Rangers Apprentice AU-Police Force

Episode 10 Part 2 All In a Day

Whatever his business had been, Mayor Duncan didn't leave for a solid two hours. By that time Will had finished the reports and taken a woman's statement about her stolen purse, as well as directed a stranger to the city to the business they were seeking. As the mayor came back, he was impressed again by the man's largeness. He was not only tall, but his coat fit tightly at his broad shoulders, and he walked with a strength that reminded Will of a prowling lion. Seeing the young officer still on duty, he stopped, extending his hand, which Will shook. Will knew he wasn't a big man himself, but he felt like a dwarf when Mayor Duncan's hand swallowed his completely. 

 "I'm sorry for the confusion, Officer Treaty," Mayor Duncan said. "Normally those on desk duty know me. But you're rather new, aren't you?"

"Yes sir, I am still in my first year here." He wondered if he looked this new to everyone who passed by. 

The other man nodded, blue eyes observing Will. It was slightly uncanny to be read so easily. Halt did it all the time but Will had yet to get used to it.

"Crowley tells me you ride with Halt, normally. Good man-although he isn't the world's biggest conversationalist." Was that a twinkle in the blue eyes?

"Yes sir, I mean-no sir, he isn't. Actually.." Confused, Will trailed off, ducking his head. Mayor Duncan's chuckle rumbled in his throat above him.

"I know what you mean, son." When Will looked back up, the man was staring at the doors, a frown between his brows. "I had hoped to catch Halt at the station. I'll be trying again." Turning back to will, he smiled. "At any rate, it was good to meet you at last, Will Treaty. Take care."

 "Thank you, sir." As the man slipped out the wide doors again, Will leaned against the counter thoughtfully. What had Mayor Duncan meant by "at last."?

 He didn't have much time to stand about wondering, however, because at that moment an officer came by in the hallway behind him, escorting a man in cuffs. When he saw Will at the desk, he stuck his head in and the young man recognized "Tex" Phillips.

"Hiya kid!" The officer called. "Would you grab me one of those forms and bring it by? They're out back here."

"Sure thing, Tex." Opening the file cabinet, Will pondered over the papers that some officer had slammed back inside, before finding the correct one. He'd have to see about organizing that a little better, he thought. As he made his way down the corridor, Tex was putting his prisoner in the holding tank. He was a man appearing to be in his sixties, medium built with one of those faces that you immediately seemed to loose in a crowd. As Tex was shutting up the door, he was arguing to the officer, who ignored him.

"But I tell you, that man's lying! I stopped in there just to get some cigarettes'. You boys don' have any right to be locking me away. I'm getting my lawyer on this and you'll be sorry!"

 "Thanks for the form, Will," Tex drawled as the younger officer passed it over. 

Curious, Will jerked his thumb to the tank. "What's he in for?"

Heaving a sigh, the officer gestured for Will to follow him back to the little alcove where the men usually stopped to fill out their reports. "Owner of a gas station got nervous when he saw the feller had a gun and couple of pals waiting in the car, so he had his kid ring us up. When I got there this guy was attempting to hold them up but his pals skipped out on him when I pulled in. He's been trying to say he doesn't know why he was holding the gun, and that he wasn't trying to rob anyone." Shaking his head, Tex pulled out a chair and sat down with a sigh. "I don't get some of these guys."

"Did you see the guys in the car?" Will asked.

Tex grunted. "A little. One of them was dark headed, swarthy kinda looking guy. The other, I dunno. He ducked down behind the dash."

 Still curious, Will had to stop when he heard the phone ringing from the desk. With a sigh, he jogged back to answer it. He had just hung up the phone, when there was a shout in the hallway and pounding feet.

"Stop that man!"

Bursting from the back, a man still wearing cuffs around one wrist, skidded to a halt as he saw the officer at the desk. Standing a good two inches taller than Will he saw no threat in the man before him and his lips curled in a silent laugh. Grabbing the chair that sat against the wall, he threw it at Treaty like it had been a child's toy. Springing aside to avoid the flying weapon, Will briefly saw the man swing over the desk as he made for the door. Without stopping, he followed, springing over the counter easily and dropping to the other side.

"Halt!"

The escaped prisoner never slowed, but with a burst of speed Will flew at him, catching the man about the knees in a low tackle. They went down heavily, crashing into the thick glass of the door. Will saw stars, but held tightly to the man who was fighting like a wildcat.

Shouts drew closer as they were joined by the pursuing officers who helped wrestle the man down, snapping the cuffs about his other wrist.

"Thanks a lot," One of them huffed. He looked at Will through a swollen eye, his face wrinkling in concern.

"Say Treaty, you'd better see if that needs stitches."

"What?" 

Confused, Will brought his hand to his face, bringing it back covered in blood. 

"Aw great! I hope this doesn't set me back on desk duty longer !"

As they hauled the man up to his feet, Officer Tex burst into loud laughter.  "Well, at least we know he's ok. The crack didn't rattle your noggin any."

 Unable to enjoy the laugh at his expense, Will rose and made his way to the infirmary, finding Doc in one of his annoyed moods. He took one look as Will came in through the door and threw up his hands.

"And you on desk duty. Well, come along and let me have a look at you. " Taking Will's chin in his hand he tilted his head, squinting at the cut as he dabbed away the blood.

"Hey, that stings!"

"Good. It's working," Doc observed dryly, never yielding as Will flinched away. "Mm. So you won't need me to do any fancy sewing, but you're going to get yourself a nice little bandage for a bit."

"It won't keep me from getting off desk duty at the end of the week, will it?" Will asked with a tinge of anxiety. When Doc shook his head, he relaxed, waiting with more patience as the man bandaged his head. Catching sight of himself, Will thought it had been done a little overmuch. But if he could just last out the next two days, he'd gladly take all the bandages doc wanted to plaster on him.