Master Brunholm will give you all the information we have on Morne. Now. Go back to the Roosts and get a good night’s sleep. From this moment on you are on alert for the crossing into the Upper World. The crossing is difficult at the moment, after the Seraphim incursion, and Fairman will not give us much notice when he decides to go.”
The cadets were tired when they left the apothecary, but there was to be no rest. They got back to the Roosts at ten o’clock to find Toxique sitting on his bed moaning about blood and death and, down at the far end of the boys’ Roosts, Smyck and Exspectre with satisfied grins on their faces.
“What happened?” Danny asked.
“Smyck,” Les said with a moan. “He found out about Toxique and the family punishment and everything. He’s threatening to tell Toxique’s dad about the failed assassination attempt and blame it on Toxique. And to make it worse, Toxique’s dad is coming to Wilsons tomorrow!”
“How did he find out?” Dixie said.
“It was my fault,” Les said. “I left the beetles in my locker and forgot to lock it. Smyck took them and hid one under my bed. I was trying to make Toxique feel better about everything and Smyck heard it all!”
Danny swung around and looked at Smyck, who grinned and gave him a sarcastic thumbs-up. Danny strode toward him.
“Listen, Smyck,” he said, “this is no joke. If Toxique’s dad thinks he tried to assassinate someone and failed, then Toxique is in serious danger.”
“Yeah, sure,” Smyck said. “Toxiques, always going on about blood and death and stuff like that. I bet nothing will happen to him. Whoever heard of a family killing their own son?”
“Whoever heard of a family of assassins either?” Danny said. “You don’t know what they might do.”
“In that case,” Smyck said, putting his face close to Danny’s, “you’d better mind your manners, Caulfield, because the least squeak from all of you and I’m straight up to Toxique’s old man to tell him how useless his son is.”
“If you do that …,” Danny said, his fists clenched.
Smyck threw his head back and laughed. Danny knew he would have to be watched very carefully the following day.
After Danny got into bed he whispered across to Les.
“Les, we’ve got preparation for this mission tomorrow. Can you trail Smyck?”
“Course I can. Might mean missing a few classes, but I don’t mind that!”
T he following morning both Roosts were late for class. Blackpitt must have slept in, for he didn’t wake them until half an hour later than usual. There was a chorus of displeasure directed at the unseen announcer, and he was snappish back.
“It’s your responsibility to get up, my little chickens. I’m doing you a favor by calling you at all.”
Danny and Les rushed off to Ravensdale for breakfast, snatching up cold toast and dried-out pieces of bacon, realizing with dread that their first class that morning was with Exshaw, who had been known to use lethal force against latecomers.
As the other students darted off to class, Blackpitt directed the mission team to Brunholm’s quarters. There were startled and suspicious looks from the other students, who hadn’t known about a mission. Les whispered a quick “Good luck” to his friends and took off at a run, dragging Toxique behind him by the hand.
Danny and Dixie climbed the stairs to Brunholm’s quarters. They were in one of the oldest parts of the building. None of the dimly lit corridors were straight; mysterious doorways opened onto passages leading off to the side, disappearing into darkness. There were portraits of solemn men and women in black cloaks on the walls, some wearing masks or holding the edge of their cloak across their face to conceal their identity. As Danny and Dixie approached Brunholm’s office, Danny noticed certificates on the wall, all belonging to Brunholm. A place known as the Institute of Advanced Surveillance was “pleased to note” that Brunholm had
The cadets were tired when they left the apothecary, but there was to be no rest. They got back to the Roosts at ten o’clock to find Toxique sitting on his bed moaning about blood and death and, down at the far end of the boys’ Roosts, Smyck and Exspectre with satisfied grins on their faces.
“What happened?” Danny asked.
“Smyck,” Les said with a moan. “He found out about Toxique and the family punishment and everything. He’s threatening to tell Toxique’s dad about the failed assassination attempt and blame it on Toxique. And to make it worse, Toxique’s dad is coming to Wilsons tomorrow!”
“How did he find out?” Dixie said.
“It was my fault,” Les said. “I left the beetles in my locker and forgot to lock it. Smyck took them and hid one under my bed. I was trying to make Toxique feel better about everything and Smyck heard it all!”
Danny swung around and looked at Smyck, who grinned and gave him a sarcastic thumbs-up. Danny strode toward him.
“Listen, Smyck,” he said, “this is no joke. If Toxique’s dad thinks he tried to assassinate someone and failed, then Toxique is in serious danger.”
“Yeah, sure,” Smyck said. “Toxiques, always going on about blood and death and stuff like that. I bet nothing will happen to him. Whoever heard of a family killing their own son?”
“Whoever heard of a family of assassins either?” Danny said. “You don’t know what they might do.”
“In that case,” Smyck said, putting his face close to Danny’s, “you’d better mind your manners, Caulfield, because the least squeak from all of you and I’m straight up to Toxique’s old man to tell him how useless his son is.”
“If you do that …,” Danny said, his fists clenched.
Smyck threw his head back and laughed. Danny knew he would have to be watched very carefully the following day.
After Danny got into bed he whispered across to Les.
“Les, we’ve got preparation for this mission tomorrow. Can you trail Smyck?”
“Course I can. Might mean missing a few classes, but I don’t mind that!”
T he following morning both Roosts were late for class. Blackpitt must have slept in, for he didn’t wake them until half an hour later than usual. There was a chorus of displeasure directed at the unseen announcer, and he was snappish back.
“It’s your responsibility to get up, my little chickens. I’m doing you a favor by calling you at all.”
Danny and Les rushed off to Ravensdale for breakfast, snatching up cold toast and dried-out pieces of bacon, realizing with dread that their first class that morning was with Exshaw, who had been known to use lethal force against latecomers.
As the other students darted off to class, Blackpitt directed the mission team to Brunholm’s quarters. There were startled and suspicious looks from the other students, who hadn’t known about a mission. Les whispered a quick “Good luck” to his friends and took off at a run, dragging Toxique behind him by the hand.
Danny and Dixie climbed the stairs to Brunholm’s quarters. They were in one of the oldest parts of the building. None of the dimly lit corridors were straight; mysterious doorways opened onto passages leading off to the side, disappearing into darkness. There were portraits of solemn men and women in black cloaks on the walls, some wearing masks or holding the edge of their cloak across their face to conceal their identity. As Danny and Dixie approached Brunholm’s office, Danny noticed certificates on the wall, all belonging to Brunholm. A place known as the Institute of Advanced Surveillance was “pleased to note” that Brunholm had
Similar Books
