Alone (III)

Some time later, Lúcia and another officer entered St. Michael's Hospital, where Amara was waiting for them in the lobby.

"What's the plan?" he asked.

"Just follow me," Lúcia explained, "I know someone who could be of help."

The three officers approached Elena Tsalopoulos' room, where a nurse was standing by.

"Are you sure you can't come back in the morning?" she asked, "The patient is sleeping."

"Ma'am," Lúcia said, "I need you to wake her up. We are here on urgent police business, and it is imperative we speak to her now."

"Of course," said the nurse, "One moment."

After giving Elena time to wake up, the nurse stepped out, allowing Lúcia and Amara to step inside and stand at either side of her bed. The third officer stood guard outside.

"Wha?" Elena said, rubbing her eyes, "W-What's going on? Wait a minute, it's you! Why..."

"Relax, Ms. Tsalopoulos," Lúcia began, "I am not here to gloat or anything. I am here on police business. We believe your friend, Mary River, is in trouble."

"Trouble?" said Elena, "What kind of trouble is..."

"I cannot divulge any details at this time," Lúcia said, "But I promise your friend will be fine. We just need to know where she can be found at this time."

"She's living with her trainer," Elena explained, "Evan Peterson. He lives on 275 Ridge Street. Please tell me she's gonna be alright!"

Immediately, Lúcia grabbed her radio.

"Send a car to 275, Ridge," she said, "I'll join you shortly. Amara, stay here and watch Tsalopoulos."

Lúcia turned to leave.

"Wait!" Elena pleaded, "Nothing bad's gonna happen to Mary, right? I mean, I just saw her a couple of hours ago after my fight and she seemed fine. What did she do?"

"Don't worry," Lúcia insisted, "We have this under control, alright? Go back to sleep."

Unconvinced, Elena reached for her bedside phone only to have Amara place his hand upon the receiver.

"What are you..." began Elena.

"Teimosa," said Lúcia, "This is your last warning, bitch: Leave. It. Be."

"Whatever trouble Mary's gotten herself into," Elena began, "Just remember she has rights, okay?"

"They don't include you giving her a friendly tip. Try that shit again, and I will arrest you for obstruction of justice, voce entende?"

"I don't know what you have against my friend, but you're not getting away with this!"

"Bitch, please! I have people that will lie for me, die for me, and kill for me. Do yourself a favour and do not test me."

"So that's how it is, huh?"

"What is?"

"You use your position of power to bully people and rig fights in your favour. And for what? To feel powerful? How many of your bouts were fought right here in Newark, hm? Easier to sway the officials when you got the city's police force on your side."

"You would do well to stop talking now, cadela."

"I watched your bout against Mary River. The whole world did, in fact. However bad my beating was, she wrecked you way harder. Admit it, you're a lousy boxer who has to cheat to win."

"Grrr..."

"Is that why you're after my friend? For revenge? So pathetic..."

All of a sudden, Lúcia approached Elena and yanked the pillow from under her head. With all of her strength, she pressed it down on Elena's face, cutting off her breathing. In spite of Elena's thrashing, Lúcia held the object firmly in place until Elena ceased moving and a urine stain formed in her bedsheets.

"Clean this shit up," Lúcia ordered, tossing the pillow aside, "Tell the hospital what you must. I have somewhere I need to be..."

"Yes ma'am," said Amara.

With that, Lúcia left the hospital and set off for Evan's house. While exiting, she drew a bottle from her pocket and placed two pills in her mouth.

-

Meanwhile, Mary sat with Evan at home, watching television. Her eyes grew heavy as she leaned her head against Evan's shoulder.

"Mary," he said, "You're exhausted. Why don't you go to bed?"

"Yeah," Mary said, "I think I will. What about you? It's after midnight."

"Gonna stay up just a bit longer. Go on!"

"Alright. Night, Evan."

"Night, Mary."

As Mary stood up and headed for her bedroom upstairs, Evan continued watching television. From where he sat, he could hear a car pulling up and a door slam.

"Hm," he said, standing up from the couch.

Evan approached the front window and peeled back the curtain. There, he saw a police cruiser parked directly out in front with two officers approaching the front door.

"Shit," Evan said, knowing exactly why the officers were there.

Within seconds, there was a knock at the door.

"Police, open up," said one of the officers, "We know you are in there."

