92. Pressure: Tabitha

Politics. I have no idea how people put up with it. In the criminal world, it is about power, and if you mess up, you will have your throat cut. Here they are all flocking and circling around regulations and using that to put pressure on others. I am thinking of slitting a throat or two as an example. The trouble is the people they send aren’t the culprits. They are just low-level people trying to do their job. The next week things piled up.

Ört was holding a healing clinic every second day from the warehouse. Then he has a visit from the Healer Association accusing him of operating without a licence. He showed them his Mercenary Guild licence, which should be good everywhere, but no. He needed an Obalno Licence that could take weeks to process and at the cost of several gold. They demanded he stops his clinic, and they chased away all his customers as he was an unlicensed healer.

Skavt went to the Mercenary Guild to look for short contracts and discovered the Canine Queens had a black mark against them over a disputed contract. Hence she was not able to obtain more without addressing it, and of course, the people to address it were out of town.

Tāttā and I had deals on the verge of closing that were suddenly rejected. Our clients were being scared off, and our prices were being undercut. We struggled to make purchases that were not at an exorbitant price.

We had a small crowd gathered outside the warehouse chanting racist slogans about the Catkin and chasing away customers. Complaints to the Watch against such illegal behaviour were basically ignored. Yes, they would come and investigate. No, they couldn’t tell me when as they were very busy. No, Investigator Whitby is not available. He has been put on extended leave while investigating his conduct.

This all adds up to some very wide-ranging tentacles of influence. We haven't made any real progress, and suddenly, the city is against us. All we have really done is resist a kidnapping attempt and poke the corruption in the Watch. Somebody must think we know much more than we do.

I haven't even been able to break into the Seadogs. I think I will have to try the front gate if you know what I mean. I have separated out the take from Enchanters Supreme and re-hidden most of it. I really want to get these Rune diagrams copied, so I have one for Mayakku to study later, but I don’t want her to be involved now, as it would put her in more danger, especially if they successfully kidnapped her. It will take an enchanter to copy it properly, and they either belong to the Enchanters Supreme or are being watched like hawks.

What I am expecting now is the physical intimidation to start directly with the non-physical members of the team. Especially the Comedic Rhythm. Tonight is the last performance for the weekend, and tomorrow afternoon is our meeting with the Duke’s heir. Tonight is the prime night for an attack. I wonder if they realise how predictable they are. I shouldn't get too complacent as I might yet be surprised. We have prepared. Skavt, Wiremu and the rest of the Canine Queens are here along with Ruku. In other words, all our heavy hitters, except poor Oske. He was left at the quarry as he was just too big and noticeable.

No one had been harassing the patrons at the performances. We are assuming that there were too many rich nobles attending. The performance ended with a standing ovation, but I could see Skavt, Wiremu, Modrica and Ruku standing in the wings, so something was up. Wiremu was acting very impatiently. He was supposed to be out scouting the streets around us. The other members of the Comedic Rhythm knew the risks were high tonight and that things wouldn’t be normal. As soon as the curtain closed, I lost my happy smile and went straight over to them.

Skavt started straight away with, “Oske has just told me there is fighting at the quarry.”

“Shit,” was my response. Appā was in charge of security at the quarry, and he had Mutalil and all eight of our guards. Ilaiya had responsibility for scouting which was a first for him. He had just learned Tracking. He had Farsight and reasonable Stealth, and along with his racial ability of Nightsight, Wiremu had deemed him to be ready. The quarry was now also fortified and trapped, so we anticipated that was enough. If there is fighting, it isn’t enough.

Wiremu added, “There are about thirty toughs around here in three main groups with some spotters.”

I looked at Wiremu, “You want to get to the quarry?” He nodded. As we talked, we moved to the changing rooms, and I was putting on my armour. Should I go with Wiremu? My shadows would help him get across the wall, but my strength was in urban warfare. I decided my biggest priority at the moment was Mayakku.

Ruku said, “The city gates are closed. You won’t get to the quarry.”

“Wiremu and I will have no problem going over the wall,” I said while slotting my knives in their sheaths. My Blacksteel war knife was prominent and easily accessed on my hip tonight, and I saw Ruku eyeing it with surprise. I added my sword. Tonight we were not taking prisoners.

“Wiremu?” queried Ruku.

Shit, that guy was too sharp, and the pressure must have been getting to me if I slipped using Wiremu’s real name. “Skavt will explain, but that goes no further.” I turned to Skavt, “Best to use one of the safe houses rather than the Inn. Ruku knows his way around the city, and Modrica was basically born street fighting, so rely on them. Do you want Nyx to stay with you?”

“No, it's too hard to communicate. We will be fine with Ruku.” She replied. Then she added, “Oske said there is fighting near the buildings and wagons now. I have told him to go and cause havoc amongst the attackers.” She looked at Wiremu, “If you need a mount, he will respond to you. He likes Tāoke.”

That caused Tāoke to drop his camouflage on Wiremu’s shoulder to give her a nod and a hiss. I don’t think Ruku had picked up where Tāoke was from his reaction. That snake’s Camouflage must be getting close to Master level. We were nearing our exit from the building now. It was an upper-story window, not a door. I started gathering Shadows and sent Nyx on ahead to the Quarry so we would have more intel.

I turned to the others before we left, “Wiremu and I will try to draw one of the groups away after us and create a gap. Safe House Two is probably your best bet, but that is up to you. Don’t hesitate to kill. This is where we show our teeth and bite. We bite hard enough that they don’t get back up.” That got a grin from Modrica. Ruku wasn’t so sure. I think the level of corruption in the city surprised him. Typical military keeping themselves isolated on their base.

We soon left sight of the Bard Concert Hall, and I followed Wiremu to the nearest group of thugs. He would stop every now and then and put a Venom Arrow in a watcher's eye. If we were staying, he alone could clean out all the singles or pairs. We were just passing through.

The groups he was heading for had moved and were now about twelve strong. Nyx and I swept down on them from behind, and they were taken by surprise. I was dual wielding my sword and war knife, and I decapitated the first person with my war knife while my sword pierced through a second. Nyx blinded a third. I didn’t engage Engulfing Shadows so Wiremu could start sending arrows into them.

There were competent people there who reacted fast to the attack, and I was Parrying a sword while slicing tendons and moving past them. They started to follow. I had killed two, and Nyx and I had wounded two others. Wiremu had killed two and wounded a third, which meant five were chasing me. They were making a noise calling for help from the other groups, and that is what we wanted.

I had Nyx create shadowy people and slip off into various alleys so they would need to split up and chase them. One of the lone watchers tried to ambush me. It didn’t work, of course, as my Spatial Awareness can see through buildings. She got a sword in the neck and a knife in the chest for her trouble. Every now and then, an arrow would shoot out from the night, either clearing the way or keeping the chasers wary.

We were nearing the gate when I heard a command from ahead of me, “Halt, by the command of the Watch!” I knew it was time to fade into the shadows, and hopefully, the two groups would clash and be a distraction for us going over the wall. Shadows Embrace came on, and I waited in a doorway for the chasers to run past. I then joined Wiremu and Tāoke on a rooftop by the wall. The chasers clashed briefly with the Watch before breaking off and dispersing.

Wiremu and I dashed to the wall, and I followed him up. His handholds were much more subtle than they used to be. I think he used his Granite Manipulation to create small depressions rather than his Granite Spikes which later had to be removed. I used Shadow Embrace on us both, and we went up, across the top and down the other side without being seen. Best of all, those depressions will be there for future use as well.