Rangers Apprentice AU-Police Force

Episode 10 Part 3

Crowley came from his office just as Will passed him. Distracted, he only spared Will a brief glance at first when his head snapped back.

"Treaty?"

Pausing uncomfortably, Will shifted as his commander stared at the bandage. "When did that happen?"

"Just a moment ago, sir." Will explained the situation briefly, hoping the officer wouldn't make him go home just yet to rest. However, when he had finished, Crowley didn't seem to have registered most of what he had heard, only giving a distracted nod.

"Good job. I take it the day hasn't been too terribly boring for you, then." Leaving Will by himself he drifted more than marched off, his mind apparently in a different place than the present. 

Heaving a relieved sigh, Will hurried to the desk and proceeded to concentrate on some sorting of the files. He had just turned around for more papers when a flash of light struck him full in the face.

"Horace!" Blinking against the spinning dots, he made the mistake of shaking his head. Woozy on top of blind, he still didn't need to see that huge grin on Horace's face that rang through his voice as he asked,

"What happened Will? Did the brave and fearless Treaty get a paper cut when he fell asleep at the desk?"

"Don't you have anything better to do than pick on me?" Will grumbled. When he could at last see again, Horace had leaned against the counter, resting his jaw on his hand. 

"I'm bored. Rodney sent me out to take notes on a little old story that won't even be on the third page."

"I see. If you're so bored, why don't you help me finish with these papers then?" Will asked, smiling to himself when the reporter pushed off the desk. 

"I think that I should probably get back to the office, actually." But when his friend didn't actually make a move, Will raised his head again. Horace looked more serious than he could remember seeing him-well, except for the time he had made a bet with a kid that he could out wrestle him with one hand tied behind his back. A result of reading Peter Pan that had given Horace strange flights of confidence. 

"Something the matter?"

"Well, maybe." Horace glanced behind them but they were alone for the moment. "Either I'm seeing things, or the mayor came in the station today wearing a trench coat." His eyes probed Will's for answers. "Any idea why?"

Will frowned. "Any business he had here, if he has been here, would be his own, don't you think?"

"Well yeah." Suddenly Horace turned a dull red. "You didn't think I was trying to get a scoop, did you? I guess I-Well.." Pacing, Horace finally came to an abrupt stop and cocked his head. "Will, there's something going on and I can't quite put my finger on it. Call me a nosy newsie, but I hear things on the street. Word is, some of the gangs are gathering together."

"Well, don't they usually?" Will asked innocently. But when Horace remained sober faced, he too dropped his voice and asked, "What do you mean exactly?"

"All I know is," The reporter said, "Is that some gangs are joining hands where they'd been cutting them off a week ago. And there's a feeling to it I don't like." Sighing heavily, Horace gathered up his camera, preparing to go. "Just keep your head down low, ok? Until we figure this thing out anyways."

"Roger that," Will replied, watching his friend leave. Suddenly he realized that Horace had said "we", and a smile spread over his face. Despite the grim warnings and whispers of problems ahead, Will felt less worried just thinking about having the friendship of Horace and Halt, and Gilan. 

 The clock hands had drug their weary way to the end of the shift, when a man walked in through the door, pausing a moment to get his bearings. As Will greeted him, he came forward, his eyes circling the room nervously. 

"ah yeah, I'm here for my brother. A Jim Fagan. Do you happen to know if he's here?"

The name sounded oddly familiar, but Will couldn't recall where he'd heard it last. It was recent. 

"I'm not sure; let me check. What is he in here for?"

The man scowled. "I don't know. He's muddled, wanders off by himself a lot. I lost him in a gas station, after he said he was going in to buy some ciggarettes." 

As if a light had gone off, Will recalled the name. It had been written on Tex's report earlier-the little man in the tank who had tried to hold up the gas station. His heart raced as he realized the man in the station was one of the drivers who had gotten away. It seemed like a stupid thing to do, coming in to try to fetch him out. Observing the way the man's coat hung, Will noted the bulge that could mean a pistol concealed. Thinking fast, he stalled for time. "I'll have to go check in the back. Give a moment, would you?"

It didn't make the man any too happy. "Hey now, can't you just check a little file or something? You can't have that many men back there."

"You'd be surprised," Will heard himself reply calmly. He wondered how he was able to talk so quietly, when his heart was running laps in his chest. With another grumble, the man subsided, waiting on Will to check like he said.

 Somehow he walked to the back, and the first person he spied was Tex himself. 

"Am I glad you're here." Filling Tex in, Will was joined by a couple more guys who heard in passing and stopped to help. The lanky officer whistled. 

"What a day. If I had to guess, the driver is probably out back, waiting out of site to make a quick run and collect the two when they come out." Jabbing a finger at two of the men he stated, "Cover Treaty while he distracts the man out front. I'm going to see if I'm right. I'll be back in a moment."

 Mouth dry, Will walked back to the office. Distract the guy? He was supposed to be checking up on the records. Scrambling, he returned and quickly noted the look of sharp expectancy on the hood's face.

"Did you find him?"

Deciding a straightforward answer might better appease him, Will nodded.

"Yeah. He's been booked, so they're having to finish some paperwork first. If you'll have a seat, mister, we'll be right with you."

"A seat? Listen pal, I don't think you need to take such a long time with it, see?" Catching himself up, the man lowered the hand that had been waving in Will's face. "I mean, I'll wait but I have to be outta here for my job. I do the night shift."

"I understand," Will said, only half attending. He was more concerned where the man was putting his hands. Any too close to that jacket bulge, and he was going to pull his own gun first. 

 There was a small door to the side of the counter, and he walked over to unlatch it. Just then, the front door opened and a man was propelled inside by Tex, who blocked the flight of the second robber as he started for the door.

"Freeze right there, mister!" Will had his own gun out and joined Tex in covering the man, who had begun to reach for his jacket. For a heart-stopping moment, it didn't look like he was going to listen. Then with a snarl he lifted his hands, following the order to face the wall as Treaty frisked him, removing the pistol and a knife. 

"Stupid plan, Lenny, stupid!" 

The man Tex had cuffed was thin and shriveled looking, though strangely not from age. As his partner continued to berate him, he turned his head and acted like he didn't hear. Cuffing the robber, Will followed Tex to the back to book both of them. The two who had been covering Will from behind, met them at the door. 

"Well, I guess we should change Tex to Ranger; he thinks he's the whole cavalry and then some, with his solo raids."

 His leathery face splitting in a grin, Tex ignored the ribbing. 

They had just finished when boots rapped on the floor in a steady tread, and Halt joined them at the cell. Taking the scene in at a glance, his gaze lingered on Will's bandaged head and one eyebrow went up.

"Can't leave you anywhere, can I. What did you do?" 

Halt's voice was gruff, but Will found himself laughing, "Just another boring day at the desk."