Chapter 2
The search
Derek stood in the doorway of seedy waterfront dive called the Rusty Anchor. He stood there for a moment scanning the room, and then he stepped through the door started across the room. he was about halfway across the room when two big bruises stopped him.
"Where, do you think you're going?" they growled. Derek looked them square in the eyes without a trace of fear.
"I'm here to see Weasel," he snapped, "Where is he?"
"Maybe Weasel don't want to see you!" one of two bruisers retorted. Derek shrugged and began putting on a pair of leather gloves.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," said Derek looking at the two men again. Suddenly one of them went for his gun. Derek saw it and caught is arm as he was raising the gun. Derek twisted the gun slightly and pulled the trigger. The gun went off and shot the other bruiser in the kneecap. Without hesitating Derek twisted the gun out of them man's hand, swept his feet out from under him and kicked him in the head before he could get up. The other guy was on the floor holding his kneecap. Derek stepped over him and with the gun still in his hand approach the bartender. The bartender backed away as Derek approached him.
"I hope you're smarter than the bozo brothers," he said, "Now are you going to tell me where weasel is or do I have to shoot you in the kneecap too?"
"H-He's in the office upstairs," stammered the bartender. Derek lowered the gun and walked toward the stairs. The whole room let out a sigh of relief once Derek disappeared up the stairs.
"I wish Weasel would stop ticking that guy off," muttered the bartender, "Every time he shows up here, I gotta double my health insurance and change my underwear."
Weasel was at his desk in the largest upstairs room in his illustrious establishment. He was counting stacks of money. Suddenly he was interrupted in mid count when a foot blew the door of its hinges.
"Knock, knock," growled Derek
"D-Derek," stammered Weasel, "W-What a P-Pleasant surprise."
"I was in the neighborhood," sneered Derek, "thought that I would drop by." There was a split second pause.
"Now," said Derek, "if the mutual bull session is over with, let's get down to business." Derek walked toward Weasel.
"What do you know about Vic Hanson and his Street fighting ring?" said Derek cornering Weasel
"Street fighting ring," said Weasel trying to play dumb, "I don't know what you're talking about?"
Derek grabbed weasel and shoved him against the wall,
"Don't play dumb with me, weasel," he snapped, "nothing that's illegal goes on in this town without you knowing about it!!" Derek reached into Weasel's pocket and pulled out his lighter. Letting go of Weasel he walked over to the table and picked up a stack of money.
"You know," he said, firing the lighter "I've always wanted to have money to burn." He moved the flame toward the wad of money.
"No," cried Weasel, "What are you doing? Are you insane?!"
"Tell Me what I want to know?!" growled Derek as the money began to smolder.
"Warehouse # 7 down on the north side of the docks, this Vic guy paid me 50 grand to rent the warehouse for him. That's all I know I swear!!" Derek blew out the wad of money and dropped the lighter on the table.
"Alright," he said, "I'm leaving know, but if I find out that you lied to me you're going to be snacking on your own teeth."
LWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWD
Casey and Lizzie huddled together in a damp, dark room. The room was about twelve feet by twelve feet and there was no light and the only window was a tiny hole in the only in the door. Casey looked down and found that Lizzie had dozed off thank goodness. Casey Gently laid her down on the mattress in the corner. She moved toward the door as silently as the chain she was wearing would allow her too. She and Lizzie were chained to a steel pipe next to the mattress. When she got to the door she heard two armed guards talking outside the door.
"Boy," said the first guard, "the guy that wins this tournament is going to be a lucky guy, he's going to get two prizes for the price of one."
Ice filled Casey's lungs
"No it couldn't be," she thought, "she and Lizzie were going to be palmed off to the winner of this twisted contest!!" Casey buried her head in her hands,
If only I had listened to Derek. He tried to warn me about Vince but I wouldn't listened and now I've sentence Lizzie to a fate worse than death.
LWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWDLWD
"I'm sorry Mr. Venturi," Said Police Captain Harriet Mitchell, Looking down her nose at George Venturi "we raided the Warehouse but all we found was a gambling ticket on the floor. They were there but somehow they cleared out before we got there. When George got home and told the others what had happened Derek bolted from his chair and ran up to his room taking the stairs three at a time.
When George and Nora reach Derek's bedroom they found him packing his duffle bag and muttering to himself.
"Derek," said George, "what are you doing?"
"I'm going after Casey and Lizzie, Myself." Snapped Derek
"WHAT?!" said George and Nora in unison
"Look," said Derek, "if Hanson was out of the warehouse before they cops got there that means that he's got a dirty cop on his payroll who tipped him off."
"Well once the cops find the snitch," said George, "they'll find Hanson."
"The way that Captain Mitchell flounders around it'll be too late?" Derek Snapped
"Too Late for What?" A worried Nora Asked. Derek let out a sigh
"Nora," said Derek, "I didn't want to tell you this but Vic Hanson seduces girls like Casey and makes them the prize for whoever wins his street fighting tournaments. Now that he's got the girls the tournament will start any day now."
Nora went ashen and sank onto the bed. George went to her.
"The police will get the girls back Nora, don't worry." He said.
"Maybe, the police can find them in time," said Derek zipping his bag, and heading for the door "But I know that I can."
To Be Continued…
How does Derek know so much about Hanson's fight ring?
How is Derek going to find Casey and Lizzie?
Next: Fight Quest