A/N: Sorry that this is late. Things did not go according to plan last week...
A/N2: Shout out to my anonymous reviewer! Glad you liked it. More answers coming your way. ;)
Chapter 29
Corporal Norris had dragged an artist out of his bed and into the Palace. When the man found out that Lady Glinda was requesting the drawing herself, he made every attempt to adjust his mood. It was late at night and he'd been asleep when the Corporal found him.
"What have we got?" Fiyero asked as he reentered the room where Farhidi was working with the artist.
"He's very good and I am very tired," Farhidi admitted. Fiyero ignored him and the artist showed him what he'd come up with.
"Son of a bitch," Fiyero cursed.
"You know him?" Farhidi knew that reaction wasn't because the artwork was good.
"Does it help you find your man?" The artist wanted to know.
"I already know who he is. Be sure and see Lieutenant Zetti. He will pay you for your service and your silence. You cannot tell anyone what you've done. There will be an announcement coming, trust me," Fiyero turned to the man.
"The first place I'm going is back to bed, Captain. I have no intention of mentioning this little occurrence. I only ask that should Lady Glinda need artist services again, she think of me first," the artist smiled and then left the room.
"Who is it?" Farhidi wanted to know.
"You should be more worried about your family. If this man has them, as I suspect he might, there will be big trouble," Fiyero told him before leaving the room. He was running on coffee and not much else, but he knew there was not time to waste.
"Finally! What have you discovered?" Glinda demanded as the Captain walked back into the infirmary. Elphaba, who was sitting next to Glinda's bed, gave her a dirty look as her friend was being a little too loud. There were other patients there trying to sleep.
"Farhidi was in direct contact with Foster," Fiyero showed them the drawing.
"Seems risky, does it not?" Elphaba raised an eyebrow.
"Well, if he's kidnapped Farhidi's family, kidnapping and shooting other people, isn't that much of a step," her fiancé said.
"What about trying to kill me?" Glinda gave him a look.
"He didn't do it directly. He's too smart for that. My guess is that he figured Farhidi would never talk or be dead before hos won connection would be discovered. Foster's best-case scenario was that you'd be dead, and he'd have won," Fiyero told her.
"So, what makes you think he's hanging around?" Bayram wondered.
"He saw Farhidi get scooped up at the brothel. We've been covering up Glinda's current health condition. Maybe he thinks he's safe? Maybe he has Farhidi's family, so he's keeping them as a bargaining chip?" Elphaba spoke up.
"My concern is that he knows things went sideways today. If he's smart, he's killed Farhidi's family, and is heading out of the City. He can get lost in the wilds of Oz fairly easily if he has a head start," Fiyero frowned.
"Fazil will know where to look," Bayram told him.
"I already have Sergeant Duncan shaking him out of bed as we speak. We need to move fast. Sergeant Zeki is moving to get groups of soldiers ready for multiple raids. We're running out of moonlight. I want these raids done before dawn," the Prince said.
"What about the men you captured?" Glinda wanted to know.
"They weren't talking until they were threatened with death from being charged with treason. A few of them then cracked like eggs but they were isolated enough that they didn't know much more than we already knew. One man knew more but he's former Gale Force and he isn't talking," Fiyero let them know.
"You handle Fazil and the raids. I'll handle our uncooperative friend," Elphaba stood from her seat.
To Be Continued…