Mystery and Crime Fiction posted August 12, 2014

Chapters:

...35 36 -37- 38...

Exceptional

The plan to have the Bard captured is implemented.

A chapter in the book Bel Air: A Bard's Guide

Barry inspects, The Bard is captured

by michaelcahill

Previously, Barry had very little trouble taking control of the compound. He met some of his officers and prepared to inspect the faiclities especially the prisoner's quarters. The Bard, Tenaya and Lucy observed the compound from nearby and prepared to infiltrate posing as para military with the Bard as their prisoner. We continue now as Barry is about to inspect the prisoner's facilities.

~~~~~~~The prisoners cells at Winston's Compound

 
The guards took Barry inside and showed him the prisoners housing and interrogation rooms. There weren't very many prisoners besides the children. He recognized one of them right away, Lincoln, the Blackwell family butler. He stopped to find out what in the world he was doing there.
 
"Lincoln. What in hell are you doing here in a cell?"
 
Lincoln looked at him with contempt. "Where the hell is Winston? That bastard could fill you in. What in hell are you doing here? That prick took my grandkids. I'm supposed to allow that? Blackwell's little precious blond granddaughter gets abducted and the world gets involved. My three grandbabies don't raise an eyebrow. Why's that, I wonder? Hmmm?"
 
"Hey, don't blame me. I just took over. Maybe he just doesn't like your attitude. I know I don’t." With that, Barry turned to leave.
 
"Wait. Wait! I'm sorry. I know it ain't on you. You've gotta get me outta here. What's he need with my grandkids, man? I hear plenty of kids in here. Let me go. I'll take the kids home to their momma and not say a word."
 
"Yeah… can't chance that. Sorry, Lincoln. He had his reasons, I'm sure. The ball bounces that way sometimes." He turned and walked away as Lincoln screamed bloody murder at him.
 
"The children don't look to be healthy at all. What gives here? These kids are money. They look like hell. This is ready to go? Dammit, every agency on earth is lookin' to swoop down on this place like vultures. I sent word to get these kids out of here. I meant alive for Christ's sake, not in body bags. Now, get on it!" Barry stormed out of the prisoners quarters to find Fluffy still where he'd left her.
 
"Okay, now listen up, soldier. I've got about one hundred orphans in there that I've got to get out of there. Do you understand, soldier?"

"Orphans, sir?"
 
"That's what I said, soldier. Winston's mistake. I don't know what his plans were, but my plans are to get them out of here. Do you understand my plan, soldier?"
 
"Sir, yes, sir!" Fluffy responded in the affirmative, but she didn't understand. Kids? Orphans? That's not what I signed on for. What the hell kinda mess is this?
 
"Well, good. Now, I've got vans coming in to transport these individuals out of here a few at a time. I want them ready to go. You're in charge. Do you think you can handle that?"
 
"Sir, yes, sir." Handle what for Christ's sake. This isn't good. I didn't sign on to hurt no kids. I ain't standin' for that.
 
 
 
 
~~~~~~~The hills above the Winston Compound
 

"Damn! You can't see it until you are almost in it. For all I know we are on compound grounds right now." Lucy planted a homing device where they were for other agencies to use as an approach point. There was good cover here for a point of entry. If something went wrong then at least they had some kind of starting point.
 
Tenaya didn't usually fidget. She seldom let on she had any nerves at all. She couldn't hide them this time. So much hung in the balance this time. Dozens of children were held captive by people that care nothing for their wellbeing. There would be nothing unthinkable for people like this. "So, we take him as our prisoner and hope we can find the right place to take him to." She looked at the Bard and there was no sign of humor as she spoke. "Remember, you are volunteering your services, but you're a little too far out there for our liking. We thought it best to take you to higher authorities." She finally relaxed and smiled slightly. "Just be yourself."
 
The Bard rarely looked completely sane, but for once, he did. "Let's do this. Those kids are waiting."
 
