The hangman comes to Tyche: Part 7
Where the lawman breaks into jail
If you’re just joining us, hop back to part 1.
“You didn’t mention a jail break.” Marpo shifted, inching away from Taggard where they were nestled in an across from the sheriff’s office.
Taggard stared at the bright rectangle of light spilling from the open door onto the shadowed street, where it merged with the weak puddles from the street lamps.
He peered at it for a second longer then slid his gaze to Marpo. She arched an eyebrow at him.
“You won’t have to do any breaking. Just be ready to receive the package.” He tapped his badge with the corner of the box he held in one hand. “Dominion officer, remember? Sheriff even. I can walk right in.”
“There’s a lot of Dominion officers walking about.”
“Yup there are." He scanned the street, tracking two officers headed right and one about to cross their path, going left.
She returned her focus to the street. "The guard is rotating," she said, her husky voice even lower than usual. She checked her wrist patch. "Every hour at quarter past, I'd guess."
"There'll be another one at the back." He exhaled sharply. “Making sure no one breaks my niece out of jail.”
“Your niece?” Her voice rose before returning to a whisper as she continued. “Did you think maybe you’re the one they on the lookout for?”
Taggard shook his head. “No, Sharp thinks I’m pathetic. Broken.”
Marpo snorted. “You? The Berserker of Barinet? The Ghost of Farlane?”
“I am.” He pressed his lips together. He shifted the box of warm food to his other hand and grabbed the beaker of beer, and then he stood. “Pathetic. Broken.” He felt the air shift as Marpo rose from her crouch. “But turns out when you’re broken, sometimes you snap.”
“Bleeding Hades. You’re in for a world of pain.”
“Nothing the Berserker of Barinet can’t handle.” He gave her a lop-sided smile, then squared his shoulders. “You’ll create a diversion?"
"My crew's already on it," she said with a wide grin that exposed her teeth. "Gillan's been itching for an opportunity to use their new incendiary." As if on cue, a loud boom sounded from the direction of Tem Cylla.
He rose his eyebrows, and Marpo chuckled. Then her face turned serious.
"Be careful."
"You'll be at the rendezvous?”
She nodded once, and held out her hand. “Until quarter to. But we’re even after this.”
He grabbed her forearm as she grasped his. “More than even,” he said before letting go.
He watched as she disappeared into the darkness, her movements fluid and graceful like a shadow ... like a grey cat. He let out a heavy sigh then headed towards the door. He tried to put a swagger in his step, recalling the Berserker of Barinet — the Taggard who’d worked for Emmon Bell, running borderline legal cargo and ferrying highly illegal rebels from hot zones to safe houses. But acid gnawed at his stomach.
The sheriff's building — the place he'd spent most of his days since coming back to Tyche — loomed before him, its bright windows like watchful eyes. Sweat trickled down his back as he neared the threshold. Then he was almost bowled over but the female guard from early running out.
She scowled at him for breaking her stride. Then the scowl turned to analysis. "You."
"Yes?" Taggard's heart hammered against his ribs as he lifted the hand with the box. "I brought dinner for the prisoner." He raised the other hand. "And beer for you."
"I'm on duty. And there's been an attack. You stay here with Sergeant Glyn." She ran in the direction of the continued explosions.
Taggard's hopes rose, then plummeted when he realized he still had the remaining officer to deal with. And maybe one out back.
He stepped inside. "Hey," he said as Sergeant Glyn tipped forward in his — Taggard's — chair.
"Is that ale?" The man nodded at the beaker Taggard carried. "No alcohol for the prisoner."
Taggard lifted the vessel and peered at it. "Right, of course. Forgot." He placed it on the desk. "Food's okay though?" He waggled the box.
"Need to examine it first." He took a gulp of ale straight from beaker as he flipped the top of the box open. He stirred the mix of pan fried veggies and crickets with his finger, then licked his fingers before pulling out a large bug and a chunk of alma root. "Toll." He grinned then waved Taggard through to the cell block as took a swig of beer.
Taggard stopped at the door, turning back to the sergeant.
"What?" Glyn peered at him.
He shook his head. "Nothing. Just, do you have the time?"
"Time for you to leave me alone." The man's words slurred and his blinking slowed.
Taggard's mother always said saparentic milk was the best way to put someone to sleep -- not bitter like cat's paw root or distinctly flavoured like iquoria leaf. He closed the door behind him just as Glyn's head hit the desk.
"What--" Nita jumped up from the cot on seeing him.
"Hush," he said, carefully putting the box through the bars of energy. "Quiet. We don't want to wake the sergeant."
She took the box. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, glancing at the door. "You're supposed to find Felicity’s notes and leave."
"Eat. You need it."
"Food? Seriously?" Despite her protests, she sat on the floor and opened the box.
He crouched in front of her. "I found the notes."
Nita's mouth gaped, full of masticated veggies and bugs. She swallowed hard. "Why are you here then? You need to get it away from Sharp. Off this planet."
"No." He stared at his hands. "You do." He returned his gaze to his niece. "In a minute, I'm going to lower the energy bars, which will set off alarms. When I do, you need to be ready to run."
"Run?"
"Run. And never look back. I've hidden your archaeologist's notebook at the wishing well." The old hole sat halfway between town and port. Generations of bored teens had spent countless evenings there, watching take offs and landings while drinking ale and dreaming of stowing away on one of those ships, Taggard among them. "And I have a friend with a ship waiting there. Ready?"
“No,” she said, but nonetheless put her jacket on and wrapped her scarf around her neck. “Never look back?”
“Sharp has already killed for information. You need to disappear.”
"Right, disappear."
"New name, new identity. Marpo can help. She's got ... connections."
"Okay, ready."
Taggard rose from his crouch and waved his wrist over a panel on the wall before tapping a sequence of buttons. First the lights went off, leaving the cell block lit only by moonlight trickling through its small windows and the patch of light from the office door window. Then the energy bars dropped into the floor.
Nita's exhale was loud. "I thought you said there'd be alarms." She stepped over the line of emitters on the floor.
"Let's go." Taggard pushed her towards the back door. "The alarms are sounding in Sharp's office over at the detachment." He grabbed her arm just as she reached for the handle. "Wait."
He gently lowered the levered handle and inched the door open. Sure enough, one of Sharp's guards was stationed a few metres away at the end of the dark alley. The guard leaned against the wall, peering out at the street beyond.
His eyes narrowed, thinking; a fence blocked the other end of the alley. He motioned for Nita to hold the door open while he crept up to the guard and wrapped an arm quickly around the man's neck, dragging them both back into shadow.
The guard kicked out and scratched at him, but Taggard had learned some tricks working for Emmon Bell, and within the span of a few heartbeats, the guard slumped in his arms.
He went back to Nita, who stood staring with wide eyes.
"Go." He nudged her from behind, urging her forward, and moved to close the door. A yowl sounded behind him, and Taggard glanced back at the cell block just as the little grey cat hit the door jamb on the far side. The kitten limped closer as Taggard's gaze was drawn past it.
Sharp's silhouette filled the doorway. "Get out of my way, cat." The inspector's hand went to his hip and pulled out his blaster.
Taggard glanced at Nita, who'd reached the end of the alley. He flicked a hand at her. She stared back at him, her head gave a little shake.
"Go," he mouthed. "I'll catch up." He waved her on.
"Fine," she hissed. "You'd better not get caught…or killed."
Taggard gave a little smile, but when he turned back to Sharp to find the inspector's eyes on him, he knew he wouldn't be catching up.
Stay tuned for part 8. Feel free to share if you know someone who likes scifi stories.
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