6th August 1809, afternoon: Preparations for extraction

Torrington led them over the fields until they reached the edge of the woods, then stopped near a large bolder.

"Load your weapons", he commanded softly. "And watch out - most likely there will be lookouts. Don't shoot at them, but try to keep your eyes on them."

Pye nodded and began to load almost immedietly after he was crouched low. He gazed around them briefly and only a few times before his attention was back on his rifle. One loaded he spared a further glance at their surroundings, trying to spot a human face, a silhuette, even just movement that could not belong to an animal.

It was hard to say - was that movement over there a man or an animal, or perhaps only the wind? Was that shadow a tree trunk or had it moved?

Once big yellow eyes watched the group before the bird flew off, and a wild boar who broke through the undergrowth before them made even Torrington reach for his pistol for a moment.

"Steady - I think I see I bit of light over there", he finally announced.

"Yes, sir." Pye spoke quietly. He glanced back from where they came then quickly in the direction that Torrington was observing. He strained his eyes to see if that was an actual flame. Was that their signal? He glanced questionably at Torrington. "Make sure that ain't accidental French, sir?"

"If you think you can do so without them realizing", Torrington agreed. Running into a French patrol would probably the worst that oculd happen now.

"Go only as far as you need to make sure they are not French, and come back immediately - while they might let us get away with a bit of reasonable caution, they will not appreciate sharpshooters."

"Yes sir!" Pye uttered in a hushed tone. He studied the land to his left then the best way to advance towards the fire to see whom it belonged while trying his best not to be spotted.

Once he seemed set on the path he stole away from their small group. He had reverted back to the old days where sneaking around, kept the youth out of getting found. Close to the ground and resembling a feline out to pounce on an unsuspecting mouse, he moved closer, a bit to the side, then inched again a little more forward. He listened for the French spoken word while he also tried to catch a better view without going too far.

Torrington waited in the saddle, taming his impatience firmly. He could only hope that Vickery had found enough time to get in place.

As soon as he could see through the undergrowth, Pye could discern Estefania, sitting by the fire, and a tall man standing outside of the immediate light. While the scene did not look volatile, it did not look casual either; although it was hard to establish more details about the man, it was clear that he was not wearing French uniform.

Pye glanced left and right, trying to locate any more figures and then began to inch back. They were not the French, there was a lady there waiting and she was under guard. It meant that they have just reached the meeting point.

Equally careful he returned to the captain, and only stood once he was almost certain that noone could see him.

"Sir.. they are not French." He said and then went on to explain exactly what he saw there. "She seems relatively unharmed, sir." Her hair did seem a little messy, and she did appear a bit in disorder, but she was not missing anything yet. "I couldn't see the other irregular. Though they must have him there somewhere."

Torrington nodded. Most likely Estefania was the bait and the other irregular the guarantee for her good behaviour.

"The horses?", he inquired briefly, dismounting.

They were easily saleable, and therefor probably the most interesting piece of the bargain for the robbers.

"I havn't seen'em, sir. I think they might be where the other irregular is." He hesitated. "I can go look 'gain, ..if I missed them." He offered hopefully. He was glad to have found the girl, but less pleased on not having been able to provide the other man with further information, both on horses and the other prisoner!

Unhooking his sword with precise movements and handing it to Pye, Torrington shook his head.

"No, stay here with Trueno. They are as likely to see you as you are to see them, and I doubt that the additional knowledge would change our options much."

He took the cloak and put it around his shoulders - even if he had no weapons, he could at least make himself a bit less of a clear target. He was careful to flip the front open, however, to show he had no weapons, an to keeep his hands visible.

Checking one last time for the money, he stated:

"I'm going now. You stay here. If something goes wrong, fall back to our own lines as quick as you can, and if at all possible take Senhora da Lopez with you. She is a skilled rider, so just take Trueno to her and she will likely see to the rest."

"Sir...." Pye hesitated. " Good luck." He said softly and held onto the sword. "Return safely." He added quietly, but hopefully. "Freddie's gonna need you an'....I'd like you back too.." He shifted closer to Trueno, at this time finding some comfort with the big animal who he intended to bribe again, just to have him not bite or try to eat him.

He aknowledged that he understood what he was to do, if things went wrong, and would certainly have made certain that Senhora Lopes would be safely delivered from harm.

"Thank you."

