Chapter 24: Old Time Religion
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We pull back. A few tense moments waiting for Dick. It gets a whole lot tenser when we get back to the foliage.
"You were sure they had it?" Half accusation, half question.
Renwick grunts. "It's for sure they have something. I'll call Captain Muwan and tell him to prepare the army."
I look at him, incredulous. "You're going to storm a walled city looking for something we *know* we can't find? What if it isn't there?"
"Littlejohn?" Renwick asks.
"I say they have the dagger."
No surprise there. He thought that yesterday. But he also thought it would be on the altar. I'm beginning to lose what little faith I have in experts.
I give Littlejohn the *look*. "And if they don't?"
It doesn't phase him. He's on his own private turf - both physically and intellectually - and no one is getting in to make any changes.
Renwick answers me. "They're still up to whatever. I don't trust Aztecs."
"They must have the dagger, " Littlejohn insists. "Only a great relic or great prisoners could justify this level of sacrifice."
"We can't risk it." Renwick turns to me. "Even if we don't find the knife, taking Kukulkan will delay any challenge from the smaller cities."
"And if it's someone else?"
He dismisses the possibility. "I don't think anyone else *could* use the Jagger - but if they try? Holding Kukulkan will strengthen our position."
Or destroy it, I add mentally. The last thing anyone need going into a crisis of confidence is a rebellious population - and having your city overrun for no good reason is about as good a reason for rebellion as I can think of. Not to mention that - with their army here, and reduced from the battle - the City of Gold itself would be unusually vulnerable.
I consider a lecture on tactics, but doubt these people would take one. Probably not from the Bat. Definitely not from Wayne.
Whether Teplitzin has the knife or not, this whole jungle is going to be flames by breakfast tomorrow. At the latest. If Renwick has his way, it wont wait for dinner.
I could call in the heavies. I will if it's the only way to stop a slaughter. Let Eel or Orin say what they will about my ego; I do value human life. Even stupid, egotistical, badly mannered human life. I could, but I'd rather not. Flying magic beings from the heaven fit too well into the local world-view as it is, and we don't need another 'Cult of Superman' to mess up people's minds. What they think now is messy enough.
I pull Renwick aside. "Let me talk to my crew."
He nods. Good manners alone will get me that much. But - judging from his expression - not much more. I best pull a *major* rabbit out of my cowl this time.
"Dick." I pull his aside where we can talk. "We need another way. Did you see anything up there?"
"Nothing. This place isn't like the Haven. It's *dark*."
I scan the city, superimposing Oracle's probable city map in my mind. No help. "We can't search a thousand people by sunrise."
"Grab Teplitzin and ask him?"
"Possible." Easy enough physically. The room had good outside access,and only one inside door. But - on second thought... "I'd question the effectiveness of torture on anyone who sticks spikes through his own penis just for fashion."
"Holy...! They don't...?"
"According to Jones and the wallpaper, they do. Makes the Gods happy."
"Shee. Bad enough being born Catholic."
I ignore that. The last time Dick was in a church, he was wearing a tux and carrying a ring. "And.. more to the point...he'd know we were here."
That gets me a half-grin."It's hard to interrogate someone without letting them know you're interested."
"Right."
Dick ignores that, chasing his own chain of logic. "And if Teplitzin doesn't have the dagger, we sure don't want to confirm that *Savage* doesn't."
"So?" I prompt.
"If they do have it, do we have any place we know that dagger will be? Any time?"
I smile. Dick was always good at tactics. "Only one."
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"Understood. Bruce out." Canary has word from Oracle. Heat sensitive pinpoint satellite scanning is showing a increased heat signature in our sector. Which means someone is moving. Not that the sensors are delicate enough to pick up the increased body temperature of human movement. Not quite. But they *can* pick up the thermal signature of an indoor fire. Even the little braziers these people use. And the spot temperature is up sharply in the last few minutes. Oracle figures it means breakfast. I didn't have a chance to confirm with Jones, but she's probably right.
