Moving out

You start to consider your options as you move past the generally underwhelming houses that are placed alongside the street. Your mission requires you to act with as much speed as possible, and you’re keenly aware of the fact that both of your objectives will be a challenge to deal with when your group is as under strength as it is. If as little as eight of you had made it past the walls, then you could have sent a couple of the greener members up ahead to scout the second objective while you dealt with the first one, but that’s no longer an option.

“Captain,” Attalus suddenly says, and you know that he’ll be wanting some sort of proper orders as to what you’ll do next, “where are we heading?”

“We’ll start by following this street all the way to the nearest boulevard, then try to get as close to the waterfront as possible,” You quickly decide, scratching the initial plan to follow the street at first and then switching to moving through the alleyways and back streets as your fewer numbers means that you’ll have to proceed at an even higher pace than what you’d originally planned.

“What about roadblocks?” Attalus directs his next question at you almost before you’ve even finished answer the first one.

“Shouldn’t be any along the main boulevards till we get to the bridges cross the canal,” You reply, reasoning both with your men and yourself at the same time, “most people will most likely focus on defending their own streets and neighbourhoods as best they can. The bridges are natural chokepoints allowing for roadblocks and barricades once you know which part of the wall’s been breached, it’d be foolish to waste time and energy setting up roadblocks anywhere else.”

“With all due respect captain, you’re reasoning as a professional,” Attalus is as loyal to you as is humanly possible, but he’s made it a point of honour to always question your plans, “but there’s a good chance the people we’ll come up against will be amateurs.”

“From what I’ve seen, most of our own generals are amateurs,” Telamon cuts in, though he otherwise maintains his careful observation of the houses up ahead, constantly moving his gaze across them for any sign of danger.

“I don’t think we can go back and ask them how they would do it, Telamon,” You reply, feeling thankful for anything that can take your mind off the challenges you’re facing for a moment or two.

“But if we encounter any obstacles before the river, we’ll sidestep them by going via the alleyways, leaving it to Peleus to lead the way until we get to our first objective,” You continue your improvising of a new plan, hoping that your understanding of what’s happening and what you need to do will be enough to get you and your men to where you need to be.

“And what if she isn’t there when we get there?” Attalus asks, and by now he’s starting to sound as though it’s not completely impossible that you all might make it to your first objective, “We might show up to find that she’s been moved.”

“Then we will have done what we can,” You reply, silently hoping that you won’t find yourself faced with that scenario, “and if we find any leads as to where she’s been taken then we can act on the later on, but from that point on our main priority will be…”