Caomhnóir - 36

“My ass hurts,” Thom grumbled early the next morning.

“I’m sorry,” Keegan replied remorsefully. “I didn’t mean to—”

Thom stopped his words with a kiss. “It’s not your fault. I mean my ass hurts, my back hurts, my whole body aches from sleeping on this hard dirt floor all night.”

“Ahh, alright.” Keegan hugged him tightly before saying, “Now, changing the subject, we need to get out of the city without Darius being aware of it.”

“That leaves out the airport. Besides, there’s no way I’d trust a cab now.”

“Agreed. And I suspect the train is out too. He’s going to be watching there as well as the airport if he’s got brain one.”

“Which is debatable.”

Keegan smiled a bit, and then got up, pacing the tiny room. “First to get out of here. They must have a back way or two, in case of emergencies. If we set off alarms, so be it.” 

“And then?”

“I’m thinking a boat. After all there are two rivers here. We should be able to find someone who’s willing to smuggle us out for a price.”

Thom nodded. “I’m beginning to feel like a character in a spy story for real.”

“Right now, mo ghrá, that’s exactly what we are.” Holding out his hand, Keegan pulled Thom to his feet when he took it. “So, let us get out of here and see what we can find.”

The trip back down the tunnels was eerily quiet. When they reached the public section of the castle, Keegan held up one hand to let Thom know to stay where he was. Then, silently, he went in search of an exit they could use, returning a few minutes later to beckon Thom to follow.

“You weren’t kidding about the alarms,” Thom called out as they pushed open the door and klaxons started screaming.

They raced away, zigzagging towards the river’s edge and then down and along the bank. Finally Keegan pulled to a stop. “We have to find an ATM or a bank. We’re going to need cash.”

Looking at the sun, which was barely over the tops of the buildings, Thom pointed out that banks wouldn’t be opening for a while yet. “So, where’s the closest ATM? Between us we should be able to get enough to keep us going for a while.”

It took them a bit of time, but they finally found what they needed and managed to draw out enough money, between Thom’s one card and Keegan’s four, to feel comfortable. Then they walked from there to the quay where Keegan hoped they’d find a boat to rent, or seek passage on.

Luck was with them for once. A man who ran a boat rental concession had just arrived at his small booth. He had two boats available, both motorized. Keegan chose the larger one, filled out the form the man handed to him, showed the man ID in the name he’d put on the form, which was not his own, and paid for a day’s use.

When they were on the river Keegan turned the boat west, telling Thom that, with luck, they’d reach the ocean in a couple of hours if the weather held. It did, and they made it to the point and then carefully, because the waters were roughening, around it. Following the coastline, Keegan maneuvered the boat south until they came to a small coastal town.

“I’m thinking we leave the water and hire a car,” Keegan told Thom as he pulled into a mooring spot beside two other small boats.

“And just leave this here?”

“We’ll call the man to let him know where to find it once we’re on the road again. Not terribly polite, but safer for us.” Keegan tied the boat off and then the two men walked to the road, heading towards the center of town. “We’re in luck,” he said a few minutes later, pointing to a small pub. “We can get something to eat and find out where we can hire a car.”

After a decent pub lunch, they went to a car hire place the waitress had recommended. Using yet another set of ID, Keegan filled out the requisite forms and soon he and Thom were heading out of town.