Chapter 25
The tunnel was cold and dark, but76Please respect copyright.PENANAHEb73gBDa3
it was straight. There were no split paths or winding for people to hide. It76Please respect copyright.PENANAPc4J0rrMVt
looked as though it was just a way for the Serpents to get into their safe76Please respect copyright.PENANAdJLiRqDoJz
house without arousing suspicion. It didn’t go very far, but he recognized the76Please respect copyright.PENANAeH10cKE2Ts
smell as soon as he stepped out. He was right by the Brewers guild in the Eastern76Please respect copyright.PENANADG28J4wAvq
District. Did that mean that Samuel Mills worked with the Serpents or was this76Please respect copyright.PENANAaNZDY3iydx
just a coincidence? He didn’t believe in76Please respect copyright.PENANAcK6VmKMK71
coincidences. This was just another piece of the puzzle he needed to solve, but76Please respect copyright.PENANAfK2jI1OtLm
not today. This place was even more heavily guarded than the house had been,76Please respect copyright.PENANAOfZ4LdDarN
and he was in no position to fight again. He filed the information away then stuck76Please respect copyright.PENANAqZ2IG0CRU5
to the shadows.
He heard the footsteps of dozens76Please respect copyright.PENANA1SfO9nYzra
of guards running down the street shouting orders to one another. He had to76Please respect copyright.PENANAYXTr20LSe3
press himself up against an alley wall to avoid being seen. Some citizens were76Please respect copyright.PENANA6RXmMac4vZ
waking up due to the noise. The apartment above opened their windows to peer76Please respect copyright.PENANA8CM8y4sx2a
down at the street. Vander heard her call out to one of the guards asking what76Please respect copyright.PENANAxejlNJ3hdt
had happened. They said it was just a training exercise, but it was a weak76Please respect copyright.PENANAVhEY0Jp4ou
excuse. However, the woman just shrugged her shoulder then slammed the window76Please respect copyright.PENANA8EQoIHTsI6
closed.
He gave himself a few extra76Please respect copyright.PENANAZPYcl6jLWI
minutes to make sure no other guards were headed his way before stepping out76Please respect copyright.PENANAPHfZ1dTgZM
and sneaking down the streets.
The only way to blend in the76Please respect copyright.PENANAnWuj3nuto8
middle of the night is to stick to the dark corners of the city. If he was76Please respect copyright.PENANAGbxuF49nzu
spotted by a guard, he would most certainly be questioned despite them being76Please respect copyright.PENANAzisu92ufFS
called to a potential murder scene. Anyone out right now would arouse suspicion.76Please respect copyright.PENANAuM8tqhh9SE
That was something he didn’t want. So, he carefully picked paths that he had76Please respect copyright.PENANArdhHxFDfCo
mapped out over the past week that would give him the best chance of remaining76Please respect copyright.PENANA2ta1XK5Z29
unseen.
He jumped up onto a fence, biting76Please respect copyright.PENANAI6buPmPKB4
back the pain that the sword had caused. He had to hope no blood got onto the76Please respect copyright.PENANA1RECuAKdxR
scroll in his pocket. He hadn’t been thinking when he picked it up, but that76Please respect copyright.PENANAPuWEwJt8pM
would be a future problem. Then he carefully balanced his way over the fence76Please respect copyright.PENANAxvxMpArBqu
and onto the adjoining apartment’s roof. Once there he ran from roof to roof76Please respect copyright.PENANAHvgP6JHVRr
keeping his footsteps quiet and balanced, so he didn’t wake anyone up. The76Please respect copyright.PENANAbZ428i2DAU
challenge would be sneaking through the checkpoints going from district to76Please respect copyright.PENANAh4Baqv6l4c
district as there was no way to sneak through.
Vander jumped down from the roof.76Please respect copyright.PENANAFJVDXnacTL
To get through he had to make this look convincing. He took a small flask he76Please respect copyright.PENANAeGmXqfOWae
had hidden in his inner pocket out then drank a little bit, swishing it around76Please respect copyright.PENANAo1gwUECsI4
in his mouth before spitting it back out. He then splashed a little bit onto76Please respect copyright.PENANAnCpjoPTcvj
himself before tucking it back into his pocket. He adopted a slight drooping76Please respect copyright.PENANA6LlHQbzm6J
swagger then started walking forward.
He bumped into one of the guards standing76Please respect copyright.PENANAuEadFxuCpF
under the gate to keep dry, then dramatically fell backwards onto the ground.76Please respect copyright.PENANAwDlVKdHPsP
“Oi, who put dis wall ‘ere?” he slurred. He tried to get back up to his feet,76Please respect copyright.PENANAqDuuUUr4RU
but he fell again, too drunk to stand properly.
“A little too late to be leaving76Please respect copyright.PENANArCx5NJsbsJ
the inn, huh?” One of the guards bent down to haul Vander to his feet. His nose76Please respect copyright.PENANAYwMH0PJkKp
crinkled slightly as he smelled the overpowering scent of booze on his76Please respect copyright.PENANAkeLL7xfEAt
clothing. “Damn, did you fall into the whiskey bottle?”
“Is not my fault,” Vander brushed76Please respect copyright.PENANAWFHA6MMSbL
the dust off his pants. “My ‘ere girlfriend left me for anatha man. I’m just76Please respect copyright.PENANAU3zjcxOwYy
drinkin’ my sorrows away.”
“Sorry to hear that pal.” The76Please respect copyright.PENANA7JcZk1JjRL
other guard shook his head. “Women, can’t live with em, can’t live without em.”
“That’s why I stick to men.” The76Please respect copyright.PENANANk4aJJK8HU
guard who had picked Vander up had said. “Found me a nice man. He’s a Blade, a76Please respect copyright.PENANAzYc3GScx6g
captain.” Vander froze in his tracks. What were the chances he would meet76Please respect copyright.PENANAONAUTJsBjy
Alex’s boyfriend here of all places. He was just lucky that the two of them had76Please respect copyright.PENANADxc1AOQWVt
never met before.
“Maybe I’ll look into that.”76Please respect copyright.PENANAWF8MgxjtKL
Vander gave both a big dopey grin. “Ya mind if I get goin’? My home is through76Please respect copyright.PENANAzhzdDCdLcW
there.”
“Of course.” Henry nodded. “Just76Please respect copyright.PENANAbYZ3vlF7KD
stay on the main roads and stop drinking so late at night. There are many76Please respect copyright.PENANAAs1CDqD6BA
unsavory characters that would love to take advantage of you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Vander76Please respect copyright.PENANAPDyGOGgujG
bowed his head. “I thank ya.” With that the two guards stepped aside allowing76Please respect copyright.PENANASIly4VD67R
him to stagger past the check point. When they thought he was out of ear shot,76Please respect copyright.PENANAHmSgLKJRNy
one of them spoke:
“Are you sure we should have let76Please respect copyright.PENANATMPll20NIo
him go?” the other guard asked Henry.
“He’s not a danger to anyone, just76Please respect copyright.PENANASiGEnKFsU3
someone going through a hard time.” For some reason, Vander got the feeling76Please respect copyright.PENANA2RLgblMZox
that Henry had recognized him despite the painful attempts to disguise who he76Please respect copyright.PENANAKdV9SLk6nA
was. He would have taken great pains to avoid this man altogether.
Once he was sure the guards76Please respect copyright.PENANAAZ4yFI1QQH
weren’t looking at him, he went from his stagger into a full-blown run. He76Please respect copyright.PENANAlz6g2YgIXW
dipped down alleys, jumped over fences, and scaled buildings to avoid the76Please respect copyright.PENANAblR5zBqDxL
patrols which were rampant in the southern district. They were rampant on the76Please respect copyright.PENANAPwHfdhq3iD
street because no one patrolled the gate leading into the slums because there76Please respect copyright.PENANArpOwoBydKV
was no point. He slipped inside without any problems.
As soon as he entered, he could76Please respect copyright.PENANAukqR4VRP7l
feel his mental connection with Shea snap back into place. He had realized how76Please respect copyright.PENANAeI7JMdGtso
much he missed her, but after what happened in the castle, he thought it was76Please respect copyright.PENANATe8aS1wSNg
best that she stayed behind on these missions. She was unique, and anyone seen76Please respect copyright.PENANAJVc3r8kdYk
with her would be assumed to be him.
“Welcome back.” She said to76Please respect copyright.PENANA2fSZsEeF85
him. “I take it you had fun.” He could feel her bitterness from here,76Please respect copyright.PENANAjKZ3x9o5la
but no matter how many times he told her the dangers, she still hates him for76Please respect copyright.PENANAZMYz6ICHo6
benching her. He couldn’t blame her, but their safety should come first. Pride,76Please respect copyright.PENANAIAEfzz8zZP
second.
“A ton.” He thought back. “I’ll76Please respect copyright.PENANA3FPx7ymcDx
explain everything later.”
