Thanks for the reviews!
Have a nice time watching the Return of the King, Mints for the Movie! You're so lucky! I haven't seen the movie yet.
And yep, I'll keep going, Oracle!
@songofthewind: I know what you mean about being healed completely. Let's just assume that he was in hospital long enough to heal perfectly. *winks*
.
Afterlife? -No! Aftershock!
.
Chapter Nineteen
.
Boromir hid behind the door of the little room Mr. Foster had shoved him into and listened intently as his host talked to the 'Gully Rats'. He didn't miss the scarcely veiled threat Larry voiced concerning Sandy's well- being and clenched his teeth angrily. A person could sink no longer than to threaten a man's child as a means to make him cooperate. He listened as Mr. Foster complimented the 'Gully Rats' outside and then waited a while, guessing that the man needed to compose himself after the encounter.
He heard Mr. Foster go into his room and shut the door and then the muffled sound of steps going on and on and on. Foster seemed to be pacing around in his rooms, and there was no doubt on what his thoughts dwelled as he was doing this.
Boromir sighed. It had been too good to be true. And foolish. It had been foolish to seek shelter here, by the only people he knew here. The track that led here was straightforward and much too easy to follow, he couldn't have made it easier for his hunters to track him down. Both the policemen and the 'Gully Rats' had ended up at Foster's doorstep within less than a day, and it would not take long till one of the parties somehow found out that he was indeed lodging here.
Ad as soon as they found him, Sandy and her father were in serious trouble. There was only one thing he could do: Leave. Leave at once.
It was not in his nature to sneak away without even thanking the person who had taken him in and without saying farewell. So he did not pass by Foster's room, but entered after knocking. Mr. Foster looked up, his features slightly puzzled at Boromir's sudden entrance.
'Mr. Steward! I thought you were already asleep.' He said.
'Had I had the urge to sleep, I could not have rested peacefully, knowing what danger I have put you and your daughter in.' Boromir replied earnestly. 'I overheard what you discussed with the 'Gully Rat' in your sitting room, and it was only then that I realised how much I jeopardised you with my rashness. I cannot endanger you any further, Mr. Foster, and will not stay here a moment longer, so that you may continue to live in peace.'
His speech was interrupted by Mr. Foster. 'Wait a moment! You can't leave! Do you realise that our house is being watched since those men left it? That is the way of the 'Gully Rats,' once you are under suspicion, how slight it may be, you are watched. If you leave, if they see even the tip of one of your toes appear on my doorstep, we're in big BAD trouble. I won't allow you to even look out of one of my windows, do you understand?!'
Boromir heard the urgency in Foster's voice and did not argue. After all, the man knew the ways of this world better than he did, and judging from his performances earlier that evening, he managed the survive here well. It had been foolish to come into Mr. Foster's house. It would be even more foolish to leave again if it was watched. Frowning, Boromir leant against the doorframe.
'It is lucky then, that you have drawn your curtains, or the watchers would have seen me already. What do you propose to do?'
Foster sighed heavily and sat onto his bed. 'First: What are we up against? The 'Gully Rats' who are out to get you. Secondly, what are our weaknesses: Sandy, for she is very vulnerable and would not be able to defend herself if they got her. Numbers. There are scores of 'Gully Rats', whilst we are only two. Weapons. You have your sword, I have my rifle, they have so much more weapons.
Thirdly, our strengths: You are damned good with that sword of yours, Mr. Steward, which will diminish the 'Gully Rats'' advantage of numbers somewhat. Plus, we are a step ahead of them, they don't KNOW you are here, and as long as they don't, we are relatively safe. Maybe I can even get some of the people of this block to help me, but that's a risky business, I don't know if I want to try that, yet, someone might betray us, you know?'
Boromir listened closely. Mr. Foster was doing the same thing he had done only a day ago, when he'd left the hospital and was walking along the streets of Bearon. He was assessing his situation as accurately as possible, seeing where his strengths and weaknesses were, so as to form a basis for further plans.
'Could you get some more weapons?' He asked, as soon as Mr. Foster had ended his list.
The look on the other man's face was thoughtful. 'I might. What sort of weapons would you prefer?'
'Longbows, crossbows, daggers, maybe one or two throwing knives, an axe,-' Boromir stopped when he saw the queer look on Mr. Foster's face. 'You seem amazed.'
'I am.' Mr. Foster muttered, shaking his head in a slightly helpless gesture, 'I'll see what I can do about those weapons, but I can't promise you anything.'
Boromir nodded, he had noted the lack of armed men in the streets yesterday, so it was no surprise to him that weapons weren't easy to come by. Then he had an idea. 'Do you know where the 'Gully Rats' are quartered?' He asked.
At the word 'quartered,' Mr. Foster's brow furrowed, but the answer came at once. 'Yes. I can show you on my town map.'
He pulled out the map from one of the drawers of his desk, and spread it over the bed. Together they poured over it, Foster explaining to Boromir where his house and the headquarters of the 'Gully Rats' were situated. Slowly, a plan began to form in Boromir's mind. Attack was the best defence, and Boromir began to see how he could attack the 'Gully Rats' and at the same time draw their attention away from Mr Foster and Sandy.
