it could even be called a list. The names were scattered and squeezed in, as if the person who wrote them were taking notes and didn't know how many there would be. They seemed to be in two groups. People to be assassinated? The assassins themselves? People to trust or mistrust?
There was only one name there whose part was obvious. Vshtin. The High Commissar could be a zealot, but not so much that he would assassinate himself. But, for all Rozinshura knew, the traitors could be on the train too. It would be best to tell Vshtin without alerting anyone else. Rozinshura could imagine a bloodbath on the station platform, if they thought their plot was uncovered.
He sighed and climbed out of the car.
The platform was covered with security men. That in itself was alarming, but there were also regular soldiers and workers unloading relief supplies from the train. Still, Pookiterin might already be there, giving his tale of traitorous locals.
If so, his best defense was to cloak himself in duty and self-confidence. He grabbed Tralkulo and bulled his way in among the workers. He took their reports. They had supplies and workers and even two doctors. Good doctors it seemed, but he had no time to see if they were surgeons.
He made a great show of his authority, and directed them all to where they should be. And then, having built up steam, he headed over to make his entrance on the platform.
The guards were not impressed when he told them he was the district facilitator.
"No admittance!" they said.
"By whose orders?" he replied, pretending astonishment.
"Colonel Sochir."
Sochir's name was on the list, set aside a little from the others. Still, good or bad, he was closer to Vshtin than Rozinshura.
"Where is he? I must speak to him at once."
"He is busy."
They stood there like stone, three young men trained to yield nothing. They were prepared for any assault except, perhaps, for being asked their opinion.
"Then I'll report to you," said Rozinshura. He took a deep breath, and started to tell a wild tale of impossible problems, but just then a voice from the other end of the platform hailed them.
"Kosha Rozinshura! My kinchin!" called a strong voice; the voice of an orator.
And there came the High Commissar himself, hailing Rozinshura by his nickname, as if they were old childhood friends.
Episode 36
Finding Thorny
As soon as Pookiterin hit the ground, Alex jumped forward to snap the padlock shut -- to keep the guards inside. Then they dragged the colonel into the space behind the next building.
The plan was pretty simple. Alex and the colonel were about the same height. They'd take Pookiterin's uniform, and Alex would pretend to be an officer newly arrived on the train. That should be enough to fool the drunk guards. He'd question them to find out where Thorny was, and send them away.
They stripped the unconscious colonel of all his clothes down to his long underwear. Silk underwear.
"Very revolutionary," said Lina.
"I'll need the sword," said Alex, as he finished changing. Lina, who'd been porting the sword around like a prize, looked doubtful.
"Why?" she said.
"Because it's a part of the uniform. It'll look wrong if I don't have a sword. And you look wrong as an ordinary soldier carrying it around like an umbrella."
"Do you know how to use it?"
"Well enough," said Alex. "But I won't need to."
Pookiterin stirred, and they paused. Lina handed Alex the sword, and took up the belt of the uniform Alex had discarded. She tied the colonel's hands, while Alex slid the sword into its scabbard.
"Listen, I meant to tell you," said Alex. "The captain has your book. He knows it's important too, so he might have read the note."
She looked up and then back toward the inn, thinking.
"I'll help you get it back," said Alex.
"No, no," said Lina firmly. "You have to help your friend."
"All I have to do is get to the river. We've got... transportation there. I can come right back."
"Don't bother. I won't be here," she said. "I am a bandit, remember? I have my own kinchin here."
"You do?"
She rose and looked at him with a frank smile.
"You helped me very good," she said, and she leaned forward and kissed him, quickly.
"You're... welcome," he said, but she was already headed back to the shed. She scooped up the keys and unlocked the padlock.
One of the guards tumbled out, so Alex had to go into his act. He shoved the man back into the shed and shouted at him.
"Who are you? You are a disgrace!"
The other guard was asleep across the top of a box. Thorny was prone on the floor, and for a moment Alex feared he was hurt or dead, but then he moved. He was only tied up. Alex marched over and shouted at the sleeping guard.