Torrington touched the shoulder of the younger man for a moment, then squared his shoulders and approaced the fire.

Trueno, picking up on the unease, snorted unhappily and took a step closer to Pye and Roper, meaning to protect the rest of his little herd.

Pye gently stroked the neck of the big animal and watched as the officer slowly distanced himself from them until he would disappear behind some of the shrub and hopefully that would not be the last that they would have seen of him.

He clutched the sabre tightly in his hand and glanced at Trueno. "We'll make sure he comes home safe." He whispered to him. He hoped Roper and he could step up if they were needed and that the rest too, would make it so that their mission would be a success.

The big horse snorted softly and rubbed his head on Pye's shoulder, then suddenly his ears pricked up and he turned his head away from the fire. Had he heard something?

Pye glanced briefly in the direction, in which the horse had looked, not expecting to see much and dearly hoping that it was not the French as they would have turned up at the most inconvenient moment possible.

Vickery had managed to get the rest of his men into what he thought was a good position, mentally cursing the fact that the hostage-takers, whoever they were, for deciding to conduct these negotations after dark. He hoped that Cotton would be up to the challenge, and crossed to him, keeping low so as not to give their position away.

Cotton was flat on the ground, his shako by his side and his rifle in his shoulder, aimed squarely at one of the male figures by the fire. He turned his head to look at the officer and nodded, once.

"Hundred and fifty yards. Easy," he murmured, sighting back down the rifle barrel again.

Vivkery nodded, reassured. Everything rested on the Engineer now.

The woods felt strangely alive - as if the riflemen were not the only ones on watch, and there were small movements, sudden minimal changes in the darkness, that ... well, could be animals, but were a bit to frequent really, although there never was any clear human target to aim at.

The engineer slowly approached the fire with slightly raised hands, under the detachedly amused gaze of El Atracador. He bowed slightly in recognition of the bandit, but his first words were directed to Estefania:

"Senhora. Are you well?"

Estefania turned slightly, making no sudden movement that might cause El Atracador to spring to unnecessary action and which might endanger them all.

She nodded slowly. "Yes, I am well. Thank you, sir." She said calmly and loudly enough for him to hear and in English, though she seemed uncertain whether she needed to speak Spanish instead for the sake of the other man.

El Atracador bowed curtly in response and looked around with sharp eyes, trying to spot the escort the engineer had brought. Then he stepped into the firelight, coming to stand right behind Estefania's shoulder.

Without preamble and loud enough for both Vickery and Pye to understand, he asked:

"You have the money, Senor?"

When the engineer nodded, the bandit held out his hand. Torrington was somewhat reluctant to hand over his bargaining chip, so to speak, but then he realised that if the robber really wanted to kill him, he could just as well get shot with the money, and produced the bag, at the same time holding his own hand out for Estefania to take.

His opponent seemed very relaxed and enjoying himself, which made the engineer in turn even more wary and tense as a piano wire.

Cotton breathed, keeping his rifle aimed directly at the bandit. His task was made easier by the firelight, but it still wasn't as simple as aiming at a target in broad daylight. This was a job for a keen-eyed marksman, and the Rifleman felt the weight of that responsibility keenly.

He blotted it out, though, focussing on what was going on by the fire, careful not to flinch or startle at anything.

Estefania move slowly, though her hand reached out to take the offered one from the officer. While El Atracador appeared relaxed, she felt quite tense.

She looked at him, as if to try spot any changes in his demanour, any attempt at their life now, that he had the money, any sudden motion which would suggest an order which would slay Emanuel, while taking away the horses.

Her hands were cold even if she had been so close to the fire, but did not tremble. There may have been a bruise somewhere, that might form from the earlier roughhousing, but nothing that would suggest that she had been injured worse. Her hair may have had it's better days too of course, as there was a blade of grass here and there and a little dirt. these she might have picked up earlier, when she landed on the ground.

Unbeknownst to her Pye still stood, waiting with the horse to rush in, should it be necessary, and other riflemen were out there too. She knew Torrington had not come alone, but not where he had left his men.

El Atracador took the pouch and briefly glanced inside, then gallantly took Estefania's elbow to help her up. He was just about to order the horses and Emanuel released, when suddenly another complicated series of animal sounds piped up. Instinctively, he gripped Estefania more solidly, though not in a manner that hurt, and commanded:

"Silence!"