Time Is The Key To Everything

Chapter 19: Pretensions

You've only got one shot, Cassidy. Make it good.

Cassidy quietly slipped out of the barracks that she shared with the nurses in the military fort. The tip of the rising sun barely skimmed the horizon, but she was awake and alert. The only ones awake now were some of the guards patrolling the heavy door on top of the wall. James and other three companies had left late last night to escort the indisposed soldiers from one miserable fort to another. The coast was finally clear for her.

She slowly shut and bolted the door behind her, taking extra effort to avoid drawing any attention. Some of her soldiers were patrolling the fort as well, but they had little care for keeping the fort safe. Their job was to navigate every nook and cranny of the fort in order to plan Paul's escape and the ultimate attack more meticulously.

Tucking her hair into her tight hat, she hurriedly scampered toward one of her men. Her boots made light patting sounds on the gritty soil, interrupting the morning silence. English soldiers spared her a curious glance before moving on with their work, suspecting nothing.

"Dan!" Cassidy hissed. Dan, a bearded blackhead, turned quickly to Cassidy. She dashed to his side, one hand clamped over her hat and the other holding her musket tightly. She immediately slowed her pace into an aimless amble when she reached him, feigning no conspiracy. After walking in silence together past the English guards, she finally spoke up.

"What have you and the others found out?" she asked.

"This place is massive. It took a great amount of time to map this place out mentally." Dan said under his breath. He eyed an English soldier that was close by, loading his musket with gunpowder. "The building past the place where they make repairs—that is where they keep a lot of gunpowder. I don't think it's even all of it."

"What else?" Cassidy urged. Dan closed his mouth as three Englishmen walked past them. He watched them leave with narrowed eyes before continuing.

"There are batteries atop their fortifications that they can aim at anyone threatening them." Dan reported. "They are not fixed to the spot, so if trouble erupts inside the fort, they could easily swerve their aim."

"How much gunpowder is in that storage house behind the repair station?"

"Several barrels—the place wasn't very big, but it's enough to supply several companies—perhaps even a battalion," answered Dan. Cassidy chewed on the corner of her lip contemplatively.

"Is that place guarded?" she asked curiously.

"Not exactly. The doors are locked and there are no windows to it, but otherwise there is no actual guard standing post." said Dan.

"I'm supposing James has the key for that." Cassidy muttered to herself. She thought of the ring of keys dangling teasingly on James' belt. "What about the prisons?"

Dan glanced around to make sure their conversation was not overheard. "I haven't seen it for myself, nor have any of our other men. However, I heard that the barracks are between the headquarters and the stables, not too far from the gunpowder room."

"Isn't that where the infirmary is?" Cassidy asked.

"Yes. They share the same building, except the cells are downstairs." confirmed Dan. "It's such a large building; I actually don't find it surprising that it serves two roles."

Cassidy cursed under her breath. "There are guards there all the time. And I'm sure there are at least two guards down in the actual prison. How am I supposed to go there? I need to tell Paul that I'm actually here and I'm going to help him."

"Shh." Dan warned, glaring at two unaware strangers from the corner of his eyes. The Englishmen glanced confusedly at their way but did not press further. "You're in enemy territory; Shouldn't you be more careful?"