Orcs: Bad Blood by Stan Nicholls

Author:Stan Nicholls
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Action & Adventure, Orcs, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Epic, War
ISBN: 9780316033695
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2009-04-07T22:00:00+00:00

16

Dawn had yet to break, and the air was chill.

The compound was a bleak collection of slab-like buildings on the outskirts of Taress. It was surrounded by a high timber wall, and there were several lookout towers. Guards patrolled inside the perimeter, and a small contingent defended the only set of gates.

In a copse on the side of a nearby hill a number of figures were stretched out on the ground, surveying the scene. Stryke, Coilla, Haskeer and Dallog were there, along with Pepperdyne, ten Wolverine privates and two resistance members. Pepperdyne was wearing a dark blue military uniform.

"They use this place solely for interrogation and executions," one of the resistance orcs explained. "Prisoners are kept in the biggest block, over there." He pointed. "The smaller ones are the torture and death chambers."

"Where will your comrades be?" Stryke asked.

"Could be anywhere."

"Great," Coilla said.

The orc pointed again. "See those two buildings? With the thatched roofs? That's the officers' mess and the barracks."

"They're your remit, Dallog," Stryke said.

The corporal nodded, and in turn looked to Nep, Zoda, Gant and Reafdaw, who all had bows strapped to their backs. "Think you can manage 'em?" The quartet gave the thumbs up. "Those and the towers are asking a lot, Stryke," Dallog reckoned.

"This whole mission's asking a lot." He directed that at the resistance members.

"Curfew's going to end soon," one of them said, "so your timing's gotta be spot on."

"We kind of knew that," Coilla replied dryly.

"Least you'll have the element of surprise. They won't be expecting something so bold."

"You mean you've never tried anything like this before?"

He shook his head. "Nobody has."

"This just gets better."

"Can we count on you two for help?" Stryke wanted to know.

"We're only here to observe and report back. But we'll be waiting with transport if you get out again."

Stryke bit off a response and turned to Pepperdyne. "You all right with this?"

"Do we have a choice?" He wriggled a couple of fingers into the buttoned-up collar of his uniform and tried stretching it. "Damn thing's too tight," he complained.

"Fidgeting won't make it any bigger," Coilla said.

"This concerns me more." He pointed at a small, dark red stain on the breast.

"Guess that was from the last owner. You'll have to hope nobody notices."

Pepperdyne stared at the compound. "What if they want a password or something?"

"It's a risk we'll have to take," Stryke told him.

"That's an officer's uniform," one of the resistance members explained. "High ranking. It should be enough to get you in."

"What worries me," Haskeer said, "is there'll only be three of us." He glanced at Pepperdyne. "And one a human at that."

"Any more would be too suspicious," the resistance member pointed out.

Stryke sighed. "All right, let's do this." To Coilla he added, "Be ready to shift, and fast."

Keeping low, he moved away. Haskeer and Pepperdyne followed.

At the foot of the hill, and out of sight of the compound, they came to an open wagon. They clambered on to it.

"Time to bind you," Pepperdyne said, taking up a coil of rope.

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