “Evidence? The Army doesn’t care about evidence. They burned down our house based on rumor and conjecture.” Cooper retorted bitterly, “They burned us out because Jarell led them to us. He might not have been on the ground pointing the way, but it was his betrayal that brought them to our door.” Rukle shrugged, conceding the point but Spen picked up the argument, “So now your plan is to make some kind of deal with the ones who attacked us?” Cooper shook his head and sighed, irritation was rising in his voice, “No. I’m leveraging a task we are already preparing to fulfill, and gaining something extra from it.” Spen looked unhappy about that explanation and Birt spoke, “Cooper, let me try. If I’ve got something wrong, stop me.”
Birt turned to Rukle and Spen, “We’re killing off the Lukasi traders for two reasons. First, they were Jarell’s allies and he couldn’t have accomplished what he did without their help; and second, they continue to sell Apex, which damages everyone except them and we’re cleaning up a mess that Jarell helped create.” Birt took a breath before he continued, “and we need ships to raid the prison in order to free our brothers and sisters. Since dead Lukasi slave and drug traders don’t need ships, and we do, we’re taking theirs. We aren’t sailors, so Cooper has made a deal for sailors to handle the ships. Since we’re doing all this anyway, we’re looking to gain some kind of understanding or agreement with the Prince since he’s been failing in all attempts to curb the flow of Apex. However, getting him to agree to
our terms might be difficult considering Cooper’s plans for the Spymaster.” He took a breath and turned to face Cooper, “Is that about right?” Cooper nodded, “Close enough.”
Spen looked from Cooper to Birt to Rukle, then grinned, “Alright. When you say it that way, it all makes sense.” Cooper raised an eyebrow, “You were just winding me up, weren’t you?” Spen shook his head, “Not really. I was just pointing out how you’ve been holding your cards very close to your chest lately.” Cooper gave Spen a hard look, “I’ve been assigning tasks to everyone. We’ve all been busy. I didn’t see any point in burying everyone under the details of the full plan.” Spen looked around the group, then replied, “I think I speak for everyone when I tell you, “We can handle it”.” Dailen shook his head and mumbled, “Speak for yourself. I’ve got plenty enough to worry about.”
After the group separated to return to their usual routines, Cooper showed the equipment diagrams to Dailen, “Is this something you could fashion for us?” Dailen examined the drawing and handed it back, “Once the smithy is fully functioning? Sure. Right now, I can repair things, but I can’t make something like this from raw materials yet. We' re still building the smelter.” Cooper accepted the drawing, “We need something like this to help with our rescue efforts. After the jailbreak.” Dailen raised an eyebrow, “It looks like a cage. How big is it?” Cooper turned the drawing upside down and replied, “It does look like a cage.” He turned it back right side up and continued, “But it’s actually a big basket. Large enough for several people to sit inside it.” Dailen replied, “Then that’s definitely outside of our smithy’s current capabilities. Four-” He paused, “No, six months from now, maybe.” Cooper shook his head, “We don’t have four to six months. I’ll have to find a smith that can do it.”
