Dark Quest (23 page)

“Did my package arrive?” asked Alex.

“Sure did,” answered Eddie. “Its pretty large, but it appears to have arrived without damage. How can I help?”

“I need to get some sleep first, then we need to check out Secor’s paintings. How often does he send them over?”

“He just brought over a batch yesterday,” said Eddie. “He normally comes every other day, but sometimes we’ll see him two days in a row.”

“If he shows up, I want to see him. It’s important that he knows we’re here. Do the people of Lavinda know that you are all right?” Alex asked

“Yes,” Eddie commented. “I sent a message telling them that you were okay and that I had decided to accept work in Tagaret.”

Alex nodded and found a place to sleep.

The next morning the Rangers set up camp in the loft of the warehouse. Secor’s paintings were laid out in an approximation of the Palace and the elite warriors studied the artworks. Mitar was conversant in the Sordoan language and he went out to check the areas that surrounded the Palace. Alex checked the paintings for various approaches and made a list of materials that would be needed for the infiltration.

The second day, John Secor arrived with more paintings. Eddie ushered him up to the loft to speak with Alex. Alex introduced John to the rest of his Rangers. “How many troops are stationed at the Palace?” asked Alex.

“The best I could figure is around six hundred, Alex. Most of them man the outer portions of the Palace. There are barracks at the northwest corner of the grounds and the troops seem to be on three shifts so, at any given time, about two hundred would be on duty. The Sultan has still not found time to see me, but I think his personal guard numbers around forty. Security is actually rather lax compared to President Suarez’s Palace in Kantor.”

“I am concerned for your safety when we attack, John. Is there some excuse that you can make to leave the Palace for a day?”

“Alex,” answered John Secor, “I would not be safe on the streets of Trekum after it became known that Targan forces have taken the Palace. I think my best chance is to stick close to you when you infiltrate.”

“I disagree, John, but I do have a plan to get you to safety. We will discuss it later. Right now, we need some verbal details on your paintings.”

John sat with the Rangers for a couple of hours going over the details of each painting. Finally, Alex pointed to the painting of the garden in the southeastern portion of the Palace. “This is where we will be going in,” he stated. “John, I need a picture of the route from the garden to the inner chamber.”

“No problem,” replied John. “I can sketch that for you right now.”

John diagrammed the two routes from the garden to the inner chamber of the Palace. Both of the paths were intricate and had areas of contact with Sordoan patrols.

“Okay, John,” summarized Alex, “here is what I want you to do. I can’t see the need for any further detail of the Palace unless you can gain entrance to the inner chamber. Tomorrow, you make known your intentions to return to Tagaret. Demand to see the Sultan, stating that you are leaving whether or not he agrees to see you. If you can, get a drawing of the inner chamber and bring it here before you leave. In any case, I want you on the
Princess Lidia
tomorrow night.”

“Okay,” John said, “I should let the Captain of the
Princess Lidia
know that we are leaving tomorrow. Good luck, Alex. Make sure that I get to greet you again.”

John left the warehouse and walked to the Palace docks where the
Princess Lidia
was berthed. He informed the Captain that they were leaving the next day and returned to the Palace. At the Palace he again tried to get in to see the Sultan and again was told that the Sultan was in a very important meeting. He stated that he would be leaving the next day and retired to bed.

The next morning John collected his belongings and had them taken to the ship. He strolled around the grounds until lunch time when he was summoned to speak with the Sultan.

“Sultan Awa’ri, how good of you to take time from your busy schedule to see me.”

The Sultan stared at Secor trying to decide if he had just been offended or not. Finally, he spoke. “John Secor, I understand that you are leaving today. Does our hospitality not agree with you?”

“You hospitality is most gracious, Your Highness. I am, however, here for a specific purpose and I have determined that my efforts to gain a peaceful solution to our difficulties are wasted.”

From behind John came a voice. “And how can you tell if your efforts are wasted if you just choose to pack up and go home?”

John turned around to see an obese man in a yellow and purple wrap-around. He threw a questioning glance at the man and the short Sordoan spoke again.

