Chapter 4: Hue and Cry
A/N: As I have been handed next week's work schedule, I doubt I'll be coming up for air, so a week early it is! Greyfriars, – Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own Shadow Hearts. Only Cashiel, Carter and well ...
WARNING! This is WHY it's rated "R"; if you do not appreciate graphic violence, adult languages or situations, TURN BACK NOW!
Captain Cashiel's morning was skidding downhill and the sun had yet to rise over fog-laden London. There was another killing, yet another body to account for. But when he arrived on the scene, a filthy back alleyway behind a pub, he was given the best news he could have had: eye witnesses. Two of the pub regulars reported seeing a monster leaving the area just before discovering the body. The witnesses also said they knew the last person to see the dead man alive.
Once the coroner's wagon had departed Cashiel went to talk to the witnesses. The pub owner, a thin man in his forties with thin graying hair and brown eyes, and a man from the wharf in charge of the day labor, Bart Howell. The pub owner told the usual story of busy patrons, workers from the wharf coming in at supper time for pasties and beer.
"Well yes, there was somewhat unusual last night. Him and another gets into a drinking contest. Him what died was the winner; him what didn't win … well, I dunno Cap'n. I lost track of 'em in the crowd. But I 'member he's Russian."
Cashiel nodded and dismissed the owner to speak with Bart Howell. This was a middle aged man with a clever look in his eyes, and Cashiel would just bet he started the wagering contest in the pub. Bart stood with his hat crushed into his fist, his sloppy brown hair falling into his plain face.
"Well, the men like to get a little ahead, if'n ya know what I mean. A little wagering can liven up the night and the lucky one gets as much as he can get."
"What did you offer last night," Cashiel asked.
"Well, the pot was pretty good; the Swedes had been round a coupla times to wipe us out so the bettin' got heavy. Loser took himself 500 pounds cash."
"And the winner?" Lieutenant Carter prompted.
"Well now, I offered work for the winner."
"You said the betting got heavy, who was your champion?"
"Ah, that would the Russki."
"And did you bet on the Swede or the Russian?" Carter asked.
"Now I know what yer thinkin' Lieutenant, but I didn't kill the man. Yuri maybe did, I dunno."
"Yuri? Is that the Russian?"
"Yeah. He's usually a quiet kid, but he got so drunk I tossed his arse out into the alley; he maybe waited to off the big guy, seein' as he lost work 'cause of the bet."
"Did he now?" Cashiel said. "And when did this all happen? What time did he leave?"
"Ah, close to ten of the clock as I can remember."
"And can you tell me where I can find this Russian?"
"Yup, lives with his old lady up on Alliston Road. I'll hafta get his numbers from the Harbormaster office."
"No, that's quite all right; I'll get that later. Anything else you can tell me about these two, the Russian and the Swede?"
Bart thought for a moment, his eyes squinted shut. "No, 'cept they mighta known each other. Harbormaster and Army keep all the foreign bastards together ya know."
"Yes, I'm sure." Cashiel nodded at Carter and the two turned toward Cashiel's car. "I want that address; and any history we can pull on this Russian. Immigration should have something. I want to see it before noon."
"Yes Captain. Think we found our killer?" Carter asked as Cashiel climbed into his car.
"Not sure. But he was there; he possibly knew the victim. And the monster sightings were all around the same time. I don't believe in coincidences."
Yuri's head was pounding when he awoke late the next morning. His eyes opened to a blurry expanse of brown and he realized he was lying face down on the floor of his bedroom. He didn't remember coming home and he obviously hadn't changed his clothes as he was still in his work clothing and coat. Running a hand through his hair he took a long slow breath, trying to clear his head; it didn't help.
He rose and headed for the bedroom door but it was bolted shut from the outside, stopping him in his tracks.
'What the…?' He tried the door handle again to no avail.
"Hey! Alice! Let me out! Hello?" he shouted, banging on the door. He raised one foot to kick the door but at the last minute remembered that would not please Mrs. Elliot so instead he turned toward the small window in his room. He had just raised the sash to climb out onto the roof when the bedroom door opened.
