“We have to go up the ladder,” said Rafferty. “The faster we move out of this trap the

better I’ll like it.”

“All right,” said Hawley. “What do we do after that?”

“There are windows and other doors,” said Rafferty. “The chances of being able to

escape increase if we can move before they do.”

“All right,” said the inspector. He went to the ladder and climbed up to the door. He

checked before pulling himself into upper room. He walked down to watch the rest

of the second floor for enemies.

Rafferty waited until his colleague had moved away from the top of the ladder before

climbing up. He shut the door, but didn’t know any way to lock it from their side. He

moved down to join Hawley.

“There’s another door at the end of this hall, and two entrances downstairs,”

whispered Rafferty.

“Let’s work our way down to the end and see how big a blockade Brown has thrown

up,” said Hawley.

Rafferty led the way. He knew how to open the doors, and he had a pistol. He could

buy time with the weapon while they looked for other ways out.

They were in a bind if Brown’s men invaded from both sides of the row and trapped

them in the middle. That would be the end of their escape attempt.

Rafferty wondered if he would be shot before being dumped in the Thames, or just

tied to an anchor and thrown in.

He decided that being shot was the more likely outcome of things considering what

was going on.

They crossed to the next area. Rafferty paused to listen. No one seemed to have

twigged to them moving out of the second building. Maybe they could get out of

there with their skins intact.

He opened the next door. He paused before crossing. He thought he heard a ratchet

of a bolt. He ducked back.

Bullets sprayed the door as it swung shut. Rafferty pointed Hawley downstairs. This

is what they thought would happen. They were going to be surrounded and cut down.

The men pulled open the door. They knew Rafferty had been hit in the first volley.

Rafferty ducked back in the first empty room. He waited for the door to open. Hawley

stood at the front door on the ground floor, waiting for men to burst in from the

outside. There wasn’t much the inspector could do with his bare hands. Mobsters

charged into the upper hall. Rafferty emptied the pistol as low as he dared. Men went

down. He charged forward and kicked one of the rifles downstairs while he seized

pistols for himself.

The rifle barked downstairs. Apparently Hawley had seen targets that needed to be

shot.

Rafferty scooted a loaded rifle down the steps as he went to the windows in the upper

hall. He looked out on the back. Men stood at the door, trying to get in through the

back door.

It looked like he would have to kill them to discourage their invasion. He didn’t like

that, but he couldn’t let them kill Hawley, and then himself. They had to be forced off

the back door before they could take the inspector by surprise.

Rafferty opened the window and fired down on the crowd at the door with one of his

stolen pistols. Men went down with cries. Some shot back at him, but he had the

advantage of cover and surprise. That was enough to force them back.

“I think we should go,” said Hawley. He opened the back door and emptied his rifle

at the fleeing mobsters. “If we can get to a car, we can escape and get help.”

“Coming,” said Rafferty. He fired a couple more shots to give the enemy reason to

keep their heads down. He hurried down the staircase and out in the street behind the

inspector. He picked up some more pistols as he went.

“You have a car?,” asked Hawley. He had a pistol in hand to replace the empty rifle.

“We’ll never make it while fighting in the street,” said Rafferty. “We’re going to have

to steal one to get out of this.”

“All right,” said Hawley. “There’s one right there.”

“Cover the area,” said Rafferty. He handed him one of his pistols and opened the

driver door. He reached under the dashboard and hooked the ignition wires up. The

car started a second later. “Let’s go.”

The two men rolled from the trap. Bullets punched holes in the car, but it wasn’t

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

enough to stop Rafferty from hitting the gas. He drove out of sight, heading for his

own car.

“Nice mask,” said Hawley.

“My employer likes it,” said Rafferty. “This is going to get awkward if he knows you

know what’s going on. So I need you to keep quiet.”

“What is going on?,” said Hawley.

“I have been asked to function as an extralegal agent by someone in the ministry,”

said Rafferty. “The organization is giving me support, but I have to act on my own

and do the best I can, as well as keep my mouth shut. Mick Brown was the first target

because the thing is so new, they didn’t have anyone better for me to go after.”

“Brown is also a threat to any cargo heading from London to the Channel,” said

Hawley. “They might have picked you because Brown is in the way of government

control and we are at war.”

“Maybe,” said Rafferty. “There’s my car. Brown’s books are in it. I’m handing them

over and hoping that will lead to some arrests. The question is what will Brown do

now that you are on the loose and know he did something wrong?”

“I’ll have to call up the Yard and get every man I can down there to find him,” said

Hawley. “He’s likely to run now that he has been exposed. We’ll have to drag every

street in the West End for him.”

