The Bandits of Sawtooth Mountain

5. Raid

They had done as San had advised them to. Before noon they had checked out the trail leading up the mountains to where San had told them the bandits were believed to live in an old mine. It had not been used for quite some time and he was sure that by now the water of the mountain's springs had filled it up nearly halfway but it also was the only place where they assumed the bandits to hide.

Hongjoong had observed everything with thinned lips, still agitated from the encounter the night before. His fingers itched to put a bullet through that mysterious man, to see him put behind the bars of the cell in Hongjoong's office. Maybe he should ask Jaebeom about them again, whether he had been mocked by a particular person too.

But for now they had to retreat. Hongjoong did not dare venture further with just the three of them around so after checking out the trail they left for home again. This time it was Hongjoong leading them, speeding through the dusty plains and only swerving around some tricky spots that San warned him of.

Wooyoung was close at his side again, telling him about his family and past raids, trying to remember as much information as possible. He did not mention some man with an annoying need of wanting to mock people but he did account some important data.

Hongjoong needed more time. It was more difficult than he had expected to outsmart these guys and he wanted to have them gone already.

They rode through the plains while the sun was leaving its hot trail over the clear sky, letting their shadows slowly circle around them with the passing hours.

Fort Davis came into view after noon, the moon already having made its pale appearance on the sky. They entered the eerily quiet town after putting away the horses, Hongjoong feeling sore all over.

They also met Mingi who was busy rolling over the fields not far from the barn and everybody had greeted him politely. Hongjoong tried his best to ignore that this was no person at all, just nodding at him without asking any more questions.

However, after stepping into the main street of the town the air seemed oddly heavy, the silence disturbing. Hongjoong narrowed his eyes when he could see no one out, hearing no laughter or noise anywhere. The town was eerily quiet.

"Where is everybody?", Wooyoung wondered out loud, carefully checking the locked doors and empty windows. San was walking soundlessly on the other side, carefully peeking into the narrow alleys between houses before he passed them.

So where-

"The inn. Let's go to the inn.", Hongjoong quickly decided, feeling his gut clench with a horrible presentiment and the other two men nodded quickly. Wooyoung looked absolutely serious and suddenly all sharp features, his usual soft and smiley persona gone with the wind.

Hongjoong motioned for them to stay back when reaching the inn, carefully lifting a hand to knock at the door.

"Yeosang? It's us. Are you in there?" He had lowered his voice to a careful mumble, waiting with tensed muscles. For a second nothing moved, but then the door was pushed open the barest bit, a tuft of blonde hair and Yeosang's sharp eyes peeking out.

When he saw Hongjoong the man visibly relaxed, opening the door wide to curiously peek around at the street.

"Did they leave?"

Hongjoong copied the gesture, glancing around and feeling his body lock up when he indeed saw somebody in the shadow between two houses. For an agonizing second they just stared at each other, then the man rose the dark hat on his head at Hongjoong before disappearing with a grin.

It was him, Hongjoong was absolutely sure.

He already turned to hunt him down, when Yeosang's whisper held him back.