Chapter 15

JACK PRESSED HIS back flat against the house and listened. He could hear the soldiers’ boots moving around inside and imagined they thought they were being stealthy, but Jack had learned how to be silent—to melt into the background and dis-appear. Jack heard scuffling inside and assumed the servants were being roused for interrogation. He moved along the outside of the house toward the kitchen to look for more weapons. He had only one knife on him, plus his rifle. If he could get another knife from the kitchen, he would feel much better about his chances for success.

He crept along until he came to the kitchen windows. Judging by the lack of light, the room was vacant. Jack was comfortable in the darkness, but he would have to navigate the kitchen by memory, as he dared not light a lamp. He eased the back door open, relieved when it made no sound. Moving inside and crouching low, he took a moment to get his bearings. The table and chairs were in front of him, the butcher block with knives to the right. When he reached it and felt around, he came up empty-handed. Only able to see by the moonlight shining in the window, he moved around the perimeter of the kitchen and still found no knives. The British must have taken them all upon their entry to lessen the chances of anyone fighting back. Jack would have to make do with what he had on him.

Hearing voices from the parlor and assuming that was where the captives were, Jack slowly made his way through the house. Peering around the corner as he heard Ben’s voice protesting the outrageous intrusion, Jack saw two men.

“We’ve only come for the girl, old man,” the British cap-tain said. “Give her to us, and we will leave peacefully.”

“These are the only girls here,” Ben said. “They have been my servants for years. You can see they are both older women not fitting your description. I will ask you to kindly leave my home with your sincerest apologies at once. Your su-perior will hear of this disgraceful invasion.”

“Our superior?” the captain asked. “Is our superior not your superior as well?”

“I acknowledge no superior who orders a midnight raid on peaceful citizens all to capture a single young girl. You make no mention of her crimes—if she has any—and this is an illegal search and seizure. I will petition the court on this.”

“His Majesty’s word is law,” barked the captain, “and the lord’s orders are not to be questioned by a known rabble-rouser and seditious printer.”

“A lord has ordered this atrocity? Which one? He will hear from my attorney post haste.”

“That is none of your concern,” the captain sneered. “I will ask you one more time. Where is the girl?”

Jack appeared in the doorway with his rifle drawn. The captain stood with his hand on the hilt of his sword while the other soldier in the room held Ben and his servants in the corner at gunpoint. Whether there were any upstairs, he did not know, but these two should be easy enough.

“I believe the man has answered your question, sir,” Jack said evenly. “Now, you will leave this house. Whether you go dead or alive is your decision.”

The captain spun around to face him, drawing his sword as he turned.

“You dare threaten the king’s men?”

“When they threaten a harmless old man? Yes,” Jack r-plied. “This is your last chance to leave alive.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw the second soldier begin to flick the safety off. Without hesitating, he re-aimed and fired, dropping the man instantly. He wasn’t sure if he killed the man or not, but the solider did not move. Aiming back at the captain, Jack immediately squeezed off a second shot, hitting the captain square in the chest. The women screamed as Jack moved to the bodies to check for pulses. When he found none, he re-lieved them of their weapons, ammo, and money—happy to see the ranking officer carried Hessian pistols, a weapon that was not easily found.

Hysterical, the servants scurried away from the commotion. Jack’s death toll of British soldiers was climbing. The question of whether or not he should remain in the white world might very well be answered when a warrant for his arrest was issued.

“Are there any upstairs?” Jack demanded.

Ben blinked several times, as if pulling himself out of a trance, and looked up at Jack.

“No, just these two,” Ben reassured him.

“Stay inside and lock everyone in a room somewhere until one of us comes to tell you it’s safe. Eleanor is outside with a man from my tribe fighting off more soldiers, and I must go help them. If you see him, he means you no harm.”

“Understood, my boy. We’ll be fine, go.”

Jack took one last look at Ben for confirmation and then darted for the door.