"What in the name of all that is holy were you thinking?!" (Name) shouted. "Were you even thinking?!" (Name) wanted to throttle Giulietta Capecchi, who turned out to be the one who killed Inspector General Jaubert.
"I did kill Jaubert," Giulietta said. "But I swear to you, (Rank) (Name), it was an accident!"
"What exactly happened, Miss Capecchi?" Isaac asked. "The last I heard, we had a plan to arrest Lawson, despite some disagreement to the idea." Isaac glanced at Enzo, who was with Giulietta. Enzo had modified the plan without telling anyone, not even Giulietta, so that instead of arresting Lawson, the Mayor would end up dead at Enzo's hand. (Name) understood the sentiment, but knew that killing Lawson wouldn't heal the city from the damage he had done.
"I intended to go forward with our plan to arrest Lawson. I went early to prepare, but then Jaubert showed up, and he saw us—I mean, saw me—"
"Wait, "us"? You weren't alone during the murder?"
"No, she wasn't!" Enzo said. "And if you want to arrest her, you'll have to arrest me too!"
"Enzo, what are you doing?" Giulietta asked. "Don't implicate yourself, you can go free!"
"I'm not leaving you! (Rank) (Name), I was there too! I helped Giulietta cover up the murder!"
"Goddamnit, you should have told me what happened when I first questioned you." (Name) said. "I could have helped you!"
"Like you helped Adelia Baldwin?" Enzo sneered. (Name) glared at Enzo.
"I wouldn't make comments on how I handled Adelia's case given your living conditions, Enzo."
"My living conditions? What do they have to do with the fact you arrested her and condemned her to hell at the hands of the Justice Corps? Arrested her for trying to defend herself and her child, I might add? How did that help her, (Rank) (Name)?"
"How have YOU helped her when YOUR mother enslaved her? I never knew what happened to Adelia after she gave birth, but you? You visited your mother during these times, you had to have seen Adelia at the bakery while she worked, and did you lift a finger to help her when that greedy pig of a mother of yours exploited her, sold her to men who used her and held her child hostage against her, all while starving them both because she couldn't be bothered to pay her?"
"I…I…"
"NO! No, you did nothing! Just like everyone else! Just like me. I have to live with what happened to Adelia after I arrested her, whatever is happening to her now. But I will be damned if some snot-nosed jackass who was in a better position than I to do anything about her circumstances is going to be allowed to look his nose down at me for something I have regretted since that bitch judge condemned her and all but threw her child into the streets to fend for himself!"
"Well, this just keeps getting better!" Isaac said as Enzo fell silent. "Miss Capecchi, you were saying?"
"As I said, Jaubert attacked me." Giulietta said. "We fought, and I pushed him into the guillotine...then the rope slipped, and the blade cut him in two! It was awful! I nearly lost my mind, but Enzo helped me escape!"
"I wasn't sorry to see that pig die, but Giulietta was beside herself. She never meant to kill him!" Enzo said. "And if anyone found out, she'd be added to the mass execution!"
"Then we're not arresting her." (Name) said. "This was a clear case of self-defense against a tyrannical regime that had no business executing anyone and the death itself was an accident, so we're not arresting her."
"(Name)! We can't risk being out of Lawson's good graces…" Isaac said. "At least until we can formulate a new plan to take him down. We can't condemn her to death, but we can't just ignore what she did either!"
"I mean it, Isaac. We are NOT arresting Giulietta Capecchi for Jaubert's accidental death, not while Lawson's still in power. The last time I trusted the law under his rule, Adelia Baldwin was thrown into prison for fifteen years for what was self-defense and her baby was left to rot in the streets. I'm not going through that again, and if you disagree—if you think I can keep upholding the law as it stands now, then you can take my badge and shove it up your—"
"(Name)!" The four of them looked up and saw Charlie and Dick coming towards them.
"Charles?" Isaac asked. "Charles, what in the world—"
"(Name), I'm sorry to interrupt, but this is beyond urgent!" Charlie said. "Our entire team has been arrested! Lawson's goons stormed the airship and rounded them up!"
"What?!"
"Oh God…" (Name) said, sickened. Lawson found them out…arrested the team.
"(Rank) (Name), can we do anything to help?" Enzo asked.