“My name is Al’un Neplak. I am the Sordoan Ambassador to Targa. Many times I have been forced to wait long periods of time before being insulted in Tagaret. Why should you feel that your experience should be any different?”

John turned again and addressed the Sordoan Sultan. “Sultan Awa’ri, you should be aware that I am not the normal Targan Ambassador to Sordoa. Targa has had the misfortune of having its Crown stolen from them by an evil sorcerer. This sorcerer may have, indeed, insulted your Ambassador, but that can hardly be blamed on the people of Targa or its current King. Your country chose to attack Targa because of the treatment of an Ambassador who lacks the social grace of a frog. I am not from Tagaret and I will not presume to know the customary procedures of its court.”

John glanced behind him at the Ambassador and continued. “I am very familiar with court procedure in Cordonia, however, and I know it is extremely poor manners for a court to allow servants to sneak up behind one who is addressing the ruler of a nation.”

The Sultan looked surprised and motioned for Al’un Neplak to move further forward so that he was standing between the Sultan and his visitor. “Are you, then, the Targan Ambassador to Cordonia?”

“No,” answered John, “I am the heir to the throne of Targa.” John waited for the shock effect and continued. “At least, I was the heir to the throne. I have refused the Crown and plan to return to my native Cordonia as soon as I leave here.”

“I am confused,” offered the Sultan. “You are or were the heir to the throne of Targa, but you live in Cordonia and are familiar with their court? Please explain.”

“Very well,” replied John Secor. “My father was a distant cousin to King Olweg, King Eugene’s father. My father became the Targan Ambassador to Cordonian and we moved there. When my father died I chose to stay in Kantor and I became a painter. My fame as a painter grew and I became a personal friend of President Suarez. King Eugene was brutally murdered, as you know. What you are unaware of is that an evil sorcerer who had taken the form of Duke Nelson murdered him. This sorcerer is also the person responsible for the temple attacks across the land. This false King Austin purposely insulted your Ambassador to cause a war. He also attempted to start a war with Cordonia. Only Sordoa took the opportunity to expand their border.”

“And what became of this evil sorcerer?” quizzed the Sultan.

“He has been deposed. Although he escaped, he is currently being hunted and will be destroyed when he is found. After his removal, the Council of Advisors prepared to crown me King of Targa, an Office I would prefer not to have. I enjoy my painting and plan to continue it in Kantor. Duke Whitley has been named King Byron, King of Targa. He is a good and just man and sent me to seek peace here in Trekum. Unfortunately, you have shunned the opportunity to speak with me for so long a period, I must assume the war is already beyond the point of redemption.”

The Sultan summoned his Advisor and whispered for several long moments. Finally, he addressed John Secor. “It would appear that the war goes poorly for Targa. My Advisor informs me that we have captured the cities of Melbin and Southland and destroyed the entire Targan Navy. However, because of the circumstances that you speak of, I feel in a very generous mood. I am willing to return these two cities in exchange for Targa altering our border slightly.”

“And what alteration is it you seek?”

“We are desirous of a seaport on the Targa Sea. We wish to have the border modified to include the city of Dalek.”

John laughed. “Your Highness, the city of Dalek was created by Oscar Dalek from nothing. Oscar Dalek is now Prince Dalek of Targa. Do you really presume to ask the Prince of Targa to hand over his own city to Sordoa?”

Al’un Neplak interrupted. “How dare you laugh in the Sultan’s presence? You shall lose your life for such an offense.”

John Secor straightened up and his eyes grew dark. “Your Highness, I can well see why your Ambassador may have been treated poorly. To threaten death to a foreign Ambassador is a grievous offense. I will conclude my visit quickly so that my behavior does not reflect the comments of your servant. King Byron is willing to offer peace to Sordoa if your great nation will concede all lands in a line from Southland to and including the city of Khartek.”

Khartek was a notable city on the west coast of Sordoa. John Secor had just informed the Sultan that Targa was not willing to forego any of its historical land. The Sultan was outraged and ordered his guards to seize the Targan. John was grabbed by the guards and thrown into a cell.

