kill them if they get in my
way.”
“If you have to,” Mr. Slang said. “Now as
soon as you get past them, slip the armband off before any of the
detectives see you wearing it. Try and keep your distance from them
so they don’t spot that weapon on you.”
“I hope not to be there long,”
“Exactly. At precisely 8:30 the fireworks
will start. The lights in the room will be dimmed and plenty of
people there will head out onto the balcony. Use the confusion and
noise to approach your target then and fire three or four shots
into her. Then get the hell out of there.”
“How?”
“At the south end of the balcony,” Mr. Slang
said standing up and pointing out the window. “There is a rope
hanging from the hotel room… there,” he said pointing. “See that
colonnade running up the side of building just to the side of the
balcony?”
“Yes.”
“The rope is hanging there just out of
sight. Climb it to the window above and slip in the room there
quick. The window is not locked. You should be able to do that in
no time flat. There’s just one problem.”
“What?”
“There was a woman asleep in the room, so I
was not able to slide the bed up against the wall.” Krakov glanced
at Mr. Slang then. “It was the best I could do. So the rope will
give when you first start to climb it, maybe four or five feet, but
then you’ll be able to shimmy up into the room.”
“Then what?”
“Then go out that room and head for room
324. You’ll find it just other side of hall to your left,” he said
handing Krakov the key.
“Okay.”
“Get to the window, throw it open and use
the rope tied there to lower yourself down to the ground. It’s dark
near the wall there and no one should see you.”
“Okay.”
“Then head straight for the river. You’ll
find a rental boat tied up underneath the pier. Get in it. Put on
the raincoat I left you in there to cover up your tuxedo and then
row out into the river. Make sure to drop the gun in the
river.”
“There should be plenty of boats floating
down the river tonight,” Krakov said, seeing the wisdom in Mr.
Slang’s escape plan.
“Exactly. Float down to the footbridge that
leads into Goblin Park. Don’t be in a hurry. Once you get
underneath the bridge, beach it on the north side, get out and
start walking, don’t run, toward the north end of the park, toward
the woods. I’ll be there waiting for you. I’ve arranged a safe
house for you to stay at until we can get you out of here.”
“And how will you get me out of Transylvania
City and back to the U.R.R.K.?”
“I think you know how. You’ll be a stowaway
aboard one of the Graff Zeppelins.”
“You are working with someone who is part of
the U.R.R.K. delegation?”
“Coming from the U.R.R.K. you should know
that things rarely are the way they appear to be. It should not
matter to you who I am working for. What you have been hired to do
tonight is just a small move in a much larger game. All you need
worry is, if I can sneak you aboard one of the airships and I
assure you I can.”
“And what happens when I do return home.
Will the King’s Guard be hunting me?”
“ They’ll never know you
returned home,” Mr. Slang said reaching into his suitcase and
bringing out the last, but most important item he needed Krakov to
have. “Here are your bullets.”
“ I wish I knew who I was
working for,” Krakov said beginning to load the gun.
“It shouldn’t matter to you. No one in this
contest is totally innocent,” Mr. Slang confessed. “But if things
go badly - you’d be better off using one of those bullets on
yourself.”
“May I ask a favor of you?” Krakov asked,
taking the letter he’d brought with him out of his pocket. “If for
some reason I do not make it, would you drop this letter in the
mail when you return to the U.R.R.K.?”
“Who’s it addressed to?”
“My wife.”
Mr. Slang took the letter. “I did not know
you were married.”
“I have not seen her in
way.”
“If you have to,” Mr. Slang said. “Now as
soon as you get past them, slip the armband off before any of the
detectives see you wearing it. Try and keep your distance from them
so they don’t spot that weapon on you.”
“I hope not to be there long,”
“Exactly. At precisely 8:30 the fireworks
will start. The lights in the room will be dimmed and plenty of
people there will head out onto the balcony. Use the confusion and
noise to approach your target then and fire three or four shots
into her. Then get the hell out of there.”
“How?”
“At the south end of the balcony,” Mr. Slang
said standing up and pointing out the window. “There is a rope
hanging from the hotel room… there,” he said pointing. “See that
colonnade running up the side of building just to the side of the
balcony?”
“Yes.”
“The rope is hanging there just out of
sight. Climb it to the window above and slip in the room there
quick. The window is not locked. You should be able to do that in
no time flat. There’s just one problem.”
“What?”
“There was a woman asleep in the room, so I
was not able to slide the bed up against the wall.” Krakov glanced
at Mr. Slang then. “It was the best I could do. So the rope will
give when you first start to climb it, maybe four or five feet, but
then you’ll be able to shimmy up into the room.”
“Then what?”
“Then go out that room and head for room
324. You’ll find it just other side of hall to your left,” he said
handing Krakov the key.
“Okay.”
“Get to the window, throw it open and use
the rope tied there to lower yourself down to the ground. It’s dark
near the wall there and no one should see you.”
“Okay.”
“Then head straight for the river. You’ll
find a rental boat tied up underneath the pier. Get in it. Put on
the raincoat I left you in there to cover up your tuxedo and then
row out into the river. Make sure to drop the gun in the
river.”
“There should be plenty of boats floating
down the river tonight,” Krakov said, seeing the wisdom in Mr.
Slang’s escape plan.
“Exactly. Float down to the footbridge that
leads into Goblin Park. Don’t be in a hurry. Once you get
underneath the bridge, beach it on the north side, get out and
start walking, don’t run, toward the north end of the park, toward
the woods. I’ll be there waiting for you. I’ve arranged a safe
house for you to stay at until we can get you out of here.”
“And how will you get me out of Transylvania
City and back to the U.R.R.K.?”
“I think you know how. You’ll be a stowaway
aboard one of the Graff Zeppelins.”
“You are working with someone who is part of
the U.R.R.K. delegation?”
“Coming from the U.R.R.K. you should know
that things rarely are the way they appear to be. It should not
matter to you who I am working for. What you have been hired to do
tonight is just a small move in a much larger game. All you need
worry is, if I can sneak you aboard one of the airships and I
assure you I can.”
“And what happens when I do return home.
Will the King’s Guard be hunting me?”
“ They’ll never know you
returned home,” Mr. Slang said reaching into his suitcase and
bringing out the last, but most important item he needed Krakov to
have. “Here are your bullets.”
“ I wish I knew who I was
working for,” Krakov said beginning to load the gun.
“It shouldn’t matter to you. No one in this
contest is totally innocent,” Mr. Slang confessed. “But if things
go badly - you’d be better off using one of those bullets on
yourself.”
“May I ask a favor of you?” Krakov asked,
taking the letter he’d brought with him out of his pocket. “If for
some reason I do not make it, would you drop this letter in the
mail when you return to the U.R.R.K.?”
“Who’s it addressed to?”
“My wife.”
Mr. Slang took the letter. “I did not know
you were married.”
“I have not seen her in
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