Renwick has been convinced to let me run things - but just barely. This may be our last chance to retrieve the Tongue of the Jaguar and keep this place out of a war with the City of God.
Fifteen minutes until dawn. The sky is slate blue at the horizon, but the leaf cover is still dark. Even so, we have sent Savage's people back for safety.
This is a strike team now. Fast and hard.
Everyone in blacks. Full mask. They will know what happened - no way around that - but they may not be certain WHO.
This time Jones is on point. A detail that annoys Littlejohn, but even a fit seventy year old is less then ideal for clinging to the high point of a tree. Jones isn't thrilled with the assignment either, but it's the best vantage point, and we need the info. Timing will be tight enough as it is.
Acolytes on the alter. Burning jimson, I assume. Sweet blue smoke. I catch a whiff and it's almost familiar.
Barely dressed servants stumbling around setting up cloth awnings on long poles. Not clumsy. They move with the certainty of having done this regularly. Just cold and sleepy and probably half hung-over. I give the canopy on the top of the pyramid a careful inspection. Not steady enough for a launch surface, but the cloth will make good cover. If and when.
Movement from the palace. Looks like Teplitzin and his people. No sign of the dagger, but... one of the nobles does have a large basket. Could be in there.
"Bruce?" Dinah's voice comes from the earphone. "I have movement inside a building here to the east. Several doors are opening."
"Keep watching. Dick?"
"Check. Movement from the main residence to the east wall. Processional with banners, forming up before Dinah's building."
"Jones?"
"Check the middle." Jones advises. "You should find the victims. For this big an event, there should be more than one. They are the ones without the fancy hats. Either bound or drugged, maybe both, but still walking."
"I see them." Dick answers. "Two men and a woman. Focusing in... hey!"
"What!" I ask.
"I recognize her." Dick pauses,and I assume he's adjusting his goggles for a closer look. "That is the pilot chick from the pirates camp."
"That would explain why Savage's people couldn't find them," I reply. "When they hit the jungle there were captured by Aztecs."
Jones shines in. "That would also explain why the Aztec forces didn't stay around long enough to catch a fight with us. They had what they came for.
"Possibly." Although that would still leave much unexplained, including the motive for their precipitous flight in the first place. "At the time, they may have just been grabbing someone to interrogate - much they same as we would have."
Dick laughs. "Well, what ever that plan, looks like now Tepi-boy has them in mind for his guest of honor."
'Makes sense' a cynical voice at the back of my mind insists on adding. Safer then offing someone who might have friends. or at least relatives. Prisoners are even safer then criminals.
"Rescue?" Dinah asks.
Safe to assume they are not volunteers. Damn. I have no choice."Confirmed change in plan. Rescue of prisoners moves to first priority. I'll take the middle - you each grab your side. Keep watching for the knife. That's still target two."
"Two!" Renwick snarls. The thin crackle of the com-link does not cover his outrage.
"Repeat... knife is target TWO! We rescue the victims *first*."
I may hate the bastards after what they did to Richard, but... they are still human. Somewhat. I can't leave then here to be lunch.
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I am out on a limb. Literally. Waiting for Dinah to get into position. No time to cover the far side, but three point should do. As soon as she signals...
What!
Gunshots?
At least three, from the far wall. Where no one is.
"Dick!"
"Dinah!"
They will have heard what I heard.
"Dick here. Nothing visible except... damn!" A moments pause, then, "One of the awnings just went down. Parade is in chaos."
Dinah chimes in. "Combat at the far gate. I can't make it out, but something is stampeding the crowd."
"The back gate is gone." Jones confirms. "I caught a large white shape. The streets are too narrow to give me a good look, but to judge by the damage I'd say whatever it is it's moving towards the parade."
"Victims?
"I can see one." Dinah says. "The women."
Now or never. I shoot my line, calling... "GO! GO!"
END CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
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We pull back. A few tense moments waiting for Dick. It gets a whole lot tenser when we get back to the foliage.
"You were sure they had it?" Half accusation, half question.
Renwick grunts. "It's for sure they have something. I'll call Captain Muwan and tell him to prepare the army."
I look at him, incredulous. "You're going to storm a walled city looking for something we *know* we can't find? What if it isn't there?"
"Littlejohn?" Renwick asks.
"I say they have the dagger."
No surprise there. He thought that yesterday. But he also thought it would be on the altar. I'm beginning to lose what little faith I have in experts.
I give Littlejohn the *look*. "And if they don't?"
It doesn't phase him. He's on his own private turf - both physically and intellectually - and no one is getting in to make any changes.
Renwick answers me. "They're still up to whatever. I don't trust Aztecs."
"They must have the dagger, " Littlejohn insists. "Only a great relic or great prisoners could justify this level of sacrifice."
"We can't risk it." Renwick turns to me. "Even if we don't find the knife, taking Kukulkan will delay any challenge from the smaller cities."
"And if it's someone else?"
He dismisses the possibility. "I don't think anyone else *could* use the Jagger - but if they try? Holding Kukulkan will strengthen our position."
Or destroy it, I add mentally. The last thing anyone need going into a crisis of confidence is a rebellious population - and having your city overrun for no good reason is about as good a reason for rebellion as I can think of. Not to mention that - with their army here, and reduced from the battle - the City of Gold itself would be unusually vulnerable.
I consider a lecture on tactics, but doubt these people would take one. Probably not from the Bat. Definitely not from Wayne.
Whether Teplitzin has the knife or not, this whole jungle is going to be flames by breakfast tomorrow. At the latest. If Renwick has his way, it wont wait for dinner.
I could call in the heavies. I will if it's the only way to stop a slaughter. Let Eel or Orin say what they will about my ego; I do value human life. Even stupid, egotistical, badly mannered human life. I could, but I'd rather not. Flying magic beings from the heaven fit too well into the local world-view as it is, and we don't need another 'Cult of Superman' to mess up people's minds. What they think now is messy enough.
I pull Renwick aside. "Let me talk to my crew."
He nods. Good manners alone will get me that much. But - judging from his expression - not much more. I best pull a *major* rabbit out of my cowl this time.
"Dick." I pull his aside where we can talk. "We need another way. Did you see anything up there?"
"Nothing. This place isn't like the Haven. It's *dark*."
I scan the city, superimposing Oracle's probable city map in my mind. No help. "We can't search a thousand people by sunrise."
"Grab Teplitzin and ask him?"
"Possible." Easy enough physically. The room had good outside access,and only one inside door. But - on second thought... "I'd question the effectiveness of torture on anyone who sticks spikes through his own penis just for fashion."
"Holy...! They don't...?"
"According to Jones and the wallpaper, they do. Makes the Gods happy."
"Shee. Bad enough being born Catholic."
I ignore that. The last time Dick was in a church, he was wearing a tux and carrying a ring. "And.. more to the point...he'd know we were here."
That gets me a half-grin."It's hard to interrogate someone without letting them know you're interested."
"Right."
Dick ignores that, chasing his own chain of logic. "And if Teplitzin doesn't have the dagger, we sure don't want to confirm that *Savage* doesn't."
"So?" I prompt.
"If they do have it, do we have any place we know that dagger will be? Any time?"
I smile. Dick was always good at tactics. "Only one."
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"Understood. Bruce out." Canary has word from Oracle. Heat sensitive pinpoint satellite scanning is showing a increased heat signature in our sector. Which means someone is moving. Not that the sensors are delicate enough to pick up the increased body temperature of human movement. Not quite. But they *can* pick up the thermal signature of an indoor fire. Even the little braziers these people use. And the spot temperature is up sharply in the last few minutes. Oracle figures it means breakfast. I didn't have a chance to confirm with Jones, but she's probably right.
