The Unsuspecting Mage - Brian S. Pratt [183]
With eyes gradually regaining their focus, he sees the man with the patch over his eye step before him. The pain in his head explodes once more when the man grabs his hair and yanks his head back. “Now,” the man asks, gaze boring into James’ with his one good one, “who are you?”
“James,” he gasps, “my name is James.” He falters on the edge of consciousness from the pain, and starts to feel like he’s about to throw up.
The man lets go of his hair and asks, “What were you doing at the window?”
Fighting back nausea, James tries to think of a good reply when Thwack! the strap again scores along his side, creating another red, swollen welt.
“We were casing the place!” Miko yells out from the chair next to him.
Turning his attention toward Miko the man exclaims, “You expect me to believe you are a couple of thieves?” He signals the person behind Miko, and Miko cries out as the strap gives him a less than gentle caress.
“Well?” the man asks.
“In all the confusion of everyone leaving town,” Miko explains, “we thought we could score big.”
Looking at Miko intently, the man considers what he said.
“When we saw that there were people in here, we decided to find another place with no one around and that’s when someone struck us from behind,” Miko continues, trying to sound sincere.
“Perhaps,” the man says. He walks over to a table upon which their bags lay. He reaches into his backpack and pulls out the small amulet that James had picked up in Cardri. He dangles it in front of James and asks, “Then what are you doing with this?”
James has to squint in order to focus his eyes well enough to make out what it is that’s being shown him. “I bought that from a street merchant some time ago,” he replies when he finally makes it out.
Thwack! The strap hits him again, causing him to cry out.
“He’s telling the truth!” Miko exclaims from the chair next to him. “He just bought it to get away from the merchant.”
Thwack! A red welt begins to form across Miko’s chest. “When I want you to talk,” the man says to him, “I will tell you.”
A side door opens in the warehouse and the man looks toward the door. Another man walks in and comes over, quietly talking with their interrogator. Whatever he is telling him doesn’t make him very happy. After a few more moments of exchanging words, their interrogator says to their guards, “Keep an eye on them until I get back.” Then he turns angrily and stalks out the door with the other man right behind.
James leans back in his chair and closes his eyes, trying to relax as best he can, hoping the pain throbbing in his head will go away.
“James,” Miko whispers, “you okay?”
Unable to answer, he just silently shakes his head slowly.
James sits there with his eyes closed for several minutes before he hears a door open and close, then the sound of footsteps coming toward him. Opening his eyes, he’s afraid that it’s going to be ol’ One Eye again. When he sees who it is, he blinks a couple of times and finally decides he’s either dreaming or having hallucinations. For there walking toward him is Mickey Mouse.
He looks to his guards and they appear to not notice the new arrival, even when Mickey walks right past one of them. “I’ve gone crazy,” James moans aloud.
“No,” Mickey replies as he reaches up and removes his head, “you’ve not.” When the head comes off, it reveals the little creature who has already come to him twice before.
James begins to laugh, though he’s not sure why.
“Come on, James,” it says. “Let’s go.”
“You’re rescuing me?” he asks.
“No,” the little creature replies, “just borrowing you for a while.”
“Why?” asks James.
“You can’t stop asking questions can you?” the little creature says to him.
Unsure how to reply to that, he remains quiet.
“C’mon, get up,” the creature tells him.
“I’m tied,” James says.
The little guy looks at him silently, impatiently tapping one foot.
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