“You’re the only witness,” said Rafferty. “He’s more likely to go after you so he can

kill you before you can testify.”

“Do what you can to get your ministry to help out,” said Hawley. “Maybe both of our

organizations can find him if he burrows in.”

“We’ll switch cars, and then I’ll drop you off at the Yard,” said Rafferty. “If the

ministry moves, it will be behind the scenes. I get the feeling I’m the only one who

is tasked with chasing down lawbreakers. I’ll talk to the governor, and we’ll see

where we can help out.”

“All right,” said Hawley. “After this is over, we’re going to talk about this mask

thing. I don’t think it’s good for you.”

“It keeps me from doing stupid things,” said Rafferty.

“No, it doesn’t,” said Hawley. “It justifies doing stupid things in the name of the

Queen.”

“Just like the Army,” said Rafferty. He pulled his stolen car around to the other side

of the black car granted him by Fletcher. “Let’s get out of here before more villains

with guns arrive.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” said Hawley.

They switched cars and Rafferty drove away with eyes looking for Brown and his

cabal. Men struggled on the street as he passed. He didn’t see the mastermind among

them.

He turned and headed away from the river. He had to get Hawley to the Yard so they

could commence a clean up, and then he had to meet Fletcher somewhere and hand

over the books.

“Stop over by the call box,” said Hawley. “I can call the office from there.”

“Use the car as a shield,” said Rafferty. “We don’t know where Brown is and he

might be looking for us.”

“Keep an eye out yourself,” said the inspector. “You’ll be sitting still and he hates

you a lot more than he hates me.”

“I know,” said the masked man. He pulled in next to the curb and watched the street.

One call should mobilize the Sweeney. Regular patrols would be directed down to the

battlefield after that.

Hawley opened his door and left it open. He pulled the emergency phone from the

call box to him. He called the Yard. It took a few minutes to explain what was going

on, but he finally got a superintendent to authorize a full push.

Anyone not taken by Brown and still alive was going to the hospital for treatment.

Evidence would be gathered from what had been left behind. It would be Hawley in

court saying that Brown had taken him and tied him to a chair as bait. Brown would

swear it was the latest in a smear campaign against him by the police.

Rafferty would refuse to testify if called. He could not reveal his vigilante actions in

court, nor could he give credence that he and the masked man were one in the same.

He needed an alibi to show the court it was impossible for him to be on the scene as

Hawley and Brown claimed.

He thought Fletcher would help him with that to avoid exposure of his new program.

“All right,” said Hawley. “They’re on their way.”

“I have to get away from here,” said Rafferty. “Don’t say a word about this to

anyone.”

“Brown probably broadcasted your identity far and wide,” said Hawley. “I doubt you

will be effective after this. Thanks for saving my life.”

“That’s something I will take up with the governor,” said Rafferty. “It sounds like a

radio car is on the way. As soon as I know something, I will call you.”

“Take care, Jimmy,” said Hawley. “Maybe we’ll be lucky and Brown will have pulled

the trigger on himself over the losses we inflicted.”

“He’ll want to kill us first,” said Rafferty. “I’ll leave you to your business, Inspector.”

Rafferty drove off. He had to set up a meeting with Fletcher, and hand over the books.

Then he needed a nap, and a regrouping. He had been lucky to find Brown and

Hawley. He couldn’t count on that for a second encounter.

He had to think where would Brown go after this, and how would he act. How much

did killing Rafferty and Hawley weigh against a successful escape out of the city?

Would he try again?

How many of his gang knew that Rafferty and the masked man were the same man?

How many would try to use that to get back at him in some way?

Fletcher would probably pull him out of the field and fire him. He was supposed to

keep the secret. Half the underworld knew what was going on at this point.

If he got fired, at least he had pulled down Bones for his killing of Corklin first. That

had to count for something.

He smiled under his mask. It only counted because Bones followed orders from

overseas and needed to be taken out of play. No one really cared about what had

happened to him, or Corklin.

Tearing up Brown’s organization meant nothing if the man got away and rebuilt.

Searching for him could be done after the chaos had settled down. Time would give

him something if he let order cloak the streets again.

As long as the police flooded the streets, Brown would keep his head down and hide

in some property that no one should know about. When the police presence faded, he

would move to getting back in business, or fleeing the country.

Killing Rafferty might be high on the list of things to do before he fled the country.

The masked man pulled to the curb when he saw a phone box. He had to call in and

let Fletcher know what was going on. The man’s contacts might be able to find

Brown before the police did.

And he needed to know that Rafferty’s dual identity might be up for grabs when the

mob answered questions for the Yard’s detectives and constables.