Needy's Destiny II: The Legend of Fox Cipher

Chapter 4: Outsiders

19.12.22

The Passenger’s life had been ruled by numbers

27. The number of minutes it took the coach to travel from Tamsborough to Sharpe

142. The number of seconds she spent sitting on the oak chair outside the hardware store, before a kind local let her know she wasn’t welcome

3. The number of bones she calculated breaking in the man’s body – two in his hand as she crushed it, blocking his intended punch to her face; one in his wrist as she pulled his arm behind his shoulder, dislocating it. She imagined his nose would have broken too as he fell to the floor, if only he had been a bit taller. Instead the wooden fence met his forehead and knocked him out cold.

9. The number of people that witnessed it but failed to do anything about the matter.

The townsfolk did look after their own, but in this case, they were evidently smarter than they looked. The man that now lay unconscious in a heap on the floor had clearly challenged the wrong person, witnesses to the fact took note of this, walked on and hoped the visitor wouldn’t stay long.

Meanwhile, the Passenger continued to stare at the inn that sat opposite her, waiting for the inevitable. “The inevitable” was a phrase she used often, and quite rightly too, for when it came down to it, events weren’t determined by “if” but “when”, especially when she was involved. She got the job done; it was what she was there for. And so, once more, it came down to numbers.

How long would it be till this mission was accomplished?

Days? Hours? Or mere minutes?

Just then, her question seemed to be answered.

6. The number of minutes the young companion had spent in the public inn before being forcibly dragged out

5. The number of thugs that surrounded him, standing over him as they kicked sand in his eyes.

And…

1. The number of variables she hadn’t accounted for.

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I felt