Ch. 21
Disclaimer: "There's a fine line between genius and insanity…"
Ling Yi watched from the shadows of the corridor as lord Zhang He left his room to attend the "mandatory debriefing". Ling Yi felt bad about tricking Lady Zhen into setting the bait, but lord Sima Yi had assured her that it would be all right, and who was she to doubt? She had faith in the strategist, and she had faith in his plan, as well. It was simple, but brilliant nevertheless: Lord Zhang He would go to the conference hall for a meeting that didn't exist. While he was out, it would be Ling Yi's job to get Gan Ning down to the dungeon, where lord Sima Yi would be waiting. The pirate would be dealt with, and they could all get on with their lives—with the exclusion of Gan Ning, who would, of course, be going nowhere, and especially not alive. When her lord had been gone for about five minutes, Ling Yi slithered from the shadows and slipped into the room. "It's time." She announced. Gan Ning whirled, startled. He hadn't even heard her enter the room. "Time for what, Wench?" He glared warily at her, mistrustful, and rightly so. "Hired another masseuse for me, have you? Or is it something else this time?"
She shook her head, unperturbed and unshaken. "No. I know when I have been bested. I am finished… my lord." A slow, cocky grin spread across the arrogant fool's face. "That's more like it. Now, you were saying?" Ling Yi swallowed her pride and gritted her teeth, and putting on her most potent performance of subservience, said, "Your escape, my lord. The time is now. We must leave this very instant, if you wish to ever leave here at all." The grin fell from his face. "Already?" He asked, softly. "But… he didn't even say goodbye…" Ling Yi thought fast, and did what she did best. She lied and manipulated. "There wasn't enough time for him to warn you, lord. We saw an opening and seized it. He will, however, be waiting for you at the checkpoint, to see you off. He told me to… to send you his love. And to tell you that he needs you to cooperate with me if this is to work." He looked at her for a moment, and nodded. "Very well."
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"Where the blazes are we, Wench?" The pirate stumbled on the dark staircase voice echoing unpleasantly off the damp, close walls. She looked back at him over her shoulder, irritation beginning to get the better of her. "I believe I already told you, lord. This is a secret passageway that leads out of the palace and to the checkpoint. We are almost there. Do you think you can manage, or is the dark too menacing for you?" The fool growled something unintelligible at her, tripped again, and cursed her and the darkness under his breath. Ling Yi had no problem navigating. She spent a lot of time moving around in the dark, and, being much shorter and thinner than the man following her, did not have the discomfort of constantly hitting her head or scraping herself against the rough walls of the cramped little tunnel. She saw a flicker of torchlight up ahead, and motioned for the grumbling pirate to move faster. After what seemed to be an eternity, they emerged from the tunnel and into the dungeon, Ling Yi just ahead of Gan Ning. "We're here," she said, unable to contain the smile on her face as the pirate staggered blearily into the light… and was immediately struck down by a vicious blow from the butt of the sword lord Sima Yi was holding. The strategist stepped delicately over the crumpled form of the unconscious general, and smiled down at Ling Yi. "You did an excellent job, young lady. Now find a hiding spot with a good view; the fun is about to start, and if you're seen, it could ruin the show." Ling Yi's eyes lit up. "Your lordship is letting me watch?" She'd never seen a professional at work before. "Of course, my dear. You've earned it."
BWAHAHAHAHA! PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR EVIL! The next two chapters hold much of it, and also a few twists. Very twisty twists, at that.
