The five men cautiously advanced through the jungle, they were all able to easily follow the trail left by their prey. It was obvious to them that Martínez was hurt. Badly hurt or he wouldn’t have been so careless as to leave so obvious a trail.
The tracks ended on entering what looked like an ancient abandoned mine entrance. They conferred briefly, worried at the probability of an ambush. They hadn’t come prepared for exploring dark tunnels, also Pérez was worried about the state of the mine supports. They retreated slightly and started making a couple of torches while Pérez used his satphone to report to their boss.
Nico felt the invasion, his attention snapped to his dungeon’s entrance. Pérez and his compadres. If he could have grinned he would have. Instead he felt anticipation and activated the drop traps that he had installed. He did feel some regret that he had not yet managed to get that rolling rock trap from his favourite Indiana Jones film finished.
Juan was advancing down the tunnel with Calderon carrying a spluttering torch behind him. Then Juan dropped into the pit with a cry and two of the others crowded round discussing how to get him out.
That was when his lizardmen stepped out of a cross tunnel and emptied their assault rifles down the tunnel. The ceiling and walls suffered dreadfully but at least some bullets hit their targets. Pérez and Benito were unscathed but were unable to shoot as Calderon was miraculously unhurt and standing in the middle of the tunnel.
Seeing the lizardmen were reloading, Calderon bolted and Pérez and Benito withdrew. Nico watched with satisfaction as his lizardmen killed his former friends and associates.
Nico summoned a further three defenders and armed them with the spoils of the fight.
* * *
The Moriscoi centaurs were celebrating the crushing defeat of their Slontar rivals and the feat of their hero Ironhoof the Proud. The battle had been closer than lieutenant Vasili Novosiltsev had cared to admit as he looked over the charred remnants of the grasslands to the north of the woods. For a moment during the battle he had thought they were all dead. The damn Slonatar nomads had managed to use their magicians to sneak a large raiding group mounted on their mini dinosaurs behind the Russian lines.
Then Nadia had revealed one of her secrets. He would never be able to see the girl in the same way again. That eight meter tall fire breathing wolf from hell would haunt his nightmares for a long time to come.
At least the mix of incendiaries and explosives had exceeded expectations; the mortar batteries had covered themselves with glory – and experience. The lich lord of the north was dead, and it would seem that this time he wouldn’t be back.
Ironhoof and his band had been completely successful. They had found and destroyed the Lich Lord’s Soul Jar while he had been otherwise occupied burning and exploding on the field of battle.
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It was a great pity that the local bards and would be bards had succumbed to inspiration. Most of their attempts at heroic ballads were truly cringe worthy. And they seemed to be getting worse with each libation and toast.
Tsarina Anastasia Alexandrovna Romanov hadn’t stopped smiling ever since the battle but even she winced at some of more gratuitous exaggerations of the local bards. Major Manucov, his wife and captain Kosmodemyanskaya were all seated at the head table watching the festivities. The centaurs were by now roaring drunk and chasing the local dryads.
“Not that I’m unhappy at being ignored by your allies Tsarina, but all the stories we were told on our journey implied that drunken centaurs were rather indiscriminate. So how?” enquired Valentina Kosmodemyanskaya.
Anastasia laughed. “They have a breast fixation and you Russian ladies just can’t compete in that department with my dryads. Then too they’re scared more of you are able to turn into giant fire breathing wolves.” Anastasia shuddered, “I’m glad she understood how terrifying she is to my dryads and stayed away.”
* * *
Antonio looked up as his outgoing PA walked into his office. “Well Raquel, I’m sorry you are leaving. Are you sure I can’t change your mind.”
“No. The bank will be paying me more and Mr Barreiro needs me more than you do. You’ll have your niece São. She’s trained up well.”
Antonio noticed the slight, almost invisible grimace of regret on his former PA’s face.
“I wish you well in your new job, I will miss you Raquel.”
Raquel left Antonio’s office with a few lingering regrets but she did want the extra money that went with her new job.
Antonio reached for his intercom but froze before he could press the button. His attention was claimed by one of the many detectors he had incorporated into his portals. Someone was carrying explosives and chemicals. He tracked the two individuals across his portal hub and noted they were willing to join one of the slower lines.
The security officer manning the scanners turned a blind eye to the alarm light that flashed on his screen and the two men proceeded towards the portal to the lobby of his hotel.
‘Idiots, well you two are in for a surprise when I divert the portal to the cells.’
Antonio finally jabbed the intercom’s button. “São, get me this shift’s security chief. Tell him two individuals with chemical filled explosive devices are about to be delivered to the cells. And tell him to check the feed from camera forty-two. I’ve taken a copy, I’d love to see how the bastards intend to get rid of the original.”
Antonio reached out and diverted the destination of the portal as the two men stepped through it. Then he reset the portal not wanting his legitimate guests to have an unwelcome experience.
One hour later São escorted his security chief and an officer of the GNR into his office.
“So, what were those things?”
“Smoke bombs, rather toxic smoke bombs. Inhaling the smoke would be unpleasant but shouldn’t prove fatal.” Alvaro Mendes shrugged, “at first they claimed it was a prank. Then they admitted that it was intended as industrial sabotage. I don’t think they’re telling the truth yet.”
The GNR officer nodded, “I wish to apologize for our man. He will be disciplined, then sacked and he faces a probable prison sentence. I must ask, how did you know about them?”
Antonio looked at the man with surprise. “Has no one told you? I have numerous detectors built into the portals. I did offer to give the GNR suitable receivers so you could also monitor them.”
Lieutenant Galvão sighed. “No. Naturally they didn’t tell me. Will you please arrange for us to have those monitors as soon as possible.”
Antonio chuckled. “Certainly. You’ll have them tomorrow morning.”