Chapter XIV, Reading 5

When Kalmyk saw them approach he laughed and jokingly asked, "Did you two decide to take a bath in the mud?"  Then he saw the look in Leitho's eyes and the humor fled his own.  "What's out there?" he demanded.

"Those low-life-scum-eaters have crossed the entire area with thin threads dangling poisoned fish hooks!" Leitho blurted in anger.  "A man could die in there before he even knew he was in trouble."  He paused and took a deep breath.  "We found one of the scouts, lying out there in the sun being buzzard bait!  Whatever the poison is, it's strong enough to be killing the carrion feeders.  I'd wager good money that the rest of our missing scouts are lying out there in that wicked web.  If it hadn't of been for Flindra's sharp eyes we'd have joined 'em."

Kalmyk had given Flindra a concerned glance when his sergeant had mentioned the dead Ranger.  He now spared her the pain of recalling the story.  "How did it happen?" he asked as he looked back at Leitho.

"We were working our way through that abominable grass when some birds flew up somewhere in front of us.  We both dropped to the ground.  We didn't see or hear anything else.  Just as I was about to kid Flindra for falling asleep, I could sense that something had really spooked her.  I couldn't see anything but I've worked with her long enough to trust her instincts."

Leitho gave Flindra a quick glance of approval before he continued.

"She slowly started forward at a crawl.  She'd pause to listen or see something, I don't know, and then she'd continue.  Finally, she just stopped dead in her tracks.  When I worked my way up to her she pointed out the traps and the dead body."

Lieutenant Kalmyk looked at Flindra and noticed the tight rein she was using to keep control of her emotions.  "How did you know?"

Flindra shook her head slightly.  "I don't know.  Things just didn't feel right.  It's hard to explain."

"I see.  Just a gut feeling?"

"More like a premonition."

"Any good soldier gets those feelings from time to time.  It helps keep us alive."

Kalmyk could sense that there was more to the story.  Flindra wasn't lying, she just wasn't telling everything.  He didn't want to accuse her of anything in front of the men.  He would save it for a later time.  Besides, he had more important things to worry about.

"At least we know that Bhrag is up to something in this swamp and I intend to find out what it is.  I can't imagine that this place has any strategic value," Kalmyk said as he pulled on his mustache.  "Leitho, let's take another look at those charts."

The maps were quickly produced.  Kalmyk and Leitho bent over to study them.

While they looked at the maps, Flindra had time to reflect on what had just happened.  Even without Rigga's help, she had sensed Kalmyk's disbelief in her story.  He had perceived that she was concealing information about the orb and she guessed that he had merely postponed his interrogation until later.  Flindra was deeply concerned since she knew she couldn't tell him the truth without revealing her identity.  What was she to do?