Like thieves, the plague doctors moved in the night to take what they wanted. But unlike burglars who steal money and goods, they came to take the whole city of Elekvaz.

Dozens of them approached in the cover of darkness, with no moon in the sky. They stationed themselves outside the main gates, with their crossbows and spears at the ready should anyone potentially infected try to run.

Giradin's team walked with Melcher Fitz to a spot barely in view of the main gate. Fitz turned to the four of them. "Since this is your plan, you will be the ones to enter Elekvaz and get the sheriff and local militia on our side. Whatever you do, you must not let this operation descend into panic. If the people of Elekvaz riot we will have no choice but to seize control of the city."

"And purge it, I would assume?" Mu asked.

Fitz remained silent for a moment, but finally said, "That's possible, but we'll do everything we can to avoid it. In any event, the struggle for Elekvaz's fate will start with the four of you." He started to turn away, but stopped and returned his attention to them. "One more thing, Fulk, you should know that your teammates have each told me they want you to lead them."

Fulk grunted behind his mask and clenched his fists.

"Don't act so surprised," said Fitz. "From what they've told me, you took charge in Kinhan and got them out of a dangerous situation. You've already become their leader by your own doing. Now they just want to make it official."

Fulk repaid Melcher Fitz's words with silence.

Fitz pointed a gloved finger at the city of Elekvaz. "You have work to do. Get to it!" The senior doctor turned from them and walked off, toward the plague doctors who lay in wait for any who tried to escape Elekvaz.

Once he was gone, Fulk turned to the others. "You want me to lead? Fine! Then I'm going to do this how I want to do it, and I'll not suffer complainers! First one of you who whines that I'm being too mean gets his nose broken."

Shlomo chuckled. "Not long ago you threatened to rip balls off."

In a flash, Fulk's fingers gripped Shlomo's groin. Giradin heard the sound of tightening leather and Shlomo stifled a yelp.

Fulk's dark lenses stared at Shlomo's. "Don't fuck with me." The Murderer released Shlomo and pushed him away. "Mu, when we get to the front gate you'll talk to the guards. Better we start off with a nice, reasonable approach, and you're good at that."

Mu nodded his head in agreement, and the four of them resumed their trek to Elekvaz.

The noisy chirping of crickets had proven a comfort to Giradin's ears after their encounter with the Strigoi in Kinhan. It meant there was, at least, one more terrible thing they didn't need to worry about.

The guards at the gate leaned with their backs against the walls and their spears wrapped in their arms. When Giradin drew close, he saw that their eyes were closed and their mouths hanging open, with drool dribbling from their lips. The gate behind them was closed, and through the gaps Giradin saw a wooden bar holding it shut.

Mu walked ahead of the rest, stood in front of the two guards, and cleared his throat.

The guards continued their upright slumber, their nasal cavities vibrating with loud snores.

"Good evening, sirrahs," said Mu.

Both guards caught their breath and rattled their heads as they awoke and beheld the four plague doctors before them. "Oh, shit..." one of them muttered.

Mu's body shook with a subtle laugh. "Why does everyone say that when they see me? Fellow Christians, I bring glad tidings, for we wish to try a new medicine on the people of Elekvaz. If we are successful, history will remember this city as the place where the plague was stopped for good. We just need your cooperation to make our dream a reality."

One of the guards craned his neck to look past Mu and the others. "There are more of you out there, aren't there? You've got us surrounded?" The spear rattled in the guard's chain-mail covered hand

Mu raised both of his hands as a peaceful gesture. "I'm not going to lie to you, my friend. Yes, there are more plague doctors out there, in the dark, ready to act in case vermin are found hiding in Elekvaz. Admittedly, they are also there in case anyone infected tries to run. We simply cannot let the plague spread, can we?"

"How do we know you're not just here to poison us?" asked the guard.

Mu's hands lowered to his side. "You didn't know we were there until we woke you. If our plan was to simply kill everyone, why would we draw attention to ourselves? No, my friends, today you have the opportunity to become heroes who saved the world from the Devil's affliction. You are part of a holy endeavor, even more so than the Knights Templar themselves! Now, would you please allow us entrance to the city so we may begin our work?"

The two guards exchanged fearful glances. Giradin held his breath, fearing what might happen if the guards refused to help. They'd had enough trouble just fighting an angry mob. If these better-armed militia-men turned on them they would surely be cut to pieces long before the other plague doctors could step in and help them. Worse yet, Melcher Fitz would certainly order the city purged after such a skirmish.

Every tiny expression or twitch in the guards' faces set Giradin's teeth on edge. He tried, unsuccessfully, to read every look they gave to get some hint of the fate which awaited them and the city of Elekvaz.

"Hey!" one of the guards tapped the gate with his spear, and beyond the gate, Giradin heard another guard startle awake. "Open the gate!"

"Aye!" the militiaman on the other side raised the bar and the gate started to creak open.

"And go tell Jesper that the Crows have come to Elekvaz," said the guard at the front.

The militiaman inside responded with a gasp, a moment of silence, then, "Umm... aye..."

Giradin and the others strolled into the streets of Elekvaz with the two gate guards behind them. Once they were inside, Mu turned to the guards. "If you would be so kind, find a way to barricade the gate from the outside. We can't have anyone running away from their medicine."

While the two guards still outside struggled to find a way to block escape from the city, Giradin peered around at the wooden houses all around them, some stacked on top of each other to accommodate the over-sized population of the city. If every window in every home represented at least one sleeping citizen, then all Giradin saw there was a potential legion of infected patients.

If the city of Elekvaz was overrun with plague, and the Crows failed to contain it, the army of sick men and women who'd come from here could easily end Christendom.