CRY HAVOC (Jack Frey Book 1)

by Mike Morris

  A flicker of torchlight danced against the red rock.

  The sight spurred her on. She scrambled towards it, scratching her hands and knees in her haste. Lin nearly wept when she saw the opening. The sweetest fresh air wafted towards her. She grabbed the edge and pulled her head and shoulders out of the chute, only realizing her mistake when she was totally exposed. Even though everyone was at work, she still had to be wary of guards wandering the corridors.

  Lin looked left and right and found herself in an empty kitchen. With a sigh of relief, she dragged herself free of the chute, landing with a thump on the stone floor. She sat for a moment, enjoying freedom from the confines of the chute. She was covered in muck and slime though, giving her another problem to sort out before she rejoined the crew.

  She gingerly got to her feet and stretched her body to loosen it up once more before moving to the kitchen door. She didn't recognize the mess but once she was out, into the main corridor, Lin regained her bearings.

  It would be easier just to steal what she needed from the Sweats that lived in the mess she had just come from. She didn't know them after all but she dismissed the thought just as quickly. There was more at stake than just a blanket.

  She ran down the corridor. Her wet feet slapped against the floor, breaking the silence around her. She tried to calculate how much time she had left and failed. The chute had burnt so much time. If she was gone too long, Jahn would send someone to find her and then it'd all be for nothing.

  The door to Lin's mess was unlocked. The heavy bar lay on the floor beside it. The guards only cared about keeping everyone inside during the day.

  She skipped down the stairs, through their mess and ran straight to the dormitory. It was strange standing there with no one around. The space felt bigger, free of the bodies that normally filled it.

  She started at Krin's bunk, lifting up the mattress and the false bottom to reveal the compartment beneath. She gasped when she saw the bounty within it. There were blankets, new boots and some fresh bread. Lin couldn't help picking up and smelling it. She couldn't remember ever having bread that wasn't half stale. Her mouth watered at the thought of taking a bite but she knew it was madness to do so. She hated putting it back but she had no choice.

  Lin climbed up the ladder, peeking in Maks and Jorge's compartments. The variety of goods was incredible. There was food she didn't recognize, every type of clothing and even a knife with a six-inch metal blade. She had no idea how the Scrounger got all these things. He deserved more respect than she'd given him up to now but that didn't mean she was going to back out of doing what she planned.

  Voices chattered in the distance and Lin froze. She listened to them draw nearer and then fade away. Just some guards on patrol. Just another reminder to be quick.

  Lin set to work.

  13

  702 PN

  Getting out was far easier than getting in. Lin hauled herself into the chute feet first and slid down the wet stone. She thrust her feet and hands to the sides to slow her descent but the ground pulled her quicker and quicker. Muck splashed all around her as she flew down the chute.

  She closed her eyes as she descended, telling herself everything would be okay. She had no idea how long she’d been gone. Too long. Would anyone be waiting for her? Please don't let it all be for nothing, she thought.

  She felt her feet fly free of the chute and lifted them just in time. She hit the ground hard on her backside and bounced once, jarring every bone in her body but at least nothing broke.

  She opened her eyes, dreading to find guards waiting for her. Luckily the alley was as she’d left it — empty save for the barrel and herself. She gingerly stood up, aware that she was covered in waste and filth. She couldn't go back like that. She tried pushing the barrel out of the way of the tap so she could wash herself but it was far too heavy.

  She looked towards the courtyard, expecting to see Grais or one of the others appear. Time was her enemy now. Whatever she was going to do, she had to be quick about it. She grabbed the edge of the barrel and pushed herself up so the top half of her body was over the water and then ducked her head and shoulders in. It was ice cold, shocking her to her very core. She shook her head, feeling the dirt wash away. She stayed under as long as she could, enjoying the silence, until a roar grew in her head. She whipped her head back out of the water, filling her lungs with a gulp of air.

  Lin dropped to the ground and wiped her face with her sleeve. She looked in the barrel at the murky surface of the water. It wouldn't be any use for drinking now but it'd be good enough to get the rest of her clean. She pushed herself up again over the top of the barrel but, this time, she pressed down with all her weight onto the lip. It wobbled once, twice. Lin maintained the pressure and suddenly the barrel tipped. Lin jumped back as it crashed to the floor. The water spilled out as it fell, soaking her on the way down.

