A/N: A shout out to my anonymous reviewer! Glad you liked it. More on Mopsi and Popsi soon. ;) Thanks!
Chapter 37
"We've scoured Munchkinland. Somehow Lord Nipp is nowhere to be found," Fiyero heaved a sigh a few days later after Gale Force troops had reached every occupied corner of the territory. They'd been aided by troops from Gillikin and civilians from the Glikkus, which came over the Canals and freed the Upper Munch section of Munchkinland before pressing toward the interior.
"There is no way he's that lucky," Zetti gave him a look. They had met inside the police station, having claimed the offices and spaces for themselves.
"I concur," Chistery said.
"So what? He whacks himself and we didn't find a body?" Fiyero didn't think that was plausible.
"About as believable that he ran out into the Shifting Sands or crossed the border into Quadling Country. No way he heads into the Gillikin," the Lieutenant told him. Fiyero nodded. The Shifting Sands were certain death, the Quadling Kells and the Cloth Hills in Quadling Country weren't much better, and any Munchkin would stick out like a sore thumb in Gillikin.
"So, if I have nowhere to go and I know I'll be arrested, where do I go?" Chistery asked.
"We need to reach out to Councilman Arif. What if there are tunnels or some sort of hiding place that hasn't been searched?" Fiyero wondered.
"Hide there and wait until it's safer to move. That would be the best thing, if you're not going to harm yourself," Zetti nodded. He quickly took off, looking for their Bird to send back a letter to the Emerald City.
"What next Captain?" Chistery asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. Elphaba and I are meeting with the leaders of each of the towns and cities here in Munchkinland in a few hours. That will give us more direction," Fiyero said.
"You think they will want to speak to Mistress?" The Flying Monkey raised an eyebrow.
"She is acting as the official Glinda stand-in. They speak or they get ignored by the Emerald City. Should be incentive enough given the destitution and starvation we've found," Fiyero figured.
"Good point. Should I speak to Zetti about increasing security for the meeting?" Chistery wondered.
"I don't want them to think that they can't be open and have a decent discussion. Too many troops will make it seem like it's our way or the highway," the Vinkun knew there was a fine line here. Chistery nodded before leaving the leader of the Gale Force alone.
The time had come and the leaders of all the cities and towns filed into the courthouse. Fiyero figured it would be the best place to get everyone in the same room. He now leaned against what would have been the table for the prosecution and faced the gallery; watching those that filed in. He knew that Elphaba was nervous, and he told her to wait until the room was full before she exited the back room which acted as the judge's chambers.
"Is that everyone?" Fiyero asked the group after a few more minutes.
"I do not see Buğra," one of the men spoke up.
"Where does he hail from?" Fiyero wanted to know.
"Bright Lettins," the man replied. Fiyero looked to Zetti who stood near the door and the Lieutenant gave him a look back.
"Has anyone talked to this Buğra lately?" The Captain inquired. A murmur went through the crowd and that told him everything he needed to know. Troops had swarmed Bright Lettins. There had been reports back to him that all was roughly the same as it was in other parts of Munchkinland but now Fiyero wondered.
"Give the Lieutenant Buğra's address. We will send someone to check on him," the Vinkun told them. The man nodded and quickly headed to Zetti and gave him an address. The Lieutenant scooted out of the room to find Chistery. The Flying Monkey took flight with a few of his brothers. They needed to find Buğra.
To Be Continued…