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"The City Beneath the City"
May. 26th, 2022 09:57 pm"The City Beneath the City"
8/17-8/19/2013
I.
Almost four AM in the rough neighborhood of Westfield on the edges of East LA. Josef Jubilec strode down a side street past an old bowling alley that had been boarded up years ago. He was a fit man two inches over six feet tall and dressed all in dark clothing... boots, pants, waist-length jacket. On his back was a knapsack longer than usual, and he held in his right hand a strange-looking device that looked like a wooden hoop. As he passed the single bulb burning over the door of the old bowling alley, Josef's long bony face with its short-cropped sandy hair could be clearly seen. He glanced around suspiciously and then kept walking.
A shiny black car slowed as it passed him. Not a glimpse of its occupants could be seen through the tinted windows, although the booming bass of the music was audible a block away. The car sped up again. Evidently, the people in the car saw nothing in Jubilec to interest them. As the car rounded the next corner, the Blind Archer smiled to himself. He had not seen a police cruiser in an hour, just cars full of drug dealers or cars with middle-aged men searching for hookers.
Josef paused at the corner. Across the street was a field through which a railroad track ran. There was a low wire fence that had been knocked down in several places. Josef saw a metal barrel surrounded by garbage, a sure sign that vagrants used it to burn scrap wood on chilly nights. He turned to look left and right, wondering if he should head back to the hotel and get some sleep before his team arrived later the next morning... well, this morning actually.
Then he spotted movement. Over by the railroad tracks, two dark figures were creeping through the gloom. One was short and squat, the other well over six feet tall and wearing a long coat of some sort. They were carrying bundles. The furtive movements and constant glancing in all directions would have seemed suspicious to any observer.
Watching them, determining that they had not noticed him standing next to the closed up building, the Blind Archer thumbed a button on the device he held, and the bow snapped open on its hinge by the grip. He disliked using a gimmicky folding bow such as this, being a purist who prefered a handcarved longbow, but when he was out in public he felt the folding bow was a little less conspicuous. He strung the bow and satisfied himself that it was ready.
Before he stepped out into the street, Josef reached behind his left shoulder and undid the top flap of his knapsack. The feathered ends of a dozen three-foot-long arrows were exposed. The knapsack was actually a quiver he had fashioned himself. He did not draw a shaft just yet, but crossed the street and began to follow the two sneaking figures by the tracks. As he approached, the smaller one caught sight of them and squawked in alarm. This close, Josef could make out that the smaller one was dressed in rags, including fingerless gloves and a wool hat pulled low on his head. He was carrying three plastic bags that were filled with some items.
Beside him, the tall figure swung around, his long coat swirling. Josef pegged him immediately as the real threat. Speeding up his pace, the Blind Archer called out, "Hold it, you two! I just want a few words."
The taller figure had longish black hair tied back in a ponytail. He clapped the other man on the shoulder and said in a deep bass voice, "Run, my friend. I will catch up to you."
"Yes, Imperatus! Hurry." As the smaller man took off at an awkward lope, the tall man suddenly raced directly at Josef with startling speed. He hurtled over the uneven ground faster than an Olympic sprinter. Alarmed at this unexpected twist, the Blind Archer reacted just as quickly. A shaft was notched and let fly in a flash. Josef had selected an arrow with a head of round hard rubber rather than one with a point. At the speed an arrow from his bow flew, those rounded heads struck with the force of a heavyweight boxer.
The arrow struck the onrushing man directly on the forehead and bounced off without any effect. Josef was startled and there was no time for a second shaft. The stranger called Imperatus was upon him in a rush, and one fist that felt like a block of iron crashed hard against the side of his face. The Blind Archer fell heavily onto his side, not entirely unconscious but dazed enough to be helpless. After a few minutes, his head cleared. Like other Tel Shai knights, decades on the tagra diet of Tel Shai had enhanced his body's healing beyond what medical science could explain. He leaped back onto his feet, not having let go of the bow even in his stunned condition, but both men were gone.
Josef searched the area for an hour but found nothing. It would be getting light soon. He walked briskly back the way he had come, folding his bow again and strapping it across the top of his knapsack. Entering a better neighborhood eventually, he found his rental car untouched where he had left it. He felt disappointed and sullen over the events. At least he would be able to get a few hours sleep before his team arrived from New York.