"Y-Y-You can't come in," Evan stammered, "N-Not without a warrant, okay?"

For a moment, there was a silence and Evan breathed a sigh of relief All of a sudden, the door was kicked down, and the two officers entered, guns drawn.

"YOU!" yelled one of them, "DOWN ON THE GROUND, NOW!"

"Alright, alright," Evan cried, "Just...ACK!"

The officer forced Evan to the floor, then handcuffed him, before pulling him up to his knees.

"You know why we're here," he said, "Where's your girlfriend?"

"I'm not saying shit," Evan said, "Not without..."

The officer then drew his baton and slammed it into Evan's gut, causing him to reel over.

"Think you're tough?" he said, "Blackmailing our captain like that? You son of a..."

The officer swung his club once, striking Evan on the chin and sending blood shooting from his mouth. Evan collapsed to the floor in pain.

"Hedaya, search the house," he commanded his younger partner, "She's probably upstairs."

The other officer nodded and headed upstairs.

"Sh-She's not here," Evan said, "She..."

"SHUT UP!"

The officer struck Evan in the back with his club, silencing him.

Meanwhile, Hedaya reached the top of the stairs and entered Mary's bedroom, but found no sign of her.

"Burns?" he called out, "She ain't here!"

"Well then," began Burns, "Search the whole fucking property, yeah?"

Hedaya proceeded into the kitchen while Burns turned his attention back to Evan.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Listen," Evan pleaded, "Whatever it is you want..."

Burns then struck Evan with the baton again.

"I don't have time for this," Burns snapped, "Answer me, or I will fuck you up beyond recognition!"

"I don't know! She must've slipped out when..."

Burns proceeded to beat Evan mercilessly, bloodying him further. Eventually he stopped to catch his breath.

"What are you gonna do?" Evan asked, after spitting out more blood, "You gonna kill us?"

"No," Burns said, coldly, "That's what you're gonna be wishin' for, though. The Cap is on her way. Let's try and get the two of you together by the time she gets here so she won't be in a bad mood, okay?"

-

Meanwhile, Hedaya, having searched the whole kitchen, stepped out the rear exit and onto the patio. He shone his flashlight in the darkness but found nothing.

"Huh," he said.

Suddenly, he was struck from behind with a frying pan. As he fell to his hands and knees, he glanced around in a daze. Mary slammed the pan down on his head again, knocking him out.

-

Officer Burns heard the commotion in the kitchen from the living room.

"Hedaya?" he called, "Everything alright in there?"

"Mary!" Evan cried, "You gotta leave! Alvares is coming! Hurry up and..."

"Shut your fucking mouth, asshole!" Burns said, as he curb-stomped Evan.

The officer drew a handgun and cautiously made his way to the kitchen. Before he could enter through the opening, Mary grabbed his arm and tried to pry the gun from his hand.

"Fucking bitch!" he cried.

The two struggled momentarily. Burns pulled the trigger a few times, causing bullets to fly across the living room, one of which struck Evan in the abdomen.

"RAAAGH!" Mary screamed.

She bit down on Burns' wrist, drawing blood. As soon as he dropped his gun, Mary forced him against the wall and landed two solid uppercuts to his torso. Burns threw a punch, but Mary ducked underneath and landed a big right to his face that sent him to the floor. As Burns sat dazed on the floor, Mary grabbed him by the shirt collar and rained blows down on him until he was no longer conscious. Eventually, Mary gathered herself to catch her breath.

"Evan?" she said, "EVAN!"

Mary ran to Evan, who was bleeding profusely from the wound in his gut.

"Mary," he groaned, "Please, you gotta get outta here. Lúcia, she's coming..."

Mary ignored Evan and went to fetch a dish rag from the kitchen, as well as a key from Burns' body. After unlocking Evan's handcuffs, she placed the rag on his wound.

"Keep pressure on it," she instructed, "I'm gonna get you outta here..."

However, before she could escort Evan from the house, Lúcia arrived. She examined the carnage that Mary had left behind before turning her attention to Mary herself.

"You little bitch," she said, "You're in a lot of trouble."

"I know that," said Mary, "And you can take me in. Just please let me save Evan! He's been shot and won't make it if..."

"ENOUGH!" Lúcia said, "Your boyfriend is going to die and you, senhorita, are going to rot in prison for the rest of your miserable life."

"Then I won't come quietly," Mary warned.