  "What are you doing?"

  Lin looked up, guilt flooding her face and she saw Grais running towards her.

  "I told you to get me," he said, as he got nearer. "Stupid girl, trying to move that on your own."

  "I thought I was strong enough," she said meekly.

  Grais scrunched down in front of her so he was face to face. "You could have been hurt. That barrel could have squashed you like a bug. Did you want that?"

  Lin stared at Grais' feet. "No."

  "By the Masters, you're soaking wet now and we have to refill the blasted barrel. We'll be lucky to escape a whipping at this rate."

  "I'm sorry. I'll tell them it was all my fault," replied Lin. She didn't want a lashing but she also didn't want Grais to get one either because of her. Tears filled her eyes.

  "Hey, it's all right," said Grais softly. "We'll sort it out." He picked the empty barrel up with one hand and righted it. The water drummed in once more. "Maybe we just let it get half full this time, eh?"

  Lin sniffed. "Thank you."

  Jahn wasn't impressed when they returned to the crew. "All that time for half a bloody barrel of water? What you do? Drink the rest?"

  "Leave her alone, Jahn. She was just doing her best," interjected Grais.

  "We're all doing our bloody best aren't we? We've got three hours before the Masters' bastard Children turn up and rip our throats out," screamed Jahn, the veins in his neck bulging. "Now get back to work and hope we get everything finished in time."

  Lin grabbed her jug of water and resumed running it over to the teams. When she got around to the Scrounger and his group, he gave her a strange look. "You been getting into trouble then?" he asked with a smirk.

  "Don't know what you're talking about," replied Lin.

  "You seem to have pissed off Old Jahn something rotten. Better be careful you don't run out of friends, little girl," said the Scrounger with a nod of the head.

  Lin snatched the jug from him and ran back to the barrel. She could feel his eyes on her all the way. A cold feeling in her gut said he knew she was up to something, but that was impossible. She squeezed the knife handle in her pocket. She hoped she wouldn't need it.

  Everyone got tenser as the minutes ran down. A large hourglass stood sentry on a wall where all could see it. The sands seemed to run faster and faster as the night wore on. Worried eyes watched it constantly or flicked to the night sky for signs of the approaching dawn.

  Lin didn't notice the Masters' Children arriving. One minute they weren't there, the next minute the red—haired woman and the three men were standing in the middle of the square. Picks and shovels stopped instantly and Old Jahn ran over.

  "We're nearly finished," he assured them. "One more hour and we're done."

  The woman ignored Jahn. She wandered around the courtyard, inspecting the work. Jahn followed behind, not saying a word. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow as he watched her assess their labors. The whole crew held their collective breaths as they waited for her verdict.

  Finally she faced Jahn. Her red eyes ran over him. She didn't even try to hide the disdain. "Everything
is satisfactory. You have thirty minutes to clean up and return to your quarters."

  Jahn bowed. "Thank you. I..." The woman walked past him before he could say anymore and the Children left the courtyard. The crew watched them walk away, in shock that all was well. Gradually realization crept in that they had passed inspection and smiles spread from face to face.

  Old Jahn sat down on a ledge near Lin. "I'm getting too old for this game." He pressed his hand to his chest. "I thought I'd drop dead of a heart attack before she had a chance to do me in. 'Ere. Give me some o' that water." He reached out and Lin passed him the jug. He drank it quickly, not stopping until the jug was empty. He stared at it for a moment before handing it back. "I needed that," he said with a smile.

  Jahn looked around at the crew who were all watching him and he jumped to his feet. "You 'eard the woman. We're done. Pack up and let yourselves out of 'ere before she changes her bloody mind. Move it!" he clapped his hands and everyone scrambled.

  With the site cleared and the tools locked away, the crew returned to their quarters. The sense of relief was evident in all the banter and laughter accompanying them. Lin walked amongst the stragglers with Jaar and Pet'r. She smiled and joked as best she could to hide the apprehension she was really feeling.

