Chapter 8 - Long Arm of the Law 

Photo credit: Damien Walmsley (Flickr.com creative commons)

Hello beloved readers! 

This is where the story gets fun. I hope you're as excited as I am! As usual, this chapter contains coarse language and mentions of blood. Discretion is advised.

Hunter and Iris sat across from Officer Woods in a cramped little room. Little Red had woken up, and was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Iris had stowed Medusa back in her deck when Marian hadn't been looking. They stared at each other, a tense silence filling the room. 

Finally, Marian stood up. Nobody wanted to be the one to speak first. What would they say? This entire situation seemed surreal, almost absurd. 

“I'm gonna grab a coffee real quick,” said Marian. “Do any of you want anything?” 

“No, thank you,” said Hunter. 

“I just had some,” said Iris. 

“I'm good,” said Little Red. Marian nodded and left the room, leaving the three alone for a moment. Hunter took a deep breath and looked at Iris. 

“What do we tell her?” He asked. 

“What would she believe?” Iris replied. Hunter furrowed his brow thoughtfully. 

“The truth flies in the face of all logic,” he said. “We can't just go announcing that there are magic heroes playing an ancient tournament for supremacy.” 

“Then we trim the fat,” said Iris. “We tell her the basics, give her enough facts to be true, and play dumb.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Hunter as the door creaked open. 

Marian returned with her coffee, sitting back down in her chair. She looked expectantly at the trio sitting across from her. Little Red had been remarkably quiet, looking out thoughtfully at the hall. 

“I guess I'll start,” said Marian. “What were you three doing out there at the strip mall so late?” 

“When you told me on the phone that the killer used a sword, I got a hunch,” said Hunter. “I decided to do a little amateur detective work. But I was wrong.” 

“Not as easy as the stories make it seem, is it?” Marian smiled softly. Hunter shook his head. 

“No, it's not,” he said. 

“What about you two?” She asked Iris and Little Red. “Aren't you a little young to be running around late at night?” 

“I was getting some snacks from the convenience store,” Iris said. “Just doing some late-night cramming.” 

“Reminds me of my academy days,” said Marian. She looked at Little Red, who had neither spoken, nor taken her eyes off the door. 

“What big ears you have, Robin,” she finally said. 

Robin Hood stepped into the room, offering a sheepish smile. Hunter stared in shock - how long had this stranger been eavesdropping? How did Red know that he was there? More worryingly, what were his intentions? 

“It would seem I've been caught, my lady,” he said. 

“You're a Player,” Iris accused. Marian looked at her with a smirk.

“So are both of you,” she replied. Hunter stood between the two before a fight broke out. 

“It looks like nobody's been fully honest with each other,” he said, trying to defuse the situation. “Why don't we take a breath and start over?” 

“Fine,” said Iris. Hunter was right - as much as she didn't trust Officer Woods, Cal was a much bigger threat. They needed all the allies they could get. 

“Great,” said Hunter, rubbing his hands together. Little Red yawned and crawled into Hunter's chair to get some rest. “Let's start from the beginning.” 

After introductions were handled, Hunter and Iris set about explaining the truth of the night before. Marian took detailed notes, nodding along with their tale. When they were finished, she described her investigation and the events of the night of her battle. The pair listened, enraptured by her description of Bloody Mary. Finally, Hunter took some tape and some paper over to a free wall.

“The way I understand it,” he began as he taped some paper to the wall. He pulled out a pencil and began to write. “Is that there's us three, Red, Robin, and Medusa.” 

“Cal has King Arthur,” added Iris. 

“Right. Grenda was given Beowulf, and Ranger Park got Bigfoot,” Hunter continued.

“Is ‘Ranger’ his first name?” Marian asked. 

“I don't know, I didn't think to ask,” Hunter sighed. 

“Our mystery girl has Bloody Mary,” Iris noted, adding her to the list. 

“Mango got Sun Wukong, and Alan got Houdini,” Hunter concluded. 

“Chad and Rupert are dead, but we know they were players,” said Marian. 

“I know they had Alice and the Genie, but I'm not sure who had who,” Iris said thoughtfully. 

“Unless mystery girl had another deck, that leaves us with 11 heroes and 11 players,” said Hunter as he looked at his chart. 