"No! If Lawson's coming after us, there's no hope for you!" Isaac said. "Run, now! We'll deal with you later…if we survive this!"
"Wait." (Name) said. "Giulietta, take whatever resistance fighters you have left to Crimson Banks. The state is coming, and with the Justice Corps on the lookout, whoever the state's sending is going to need help getting into the city."
"I can do that." Giulietta said. "Enzo, spread the word—we'll convene at the Crimson River Parish Church." Enzo nodded and he and Giulietta left the square.
"Well, that takes care of that unfortunate situation." Isaac said. "Charlie, tell us exactly what happened to our team!"
"Not here. If the Corps are looking for us, we need to move. Explain after we get to safety." They fled the square, hiding in the shadows until they reached Prospect Gardens. Due to the patrols, the remains of the Flying Squad snuck in through the servants' entrance. When they reached the parlor, (Name) was glad to see Lady Highmore…and Diego, without his disguise.
"Lady Highmore was just telling me she heard what happened!" Diego said. "Are you all right?"
"Diego, they came and they took them! Right after you called me!" Charlie cried. "Maddie and baby George! They're all gone!"
"Slow down, Charles! What happened?"
"Foot soldiers from the Justice Corps showed up at the airship, led by Officer Smythe! He said we were hiding something from him during the investigation, which led him to conclude that our team was sympathetic to the resistance!" Dick said. "He reported this to Lawson, who gave his approval for the raid! Only Charlie and I escaped!"
"How did you and Charlie manage to avoid capture?"
"We heard them from the next room just as I was informing everyone to get off the airship after we spoke, and we laid under sheets in the morgue like dead bodies. I didn't want to, but Dick convinced me I had to avoid capture in order to save Maddie and baby George!" Charlie said, crying. "I should have helped them! Oh God, I could hear her screaming, the baby crying!"
"Then you would have been thrown into the dungeon as well, if not killed outright!"
"Was anyone hurt?" Isaac asked.
"We heard them knock someone out. I think it was Viola." Dick said. "Whatever else we do, we can't go back to the airship! They'll hunt for us there!"
"Oh, God, just as I thought things couldn't get any worse!" (Name) said. "Do we know where they were taken?"
"The goons said our team will be held in a dungeon under the town square," Charlie said. "And they'll be executed with the other dissidents tomorrow at dawn!"
"I know of the dungeon. It's called the Grotto. I discovered the location of the dissients during my archival work." Diego said. "I went to call you from the courthouse when I overheard Umbright on the line with Lawson. They were speaking when Smythe barged into Lawson's office talking about the Flying Squad; that was when I realized he was onto you, and I went to the telegraph office to call the airship. From what Charlie just said, my warning reached them just ahead of the raid."
"Damnit!" (Name) said. "Lawson's onto us, our team's about to be executed tomorrow and we still need to know if the state's arrived! What the hell are we going to do now?"
"I can help you plan a rescue." Lady Highmore said. "My great-grandfather was the architect who designed that dungeon! I'm almost positive there's a model he built of the place somewhere in the cellar!"
"It could help, but getting them out is just the start. We need to prepare for injuries that occurred during the raid. Dick, do you have what you need to treat injuries, particularly the head injury Viola might have from being knocked out?"
"I managed to procure some supplies from the airship," Dick said. "But I'll need a pain reliever to concot a safe concussion remedy."
"There should be adequate medicinal supplies for that here!" Lady Highmore said. "I'll show you everything we have, Dr. Wells."
"My thanks, Lady Highmore." Dick said as he followed Lady Highmore to what was currently the hospital room.
"Charlie, you and Diego search the cellar for that model." (Name) said. "When you find it, Charlie, you'll need to examine it to find a way in."
"I can do that…yes, I can most definitely do that." Charlie said as he and Diego headed to the cellar. (Name) paced the parlor, each step pounding the floor. The team arrested…and what the hell was going to happen to baby George? Lawson wouldn't execute a baby…would he? On the other hand, baby George was swept up in the raid, apparently counting as a member of the team due to his parents. Damn the Justice Corps bastards for this, damn Umbright for her obsession with blood guilt and sadistic approach to others, damn damn DAMN Lawson for using an office meant to uphold the law to pursue his revenge at the expense of innocent lives!