Have a nice time watching the Return of the King, Mints for the Movie! You're so lucky! I haven't seen the movie yet.
And yep, I'll keep going, Oracle!
@songofthewind: I know what you mean about being healed completely. Let's just assume that he was in hospital long enough to heal perfectly. *winks*
.
Afterlife? -No! Aftershock!
.
Chapter Nineteen
.
Boromir hid behind the door of the little room Mr. Foster had shoved him into and listened intently as his host talked to the 'Gully Rats'. He didn't miss the scarcely veiled threat Larry voiced concerning Sandy's well- being and clenched his teeth angrily. A person could sink no longer than to threaten a man's child as a means to make him cooperate. He listened as Mr. Foster complimented the 'Gully Rats' outside and then waited a while, guessing that the man needed to compose himself after the encounter.
He heard Mr. Foster go into his room and shut the door and then the muffled sound of steps going on and on and on. Foster seemed to be pacing around in his rooms, and there was no doubt on what his thoughts dwelled as he was doing this.
Boromir sighed. It had been too good to be true. And foolish. It had been foolish to seek shelter here, by the only people he knew here. The track that led here was straightforward and much too easy to follow, he couldn't have made it easier for his hunters to track him down. Both the policemen and the 'Gully Rats' had ended up at Foster's doorstep within less than a day, and it would not take long till one of the parties somehow found out that he was indeed lodging here.
Ad as soon as they found him, Sandy and her father were in serious trouble. There was only one thing he could do: Leave. Leave at once.
It was not in his nature to sneak away without even thanking the person who had taken him in and without saying farewell. So he did not pass by Foster's room, but entered after knocking. Mr. Foster looked up, his features slightly puzzled at Boromir's sudden entrance.
'Mr. Steward! I thought you were already asleep.' He said.
'Had I had the urge to sleep, I could not have rested peacefully, knowing what danger I have put you and your daughter in.' Boromir replied earnestly. 'I overheard what you discussed with the 'Gully Rat' in your sitting room, and it was only then that I realised how much I jeopardised you with my rashness. I cannot endanger you any further, Mr. Foster, and will not stay here a moment longer, so that you may continue to live in peace.'
His speech was interrupted by Mr. Foster. 'Wait a moment! You can't leave! Do you realise that our house is being watched since those men left it? That is the way of the 'Gully Rats,' once you are under suspicion, how slight it may be, you are watched. If you leave, if they see even the tip of one of your toes appear on my doorstep, we're in big BAD trouble. I won't allow you to even look out of one of my windows, do you understand?!'
Boromir heard the urgency in Foster's voice and did not argue. After all, the man knew the ways of this world better than he did, and judging from his performances earlier that evening, he managed the survive here well. It had been foolish to come into Mr. Foster's house. It would be even more foolish to leave again if it was watched. Frowning, Boromir leant against the doorframe.
'It is lucky then, that you have drawn your curtains, or the watchers would have seen me already. What do you propose to do?'
Foster sighed heavily and sat onto his bed. 'First: What are we up against? The 'Gully Rats' who are out to get you. Secondly, what are our weaknesses: Sandy, for she is very vulnerable and would not be able to defend herself if they got her. Numbers. There are scores of 'Gully Rats', whilst we are only two. Weapons. You have your sword, I have my rifle, they have so much more weapons.
Thirdly, our strengths: You are damned good with that sword of yours, Mr. Steward, which will diminish the 'Gully Rats'' advantage of numbers somewhat. Plus, we are a step ahead of them, they don't KNOW you are here, and as long as they don't, we are relatively safe. Maybe I can even get some of the people of this block to help me, but that's a risky business, I don't know if I want to try that, yet, someone might betray us, you know?'
Boromir listened closely. Mr. Foster was doing the same thing he had done only a day ago, when he'd left the hospital and was walking along the streets of Bearon. He was assessing his situation as accurately as possible, seeing where his strengths and weaknesses were, so as to form a basis for further plans.
'Could you get some more weapons?' He asked, as soon as Mr. Foster had ended his list.
The look on the other man's face was thoughtful. 'I might. What sort of weapons would you prefer?'
'Longbows, crossbows, daggers, maybe one or two throwing knives, an axe,-' Boromir stopped when he saw the queer look on Mr. Foster's face. 'You seem amazed.'
'I am.' Mr. Foster muttered, shaking his head in a slightly helpless gesture, 'I'll see what I can do about those weapons, but I can't promise you anything.'
Boromir nodded, he had noted the lack of armed men in the streets yesterday, so it was no surprise to him that weapons weren't easy to come by. Then he had an idea. 'Do you know where the 'Gully Rats' are quartered?' He asked.
At the word 'quartered,' Mr. Foster's brow furrowed, but the answer came at once. 'Yes. I can show you on my town map.'
He pulled out the map from one of the drawers of his desk, and spread it over the bed. Together they poured over it, Foster explaining to Boromir where his house and the headquarters of the 'Gully Rats' were situated. Slowly, a plan began to form in Boromir's mind. Attack was the best defence, and Boromir began to see how he could attack the 'Gully Rats' and at the same time draw their attention away from Mr Foster and Sandy.