He wasted no time heading back to76Please respect copyright.PENANA5oW24Mladb
the Orange Fox where Ross had willingly taken him in, but he had to promise not76Please respect copyright.PENANAgCZkmKT4Fy
to get involved with the slum’s affairs. Which meant he couldn’t do anything to76Please respect copyright.PENANAcePIVs0YWS
the sex workers, thieves, murderers or anything he could profit on. It was a76Please respect copyright.PENANArhmfEPiodj
hard decision to make, but since he had nowhere else to go without putting76Please respect copyright.PENANAvJK71qqEsb
someone else in danger, he had to agree.
Luckily for his consciousness,76Please respect copyright.PENANAVnmk6hPlcH
there was no one out as the storm was still in full swing. No one wanted to get76Please respect copyright.PENANAt7SvIVgVww
soaked so most of the street walkers stayed in doorways or abandoned buildings.76Please respect copyright.PENANAw9J55WuTbE
On days like today the John’s would get no privacy during the hour they paid76Please respect copyright.PENANASPy7dig0w4
for, but most of them didn’t mind. They liked giving a show. Even from outside76Please respect copyright.PENANAARetjFsDRG
he could hear the ecstatic cries of one woman making sure her John believed he76Please respect copyright.PENANAB9OfkTuoJ3
was doing a good job. Cringing to himself, he snaked his way up a drainage pipe76Please respect copyright.PENANAI5WZj3qJ4q
behind the Orange Fox and through a window leading into his bedroom.
“Mind the carpet,” Shea76Please respect copyright.PENANA6MIyAdivog
snorted. “The maid just cleaned.” He stepped into the room making sure not to76Please respect copyright.PENANAkl5tszvNyp
track mud onto the carpet, but he would have to apologize for the floor.
His room wasn’t special since he76Please respect copyright.PENANAyo1IZJvX03
hoped that it was only a temporary arrangement. It was a room that had been76Please respect copyright.PENANAZXRAdezCK1
used for one of his special girls, but she was given another accommodation.76Please respect copyright.PENANA0WncIP7hDH
Vander asked that a new bed, new sheets, and the entire thing to be cleaned top76Please respect copyright.PENANAQcDOv9oxMD
to bottom before he would step foot inside. There was a bed, a private76Please respect copyright.PENANA85ehXGIXP5
bathroom, and a couple of dressers for the copious amount of clothes Ross had76Please respect copyright.PENANAtbYiKMztj4
bought for him. None of this was free, however. He had to give Ross something76Please respect copyright.PENANAmmmxnulYrJ
that he wanted, and that payment would be due tonight.
Vander peeled off his uniform after76Please respect copyright.PENANAuXnP8wfPMX
removed the rolled letter from his jacket pocket and tossed it onto the bed. He76Please respect copyright.PENANAVQ3tSUo26D
walked naked over towards his bathroom to look himself over for injuries. Other76Please respect copyright.PENANAoNZAZWRmfr
than the slight cuts into his hands he was fine, but due to the rain his76Please respect copyright.PENANA0IktCy2HzU
disguise was slipping.
It had taken a considerable amount76Please respect copyright.PENANAN0X8axMkyi
of money to gather materials that would stain his hair a different color along76Please respect copyright.PENANA89j4aEfYUG
with contacts that would change the color of his eyes. Ross had to go into the76Please respect copyright.PENANAFoF0AMur0J
black market then pay a merchant to come from Salira to drop them off here.76Please respect copyright.PENANALJSMY4pWdf
Then an alchemist had to train Vander on how to dye his hair dye himself. As a76Please respect copyright.PENANA4zoM5tifGr
result, it changed his hair to dark black and with the contact his eyes became76Please respect copyright.PENANAfyBtRFjyzz
brown. This is what he would have looked like if he had never met Unna, so he76Please respect copyright.PENANA86hFkNjb1m
hoped no one would recognize him. He quickly grabbed the small jar he kept on76Please respect copyright.PENANAElPLf4Zk95
the skin, took a small amount of dye, then ran it through his hair. Moments76Please respect copyright.PENANA3BbEE5VI9k
later it was dry, and he was back to normal.
“What did you find out?”76Please respect copyright.PENANAvW9BMfHFi3
Shea asked. She was lying on her bed, her paws tucked under her head. She76Please respect copyright.PENANAWjsCW3MYl9
looked so sad lying there so he sat down next to her then began rubbing behind76Please respect copyright.PENANA1rdnY1wnhE
her ears.