Alex became concerned when nightfall arrived and John had neither come back nor left on the
Princess Lidia
. He sent Mitar to the dock with a message for the
Princess Lidia
to put out to sea and await a signal to return. The ship immediately made way and Mitar returned to the warehouse.

The attack on the Palace had been planned for a moonless night and Alex would lead his men later tonight regardless of Secor’s position. Still, he was concerned for the man’s safety. He didn’t know if the Sordoans would use torture on John but if they did, the Rangers’ entry point could be compromised. As soon as it was dark, Alex had his men form up and they departed.

It was only two blocks to the Palace from the warehouse, but the Rangers had to bring their large package, so the going was slow. They reached the southeastern corner of the Palace wall without incident. The only guard in this area was in a tall tower atop the wall and he spent most of his time looking out toward the docks.

Mitar tossed a hook over the wall and Alex scampered up to the walkway that ran along the inside of the wall. He crept along the wall until he was far enough along to see the guard in the tower above. He pulled back his bow and sent an arrow flying into the guard’s neck. Mitar climbed the rope and joined Alex. Together they hoisted the large parcel and lowered it into the garden. The rest of the Rangers climbed the rope and entered the garden.

The soldiers wound their way through the garden until they approached the point where contact with a patrol was imminent. They waited for the guard to appear and took him out with a myric quill. After hiding the body under a bush the group continued their journey into the Palace.

Six more guards were eliminated on their path to the outer chamber. Alex knew his time was short before the guards were noticed missing. They moved down a small corridor to a doorway that John had described. The doorway led to a small plaza, which was seldom used and almost never at night. The Rangers entered the plaza and tore open their package. They removed a Door from the package and set it up. When this was completed, Alex knocked on the Door. The Door opened and he stepped into a room in the Targa Royal Palace. Lieutenant David Jaynes was waiting for him.

David stuck his head out into the hallway and shouted an order. He turned to Alex and asked, “Where are you coming from?”

“The outer chamber in the Sultan’s Palace,” stated Alex. “While we’re waiting for the men, give me a summary as to how the war is going.”

David told Alex about their naval victory and the destruction of the third Sordoan division. Three hundred Rangers started piling into the room and through the Door to Trekum. At the end of the line was Prince Oscar.

“How is John?” he asked.

“We don’t know, Oscar,” answered Alex. “He was supposed to leave today, but he never left the Palace. I fear he has been killed or imprisoned.”

“Make sure that you get him out,” pleaded Oscar. Oscar handed Alex a gold key. “This is a Door key. Egam and Jenneva worked it up from information they got from Galdan, the elf magician. It will work on any Door. Lock this one when you close it.”

“If John is not dead, you can count on us getting him out,” Alex said as he disappeared through the Door.

The Plaza was tight with three hundred Rangers in it. Mitar came back in from a trip to the inner chamber doors. “They have a roving patrol around the inner chamber. Four pair of guards, timed to each be at one of the doors at the same time. We will have sixty clicks to remove a pair before the next pair arrives. I had time to verify only that the door to the inner chamber is locked. We will have to unlock it after we remove the guards.”

“Okay,” said Alex, “we don’t know what we will be facing once we get into the inner chamber. John estimated forty guards, but we have no idea where they will be. I want everyone to move cautiously. I don’t want to bring any of you home in a bag. First team, move out. The rest of you stay here until you’re signaled.”

Alex and his nine commandos silently left the plaza. They took up positions outside the side door to the inner chamber. When the two guards rounded the corner, two Lanoirian Stars flew across the open area and impacted into the skulls of the Sordoans. Two Rangers raced across the open space and caught the bodies as they fell. They hoisted the bodies over their shoulders and took off for the hidden plaza. A minute later the procedure was repeated. When the eight patrolling soldiers were removed, Mitar went to work on the door to the inner chamber. It took him two minutes to negotiate the lock.

Mitar eased the door open and peered inside. The side door opened into a small corridor that went left and right with another door straight ahead. Mitar opened the door fully and the Rangers slipped inside. Alex touched the last man and stopped him.