CHAPTER 10 - THE TEAM

Three long weeks had passed, Zorn felt trapped. Since he had arrived, he had done nothing but eat, sleep and wander around the castle and its surroundings while awaiting the long-awaited audience with Bishop Karvelis. Whenever a date was set, he looked forward to the day. Then, a little earlier, He had received the news of the cancellation, due to other unavoidable commitments of his eminence. He considered himself a patient person, but this went beyond all limits of common sense. He was interrupted by the arrival of the Sheriff's valet.

- Doctor Zorn, Sheriff Andruliz requests that you report to his office immediately!

- Well, it's about time, please let's get on with it! He exclaimed impatiently!

Andruliz, who was already waiting for him with the predictably theatrical truculent tone, welcomed him.

- Zorn, good morning, I have been instructed by Bishop Karvelis that we should immediately dispatch the bureaucratic matters concerning the start of the investigations. Therefore, without further ado, I would like to advance you your payment! He said, placing a fat bag of silver thalers on the table.

- What do you mean? Do I start being paid without working? He questioned.

- Yes, this is how things are done here in Balga. We want our man satisfied and ready to start investigations, without worrying about mundane details! Andruliz retorted.

- Next, I would like you to accompany me to the guard yard; you will meet your team!

Zorn blushed.

"Team, I will have a team?" He thought, but did not express his satisfaction. It would seem childish at that point.

- Excellent, I can't wait to get started; I would also like to go to where the bodies are kept. The whole situation calls for a more detailed examination of the victims' remains!

- Ah, yes, your team will accompany you there, but now, I must formalize the transfer of command! Andruliz finished!

The guard yard was exactly in the center of the castle, surrounded by its turrets and redbrick walls. Twenty men were waiting superbly lined up in front of the main entrance. They all wore the uniform of the Teutonic Knights Order impeccably. Zorn was very impressed with the quality of the men.

"With a team like that, I would finish all the investigation work in a few days!" He thinked.

At a command from what appeared to be the Captain of the guard, they all turned left and retreated from the courtyard. Zorn was confused, but as the troop left, he could see that behind the platoon, a small group of four was waiting for him. The most disconnected he had ever seen!

- Deputy Sheriff Zorn, this is Gudruk and his patrol team. They are members of Balga's security troop and do what we call the vigil shift. They walk the streets of Balga during the early morning hours checking the lighting and responding to minor incidents. They have a great knowledge of the entire region, from the Elk forest to the mouth of the Nogat on the south of the Vistula! Declared a solemn Andruliz. Still theatrical, but solemn!

Zorn had to restrain himself; his first reaction was to turn on his heels and take the path back to the harbor and throw himself into the lagoon with a rock tied around his neck. Gudruk was something to describe, standing almost two meters tall, he must have weighed something like a hundred and forty pounds of pure muscle. With a scrutinizing gaze, he looked Zorn up and down with an uncontained pride of his own.

- Sub-Sheriff, it is an honor. This is Bronius, Zatik and Mykolas! Said the man after clearing his throat!

Everyone bowed to the new Sub-Sheriff except Gudruk, who raised his chin even more after the presentation!

- I will leave you now doctor, I mean Sub-Sheriff! Andruliz exclaimed as he hurried out!

- And when will I have my audience with the Bishop? I need to introduce myself. To present my credentials, to finally formalize my appointment before him! Zorn spoke with a certain urgency.

- Rest assured, Sub-Sheriff, as soon as you begin your work I will take care of scheduling this audience myself, and with a progress report on the investigations, I hope! Said the man with a slight tone of humorous threat.

- However, what about...! Zorn didn't even linger, Andruliz had already passed the north portico disappearing quickly into the castle's interior.

The Sub-Sheriff turned his attention to the men still standing there in profile. He ran his eyes from left to right, looking at each of the faces. As he did this, he began his ritual of analysis. Now it was him and those men. His protests, if they were to be heard at all, would be fruitless and even more unjustifiable, after all, everything he had asked for had been granted. He then decided to change his posture, to spend his energy not complaining, but on the mission that from then on, he would take on body and soul. He would do his best, and be a good leader. He stood up straight and in the most powerful tone of voice he could manage, he began his mission as Sub-Sheriff.

- Corporal, I need all possible information about the region and the attacks that are happening!

The man really didn't expect such a clear and imperative order, coming from a little doctor from the capital hastily appointed as Sub-Sheriff. However, he liked what he heard. At last, they would have something else to do than to spend the cold mornings walking through the empty streets of Balga. They had a mission and a purpose and what seemed to be, also a commander.

- Well, Sub-Sheriff Zorn, if you will accompany me, we have a map room that should serve well as our base of operations.

"Map room, base of operations. That's a good idea!" Zorn thought.

The map room mentioned by Gudruk was next to the stables and appeared to be one or two stables combined. Improvised in haste, and isolated from the others. But apart from the strong smell of dung, it would serve Zorn's purposes well. In the center, on a large table, Gudruk held out a map almost as large as it was. It was made of leather and showed the entire region of Prussia under the rule of the Teutonic Empire. Zorn was again surprised by the guy's agility and promptness. Gudruk had become an enigma to him. He assumed that the guy must carry some kind of grudge for not being properly valued in the army he was now part of. The doctor knew from experience that the Teutons naturally did not value the subjugated and converted Prussian pagans. They thought we were low-level people.

He turned his attention to the map; it was astonishingly rich in detail. Although he was not familiar with the region, some of the points he had passed since the boat had entered the Vistula Gulf were easily recognized.

- Who drew this map? Asked Zorn in undisguised admiration.

- The design itself is to Zatik and Bronius' credit, Mykolas and I are responsible for getting all the reference points across as clearly as possible. As well as the details of the landscape of the region. We made it in a way that anyone can locate quickly! Gudruk replied.

- An excellent job, exquisite I would say! Exclaimed Zorn as he looked at the other three-team members.

A blush of embarrassment and satisfaction took over the cheeks of the entire team, except Gudruk. Zorn suspected that at his core, the man knew the excellent quality of the services of all of them.

- Okay, let's get down to business, where exactly were the first bodies found! Zorn exclaimed in a practical way.

- They were not found! Answered Gudruk in the same tone.

- They haven't been found, what do you mean they haven't been found and the bodies are in the mortuary? Zorn was surprised.

- Actually those must be the fifth and sixth bodies, there are more people missing! Now Zatik explained.

- Missing, so those twelve bodies are guesses? Zorn added.

- Actually any, not everyone here is almost certain that everyone is dead, but we have not been authorized to search for the bodies! Mykolas declared.

Zorn turned to the map with wide eyes of surprise.

- Right, right, and what does it take us to start the search?

- We were expecting your arrival, because without the head of the investigation Bishop Karvelis had forbidden us to proceed! Gudruk spoke almost grumbling.

- I see, so can we say that we started the search exactly on today? Zorn now questioned Gudruk directly.

- Yes, Sub-Sheriff!

- I see, let me see this map again, someone can bring some tea or water, we are not leaving here until I understand this whole region! Zorn finished, pale as a corpse.