“Usually, there are ten players in the tournament,” said Robin. “This was a rare exception with one late contender.” 

“Thank you,” said Hunter. “Now comes the tricky part.” 

“My fight with mystery girl didn't go anywhere,” Marian said. 

“Neither did my fight with Houdini,” Hunter said, noting that on his chart. “I know that Grenda beat Bigfoot, though.” 

“Cal beat both Alice and the Genie,” Iris said. “Then I beat Alice last night.” 

“Cal also beat Grenda last night,” Hunter jotted down on the chart. “Meaning he has both Bigfoot and Beowulf.” 

“Arthur, Cal, Beowulf… is he making evil alphabet soup?” Iris mused. Hunter and Marian stared at her for a moment. 

“Anyway,” Hunter said after a long, awkward pause. “I got Sun Wukong yesterday.” 

“That's five between the three of us,” said Marian. Hunter nodded, and Iris looked at the chart curiously. 

Iris stared at the board. She traced the lines in her mind, following them to their conclusion. Then, the lightbulb clicked on in her mind. 

“You know what this means?” She asked aloud. 

“That we're fucked?” Hunter said hopelessly. 

“We outnumber him,” said Iris. “There's five heroes on our team, and only four on his.” 

“But when we fought last night, he said-” Hunter began to protest. 

“He was bluffing, Hunter,” Iris interrupted, her tone harsh. “He's a bad guy, he's not going to be honest unless it benefits him.” 

“You're right,” Marian said, checking the board. “I can't believe I didn't see it before.” 

“If we attack now, we have an advantage,” Iris said with a grin. Hunter bit his knuckle thoughtfully. 

“That's assuming a lot,” he said. 

“What do you mean?” Iris asked.

“Mathematically, it's a good idea,” Hunter said. “But we don't know if he hasn't already gotten to Alan, or to the mystery girl.” 

“That's why we need to strike now,” Iris insisted. “If we attack now, we can-”

“No,” said Marian. Iris looked at her. 

“What?” She demanded. 

“I know you want to stop Cal,” Marian answered, looking at Iris. “But this is a matter for the police.” 

“As long as Cal has heroes, the police can't do anything!” Iris insisted. 

“I have a hero,” Marian said. “You saw how terrified Arthur was of an archer. And I happen to have the best one.” 

“You're making a huge mistake, Woods,” Iris said, blocking the door. 

“I'm not putting you two at risk,” Marian said as Robin pushed Iris out of the way. “There's been enough innocent bloodshed already.” 

“Listen here, you-” Iris began angrily, but she stopped when she felt Hunter's hand on her shoulder. 

“Let her go,” he said softly. Iris sighed. 

“This is gonna end poorly,” she said as Marian walked out of the hospital. She got in her car and started the engine. Robin appeared in the passenger seat. 

“Where to, my lady?” He asked softly. 

“First things first, I need to change,” Marian said as she pulled out of the parking lot. 

—

Chief O'Hara sat at his desk, reading the document he'd just been handed. He glanced across the desk at Marian, who'd changed from her sopping street clothes and into her uniform. She held her hat neatly tucked under her arm as she waited for the chief’s answer. 

“If this is a joke, Woods, it's not a funny one,” he finally said. He set the document down on his desk. 

“Not a joke, sir,” Marian replied formally. 

“Your affidavit reads like a goddamn fantasy novel,” O'Hara scolded. “I'd expect this kind of juvenile nonsense from Flaherty or Flannigan. I expected better from you.” 

“Sir, I have witnesses,” Marian insisted. The chief's words cut like a knife, but she couldn't deny he was right. This entire fiasco sounded like the plot to a cheap fantasy novel. “Four witnesses ready to testify, and a fifth in recovery.” 

“Ah, yes, witnesses like the ever-reliable…” O'Hara checked the affidavit again. “Little Red Riding Hood, and Medusa.”

“When you put it like that, it sounds insane,” Marian said, shrinking into the corner. 

“It is insane!” O'Hara snapped. He took a breath and softened his tone. “You're a good cop, Woods. One of my best. Please stop chasing legends and bring me some hard evidence.” 

“Hard evidence,” Marian repeated. “Yes sir.” 