"Yuri, come downstairs, please," Mrs. Elliot said before turning back down the hall.
Yuri followed her into the hall but instead of heading for the stairs he made for the bathroom.
"Downstairs, Yuri!" Mrs. Elliot's stern voice carried down the hall.
"I will, I will. But I gotta go!" he shouted and slammed the bathroom door shut.
Mrs. Elliot descended the stairs and rejoined her daughter in the sitting room. Her daughter looked tired, her usually neatly braided hair was pulled back into a single plait that hung limply behind her, and while she was no longer wearing her night robes, she was wearing yesterday's rumpled clothing. Mrs. Elliot was also sure that she did not look very well rested herself. They had spent the night in long discussion. After a few minutes of protracted silence they heard the bathroom door open and slam shut again and Yuri's booted feet as he descended the stairs.
"All right, I am here," he said as he entered the sitting room. The first thing he noticed was the bright afternoon sunlight filtering in from outside, followed by how disheveled Alice looked. He frowned and went to kneel beside her chair.
"Are you all right, Alice? Are you sick?"
Alice shook her head but would not look at Yuri.
"No, I am all right, Yuri. Please sit down."
Yuri pulled a chair from the nearby desk and sat next to Alice, the sun at his back. Mrs. Elliot was standing in the center of the sitting room, her clothing as disheveled as Alice's and she looked angry. Yuri scratched his head, knowing that something was amiss but not sure what. He looked down at his hands and waited.
"Yuri Hyuga is there something you wish to tell me?" she finally asked.
Yuri looked up. "Uh, no?"
"I see. You have no explanation for your behavior last night; nor for your deceitful lies to me?" Mrs. Elliot had put her hands behind her back and was looking sternly at Yuri.
"Lies? Last night? I dunno what I did. My head hurts; did I get in fight or somethin'?"
Alice looked at Yuri, an expression of surprise crossing her brow. "You don't remember? Yuri, are you saying you have no memory of what you did last night? None at all?"
Yuri scratched his head, pulling free a few tangles as he did so.
"Well, not really. Did I do something stupid? If I did, I am sorry." At that he looked up again at Mrs. Elliot. "And I don't remember ever telling you a lie, Reverend Misses."
Before her mother could respond Alice turned to Yuri, taking his rough and calloused hand in hers.
"What did you do yesterday?"
Yuri smiled. "I worked of course. Then I went to supper." He paused, his almond-shaped eyes squinting in concentration. "I remember having a beer or two; but after that …" he shrugged.
"You came home drunk Yuri; very drunk. And you had fused," Alice said quietly.
Yuri's head came up quickly and a pounding pain shot through him, causing him to moan. He rubbed his face with his hands and tried to remember. But all he could see was pain. And fog.
"Was it foggy last night? I remember there was fog; and – and the bridge kept moving," he said at last.
"Yes, it was foggy. Why did you drink Yuri? I want to know? You told me you were going to work a second shift."
He looked at Alice and shrugged sheepishly. "I did, didn't I? But I didn't lie about it," this last he directed at Mrs. Elliot.
"Perhaps not, but you have lied about so many things," she said and pointed at him. "What class are you, Yuri Hyuga?"
"Class?" he asked confusion awash in his eyes before he understood. "Darkness class, but you know that. I never lied about that."
"And what are you? Are you truly just a monster hunter?"
Yuri felt a sudden frisson travel up his spine and he looked from Alice to Mrs. Elliot.
"This is about my fusing last night, yes?" Alice nodded. "I never told you about that," he looked at Mrs. Elliot. "I wasn't tryin' to hide it, really. I – it just never came up. I have fusion, Reverend Misses. It is what helped me to save and protect Alice."
"And what else?"
Yuri shook his head. "Nothing. I – I am – nothing. Never mind; if you are going to hate me now, after all this time, because I can fuse, well then, there is nothing else I can say, no? You hate me, I cannot change that. But I never lied to you. I love Alice; I protected her and want to go on protecting her."