Renwick has been convinced to let me run things - but just barely. This may be our last chance to retrieve the Tongue of the Jaguar and keep this place out of a war with the City of God.
Fifteen minutes until dawn. The sky is slate blue at the horizon, but the leaf cover is still dark. Even so, we have sent Savage's people back for safety.
This is a strike team now. Fast and hard.
Everyone in blacks. Full mask. They will know what happened - no way around that - but they may not be certain WHO.
This time Jones is on point. A detail that annoys Littlejohn, but even a fit seventy year old is less then ideal for clinging to the high point of a tree. Jones isn't thrilled with the assignment either, but it's the best vantage point, and we need the info. Timing will be tight enough as it is.
Acolytes on the alter. Burning jimson, I assume. Sweet blue smoke. I catch a whiff and it's almost familiar.
Barely dressed servants stumbling around setting up cloth awnings on long poles. Not clumsy. They move with the certainty of having done this regularly. Just cold and sleepy and probably half hung-over. I give the canopy on the top of the pyramid a careful inspection. Not steady enough for a launch surface, but the cloth will make good cover. If and when.
Movement from the palace. Looks like Teplitzin and his people. No sign of the dagger, but... one of the nobles does have a large basket. Could be in there.
"Bruce?" Dinah's voice comes from the earphone. "I have movement inside a building here to the east. Several doors are opening."
"Keep watching. Dick?"
"Check. Movement from the main residence to the east wall. Processional with banners, forming up before Dinah's building."
"Jones?"
"Check the middle." Jones advises. "You should find the victims. For this big an event, there should be more than one. They are the ones without the fancy hats. Either bound or drugged, maybe both, but still walking."
"I see them." Dick answers. "Two men and a woman. Focusing in... hey!"
"What!" I ask.
"I recognize her." Dick pauses,and I assume he's adjusting his goggles for a closer look. "That is the pilot chick from the pirates camp."
"That would explain why Savage's people couldn't find them," I reply. "When they hit the jungle there were captured by Aztecs."
Jones shines in. "That would also explain why the Aztec forces didn't stay around long enough to catch a fight with us. They had what they came for.
"Possibly." Although that would still leave much unexplained, including the motive for their precipitous flight in the first place. "At the time, they may have just been grabbing someone to interrogate - much they same as we would have."
Dick laughs. "Well, what ever that plan, looks like now Tepi-boy has them in mind for his guest of honor."
'Makes sense' a cynical voice at the back of my mind insists on adding. Safer then offing someone who might have friends. or at least relatives. Prisoners are even safer then criminals.
"Rescue?" Dinah asks.
Safe to assume they are not volunteers. Damn. I have no choice."Confirmed change in plan. Rescue of prisoners moves to first priority. I'll take the middle - you each grab your side. Keep watching for the knife. That's still target two."
"Two!" Renwick snarls. The thin crackle of the com-link does not cover his outrage.
"Repeat... knife is target TWO! We rescue the victims *first*."
I may hate the bastards after what they did to Richard, but... they are still human. Somewhat. I can't leave then here to be lunch.
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I am out on a limb. Literally. Waiting for Dinah to get into position. No time to cover the far side, but three point should do. As soon as she signals...
What!
Gunshots?
At least three, from the far wall. Where no one is.
"Dick!"
"Dinah!"
They will have heard what I heard.
"Dick here. Nothing visible except... damn!" A moments pause, then, "One of the awnings just went down. Parade is in chaos."
Dinah chimes in. "Combat at the far gate. I can't make it out, but something is stampeding the crowd."
"The back gate is gone." Jones confirms. "I caught a large white shape. The streets are too narrow to give me a good look, but to judge by the damage I'd say whatever it is it's moving towards the parade."
"Victims?
"I can see one." Dinah says. "The women."
Now or never. I shoot my line, calling... "GO! GO!"
END CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR