Chapter VIII

Waiting and Intrusion.

The family dog, Echo, a massive, dark grey husky ran around the large grounds, chasing a breathless Martin throughout the garden. Wherever the boy went, Echo was a few paces ahead cutting him off, until Martin saw him and went pelting off in another direction, and the process would begin all over again.

From one of the second story windows, Alan watched the scene play out with a slight smile on his face, although he had always resisted the idea of getting a dog, but over time he too had warmed slightly to the idea, and ended up caving into Laura's requests to get there, at the time, three sons a dog.

The one thing he didn't budge on was that this dog was the sole responsibility of his sons, going so far as to tell them. "You will not bother Vernon or your mother with this animal, that I can promise you.” He remembered saying to Jack and Dave at the time, which both boys had agreed to. Despite this however the butler was as fond of Echo as any of his sons and would willingly help out, and over time, the dog had worked its way into Alan's heart as well.

His mind however, was still on the fate of Dmitri and his first mission, he knew how difficult it must have been for Dmitri, as he himself had only ever been to the old southern fortress a couple of times himself, and always kept under the close supervision of the Lord Boris. Even despite that, his own attempts to reconnoiter the castle had been unsuccessful. However, he thought, that was why he had hired Dmitri, as the former captain was a lot more skilled with espionage than he had ever been.

As Alan thought on the fate of his friend, Vernon walked up to him, looking paler than ever, which wasn’t surprising to him at all. The old butler seemed to be spending more and more time down in the cave than even Dmitri and Charlie these days, which was alright by Alan, his house was very low maintenance, but he still feared that it wasn’t doing the butler any good not to see sunlight for so long at a time.

“Any news Vernon?” Alan asked, he didn’t have to specify exactly what he was asking for as Vernon gave him a knowing look at the question.

“No sir. We have had no communications from the thief since he began to descend the cliff.” Vernon replied, in an unconcerned tone, in truth he wished Dmitri all the success in the world, but he was more realistic. The odds of the their completing this mission successfully were about the same odds of The Mayor ever giving up power willing. In effect, zero.

“Do you think I did the right thing Vernon?” Alan asked, the uncertainty in the mission creeping into his voice as he spoke. “Sending Dmitri alone with only a few BOT’s for protection I mean.” Alan finished, and turned to look back out of the window again, looking grimmer than before.

“I’m sure that the thief can handle himself sir.” Vernon said. This he was sure about, as it took a special kind of person to survive down in the slums of The Imperial City. At this Vernon walks over to the window to observe the grounds of the manor.

“Is there any hope Vernon?” Alan asked, turning around to look at the old butler intently. He knew the dangers of the mission and the minimum chances of complete success. With hope being the only thing that could intervene in the matter.

“There was never much hope master Alan.” Vernon sighed before turning around to look at Alan before continuing, a small smile creasing his face. “Just a fools hope.” Vernon finished. And with that he took his leave of Alan and headed down the stairs and out into the grounds.

Once Vernon stepped outside into the fresh air, he felt a lot better about everything, whether it was the fact that he was breathing in daylight air for the first time in what felt like months, or something else. He neither knew nor cared. 

That sense of joy however, was immediately squashed when he saw something terrifying by the main gates. In truth he had heard it before he had seen it, the sound of Echo barking was more than enough of an alarm system for the manor, and the husky was barking now. Which is when Vernon saw the stranger at the gates, trying to talk to Martin, who for his part was hiding behind Echo.

Seeing this, Vernon drew his small gun, and hurried as fast as possible down towards the main gates. As he drew closer he noticed that the man seemed to be from Bartazar, given the darkness of his skin and the slight accent that he was speaking with as Vernon drew closer and could start to hear parts of the conversation.

“Now then little boy, please open these gates now, if you would be so kind.” The strange man said. He was a thick set man and completely bald, with a thick back moustache being the only hair on his face, and dark grey eyes.

“NO!” Martin shouted above Echo’s relentless barking. And as Vernon approached where Martin was yelling furiously at the stranger, he could see that the metal gates of the manor were rattling on their hinges. Although the stranger seemed either not to notice it, or he simply didn’t care. A completely different reaction to the old butler who eyed the large metal bars with mild alarm, before returning his gaze to Martin who continued to shout at the man. It hadn’t and wouldn’t be the first time that something strange had happened around Martin.

The four-year-old had an odd habit of getting angry, and when he did, things would move of their own accord, not by a lot but enough for it have become a noticeable pattern for Vernon. Stuff like pans shaking and falling of counters, and doors closing by themselves with no trace of a breeze. And the one thing that all these events had in common, was that they occurred whenever Martin seemed angry, or scared. So much so, that Martin for the most part had not been taken out of the manor grounds nearly as much as his older brothers, and when he was, a close eye was kept on his mood. This apparent mood swing appeared to be happening now, as the child continued to raise his voice at the stranger, the gates to the manor continued to vibrate at his command.

“I need to come in as I have very important business with your father. So if you would mind opening these gates so I can see him.” The stranger said over the sound of the grinding metal, and sweating slightly in the midday sun.

“No Stranger.” Martin said looking up from behind Echo, who seemed to be feeling the same, as he had stopped barking and started growling at the stranger.

“YOU!” Vernon shouted when he thought that he was within earshot of the stranger. He seemed to have judged well, as the stranger looked up at him, and straightened his tie imperiously. “Get away from that boy now!’ Vernon continued as he walked towards the gate. Whilst the man acknowledged him, he did not heed the command and stayed exactly where he was, though occasionally making furtive glances in Martin and Echo’s direction.

Seeing this, Vernon quickened his stride until he was in front of the gates himself, standing between the stranger and Martin, who was still hidden in turn behind the husky dog, which continued to growl in the man’s general direction.

“Might I have your name sir?” Vernon asked once he was sure he was blocking the man’s view of the youngest Wolfrick.

“Certainly my name is Mr Smith. My first name is not important.” Smith said with a glance at the Manor House behind Vernon. “Now. I have an urgent appointment with Mr Wolfrick, so if you will kindly open these gates and…” Smith started but Vernon interrupted him.

“Sir. I know for a fact that you do not have any such appointment with master Wolfrick, so if you don’t clear off I’ll have the city watch up here to arrest you for trespassing.” Vernon said as he placed a hand on his gun, he did not believe a word that Smith had just given him, including the fact that his name was Smith. Plus for such an urgent appointment the man had seemed fine and talked to Martin, who at only four could hardly hold much of a conversation alone.

“Very well. But rest assured that I shall inform Mayor Osmund of how rudely I was treated and how I was unable to lodge my complaints with…” Smith started but was cut off by Echo who began to bark loudly again drowning out the sound of the man. At this Martin laughed and Smith glowered at the four-year-old with anger in his eyes. But noticing the gun that was on Vernon’s belt, he nodded curtly at the old butler and walked back down the street.

Once sure that the stranger had gone, Vernon turned to Martin who walked out from behind Echo. Vernon knelt down on his eye level before speaking further, and the gates stopped rattling allowing the conversation to take place.

“What did the man want Martin, before I came over I mean?” Vernon asked looking at the four-year-old with interest.

“He wanted to know my name. How old I was.” Martin replied as he looked confusedly up at Vernon.

“Did you tell him?” Vernon asked, mentally preparing himself to go and chase after the stranger if he got the worrying answer. Fortunately however, Martin shook his head at this question.

“After he got bad. Then he asked for Da.” Martin said as he retreated back behind Echo looking afraid once more. Vernon nodded at this and turned around towards the gate, in order to make sure that the stranger had not returned. Confirming this fact Vernon turned back to Martin.

“Listen Martin, I do not think that this man will return. But if he does, do not talk to him, go straight to the manor and get either myself or your Da down here instead. You understand?” Vernon said as he looked at Martin, of all the Wolfrick brothers. Martin was the most like Alan in his appearance, and Vernon could only hope that the similarities stopped there if what Alan was like as a child was anything to go by.

“But I got Echo.” Martin said looking and holding tight to the husky dog that was the boy’s favourite companion. Echo for his part licked Martin’s face and then returned to observing the gate.

“You do.” Vernon replied, and he looked down at the dog wondering what would have happened if the husky hadn’t been there. As for all the strangers assurances that he needed to talk to Alan, Vernon had a shroud suspicion that it was Martin that he wanted, preferably alone. He knew of groups that hunted and kidnapped children for unknown things, he had almost been a victim of that himself, although he had never heard of them trying to take kids as young as Martin before. “Whilst you are with Echo. I don’t think that anyone will try hurt you Martin. But I still want you to come to me or your Da.” Vernon finished and after a few moments Martin nodded and returned back to the manor, with Echo in tow.

Vernon thought that the encounter at the gates would be the last he would have to think on the strange man. He was on that count mistaken however. As that night whilst the manor slept peacefully, they were all suddenly awoken by a scream coming from Martin’s room, followed by the sound of furious barking.

“What going on?” Dave asked sleepily as he exited his room, woken up by the continuing screams, although he was not answered as Vernon and Charlie rushed into Martin’s room, there guns raised, with Alan limping along behind them.

Inside Martin’s room, they saw someone quickly hauling himself out of the window and scaling the wall downwards to ground level. Vernon rushed over to the window and watched as the intruder hurried across the grass and over the wall. Swearing loudly Vernon turned around and walked out of the room. Leaving Alan and Charlie alone with Martin.

“What happened son?” Alan said sitting down on the small bed, as he spoke Echo also left up onto the bed and settled himself next to Martin.

“Bad man back.” Martin said as tears ran down his face. “Bad man back.” Martin repeated over and over again looking up at his father, pure terror in his blue eyes, as he spoke, the door closed suddenly and loudly, causing Charlie to leap back in alarm.

“Back?” Charlie asked looking at Alan in confession after regaining her composure, having missed the conversation between Martin, Vernon and the stranger. As well as the follow up that Vernon had had with Alan after the incident.

“Yeah. There was a stranger at the gate earlier on.” Alan replied. That had been a very interesting conversation with Vernon after the event, but like the old butler, he had agreed that the man would be unlikely to return. Something that he now regretted assuming as the stranger was clearly more determined than they had originally thought. “The bad man is gone Martin. Go to sleep.” Alan finished and got up of the bed, in moments like this he really missed both Laura or even Gerrard, who were a lot better at this parental stuff than he had ever been. However, Martin seemed satisfied as curled up next to Echo and went to sleep.

Alan took one last look around his youngest son’s room, and exited followed by Charlie, who holstered her gun ad closed the door behind her.

“What do you think?” Charlie asked once they were outside the room and back in the corridor, she too was exhausted and hadn’t taken kindly to having been woken up in the early hours, her rage however, had vanished when she saw the stranger standing over Martin.

“I dunno. I’ve heard of these kind of groups. But they don’t usually go for Martin’s age range though.” Alan said as he tugged at his hair trying to think things through. It was difficult because nothing in this situation made any sense whatsoever.

“Do you think they got the wrong room. That they were hoping to get your two eldest?” Charlie asked looking puzzled, she too had heard rumours of these kinds of people, and although they weren’t as prevalent down in Docksmouth as they were rumoured to be in The Imperial City, kids still went missing in her homeland, never to be seen again.

“Normally I would say yes but…” Alan started before quickly stopping, he turned around and saw Dave standing alone in the corridor looking between the pair with a scared look on his face.

“You think the man was here for me or Jacky?” Dave asked, looking at the two adults, his face still showing unbridled fear at the prospect, and Alan immediately regretted not having this conversation down in the entrance hall.

“Your safe here Dave, you and your brothers all are.” Alan said as he knelt down so that he was face to face with his second son.

“But we’re not are we. I mean they broke into Martin’s room without you knowing.” Dave replied and hurried back into his own room, and locked the door behind him.

In all fairness, Alan couldn’t blame the reaction, the news that someone had broken in without setting off any alarm system other than Echo and Martin himself, would be enough to terrify even the most battle hardened. Thinking on this, Alan returned to his own room, and closed his eyes. Not waking up until well passed midday to find Martin sleeping next to him, his youngest having come into his room and slept in his bed without his knowledge.