Jominac, Chapter 7—Catching the Thieves

Written by Dronin Gammerson

I looked at the guard and walked towards him. He glanced back and quickened his pace to almost a run. I did the same.
“Hey stop or charges will be pressed!” I yelled after him.
He ignored me and ran into a crowd.
I ran after him. Seeing him at a distance I forged my way through the crowd yelling for them to get out of my way because I was on official business.
The people barely noticed me before I was forced to shove my way through.
Where did he go?
I lost him in the thick of the crowd. Looking left than right, I could not see him anywhere.
I walked back to where Kilimor was waiting, he had not moved from where he was before I spotted the guard.
“What was that all about?” Kilimor said, “One second we were talking and the next you dashed away.”
“Yeah sorry one of the guards ran away when I mentioned a mole. I think it might have been him,” I said.
“Well at least we don't have to worry about a mole anymore,” Kilimor said.
“Except that mole was our way of capturing the thieve,” I replied glumly.
“How would a spy help us capture the person the spy is working for?” Kilimor frowned.
“We could have told everyone that we were guarding every place except one and then me and you guard that place by ourselves without anyone knowing. Then once the thieves came we would catch them,” I said.
“Well that could have been something, and still could, you can't be sure if that was really the mole, or the only one,” Kilimor said pointedly.
“Well it's possible,” I said, “I doubt it but if you want to you can try.”
“I think I will, and it would be nice if you would join me,” Kilimor said.
“Sure if you really want to,” I said hopelessly, “But I really need to find out what happened to the messages coming from Dronin. If you will excuse me I need to talk to the King about that.” Kilimor waved his hand gesturing that he had nothing more to say. I headed to the King's palace.
At the gate I said, “Jominac Battle commander number three senior intelligence officer.”
With a nod from the guards the gate opened to omit me in. I walked to the kings palace not even noticing the things going on around me.
Once I got there I knocked on the palace door. The King's servant opened the door for me
“Yes what can I do for you?” He asked me.
“I would like to speak with the King,” I answered.
“Is it urgent?” He said, “Because the King is busy and if it is not necessary right now than please wait until a better time.” If it were anyone else besides me that he was talking to the servant probably would have just said the king is busy and can not speak with anyone right now, but the servant knew who I was and that I could judge whether or not my request was pressing.
“Not right this moment but let him know that I would like to speak with him,” I said.
“I will pass on that message Jominac,” He said. Using my name like that was an implication that he trusted me, though I already knew that he would trust my judgement. I waited in the King's waiting room for what felt like an hour, but was probably more like fifteen minutes. The servant led me to the King's office, if you can even call it that. It was more like a meeting place.
“What is it Jominac?” The King asked.
“I haven't been getting Dronin's messages lately do you know what happened?” I asked.
“No, I don't,” The King said surprised.
“Hmmm, I wonder what happened,” I said, “I hope Dronin wasn't killed or captured.”
“It is a possibility, but I doubt it,” The King said, “Dronin is powerful, it would take a lot to kill or capture him.”
“That's what worried me,” I said, “I'm hoping it's more minor like an interception.”
“Yes that would be better,” The King said and turned to his papers signaling that it was time for me to leave. I left and headed to the warehouse Kilimor had picked out to be the one supposedly unguarded.
“Hello Jominac,” Kilimor said as I rounded the corner to the warehouse.
“Hello Kilimor,” I replied, “Is it time?”
“Yes, well it doesn't really have a time to start but we can start now,” He said.
We walked into the warehouse and plopped down each in our separate corners ready for a long uneventful time.
“I'm going to go to sleep again if that is okay with you,” I said.
“Sure I'll keep watch.”
I fell asleep lulled into the dark by the bustle of people moving outside the warehouse in the market.
“Jominac wake up!” Kilimor hissed at me.
I bolted upright, “What is it?” I whispered back.
“Digging,” He said and pointed at the ground.