“Not much.” It annoyed him to say76Please respect copyright.PENANALUbsbRju8s
that. He had spent so much time hoping that the base would give him details76Please respect copyright.PENANApqTle1iHVn
just to be a disappointment. He had another lead, potentially, but there was a76Please respect copyright.PENANAwfxGJyCmIR
huge chance that it would amount to absolutely nothing. “I did find out that76Please respect copyright.PENANAHRZ1kvLAq8
the Serpents have been given orders to actively hunt me.”
“Vander, that’s not good.”76Please respect copyright.PENANASVAG750k2f
Shea lifted her head to stare at him. “Are we safe here?” she asked. “Do76Please respect copyright.PENANACgPlamRSp8
we need to find a new place to stay?” He reassured her that they didn’t76Please respect copyright.PENANApbBVvl93c5
have to go anywhere. The only way anyone would know where they were is if they76Please respect copyright.PENANACszZwYlDTH
recognized him then followed him to the Fox, or Ross told them. The first76Please respect copyright.PENANAWsURS8E7j4
option was unlikely as was the second one. Ross was a businessman with a76Please respect copyright.PENANAENhY0egCee
reputation to uphold. There was no way he would sell out someone who came to76Please respect copyright.PENANAP0sTjooUMg
him looking for help, not after everything Vander promised him.
She placed her head on his lap. He76Please respect copyright.PENANAuxVxYee7xd
could feel her sadness through their bond. It was a hard thing for both. For76Please respect copyright.PENANASeEdzIkrYD
the first time in forever the two of them were alone. There was no Alex, no one76Please respect copyright.PENANAMiDbwpgltX
else from the Blades, his grandfather was gone, forced into retirement for76Please respect copyright.PENANAo1b51onw2E
raising an assassin and not protecting the former King. Even more strange, he76Please respect copyright.PENANAmwr107Fn0E
missed Eliza even though the two of them had only met for the first time when76Please respect copyright.PENANAu1kD0d5Z7b
Cuvera returned. He couldn’t explain it and he hadn’t bothered to read the book76Please respect copyright.PENANAqjdt0oTvZT
to understand why. He just couldn’t bring himself to do so. At least, not yet.
There was a knock on the door.76Please respect copyright.PENANAlVCvKRrZSA
Vander recognized the smell from one of Ross’ bouncers, Left. Both he and Shea76Please respect copyright.PENANAroxImqXpM5
got down from the bed and padded over, opening the door.
“Where are your clothes?” Left76Please respect copyright.PENANAt0vdYg9Hxa
growled looking away. Vander looked down and realized that he had forgotten to76Please respect copyright.PENANAKypbgXHGep
put on any sort of clothing. He quickly closed the door. He heard Shea laughing76Please respect copyright.PENANAbgBV6iNvhM
inside his head.
“Sorry, I just got back, and all76Please respect copyright.PENANAfporQI0FDX
my clothes were dirty.” Vander’s face burned bright red.
“Well, I can see why you are76Please respect copyright.PENANA2uLJ75LAHi
popular around here.” Left laughed causing Vander’s blush to darken. “Anyway,76Please respect copyright.PENANARNvKtebQX1
once you are fully clothed the boss would like to see you. Should I send in76Please respect copyright.PENANAr7CCPrIcK6
some girls to take care of you?”
“Perhaps later.” He replied.
“Twenty minutes, don’t be late.”76Please respect copyright.PENANATkMTecZudP
With that Left shuffled off back down the hall. Shea burst out laughing as soon76Please respect copyright.PENANAOZAA3n9Yql
as they knew the man was gone. Vander playfully pushed her before walking over76Please respect copyright.PENANAoMccidGtFc
to the dressers. He picked a pair of black trousers, a white shirt and a nice76Please respect copyright.PENANARa8CS7LguK
pair of socks. He kept an extra pair of boots by the door just in case76Please respect copyright.PENANAz4e8M50LjU
something happened while he was out, in this case his other pair was completely76Please respect copyright.PENANAr4UePNIo2O
soaked through. He wasn’t allowed to bring weapons with him into the office, so76Please respect copyright.PENANACkszeqQDzA
he kept everything else in the room.
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As he stepped towards the door76Please respect copyright.PENANAlCSsYBVUQv
Shea walked behind him. Despite staying behind when he went outside, she wasn’t76Please respect copyright.PENANA4H9Y9wnFA1
going to leave him alone in the gambling den. If he was going to be honest with76Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7jidex69s
himself, he would have missed her company when she wasn’t by his side, so he76Please respect copyright.PENANAFDX0Oausdy
didn’t try to stop her. Together they left the room heading down the hall.