"That might prove difficult, Yuri," Mrs. Elliot said and turned to the small table by the door. She picked up a newspaper and, walking across the room, handed it to Yuri.
The front page was the usual headlines about the war in Europe. There was a report from the front: on March 10th the British forces in France tried to break through the German trenches at Neuve Chapelle and capture Aubers. Three hundred forty two guns launched missiles at the enemy for over thirty minutes followed quickly by the British forces attacking along the line. After four hours of fighting, often hand-to-hand, the village of Neuve Chapelle was captured. The British considered it a success, however the northern sectors had failed in their bombardment of the German lines and the soldiers that crossed No Man's Land were faced with intact German trenches bristling with artillery. Not a man survived the attack; nearly thirteen thousand dead.
Below that was a small article on a monster sighting at Paddington station in the wee hours of the morning. Witnesses clearly described a lizard-like creature that seemed to blur and transform into a devil and fly away to the north. A rough sketch accompanied the article and the likeness to Death Emperor was startling.
Yuri looked at the paper; he could not read the English words save but for the simpler text, however the picture was another matter.
"Oh," he said quietly.
Captain Cashiel sat in the back seat of his car as the driver took him across town toward Saint Johns Wood. It was a rather well-off neighborhood with merchants and businessmen living a better life than those he saw daily in the areas around the Strand. Next to him was Lieutenant Carter while one officer rode across from him and another rode up front. The report on his lap did little to dissuade him that these men would not be necessary. The man they were on their way to see was a foreign national who entered without papers; he had been vouched for by a young woman and her mother. There did not appear to be coercion on his part, but they had traveled alone from Zurich in war-time and the man had listed his profession as that of hunter. He had not qualified what kind of hunter, but now Cashiel was curious. What was a hunter doing at the pub with a rowdy crew of roustabouts from the wharf? And how did he know the big man, Lars? The Harbormaster said that the Russian worked at the wharf periodically, is that how he knew the Swede? Cashiel knew the answers would be interesting and hoped for a lead or an arrest.
They pulled up to the address on Alliston Road a little after one in the afternoon. And as Cashiel and Carter climbed the stairs to the front door, Cashiel did a quick glance at the house's exterior, noting the windows, the path leading to a side door and the widow's walk; each a potential path of escape.
A knock on the door brought an older woman who identified herself as Mrs. Elliot. Cashiel asked to see the Russian, Yuri, and was escorted into the sitting room.
Alice had waited until her mother left to answer the door before turning to Yuri.
"Just what were you thinking, Yuri? Do you know what you've done? Do you understand the consequences if they discover what you are; what you can do? This isn't China!"
Yuri stood and moved across the room, distancing himself from Alice. His expression was one of concern but quickly changed to cocky self-assurance as he said, "Let them wonder! They do not know who it was. They do not know it was me!"
"And do you think they won't look?" Alice rose and crossed the sitting room. She reached out and took his hand, holding the calloused hand in her soft one. "Yuri, I – I don't know what to say to Mother," she said while biting her lower lip. "Imagine trying to explain Death Emperor to the police?"
Behind them a police constable entered the room following Mrs. Elliot.
"Yes, why don't you explain, Mr. Yuri," Cashiel said. He didn't expect an answer; did it more to startle the young man into making a mistake. 'And what is this Emperor the girl referred to?'
"Explain what?" the tall young man turned to look at the officer;. Cashiel, in his usual grey overcoat and dark slacks, looked nothing like a policeman. Yuri looked the man up and down before deciding that he was harmless.
"Alice, Yuri, this is Captain Cashiel. He is here to ask you some questions," Mrs. Elliot said stiffly, indicating Yuri.
Yuri's head swiveled from Mrs. Elliot to Cashiel and back. 'What the --' Yuri thought.
"I don't know what you mean?" he said to Cashiel. "What are you askin' about?"
"What do you know of a man named Lars Sveningsen?" he asked, point blank.
Yuri looked surprised. "You know him? I have seen him around. We work at the docks now and again."
"Did you see him last night?"