"I am Colonel Sanders!" he said. "We have an emergency. Take the car which is fueling at the train station and meet Pookiterin behind the inn, by the stable. You will wait for him there."
"But the prisoner," said the first guard.
"I will take charge of him! Now, spushta!"
He chased them out of the shed, and then ran back to free Thorny.
The knots were very tight. He used Pookiterin's sword to cut the gag, carefully, so as not to accidentally slice off an ear or anything.
The old professor spit and coughed for a moment once the gag was out, and then with a dry moaning voice began to speak.
"I thought I was going to die. I thought I was dead. I thought I could write poetry!"
"You were right on every count," said Alex. He got the ropes cut, and then pulled the man to his feet. "I'll explain later."
"Is this explainable?" asked Thorny incredulously. "If there is an explanation, I'd like to hear it. I didn't think there was one."
Before Alex could explain, Lina called urgently.
"There are soldiers outside."
"Don't worry," said Alex. "We're in uniform. We can walk right past them."
"They'll find Pookiterin!" said Lina. Alex peeked out the door. She was right; the soldiers were getting close to where they'd left the colonel. Lina pushed Alex aside. "I'll distract them!"
She raced out of the shed, calling to the four soldiers on the road.
Alex wanted to call her back. Those soldiers were so close to Pookiterin, that a single moan would find him... and then Lina would be recognized.
But the longer Alex delayed, the more chance that she'd be caught. He took Thorny's arm and the pair of them marched out of the shed, and down the road.
As they turned down a narrow and steep road that went to the river, Alex glanced back.
Lina and the soldiers were out of sight.
Episode 37
Run For The River
Though they could see the river from the high road beside the railroad tracks, there was no direct route through the tangle of houses and walls on the hillside between. They wove to and fro among the houses, listening for sounds of pursuit behind them.
Alex wanted to get to the water while you could still see reflections. He didn't know how the ring's magic worked, but the reflections might be necessary. Besides, there were soldiers and security guys all over. They needed to just get out of there as fast as possible.
They came to a dead end, and then another dead end, and around and back, and then, suddenly, they came on a main crossroad, with the river on the other side of it. Just here, a wall blocked access but further along the wall gave way to a fence, and you could see that there was access to the water below.
A lone figure hurried along the road. Alex and Thorny pulled back into the shadows. They almost didn't recognize the man, who was now dressed in a sloppy uniform -- probably the uniform Alex had discarded.
It was Pookiterin.
He trotted along, determined and wary, carrying an ornate sword. It wasn't as long as a sabre or as heavy as a cutlass, but it loo
ked wicked as it glinted in the twilight.
He stopped at the spot where you could go down to the water, and scouted along, looking down at the boats and across the river. Then he turned and looked up and down the road.
He must have heard when Alex told Lina he was headed for the river. And now he was waiting for them.
Or maybe not. After a moment he crossed the street, as if he were going to search among the tangled alleys among the houses. Good! He was starting at the other end, so maybe they could sneak out while he searched.
Alex gestured for Thorny to stay put and slipped out further to watch where Pookiterin went. For a moment the man disappeared as though going up an alley, but then Alex saw movement. He'd have missed it except that the sky still reflected on a wall further on, and Alex could see the man's profile, waiting in the shadows. He wasn't searching the alleys. He was watching for them.
Just then there was a glint of steel and Alex could see the sword again.... And suddenly he knew exactly what he needed to do.
Alex took a deep breath and pulled back into the cul-de-sac. He pulled Thorny along with him.
"Thorny, listen. I need you to do something." Alex slipped off the ring his aunt had given him. "This ring is what brought us here. It's magic. That's why my aunt told me to wear it and go jump in a lake."
Thorny stared at the ring. Alex wasn't sure he comprehended what Alex was saying, but the man took the ring and squinted at it.
"I need you to wear it," continued Alex, "so I don't lose it in the fight."
"Fight?" said Thorny with alarm.
"I'm going to have to distract Pookiterin so we can get to the river. I'm going to go... challenge him. Then you run straight for the river and jump in. Got it?"
"No, I don't