“No evidence means no warrant. Dismissed,” said O'Hara, waving his hand. Marian left the office and put her hat back on. O'Hara let out a sigh and stared out the window. What a week this was turning out to be. He took a long sip of coffee. 

—

Hunter finished scrubbing his hands and dried them with a paper towel. He looked down at them. He’d finally gotten the blood off, but he’d never get rid of the memory. He stepped out of the bathroom, where Iris was waiting. 

“Hey,” he offered. She nodded at him.

“Hey. She's awake,” she replied. 

“Thanks, Iris,” he said. She stared at him, surprised. 

“You remembered my name?” She asked. 

“We're allies now,” he said. “The least I can do is remember your name.” 

“Oh. Well, thanks,” she said, smiling softly. “I'm just not used to people remembering my name. I've never been the kind to stand out.” 

“Well, I promise I won't forget it,” he said with a smile. The pair walked together to Grenda’s room, where the girl was lying in bed. Hunter knocked gently on the doorframe. 

“Hey,” he said, walking into the room. “How are you feeling?” 

“Like I got cut open and put back together,” Grenda replied. “What happened last night?” 

“Hunter saved you,” said Iris. She looked over at her ally. “Then someone called an ambulance, and we came here with you.” 

“I meant with the sword guy,” Grenda pressed. She looked up intensely at Iris. “He knew your name.” 

“Cal’s still out there,” Hunter admitted. 

“But I gave him a good thrashing,” Iris said with a smirk. “I took Alice from him.” 

“Cool,” muttered Grenda. She laid back in bed, resting her eyes for a moment. Hunter and Iris shared a glance. 

“We're going to stop him,” Hunter promised. 

“We won't let him hurt you again,” Iris said, affirming Hunter. They would stop Cal, no matter what. He couldn't be allowed to run riot any longer. Grenda just shrugged, wincing in pain as the gesture aggravated her wound. She looked away. Hunter nodded to the hallway. Iris returned the nod and stepped out of the room. Hunter followed, shutting the door behind him. The two looked at each other, drowning in the tense silence. 

“We can't leave her alone here,” Iris finally said. “He could come back for her.” 

“I know,” Hunter said. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “But we can't guard her and look for Cal at the same time.” 

“If we could get the police involved, that would go a long way,” Iris said thoughtfully. Hunter smiled. He just got an idea. 

“I'll make a call,” he said. “Give me a few minutes.” 

—

Marian hung up her phone, furrowing her brow as she drove. Robin looked at her, gently touching her arm. 

“My lady?” He asked softly. 

“It's nothing,” Marian said. She kept her eyes on the road, furrowing her brow. She kept driving, the road still slick from last night’s rain. 

“You know you can tell me anything,” Robin said after a pregnant pause. Marian sighed softly. 

“I know,” she said. She glanced at her Hero, smiling softly. Damn this perfect man. Robin smiled back at her. Then his eyes went wide. 

“My lady, look out!” he cried out. Marian looked at the road, where a caped figure stood in traffic. He drew a sword, the sunlight glinting off the steel. Marian swerved, but the car slid on the wet asphalt. The man swung his sword, slicing the car in half with one slash. The two halves of the car skidded to a stop on the street, and Marian threw open her door. She fell out of her seat, panting. Robin stepped out and leapt onto the roof of the destroyed car. He wreathed himself in shadow, stepping out in all his heroic glory. He held out his hand, and his bow of yew appeared in his grip. Marian glared at the man, his red cape whipping in the wind. 

“King Arthur, I presume,” she snarled. 

A clap echoed over the sound of rushing cars as Cal revealed himself. He sneered hideously at Marian. 

“Not bad,” he said, his lips contorted in an ugly smile. “I hadn’t considered that you’d have an archer, Marian.” 

“How do you know all the player’s names?” Marian demanded. Cal chuckled softly. 

“When I got my hands on the genie, I used a wish to find out exactly who I was dealing with!” he declared, throwing up his hands. “I’m a genius!” 

“So that’s it,” Marian said, reaching for her taser. She drew the weapon and fired at Cal. The pins flew through the air, crackling with electricity. Arthur stepped in, deflecting the pins with a swing of Excalibur. They clattered uselessly to the ground, and Marian discarded the weapon. 

“Has that ever worked when heroes are involved?” Cal taunted, circling Marian. “There’s only one way to settle this.” 

