A/N: A shout out to my anonymous reviewer. More on the Wizard next chapter for now there's some other business to attend to. ;) Glad you liked it!
Chapter 2
The group hurried to the front door of the Palace but Lieutenant Zetti stopped them from exiting. He didn't want anyone in the group to get shot. There was shouting outside and he bravely cracked open the door and stuck his head in the crack. Another shot rang out and he quickly ducked back inside. The front door of the Palace was mostly out of sniper range, given the weapons of the day, but that didn't mean a stray bullet couldn't ricochet and kill someone.
"Out the side door," Glinda said before leading some distance down the hall to a tapestry that everyone walked past as they turned the corner to head for the kitchen. Pulling back the tapestry, it revealed an outline of a door that not many knew about. The blonde pushed it open as the Tin Man took the tapestry from her and held it up. There was a short tunnel and Zetti again cut in front of the blonde.
"I'm not going to be known as the man who got Glinda the Good killed," he told her when she tried to object. Slowly, he pushed open the door and realized that the door led them out to the side of the building, completely out of view from the front due to the curvature of the Palace walls.
"An honest to goodness side door," Zetti chuckled as he quickly ushered the group outside before closing the door behind him.
"Morrible let it slip it was there. When you look at the wall out here, you can't even see it," Glinda smirked. That's when Elphaba let out a whistle. It wasn't overly loud and with people scrambling around, they didn't even pay any attention. What caught the groups' attention was what happened when she held out her hand and into it popped her broom.
"It's the only way to fly, no offense Glinda," the green woman said.
"Travelling by bubble isn't for everyone," her friend smirked. More gunshots rang out but they were slow, deliberate, and only one at a time.
"We've got a sniper. He's probably a distraction," Fiyero frowned.
"For what?" Boq wanted to know.
"That would be anyone's guess at this point. Zetti, I want the troops to circle around the back of the Palace. These guys know our weak spots but they do not know me and we must use that to our advantage. Grab Dilek and his troops to reinforce you," the Prince turned to his Lieutenant.
"You've got it. Come on Private," Zetti grabbed Schultz by the shoulder and yanked him away.
"What should we do?" Arif asked.
"You, Mopsi, and Popsi need to make yourselves scarce. The last thing we want these guys to be able to do is say they killed a Councilman in retribution for Pepi's death. He'll be used as a martyr and that is not what we want either," Fiyero said.
"I can escort them back inside or should we head to fine Councilmen Barat and Fekri?" Boq offered.
"Find the other Councilmen. Make sure they're secure. The ladies and I will take the front," the Vinkun winked at him. A cry went up they quickly poked their heads around the corner of the building, despite it not being safe.
"Sergeant Zeki is down!" It was Private Roth, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"I'll get him. You two see if we can nail down the snipers position and take him out," Elphaba said. Before Fiyero could object, she'd hopped onto her broom and was zipping across the courtyard, toward the Palace walls.
"Can you hit him from the Palace?" Glinda asked as she quickly formed a bubble around the two of them.
"It's too far but we need to narrow down where he is before anyone else gets hurt. Take me to the turret on the wall nearest the gate," Fiyero said. Glinda nodded and the two were off, staying as low as possible until they reached the base of the turret. Then the blonde launched the bubble up the side of the turret until they reached the uppermost window. Glinda split their bubble into two bubbles, each one with a person in it, and then shoved Fiyero's bubble through the window before heading in after him.
"What have we got boys?" Fiyero asked Sergeant Duncan and Corporal Bly.
"No shot from here but we figure our sniper is just over there in that hotel," Duncan explained and pointed out the small window they'd been using.
"Can we dispatch a small ground contingent to get him?" Bly wondered.
"I have no way to hide them. Anyone who walks out that front gate is a sitting duck," Fiyero frowned. Another shot rang out, ricocheting off a stone nearby the small window.
"Sweet Mother of Oz that was close," Bly said.
"What about a decoy?" Glinda asked.
"What do you mean?" Fiyero turned to her and gave her a confused look.
"Well you said he was probably a distraction. So we could create a distraction for him while you send some troops out a different way to reach the hotel. There is no way out for him if you have the bottom of the building surrounded," the blonde figured. Fiyero thought about it for a second. It could work, especially if Glinda could conjure up something with her magic. They didn't have much time to think about it though as someone came running up the stairs.
"The Flying Monkeys and Miss Elphaba have headed toward our shooter!" It was Private Roth; blood was evident on his uniform.
"She's doing what?" Fiyero asked.
"Whose blood is that?" Glinda wanted to know. Fiyero didn't listen to his answer as he kept low as he exited the turret and headed for the open wall where Sergeant Zeki had been standing. He knelt down next to the large blood stain, most of the liquid had seeped into the stone and immediately knew that it was too much to survive from, yet he didn't see the Sergeant's body.
"Oz Fae, don't get yourself killed," he murmured.
To Be Continued…