Exploitable Weaknesses Brian Keller (e reader pdf best TXT) đ
- Author: Brian Keller
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After breakfast, one of the men rescued from the quarry approached him, ââScuse me, lad. I hear somma your people talkinâ about offerinâ spaces to open new businesses. I usta run a teamâa porters over on the Waterfront. It seems ta me that witâ alla the work goinâ on here, makinâ it nice fer new merchants anâ all, a shippinâ business might find more workân it could handle. Eh?â Rather than inquire further, as to whether the man had the means or if it was simply an idea, Cooper pointed at Birt, âTalk to him about your plans. Maybe we can work something out.â The man followed Cooperâs instructions and approached Birt, spoke a few words and pointed back at him. Birt followed the gesture and gave Cooper a questioning look. Cooper simply gave Birt and exaggerated shrug and a look, as if to say, âHear him out. See what he has to say.â Birt didnât seem pleased but he gave the porter his full attention.
Cooper returned to the Waterfront. It had almost become part of a routine, except this morning it felt a little like returning to the scene of a crime. He tried to think of it as any Waterfront citizen would, he was here every day because this is where he lived. Where else would he be? He began walking along the boardwalk, keeping one hand on his pouch and stopping at all the vendor carts. He hadnât walked more than the span of six buildings before heâd spotted a small group selling Apex. Theyâd chosen their location carefully. Tucked in away from the street. Close enough to step out and blend with the crowd, but far enough that they could quickly retreat further into the Waterfront neighborhood and disappear.
Cooper wondered if he could be convincing enough to mobilize a few Watch patrols to surround these men from Lukasi. He looked for the nearest patrol. He didnât need to look far. Just a week ago, it might take several minutes to find a soldier of the Watch. Lately it seemed as if there was a Watchman for every ten citizens. Cooper wondered whether they had enough men to patrol the other neighborhoods. It almost seemed like every man on the cityâs payroll had converged on the Waterfront.
As he drew closer, an odd thing happened. One of the guards picked him out of the crowd. The phenomenon of ârecognitionâ is an unmistakable event. The man of the Watch nudged the soldier next to him and, getting his attention, thrust his chin in Cooperâs direction. The second man followed the gesture. âRecognitionâ again. The second man nudged the third and they all turned to move in his direction. Cooper had seen more than enough. He was already moving away and shifting through the crowd. He heard a loud, commanding voice from behind him, âYou there! Halt!â Cooper almost grinned. He wondered if anyone ever actually halted when hearing those words. He turned sprinted a few steps and heard another voice from behind him, âHey! Someone from the Palace wants to talk to you!â Not stopping, he turned and sped straight through the small group of drug peddlers and was past them before they had a chance to draw their short, curved blades. He almost laughed at the thought of the confrontation that was about to happen if the soldiers continued to pursue him. He hoped they would. After passing a dozen buildings he slowed and glanced behind him, listening for any sounds of steel on steel. He heard only the sounds of the city.
One thing that was certain, whoever was looking for him could describe him well enough that the Watch knew him by sight. Unless theyâd mistaken him for someone elseâŠ? He shook his head. That would be a foolish assumption. As he considered the facts, he realized that heâd expected the Spymaster to attempt to seek him out, as his new, reliable informant. He certainly hadnât expected the entire City Watch to be involved in the recruitment
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