The Tomni'Tai Scroll (Book 1) (26 page)

Calhoun looked up and locked eyes with Kai. Much of the strength was gone from him, but the fire still burned in his gaze. Calhoun shook his head and held up his left hand. “No,” he muttered. His right hand slid alongside his boot and grasped the short brass handle of a push-blade. He pulled it free and lunged at Kai.

Kai stepped to his right, peddling back and to the side for every forward step Calhoun took. Calhoun swung out with the push-blade just as Kai dropped to his back and shot his foot up into Calhoun’s groin. Calhoun was lifted into the air several inches before doubling over. The crowd collectively gasped as men winced and looked away for just a moment. Kai’s left hand went out again to catch Calhoun’s wrist, but this time he turned it backward and brought his right hand in to force Calhoun’s fist over the locked joint until it snapped and both bone and ligament broke free from their correct holdings.

Calhoun screamed in pain and fell over to the side. The push-blade fell out of his hand. Kai rolled over for leverage and bolted back upright, roughly pulling Calhoun from the ground again. Kai finished the duel with a savage right cross that shattered Calhoun’s jaw and forced him back until the cord was completely taught, and then Kai sent a devastating front kick to Calhoun’s chest that snapped the binding cord and launched Calhoun several feet into the air before he crashed on the street.

“I said, you lost,” Kai repeated.

The crowd erupted into cheers and curses as the bets came due. The fight was over. Kai smiled and turned for the tavern. He gave the push-blade a slight kick with his right foot and shook his head. “Momma always said that cheaters never prosper,” he quoted with a wink at the barmaid. Kai looked for the barkeep and pointed at him. The crowd parted a bit so there could be an uninterrupted line of sight. “I trust you and your bouncer can handle divvying up the spoils from the bet?”

“Aye, we can manage that,” the barkeep replied. “What about you?” The barkeep pointed to Calhoun. “He has friends.”

Kai nodded. “I’m counting on it,” he said. “I’ll just collect my coins and clothes and then I will take this louse here and we’ll be on our way.”

*****

“He is starting to wake up,” Redbeard said.

Kai rubbed a tired hand over his face and yawned. “Good, let’s see whether he is willing to cooperate.”

Redbeard scoffed. “He ain’t gonna be talkin’ with a broken jaw.”

Kai stood from the cot he had been laying on and stretched his arms. “You should just be happy he is still breathing,” Kai shot back. “He came at me with a push-blade, what was I supposed to do?”

Redbeard shrugged. “Doesn’t help that you snapped his wrist either,” the dwarf added. “I don’t know how well he will be able to scribble with his left hand.”

Kai sighed. “Alright, next time you get to be in charge of kidnapping the target.”

Redbeard shook his head so quickly that his beard waggled beneath his chain. “Not gonna happen.”

Pinhead strolled up and slapped Redbeard on the back. “Don’t let him give you a hard time,” he said. “Ol’ Redbeard here would have caved the man’s skull in had he been in yer shoes.”

“Shut yer hole,” Redbeard spat.

Kai shook his head and walked by them both. “Let’s go,” Kai said quietly. Kai surveyed Calhoun as he opened the door to the dilapidated room they had him in. His arms were tied to a low hanging beam from an exposed joist. Calhoun’s broken wrist hung limply, swollen and purple. His face was no better. The left side was red and blue, with the jaw line puffy and crooked. Calhoun’s left eye was swollen shut, and a bit of drool and blood had pooled at the right corner of his mouth.

“You have certainly had better days,” Kai said.

Calhoun grunted and slowly angled his good eye to watch Kai.

“Here,” Redbeard said from behind. Kai turned and took the proffered pencil and paper. Then he motioned for the dwarf to exit the room and closed the door after he left.

“I am willing to give you a deal,” Kai began as he dragged a chair over to the middle of the room. He sat down backwards in the chair and crossed his massive forearms over the back so Calhoun could see the paper and pencil. “I am going to ask you for the name of your employer, and his location. You will write that information down on this paper and I will let you live.”