“You’re right,” said Marian, drawing her cards. She glared at Cal. “And when I win, I’m bringing you in!” 

“When you win?” Cal laughed. “When I win, I’m going to kill you!” 

[Fight song: What’s Up Danger - Blackway]

Arthur gripped his sword and lunged at Robin. He swung a mighty attack with the sword of kings. Marian threw a card, and Robin nimbly dodged the attack. Arthur growled as Robin rushed out of his reach. He charged, following the outlaw. Marian selected her card, and Robin fired an arrow at the king. Arthur batted the arrow aside with his sword, and Robin took a long step back. He fired again, this arrow burying itself in Arthur’s shoulder. He grit his teeth and ripped the arrow from the wound, dripping golden ichor. Marian grinned. As long as she could keep Arthur on the run, she had the advantage. She glanced at Cal, who was glaring at her with vicious intent. She could tell he was thinking the same thing. What would he come up with to solve the problem? 

Cal raised a card, and it shattered into golden light. The light flew into Arthur’s boots, surging him with energy. He smirked and cracked his neck, then charged at Robin. Arthur delivered a powerful slash, knocking Robin back from the hit. Robin bounced off the ground, flipping in midair to land on his feet. He let out a breath as he looked at Arthur. 

“Not bad, your majesty,” he said with a smirk. 

“You fight well,” Arthur replied. “I’d expect no less of an englishman.” 

“I aim to please,” Robin said, firing an arrow at Arthur. Arthur knocked the arrow aside with his sword. 

“Were that true, you’d lay down your neck for the sword of kings,” Arthur replied, stepping closer to Robin. Robin stepped back, leaping up onto a building. He walked up the wall, defying gravity with his heroic presence alone. 

“Apologies, your majesty,” he said. “But to do so would greatly disappoint my lady.” 

“Then I kill you squarely!” Arthur roared. Marian rubbed her temples, sighing softly. 

“I bet Hunter’s having way more fun than I am right now,” she lamented. 

—

Grenda sat up in her hospital bed and looked around. The room was empty at the moment. She'd never have a better chance. She tossed the blanket aside and stepped onto the cool tile floor. The tile on her bare feet sent a shiver up her spine, but she pressed on. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around herself, a thin shield from the cold. It wasn't much, but it was better than just her hospital gown. Her chest ached in protest, tears stinging at her eyes as her stitches strained. She pressed on despite this, her bare feet hitting the floor with each step. She slunk through the halls, trying to find a door she could sneak out through. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sound of a clearing throat. 

“Going somewhere?” Hunter asked, holding a cup of coffee. Grenda huffed. 

“How'd you find me?” She demanded, looking up at him.

“I followed the pitter-patter of little feet,” Hunter said dryly. Little Red peeked out from behind him. “Now answer me.” 

“I'm going to get Beowulf back,” Grenda muttered, staring at the ground. Hunter sighed. 

“You almost died, and you're still trying to get back in the tournament?” He scolded harshly. “Are you insane?” 

“I don't care about the tournament!” Grenda protested, her voice cracking. “I just want Beowulf!” 

“Grenda…” Hunter said softly. He was too harsh with her. The girl began to break down. 

“Beowulf was the closest thing I've ever had to a dad,” she cried. “And that monster just took him away!” 

“Hey,” Hunter said softly, kneeling down to her level. He pulled her into a gentle hug. Grenda froze, then tentatively wrapped her arms around him. He rubbed her back softly, soothing her. 

“I'm gonna get Beowulf back for you,” he promised. Grenda sniffled. She looked up at him, her eyes big and tearful.

“Promise?” She asked cautiously. Hunter nodded. 

“I promise. But you need to worry about getting better,” he said with a comforting smile. He took Grenda’s hand and led her back to her room. He helped her into bed and tucked her in gently. She gripped the blanket, grateful for the small warmth that it provided. 

“I've always wanted a big brother,” she murmured softly. Hunter couldn't help but smile. 

“Get lots of sleep, Grenda,” he said gently. He turned and left the room, shutting the door gingerly behind him. As he turned, he saw Little Red grinning up at him.

“I've also always wanted a big brother, Hunter,” she teased. 

“Shut up,” he groaned as he walked back to his coffee. 

