Alcingeria Chapter Forty Nine: On The Hunt

The task force discovers the vampire mafia's secret base, but has to battle their way through. After doing so they arrest and take the mafia guards back to Queen Yuka.

Chapter Forty Nine On The Hunt:

Saturday July 3rd 1690

            We searched for the mafia member for the remainder of yesterday, the day we freed Alice from her pyre. After searching for hours, we stopped at an inn to get some rest. The law enforcement officers got themselves and the rest of us free rooms. How great was that? In the morning, we all met back down in the lobby.

            “Everyone ready to get back on the hunt?” Gerald asked.

            “Any time, sir.” Darwin said enthusiastically.

            “Right then. Let’s get on it.” He said as he walked out the door.

We all walked back out into Valgate. It was late morning.

            “We overslept.” Edwin noted.

            “It doesn’t matter. Let’s go.” Gerald said, brushing him off.

            “Let’s hope we have better luck than yesterday.” Don said.

            “We will, I’m sure of it.” Stella said optimistically.

            “Don’t expect too much. The mafia has proven to be cunning and elusive.” Edwin said.

            “Always the pessimist, eh?” Edward laughed.

            “I’m just being logical.” Edwin countered.

            “Alright ladies, enough gabbing. Focus.” Gerald said jokingly.

We walked down the street. There was already a crowd of people in the streets.

            “We should check the street the mafia man was on when we saved Alice.” Macalister suggested.

Robert and Don regarded Macalister with surprised looks.

            “Macalister, that’s actually a good plan.” Don said in shock.

            “Yes, well done.” Robert commended.

Macalister grinned at the praise.

            “That sounds like a good idea. Why did no one suggest that before?” Edwin asked, irritated.

Edwin seemed angry today. I think it was because he rescued Alice.

            “It doesn’t matter. Let’s just go.” Edward urged.

Gerald led us to the familiar area where Alice was to have been killed yesterday. I looked around to get my bearings and found the street that the mafia man was walking away from us on.

            “There.” I said, indicating the street.

We walked up the cobblestones that made up the street and we looked around for any place that the mafia could be using as a base. Just then, I caught a glimpse of white in the crowd.

            “Sir, over there.” Edward said, pointing to the white thing in the crowd.

I looked closer and found that the white thing was actually a fedora! A man was wearing it. He was walking away from us!

            “After him.” Gerald ordered.

We all walked along after the man, blending in with the crowd. The man strode casually into a tavern. I grinned.

            “We have him now.” I said.

The crowd was a pain to get through, but we made it into the tavern about a minute after the mafia man did. We walked in, casually looking around. We saw no sign of the man with the white fedora.

            “Where did he go?” Macalister asked.

            “He’s in here somewhere. He couldn’t have disappeared.” Robert said, looking around.

We looked around the whole place, walking around. We scanned the stools at the bar, the tables around the room, even the coat closet. Nothing.

            “Where the devil is he?” Gerald asked in confusion.

            “Why don’t we ask the bartender? He had to have seen the man when he came in here. Maybe he saw us coming and walked out the back door?” Robert asked.

            “I like the way you think, Robert.” Gerald said with a grin.

We strode over to the bartender. He looked up at us and smiled.

            “Hello! What can I get you?” He asked kindly while cleaning a glass with a cloth.

            “We aren’t here for drinks. A man came in here about two minutes ago. He was wearing a white fedora. Did you see where he went?” Don asked him.

The bartender furrowed his brow and shook his head.

            “No, sorry. Didn’t see any man wearing a white fedora.” He replied.

            “Are you sure?” Don asked.

            “I’m positive. What is your interest in this man, exactly?” The bartender asked, leaning over the bar.

            “He’s a member of the mafia. We saw him come in here. He just disappeared. You sure you didn’t see him come in here?” Don asked.

            “I told you already, no man with a white fedora came in here.” The bartender said defensively.

Gerald stepped up to the bar.

            “As the captain in charge of the search party responsible for the mafia’s arrest, you wouldn’t mind if I looked around here, would you?” He asked.

The bartender shrugged.

            “I guess not. You won’t find anything here, though.” He said.

            “We’ll see.” Gerald muttered.

