A hot wave of nausea crashed over the young ranger, stealing his breath. Liam was lost somewhere in the tangle of bodies that surrounded him. He shouted, not caring who turned to look at him, as he desperately searched for sight of the orphan that he was responsible for. He stumbled as he fought his way to a booth that was lined with boxes, then climbed one to peer out over the crowd. Precious time was slipping away and he still had no idea whether Liam had gotten lost or whether he had been taken. Still screaming the boys name, he ran wildly, pushing and shoving those who got in his way, crying in panic and fear. Halt, He had to find Halt. He would know what to do.


Liam was enjoying spending the day with this older boy who both fascinated and frightened him. There was a time not so long ago that he thought he would never feel joy again, and now here he was laughing and playing, without a care. The pain of the loss he had suffered was buried at present. It would surface again, bringing him tears and emptiness, but not now. Now he felt safe and comfortable knowing that these rangers, these two mysterious men, were going to take care of him. If he were ever to have a brother he would want him to be like this boy who was holding his hand.

In a split second, without time to even react, a vice gripped him. He wanted to scream but the words were stifled by a massive hand. He wanted to run but powerful arms clutched him fiercely, restricting every movement he attempted. He watched Will vanish from his sight, hidden by the confluence of faceless bodies, and then by the tears that filled his eyes.

Through streets and alleys, he was jerked and flung, mercilessly, when finally the captor slowed his pace and threw Liam into a blind alley where two more hands grabbed his arms. He found himself staring into the eyes of the evil murderer who had killed his father.

"Looks like we caught us a rat, Dune!" The rancid breath of the brute made Liam's nose scrunch up in disgust. "That's what you are boy, a little rat. Do you know what we do with rats?"

As he spoke he pulled the squirming figure closer, so that each word he said sent spittle into Liam's face. The child was small for seven, his height hardly reaching a full grown mans waist. He was also on the scrawny side, giving the slighter of the two criminals no problem in lifting him off the ground. This man could easily break him like a toothpick.

"We cuts 'em up and feeds 'em to the dogs." He laughed a throaty cackle. He tossed Liam against a wall, causing him to crack his head hard on the rough wood. Liam gave a terrified cry and then his eyelids slowly closed. Dune shuffled over and nudged him with his boot. He was stone still, but still breathing.

"You numbskull! Why'd we go to the trouble of get'n him if you're gonna go an kill him afore we can get rid o'them rangers?" Dune was usually the muscle of the team, and he knew how to inflict damage to someone without actually causing death. "You leave the boy to me and stick to the plan!"

Red, the smaller of the two men, was the one who orchestrated the thefts and arranged to make sure their tracks were covered. When he learned that the legendary ranger, Halt, was out of commission in the infirmary, he saw a great opportunity. For the better part of a month the duo had terrorized the northern half of Redmont fief. The intricate network of thieves and cutthroats, worked together to keep informants among the local merchants. Insuring their safety in exchange for news of incoming or outgoing valuables, offered the criminals a relatively free reign without the sharp eye of a ranger to keep them in check.

Dune and Red had gotten sloppy in watching their backs and failed to restrain themselves in their acts of villainy. Their first mistake, aside from underestimating Halt's ability to recover quickly, was the petty theft at the thatched roof cottage in the woods. They had gotten cocky, not even exercising their normal attempts at caution. Their second fatal mistake was taking Liam from Will.

"Where did you last see him?", Halt was standing over his apprentice, who sat on a step outside the tavern with his head in his hands.

"We were in the market, I was buying him some candy," Will's voice cracked as he said it. The thought of his recklessness, of releasing his hold on the child to pay for the frivolous treat, tore at his heart. How could he be so foolish. His insides twisted with regret and anguish. "I'm so sorry Halt. I'm so sorry. We have to find him! I have to find him, I can't..."

Halt placed a hand on Will's shoulder. He knew how this young man hated to fail, and now he had not only failed, but put an innocent life in danger. "Let's go and see this candy seller." Halt knew that Will's attention had been on the purchase, while he wasn't facing Liam. The merchant would have seen what had happened. Now they just had to get him to talk.