Wraith

Tycoon Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Volcano and Flayme both put an arm around Donner's shoulders for comfort. Flayme turned hers into a little hug. The Captain's expression was somber. "No one harms a Messenger. He said fiercely. "All Users, when they entrust a Messenger with the way to contact them, implicitly promise to unite against those who harm them. It was agreed to in the Harlem Accord 300 years ago and is written on the wall of every Messenger office." He glared at no one in particular. "We'll go to Lairden and get him out first. Then we'll find and deal with the Tycoon." He decided.

Rather than go back through the sewers the way they had come and then try to find their way to Lairden along the streets of Gordam without being seen, Flare offered to lead the group of Users to the sewer entrance. "It's the way I came in and it's right near the back of the Penitentiary." She explained. "Then we'll only have a short distance to go to get in."

From the outside, Lairden Penitentiary looked a lot like Warbeck; big, stony and square. As she stood just within the entrance to the sewers and looked up at its imposing walls, Wraith assumed that it would be laid out in a similar fashion inside also. The Captain stood next to her, assessing the scale of the task. Then he turned to her.

"What do you think, Wraith? Can you get up there from a standing start?"

"It shouldn't be a problem," she answered. "I jumped about that distance with all of you hanging off me when the Chairman broke out of Warbeck."

"That's good," he replied with a slight smile. "You'll need to carry Donner and Flare with you so they can identify Dojo and the Messenger, and I think I'll come too."

"What about Flayme, Volcano and Tuttle?" Wraith asked.

"No offense, Wraith, but I feel a lot safer on the ground." Tuttle answered with an expression of extreme aversion. "I'd rather stay here until we go after the Tycoon."

"And Flayme and Volcano are staying too so that if someone does see him he doesn't get overwhelmed." The Captain added. "A group of three Users used to working together are much stronger than one on his own. When we come back out we'll head straight here and regroup."

Wraith nodded. "All right then." She held out her arms and Donner and the Captain grabbed on.

Flare hesitated. "You want me to hold on to your arm?" She asked dubiously. Wraith nodded impatiently and she tentatively moved nearer. "I'll keep my light off as best I can," she said apologetically as she took hold near Wraith's wrist on the same side as the Captain. "But I don't always have it completely under control."

"We'll risk it," the Captain said drily. "Whatever you do, don't let go." He waited for Flare to nod and then looked back at Wraith. "All right, we're ready."

Wraith flexed her leg muscles, fixed her eyes on a spot at the top of the Penitentiary, and made a big leap. An instant later she landed with ease on the place she had selected and lowered her arms so that the other three Users could release them.

"Wow," Flare breathed as she looked around. "I've never been up here before. But how do we actually get inside?"

"There should be a service hatch somewhere," the Captain answered softly. He stepped away and started to walk across the roof. The others followed him and after a minute he stopped. "Here." He knelt to try the key pad while Wraith and Donner turned away to keep an eye out for observers. "Sloppy," he muttered after a moment. "They've left it on factory settings. I'll have to check the one at Warbeck when we get back." There was a flash of light as the Captain swiftly pulled open the hatch and dropped to the floor inside.

Flare followed him and then Donner with Wraith coming last. As she dropped, she pulled the hatch closed once more so that all would seem normal from outside. The Captain caught her as she landed and set her gently to one side with the others. "Good," he said when he saw what she had done. "No sense advertising our presence."