Avarice Unfortunate Sons CH 16

Buried Ways

Nathan wandered the courtyard on this clear-skied morning. His hand was in his pocket, fumbling with the mysterious black stone that he always kept on his person. The object gave him no sign of anything more than the ordinary, and he was becoming despondent. The dreams had also faded. In recent evenings, he had slept well, and his appetite, though small, had returned. He should have been happy, but instead he felt bothered, abandoned even. That monster had claimed him as his son, and then just like that, he had vanished. This further darkened Nathan's mood. Deep down, though, in his battered psyche, he now felt that he had something to prove.

He walked the busy courtyard, eyeing the various craftsmen going about their routines as he passed. He had made no friendships in this place. He was, after all, the feared Leader's confidant, aloof and untouchable. He found this lofty state quite lonely, even if he enjoyed that aura of power.

Nathan knew precisely where he was headed. To the arched, clear plastic structure that stood near the animal barns. He would visit this place every morning. The greenhouse. A wide variety of almost unattainable fruits and vegetables thrived there. The rare tastes were mostly used for decadent desserts and flavors for the elite men's palates. The rest of the population could only gaze at the glass house's forbidden bounty, sigh, and remember.

He opened the door and was greeted by an oppressive, humid warmth. A novelty in this dry climate. The old man who tended to the burgeoning variety of plants, many of which Nathan had no name for, looked up. He smiled at the youth and uttered a cheerful hello. He was not like the other occupants of this place. Suspicious and quiet around him. He liked to talk to Nathan even if he never answered.

"How are ye today, boy?" Came the usual lighthearted greeting.

Nathan barely looked at the man who was always watering something or other. The plants held his entire attention. He made his way over to the rows of strawberry bushes that had been cleverly suspended in long troughs hanging at chest height. The heavy, blood red fruits dangled in thick profusion, waiting to be harvested. Nathan plucked a solitary fruit and put it in his mouth. He closed his eyes and let himself be overcome by the taste. Sweet sherbet ecstasy flooded his mouth.

"Good, eh?" The old man remarked on seeing the youth's sublime pleasure. "You should try one of these."

A wrinkled, rounded fruit was pressed into his hand. It looked bad, hard, and desiccated, yet it gave off the most delicious smell. The scent was like every single fruit that existed rolled into one.

"Here, you cut it open... see." He took the strange fruit from the confused lad and opened it with a small pocket knife. It was yellow inside and full of black seeds. "Now you can eat it, seeds and all," the gardener announced.

Nathan tentatively put his lips to the yellow fruit, resorting to gouging at it with his front teeth. He did not find it overly juicy; it was rather more gelatinous in texture. His taste buds reeled with the unique and delightful flavor.

"It's a passion fruit." The old man announced, as he resumed his endless watering.

*****

Victor sat at the entrance to Stephan's home. The slender bay mare beneath him was restless, her hooves clomping loudly on the flagstones. Lothar sat in his wheelchair with Merton hovering at a respectful distance behind him.

"Now remember, Victor, if Harrison cannot be located, you are to abort the mission and return home."

Victor nodded curtly, his eyes unreadable under the shadowed visor of his death's head cap. He didn't know how many times he needed to be told this. He grew tired of Lothar's endless repetition. He would retrieve his daughter and get out regardless. He would not let her be sullied by those savages.

"We can try again, as long as our cover is not blown. Good luck, my confidence goes with you."

Victor gave Lothar a stiff salute and trotted off to join the small party of ten men who were to conduct the mission. He had instructed Merton in Lothar's medical needs during his absence. He wished the men would follow him instead of the old man. Sure, they feared him, but they didn't admire him. This fact had always irked Victor immensely. He must therefore keep alive his puppet King.

The journey to the fortress was not far. If the weather was kind, three days tops.

*****

Will's eyelids fluttered open as his body stirred to full wakefulness. His first cognizant thought was that he didn't want to be late for his stint on the watch. He had no real clue of the hour in this world of artificial light. Yet he was loath to remove himself from the bed. The warmth of his lover's head was pillowed against his chest. He gently toyed with her shining dark hair, and a smile spread across his stubbled face.

He was content, but he had his troubles still. Dwayne's announcement of yesterday had sent all the men into an attitude of unease. Dwayne was the best there was when it came to scouting and reconnaissance. If he declared he had seen something out there, then it was likely that he had. The disturbing sighting had been very distant, no more than the faintest of movements on the horizon. Perhaps a column of horsemen. Only barely visible through high-powered binoculars. Dwayne had observed again and again, still unable to make out what he had viewed precisely. Even though all on subsequent watch duty had monitored the eastern skyline intently, there had been no further sightings.