"(Name)? Why don't you go down to the cellar to check on Charlie and Diego?" Isaac asked. "I'm certain they could use a third set of eyes."
"Or I'll just be in the way. Charlie's a nervous wreck, and we can only hope he'll be able to concentrate enough despite his fears for Maddie and baby George. It doesn't help that Viola, who is the only one capable of tending to their needs while in captivity, is injured herself." (Name) said. "Isaac, about what I said earlier…"
"You have been upset and shaken to your core since Adelia Baldwin. I want you to listen to me now, mon cher ami. What happened to her was NOT your fault. You couldn't have known what would happen to her when you arrested her for Mrs. Thenard's murder, nor the circumstances of that murder."
"I trusted the law to do the right thing, and I was wrong. I don't even know if the Justice Corps have continued using her after her arrest, or if Diego's attempts to stop that have even worked."
"Either way, you shouldn't carry that guilt for what happened to her. You trusted the law, you did your job as a police officer. You arrested a killer, and the courts failed to deliver justice. If anyone is responsible, it is those who are so eager to follow the letter of the law that they have forsaken the spirit of it, and those who would use the law to achieve their own ends no matter who it hurts."
"When I confronted Enzo on changing the plan so that Lawson would be killed instead of arrested, I wasn't happy with him. But still…a part of me wondered if he was right—that Lawson was too dangerous to let live, that arresting him wasn't enough."
"And what does the rest of you say?"
"That death is too good for that monster. The rest of me also says that as much as I want him to die, to pay for his sins through the ultimate judgement, it's not what the city needs. If Concordia is ever to heal from the damage he's caused, then he has to answer for what he's done, on Earth. That means we have to take him alive, or those who support him will only pick up where he left off."
"That sounds very wise, (Rank) (Name)." Isaac said.
"Wise, but also self-serving." (Name) answered. "In the end, the truth is I am just looking forward to his impeachment." They were interrupted by a knock on the parlor door. (Name) and Isaac drew their guns as (Name) opened the door. There was Constable Ramirez, and accompanying him were Viola's parents, Maddie's mother and Evie's brother.
"(Rank) (Name)! I did as you said and brought all family members of the Flying Squad here!" Ramirez said. "Is it true? We heard the Flying Squad was arrested by the Justice Corps!"
"Unfortunately, yes Constable." (Name) said. "But we're going to rescue them, you have my word."
"Were any of them injured?" Mrs. Pemberton asked. "Oh God, my daughter…if any of those brutes found out about Viola—"
"Dr. Wells is working on some medical supplies in case we encounter injuries. I'm sure he would appreciate your and your husband's assistance in preparing remedies."
"This way, please Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton." Isaac said as he led Viola's parents to the hospital room. Mrs. O'Malley stood there, and (Name) noticed the pistol in her hand.
"Don't even think about fobbing me off with some errand, (Rank)." Mrs. O'Malley said. "If my daughter and her family are in danger, I want a part in rescuing them!"
"As do I!" Nicholas Holloway said. "That's my baby sister they captured!"
"Baby sister? By what, ten minutes?" (Name) asked. "Evie told me you were twins."
"Fifteen minutes, actually. Anyway, the point is I'll help any way I can even if it means my arrest too!"
"Given this regime's penchant for blood guilt, it may come to that. That's why I asked Constable Ramirez to bring you all here. Actually, Nicholas, we could use your help—Charlie and Diego are looking for the model of the dungeon the others are trapped in. I think your skills as an architect could be useful here."
"Lead on, (Rank)." (Name) took Nicholas down to the cellar where they saw Charlie and Diego arguing about something Charlie left behind on the airship when they fled; between them was the model they needed.
"Charlie, Diego, any progress?" (Name) asked.
"I examined the dungeon's floor plan in this model," Charlie said. "And I believe our team is behind the reinforced door in this room!"
"Excellent, so we know where to find them!"
"Not so fast, (Name). This enclosure is underground. The only entrance is through the door at the top of the staircase! We must find a way to get through that door, and we'll need a key to enter the cell!"
"Unless…" (Name) looked to Diego, who shook his head.