—

Robin fired two more arrows at Arthur as he ran along the building. Arthur growled, rushing toward the archer. A blue Sentra screeched to a stop in front of him, and he glared at the terrified family inside. 

“Arthur! Throw it!” Cal ordered. Arthur hesitated. Cal growled. 

“I said fucking throw it! Throw it at Robin Hood!” He demanded. Arthur furrowed his brow. He grabbed the car by the fenders and strained. He lifted the car with his superhuman strength, gritting his teeth. He spun in a circle, heaving the vehicle at Robin. The family screamed as they sailed through the air. 

“Robin!!” Marian cried out. Robin braced himself against the wall, catching the vehicular missile in his arms. The impact against Robin triggered the car’s airbags, enveloping the passengers fully. Robin dropped down from the building and set the vehicle down as gently as he could. Marian ran over, and Robin tore open the driver's door. 

“I'm with the police, it's okay now! Is anyone hurt?” Marian asked. The family screamed, and drove off as quickly as they could. They didn't even try to close the door, it swinging impotently as they swerved into the right lane. Marian sighed as the car drove out of sight. Cal smirked.

“Finish him,” he ordered. 

Marian cried out as Arthur raised his sword. The blade glowed with luminous energy as he thrust forward. Robin let out a gasp as the sword of kings ran him through. He looked at Marian apologetically. 

“My… lady…” he rasped weakly. 

“You fought well, Robin of Locksley,” Arthur said softly. Golden ichor dripped from Robin’s wound. Arthur looked almost apologetic as he stared down at the outlaw. Then, Robin disintegrated into golden dust. Marian sobbed softly as she reached out to her Hero. 

“Well done, Arthur!” Cal clapped as he approached. He stopped behind his Hero and glared at Marian. “Now, kill her.” 

“We’ve won the battle,” Arthur said simply. He looked back at Cal, Excalibur trembling in his hand. 

“Are you serious? No, we haven’t won the battle,” Cal jeered. “Or are you disobeying an order from your Player?” 

“I wish that I could,” Arthur growled. He approached Marian, raising the blade. Marian looked up, her eyes welling with tears. 

“Forgive me,” Arthur said softly, swinging the sword down. Marian grabbed the baton from her belt and tried to parry. The sharpened steel of Excalibur cut through the weapon easily, though it bought Marian just enough time to roll out of the way. She brandished the baton in trembling hands, glaring at Arthur. Arthur lunged forward, bearing the sword down on her again. Marian flinched, waiting for the sword to strike flesh. 

The strike never came. Marian opened her eyes, looking up at her savior. Houdini stood above her, blocking the sword with his bare hand. He shoved Arthur back, sending the king stumbling for a few steps. 

“Sorry, kid,” came the soft voice of Alan from behind Marian. He set his hand gently on the officer’s back. “Can’t let you do that.” 

“You?” Marian gasped. Alan smiled softly at her. 

“Houdini, get her out of here,” Alan said. Houdini nodded, laying his hands on Marian. The pair vanished, leaving Alan alone with Cal and Arthur. 

“You must be Alan,” Cal sneered. “Tell you what, hand over your deck and I won’t have Arthur gut you.” 

“You’re talking to a career criminal,” Alan smirked. “Not only that, you’re a horrible liar.” 

“Then I guess I’ll just kill you now and take your deck off your corpse!” Cal growled. “Arthur!” 

“Yes, my Player?” Arthur smirked. He gave Alan a knowing look. Alan nodded discreetly. 

“What’s that supposed to mean? Kill him!” Cal ordered. Arthur sighed. He took a step towards Alan, then another. He moved slowly and methodically as he brandished Excalibur. Alan stepped back, matching Arthur’s pace. 

“Quit stalling, Arthur!” Cal growled. “Kill him now!” 

“Of course,” Arthur replied. He looked at Alan, then charged with his sword. Alan raised his hands, then fell backwards into Houdini’s arms. 

“Took you long enough,” he mused. His Hero chuckled softly. 

“Sorry for the wait,” he said as he saluted Arthur. “Your majesty.”

“Houdini,” Arthur smirked. Houdini then vanished, taking Alan with him. Arthur and Cal stood alone on the deserted street, with the wreckage of Marian’s car. 

“Fuck!” Cal screamed, echoing through the city. 

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