The Long Road to Ruin Ch. 08

"A warning that he talked too much.....,"

"Furthermore, we have not been able to track down anybody in their inner circle. As soon as we start asking questions, everybody in the city becomes very silent. Now mind you, we know how to ask questions and get answers. If I wanted I could have you on your knees, ready and willing to tell me whatever I would wish to hear, within the hour. At most."

The leather clad man laughed, "Are you done threatening me?"

"It's not a threat. You can think of it as a reminder not to fail us. After all, apart from beating up a few beggars and drunken sailors, your little gang hasn't achieved anything so far."

"Not true. What about last night's operation?"

The Dhorn scoffed, "We killed a few lousy thieves, just like you."

"Hrmph."

"But maybe you are less stupid than you seem. Find out who runs this.... organization.... that has caused us so much trouble. We want the ones who pull the strings. Find out what you can, and report to me immediately. If you can manage that, we may speak about your proposition again."

"We'll need money to bribe people. Talk ain't cheap."

"Money's not an issue. Take this writ to the payroll office in the Barracks. Now just find out their names and do not fail us." The Dhorn turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the other man behind.

Shiloh heard him mutter one last expletive before he followed suit. Hmmm, she tapped her foot as she stood up after they had exited the adjacent dock. I have to tell Master Nathan that someone is after him and his organization. She knew he'd know what to do. She left her hiding spot and headed back the way she had come and quickly unlocked yet another door with her lockpicks. She smiled to herself as she knew she was getting better at it. She closed it behind her and sneaked through a large room full of more rats and approached a ladder. Glancing around, she found this place to be familiar to her. She'd been here before. As her suspicions mounted, she agilely traversed the rungs on the ladder and pushed up on a trap door in the floor. She came up through the trap door cautiously and immediately recognized the ruined house. Vico had brought her through her the night he took her from the castle. She eyed the old man before her.

He cracked a toothless smile. "You must be the girl that Drago mentioned. Shiloh."

"You know Drago?" Shiloh cocked an eyebrow at him.

The old man chuckled. "I'm Stan. I'm the door keeper."

She smiled at him, remembering her manners. "Nice to meet you, Stan."

"My task is to bar the door, and keep people out that have no business in the sewers," he beamed at her.

Shiloh immediately took a liking to the old man before her. She was sure he was an ornery old cuss. "Oh, I see. Sounds like a tough job."

"I'm going to give you a key, so you can use the sewers for getting around in the city. Here it is." He handed her a dull copper key and told her to keep it somewhere safe. This key would come in handy when she didn't want to be seen.

"Thank you, Stan," Shiloh inclined her head gracefully.

"Just so ya know I'll let you in from now on. Come," he guided her to the door of the ruined house and opened it for her.

"Does this mean my lesson is complete?" Shiloh asked, "Because Drago said I had to make it to an exit alive."

"You'll want to return to Drago then. For that you'll have to go back into the sewers. Be careful, girl." He motioned to the trap door she had come up through.

"That's all I needed to know," she stifled a groan.

Back into the smelly sewers!