Page 91 of The Unfortunate Debutante
“I counted sixteen men guarding the cottage and four men inside with Lockhart,” Larson informed them.
“Perfect,” Adrien said. “There are five of us and twenty of the bad guys. We each get to take out four men.”
“That won’t be too hard,” Jonathon agreed confidently.
Simeon shook his head. “Do all agents act like you?
“Heroic?” Adrien asked.
“Fearless?” Jonathon inquired.
Benedict spoke up. “Stouthearted?”
“No, I was going to say that you all act like jackanapes,” Simeon said, reaching down to adjust the pistol in his right boot.
Larson laughed. “That does describe them perfectly.”
Adrien tilted his head towards Simeon. “I see you’ve taken my advice about carrying a pistol in your boot.”
“It was sound advice,” Simeon admitted.
“I am full of sterling advice,” Adrien boasted.
Benedict smirked. “You are full of something.”
Simeon huffed at the banter. “Do all agents tease each other unmercifully before an assignment?”
“Yes,” all the men said in unison.
Turning towards Larson, he asked, “Did you see Emma in the cottage?”
Larson nodded. “I did. She was leaning out of a window on the second level on the front-facing side of the cottage.”
Reaching for the pistol in his waistband, Simeon held it in his right hand as he started down the right path. “I’m going to save her,” he declared.
“Hold on,” Adrien said. “I’ll go with you.”
“We’ll take the left side,” Benedict stated, grabbing Jonathon’s sleeve.
Mr. Larson bobbed his head. “I’ll go down the middle.”
Treading softly, Simeon darted between the trees and saw a short, burly guard yawning as he leaned against a tree. He crept quietly behind the guard and hit him over the head with the side of his pistol. The guard collapsed without making a sound.
Simeon held up one finger towards Adrien, who nodded in acknowledgement. Proceeding cautiously, they spread out as they continued to look for guards. Two tall guards were walking through shrubbery, chatting, completely oblivious to the fact that they were being stalked.
Adrien and Simeon ducked behind trees and waited for them to approach. Once they were within range, they jumped out and each knocked out a guard with a single blow. A rustling in the shrubberies alerted them that someone was approaching. Two guards jumped out, armed with daggers in their hands.
Simeon jumped out of the way as a thickset guard swiped the dagger at him. He retrieved the dagger from his left boot, and lunged at the guard, slicing the man’s shirt. The man scowled as he dove towards him, and Simeon stepped to the side, simultaneously jabbing the dagger into the man’s side. He twisted it before yanking it out. The man cried out in pain as he collapsed to the ground. To prevent him from crying out again, potentially warning the other guards, Simeon punched the man in the jaw, knocking him unconscious.
Simeon wiped the bloodied dagger off on his trousers as he watched Adrien strike the final blow to his assailant. He tucked the dagger back into his left boot. Without saying a word, he headed deeper into the woods, hoping the cottage would be within a few yards.
A two-level structure emerged in a clearing, and Simeon saw a guard posted near the front door. Staying low, he approached the side of the cottage and pressed himself up against it. Adrien ducked low in the high brush but tossed a rock towards a tree, causing a thud. The guard retrieved his pistol and went to investigate the noise. The moment he cleared the side of the house, Simeon held his pistol in his right hand and hit the man across the face with it.
Before the man collapsed, Adrien caught him and started dragging him towards the high brush. He dropped the man and pointed towards the open window on the front-facing second level where Emma was currently climbing down.
Simeon nodded as he tucked the pistol into his waistband and went to intercept her. However, the moment she stepped onto the ground, she sprinted towards the cover of the trees, not sparing him a glance. Not wanting to give away his position by shouting at her, he started following her.
Emma was a few yards ahead of him when she darted behind a tree. He quickly followed her and was caught off guard when she jumped out and swung a thick branch at him, hitting him hard in the shoulder. He grunted as the blow knocked him to the ground.