  Pet'r tapped her shoulder.

  "What?" she said in surprise.

  "Didn't you hear a word I said?" said Pet'r. "I was just saying I thought you were in real trouble earlier."

  "You looked half—drowned and Old Jahn's head seemed as if it was going to boil over," added Jaar.

  "Not the best thing you ever did," said Pet'r.

  At the front of the procession, Old Jahn had reached the doors to their mess. It wouldn't be long now.

  "Lin!" shouted Pet'r. "You got water in your ears."

  "No. Sorry, I was just... But yeah. Not clever," she replied.

  Pet'r and Jaar exchanged exasperated glances but Lin ignored them. She was too busy watching everyone enter their quarters. By the time the three children walked down the steps, the last meal was in full flow. People were eating quickly, eager to get to bed. The pace of the last few days had been hard on them all.

  With a bowl of cold stew and a knob of stale bread, she sat down in their usual spot. Her nerves made it hard to eat as she watched and waited. The Scrounger and his gang didn't seem to be in any sort of a hurry, but a few others drifted through into the dormitory.

  Lin squeezed the spoon in her hand until her fingers ached. Minutes passed. More people went through. She ground her teeth as she waited.

  Old Jahn himself got up and walked into the other room.

  The shouting started almost instantly.

  Jahn appeared at the doorway. "Scrounger! Get yer arse in 'ere now."

  "What's up, chief?" asked Scrounger as he got up from his bench.

  "Just get in 'ere now!"

  Scrounger scurried over, followed by his boys.

  Pet'r tapped Lin's elbow. "Come on. Let's go see what's happening. Looks like fun."

  Everyone was standing in the dormitory, centered around Jahn's bunk. The children wriggled their way through the crowd until they were in the front row. Jahn was nose to nose with the Scrounger.

  "Do you think this is funny? Is this some sort of fuckin' joke I don't get?" screamed Jahn.

  "I don't know what you're talking about. Honest I don't," protested the Scrounger.

  "You've picked the wrong fuckin' person this time. I'll tell you that fer nothin'." Jahn stabbed his finger into the Scrounger's chest repeatedly as his skin reddened.

  The Scrounger held his hands up. "Seriously Jahn. I haven't got a clue what you're on about."

  "So you didn't steal my fucking blanket and pillow then? Or Grais'? Or Sayran's? Or half the fuckers' stuff in this room?"

  "I didn't," replied the Scrounger.

  "Lying bastard," someone called out.

  "String him up," shouted someone else.

  "You've overstepped the mark this time, Scrounger," said Jahn. He yanked him closer by his shirt.

  Maks went to intervene but Jahn shot him a look. "Don't get involved, boy, more than you already are. You don't wanna find out you're not as tough as you think you are."

  "There's been a misunderstanding somewhere, Jahn. Honest," said the Scrounger. "I ain't done nothing."

  "Let's go and have a look at your stash, shall we? If I'm wrong, you'll get my humble apologies but if I'm right, by the Masters, you're in for a kicking," said Jahn. He pushed the Scrounger towards his bunks and the crowd followed.

  The apprehension in Lin was changing to excitement. It was hard to keep the grin from her face.

  "Open them all," commanded Jahn when they arrived at the Scrounger's racks. There were plenty of gasps as all the goods were piled on the floor. Krin's and Jorge's compartments didn't have any of the crews' possessions but they were brimming with everything else. Lin saw the confusion on the Scrounger's face as he spotted things that should have been in his own compartment.

  "Fuck," was all he said as Maks' compartment was opened up. Some of the crew's missing gear was dropped onto the growing pile on the floor. Angry mutterings started in the watching crowd.

  Jahn punched the Scrounger in the face before they got to the last compartment. Blood erupted from the Scrounger's nose. He went down hard but Jahn didn't hesitate. He was on the Scrounger in a heartbeat, raining punches down on him. The Scrounger curled up in a ball and protected his head with his arms but it didn't stop Jahn. When he grew tired of hitting the Scrounger, he resorted to putting the boot in.

  "That's enough, Jahn," someone said.

