As dawn's first rays tinged the sky, Derek and his team made their way into the town's heart, splitting up to survey the area. Accompanied by the same guard who had escorted Laura home, Derek made his way to her house, the narrow alleys between the tightly built houses seeming less daunting in the daylight.
Laura's arms embraced him in a welcome hug, her parents smiling and inviting him to share breakfast with them - porridge and bread. After filling his belly, Derek took Laura with him on his tour, her tiny hand in his.
With Laura leading the way, Derek strolled through the town's streets, introducing himself to her friends and explaining a fun game, with the promise of a gift. He explained that they should play and listen to the conversations of adults around them, reporting back to him if they heard certain key words - "squad," "luggage," "spy," "at night," "location," "camp," or "a leading woman." These were educated guesses from Alexander, words that would arouse suspicion in the current climate.
After some time, Derek delivered Laura back to her family with a pie from her mother, a gesture of gratitude for his care. Derek returned to the town's entrance, where Taven, Liam, Ivan, and Alexander awaited.
With the children set to act as their ears and eyes, the team's focus turned to the nearby forests and surrounding lands, where they might stumble upon a clue.
As dusk fell, the team, reunited after a thorough exploration of the forest, were greeted by Lady Sai and five of her guards, the horses still snorting from the ride. Dismounting gracefully, she approached them with a purposeful stride.
Liam dropped to one knee, proffering a hand towards Lady Sai, "What must I do to win your heart, my lady?"
Sai brushed past Liam with a smile and a nod, eyes intent on Derek. Liam rose, his disappointment palpable.
"Hope you all enjoyed the gifts I sent last night?" she asked, a smile on her lips.
Derek, perplexed, turned to his team, but each averted their gaze, even Alexander shrugging his shoulders in ignorance. His doubts on the rhythmic creaking and muffled moan he heard last night was becoming clear, something suspicious happened with his teammates. Those were same sounds he always heard from Lankins room, that got James and Ron peeping - same sounds that ignited an unusual joy in Brandon and Jerry.
"Surely someone visited you last night, Derek?" Sai inquired with suspicion.
"Oh!! That was a gift?" he exclaimed, confusion clouding his mind on how Catherine visiting him was a gift.
Sai peered into his eyes, shaking her head at his oblivion.
"Let's move on," Sai suggested, the hint of amusement in her voice betraying her. "What's happening now?"
"All went as planned, my Lady." Derek spoke hastily, eager to change the subject. "I should have information from the children by tomorrow."
Sai nodded, her expression growing more serious. "And the search outside the town?"
"Nothing of note, though we discovered some good wood," Derek reported. "We couldn't go too deep, but it'll come in handy."
"It's not the wood that's the issue," Lady Sai countered, her voice tinged with frustration. "It's the manpower. No one is willing to listen to me."
To their surprise, Ivan stepped forward, his stance confident, his voice resonating with conviction. "Leave this to me, Squad Leader," he announced, already making his way towards the town.
The team exchanged perplexed glances, even Derek surprised by Ivan's pronouncement.
Ivan strode through the streets with a purpose, the residents' frantic activity unable to faze him. Clearing his throat, he bellowed, "Listen up, you damn swine! Unless you want your homes burnt and destroyed, y'all better assemble at the town's entrance, now!" His words echoed, heavy with authority. "Orders from the Bobus family," he added, a final punctuation to his command.
"Your team continues to surprise me," Sai quipped.
"As do they me," Derek replied, a glint of bewilderment in his features.
The townsfolk, stirred by Ivan's words, began to gather at the entrance, their numbers growing by the minute. Elderly men joined youths, and even the women, their eyes filled with confusion.
Derek, realizing Ivan's ploy, nodded. 'Now they think we've got the Bobus family backing us. Not bad.' Derek thought.
"Forty capable men," Alexander whispered to Derek as Lady Sai cast her gaze around the crowd, impressed by their numbers.
Derek's brow furrowed, "What worries me are these old men with their hidden motives. A fight could erupt, and we'd be outnumbered. It could turn ugly."
"I've got it covered." Alexander replied, "Let Lady Sai speak. When she does, someone stubborn will challenge her."
"Someone will challenge her?" Derek questioned, his brow raised.
"And that's where we come in," Alexander explained, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "With the royal family's name already invoked by Ivan, we'll step in and show that those who challenge you do so at their peril."
"You're saying that I should put on an act?" Lady Sai asked, her gaze shifting between Alexander and Derek. "This better work."
"Trust us," Derek replied, a reassuring glint in his eyes. "You have nothing to lose but everything to gain."
Lady Sai, hesitant but willing to take a gamble, stepped forward, her voice ringing with authority. "Good people of this town," she began, the crowd falling silent as her voice filled the air, "I have called you here today to set things straight."
A murmur rose among the townsfolk, Ivan and Alexander flanked Sai, their posture radiating strength. The crowd hushed at their commanding presence, their hands resting on the hilt of their blade, a silent threat to any who might challenge Sai.
"It's no longer news that I am the new clan leader," Sai began, her tone brooking no dissent. "From today, anyone who opposes will be dealt with accordingly." Her words were met with a single, bold clap that resounded through the crowd like a thunderclap.
Derek and Alexander exchanged a knowing glance, their plan unfolding perfectly.
A man stepped forward, the brute's eyes dark and challenging. "Is that all?" he taunted, advancing on Sai.
"And who gave you the right to speak?" Derek came forward.
The man tsked, turning to Derek, "You are just a guard boy, this matter concerns you not, stay out of it."
Before the man could say anything else, Alexander stepped in, his fist connecting with the man's temple in a sharp, blinding blow that sent him reeling to the ground, forcing an uneasy murmur amongst the crowd.
"Shut up," Derek bellowed to the crowd, a feral glint in his eyes. "Now listen up..."
"You can't just shut us up." An elder shouted, stepping forward, his eyes fierce, his stance defiant.
"Do you want to loose your teeth?" Derek's gaze landed on the belligerent elder, the man retreated, cringing under the weight of Derek's glare.
"That's enough squad leader."
"Forgive me, my lady," Derek said, bowing his head to Lady Sai who had stepped forward to intervene.
"I won't tolerate disrespect of our elders, but this meeting is for the young and able." Her voice was firm, yet still kind.
Derek observed the crowd, this was the time of reckoning, the time to prove their act was not in vain and it wasn't, they all obeyed without hesitation.
Ivan and Taven as well as Liam picked up the knocked out man as ordered by Derek and proceeded towards the compound. While Lady Sai continued addressing the youths with Derek and Alexander by her side, while her guards still kept a look out.