Gerald walked across the room, re-inspecting all the people at the stools and the tables. He inspected the coat closet again, moving objects around, looking for the man. He came out, still looking around. He walked over to the bar.

            “Well, it seems that everything here checks out.” He said.

The bartender looked unfazed.

            “See? I told you.” He said.

            “That is, except for one thing.” Gerald said, as if remembering something.

            “What is that?” The bartender asked.

            “Behind the counter.” Came Gerald’s flat reply.

The bartender looked a little uncomfortable. His eyes darted around the room. He then regained his composure.

            “Yes, of course.” He said, walking over and opening the little gate that opened to behind the bar.

Gerald stepped through, checking the shelves behind the bar and walking across the wooden floor. He checked everything, leaving nothing unchecked. He had almost walked completely around the inside of the bar.

            “See? Everything here’s fine.” The bartender said.

Gerald nodded, still looking around. He then took one last step to complete his circle around the inside of the bar. When his foot hit the wooden floor this time, it made a slightly different sound than before. The bartender visibly winced slightly. Confused, Gerald stomped his foot against the place in the floor that made the different sound.

            “It’s hollow. What is this?” Gerald demanded.

            “Why, it’s the cellar, of course. Where else would I store the liquor when it’s not on the shelf?” The bartender asked.

            “Do you mind if I take a look down here?” Gerald asked.

The bartender looked conflicted, but agreed.

            “I suppose not.” He said, stepping aside.

Gerald reached down, finding a metal O ring and he tugged on it. He pulled it up ever so slightly, then the bartender grabbed a nearby glass bottle and broke it over Gerald’s head, knocking him to the floor, unconscious!

            “They know!” The bartender shouted.

We hadn’t noticed, but the men and women in the tavern had been watching us closely. They all got up. Some had daggers, some had little axes.

            “I’m afraid you’ve seen some things that you shouldn’t have seen.” The bartender told us.

            “What? What’s down there?” Stella demanded.

            “Sadly for you, you won’t ever find out.” The bartender answered.

            “What’s going on?” Macalister asked.

            “”It’s a setup! The mafia man did come in here! Everyone here is with the mafia, beneath that trap door is their base!” Robert exclaimed.

The bartender slowly clapped, looking at us with amusement.

            “Oh, bravo. You’ve figured it out. Although I don’t see how it matters, seeing as none of you will leave this building alive.” The bartender said.

He then snapped his fingers and the men and women from the tavern came closer to us, readying their weapons.

            “There’re twenty of them!” Darwin said.

            “And eight of us.” Edwin said, drawing his sword from its sheath on his hip.

Darwin, Edward and Edwin all drew their swords as well. I readied my dagger and so did the others. The oncoming men and women didn’t slow their attack and they were now on us. A man swung his axe at me. I quickly ducked to avoid his attack. While he was recovering from his missed attack, I reeled back and punched him in the nose. I heard a crack! And blood began spewing from his nose. He cried out and clutched it with one hand, wielding his axe in the other. I didn’t want to kill anyone here if I didn’t have to, so I didn’t use my dagger. He wound up to attack me with his axe. He swung but I backed up. I rushed him while he reeled up to hit me again and gave a hard kick to his gut. He fell over backwards and I turned to another opponent, who was already coming at me. She had a dagger much like mine. She thrusted it at me and I struck her weapon with my own, knocking her attack to the side with a loud clang! And a flash of sparks. I may have been a criminal, but I still had honor. I wouldn’t strike a woman. She came back at me with her dagger. I blocked her attack with ease. She then lashed out with her fist to hit me. I caught her attack in my free hand and forced her backwards, sending her stumbling to the ground. I heard someone coming up behind me. I whirled around and saw a burly man with an axe coming at me. He swung his axe down on me, I rolled across the floor, out of the way. He came at me again. I dodged his sideways axe attack and kicked him in the gut while he was reeling back to hit me again. It didn’t faze him. He laughed and punched me square in the face, sending me sprawling and I landed on my back. The man looked down at me, a nasty grin cracked his lips. He raised his axe to finish me off…

And that was when Macalister came up behind him, grabbed him in a headlock and threw him across the room!

            “Are you alright?” Macalister asked, offering me a hand up.

I took it and he pulled me to my feet.

            “Yes, thanks.” I said gratefully, although my face did sting a little bit.

