Revolution (Book 2 in the Rise Trilogy)

A Traitor, A Battle, and a Fake Letter

A Traitor, A Battle, and a Fake Letter

“Well, this place hasn’t changed a bit in the last three days we’ve been gone,” I note as Connor and I enter West Point again.

I see Arnold talking to John Anderson not far away. They seem to be in deep secretive conversation when we approach them.

“Ah, Connor, Riley,” Major General Arnold comes walking towards with a smile or really fake smile on his face. “Just the man and child I wanted to see.” I roll my eyes and try to ignore that last part. “Well done capturing the traitor. But I must ask more of you two.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Like what?”

“There are some kegs of powder resting inside the fort,” Arnold begins. “Bring them to the magazine. Dismissed.”

Rolling my eyes again, I glance one more time to the two men who give me stern looks before I turn around to follow Connor and mumble, “As you wish, your majesty.”

Connor chuckles at my comment as we walk towards the two little power kegs sitting only ten feet from the magazine.

“Well isn’t somebody lazy,” I mutter as I bend down to lift up a keg. Connor follows my suit and follows me over to the magazine.

“Remind me why we are still here?” Connor asks me as we walk around the fort to try and find Arnold again.

I grin as I walk ahead of him. “Didn’t you see how fast those men wanted to get rid of us?” I ask Connor. “They are planning something and they don’t want us getting in their way.”

“We need to follow them don’t we?” Connor asks looking at me.

“Exactly,” I reply. “We need to see what they’re up to.”

Then we see why we’re here. I point to Arnold who is talking to John Anderson or the dude we helped move the stupid boxes around with.

I tap Connor’s shoulder and he glances at me as I press a finger to his lips to silence him. I then point with my other finger to the brush nearby them to use for cover. Connor nods and we both creep silently into the brush.

“Are you well?” Arnold asks John.

“As well as I can be given the circumstances,” he replies. “You?”

The men begin to move again as they speak. So we follow.

“Same,” Arnold says. “But we're close, so very close. We need to talk about this someplace with fewer curious ears.”

They two men walk a little more ways into the cover of the deck above our heads and then make their ways out of the fort and into the clearing of the forest. Connor follows closely behind me.

“Has Clinton agreed?” John asks once the two of them are out of earshot of anybody else, or so they think.

“It is done,” Arnold says triumphantly. “Only the matter of my compensation remains, something of the utmost importance to me. Deliver this letter.” Arnold hands John a small sealed letter which is immediately stowed away into the concealment of a coat. “Make absolutely sure he gets it. Please be cautious. A mistake at this stage would be, unfortunate. When we come out on the other side of this thing, I'll make sure you're rewarded Major André. Generously.”

Anderson chuckles. “You mean John Anderson, sir.”

“Yes,” Arnold replies with an evil looking grin.

After this, the two men part ways. Arnold heads back to the fort while Anderson or Andre goes deeper into the forest. Connor and I follow the Major and find ourselves passing another unsuspecting solder and a commoner arguing over a broken cart that we pass without being seen and continue on.