Nonetheless, Bennett had decreed that the more senior men would participate in evening watch. "It would not do for boys to be the first line of defense." He had mandated.

Though the men wanted to complain, they knew his words were wise.

Will turned to look at the digital timepiece that was perched on the bedside stand. He didn't know if it still held accurate time after all these years. It was not as though there was anything to synchronize it to. Two thirty pm, the glowing blue readout declared. Will picked up the pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He lit one, inhaling deeply, enjoying the smooth tobacco taste. Something so long denied him.

"If they come... You won't let him take me?"

Will turned his head and petted the side of Euhang's face with his free hand. Her skin was smooth under his calloused palm. Her shining dark eyes opened to meet his. He could clearly see her fear.

"No, no, Eu, of course not." This wasn't a woman play-acting. Eu's response to the potential threat was real.

"I should have said something sooner... but... I wanted to trust you first."

Will's entire attention pivoted into sharp focus. The cigarette in his right hand no longer existed. He sensed that Euhang was about to reveal something profound.

"There are many tunnels that run under this fort."

Will knew this information already. So he kept stroking her cheek.

"I know there was an entrance in Lothar's dining hall. It was behind some curtains. Sometimes Victor appeared from there."

Will nodded, but this information was not of much use to them, as those areas had been completely sealed off.

"My husband..." Euhang paused. "The Major...

This was the first time she had referred to the man since the night of her capture. Will was beginning to truly believe that Eu had courted no love for Hawkins. That her marriage was merely a tool for her continued survival. Now he was sure of it.

"... I can remember one evening at dinner. There was a long conversation about the weaknesses of the tunnel system. It was honestly boring to me. Funny how something like that later can be so important."

Will's ears pricked. Then the recognition came to him in a flash, before Euhang could deliver the rest of her memoir.

"Damn it, the ventilation system!"

"Yes," she said, as Will kissed her on the forehead.

"Of course! Why didn't we think of it earlier? You can't have tunnels like that and no access to fresh air!" He slapped his hand that was still holding the forgotten cigarette into his own forehead. Ashes spilled onto the bed covers.

"They said something about there being a very deep shaft that went all the way to the roof. There were schematics. I did see them once in an office on one of the lower levels."

"You, my love, have been unbelievably helpful." Will kissed her playfully once more, then abruptly leaped from the bed. Euhang's eyes followed. He was already hastily pulling on his clothes. Fully dressed, he turned, tenderly touching Euhang one more time. "Thank you, Eu, you have my word that I will always protect you... no matter what."

Their lips met, and Will recognized that her love for him was no phantom.

Will made haste to the upper levels. He accidentally blundered into Gareth as he came around the corner.

"Watch your fuckin self," Gareth snarled. He was a brute with little patience.

Will could see that domestic life was not treating Gareth so well.

"Where is Bennett? I gotta find him." Will announced hastily. He was inured to Gareth's uncouth ways and often vile moods.

Gareth paused; he was tired. He should have been sleeping, but Molly and her constant histrionics were not conducive to rest. Gareth had been up all the previous night. Even the strong black coffee had not helped his cause. He was sure glad it was Will who would lead the watch party this evening.

"Dunno where he is. I ain't seen him, anyway, what's got your goat?"

"I think I know where a tunnel entrance is."

"How da fuck." Gareth turned, both men now searching for their leader.

*****

Bennett had taken to sleeping in the daylight hours. Logic dictates that any attack would very likely arrive by night. As time had passed, he had begun to believe that Lothar would not assemble an army on their doorstep. With the failure to locate Merton, perhaps the old Wolf had been tipped off to their presence in his former home. This would mean a possible attack via stealth.

The knock at his door was frenzied and loud. It woke him from a deep sleep in an instant. Nathan, beside him, rubbed at his sleepy eyes.

"What is it? It had better be important." Bennett called with menace through the door. A couple more hours of rest would have been welcome.

"Trust me, it is Boss."

The Cockney accent was unmistakable. Will would not have bothered him just on a whim. Bennett wrestled with his clothes, opening the door to see both Gareth and Will patiently loitering in the hallway.

"I think I know how we can get to the sally port," Will announced with a grin on his face.

Bennett didn't answer; he just gazed at his armorer and waited for the intel reveal.

"My woman told me that there is a vent shaft that runs all the way from the roof, right down into the tunnel network. There are schematics, I guess, somewhere in the lower levels. The mechanics office, I would guess."

Bennett grinned; his ice chip eyes sparkled in the dim hallway. "Then let's get on with it, shall we?"