Yuri looked back at Alice before turning again to Cashiel.
"Yeah, we had a few drinks. I got drunk; I came home."
"And then what? See anything unusual around the pub?"
Yuri took a step back, crossed his arms on his chest and eyed the Captain carefully. Beside him, Alice noticed Yuri was putting on his belligerent coat and touched his left elbow.
"Yuri, just tell him the truth. No one is angry that you got drunk."
He looked down at Alice but only for a moment before turning back to Cashiel. "I was drunk. What was I supposed ta see?"
"When did you leave the pub? Did anyone see you leave?"
Yuri frowned, about to give a flippant answer when he felt Alice's cool fingers touch his.
"Um, I'm not sure. I vaguely remember Bart taking me to the toilet and waking up in th' alleyway. But that's all. It was dark and foggy. I didn't see anyone."
"What about the Swede? Did you see him when he left; or in the alleyway?"
Yuri shook his head. "No. Like I say, I was pissed. I did not see anyone. Not until I got home."
"What time was that?"
Yuri shrugged. "I dunno; don't remember."
"It was somewhat after midnight I think," Alice offered.
"And you left the pub when?"
Yuri shrugged again. "Don't know. I was pissed."
"How did you get home?"
Yuri scowled again, and shrugged off Alice's fingers. He gestured with one arm, indicating the two officers standing behind Cashiel.
"Are you accusing me of somethin', Captain? 'Cause I didn't do nothin'. I got drunk. I walked home. It was dark; foggy. That's all!"
"Did you talk to anyone after you left the pub? Or see anyone on the streets?"
"Captain, is something wrong?" Alice finally interjected. "Why are you asking so many questions?"
"There was a murder last night, Miss," Cashiel volunteered never once turning in her direction.
Alice was startled, her eyes growing wide with distress as one hand covered her mouth. Yuri scowled even deeper, a low growl coming from his throat; he took a step toward the captain his fists clenched.
"And you t'ink I did this murder?" he asked angrily.
"I simply need to corroborate witness accounts that place you in the area at the time."
"I am not a murderer!" Yuri shouted.
"I didn't say you were," Cashiel replied calmly. "There were several accounts last night of some creature in the area that could very well have committed the crime. Did you see any signs of this creature?"
Now Yuri was startled and he stepped back again, suddenly cautious.
"N-no," he stammered. "Well, I don't think so," he said.
"Do you think this creature killed the other man, Captain?" Alice asked.
"I don't know Miss. But it certainly looks that way."
"Yuri's the one you are looking for, Captain," Mrs. Elliot said quietly. "He is the monster from the paper."
"What?!?" Yuri shouted, and turned toward the Reverend Misses. "You bitch! What are you saying?"
Alice herself was startled by her mother's confession and then all hell broke loose.
Yuri kicked a chair out of his way as he tried to push past Cashiel and his officers while Mrs. Elliot screamed. One officer pulled his baton and raised it to deter the young Russian even as Cashiel tried to tackle him. But Yuri was stronger than they expected and was able to shove his way through, pushing past the man with the baton, grabbing his arm and twisting it aside even as he removed the weapon from his numb fingers. Then Yuri was out the door, running down the street. It only took a few seconds but Alice Elliot too was out the door with the constables soon following, the shrill sound of their whistles echoing in the streets.
Yuri ran pell-mell down Alliston Road, crossing Charlbert and heading for Prince Albert Road and Regent's Park. He knew if he could get that far he could hide from the constables until they gave up before making his way to the docks and maybe board a ship outbound. As his feet pounded on the roadway his mind kept hounding him with one question, 'why'. Why had Mrs. Elliot told the captain he was the monster in the picture? Why would she betray him that way? Did she hate him that much? And had Alice too decided that he was better off chained in some prison far away?
'No,' he thought. 'Alice would never do that; she's too kind; too caring. No, it has to be her mother. But what did I do?' The question was not answered as he skidded to a stop at Prince Albert Road, a mere two hundred yards ahead of the pursuing constables. Across the road Regent's Park beckoned with its rolling man-made hills, its trees, the zoological park, and the Queen's gardens. Somewhere Yuri felt he could find a place to hide.
