Exploitable Weaknesses by Brian Keller (best interesting books to read txt) 📕

on this pier or the next one over is suspicious.” Silas smiled, “I would agree with you, except that I know  these piers were cleared out twenty minutes after we left to pick you up and since that time have been guarded by two dozen dock workers. Once you’ve passed, they’ll allow activity to return to normal.” Cooper let his head sag as he shook it slowly from side to side. He told Silas, “Tell the First that I may yet find myself in his debt, and thank him for me.” Silas gave him a brief salute and used his oar to push the boat away from the pier. The other crews took their cues from him and pushed their own boats away, then turned their boats and headed back toward the center of the Wharf City.

As he walked past the group, the Journeymen gathered around him. He informed them, “Loryn, Spen and Rukle should already be on those rooftops with their bows.” He pointed north toward the end of the pier as he continued to speak, “We need to pick a quick route that’ll allow them to watch over us as we move. If things go badly, stay close to the group or you’ll risk sprouting an arrow. We’ll move in the same order as before. Naro, you take the lead.” Naro looked uncomfortable as he admitted, “Uh, I don’t really know my way around the Waterfront. I mean, I know how to get back to our place in the Ruins, but I don’t know what places to avoid.” Cooper shrugged and told Naro, “Alright, you and I will trade places. The rest remains the same.” He glanced over the group. If anything, they appeared to be invigorated by their trip across the bay but their manner dampened as they realized they were about to enter the city again, and many still harbored uncertainties regarding the Ruins. Cooper spoke briefly, “We’re almost there, but don’t relax yet. Right now, the Waterfront is probably the most dangerous neighborhood in the city.” He didn’t add, “but we intend to change all that”, but he wanted to. He glanced to make sure Gaff was ready before he started walking towards the Waterfront.

Upon reaching the end of the pier, he acknowledged several of the dock workers with a deep bow of his head. He heard a few of them in hushed discussion as they watched the group approach, “I heared the Guild freed a buncha slaves las’ year. S’pose they done it again?” Cooper couldn’t hear the reply but he hoped that rumor continued. It was far safer than the truth.

He heard a throat-clearing noise from above and looked up. Spen had leaned out far enough to be seen and was smiling at him. Cooper gave him a nod and Spen answered with a hand sign that meant ‘all was clear’. Cooper could only hope things remained that way. He paused long enough to make sure Naro could see where he was going, then stepped into the shadows of the Waterfront. The streets of the Waterfront were wider and far better defined than those in the Dregs. The trade-off was that they are far more populated and frequently patrolled. Even more frequently now with the increasing problems caused by the Apex trade. Cooper’s main focus now was to avoid Watch patrols. If they got pulled into a fight with a patrol, they’d need to see to it that the blame would also be attributed to Apex. If someone other than the Watch got in their way, they’d be handled as efficiently as possible so they could continue to move.

He continued heading mostly north, veering west only as much as needed to avoid buildings he knew were being used by the Lukasi merchants. A confrontation with those men was sure to happen, but at a time of his own choosing, and certainly not tonight. He would pause often to make sure that Naro knew where to lead the rest of them, and that everyone was still moving safely. On one occasion, he thought he heard a few raised voices from behind him but they went silent almost immediately. There were no sounds of fighting so he decided it wasn’t worth delaying the movement simply to investigate, only to satisfy his curiosity. He only needed to halt the group one time, for a few minutes, as a Watch patrol made their way down one of the main roads running the length of the district. Other than that, he could hardly believe it when he’d reached the edge of the Ruins.

He stopped long enough to watch Naro wave to him, then he proceeded past a few fallen structures and waited. He felt he needed to make sure that no one balked at the last minute and refuse to enter. He watched the group cross the road to enter the Ruins, and saw the three archers drop from the nearby rooftops to join them. Several of them clasped hands and Cooper retraced his steps to call out in a forced whisper, “Plenty of time for reunions. Let’s keep moving, if you please.” As the group approached him he asked Gaff, “We have everyone?” Gaff nodded and Balat interjected, “There’re three dead Apex addicts back there, did you know?” Cooper shook his head and looked at Rukle and the Journeymen for more information, “Anything to be concerned about? Was anyone hurt?” Balat snorted, “Just the three addicts.” Balat earned more than one disapproving glance and Cooper replied, “Then tell me about it once we’re sitting around the fire. Let’s go.” As they started walking he asked Loryn, “Will you run ahead and let Birt and Dailen know we’ve entered the Ruins? You know how Birt hates waiting.” Loryn gave him a nod as she handed her bow to him, then sprinted ahead.

Knowing they were past the patrols and should be out of danger, he allowed himself to relax a little and began