Gunner's Paradise

The Last Straw Part 1

The school was livelier today than it was normally. Everyone seemed to be carrying some rumor about the incident that had happened. Bits of pieces being stitched and woven together. It created tensions between those that were there from before and those that were new. One group trying to quell the other. Arguments ensued as the Court was also engaged with the arrival of news.

"They are both dead? Do you know who did it?" Mathinda asked. She sat back, fully extended in her chair as she waited for an answer.

The other members at the table were all speaking over each other as the news was revealed to them by the messenger. She raised her hand for silence and signaled for the person to continue.

"It was reported as a boy and a girl leaving an alley. We have already given compensation for the information and we have several persons waiting in the other room. We have also confirmed it from that location as multiple people have witnessed it."

Mathinda cleared her throat, "A girl and a boy...can you give me a description of what they looked like? Bring in that person that saw them, I need to hear what they have to say."

"Yes, my lady." The man bowed as he presented the first witness.

An old man walked in. He smelt like filth, far worse than the ones that she normally kept in the school. She hid her displeasure.

"Tell me everything that you saw."

The old man looked at her and spoke all the information of what he witnessed and saw at that point.

She listened to everything and when he was finally silent, she smiled. Ah she pondered, the girl he described didn't match Natalya but seemed strangely familiar to the one that was mentioned to her before by that gang. That wasn't important to her; all that mattered was having Natalya back into her care. That girl was her key to use as a tool to ensure her success here. What happened to the other wasn't of any great concern.

"What is your name?" Mathinda asked looking him over.

The man kept his distance as he responded: "my name is Albert."

"Ah, Albert. Make sure this man is fully rewarded," She said motioning for a follower to guide him out.

"The information that he mentioned matches this Cindy description that was given to us a while back to a T," Rosendale said.

The members all nodded in agreement.

Now that they knew what their enemy was after what should they do about it, Mathinda thought but someone quickly saw to ask it.

"What should we do about the White Fist? Should we inform them that we found the girl?" Gertrude asked

"We shouldn't be quick to give them the girl. She can serve as leverage," Mya suggested.

"Maybe we can use this to our advantage?" Henry said looking over at Mathinda. "We have information that we could have them pay for, and we have witnesses. It's only a matter of time before they discover this information themselves."

"No." Mathinda shot him down. "We will capture the girl and make sure to find out what makes her so important to them."

"Send in the next person," she said.

She listened to one report after another and she had a general idea of the location. It sounded strange for those kids to be in that area to her.

Henry asked for an excuse from the room and Mathinda granted it as the next person came into the court. Mya shot him a glance as he left.

She thought it over again, wondering if that was truly where they were or where they had hidden after the altercation. The only way to know for sure is to have someone go there and check. She couldn't send some idiot to do this she knew that for sure like those two buffoons although they still proved useful in death now in their own way.

All the witnesses had come and gone. Still the most credible source had been the old man. He had details from beginning to end and even the location although she was still skeptical about it. After all, he was just a vagabond and he could have made up some of the stories to get treated better.

Henry had not returned and Mya and Elizabeth had also left, she thought it strange too strange but she couldn't put her finger on it. The fools were too dumb for them to scheme a strategic plan. However, she couldn't rule it out. She could trust none of them and she had a plan in case things got drastic; a last resort which she hoped she would never have to use.

The court had been in an uproar now for a few hours in what to do; spying, bribery or force. All avenues had been suggested but it might take too long and waste valuable time and opportunity so Mathinda knew she could only rely on one person to get this job done for her and kill two birds with one stone.

"Mark, she called as he appeared beside her "take some well-behaved gentlemen and go to the final area of the report. Have them stationed out there and check with the surrounding people about these children. Any information you can find or if they live in that area."

"Yes, my lady," he replied as he bowed and walked through the door.