close to where James and Jiron are hiding. The dark outlines gradually change to more distinct forms until the two men pass them not more than five feet away. Too wrapped up in their own conversation, the men never even glance toward the two motionless figures in the shadows. Finally, the men move further down and enter through a doorway in one of the buildings.
Detaching himself from the wall, Jiron whispers, “That was close.”
James nods in agreement as they resume their progress. Keeping between the wall and an adjacent building, they hurry along. Coming to the end of the building, they pause for a moment. A ten foot open area separates where they stand and the building wherein they believe Buka to be.
Jiron scans the area quickly. When he’s sure no one is nearby, he runs across the open area to the nearest door with James right on his heels. At the door, he again pauses to make sure their dash to the door went unobserved. Satisfied that they continue to remain unnoticed, he tries the door and finds it unlocked.
Light comes from within as he opens the door a crack. Peering inside, he finds the door opens onto a well lit hallway. With lit candles spaced in wall sconces every ten feet or so, there’s little chance of remaining hidden should someone make an appearance.
“We better hurry,” urges James. The sky to the east is beginning to lighten with the coming of dawn. If they want to have any hope of making it out safely, they best be done in short order.
Jiron nods understanding and opens the door. Doors line both sides of the hallway, two on the left and three on the right, another door sits closed at the end. “It’s through the one at the end,” Jiron whispers to him. Entering the building, he ignores the other doors and heads directly for the one at the end. Upon reaching it, he places his ear to the door.
After listening for a moment, he turns back to James. “I don’t hear anything,” he informs him. Placing his hand on the door’s handle, he slowly opens the door to find another hallway on the other side. Like the one they just passed through, it too is well illuminated by candlelight.
Here there are only two doors other than the ones at either end of the hallway. One on the left is close to the doorway they are standing in, and another on the right about midway down the hallway. “He’s through the one on the right,” Jiron says. “Remember, I gave my word that no harm should befall him.”
“I remember,” James assures him.
Pulling one of his knives, Jiron moves down the hall and toward the door. James follows, closing the door between the two hallways behind him. At the door, Jiron places his ear to it and can hear muted voices coming from the other side. One is definitely a man’s, and the other a woman’s.
Receiving a nod from James telling him he’s ready, Jiron takes the door’s handle in hand and slowly turns it. When he’s turned it as far as it will go, he leans back slightly then hits the door with his shoulder as he bursts into the room.
Just as they saw in the mirror, Buka is there with two women. One is feeding him small bites of food while the other looks to have been massaging his feet. Both women jump back with fear on their faces when they see Jiron there with knife in hand.
“Remain quiet and I won’t hurt anyone,” Jiron tells them. Behind him he hears the door close after James enters the room. When the girls look like they fail to understand him, he puts his finger to his lips and says, “Shhh.”
They get the idea and remain quiet.
Buka on the other hand, is staring at Jiron with barely controlled anger. “How dare you come barging into my private room in this manner,” he demands. Getting ready to yell for help, he’s silenced when Jiron darts across the room and places the edge of his knife to his throat.
“Would be best for you to remain silent,” Jiron tells him. Eyeing him in a threateningly way, he waits to see if he will remain so. Buka glares at him but remains quiet. To James he says, “Get the girls into the corner.”
James nods and then motions for the girls to move out of the way and into the corner of the room away from the door. He allows them to sit before returning his attention to Jiron and Buka.
“Now,” begins Jiron. “I have some questions for you and if you answer them, we’ll leave and no one will be hurt.”
Buka’s eyes flick from Jiron to James then back again. “Seems I am at your mercy, for now,” he states. Neither fear nor anger is present in his voice, though his eyes tell of dire consequences in store for them later.
“We are looking for someone,” he says. “And the trail has led us to you.” Moving the knife away from Buka’s throat, he still keeps it near just in case.
Buka grins an evil grin at him. “What makes you think I know anything about this person?” he asks. “And why would I tell you anything?”
Jiron pulls forth the necklace and holds it before him. “Do you remember this?” he asks. “We met an acquaintance of yours who told us he got this from you.”
“So?” he asks.
“I want to know where the person is you took this from?” demands Jiron.
Then suddenly he breaks into laughter, hardly the response they were expecting. “What? Are you planning on rescuing him?” Again the laughter rolls forth.
“So you know it was a ‘him’!” exclaims Jiron triumphantly.
He nods his head and the laughter continues to roll out of him.
Jiron glances to James and sees the confusion mirrored on his friend’s face that he himself is experiencing.
As the laughter subsides, Buka regains his composure and says, “I haven’t laughed like that for some time.”
“Why is it funny?” asks James.
Buka turns his attention to him and replies, “You don’t think I’m going to tell you anything do you?” Then he sits up on the edge of his bed. “Damn northerners.”
“This northerner is going to kill you if you don’t tell me what I want to know!” Jiron demands as he moves in closer.
Buka looks up at him and shakes his head. “I don’t think so,” he tells him.
“I will!” insists Jiron.
Buka comes to his feet and says, “Then do it!” Staring him in the eye, Buka dares him to kill him. When Jiron fails to follow through on the threat, he snorts. “I thought not.”
Bam!
Jiron’s fist connects with Buka’s nose and knocks him back to the bed. “We aren’t leaving here without the information,” he states.
“I ain’t telling you anything,” Buka says. Rubbing his nose, he makes sure it isn’t broken then looks up at Jiron standing over him. Then he gets a thoughtful look and says, “Unless you do me a favor first.”
Looking doubtful, Jiron casts a quick glance to James then returns it to Buka. “What kind of favor?” he asks.
“One that’s been needing to be done for some time,” he replies. “If you do this for me, I’ll tell you exactly where you can find the one who had that necklace.”
“How do we know we can trust him?” James asks Jiron.
“You don’t,” Buka replies to James. Then to Jiron he says, “Fair trade, a favor for the information.”
“What’s the favor,” he says.
“There’s a person in Cyst that has caused me problems from time to time,” he explains. “I want you to take care of him for me.”
“We aren’t going to murder anyone for you,” Jiron tells him. “Even if it means not finding out the information.”
Shaking his head, Buka says, “It isn’t his murder that I want.”
“What is it you want?” James asks.
“His right hand,” he replies. “I want you to bring me his right hand and I’ll tell you what you wish to know.”
James expects Jiron to reject the offer right away and is amazed that he’s even contemplating the request. “You can’t be thinking of doing it are you?” he asks.
Jiron glances to him for a moment before asking, “Why haven’t you taken care of this before now?”
