Rangers Apprentice AU-Police Force

Episode 3 Pt 3, Old Feuds, Bad Blood

Hey guys! I am so excited to be making progress on Will's story and the characters ; let me know what you think of Horace in the comments! I know his personality isn't a hundred per cent authentic, but I'm trying to adapt the Knight Horace to a world of more modern day life. I look forward to your input!

 The tension in the lobby was thick enough to cut with a saw, as Officer Will Treaty continued to lock eyes with the Detective standing across from him. With his broad shoulders thrown back and an easy, mocking smile on his face, he looked complete master of the situation. Somehow it almost made Will falter and slip back into his old, unsure self. Almost, not quite enough. Somehow, a subtle weight on his chest reminded him that he was different than the last time he had last had a stand off with this young man. 

 "Rodney wanted to see you, as soon as possible," he said levelly. "He was wanting you to use a certain flash bulb I believe."

 "Not much on greeting an old friend, are you, Treaty?" Horace shook his head as the officer remained silent and aloof. "Never mind. Let me guess-it's on the third floor, toward the back?"

 When Will nodded, he sighed. "Always is. Always up stairs." Without another word, he began to leave then halted in remembrance. "Oh, right. Bring the box along, will you?"

  Irritation seething in his chest at the familiar, commanding way the young man had spoken to him, Will savagely tucked the box under an arm and strode after the longer-legged man. He knew Horace was doing it deliberately, to egg him. At the stairs, Horace started questioning him about the case. What was the body's position? Had they found any signs of forced entry? What kind of wound? Did the proprietor say he had heard anything, or seen anything suspicious?

 Why did it always have to be him, Will wondered silently, after giving as short of an answer as he possibly could, sticking only to facts and refusing to add surmises. In his opinion, Horace was acting a little unprofessional. But then, he never would have guessed that the red-faced angry teenager he had last seen, would have ever ended up in law enforcement. They were getting closer now, and he could hear the murmur of voices.

 "Here's where we part ways, kid," Horace mouthed out of one side of his mouth. "And thanks-for the help." He turned down and grinned at Will, a strange glint in his eyes. "I owe you one."

  Without another word, leaving Will standing in his seething shock, Horace strode down the hall and pushed open the door, camera at the ready. Camera...Will dully realized there was something wrong the same time he saw the lightbulb flash, and heard an angry roar.

"You punk! Get out! Who let-" As quickly as he had entered, Horace was shoving through the doorway and barreling back the way he and Will had came, his blonde head lowered and the camera tucked to his chest protectively.  Halt and Detective Rodney weren't far behind. Will thought he had never seen his superior so mad-maybe one other time, he thought briefly.

"Who let that reporter in?" Rodney's frustration would have been amusing, had Will not known he was the answer to that question. "I met Horace in the lobby, and he never corrected me. I'm sorry , sir." The palms of his hands felt suddenly moist, and Will curled his fingers up into a fist. The capping point of his humiliation, was that his superior was witness to such a newbie mistake. But he raised his eyes to meet the detectives and held them steady while he spoke. Yet again, he and Horace were playing their usual roles. And he had the short end of the stick. Again.

 Rodney seemed to check himself with an effort, whipping his fedora off and scrabbling fingers through his hair. "It's alright, son. I know, he's a slippery eel. I'm just going to have to work faster now that the newest issue of the paper will be discussing the story, with a capital picture of the crime scene." Turning on his heel, the detective hastened back to the room. Leaving Will to the full taste of his misery. Risking a glance, he decided he couldn't tell how the officer was feeling about the situation. O'Carrick motioned toward the stairs. "Go ahead to the car, I need to speak with Rodney."

  Mutely obeying, Will was halfway down when he passed the unmistakable Myers, trundling his way up with camera and equipment.