With his free hand, Robert overturned one of the water kegs, then broke open the top by kicking in the slats. Water cascaded onto the floor as Lieutenant Pace took the few steps necessary to stand beside the creature. The fact Pace could stand next to the younger version of the Robber King was confirmation of the corruption that grew within the boy.

The water followed ruts in the earthen floor, frozen hard in the cold of winter, drawing a line of standing water barring the creature from the only door of the warehouse.

A single shot from Robert’s pistol startled Pace from his puzzled examination of the flowing water. Neither he nor the creature was shot. It took him a few seconds to locate the damage.

A torch fell from its shattered mount, the base shattered by Robert’s shot, tumbling slowly in a roll of flame to land atop one keg of gunpowder.

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The creature and Pace looked at Robert in a comical, stunned silence. Too late, they understood Robert had acted without anticipation, to plot outside the eavesdropping of the Robber King and its minion.

His pistol, still trained on the terrors of Coal Island, Robert moved to the exit and pushed the door open.

Standing silhouetted in the door frame, Robert could think of nothing appropriate to say. He shrugged.

“Goodbye,” he shifted his aim to the powder keg and fired. The shot shattered the keg under the torch, the released powder flashing to life in a bright flare.

Lieutenant Pace dove for the now vacant door, but he was too late. The creature stared at the flare of yellow fire, then the keg exploded to be pursued by many other powder kegs.

Screams lost to the last earthshaking explosion that blew the roof off the warehouse in a massive gout of flame and smoke billowing in to the air.