The Bard looked as though he had made these hills his permanent home years ago. The girls looked para-military all the way. With their training, the likelihood of anyone being as qualified as they were seemed slim. Only the authentic soldiers in camp had anything resembling the training of Lucy and Tenaya.

Add to that their privately acquired training it made for two dangerous and lovely weapons. Their beauty gave them one added advantage. It was always a surprise that a pretty girl was getting the advantage of someone. There was also an initial reluctance to attack them full force. By the time that mistake was realized, it usually had become academic.
 
Within five minutes, they encountered militia. They walked in without drawing attention to themselves. Their theory that the size of the compound would act as a kind of cover for their identity turned out to be on the money. The people they encountered thought nothing of two soldiers escorting a prisoner through camp.
 
They took in as much of the surroundings as they could, whispering ideas to each other.
 
Lucy said, "It is difficult to see structures and equipment even at ground level in the middle of the camp. I've seen buildings and some vehicles, but I couldn't tell you what the buildings were used for. I haven't seen a tank or anything heavy as far as military weaponry goes."
 
Tenaya agreed. "I haven't seen a thing either. That doesn't mean there isn't a rocket launcher right over that hill though. Remember, Winston had a helicopter out in the Mojave Desert. I think we should assume that anything could be here."
 
The Bard seemed excited by that. "Do you think I'll get to meet Luke? This asteroid can only hide us from the Imperial storm troopers for so long. Help me… help me… "
 
"Jesus. That's Star Wars and the Fly mixed together. What next?" Lucy tried not to laugh and draw attention to them.
 
"Next? We need to generate some excitement. Attention WAR MONGERS!" The Bard had raised his voice to a dull roar. "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do… well, what do we have for them, Don Pardo? A NEW WAR! We declare war, Alex, on everything. BECAUES, happiness is a warm gun, hap pe neee ee sss is a warm gun momma. When I hold you in my arms."
 
That seemed to have the desired effect. At least the effect desired by the Bard. Several soldiers came running to see what the commotion was all about. With an audience now, the Bard continued."
 
"I am the one, the only, the celebrated and pretty, Bard of Bel Air. I'm the one that put your mommy, Winston the Wienie Blackwell on his ASS and in the hospital for a colonoscopy. OOOPS! That's a jail cell and that don't look like medical equipment. But, I wanna tell ya, I love it here in Utah. How bout that Jazz! Well, sorry, a little too late there."
 
"Hey. You better shut up, you moron. We don't want to hear your crazy talk. You two, where did you find this worthless hunk of crap."
 
Tenaya stood at attention recognizing the stripes on his shoulder. "Sir, he had a camp right outside the compound, sir. Campfire going, supplies… looks like he's been there awhile. Maybe a spy, maybe a nut. We thought it best to bring him in, sir!"
 
"Good work, soldiers. That's the kind of initiative that get's you promoted around here. Stignowski, escort these two soldiers and their prisoner to the holding cells. When you're done, bring them back to me for debriefing. Oh… and tell Volkov, I'm interrogating this one personally."
 
Before Stignowski could reply, the Bard snapped his heels together and answered, "Ein sprechen flauten struedil hoffen. Krautenbrau de frauline knickers pullin down a pokin quickin stickin. Her Kolov assin lickin chickin stickin. Deutschland uber ales! Sieg Zepplin. Stairway to Heaven. Singin' wunerbal."
 
Tenaya and Lucy managed to keep a straight face. Stignowski pretended to have a coughing fit. Several onlookers walked away making sounds that sounded like volcanos were erupting in their throats. Sergeant Petticoat looked perplexed. "What is he, German? Stignowski, check into a translator.  I still want to interrogate him though. I don't care if he's Klingon."
 
Everyone burst out laughing at that. Sgt. Petticoat assumed that they were laughing at his hilarious Klingon reference. He would believe that until the day he was beamed into the vastness of space.