The Journeymen

Flipping the Switch

Jack and Chuck had heard everything. They knew somebody was watching them from the forest and that their guests had probably been following them for a while. They built their fire bigger than they normally would with partially green wood to cause more smoke. Chuck had even prepared the rabbit in the most fragrant way possible. Their goal was to make whoever it was that was watching them believe their guard was down. They chose to lure them in.

Their choice of Anya for first watch was intentional as well. She was capable, more so than most men, but the two experienced Journeymen knew that of the three, she was the most likely to be underestimated. They knew she would be able to handle herself long enough for them to get what information they needed before they intervened. Jack and Chuck planned to turn the ambush into a counter-ambush.

As Jack laid in his bed roll he watched and listened. He heard the voice of a human male and the voice of the goblin who spoke. That meant that this smaller group, probably six in number if there were none that he missed, were a scouting party from the group that had attacked Anya's village.

Jack wondered how many had been sent out. He was sure the countryside was crawling with small scouting parties of this size, searching for any survivors of previous attacks and searching for new targets as well. They would need to warn any villages, farms, or travelers that they passed on their road north. Jack also heard the goblin refer to the human male as boss. So the humans were in charge. Or at least this one was in charge of this scouting party.

Based off of what he could see in the darkness there was the human male, currently hitting his apprentice. Jack made a mental note to make sure the man would receive what he deserved for his actions. Then there were the two goblins holding Anya and another three goblins, each holding their crude hand weapons.

The human was waving around a pistol of some kind. It was difficult to make out but it appeared to be stainless steel or some other shiny finish. Jack also saw a modern compound bow and a quiver of arrows slung across the man's back. Jack made a mental note to use his pistol to engage as many targets as quickly as possible.

Chuck had a light mounted on his rifle and Jack also had a light on his pistol. Jack planned to engage the bright light attached to his weapon to blind the would-be ambushers. He knew his partner would be thinking the same thing. Chuck had taught him the trick over a decade ago when the more experienced officer was his training officer with the Sheriff's department. Sudden, blinding light makes a powerful tool in the dark.

As the two Journeymen lay waiting for the right moment to strike, Anya suddenly made the decision for them. Jack watched as the man's head snapped back and then saw her twist away, stabbing one of the goblins in the process. When the man holstered his pistol and drew his knife, Jack knew the time to watch and listen was over.

In unison the two Journeymen leapt out of their bed rolls and activated their weapon lights. Thousands of lumens lit up the night and the two men began firing. Jack intended to shoot the man first but as he lined up the head shot, a goblin stepped in the way, taking the large .45 caliber bullet behind its right ear. The big, dumb creature seemed to fall in slow motion, providing the man cover to escape.

The expert marksman snapped a quick shot off as the man disappeared into the trees, striking him in his left arm. He gritted his teeth in frustration and turned to firing on the goblins. He and Chuck fired rapidly, taking down four of the goblins and wounding a fifth which followed its human master into the forest. The goblin that Anya had stabbed gurgled and writhed on the ground in its death throes. Chuck fired a single shot into the creature's head, speeding it along its way to death.

Jack and Chuck exchanged looks before Jack said, "My night vision is toast now, it would be way too dangerous to chase them."

Chuck nodded in agreement, "They won't be coming back. I saw you wound the guy. And I put two into the goblin. I wouldn't be surprised if they both wandered off and died."

***

Jack walked over to Anya, who was still shielding her eyes from the brightness of their weapon lights. Jack deactivated his light and holstered his pistol before offering Anya a hand. Anya took his hand and stood up, spitting blood on the ground from a bleeding lip.

"I had them you know," she said. Jack quietly laughed at his new apprentice. The lean young woman stood before them, bruised cheek and messy hair with a knife that dripped black goblin blood in her hand.

"You know, I really think she did," Chuck said, carrying Anya's rifle and pistol that he recovered from the ground. Anya wiped the bloody knife on the grass before resheathing it.

Chuck handed her the rifle and pistol, saying, "Still though, knife fights can get pretty messy and we can't have our new apprentice getting all cut up, even if she does win the fight."

Anya smiled and took the weapons, holstering the pistol and slipping the rifle sling over her shoulder. "Did you guys know they were there?" she asked, suddenly feeling like live bait.

Jack nodded, "We knew somebody was there. We weren't sure if it was men or goblins. Turns out it was both. And I know what you're thinking, no, you weren't bait. We wanted to see how you'd handle yourself. Not only did you refuse to answer questions but you also found your own way to get away from three different bad guys who were holding you. It would have been better if you hadn't let them catch you at all of course."

Anya's smile melted away at Jack's criticism as she looked at her feet. She didn't want to let on but she knew the man and his goblin followers had caught her unaware while she was on watch duty. She hadn't heard a sound and saw nothing but she knew a Journeyman would have.

Chuck patted her on the shoulder, "But we learned something because we got to listen to him question you. We know that the goblins and men are working together and that at least with the group, the people are in charge."

Anya nodded, tucking her fallen hair behind her ears. That hair tie was the only one she  brought so she guessed she'd be improvising until she found a new one.

"Sorry, it won't happen again," she said, looking up, first at Chuck and then at Jack. Both men nodded.

Chuck then asked, "You ok kid? That guy smacked you pretty hard. And it looks like he pulled your hair pretty good too. That's why I don't have any."

Chuck ran a hand over his head, only a shadow of salt and pepper hair showing around the sides and back of his dark head.

Jack laughed, "Yeah like you have a choice, old man."

Chuck punched his friend in the shoulder before putting his arm around Anya's shoulders and led her back to the campsite, asking her again in a softer tone, "Really, are you ok?"

Anya nodded, "I've had worse. My cheek will probably have a pretty good bruise in the morning but that's no big deal."

Chuck nodded, "So no healing magic tonight. You can go ahead and get some sleep, Jack and I will take care of the rest of the night watch."

Anya walked to her bed roll and flopped down. She left her pistol holstered on her hip as she saw Chuck did. Jack stayed out in the dark forest to continue the watch. At first, Anya couldn't even think about sleeping as the adrenaline from the fight pumped through her veins. Soon though, her heart rate slowed and her eyelids grew heavy. Anya finally drifted off to sleep to the oddly comforting sounds of Chuck's heavy breaths.