Dame Sara Illou, Knight of the Land, glanced around the warehouse. Half an hour had passed since she and Dayron had disabled the security system in the storeroom, preventing the threat of the warehouse being set aflame. Now it was almost time for the final part of her plan.
Dayron had put her on guard duty on the eastern side. Then she'd told him to leave, to retreat to her tavern room and wait for her there so as not to get caught up in the raid that would follow. She hoped he'd listened - she'd not seen him around the warehouse since, at least.
There was one other guard on the door with her, which was locked. Dayron had also given her his key before leaving, and she carefully made sure that it was still in her pocket. The ninth bell would not be far away and that was when she needed to open the door to let the City Watch in.
She turned to the other guard. The man smiled back at her.
"New here?" he asked.
She shrugged. "I guess so. Why?"
"You look tense, is all. Not used to the shady life?" He laughed.
Of course, the man did not know the real reason Sara was tense and she had no intention of telling him. He was a criminal like all the others. "You don't mind the work?"
He looked at her with curiosity. "Not at all. Why would I? I don't know the rich idiots we steal from." He narrowed his eyes. "Why? Do you?"
His hand flicked to the pommel on his sword. "I don't think you're to be trusted."
But Sara was not stupid. She would not have got into an argument that could jeopardise her whole plan without good reason. With the guard distracted she lunged for the door, hoping that she had got the time right.
She had. Just as she hauled open the lock the ninth bell rang. The other guard shouted, trying to grab her, but she was too strong and the door flew open. Before the criminal knew what was happening at least thirty members of the City Watch had rushed in through the doors. One of them grabbed him and put their hand over his mouth so he could not shout for help as they hauled him outside, under arrest.
Jayson followed up at the rear of the group, shouting orders, then noticed Sara. He smiled, jogging to stand next to her. "Good work, Dame Knight. The City Watch can handle it from here."
The guardsmen and women rushed into the warehouse, and shouts went up all around. Sara knew that the City Watch would be fine though, their superior training and arms when compared to a bunch of criminal smugglers would see them through. Suddenly Captain Reynolds, head of the smugglers, burst into sight, his eyes wide with shock as he ran headlong for one of the ropes that set off the trap system in the storeroom. He reached it just as two members of the City Watch apprehended him but he still managed to wrap his fist around the rope and tug it hard.
"Fools!" he shrieked. "Now everything will burn and you'll have nothing!"
But nothing burnt. The rope fell slack in his hand and he screamed in rage as he realised his trap had failed. The two guardsmen wrestled him to the ground, hauling him out of the warehouse. Then his eyes fell to Sara.
"You! Freya! You betrayed me!" he shouted, spittle flying from his mouth in pure hatred. "You bitch!"
Sara narrowed her eyes and stepped towards him. "My name is Dame Sara Illou, and I am a Knight of the Land," she said coldly. "Your operation is over and your days as a crime lord have come to an end, Reynolds. Enjoy your time in prison."
He didn't respond but Sara noticed the fear in his eyes when she announced who she really was. She didn't enjoy terrifying him but at the same time she was not about to let anyone speak to her like that, let alone a criminal.
