"Assemble runners," Sullo ordered. When those had been gathered he sent themoff with orders that would strip the barracks of men and arms and would sendfour thousand soldiers into the Shu. He wanted to overawe the Dartars there with everything he had.
The military staff were astounded and baffled. When they asked what he wasdoing he told them, "What brought me here was a report, from a reliable agent, that al-Akla is about to shift sides and rebel with the natives. At the moment he's in the Shu maze, attempting to penetrate the citadel through secretpassages. If he succeeds-and he expects to do so before dawn-the citadel is tobecome the headquarters for his Dartars and the native rebels. We weren'tsupposed to discover his treachery till the Dartar standard appeared atop thecitadel, which would be the signal for a general uprising.
"Thanks to my agent we have an opportunity to abort this treachery. And toclaim a conqueror's share of the citadel treasures."
He could not tell if they believed him. He did not care. They went to work asthough they believed.
An hour later he was out in the rain at the head of Char Street, telling an improved version of his story to field officers while soldiers cursed theweather and hurried to surround the Shu maze. This audience was more skepticalthan that at Government House. But recent events made convincing evidence forSullo's contentions.
Sullo believed none of his story himself. He could not picture Qushmarrahansor Dartar savages as posing a serious threat.
Nogah came sliding out of the darkness to report, "The carpenter was right.
Sullo swallowed the bait whole. He has messengers running everywhere, callingout the troops. Looks like he's going to send every man he can scrape up."
"Excellent." Fa'tad called men out of the alley, sent messenger aftermessenger scurrying off. Yoseh paid no attention. Nobody but Fa'tad knew whatFa'tad was up to. Trying to figure it out just confused him. And everyoneelse, too. Even Nogah had stopped asking questions and just went ahead and didwhat he was told.
Anyway, he was distracted. Tamisa had come home a few minutes ago and he couldnot keep his mind off that place down the street. Foolish, he knew. But hefelt crazy enough to just walk down there and knock and ask to see her, tofind out how she was.
Men were slipping away, climbing quietly to the upper level above the alley orcrossing Char Street to disappear into the nearest alleys over there. Fa'tadhurried up top to "check on masonry stores," whatever that meant. When herenamed, he said, "Yoseh, come here a minute."
Yoseh went, with a sinking feeling. Nogah and Medjhah closed in. They lookedgrim, what he could see of them. He did not think he was going to like this.
Fa'tad said, "The ferrenghi will be here soon. When they come those of us lefthere will scatter like we've been taken off guard. Yoseh, I have a role foryou to play."
Yoseh groaned. The soft sound vanished in the patter of falling rain andchuckle of water running in the street.
"When we scatter I want you to run around like a mouse in a panic. You'reyoung and you do a good job of looking confused. They shouldn't be suspiciouswhen they catch you."
Nogah and Medjhah protested.
"Quiet." Fa'tad told Yoseh the story he wanted related to the ferrenghisoldiers. "You stick to that, don't resist, and pretend to be scared andyou'll be all right."
Yoseh knew he would not have to pretend. He did not announce that, though.
Fa'tad said, "Just to make sure, and to give you a little added confidence ... Come along." He marched straight down to Tamisa's door.
Yoseh followed, bent against the rain, suddenly conscious of the massive loomof his surroundings, warrens filled with terrified rabbits. How many thousandswere in there, praying that no one out here remembered they existed?
The carpenter looked out his peephole. Al-Akla said, "Fa'tad." He never called himself the Eagle. "A word, if you please." The veydeen opened the door and beckoned them inside.
Yoseh found Tamisa immediately. She was changing Stafa. Her sister was tending the old woman. He and the girl locked gazes. She lost track of what she was doing. Fa'tad was saying something to the carpenter about leaving his door unlatched so Yoseh could use it as a bolt-hole if he got the chance, after the ferrenghi captured and questioned him. Yoseh took a step forward. He kept looking at the girl but spoke to the older sister. "How is she doing?"
"She's going to be all right." "That's good." After an uncomfortable pause, "We should have Arif out soon."
The older sister glanced up. There was moisture in her eyes but her voice was cool and even. "Thank you." "Yoseh. Come along."
He stepped into the rain hoping he had not lied.
"Did you hear what we said in there?"
"Yes sir."
"Try to keep it in mind. The ferrenghi are coming." Fa'tad faded into the darkness.
A clangor wakened Azel.
Soldiers! Masses of soldiery. There was no racket like that made by masses of armed men in a hurry.
He bounded to the window, his wounds sending bolts of pain through his flesh.
Rain and darkness. Not a lot to see but scores of lanterns, like swarming fireflies, moving into the Shu.
What now? There were thousands of men down there.
He made himself as comfortable as he could. This would be a long and troubled vigil. Naszif returned to Government House after a prolonged and thankless round of inspections for Colonel Bruda. Government House was as still as a tomb.
Bruda should be pleased. The Gate of Autumn was untouchable. The soldiers there were ready for anything.
Control of that gate would be crucial, whatever happened.
He entered Government House enrapt in his own misery. He was in Herodianharness for the first time ever. And Herodian uniforms were not suited for the rain. Until he neared Bruda's offices he did not realize that something waswrong.
The moment the silence struck home he grabbed an ensign and asked what hadhappened.
Worse than he could have imagined in a nightmare. Bruda laid low. Sullo incontrol. "The fool! The damned fool!" This was madness. "It's a trap! It hasto be a trap!" And it was too late to keep the trap from closing.
Nothing to do now but try to survive.
The sentries assigned to patrol the wall north of the Gate of Autumn were not.
They huddled inside, out of the rain. Their officers were more guilty thanthey. Because the sentries were not in an area considered critical no one hadinformed them that there was high excitement in Qushmarrah tonight.
The wall did not remain naked. Nomads came and dropped rope ladders. Silentmen came up from outside, moved into the city, steady as trails of ants.
Who would believe it? Dartars did not go toward possible battle without theirmounts. Everyone knew that who knew nothing about life.and history in theKhadatqa Mountains.
No Herodian saw them but they were not overlooked by the eyes of the Living.
Governor Sullo moved down Char Street toward where Fa'tad al-Akla had had his command post. His Moretians formed a tight screen around him. A tribune by hisside said, "The men are moving into the maze through all the entrances theDartars left open."
"What about the savages? Any resistance?"
"No. They've scattered like startled mice. We've only caught one so far. Justa kid. Didn't know which way to run. Ended up plowing right into our men. Theyscared hell out of him. Had him talking in five minutes."
"Good. I'll have a few questions for him. Can we do something about theseanimals?" Char Street was filled with nervous horses and camels.
"They'll wander away when they get hungry enough, sir."
Sullo gave the tribune a sharp look. Another one of those, performing hisduties with an absolute rectitude that masked a contempt for the civilauthority.
They would by damned get that whipped out of them before he was finished withQushmarrah.
Momentarily, he wondered what reliable hulls were available, in harbor. Hewould have a treasure fleet to form as soon as the weather cleared.