Chapter 16: Coming storm

Note: Turpin is told a little more, Anthony is in trouble with Sweeney, And officers are rallied, and of course Lucy, so without further to do, let's just get this started. Let's start with a flashback.

It's been a week since I watched Benjamin Barker. I have whipped him a few times already. When people collapsed or needed help he would try to help them, as it was a habit we wanted to break, I wouldn't rest until it was so. Right now it was late, and it was time for prisoners to get a little sleep, so they could survive long enough to smash some rocks and carry some more rocks. The damn barber wasn't a weak man per se, but he wasn't particularly strong either. He already was beaten up by longer working inmates that were tired of his uselessness.

We would break up the fight, but would let them ruff him up a little. The truth is none of us liked him, as he would not stop

arguing with guards over hurting others and moaning about his wife. Maybe he should have thought of that before breaking into the judge's home. "Lucy, I've come home" I heard him moan in his sleep. We would break him soon, he seemed pretty pathetic. But no matter what we did to him, your honor, he never stopped wanting to return to her.

(Anthony's POV.) I was going to end up at the cabin any second now. I was scared I had know idea what Todd would do to me. Once I pulled in I saw that Lucy was walking out in the woods out back, and Johanna was walking with her to keep an eye on her. I gulped as I realized we would be alone. (Sweeney's POV.)

I was sharpening my Razor when Anthony slammed the door open. He was panting hard, obviously terrified, but I didn't know why obviously. "Mr Todd we have trouble" he told me. I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. He choked and sputtered something out. "Speak up, I didn't hear you."

"He was at the asylum, him, the beadle, and this other man, they recognised me." My eyes widened as I comprehended what was happening. I clenched my left fist as I began to slowly walk toward him. I saw his eyes widen in fear as he backed toward the door. "Oh Hope, what's your rush?" His eyes darted to my razor as I approached him.

Before he could react I rushed forward and slammed my left hand on the door so he could not open it, while having him backed to the door, with us both face to face. "Mr Todd please." "I trusted you to help protect my daughter, and now the judge saw you, did he follow?" he nodded quickly. "So he might know where we are hiding?" I tightened my grip on my razor, glaring at the sailor.

"Well guess what you piece of shit, I haven't killed a person for a bit, and I think I know someone who wants the sweet release of death today." He gulped nervously. "So lad, how about a shave?" He tried to slide away from me, but I grabbed him by the shoulder and slammed him into the door, hard." I grabbed his hair and yanked his head up exposing his throat. I also pressed him into the door with my left shoulder holding him in place, placing myself on his side.

Lifted my razor up in the air, he grabbed my right arm with his still free left. "Don't struggle, it's a waste of time, Hope." our arms quivered as we fought each other. But my arm began to overpower him, pushing the razor closer and closer to his throat. Just as his arm was about to give out completely I heard Johanna telling Lucy she loves listening to birds sing. "You're lucky" I snarled in his ear. I had realized they would come back to see Anthony killed by my hands.

I let go of him, and we composed ourselves. Johanna and Lucy entered the cabin. "She forgot where she was again," Johanna said. "Now that I'm here I remember now" Lucy said. Though in my opinion she still seemed a little off. "We have to get ready to leave," I told them.

"What happened?" Johanna asked. "The judge saw me at the asylum, and he and his companions chased me. Johanna, they might know where we are now." My daughter's eyes opened in horror. "No" she stuttered, lurching backward. She grabbed onto Anthony and buried her head in his chest.

Anthony wrapped his arms around her tightly. "He'll make me marry him, I can't go back, I won't go back. If he tries to take me back I'll fight him." "He'll only take you over my dead body," Anthony stated firmly. "Both of our dead bodies" I asserted as well.

"We have to pack and leave now, please daddy we must go as soon as we can." I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I would kill that bastard before he laid a finger on Johanna or Lucy, or I would die trying. "Daddy, she called you daddy" Lucy said, placing her hand on her forehead. "She is the judges' ward, but you can't be her father because her father's name was." Lucy then stopped abruptly, a look of horror on her face.

"The judge is coming here" She stated. She began to shake in terror. "He hurt me, I can't remember why or how but he did." She began to rock back and forth while standing. "Don't let that bastard see me, DON"T LET THAT BASTARD SEE ME!" Tears were streaming down her face as her breath became heavy.

I quickly grabbed my wife, I didn't care she didn't remember me, she needed to see how much I loved her. Even if she didn't understand. She was so distraught that she didn't care. "We'll get out of here, and he will not touch you, or I will kill him." She hiccuped as she sobbed quieter. I grabbed her chin and lifted her face to look up at me.

"That bastard did hurt you, and he will NOT do so again, that filth will NEVER touch you, I WILL NOT LET HIM!" Johanna shook her head. "You'll really kill him, won't you?" She said, her eyes widening. "Yes Johanna, I will kill him." "But dad, you can't" she started before I cut her off. "Johanna, he will never stop hunting us if he lives.

Killing him will be the only way to make sure you are safe. Remember what he did to you, remember what he did to your mum." "If you kill him, please don't let me see it." I knew she may become suspicious of me, but I was willing to risk losing her if it meant she and Lucy would be safe. We had to escape, that was the priority, but someday I would kill judge Turpin.

(Roberts POV.) I and fourteen other officers were in the living room of the judge's home. This man Daniel Hyde, who watched over Barker in Australia was talking. "We have reason to believe that Benjamin and his accomplice are in the woods, and that he has Johanna with him. We will search the woods for by splitting into two teams. I will be in one, and the judge and the Beadle want to be.

Remember to bring guns, and keep it on the barber at all times. We will arrest the criminals, and the honorable judge Turpin will sentence them to death. We will bring horses if they try to escape, and we will leave as soon as the sun sets, so bring torches. Dismissed until tonight where we will meet here." Nellie is not going to like this. But soon she will be safe from that bastard.

"Don't worry about it, your honor, he will be apprehended" I said to the judge. I left to go to the pie shop to tell Nellie of what was about to transpire.

Note: Lucy is slowly piecing things together, but I won't let everything fall into place for her yet. I know Lovetts role has shrunk a lot but I do have plans for her as you know from my fics summary. I am tackling a lot of things on my fic, but one plot point is about to be addressed. Lovett will be in the next chapter though. As to how she'll be, you'll see soon enough. Oh, and something will be set up next chapter as well.