Ruddy Tom's Flight

"Raymond, you're with me!" Tom roared among the confusion.

Raymond was pressed up against a wall staring blankly as city guards filed through the doors and began forcing their way through every part of the Beast of Burden Trading Company.

"Now!" shouted the red-faced man. Raymond crossed the warehouse floor and followed the swordsman outside. In the night-darkened street the hooded form of Tom's boy held the reins of three horses all kitted out for a long ride.

Tom snatched two sets of reins and pressed one into Raymond's hands before swinging up into his saddle and wheeling his horse around. Raymond dutifully stood there in place, holding the reins until Tom snarled "Mount!"  The bewildered young man scrambled into the saddle and moved to follow Tom and his son's forms disappearing into the dark night of Hub.

After the sun had been up for an hour, Raymond rode alongside Tom and broke the silence "Say, Tom, what happened back there?"

"We must not have caught all the intruders from the other night. One must have got away " growled Tom.

"Those four in the cell? Who are they?"

Tom laughed. "Must have started out as five or six. I don't know who they are, I don't much care."

"I see." Raymond looked around at their surroundings, the city giving way to small homes with overgrown gardens and tiny fields. "What now?"

"We ride to the mines. We see what parts of this mess we can save. YAW!" Tom kicked his horse faster and moved away from the bewildered young man.

It was a hard ride. Tom traded out horses at every opportunity and at great expense. On the morning of the third day a familiar sight slowed their progress. It was a wagon with its load covered by a canvas tarp. Two men sat in the front and two men with loaded crossbows stood at the back, looking around for danger.

"Hullo, Tom!" called out a grizzled man from a wagon. "Come to check up on us?"

"Aye" boomed the large fighter, his wide smile not reflected in his eyes. "How go things at the mines? Your load doesn't look like it'll make quota this month."

"Things are slow, yes. The lazy sots haven't kept pace I'm afraid. We've brought in new management to encourage them."

"Huh, well I'll have to see that for myself." said Tom, looking at his boy. The half-elf sat his horse hooded and unmoving.

"Any news from Hub?" asked the driver of the wagon.

"Hells, yes!" exclaimed Raymond from the back, and all eyes turned to him as he walked his horse forward.  No one saw Tom close his eyes, bare his teeth and clutch his reins tight.

"The Beast of Burden has been compromised! Some thugs from the agency next door snuck in through the sewers on some outrageous pretense. Strange crew they were. An elf woman, some battle cleric of Noreal, a foul-looking lurker and a dwarf, of all things. We caught a few of them but some must have got away and alerted the city guard! They swarmed in and confiscated everything. I saw them fighting Mr. Taro. All is lost!"

"All is not lost you damned fool!" Tom reached out an arm and shoved Raymond nearly out of his saddle. "You think we haven't planed for this?" Tom turned to the wagon. "As he said, the Beast of Burden isn't safe anymore. Get to town, find some place safe to store the wagon and the goods and wait for me. We've come to alert the rest of the operation. Taro's confiscated records are sure to give away something. We're probably being followed by the city guard or those damned sneaks Ray mentioned. Be wary on the road to Hub."

"Huh." the wagon crew looked at each other uneasily. The men in the back held their crossbows more firmly and nodded to their leader up front. "If we see anything, we'll be ready. Good luck, Tom. We'll be at the Low Rat." The driver flicked the reins and the wagon pulled away.

The three riders started to walk their horses towards the west. As soon as the wagon was out of sight Tom released a bellow and leaped off his horse, grabbing Raymond up in his huge arms and throwing them both to the ground. "You'll learn your place! Damn. your. big. mouth!" Tom landed a few heavy fists on the young man knocking the awareness out of him.

When Raymond could open his eyes again he found himself off the road, his travelling companions gone and his whole body tied to a tree. He hung his head. Nothing made any sense anymore.