  Jahn stopped, his face red. "I'll tell you when it's fucking enough," he shouted, spit flying from his mouth. He kicked the Scrounger one more time. "Do you think you've had enough?" The Scrounger moaned and Jahn booted him again. "Think I should stop? Think I'm taking the piss?" Jahn's right boot sunk into the Scrounger's stomach.

  "Please," croaked the Scrounger.

  "Please fucking what?" screamed Jahn.

  The Scrounger lay still on the ground.

  "You've killed him," said Maks.

  Jahn spat on the Scrounger's body. "I ain't killed him. He ain't that lucky." He turned to Maks and Jorge. "Make sure every person here has everything they need. If someone doesn't have a blanket or a pillow in an hour's time, we're going to be breaking bones. Do you understand me?"

  "Sure," said Jorge and Maks nodded his agreement.

  Krin went to help the Scrounger but Jahn stopped him. "That piece of filth can stay there 'till he's ready to move himself."

  Jahn stormed off back to his own bunk and the crowd dispersed.

  "Looks like you're getting your blanket after all," said Pet'r.

  "Looks like it," replied Lin.

  Pet'r watched Lin as if he knew what she'd done ,but Lin maintained an air of innocence. There were some things were best kept to herself.

  14

  705 PN

  Jack shivered in the autumn air. Another year nearly over. It was hard to believe he’d been at Whitehaven for nearly three years. The time had past in a flash. Sometimes his memories of life before the Order seemed like they belonged to someone else.

  His class waited for Master Snow in the courtyard. The sound of steel clashing elsewhere drifted over the wall.

  "Good morning. Today we will not train. Instead I will show you something that very few have ever seen and lived to tell the tale," said Master Snow as he strode into the courtyard.

  Bryan glanced at Jack who shrugged in return. The teacher certainly had all their attention.

  "I have heard rumors that some of you don't think the Nostros really exist," said Master Snow. He looked each student in the eye. Jack kept his head down and said nothing.

  "I ask you then: what will convince you? Our words are obviously not enough. The rigorous training we put you through does not. Brothers walk amongst you scarred and mutilated from battles with these monsters and still that does not quell your concern
s? What will convince you?"

  A smile crept across Master Snow's face. Jack didn't like seeing that. It didn't bode well. The man never smiled.

  "Perhaps it would suffice if you were to see a demon in the flesh."

  Jack jerked his head up, not sure if he had misheard.

  "Ah, I see that has got the attention of my little pups. Follow me." Master Snow snapped his fingers and walked to the courtyard exit. The boys fell in line behind him. He took them deep into the monastery, into areas they had never visited before. The few priests they saw were fully armed. Pistols strapped across chest and thigh. Swords worn within easy reach. The priests watched the boys pass by but did nothing to stop their progress.

  Jack could hear his heart beating in his chest. The corridors got darker with each step until the procession reached two large oak doors. Two sentries stood on either side as still as statues. Their eyes looked straight ahead, ignoring the approaching boys.

  "You were once told that no door in Whitehaven was locked. This door is the exception," said Master Snow. He knocked three times in quick succession.

  A small panel opened in the left door and the group was scrutinized from the shadows beyond. It slammed shut and bars could be heard sliding behind the door. Finally, there was the click of a lock being opened and one of the doors swung open.

  "Quickly boys. We haven't got all day," said Master Snow, shooing them inside.

  Large candles burned in stands around the room and from two candelabras hanging from the ceiling. Four sentries stood at attention in each corner as unmoving as their compatriots outside. The rest of the room was filled with display cases containing weapons and armor.

  "The war between the Nostros and humans has been going on for three hundred years. This room contains spoils brought back by brothers from our Order over the centuries. We keep them because only by knowing our enemy can we learn how to defeat him," said Master Snow. He walked over to a large glass cabinet. The boys followed and crowded around it. Inside was the largest sword Jack had ever seen. "This is a broadsword taken from the battlefield of El Asta in 297 PN, during one of the first crusades to try to take back the Middle Kingdoms from the Nostros. As you can see, the blade is the width of a man's body and some seven feet in length. Even if the blade were blunt, that sword swung by a Nostros would shatter a man's bones and pulverize his insides.