Chapter 47 – Jail
Once home, SJ excused herself from the informal celebrations Lurtew had organised on their return. Immediately on entering her room, she hit the call gem on her earpiece. It rang several times before Fas answered.
"You rang?"
"I wanted to update you that the scam has been stopped. I had the Tower get involved."
"I heard," Fas replied. "I received a report from Benji a few minutes ago."
SJ wasn't surprised by the number of spies he had across the city, though he didn't call them spies. "I discovered some concerning details, though. I think the Chief was involved, if not directly, then at least through Wernig. The head of the scheme in District 10 mentioned his name. I can only assume it is the same Wernig."
"Mmm, possibly. It wouldn't surprise me, although it does add a layer of complexity."
"A layer? If it is him, it proves a direct link to the Chief and her corruption across the city."
"You must remember the city already knows she is corrupt. They haven't been able to do anything to her previously because of the influence and hold she has over many. Remember, she has lived here a long time and has dirt on virtually everyone in a position of power. I doubt even the chancellor is squeaky clean, and even if he is, he understands the impact the damage could cause. Many of whom would never want it to come out in the open. Never mind the individual who is kept beneath the chamber." Fas's voice constricted as he said the last words.
"If she is assassinated, the problems won't be in the open. Although in some ways, I would prefer they were. It could help get rid of the corruption once and for all across the city."
Fas paused before replying. "Sometimes it's better to face the dragon than to hide in the shadows."
It was strange to hear Fas make a statement about dragons, knowing he was a dragonling.
"I suppose the only consideration is the impact that removing her will have on the remainder of the city and what the fallout will be."
"Significant. She is involved in so much that for her to be taken out will leave a hole that many will vie to fill. There are enough in the city who would vie for similar power."
SJ thought for a moment. "What if you took over?"
Fas spluttered. "What?"
"Once the Chief is removed, why don't you take her position?"
"Me?" The shock in Fas's response was clear. "Why would I even want to consider taking over such a position? It's in many ways against what I even stand for."
"Exactly my point. You're one of the most dangerous yet also morally driven beings I know. You run your own orphanages. You care about the city and your friends. You could bring about change and support removing the corruption further, bring balance back to the streets and the lives of so many."
Fas didn't reply. SJ wasn't sure whether it was shock or consideration of the possibilities. "You did just state that it's better the dragon you know," SJ added.
"That's not quite what I said," Fas eventually replied. "I have no wish to consider such a position. It also would mean that there would be a need to deal with the Master, who is the one being I fear more than any other in the city and possibly the continent, bar a few."
"Couldn't you bring about change if you had that power?"
"It's a stupid thing to consider," Fas said. SJ could imagine him shaking his head, denouncing the thought.
"It was just a thought. I'm going to go anyway. I need to head to the tower in a while. Natalie asked me to attend the interrogations of the scam culprits."
"Natalie?" Fas asked.
"Captain Hamilton. She is one of the Tower guard captains."
"Ah, that's a name I have not heard before."
"She isn't recently in position; she has been a captain for a long time. I'm surprised you don't know her name."
Fas chuckled. "I don't know everyone, and probably fewer from the tower than you think."
"I'll speak to you later," SJ said, ending the call.
"That was an interesting proposal," Dave said. "Not what I was expecting. I would have thought you wished to remove everything to do with the Chief."
I do, but, as mentioned, if it suddenly happens and there is a vacancy in the position of influence she holds, I can imagine the fallout and the problems it will cause. I would prefer someone I know to take over and make the changes over time, to control the necessary changes.
"Yes, but we don't even know the depth or breadth of her influence."
That's why I'm considering returning to the compound to conduct a further investigation. I think I need to understand the impact of removing her and plan for it better.
"You think that's a wise move? I'm pretty sure they will be on high alert after your recent infiltration."
Perhaps, but I can at least check. There also has to be more that I can discover from within the city, and particularly links to the thieves' guild.
"You could be playing with fire by doing so," Dave said, his voice was etched with concern.
I'm starting to think that I may need to call in some support to deal with the Chief, anyway.
"Who from?" Dave was genuinely asking when her thoughts gave her away. "Oh! Now that's not what I was expecting you to be considering."
It's just a thought. I would obviously need to discuss the matter first, but he and his team are independent of any political involvement.
"Interesting," Dave mused.
SJ freshened up before she headed back down to see the others. They hadn't held back on celebrating the fall of Tarquin and Yawnee, and Sally sang in the lounge where they were happily sharing a bottle of brandy, most of which had disappeared.
"It looks like you will have your hands full," SJ whispered to Lurtew after seeing the pair.
"I think they both deserve the opportunity to relax," he chuckled. "Thank you for the help."