"Tough bitch, eh?" Lúcia said, "Fine."

Lúcia removed her body armour, followed by her police uniform, and then her belt, leaving her with nothing but pants and a black tank top. She looked absolutely pumped and ready to go.

"You may have beaten me once before," she warned, "But I am no longer the same woman you fought two years ago. This time, I will wreck you!"

Mary said nothing and entered a fighting stance. Lúcia roared and charged for Mary, throwing a number of hooks and swings which Mary dodged.

"Hold still, bitch!" Lúcia cried.

After ducking under one of Lúcia's swings, Mary landed a solid left hook to her ribs. This forced the Brazilian to back off for a moment.

"You've been training, haven't you?" she taunted, "I see your time out of the ring hasn't affected your skills."

"Don't think I'll go any easier on you than I did last time," said Mary.

"Bitch, please! I want you to give it your all! I will show you how much stronger I am!"

Lúcia unleased a fury of jabs, which Mary dodged by moving her head from side to side. Mary then delivered a side-kick to Lúcia's chest, followed by one to the face. Lúcia clutched her nose as she staggered backwards.

"Vaca de merda!" Lúcia cried, after spitting out blood, "You're really asking for it, eh?"

"All you have to do is back off," Mary pleaded, "And let me and Evan go."

"NEVER!"

Lúcia threw several more hooks. Mary blocked the first two, but then the Brazilian managed to grab Mary by the hair and pull her close to her. After kneeing Mary twice in the gut, she slammed the young woman into the wall, cracking it. Lúcia wound up another punch, which Mary avoided on time, resulting in Lúcia's fist sinking deep into the plaster wall.

"Grrr..." she growled.

With her fist still inside the wall, Lúcia kicked Mary in the torso, knocking her into a nearby wall unit. The impact left Mary winded and caused her to sink to the floor. Lúcia then angrily pulled her arm from the hole and approached Mary. Before she could get close, however, Mary slammed her foot into Lúcia's shin, causing her to fall to one knee. She then followed that up with a series of kicks to the face, the last of which sent Lúcia falling onto the coffee table behind her.

Mary slowly stood up and wiped the blood from her forehead. Lúcia stood up as well, spewing out large amounts of blood, before turning to face Mary once more.

"That's it!" she yelled, "You and your fucking boyfriend are DEAD!"

Lúcia threw a mighty hook, but Mary ducked and struck Lúcia's ribs with an uppercut. As Lúcia reeled, Mary placed her hands on Lúcia's back and landed several knees to her gut.

"I told you to leave us alone," Mary sobbed, her words punctuating each blow, "You...crazy...bitch!"

Mary then shoved Lúcia into the same wall unit she herself had struck earlier. Mary landed consecutive hooks to Lúcia's face that coated the shelves with blood.

After backing off, Mary watched, with tears in her eyes, as Lúcia stumbled clumsily toward her. gasping for air like a fish out of water. In site of all of the punishment she had endured, she was unwilling to give up, so Mary finished her off with a kick to the chest that sent her crashing right through the wall unit. Finally, Lúcia slumped to the floor, unconscious, as the shelves and their contents collapsed under her weight.

"Evan?" said Mary,

Mary ran to Evan, who was now lying in the corner. He was still alive, albeit barely, and surrounded by a pool of his own blood.

"Y-You gotta go," he said, in between breaths, "Just leave me!"

"I'm never gonna leave you, Evan!" Mary said, "Come on. We can still get you help!"

Mary helped Evan up and escorted him out the front door. After assisting him into his car, she took the wheel.

"I'm gonna drop you off at the hospital," Mary said, "We'll go to one out of town, where the NPD have no jurisdiction, alright?"

"Mary," Evan began, "I..."

"Then I'll leave," Mary continued, "I'll drive as far away as I can and lay low. Everything's gonna be fine, I promise!"

Mary sped along the deserted streets, hoping to cross the bridge into the neighbouring town of Kearney as quickly as possible. While driving along the gritty, industrial Ferry Street, she briefly turned to Evan, who was lying in the backseat, looking very pale and sickly.

"Just hang in there, Ev," she said, "We're almost there, okay?"

As Mary turned back to face the street, a monstrous silhouette stepped out in front of her car, leaving her with very little time to slam the break. She almost couldn't believe the face she saw in the beams of her headlights.

"No," she whispered, "It can't be...Sheila?"