Behind him the shrill whistles continued and as he looked up the road to his left he could see more officers running while to his right, approaching from Wellington was a police car and a pair of mounted officers were riding across from the park; he was surrounded.
A small frown creased his brow and he grinned. 'Just like in China,' he thought and barreled forward, shoulders hunched as he came up under one of the horses as they pulled up in front of him. One rider struck down with his crop but only connected to Yuri's hunched back as the harmonixer slipped under the horse and gave the mount a good shoulder to the stomach. The horse shied away, freeing Yuri from the confines of his underside and Yuri then turned to grab the officer's on-side stirrup and his leg as well. With a grunt Yuri heaved and sent the constable flying off the other side of the horse. He then tried to mount the horse but the other officer used his crop to beat him down, pushing his mount forward to dislodge Yuri's hold on the saddle. Forced back to the ground Yuri turned to flee into the park but by now the pursuing officers had caught up and several were outflanking him, pushing him back toward the approaching Captain Cashiel and Alice.
Stymied, the young harmonixer turned to fight, his bare fists connecting with first one man's shoulder, punching him back then sliding across another's chin. There was a crack as the jaw broke and Yuri followed up with a side kick that connected with the officer's neck and sent him crashing to the ground. Another officer leapt and landed on Yuri's shoulders, his arms wrapped around the fighter's upper arms, while another came at him with a baton. The baton wielder got in a good jab to Yuri's midsection before Yuri spun around and used the straining man on his shoulders as a weapon, slamming his flying feet into the baton wielder's head. Spinning back, he continued to use the man on his shoulders as a weapon until finally shaking loose the constable's grip he tore loose and, as the officer slid off, turned quickly and punched him in the face. Blood splattered as the man's nose was crushed under Yuri's fist and the officer screamed in pain.
By now the rest of the constables responding to the whistle had arrived and Yuri was outnumbered ten to one. He realized he had no chance against so many, even with the five he had taken down out of the way, and there was still the horseman as well. With a growl he turned to flee into the park. But Alice had arrived with Captain Cashiel and he could hear her shouting, her thin high pitched voice carrying over the loud sounds of the pursuing officers and the remaining horseman.
"Yuri, no! Stop! Please stop!" she shouted.
Yuri hesitated for a moment, turning to look back at the woman he loved and the look in her eyes made him pause. The sudden onrush of the remaining officers brought him to his knees, and he began to renew his struggle, punching and butting anyone he could.
"Yuri, please! Stop fighting. Don't fight them!" Alice called as she ran across the street to get closer.
Again he hesitated, and against his judgement, stopped fighting. Instantly there was a baton across his head, another punching him in the gut and he was now face down in the grass as half a dozen men landed on him, forcing him to surrender. He stopped struggling, letting them do their worst before he felt his arms pinioned against his back and cuffs cutting into his wrists. Finally the officers got off him and brought him up to his knees to face Captain Cashiel. Bloodied, Yuri looked up at the police captain, a glint of defiance still in his eyes.
"Yuri Hyuga, I am detaining you for the murder of Lars Sveningsen," Cashiel said and suddenly fear replaced defiance in Yuri's eyes.
"No," he breathed as the officers pulled him to his feet. "No!"
Alice watched as they dragged Yuri to the police car, Yuri's shoulders hunched and his head down. The look he had given her as they took him away gave her such pain. He was afraid. Alice had never seen that look in his eyes before; not even when they fought against god. The closest she had ever seen that look of fear was when he lost to the Seraphic Radiance in China. As they pulled Yuri into the car, Alice approached the police captain.
"Please, don't hurt him, Captain. He didn't kill that man, I am sure," she said softly.
"That may be, Miss. We'll see. However, you'd best arrange for a barrister. He'll need one."
Alice nodded and watched as the car pulled away, followed by Captain Cashiel's car. It would be a long walk back up to Alliston Road and Alice had a lot to think about.