I looked to the others to see that they were fighting the last remaining opponents. Multiple bodies were strewn across the floor. They were all unconscious, but none of them looked to be dead. After the others dispatched their opponents, the room was still.

            “Find some ropes to tie these people up with. We’ll bring them to the queen, then we’ll come back here and investigate that trap door.” Gerald said.

            “Yes sir!” Darwin exclaimed as he searched the room for rope.

We all began our search. I checked the supply closet and found a coil there. I brought it to Gerald.

            “Perfect.” He said as I handed it to him.

He used his sword to cut off manageable amounts and he tied some of the mafia members’ hands behind their backs.

            “Found more rope, sir.” Darwin said as he handed it to Gerald.

Gerald took it and cut off more pieces. Eventually, we had all the mafia members tied up.

            “Okay, we need to take these men to Queen Yuka’s castle.” Edwin said.

            “Right. Let’s go.” Edward told everyone.

            “Wait, I have an idea.” Robert began.

            “What is it?” Gerald asked.

            “As long as we’re going to be infiltrating the mafia’s base, we need to look the part.” Robert explained.

            “What do you mean?” Gerald asked.

            “I mean that we need to search the bodies for their white fedoras. If we march in there without them, they’ll lock the whole place down and we’ll all be killed.” Robert said.

Gerald nodded in understanding.

            “Good thinking. Search the bodies.” Gerald ordered.

We all checked the people’s pockets but found nothing.

            “Check under their coats, that’s where the mafia members at Estaire’s ball pulled their fedoras out of.” Stella said.

We all checked beneath their coats and sure enough, we found white fedoras. We stuck them under our jackets. Just then, the mafia members began to stir.

            “Okay, let’s shove off.” Edwin said, eyeing the mafia members.

We all took two prisoners. Luckily, they were cooperative and didn’t resist, they knew they were beaten. Luckily, there were only eighteen. We marched them up to the Queen Yuka’s castle and we went through the main gates. We saw the others in the garden.

            “You’re back!” Raymond exclaimed.

            “Is that it? Is the mission over?” Erin asked excitedly.

Gerald shook his head.

            “No miss, we just returned to take these mafia members to the queen. Our mission is not yet complete.” Gerald said.

            “What’s left to be done?” Ceberus asked.

            “We found the mafia’s base, we need to get all of the people out and then destroy it.” Stella told him.

Ceberus nodded.

            “Okay. Just, be careful.” He said.

            “Hey, where’s Francella?” Robert asked, noticing his absence.

Ceberus looked around nervously.

            “I’ll tell you later. Just go, complete your mission.” He said.

Robert’s face undertook an expression of confusion.

            “It’s not important right now. Just go, rescue everyone and destroy the mafia base. Everything’s fine.” Martha assured them with a smile.

            “Yes, and be quick about it. Martha here’s been worried sick.” William laughed.

Robert nodded.

            “Okay then.” He said, still confused.

            “Don’t worry. We’ll be back before you know it.” Don said with a grin.

The group nodded and waved at us. We turned and walked through the main entryway and through the throne room foyer. We walked in and forced our prisoners to kneel before the queen. Princess Estaire wasn’t sitting in her throne. Queen Yuka’s eyes brightened.

            “Your majesty, we have apprehended these eighteen mafia members.” Gerald stated proudly.

            “Very well done, Captain Baldwin. These people will be executed for their crimes.” She said.

            “I should hope so. I also have more good news.” Gerald said.

            “What is it?” The queen asked, intrigued.

            “We have discovered the mafia’s base. We are going to get everyone out and destroy it.” He stated.

The queen clapped, donning a grin.

            “Excellent work! Go now, rescue our friends. Their lives are in your hands.” Queen Yuka said.

            “Yes, your majesty!” Gerald said as he stood up and walked off.

We all followed him. I looked back to see Queen Yuka. She sat in her throne, looking into the fear filled eyes of the mafia members. I turned back to follow Gerald and the others. We reached the foyer and shut the throne room door.

            “Now then, we must go. We rescue our friends today!” Gerald said, thrusting a fist in the air.

We all cheered and walked out of the castle. The others waved us good bye on our way out. We will soon have our friends back.

Author's Note

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