( the rest of the story )
8/17-8/19/2013
I.
Almost four AM in the rough neighborhood of Westfield on the edges of East LA. Josef Jubilec strode down a side street past an old bowling alley that had been boarded up years ago. He was a fit man two inches over six feet tall and dressed all in dark clothing... boots, pants, waist-length jacket. On his back was a knapsack longer than usual, and he held in his right hand a strange-looking device that looked like a wooden hoop. As he passed the single bulb burning over the door of the old bowling alley, Josef's long bony face with its short-cropped sandy hair could be clearly seen. He glanced around suspiciously and then kept walking.
A shiny black car slowed as it passed him. Not a glimpse of its occupants could be seen through the tinted windows, although the booming bass of the music was audible a block away. The car sped up again. Evidently, the people in the car saw nothing in Jubilec to interest them. As the car rounded the next corner, the Blind Archer smiled to himself. He had not seen a police cruiser in an hour, just cars full of drug dealers or cars with middle-aged men searching for hookers.
Josef paused at the corner. Across the street was a field through which a railroad track ran. There was a low wire fence that had been knocked down in several places. Josef saw a metal barrel surrounded by garbage, a sure sign that vagrants used it to burn scrap wood on chilly nights. He turned to look left and right, wondering if he should head back to the hotel and get some sleep before his team arrived later the next morning... well, this morning actually.
Then he spotted movement. Over by the railroad tracks, two dark figures were creeping through the gloom. One was short and squat, the other well over six feet tall and wearing a long coat of some sort. They were carrying bundles. The furtive movements and constant glancing in all directions would have seemed suspicious to any observer.
Watching them, determining that they had not noticed him standing next to the closed up building, the Blind Archer thumbed a button on the device he held, and the bow snapped open on its hinge by the grip. He disliked using a gimmicky folding bow such as this, being a purist who prefered a handcarved longbow, but when he was out in public he felt the folding bow was a little less conspicuous. He strung the bow and satisfied himself that it was ready.
Before he stepped out into the street, Josef reached behind his left shoulder and undid the top flap of his knapsack. The feathered ends of a dozen three-foot-long arrows were exposed. The knapsack was actually a quiver he had fashioned himself. He did not draw a shaft just yet, but crossed the street and began to follow the two sneaking figures by the tracks. As he approached, the smaller one caught sight of them and squawked in alarm. This close, Josef could make out that the smaller one was dressed in rags, including fingerless gloves and a wool hat pulled low on his head. He was carrying three plastic bags that were filled with some items.
Beside him, the tall figure swung around, his long coat swirling. Josef pegged him immediately as the real threat. Speeding up his pace, the Blind Archer called out, "Hold it, you two! I just want a few words."
The taller figure had longish black hair tied back in a ponytail. He clapped the other man on the shoulder and said in a deep bass voice, "Run, my friend. I will catch up to you."
"Yes, Imperatus! Hurry." As the smaller man took off at an awkward lope, the tall man suddenly raced directly at Josef with startling speed. He hurtled over the uneven ground faster than an Olympic sprinter. Alarmed at this unexpected twist, the Blind Archer reacted just as quickly. A shaft was notched and let fly in a flash. Josef had selected an arrow with a head of round hard rubber rather than one with a point. At the speed an arrow from his bow flew, those rounded heads struck with the force of a heavyweight boxer.
The arrow struck the onrushing man directly on the forehead and bounced off without any effect. Josef was startled and there was no time for a second shaft. The stranger called Imperatus was upon him in a rush, and one fist that felt like a block of iron crashed hard against the side of his face. The Blind Archer fell heavily onto his side, not entirely unconscious but dazed enough to be helpless. After a few minutes, his head cleared. Like other Tel Shai knights, decades on the tagra diet of Tel Shai had enhanced his body's healing beyond what medical science could explain. He leaped back onto his feet, not having let go of the bow even in his stunned condition, but both men were gone.
Josef searched the area for an hour but found nothing. It would be getting light soon. He walked briskly back the way he had come, folding his bow again and strapping it across the top of his knapsack. Entering a better neighborhood eventually, he found his rental car untouched where he had left it. He felt disappointed and sullen over the events. At least he would be able to get a few hours sleep before his team arrived from New York.
( the rest of the story )
