NOVEL WEB Chapter 1774 Details and Derails
--- Lily ---
"Oh and why is that?" asked Nixilei in response. Tough spot or not, she wasn't exactly pleased. She was exhausted and trying not to show it. Pushing on had NOT been her idea, and the fact Kat had been detained in the first place was still annoying her. Now some other idiot was trying to do the same. She was not pleased. Not pleased at all.
The guard snorted. "I'm not an idiot. I'm here, all by myself. The original guy for the shift got injured two days ago, the two replacements called in sick, and nobody else 'could be found in time'. I'm the sacrifice and I ain't strong enough to fight you all without raising the major enchantments. So, I would like to politely ask you come with me to help sort this out but I'm not stupid enough to push,"
Kress clicked his tongue, understanding much of what that implied. "When did the notice come through?"
"Eh… fifteen minutes ago? Maybe a bit more?" offered the guard. "Names Frank by the way,"
Lily looked at the clearly elven guard… named Frank. "Shit," cursed Kress.
"Indeed," muttered Gareth before turning to Green. "Did you spot anyone watching our approach?"
Green sighed, "It's not a matter of any one it's a matter of which one. Even with it being night I was still able to spot a whole bunch of people that were looking at us… but who's to say that they weren't just watching the road?"
Lily agreed. She could see quite a few people milling about despite the lack of light. They'd passed a few stray buildings before getting to the gate as well. There were plenty of people that could've reported they were on their way and if the notice only came in recently… well it still could've been anyone.
"I don't think any of us feel safe going with you to the station at this point," said Nixilei. "I'm not sure I feel comfortable just standing out here either…" Nixilei shared a look with the others, trying to convey something that Lily wasn't able to pick up.
Frank shrugged. "Look, I don't have to report anything as long as you don't try to enter the city. I get that I'm making things difficult for you but if people are watching? Then they're going to find out regardless of my report and I can't risk losing my job. I've been here long enough to know when something stinks, but there ain't nothing I can do about it."
Nixilei glanced at Lily in her Memphis form. Lily didn't know what the look was meant to convey, so she tried to tilt her head in confusion. *Wait… didn't I find a way to chat to people like this last time? Shit how did I work that out? It was just meowing with intent right? But then would the guard hear? Shit I think he would. Better not to risk it.*
Gareth started to take his equipment out of the storage ring and suit up. Kress did the same soon after with Green following along. Nixilei remained as she was and started to look around. Glancing at the people clearly watching them, mostly through the windows of their houses. "Someone is playing games… and annoyingly enough for us they're somewhat powerful. The question is… how far does the rot go? How much of this is just bribes? Or is it favours and more personal application,"
"Are you asking me, Ma'am?" asked Frank.
"You know what? Yes I am," stated Nixilei. "Before that though… answer me this. Why tell us this much? How much trouble are you likely to get in?"
"Well, Ma'am that depends really. Technically I haven't done anything against protocol yet but I am stretching the handbook so to speak. It… well like ya said it depends on who is the one really pulling at things. It's possible they might take me interrupting them as reason enough to kill me, or I might just be playing into their hands somehow. I don't rightly know what the response is going to be…
"Which means I might as well do what I feel like. I'm toeing the line as best I can, if I get fired I can take my complaints somewhere I'm sure… as long as they don't just kill me over it. But that's the risk I take anyway, you never know when someone's going to snap. I mean, I've only bet at this job five years but that's long enough to have someone attempt to shank me more than once,"
Frank shrugged as he stopped to think for a moment. "As fer why I'm helping ya? I guess it's because I can see the shitshow this is likely going to kick up. If the big cats in-charge don't have anything to do with this? I might even stand to get a promotion for keeping everything all calm and shit. Which I guess explains all my reasons and what not… now um…"
"I wanted to know how far the rot goes? How likely is it that everyone up the chain is taking bribes? Have you heard anything?" asked Nixilei.
"Right, right. Well… the lord and lady or… hang on are they still a lord and lady if they're both women? Err… when I say 'lord' I mean the lady in charge of the city, and when I say 'lady' I mean the wife specifically even though in this case the wife is stronger.
"Sorry I'm ahh… getting a bit sidetracked," Frank yawned. Then frowned at himself. "That… hmm… shit. Seems I'm more tired then I thought. More tired then I should be…" Frank's eyes narrowed. "Might want to hold your breath a bit,"
Frank stepped back and slammed his hand underneath the guard station and there was a loud 'WOOMP' as all the air in the immediate area was forced away in a blast. A moment later a hissing sound signalled the return of fresh air. Frank yawned again. "Shit. Think someone got me with something. I can feel myself nodding off,"
"Then get to the questions! Who is likely to be taking bribes?!" hissed Nixilei.
"Right, sorry… sorry… I can uh… hmm… BRIBES," Frank slapped himself on the cheek.
Nixilei frowned at this. "I am a healer with some training. Shall I attempt to heal you?"
"No… hmm… not… hmmm… not allowed to accept healing from strangers while on the job. A… a step too far I think. Important info. Um… lord and lady are busy with something. They've been hands off so they left… left the city running to their um… cousin? Someone's cousin.
"They're not bad but they just don't have a handle on things. Her… um… her name is Laven and she's trying but I know a bunch of people in the government quit and finding replacements has been hard. I… I think that there were some rumours that some foreign force was trying to push into the city… but it was… all quiet stuff.
"Um… Laven… not corrupt but not… not entirely competent. Chief… um… Chief guard captain Strauss he… HA… he has a stick shoved so far up his ass his tongue's got splinters in it when he talks. No way he'd be taking bribes… but um… he's getting a bit old… he's um… been training up some replacements. There's… there's three of them. I… I call em, Shifty, Shitty and Stylish but… if I had to say… who… who…"
Frank stumbled in place, falling backwards and barely managing to catch himself, mostly by slamming into the side of the building. "Um… shit… gotta… do I… reports? Um… wait… ALARM! The… the alarm's gonna go ooooff when I faint. I… do you wait here? I wait here. It be me job to,"
Frank moved back into the guard counter and looked ready to press something when he fell forward, slamming his head into the wooden desk that was part of the guard station and then collapsing onto the floor.
Nixilei went to move forward only to pause as a glowing barrier surrounded the guard station and the road around it. "Shit… Lily… we might need a change of plans," Nixilei glanced around as she spoke. "Shit, shit… we're too far for Kat to catch up to us before trouble gets here… Gareth?"
"No, she stays put," said Gareth firmly. "We're committed to this course of action at this point. If Kat needs to she can rush over at any point and I'm confident worst comes to worst they won't… won't…" Gareth sniffed. "Shit, I think either the stuff that got Frank is starting to get to us now or the barrier also comes with sleeping gas. Lily, go hide somewhere. Kat might not be able to run here in a few minutes but if something serious happens it'll be up to you to protect us!"
Lily's eyes went wide as she glanced around and then jumped up to the top of the guard station and then used one of her new spells. It wasn't perfect and she couldn't actually move while using it… but slowly, very slowly as the casting sigil spun up, Lily sunk into the shadows on the roof, removing herself from sight.
"As long as they don't get too rough, don't do anything Lily. Things are about to get messy…" stated Gareth.