Exploitable Weaknesses by Brian Keller (red queen free ebook txt) 📗

would require several cagey conversations. He’d also need to send at least one, probably two Journeymen teams to try and deliver a message, and at least two key meetings would need to take place. He couldn’t even call it a “plan” at this point, but if it even began to show potential, the most likely time frame would be just less than three months, but if everything went perfectly he’d need that apothecary order sooner than forty days from now. He regained his determined stride before he reached the boardwalk. Upon reaching it, he turned and walked along it, stopping every so often to peruse wares that he actually had no interest in and once he felt like he wasn’t noticed he stepped to the edge of the boardwalk and caught the eye of a man crewing a longboat. He patted his pouch and pointed northeast. The man turned to follow the direction he’d pointed then turned back to give Cooper a squint, and then a nod.

Cooper hopped down and boarded the longboat. Once he was close enough for conversation, the helmsman asked, “Where to?” Cooper replied, “I’m Kinsman. I wish to speak with the First.” The man studied him from head to toe before he replied, “Ye are the Kinsman, aren’t ye? Ye’re just as I wuz heard described. Ye cleared the bay fer us. I’ll gladly take ye, but I’ll not charge ye.” The man gave the order and seated himself, grasping an oar. Cooper followed suit, dipping an oar in the water. He spoke over his shoulder to the man, “Let’s go then. We can renegotiate on the way.” This brought boisterous laughter from several of the oarsmen, those close enough to have heard the original conversation. The helmsman gave the call and everyone started paddling. Cooper lacked the men’s practiced ease, but he managed to stay in rhythm and succeeded in helping to move the boat along. The repetitive effort allowed him the time to plan his approach for the upcoming conversation with Mardon. The First Merchant earned his position by being a shrewd negotiator and a wise investor. Cooper needed to present his plan in such a way that Mardon would immediately realize how he could gain by helping, and better still the Wharfsider community as a whole could benefit, though the potential risk was significant as well, and Mardon would be left with either credit or blame for it. As he thought it through, Cooper realized that this couldn’t occur as a single conversation. It would need to be broken down into components. He would need to dangle the bait first and get a sense for Mardon’s intentions. Then, in a later conversation, to happen in a week or two assuming that the First showed an interest (and also assuming that Cooper had enough of the necessary pieces arranged) he could reveal the plan.

As they drew nearer the ships, Cooper called out, “Any of those ships in front of us will be fine. I know the way.” This brought several laughs from among the oarsmen. They turned and pulled up beside one of the larger vessels. Cooper stood and quickly reached out, grasping a length of rope and pulled himself upward rapidly. The men watched him climb and as he reached the rail of the ship, he pointed back down to the boat, to where he’d been sitting. He’d left two silver coins behind. The helmsman gave a shout in protest as Cooper hauled himself over the rail and boarded the ship.

This was the ship belonging to the Fourth Fisher, a sailor who had shuttled Cooper into the Wharf City on at least two occasions. Cooper’s feet landed firmly on the deck and he called out, “Permission to come aboard, sir!” There was no answer. The ship’s owner was likely at one of the markets or selling his catch to Gretl, an old woman who could gut and fillet fish faster than anyone he’d seen.

Cooper crossed several ships on his way to Mardon’s but he paused at the rail of the First Merchant’s vessel. He called out, “Ahoy! First Merchant!” A voice bellowed from below decks, “If I know that voice I must wonder why I’m hearing it as a shout from above rather than a whisper from below!” Mardon’s head poked up from the hatch and his eyes found Cooper immediately. The man laughed, “It is as I suspected. Come aboard, of course! Do ye still have to ask?!” Cooper smiled and gave the man a deferential nod, “You honor me, just as I honor you by asking.” Mardon’s eyebrows pulled together, “So formal? I thought we were well past that by now.” Cooper stepped aboard and clasped the man’s outstretched hand, “I have a potential proposition for you, but I need to ask you some questions beforehand. This is not a conversation to have on deck. Might we go below?” Mardon quickly shifted to his role as First Merchant and gestured to the hatch, “Please do. There is little in this world that we could not discuss in my cabin.”

Chapter 12

As they descended, Mardon asked in a loud voice, “Anything to drink? Some wine, perhaps? Or coffee?” Cooper realized that the question was more intended to announce to the family members that serious business was afoot, and to remove themselves from the immediate vicinity. He answered quickly, “A robust red might suit the occasion.” Mardon called out, “A Cabernet, my dear! And two glasses to our cabin, please.” The First opened the door to his cabin and gestured to a chair, “With our primary diet of fish and vegetables, it is uncommon for us to open a cabernet. I shall enjoy the change of pace while you satisfy my growing curiosity.”  They both seated themselves while Mardon’s wife hurried in and set the bottle and two glasses on his desk. She placed a hand on the man’s cheek and paused only long enough