The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension

  Chapter 82 - Running Towards Home

  Paulus was dead tired as he approached the little hamlet that signified the halfway point between Taliaferro Village and Mullinix Centre. He figured that the hamlet was far enough off the track that LaPorte’s people wouldn’t have had the insight to figure he’d stop there. Luckily for Paulus, the guard station was actually populated that particular afternoon by someone he knew.

  "Paulus?" the guard said, "You look like hell, Tally. How long have you been traveling?"

  "Feels like days now," Paulus told him, "Things went bad for me in Cirrus."

  "Things are going bad for everyone in that hell hole," the guard said, "Come on inside. I’m not letting you back on the road again without a solid meal in you."

  "Thanks Hamid," Paulus said, "I won’t lie to you. I could use it."

  Hamid nodded and invited Paulus into the guard station. Small guard stations like this were common in areas without a city nearby. This area was on the road between Mullinix Centre and Taliaferro Village, but only sported a few hundred residents, far too few to justify a permanent posting. So individual guards were sent out for periods of weeks at a time. They handled local disagreements and problems with travelers.

  Hamid was an experienced guard, one who had come from the southwestern desert lands in the Mullinix Empire. He’d also served as one of Paulus’s bodyguards many years before, when Paulus was a young Mullinix representative. Much like Tolando before he died, Hamid knew the representative pretty well.

  "Tell me what’s going on, Paulus," Hamid said, "I’ve known you a lot of years and have never seen you like this."

  "I’ve never been thrown into a jail cell at the whim of a Colonel before," Paulus grunted, "LaPorte has lost it, big time. I need to get back to the palace quickly, as he’s going to try to defect to the Mavelans, bringing Cirrus with him."

  "I’d almost say let him have it," Hamid grunted, "But that would be a mess in itself. He obviously didn’t feed you much either. You were never large, but you look like you’ve lost thirty pounds."

  "I got a little food from a friend down in Taliaferro Village," Paulus explained, "But LaPorte’s boys beat me there so I had to eat quick and get out on bicycle."

  "I figured," Hamid nodded, "I have a suspicion a few heads are going to roll on this one once the Mullinix gets better and back into the thick of things."

  "What do you mean gets better?" Paulus asked, surprised, "Something is wrong with Massimaferro?"

  "You haven’t heard, have you?" Hamid said, "It’s been over the papers all week with the speculation."

  "LaPorte controls the media down there," Paulus explained, "I haven’t seen a bit of news from up north for over a month."

  "The Siraqis decided to play nice and schedule the conference quick," Hamid explained, "Evidently they are either scrambling to play catch up or Massimaferro is really down with the stomach flu."

  "Stomach flu huh?" Paulus said, "I’ve only seen him sick twice and never with the flu. Why so much speculation though?"

  "Medoferro took session for him," Hamid said, "A murder case, right off the bat. Handled it beautifully, but it started people talking. Especially since in his speech the night after Massimaferro looked like death warmed over."

  "Great," Paulus said, "They are just going to love what I have to tell them."

  "It gets worse," Hamid said as he poured a hearty ladle of thick guard soup for Paulus, "Medoferro took session alone the day after that speech and that night they cancelled the appearance in Polonion after that. Word is they retreated up to the border villages to prepare for the conference, but that’s a mighty odd way of going about it."

  "LaPorte has to have his hands in this somewhere," Paulus grunted, gratefully eating it down, "I need to get home and get there fast."

  "You’ve got about a day of bicycle travel," Hamid said, "But you’ll collapse before you make it halfway in your condition."

  "I have to make it," Paulus said, "It’s very important that they know so they can stop it."

  "Leave your bicycle here," Hamid told him, "You will rest for a few hours before you even think about going anywhere. When you go, you’ll take my horse so you don’t fall over on the road dead of exhaustion before you talk to the Mullinix."

  "You have a deal," Paulus nodded, "Provided you throw some more stew in on top of it."

  "Of course," Hamid chuckled, pouring a bit more, "I’m not sending you out there again hungry. I’ll even give you a satchel of waybread. I can get one of the locals to make me some more."

  "You are a lifesaver Hamid," Paulus told him, "Thank you."

  "Remember that when it comes time to increase pay for the guard," Hamid chuckled.

  "I will," Paulus agreed between bites, "I most certainly will."