City of Ruin - Mark Charan Newton [194]
Brynd signalled for Smoke to deal with the redskins before they could get away and bring reinforcements.
A quick sprint back to investigate the casualties.
Four Irregulars were gathered around Jeryd, who now lay on his back with two arrows in his face and another in his chest.
Fucking hell, you too, Jeryd. After all you’ve done to help us.
‘Shit, the old sod’s dead,’ someone said, pointing out the obvious.
‘He’s not just some old sod,’ Brynd snapped, ‘but an investigator who served the Empire loyally. Make sure he gets put on a decent pyre, you hear, and free his soul with some dignity.’
There was a high-pitched screech as the spider suddenly reappeared. It came bounding through the snow at an unlikely pace, forcing everyone away from the body of the investigator. The creature prodded the corpse with one of its legs. It tried to secrete something to stop the bleeding. How bizarre, Brynd reflected – this was the person who tried to put the creature behind bars.
Smoke rejoined them with a simple nod, confirming that he’d finished off the escaping redskins.
‘Good work,’ Brynd murmured.
The soldiers trotted across the street, weapons in hand, and all the time Brynd was checking around for any further incidents. Bringing his shield up in front of him, they headed into darkness.
*
Scan the walls, the doors, any signs of ways in or out. Lines of the corridoere evident to Brynd’s senses, as was the cold dampness and stencf decay, but he couldn’t source where the hostages were being held.
They pressed on for some time, the only noise detectable thootsteps and breathing of his own soldiers. An open space presentetself, a hallway, and after brief analysis he chose another corridor tollow. Lupus held his bow ready, Smoke and Tiendi gripped smalrossbows and sabres.
He put his arm out behind to halt the others: there was a distinct change in texture in the light up ahead.
A flicker?
A redskin rumel stood at the far end of the passage, leaning on his sword, talking in alien constructs to someone out of sight. Brynd signalled for Tiendi and Smoke to take out the nearest one, and for Lupus to fire at the one beyond.
Click, click, thud.
The enemy collapsed on each other. Brynd dashed ahead and, by the bodies, gave a quick look around. If their minds had been connected in some way, then others would be arriving soon. He dragged the corpses into shadow where Lupus retrieved his arrow.
They had to be getting close now.
Stepping with extreme caution, they approached a partially closed doorway. Back pressed against the wall, Brynd nudged the door open with the tip of his sword. Three soldiers beyond: all redskins, no Okun. Brynd gave his team the signal then deliberately coughed.
Two of the redskins emerged into the hallway where their throats were slit quickly. Brynd burst into the other room, shield raised, and engaged immediately at close quarters with another. He found it easy to block the sloppy strokes, then he knocked his assailant’s arm against the wall. With his sword he ripped open the creature’s torso, thrusting upwards to the hilt. Thick blood spilled onto the floor. The creature slumped sideways.
The rest of his unit filed in behind. Brynd hoped the rest of the Night Guard had managed to penetrate this far.
The next door they came to revealed some kind of washroom, with decrepit plumbing and broken wall tiles. The floor was covered in ice so they had to slide forward on hands and knees to the door leading into the main chamber.
Brynd opened it to reveal a vision of hell.
Immediately