Crusaders Part 24

Six years ago

It was my first time to visit the Lisbon port but I came not on a British flag but a French sloop. Its not a work of removing of any demon but a work of diplomatic stealth. I am here to escort a Spanish military officer to asylum. You might question why am I involved in this task, but the task was given to me by the Holy Archbishop.

"Its a favor between the two country's men of the faith. So do the task as if its given to you as before. But I begged you not to asked more of your concern. As they are not of yours but ours." Those were the words of the Archbishop to me, and caused me to spent two weeks in the hold of the sloop. I was put to shore that night by the life boat and was met by a priest who took me to a place of safety. I was kept there for two days with no sight of the city of Lisbon.

"Your mission called on you to ride tonight to meet the officer." I did in the middle of the night in a horse drawn carriage. The ride took me an hour and I find myself at the appointed place of meet. It was a cemetery and it was late. I got down from the carriage to stretch my legs. I took out my small bottle container of brandy to drink the cold away.

"Senor Light, he comes." My driver advised me of the arrival of the other officer. He came in style in another horse drawn carriage.

"Which fool arranged this ought to be shot? We might as well meet in Trafalgar Square with the bands playing." I muttered to myself as I scan the surrounding area for any signs of intruders or Spanish guards. The carriage stopped before me and the door opened to let the officer come down. Now I know why the Church is involved, as he is a man of the faith but he holds a higher position. I wondered what secrets he holds that the country need in such times.

"Manuel Cabeni, Naval Officer Rank Commandant. That is all I can tell you. I am at your service now." The officer is a middle aged man with a gray beard, but he sports a fine figure for his age. I thanked him and asked him to mount my carriage. As he was mounting the carriage,we heard the gallops of oncoming horses.

"Hurry up, Sir. We need to go." I instruct the driver leave immediately. I also shout at the other carriage driver to ride but the fool decide to surrender. Now he made mine the only one the carriage to chase. But I was thankful that my driver was aware of the danger and he drove the carriage well. He took us back to the Lisbon city and hide us in some alley. Both of us got off and the driver directed us into the nearby house, It turned out to be a library and the doorway which we came in was by the rear.

"Stay here with Ronaldo and he would tell you when you can go." We were led into the rear of the library and down into its cellar. There we were housed in a small room but it has a well stocked shelf of wines for us to enjoy. But other than that, it was dreary and cold most times. It was the time I had took the opportunity to talk to my new friend.

"Commandant Cabeni, this is a late hour for you to come back." The guard who stood at the entrance to the Naval Office. The Naval Office is the headquarter of the Spanish Navy and thus is considered a guarded facility. One in which sometimes the junior officer gets over zealous on their duty. The Commandant ignore the junior cadet and walked in the door to the upper level. He was however tailed by the young cadet as he mount the steps. He reached the door which he was expected by its occupant. He knocked on the door and entered without any replies to his knock. He however closed the door on his entrance while the cadet stood outside.

The man who met the Commandant in the room is a more senior officer in rank. No words were needed to be spoken between them as the arriving officer was given a document satchel. The Commandant took it and took leave of his senior from the office. The cadet on seeing the Commandant leaving, followed suit him to the entrance. The Commandant mount his carriage and was driven away just as another carriage pulled up at the entrance.

"Who was that, cadet?" The man who spoke is another officer ranked equal to the Commandant.

"Commandant Cabeni., Commandant." The new arrived Commandant mount the stairs and then stopped at the top. "Who did he see?" The cadet told him that name of the officer. His face turned pale and rushed down to the carriage.

"Summon me the guards. I need Cabeni' carriage be stopped."

The chase was to take across the city until the carriage of Cabeni turned into a courtyard and evaded his pursuers. There the Commandant dismounted from the carriage and visit the owner of the villa; Senor Nanchez.

"I trust you had a rushed evening and now you seek refuge at my villa at this late hour. But regardless the hour and event that surround you, I am ever your friend to welcome you into my house. But if you do leave after I have been asleep, do leave some coins for my servant who opened the door. That would shut his mouth on your departure to any inquisitive persons."

Commandant Cabeni did leave at midnight and was to meet his English contact. The rest was what was told earlier.

Just before the break of dawn, I had the sudden urge to use the latrines. As I was on my way back from it, I saw some moving shadows lurking in the library shelves. I took to the side and watch as these dark shadows moved to the entrance of the cellar. They are armed with cutlass and pistols while I am in my basic tunic without any weapons. If I raised the alarm now, Cabeni might be able to get away but I would be dead within the minutes. I spied on a short stool and a long stick probably used to point books on top shelves. I took both and move as silent as I could.

There are three of them and they clad in a dark cloak to hide their appearances. They came to the door and one of them slowly opened the door wide enough for the person to squeeze through. Th second person followed suit and the third awaits his turn. But I came form behind and club him with the stool. I took the unconscious man's cloak and cutlass. I went in the cellar by the same entrance and go down the stairs. The cellar is dark as we snuff off the last candle to avoid it burning up any wine casket and us along with it. Suddenly the place was lighted up by a small lantern held by Cabeni and he challenged the intruder. I see no more need to be secretive as I uncloak myself. The second man thinking that I was his accomplice turned to give me some instruction was met with the cutlass in his ribs. The surviving one saw his accomplice going down drew on his pistol but Cabeni had the man stabbed with the dagger.

"You bring bad company, my english friend." Cabeni rubbed the dagger on the dead man's cloak.

"Only in the early hours of morning. Shall we leave for the rendezvous point?" Cabeni nodded and we both dressed up before leaving the library. But this time we ignored the carriage and took off on our feet through the back door. We climbed the back wall and landed on our feet in the street. Cabeni hailed a passing carriage on an early start to the day. He was paid a handsome fee for the ride to the appointed place.

"I guess nothing is secret anymore." The two of us are on our belly looking at the beach where some conquistador are stationed to guard. That is our place where the boat would picked us up for the return trip. We sat down to consider the options and finally I decided to be the distraction person. I ran down the beach for a short distance at the hour of our departure. I walked out to the beach and took out my pistol. I shot into the air and rouse the conquistador to my location. As I expected, the conquistador gave chase to my location while I keep on alerting them to my new locations. It was a run for over half an hour before I lost the pursuers. I rushed back to the spot I left Cabeni but he was not to be seen. I looked up and saw the boat carrying him to the merchant ship.

So its good he made it and now I am on my own here. I soon took another trail and hike overlands back to Toulouse , Dunkirk and then to Dover. I completed the mission but I took the longer way back to home.

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