Chapter 7
The screams of the innocent bystander just made Rin even angrier as she aimed at the Wolf but holding herself from firing. The bastard was using an innocent human as a shield, one hand around her neck from behind while the other held his axe, his lips curled in a smile.
"Let the woman go!" Rin demanded, taking aim again. She couldn't risk a shot, the Wolf was faster, and he'd have the woman in the path before it hit him.
And he knew it, smiling at her from behind his shield. "Why don't we trade, Red Hood? You put your gun down and I put the woman down."
"I know your idea of 'put down' Wolf. No let her go!"
"You spoil all the fun Red Hood."
"Don't call me that!"
"Why not?" He smirked and licked his lips. "Isn't that what you go by?" He turned to the terrified woman in his grip. "Don't you call her Red Hood?" The poor woman didn't reply, just shook and cried. "I thought you were proud of your name?" He grinned even more. "Do you know how she got that name? Why she is called the Red Hood?"
"Shut up!" Rin snapped. "Just shut up!"
"Or what? What you going to do about it?"
She glared at him for a moment then looked at his hostage, squeezing the trigger. As expected, the Wolf moved the woman into the path of the bullet but Rin had been slightly quicker, firing a second shot that he didn't have a chance to block.
Both he and the woman fell to the ground, the woman holding her side in pain but the Wolf staggered to his feet, almost at once, holding his neck. "You shot me!" He said, clearly surprised. "You shot me!" He looked at his hand and the blood coming from it. "Shame you missed. Just a little bit to the right and…"
He didn't get a chance to speak; Rin had already fired again, the Wolf dodging with great speed, and ran to a building, climbing up to get out of her range. He looked down at her from the roof. "The Blood Red Hood Returns!" He called in victory. "No matter what, you will always be the Blood Hood! You can't change that!"
Still furious, she fired again and again on him but the creature ran off, leaving her with just the click of an empty barrel and a dead civilian. She glared where he had once been for a moment before sighing and looking around over the empty street before placing her weapon back at her side. The place was deserted which was a good thing but for now, she just had to stand and wait.
Silence consumed her and she gradually relaxed from her anger, tensing when she heard a sound but it was only the sirens of the police coming to investigate. They pulled up just down the road and climbed out, charging over to the trouble. "You guys took your time." She huffed, holding out the five point star. "The Wolf just attacked…"
"Freeze!" One shouted, pointing a gun at her. "Slowly put your weapons on the ground and your hands on your head."
"Seriously?" She said but the gun didn't hesitate so she rolled her eyes and did as told. "You guys do know who I am?"
The officer walked over and after kicking her gun to the side, cuffed her hands behind her back. "You are under arrest for murder and the possession of a dangerous weapon."
She sighed as he pushed her to the car. "Look, I work with Sesshomaru. Just ask him, he'll help clear all this up."
"You have the right to remain silent."
"Yeah, that's not going to happen." She chuckled lightly as he pushed her into the back seat of his vehicle. Rin waited in the back seat for a moment in stunned silence until they arrived at the station. The officers asked her details, handed over her possessions and gave them precisely before asking quite firmly; 'where's Sesshomaru?'
The officers didn't answer her, just sent her to a small damp cell towards the back of the station. She didn't like it. Not when there were other cells towards the front that were empty. It was almost like she was being separated from the rest of the people there. She frowned, keeping on her guard since this could very easily be a trap. At least her hands were free so she could fight if needed.
The door at the end of the hall slammed shut suddenly and the light above her head flickered as heavy footsteps began to walk towards her cell, slow and clam. Preparing herself, she waited, listening as keys jingled right outside and the door was unlocked.
It opened slowly and Rin frowned at the two officers on the other side. "Come with me." One said then began to walk back down the hall. With one in front and one behind, the hunter did as told, being lead to a small room with a desk and two chairs. Sesshomaru sat on the other side of the table.
The sight of him made Rin let out a deep sigh of relief as she sat down. "Sess! Where have you been? What's going on here?"
He took a deep sigh and looked down. "Rin, you killed a civilian."
"And I am very sorry about that." She said, sincerity clear in her voice. "But… I had no choice. The Wolf was using her as a shield. If my shot hadn't killed her, he would have. I was fighting the Wolf…."
"Rin, there is no signs anywhere that the Wolf was anywhere near that area." The Prince interrupted sternly. "All anyone saw was you opening fire on an empty street."
"What!" She snapped, standing up sharply. "But he…"
"It doesn't matter Rin. All the evidence says that you randomly shot an unarmed, defenceless single mother of three."
Her jaw dropped. "But… I would never…"
"I know you wouldn't. But this is out of my hands now. There is no evidence that the Wolf was there. The bullet that killed Ms Forpol came from your gun, you were on the scene and witnesses heard shouting."
"But I shot the Wolf! Right in the neck! He was bleeding! There must have been his blood there!"
Sesshomaru shook his head. "Rin, I'm sorry but the evidence is against you." He sighed softly. "And this is serious. "Lisa was a well-loved member of the community and you killed her."
"I didn't mean to!" The hunter snapped, turning sharply to look at him.
"Stop it." He growled, standing up to face her. "You think I don't know that? But the people are not listening to me. To them you are just some random stranger with no home, no ties to the city and goes around shooting things! You might be well known elsewhere but here you are a nobody."