Calhoun extended his middle finger on his good hand.

Kai sniggered and waved the gesture off. “Let me make this clear, so you understand exactly what I am willing to do. My sister was kidnapped by a group of thugs in Rasselin. I killed a score of them by my own sword in rescuing her. I will not hesitate to gut you like a pig right here in this hovel. Refuse to cooperate and there will be no trial for you. I am the judge and executioner today. Do you understand?”

Calhoun stiffly moved his head up and down.

Kai held a finger up in the air and looked off to the side as he rose from the chair and took a couple steps toward Calhoun. “I found a letter addressed to a man named Boots. The letter stated that my sister was being transferred here, to him, for him to use as he saw fit.” Kai circled around Calhoun’s back and moved in close to his ear. “So, here I am. I have come to deal with Boots, and anyone who is working with him.”

Calhoun whimpered softly and tried to mumble something.

Kai moved around to face Calhoun. “Quick question before we begin.” Kai fixed his gaze on Calhoun’s good eye. “Have you ever been involved in kidnapping women?”

Calhoun struggled to move his head, but his neck was too stiff. He tried to speak, but the words never made it past his throat.

“Just wink your good eye once for ‘yes’ and twice for ‘no’ to answer the question,” Kai instructed.

Calhoun winked twice.

“Are you sure?”

Calhoun winked twice again, emphatically exaggerating each movement.

Kai nodded and stroked his chin. He could hear Calhoun’s breath quickening. It was obvious the enforcer knew he was trapped. Kai placed a strong hand on Calhoun’s shoulder and squeezed tight. “I believe you, but you must listen very carefully and do as I ask, or I will kill you all the same for trying to protect Boots. Do I make myself clear?”

Calhoun winked once.

“I have been here for a few days, tracking down leads. When I discovered your connection with Boots I targeted you because you were close enough to know where I could find him, but rumor was that you were only an enforcer, working a protection racket within Blundfish. This made you a good target because if you go missing Boots will not suspect that it has anything to do with the operation in Rasselin. He will think that a merchant or barkeep finally put a knife in your back. You see, you are expendable to him.” Kai released Calhoun’s shoulder and stepped back. He took a breath and folded his arms across his chest. “I am explaining this to you so you understand that Boots will not come looking for you, regardless of what happens here today. If I kill you, he will replace you with another low level enforcer ambitious and eager enough to jump at the opportunity to fill your position.” Kai cocked his head to the side and almost gave Calhoun a smile. He wanted his prisoner to feel desperate, but he also wanted to show him the way out.

“If, on the other hand, you help me and I have my associates smuggle you out of the city, Boots will be none the wiser and will still have your position filled. The mere fact that you are expendable, will guarantee your freedom and safety so long as you meet my demands. Now do you fully understand?”

Calhoun winked once and managed a slight bob of his head.

“Good. I am going to loose your arms and you are going to give me Boots’ address. You will also tell me everything you know about his security and any routine or habits you are aware of. Afterward, your injuries will be tended to and if the information checks out you will be set free.”

Kai plucked the chair from behind him and plunked it down in front of Calhoun. He placed the paper and pencil on the seat and then he set about releasing Calhoun’s arms. He had already searched his prisoner for other concealed weapons, so he wasn’t concerned with an attempted escape or attack. Nevertheless, he made sure to keep a firm arm-bar hold on Calhoun until he was kneeling in front of the chair.

Calhoun clumsily gripped the pencil with his left hand and started to scrawl out a few words on the paper. Kai watched for a few minutes until Calhoun set the pencil down and leaned back on his legs.

“Are you finished?” Kai asked.

Calhoun nodded once and sat still. Kai walked by and grabbed the chair as he moved toward the door. The pencil rolled off and skittered across the wooden floor, but the paper remained on the seat until Kai retrieved it and held it up in front of his face.

