Read Demontech: Onslaught for Free Online

them, between them and the shed where they’d hid their clothes. Soon the entire dock area would be alerted and a search organized. It probably wouldn’t be long before their clothes were found, then not much longer before they were found themselves. They were armed, but the odds against them were too great; they wouldn’t be able to fight their way to freedom, not through an entire army.
    Spinner motioned Haft to follow and, careful to avoid making noise, half paddled and half pulled himself from piling to piling deeper under the dock.
    Haft at first wondered if Spinner thought they could hide under the dock until nightfall, no matter how many swimmers the Jokapcul sent to search the water. Then he remembered the hole in the floor of the shed. The search for them would probably start on the ships near the Sea Horse and in the water around the ships and under the dock. It would be some time before the invaders launched a search on the docks themselves, and even longer before they started searching in the city proper. By then the two of them would have found a place to hide, a place to plan their next step. Somehow they had to free the prisoners. Or at least enough of the Frangerian Marines to fight back. If they could find a safe place . . . If they could find Marines, or even sea soldiers of another nation, held by few enough guards for them to overcome . . . If the prisoners weren’t locked away where they couldn’t get to them . . . If a thousand other things. But Haft didn’t worry about the ifs; he never worried about the ifs. Once they were away from the docks, the odds against them would be greatly reduced. Besides, he had full confidence in his and Spinner’s fighting ability.
    But first they had to find that hole in the dock, and the hole had to be big enough for them to get through. Was it big enough? Haft couldn’t remember. But that was an “if” he’d worry about later—if it had to be worried about at all.
    In moments, they reached the seawall under the dock and found more problems. The tide was out, so the bottom of the dock was almost six feet above their bobbing heads, which would make the hole in the dock hard to reach. They paddled about for a few moments, looking for handholds on the barnacle and seaweed coated pilings, searching the darkness above for any hint of an opening in the dock, without seeing or feeling anything.
    Haft wondered how deep the water was under the dock at low tide, and he felt with his feet—New Bally wasn’t known for the depth of its tides. He found the bottom and stood up. He tapped Spinner, who had to look up at his shorter companion.
    Spinner gave a quick shake of his head and stood up, annoyed for not thinking of that himself. The water reached only the middle of his chest. It was shoulder deep to Haft.
    Wading was less noisy than paddling and made looking up easier. They continued searching for the opening in the dock above them. Then Spinner probed up with his staff, making as little noise as possible.
    After several moments, he said, “I found it.” Then he staggered as Haft unexpectedly clambered up to stand on his shoulders.
    “Hold still,” Haft hissed. He crouched to keep from bumping his head while he felt with his hands just above his head. “We’re not directly under it, move a little to your left.”
    Spinner shuffled, staggered, but managed to keep his balance. There were scuffing noises above his head, and Haft grunted once or twice. Then there was a snap and water splashed onto him. A fresh piece of flotsam bumped into his chest. Haft’s weight suddenly lifted off him.
    Shafts of light provided enough light that Haft immediately spotted the cask they had hidden their clothes behind. He was half dressed by the time he realized Spinner hadn’t joined him. He lay down and stuck his head through the hole.
    “This was your idea,” he whispered. “Are you coming up?”
    “It’s too high, I can’t reach it.” Spinner sounded angry.
    “Oh.