"Anything for family. I'm going to see what the Tower can find out and see how much coin they can recover."
SJ felt a sense of calm as she left home, heading to the Tower, and walked casually after altering her dress to a more standard appearance for the beings of Asterfal.
On arrival at the Tower, SJ asked for Captain Hamilton's location and was informed she was in the prison block. She had never been there before, and one of the Tower guards directed her. The actual prison block was situated outside the Tower but sat within its grounds. Behind the large garden that was accessible from the dining hall, a two-storey building was situated at its far end. It was accessed through a warren of corridors branching off the main structure. A large set of steel-bound doors stood blocking access to the building.
The guard lifted a large metal knocker and let it fall. The sound echoed down the corridor. It took several moments for the door to open.
"Is Captain Hamilton available?" SJ asked, looking up at the gnoll. He wore black leather armour, and a large cudgel was attached to a belt loop. He grunted in response, opening the door and pointing down the corridor. The corridor was brightly lit with lanterns burning along its length. Several doors led off it; its height and width easily accommodated trolls as they moved along. Even the doors were larger than usual compared to the main Tower. SJ eventually arrived in a central area, where several black-clad beings were at work. They all wore the same style of black leather armour.
The air smelled strongly of sweat, mixed with the overpowering stench of cabbage or a similar vegetable. Her nose wrinkled at the stench. A dwarf was standing at a table with trays laden with bowls and was busy spooning whatever the food was into them. A goblin lifted one of the full trays and turned, leaving the area through a door. As the door opened and closed, SJ heard a scream filter out. The hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood on end.
"Is Captain Hamilton here?" SJ asked the dwarf who was filling the bowls.
"She's in the interrogation room." The dwarf replied.
"Where's that?" SJ asked, none the wiser.
"Through the cellblock, far end."
SJ was amazed that none of the jailers had challenged her since she had entered.
This is very strange. SJ thought.
"I don't think they fear anything happening here."
Perhaps, but they just sent me in here, and I could be anyone.
"The average level of the beings here is above thirty," Dave said.
That surprised SJ as she crossed the room; none of them paying her any attention. She entered through the door the goblin had left through. The stench as the door opened was even stronger. Unclean bodies and other substances that SJ didn't want to think about. The corridor was full of barred doors. It was no different to the cells in Killic, but on a massive scale. Several beings walked up and down the corridor while the goblin who had brought the tray through was busy opening hatches and placing bowls for the cells' inhabitants to claim. SJ watched dirty faces appear at the bars and hands reach to collect the bowls of what SJ could only describe as slop.
SJ shuddered at the conditions.
She walked down the corridor, only getting glances from the jailers she passed until she reached a set of stairs at the end. No one again challenged her, and she walked up to them as they turned back on themselves. Upstairs, the barred doors were spread out. The air smelled cleaner up here; it didn't carry the same fetid stench as below. As SJ appeared at the top of the stairs, a jailer immediately turned in her direction.
"Captain Hamilton is in the end office," she said. The being was a tall, strong-looking woman; her jaw was defined and solid-looking.
SJ stopped in shock. "Sorry. How do you know I was here to see Captain Hamilton?"
The jailer just smiled, not responding to her question, pointing towards the far end.
SJ frowned in confusion as she followed her directions and walked to the end door. As she approached, it opened, and a massive form greeted her. SJ almost called her claws to her hands on seeing the being. Never had she expected to see an ogre standing in front of her wearing the exact same coloured leather armour as the other jailers.
"Welcome, Ambassador," the ogre said as he stepped back from the entrance, allowing SJ to enter.
SJ's eyes were wide open as she was unable to hide her surprised confusion.
"Hello," she replied nervously. "And you are?"
"I'm Galvon, the Head jailer." The ogre smiled, his large, sharp teeth clearly on display. His skin was an off-green colour, and his massive form was pure muscle. The armour he wore was struggling to hold his bulk.
"SJ," she squeaked in response as she entered the room, her voice giving away her reaction. It was an open area with three doors off it and a massive desk in the centre. Captain Hamilton sat smiling at SJ as she entered, holding a glass in her hand.
"Hi, SJ," she smiled. "Please come and take a seat."
Galvon closed the door behind her and moved around to the huge reinforced chair behind the desk as he lowered his massive form into it. SJ could see the metal struts that supported it, and they still groaned under his weight.
SJ was almost in a daze as she crossed to sit. Not only had she not expected to see an ogre in the Tower's area, but also how on Amathera they knew she was even there. She had seen no one acknowledge her presence since she was allowed to walk freely through the jail.
"We have Evergreen and Dashwin, whom we will be interrogating individually. I would be happy if you could watch the proceedings to confirm any details they may share."