"Ouch." She mocked, brushing her hair back.
"Sorry but it's true."
"Then what do we do?"
He looked down at the table. "I don't know. But for now, just keep your head down and do as you are told. It's out of my hands but I will do what I can, stand up for you but I can't make any promises." He turned away from her and moved around the room, away from her. "Look, I have to get back."
"No… please Sess."
"I'm trying to smooth things out so I will come back when I can." She sighed as he headed out and she was escorted back to her cell, settling to do as he suggested and keep quiet, contemplating how the Wolf could have done such a thing as disappear from the middle of the city the way he did. He had always been an escape artist but not to be seen or to leave a trail in his wake was impossible. Unheard of… "So how did he do it?" She mumbled to herself.
"It's it obvious?" Came a familiar voice from the cell window. "You're insane."
She stood at the voice and walked over to the bars, looking out at the jet black eyes. "Wolf!"
"Careful Red, don't want to be 'the girl who cried Wolf'" He chuckled, fangs shining in the darkness between them. "They will just think you are crazier than you already are. Then again, I have always said you needed locking up." He laughed again.
"You bastard." Rin snapped, running and reaching between the bars but the wall was took thick, keeping them apart. "I'll fucking kill you."
"Well, you have to be alive to kill someone. Or will you hunt me as a ghost?"
"What are you talking about?"
Wolf tipped his to the side innocently. "Oh? Don't you know the penalty for murder in Cinderhallow?" He stepped to the side and nodded to the far side of the courtyard he was in, revealing a large wooden structure, at least five meters high and narrow. The blade was missing, probably for safety, but there was no mistaking that design.
The guillotine.
As if some unconscious command had been given, Rin gulped hard but then frowned on the wolf. "You're lying."
"I would never miss a chance to watch you suffer, Rin. I'm just sorry I won't be the one to do it." He moved a little closer. "Or will I?" With a dark chuckle, he stepped out of her way, leaving her behind.
She panted for a moment, staring at the wooden structure across from her but now that she'd seen it, she couldn't un-see it. Even when she sat down and tried to think, all she could do was try and remember if she had read anything about Cinderhallow being a city to execute prisoners.
It certainly would be one way to keep the civilisation under control. And it was abnormally peaceful. Of human crime anyway. She sighed and ran a hand back in her hair. "Damn it."
She sat in the dark, silent cell with nothing but her own thoughts and they grew darker with the minutes. She didn't sleep for the whole night but come morning, she heard the footsteps and looked up as the door opened. The two guards from before were there, leading her back to the room where once more, Sesshomaru was but this time he was stood, looking into the corner.
She glared at his back and smiled as best she could. "Let me guess, you're letting me go?" She joked.
He turned and looked at her, his eyes dead serious. "Rin…"
"Save it Sess. Tell me straight." She let out a breath. "Do you really execute murderers here?"
He didn't reply.
Rin huffed. "Take that as a yes then."
"I'm sorry Rin. I am trying to convince them but… no one saw the wolf."
"He was here, outside my cell window yesterday."
"Really?" The prince frowned. "I'll have to look into it."
She nodded and sighed. "Anything else for me?"
"I'm trying to contact Rainbow but… no luck yet."
"Well if they don't get their act together, I won't have a head." She huffed.
"Rin, I'll do everything I can for you. I promise."
"For a guy who just started letting me to stay with him, you really are really going out of your way to help me."
He smiled weakly. "Well, you have helped protect the city, even if the people don't know it."
With a deep sigh, Rin shrugged. "Well, there is nothing I can do in here. I guess, my life is in your hands."
Four more days passed and Rin barely saw the prince again, staying in her cell quietly for that time, thinking and worrying. The door slammed and the footsteps came towards her, unlocking the door and she looked over at them, staring at her but not saying anything.
"Yes?"
They paused for a moment longer. "Come with us please."
The woman stiffened. She could hear stress in their voices. She went with them, looking over them both but neither looked at her as they walked back down the hallway… and away from the room in question. There were several officers outside, leading the way somewhere. She glared at them, ready to fight but they were all arms and human. She didn't want to hurt them if she didn't have to.
A door opened and they were lead outside. She frowned at that what was before her, turning to the men. "What? What is going on? You can't do this!"
The police officers didn't say anything to her, just grabbing her arms and pulled her towards her the wooden structure. "No!" She screamed. "No! You can't… stop it!"
They didn't speak, just pulled her to the guillotine. Rin tried to break free panting sharply with fear but they held her tighter, pulling her over. She looked around, their eyes set in the task but none of them could face her. She tried to get free once more but they forced her to her knees.
"Wait!"
The officers stopped and turned to the voice just as a young boy came running over to them. He wheezed, out of breath from his run but then handed a small piece of paper to a man who read it then held the paper out to Rin.
Hand freed, she took hold of it and looked down, recognising Sesshomaru's hand writing. She turned it over quickly and read the message.
I'm sorry. I did all I could. S
She swallowed then looked at the officers around her, closing her hand around the note as they looked at her. One of them stepped forward some more. "Rin Scarlet, you have been found guilty of murder of Lisa Forpol and hence sentenced to death. Do you have any last words?"
Rin frowned as she looked down at the ground then turned to look at them with a cold determined gaze. "Yeah." She tipped her head to the side. "Lisa Forpol? More like April Fools."
