Triple Strength

303. Coming Home: Tabitha

I watched as Ruku, Lee, and our helpers from the quarry approached the gate to Yelets with our wagons. Wiremu and I came over the wall two nights ago. And we smuggled Modrica and Umreti in. I have been getting the lay of the land while Wiremu sorted accommodations for us and a yard for the wagons.

Longstrider is still in charge here. He has lasted a long time. He is still in sole charge, as far as I can tell. I don’t have many contacts here after all this time, but one of the fences I used to use was still in business and still worked for Longstrider. We will have to meet in the next couple of days.

Inquisitor Jones and Cooper are based here, and apparently, Jones is out on patrol. Cooper is a large, heavyset woman for whom I am looking out for. She can’t be everywhere, and Yelets has three main gates.

“Would you like another cup of tea, sir?” the server asked me.

“No, thank you, young one, but if you don’t mind, I will just rest my weary bones here for a while.”

“No problem, sir.”

“I would be most pleased if you would join me,” I winked at her and patted my knee, indicating where she should sit.

The server giggled, “I have to work,” she tried to say sternly.

“Another time, then.”

My Body Image was that of a certain old man with whom I helped celebrate his 150th birthday in Waiouru. I swiped his ID papers while I was there and made a few Adjustments. He was a cheeky old man, and I thought it would be fun. It is fun.

Ruku and Mbili are escorting the troopers to inspect the wagons, and I am sure I saw Mbili pass some coins. Our contract with the Famous Five ends here in Yelets. There is not much left of their home town of Alamaeadin. I must find out what they plan to do.

Ruku and the Squad Leader were spending some time at the back of Težka’s wagon. I am sure he is getting a lecture on the responsibility of keeping dangerous animals in a city. They then headed to the administration building to fill in the paperwork.

I spotted three people who I thought were watching those entering the gate. One I vaguely recognised from my time here was that she was part of Longstrider’s organisation. One I was pretty sure was an undercover Imperial. I am not sure about the third, possibly also Longstrider.

The wagons were always going to draw a crowd. A caravan full of exotic and dangerous animals is always an attraction. Hopefully, it will draw attention away from the people with the caravan. When Ruku emerged from the Admin building, a young lad ran up and delivered a message to him. The wagons rolled out and headed toward the warehouse compound Wiremu had arranged. While we may have escaped the inquisitor at the gate, I would still expect a visit from her in the next few days.

I got my creaky bones moving, tossed a coin to the server as thanks and gave her a wink. I then hobbled my way toward a safe house I procured, where Modrica and Umreti were staying.

The city was familiar and different. This was my home. I grew up here. I remember robbing that place when I was learning my trade. Some of the differences were some new buildings, and some shops had changed. There used to be a cheesemonger there, but now it is a grocer. I stopped and stared at Bob’s Goods. It was a general goods store, but Bob was the one to give my brother Warren his first job as a guard. Warren, who died as we tried to escape this Empire.

I felt guilty, as it was me that caused us to need to get out. It wasn’t just the failed robbery on the governor's palace, but that was when I awoke my Shadow Affinity. If the Empire found out I had an affinity, I would be forced to work for the army. That wasn’t the main reason. I was well-practised at avoiding the authorities by that point. We ran mainly so Longstrider didn’t find out about the affinity. He would trap me worse than the empire.

Longstrider might have been my mentor and trained me as a Thief, but I was scared stiff of him. He comes across as a friendly, wise advisor, but I had seen the steel underneath. He was a conniving and ruthless bastard, and we were lucky to escape. I still don’t know what his classes and specialities were. He was certainly a talented high-level thief, but he also had some sort of trainer class like Ruku. Despite working under him for four years, there was so much I didn’t know about him. I admitted to myself that I was still a bit scared of him. Even with my current skills, I wasn’t sure about confronting him. Having Wiremu, Modrica, and Ruku at my back gave me more confidence.

The thing was that Longstrider also had a lot of allies. He ruled the criminal world of this city and had connections throughout the empire, the Kirghiz Kingdom, and probably the Free Republic. His chief enforcer was a mountain of a man that scared the shit out of everyone. He had an extensive organisation and kept it intact for decades. Yes, I was still scared of Longstrider.

Longstrider could wait a few days. We would be approaching him through Lee’s contacts. I wasn’t stupid enough to think he wouldn’t find out who I was, though. It will also be obvious who Wiremu was. We need some contingency plans. We can’t just burn down the city, as there are several thousand Imperial Troopers in a compound adjacent to the city. We killed 300 low-level troopers with preparation, surprise and traps. Thousands of competent troopers, many specialised ones, were a different story. There are almost certainly several affinity users with them, as well. I also need to verify how many and what affinities they have.

The object here is not to fight but to subvert and keep under the radar of the authorities. Whether we can do that or not will depend on Longstrider’s reaction to us. If we end up in a fight with Longstrider, all secrecy will disappear, but that is true for him as well.

I kept limping onwards and not letting the memories get to me. Then I saw it and wondered about it. It was one of the largest buildings in the city. I had always known it was there, but I had never stepped inside. Religion wasn’t for me, but I used to wonder if there was a god. Or gods. Where did the classes come from? Why is it called Spiritual Energy?

I figured these, ‘Radiant Sanctuaries’, were just another method of control by the Emperor. The Kingdom didn’t have them, nor did the Republic. Why does the Empire have them? Every major imperial city has them, and their priests go out to the major towns and army bases in order to “bring people into the light.”

Now that I have run my own organisation, I can see it is a method of control, but that is not a sufficient reason for that level of expense. There is something more going on. I might start with one of the priests and see if I can see their status and find out if there is a priest class.

“Can I help you across the road, old man?” a voice said.

“Cheeky bloody whippersnapper. If I were a century younger, I would show you a thing or two.” I said to Wiremu, who was wearing that disgusting red goatee beard again.

“Sure, sure. Is it past your nap time?”

“It is always past my bloody nap time.” I took a moment to assess our surroundings. The street was moderately busy, and you never knew who had hearing enhancements. I nodded at the Sanctuary, “What do you know about religion, you heathen.”

“Being a heathen, not much. Wouldn’t a learned older person like you know more?”

“I stayed away when I was younger. Now I prefer the dark. All this ‘radiant light’ makes it hard to sleep.”

“Just a dirty old man in the dark.”

I whacked him on the shoulder, “I am definitely a grumpy old man.”

“You think there is something to that religion?”

“Yes, but what?”

“Let's get you home, old man. Your nurse will be waiting for you, and you can sleep on it.”

“Are you trying to kill me?” He definitely is if he is referring to Modrica as a nurse. She hasn’t nursed anything in her life.

“As the beneficiary of your will… Of course not.”