Chapter 49 - Another Attempt at a Line...
"We’ve got to get a hold of that line," Paulus told Tolando, "Massimaferro has to know what is going on down in this hole."
"No argument here," Tolando nodded, "But if the line is down the only option is to travel."
"That line isn’t down," Paulus said, "No way in hell it could be. Insegniferro would have sent more troops down here assuming the war had started if the lines had been down for a goddamned month. LaPorte is lying to us."
"What do you think he’s up to?" Tolando asked, "I can’t figure out for the life of me why he’d be doing any of this."
"That doesn’t make sense to me either," Paulus admitted, "Though I have some ideas."
They walked up the hallway and found the control room they were looking for. Paulus went in and slipped the lock on the room. Tolando watched the door and kept his hand on his weapon, figuring that if trouble was to come to them anywhere in this forsaken city it would be as they tried to take control of the circuit.
"You can’t be in here!" the young operator said, "This is a restricted area!"
"I’m the personal representative of Mullinix Massimaferro," Paulus told the young man, using his most authoritative voice, "I want a line to Mullinix Centre. Right now."
"I can’t…" the young man said.
"Why not?" Paulus asked him, "LaPorte order you not to?"
The young man nodded.
"I’m countermanding his order," Paulus said, "Get out of the way. I can make the connection myself. Tolando, keep an eye on him."
Tolando pulled out his sword and stared down the young man who shrank away. Paulus got behind the controls and started pushing the buttons to get the connection started to the Palace.
"Make it quick," Tolando suggested, "If LaPorte’s people figure out what we’re doing…"
"I know, I know," Paulus grunted, "Palace line, Paulus Tally reporting in. Urgent request for nearest Mullinix."
"Mullinix on the way sir," the palace operator said.
"Make it quick," Paulus said, "I don’t have much time."
Colonel LaPorte stumbled towards the wire room, looking at the young man who had come to get him. He was angry that his orders were not being listened to and that Paulus had been let into that room at all.
"Cut that damned line!" LaPorte said, "So help me if he talks to anyone up there…"
Paulus paced around the room, mumbling nasty things. Tolando kept his back to the door and pressure against it. It was nearly three minutes before there was any motion on the line. Paulus heard the unmistakable sounds of someone sitting down at the secure seat, where the Mullinix usually took calls of this type from.
"Paulus!" Insegniferro said, his voice resonating over the tinny line, "Where the hell…"
Paulus was about to start speaking when the line went dead. LaPorte’s people had pulled the physical line out at the base of the building while his personal guards started pounding on the doors. Tolando did his best to keep them out, but was ultimately unsuccessful as they managed to open both doors over the communications room.
Tolando fought as best he could, protecting his boss until the end of his life. Unfortunately for him, the end of his life came quickly at the end of the nearly half dozen crossbow points that perforated his corpse.
As he watched his longtime guard and friend fall to the floor Paulus raised his hands in surrender, knowing that fighting further at this point in time would result in him joining Tolando down on the floor. LaPorte walked into the room and looked at the pesky Mullinix representative.
"Get him out of here," LaPorte said, "Put him down in the special prisoner’s wing in my basement. Make sure none of the rank and file sees him. Keep him away from the others as well."
"You won’t get away with this, LaPorte," Paulus seethed, "You know damn well that Insegniferro is going to be asking about me."
"You left this morning," LaPorte said nonchalantly, "The line was damaged during a raid a few minutes ago. We got you cut off before you could speak, so you were never here."
"That won’t hold water and you know it," Paulus told him, "You’re a dead man, LaPorte. Your body just hasn’t realized it yet."
"Talk is cheap," LaPorte said, "So is life. Get this thing out of my sight."
All Paulus could do was glare as they dragged him out of the control room. Colonel LaPorte watched with an amused eye as his troops looked at him for instructions. LaPorte looked at the body of Tolando and gave it a gentle nudge with his overdressed foot.
"Throw that body down in the dungeon with Tally," LaPorte ordered, "Then take a few of the prisoners and bring them up out to where Jake broke the line. Kill them all and take some pictures. We’ll put the line back on in about four hours, at which time I’ll tell Insegniferro about the great battle we had here."
"He’ll never fall for it, sir," one young man said, "Too many people will know…"
"He doesn’t have to for long," LaPorte shrugged, "Just long enough…"