"Sorry," SJ said. "Can I ask a question?"
"Sure," Natalie replied.
"How did you know I was here? No one even spoke to me; I was allowed to walk straight in unchallenged."
Galvon smiled, but it did nothing to make SJ feel comfortable. "All the jailers are able to communicate directly as required; you may not believe so, but we have some rather excellent mages who work for the Tower."
SJ frowned. The answer didn't explain how they communicated, and it didn't appear that Galvon or Natalie would divulge any more details. After several moments of unsettling silence, SJ continued. "I would be happy to watch the interrogations, but do not wish to be identified."
"That's not a problem. The mages provide facilities to allow for viewing."
This just deepened SJ's frown.
Natalie could read the uncertainty on her face. "Here I'll show you." Natalie stood and walked towards the door she had entered by. "Please come with me."
SJ followed Natalie out into the corridor and then through another door into a room with chairs and a desk. What surprised SJ was the large, wall-mounted crystal display. Several beings sat in the office area. Some looked like scribes while others wore black robes, and SJ assumed they were mages.
"Can you connect the crystal, please?" Natalie asked.
"Certainly, Captain," one of the robed mages said as they stood and moved to a smaller crystal sitting on a pedestal by the display. He spoke several words, and the display's surface started to ripple, before a room became clearly visible. It wasn't a reflection but a view of what must be an interrogation room. It didn't just hold desks and tables, but also some rather foul and evil-looking contraptions, which SJ could only describe as torturous.
SJ gasped in shock. "You torture beings?"
Natalie chuckled. "No. Don't be fooled: the devices are fully functional, but they are used to scare and unnerve suspects rather than to inflict pain. It's very rare that they ever need to be utilised."
The thought of them being used made SJ's stomach knot. She wasn't sure if she could stomach watching a being tortured.
"What about the Illithid?" SJ asked, knowing the beings who could read minds that the chancellor used regularly.
"Ah, the Illithid work directly for the chancellor under their contractual agreement. They are not involved in the daily activities of the jail and our captives."
This was a whole side of Asterfal and Amathera that SJ hadn't experienced before; the crystal display alone was comparable to CCTV cameras from back on Earth. She was amazed and flabbergasted in equal parts.
The door that they had entered by was so small that Galvon's massive form could only just squeeze through it. "Are we ready to begin?"
"SJ?" Natalie asked.
"Yes," she stammered.
Galvon just nodded before leaving again. Within a few moments, he appeared on the display with a tall gnoll, taking a seat on a stone bench in the centre of the room. "Please get Dashwin," Galvon said.
"Sir," the gnoll replied, leaving again.
Their voices had been perfectly clear coming through the crystal. A couple of minutes passed, and SJ watched as Galvon picked at one of his nails, waiting for Evelyn Dashwin to be brought in. When the door opened and she entered, the first sound to erupt over the display was a high-pitched scream. Evelyn paled at the sight of Galvon, who sat calmly with his hands resting in his lap, looking at her. Her knees gave way, and she fell forward, the gnoll who had brought her in only just managing to stop her from collapsing to the floor. He then moved her to a bench opposite Galvon, making her sit before stepping back and standing behind her.
She was physically shaking with fear as tears rolled down her cheeks, as Galvon smiled his terrifying grin, his sharp teeth on full display.
"Evelyn Dashwin. You have been brought before me to determine your involvement in the underhanded dealings of your proposed business in District 10. I would advise you to answer the questions honestly and not try to hide anything. I really don't want to have to use any of my toys," Galvon said, still smiling as he looked at the various depraved items that hung on the walls.
Evelyn's tears turned into an almost hysterical state as she screamed and pleaded.
Galvon didn't respond and allowed her to exhaust herself before he then began questioning her.
SJ couldn't believe what she was watching. The mental torture was worse than any physical torture. Galvon initially just confirmed basic details before questioning her involvement. Evelyn responded like an open dam. She spoke so quickly that the scribe in the room with SJ was struggling to keep up with the details. The revelation started. She was an actual designer who had worked in the capital and had been travelling across the continent when the opportunity arose. She admitted she had stupidly allowed herself to be drawn into the scam and admitted that nothing after the initial shop setup was in place and that it was all fake. Tarquin had approached her initially, and then the concept had been developed further. She stated that she knew there was someone above Tarquin, but had never met them directly, only repeating the name Wernig.
The interrogation took no more than thirty minutes, and SJ believed she would have told Galvon her deepest desires if he had asked; she was so fearful. As the gnoll escorted her from the room, Galvon turned towards the screen.
"Now for Evergreen," he smiled again, and SJ shuddered.
