354 Stealing a Town (1/2)
Falledge, North Star Trading Company
The four business directors of North Star Trading sat around the coffee table of Etoro's office. Each of them had grim expressions on their faces while their cups of tea had long turned cold in the early hours of the morning.
A polite knock came from the door of the office and everyone in the room tensed up, some of them gripped and half drew their swords when the door opened, revealing a clerk in the North Star Training uniform. ”Sirs, they are here.”
The fat figure of Etoro finally gave out a deep sigh and looked at the rest of his companions and said, ”It's time.”
The other three nodded and picked up a piece of white cloth from the coffee table and tied it around their left biceps. Etoro stood up and watched the three followed his clerk out and said, ”Stay safe, my brothers!”
The three turned around and smiled, ”Wait for us to return in victory! And keep a bottle of your finest ready to be opened when we come back!”
Etoro smiled back and watched as his buddies went downstairs, joining dozens of others armed with smuggled weapons and a white armband. He returned to his seat and slumped down tiredly and prayed for his brothers to survive.
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Outskirts of Falledge, 0405 hours
Figures slowly crept forward out of the forest and fields, heading towards the dark walls of the town. They bypassed the farms and shanties quietly before they stopped before the massive closed town gates and waited.
Not long, a lantern flashed on the top of the wall and the waiting figures replied with flashing light. A set of predetermined light signals were exchanged and Lieutuant Collins hissed, ”Take out the guards now! GO!”
The sleepy guards outside the walls were quickly and quietly dispatched and the recruits pushed forward and waited for the side door of the gates to open. As they waited anxiously, the side door of the gate creaked out and a white arm banded figure with a cloth masked over his face waved the soldiers in.
The soldier recruits rushed in and under the guidance of the instructors, they spread out and took up positions covering the town. Lt Collins came up to a group of masked elves with white armbands and introduced himself, ”United Nations Marines, Lieutenant Collins. Who is in charge here?”
”Me,” A beefy looking elf stepped forward. He held a long handled blacksmith hammer in his hands and pulled down the cloth mask covering his face, exposing a face covered in a thick bushy beard. ”Ahhh... It's hard to breathe and talk in these!”
The beefy elf took a deep breath and exhaled before breaking out in a smile and greeted Collins, ”I am called Bock, a blacksmith here!”
”I lead these guys here!” Bock the blacksmith gestured to the group of people numbering over twenty. ”We all here suffered some grievances from the Empire and are willing to follow your soldiers!”
Lt Collin nodded and quickly stated his needs, ”I need people who know the streets of Falledge inside out. I need them to guide to my men in the town.”
Bock turned and pointed out a few youngsters in the group, ”They know the streets pretty well and can lead your men wherever they need to go!”
”Good!” Lt Collin nodded and called for his company, platoon leaders and NCOs over.
”I want the Companies to split up and start hitting the barracks, town watch, administration buildings, the Guilds, and local commander and governor's mansion,” Collins eyed each commander. ”As planned before, A company will hit the Barracks, B company to go for the town watch. C company to push hold the main plaza and the Town Hall, D and E company will take the Guilds and F company will take the mansions.”
”These guys here will act as guides,” Lt Collins gestured to the elves recommended by Bock. ”Each platoon grab one guide and move out.”
”And as we have spoken before, a single platoon from G company is to hold each of the gates. No one in and no one out till this is over,” Collins said.
”Sir, yes, Sir!” The commanders replied.
”And last of all, we have friendlies in the town,” Collins gestured to the white armband. ”I don't want any friendly fire! Move out!”
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Falledge, 0500 hours
Night watchman Ferris was turning forty two this winter. He had worked as a watchman for over ten years mostly in the night shift. Tonight he had broken up two fights in two separate bars and dumped the offenders into the town jail to sleep their drunkness off.
But he felt a sense of strangeness to the town that night. Something feels off, it was like a gut feeling that something was wrong and something bad was about to happen. Yet he couldn't tell the rest, as they will just tease him and laugh at his worries.
Therefore he could only force himself to stay awake and as alert as possible. But other than the two incidents with the drunks, the night till morning was peaceful. He yawned and rubbed his tired eyes as he sat on the five storey high watchtower that allowed him a view of the town surroundings.
As he was thinking to himself that he must be getting old and worrying too much, he spotted several shadows moving along the street. He stood closer to the edge and peered down into the darkness, the street's glow lamps had long dimmed down as the energy in them had depleted hours ago.
He looked long and hard, but the shadows had stopped moving. He scratched his balding head, wondering if he was seeing things before he returned to his seat while rubbing his tired eyes hard.
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0515 Hours
The section's marksman kept his scope at the watchtower, only calling out to the rest when the head disappeared out of view. ”Go!”