The scribbled sentences quickened his heart. “Are you sure?” he asked as he turned to look over his left shoulder at Calhoun.

The ex-enforcer still sat on the floor, silent as a statue. He looked up with his good eye and winked once.

“Wait here. I will have my associates bring you some food and drink.” Kai exited the room and locked the door behind him. Redbeard and Pinhead were waiting for him in the hallway.

“Well, did he cooperate?”

Kai handed the paper to Redbeard. “See for yourself.”

Redbeard mumbled the words aloud to himself as he read the paper. When he finished he furrowed his brow and let the paper flop backwards over his stubby fingers. “This can’t be true,” he said.

Kai shrugged. “I don’t see why he would write it if it weren’t true,” Kai countered. “It wouldn’t help Boots in any way.”

“But if it is true…” Redbeard let his words trail off.

“I know,” Kai said.

“What is it?” Pinhead asked. Redbeard handed him the paper and shook his head.

“It would seem that I need to make friends with Boots,” Kai responded.

Pinhead scrunched his face and pointed at the locked door behind Kai. “He has to know more than this, this doesn’t tell us anything!”

“Actually, it does,” Kai rebutted.

“Aye,” Redbeard agreed. “It tells us that Boots is a middle-man. If we want to take down the real snake behind this kidnapping business, then Kai is going to have to get close to Boots.”

Kai nodded. “I had better be on my way,” he said firmly. He thumbed the door behind him and smiled. “I hear a position for an enforcer just opened up.”

Redbeard grinned. “Am I looking at Boots’ new enforcer?”

Kai smiled back.

Pinhead shook his head. “I don’t like it,” he said. “He’ll see through it.”

Kai shrugged. “It’s been long enough now that the Rangers will have returned to Rasselin. That means they are going to be out hunting for me.”

“And for us,” Redbeard added quickly.

“We don’t have time for me to watch Boots and hope to uncover this other man,” Kai explained. “The fastest way for me to uncover who Boots answers to is to infiltrate the group and work for Boots directly.”

Pinhead pointed to the stick-bow hanging from Kai’s belt. “You better make sure to keep that with you then!”

*****

Kai turned down the last street, just outside the old trading quarter of Blundfish. The buildings here were all dilapidated and run down. Many of them were missing walls, pieces of their roof, or were altogether flattened by age and weather. That is, all but the last building on the street. It rose three stories above the ground. A green door sat invitingly on the main floor, flanked by a pair of windows shuttered tight. The second floor had three windows visible, and the third floor was larger than the two stories below. Several beams extended out from the wall to accommodate and support the third floor’s mass over the small base. An exquisitely crafted balcony reached out beyond what Kai would have thought possible for a building like this. The balcony itself was supported by iron corbels and enclosed by an intricately designed wooden balustrade.

Kai approached the building slowly. He made sure to keep his cloak open in the front with his hands clearly visible. A mountain of a man stood next to the door. A poorly wrapped cigar hung from his clamped mouth as smoke puffed from the man’s nose. His large, furry shoulders bulged from the sleeveless shirt to give way to the massive arm muscles pushing the skin tight as if they were overstuffed sausages. Kai had seen large men before, but this verged on the grotesque. As if the bare arms weren’t enough, the man’s chest heaved up and down with each draw on the cigar. Each pectoral appeared to be a small sack of flour that had been plumped and tied to the man’s upper body. Every time the man breathed in, his chest rose significantly, pulling the bottom of the shirt up just enough to reveal the man’s belt buckle.

Kai removed his cloak and set it on a nearby barrel. He then unfastened his sword belt and laid it over the top. He would have to rely on is charm, what little he had, to make this work.

The man reached behind him and pulled a massive war hammer from its harness on his back as he took two steps forward. Kai couldn’t help but stare at the man’s massive tree-trunk legs as he moved. Each step threatened to tear the breeches at the seams, but somehow everything remained intact.

“I’m Horkin,” the man said while keeping his cigar tucked into the corner of his mouth. “You have business here?”