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The Case of the Mysterious Island: Part 4
Feb. 24th, 2016 08:00 pmIt was hard to slip back from the bar into the cell. Nobody saw him, but it was the sort of cell where you never knew if you'd come out alive again.
Auxin could only hope that the war was, as rumoured, about to be over the same day as he'd been thrown in this cell. If he stayed in here much longer, for a start, his parents would find out.
And that was when the enormity of what he'd done hit him. Not just the fact that by warning the Klatchans he could be done for treason, but that he'd used his father's business to do it. If Lord Rust didn't kill him, Fiddyment Senior just might...
The door opens to some more guards. Oh good, another kicking, albeit not as bad as the first one. He makes sure to make overdramatic groaning noises, because there's nothing like being brave to make someone kick you more, but doesn't name any co-conspirators since there weren't any anyway.
It seems to have taken a long time but he hears the door open again and from his position on the floor sees two pairs of feet stride through the door in heavy boots. There are three quick thumps, and the three guards lay sprawled on the floor, clutching their noses.
"All right lad?" Commander Vimes peers at him, smoking a cigar. Captain Carrot bends down to help him up.
"Sir!" Auxin attempts to salute, somewhat unsteadily.
"Good. War's over, go with Carrot and get cleaned up."
"Thank you sir. I think I'm being done for treason, sir." Auxin says, nervously.
"Ah." Vimes stubs out the remains of his cigar. "In that case we better remove you from the training program..."
Auxin swallows hard.
"...And promote you to constable." Vimes continues. "You should probably take the rest of the evening off."
Auxin breathes again.
"Thank you sir."
***
He's not sure whether he's more happy with the end of the war or the promotion, but Auxin's heart is still pounding a little as he approaches the shop. What will his father have found out?
He goes in through the door. His youngest brother Root is playing on the dark shop floor, as always, and doesn't seem any the wiser. He looks happy, if anything.
"Did you beat the bad guys today?" he asks Auxin.
"Yeah, think I did." Auxin grins tiredly at him.
"Good. Algae's home." Root adds, sort of casually. "With all his arms and legs and everything."
Auxin heads up the stairs to find his errant 14-year-old brother, who ran away to join the war. He finds him chopping vegetables for Mum, and gives him a nod.
"What do you think you're playing at, boy?"
Auxin looks around at his father with a feeling of dread.
"Sir?"
"You're late. Go and restock the potatoes. They've been selling well."
Auxin could only hope that the war was, as rumoured, about to be over the same day as he'd been thrown in this cell. If he stayed in here much longer, for a start, his parents would find out.
And that was when the enormity of what he'd done hit him. Not just the fact that by warning the Klatchans he could be done for treason, but that he'd used his father's business to do it. If Lord Rust didn't kill him, Fiddyment Senior just might...
The door opens to some more guards. Oh good, another kicking, albeit not as bad as the first one. He makes sure to make overdramatic groaning noises, because there's nothing like being brave to make someone kick you more, but doesn't name any co-conspirators since there weren't any anyway.
It seems to have taken a long time but he hears the door open again and from his position on the floor sees two pairs of feet stride through the door in heavy boots. There are three quick thumps, and the three guards lay sprawled on the floor, clutching their noses.
"All right lad?" Commander Vimes peers at him, smoking a cigar. Captain Carrot bends down to help him up.
"Sir!" Auxin attempts to salute, somewhat unsteadily.
"Good. War's over, go with Carrot and get cleaned up."
"Thank you sir. I think I'm being done for treason, sir." Auxin says, nervously.
"Ah." Vimes stubs out the remains of his cigar. "In that case we better remove you from the training program..."
Auxin swallows hard.
"...And promote you to constable." Vimes continues. "You should probably take the rest of the evening off."
Auxin breathes again.
"Thank you sir."
***
He's not sure whether he's more happy with the end of the war or the promotion, but Auxin's heart is still pounding a little as he approaches the shop. What will his father have found out?
He goes in through the door. His youngest brother Root is playing on the dark shop floor, as always, and doesn't seem any the wiser. He looks happy, if anything.
"Did you beat the bad guys today?" he asks Auxin.
"Yeah, think I did." Auxin grins tiredly at him.
"Good. Algae's home." Root adds, sort of casually. "With all his arms and legs and everything."
Auxin heads up the stairs to find his errant 14-year-old brother, who ran away to join the war. He finds him chopping vegetables for Mum, and gives him a nod.
"What do you think you're playing at, boy?"
Auxin looks around at his father with a feeling of dread.
"Sir?"
"You're late. Go and restock the potatoes. They've been selling well."
