ANGEL OF JUSTICE (2014 revised)

Chapter Sixty Four -Taking Back the Wall

Taking Back the Wall

Bane and Harne waited in the deep shadows of the heavily bushed parklands within bow shot of the north-western city wall gatehouse. Just behind them scattered among the trees were the thirty men that Bane had organised to take into the gatehouse. Confusion was everywhere in the streets and nearby park areas after the recent earth tremors and the new rumbling that could be felt beneath their feet. But the confusion only added to Bane's advantage with so many people around. Soldiers gathered on the far western side of the wall still gazing at the sight of the glowing bridge over at the citadel while citizens congregated wherever they could trying to learn more of what was going on. Many hundreds more were waiting out in the open of the parklands in case there was to be another reoccurrence of the earth tremors while the city watchmen were using heavy hand tactics to drive the citizens away from the gates.

"Sounds like the reinforcements outside the gate are on the move which might start to make Captain Grey a bit nervous."

"This is all messed up." Bane mumbled.

"What's got you still all surly?"

Bane unhooked the crossbow from his belt, keeping it beneath the long black cloak he was wearing and looked across to Harne. "Besides the half dozen close calls we had crossing the bay or the cold in my joints that has my teeth still chattering or perhaps the thumping headache from being king hit by that beast of hell on the citadel wall, I would have to say I have a problem with my plans being changed. It makes things too unpredictable."

"That's a long list of distractions. I would have thought an assassin had to account for the unpredictability of their clients."

"Yes but it's not one person we are trying to do away with in the cover of darkness. It's almost broad daylight and there are thousands of people out in the open. And for every extra person you have to deal with comes a tangle of trouble I can do without. And that's not taking into consideration the fact those explosions will have every soldier in there awake now, when we planned to encounter only the dawn watch not the entire garrison."

"Well we can't do much about it but take advantage of the situation and use it to create a little more hysteria before the moment is lost. We should move now before the watch tightens security on the wall."

Bane nodded as he studied the soldiers walking the ramparts. The majority were gathered on the western side looking out towards the citadel. "Is everyone in position?"

Harne looked over his shoulder at two men leaning against a nearby tree. Both looked at another two men who were standing beneath the awning of the nearest building. Both turned and nodded in Harne's direction. Harne swung his gaze over towards the gates where hundreds of citizens were pushing and shoving at the city watch who were guarding it against those trying to get out. He spotted Hamish's massive bulk standing a head above the rest in the middle of the pack and Lara closer to the outside talking to a couple of men. Whatever she was saying had the young soldiers spoiling over her.

"They are just waiting for your signal, Bane. Once Johnny and his crew set the fires, your thirty men will head over to the gatehouse. With all that's going on, the captain won't realize it's all a show before we take the wall."

"I still don't like the number of city watch hanging around, it complicates matters."

"That is why you best signal the riot right in the middle of that group of soldiers harassing our civilians over by the gate. Just make sure you don't hit any of our guys, I don't think Hamish would be all that forgiving."

Bane notched a metal arrow to the crossbow and sighted in his first victim; one of the city watchmen dressed in black hardened leather vest and chain mail shirt standing beside Lara.