"The model also features the lock used on the door." Diego said. "It's very complicated, and has incorporated quite a few counter-measures against tampering. Normally, I would relish the challenge, but providing that I can actually get through the lock, it would take time we can't afford."
"Damn! The dungeon's impenetrable!" (Name) said. "Underground, only one entrance and a lock that definitely needs a key to get through! I have to admit, Lady Highmore's great-grandfather was a genius designing that thing, especially the lock."
"Highmore…oh, God, yes! How could I be so stupid? Of course, we're in the house of architect Radcliff Highmore!" Nicholas said. "Highmore was famous for building special locks on the dungeon. When construction was finished, he was required to hand over the skeleton key. But he was notoriously paranoid, and rumor has it he kept a copy for himself. The key might be hidden somewhere in this house!"
"Preferably near where the model was!" (Name) said. "Nicholas, you just gave us hope for the first time since Lawson was inaugurated!" They searched the cellar, finding an old clock among the wine shelves. Diego fiddled with the lock, revealing a key hidden inside. The fob had "The Grotto" carved into it. (Name) took the key and they all started up the stairs when they heard voices. (Name) signaled everyone to halt as they drew their gun out. They opened the door a crack to see Mrs. O'Malley arguing with Smythe.
"Officer, I'm aware of you arresting my daughter." Mrs. O'Malley said. "What I don't understand is why you took her child as well! My grandson is not even a day old, for Christ's sake! He should be in my custody, not rotting in some jail cell!"
"Your grandson has been taken with his mother after her arrest." Smythe said. "As for Miss O'Malley—"
"Mrs. Dupont! I should remind you, sir, that my Madeline is a married, respectable woman!"
"She is facing charges of treason against Mayor Lawson, as is her husband and the rest of the Flying Squad and until we finish our investigation, their child will be in the orphanage."
"What investigation? And you dare put my grandson George in an orphanage?!"
"I dare to make sure you had nothing to do with their treason, madam, along with anyone else connected to them."
"That is outrageous! I demand to see George. NOW!" Smythe backhanded Mrs. O'Malley, his back to the cellar door where (Name) and the others slipped out.
"You are in no position to demand of me!" Smythe said, drawing his gun at Mrs. O'Malley. "I should execute you for assaulting an officer!"
"Then why don't you do it, you boot-licking foozler?" Mrs. O'Malley asked, kneeling where she fell. "Lord knows that hornswoggler you call a Mayor has a love of killing, and none of it has to do with justice!"
"You will pay for besmirching Mayor Lawson's name! Any last words?"
"Maybe she doesn't have anything to say," (Name) said as they snuck behind Smythe and put their gun to the back of his head. "But I do. Lower your weapon, Smythe."
"(Rank) (Name)! I knew it, you and Highmore WERE working for the resistance!" Smythe said. "Lower your weapon or the army of Justice Corps I brought will tear this place apart!" Isaac, Dick and Lady Highmore came in at that moment. Diego held Charlie back and whispered in his ear about something, which worked to calm the inventor enough not to intervene; Constable Ramirez came in as well to see what the commotion was and…was he wielding a frying pan?
"Are you all right, Eileen?" Isaac asked as he helped Mrs. O'Malley up.
"I'll be fine." Mrs. O'Malley said. "My thanks, Isaac."
"I wouldn't be too concerned about this supposed army." Lady Highmore said. "My butler's just informed me that half a dozen Justice Corps officers were apprehended by the groundsworkers as they tried to enter the house. They're currently imprisoned in the cellar."
"My thanks to your staff, Lady Highmore." (Name) said. "You were saying, Smythe?"
"You will all pay for this!" Smythe cried. "When Mayor Lawson hears of this—"
"You have to actually reach him before that happens. Where's George Dupont?"
"I'm not telling you anything! Mayor Lawson will prevail!"
"Smythe, I know this isn't your greatest strength, but think." (Name) said. "Fifty years ago, the city of Concordia abolished the death penalty; at the same time, the state the city of Concordia is a part of abolished the death penalty. Now, prove you actually have a brain and explain what that means."
"It means the state abandoned us in our darkest hour, and Mayor Lawson will lead us to the light!"
"No, Smythe, it means that the state abolished the death penalty, and it applies to every city that is part of the state—including Concordia. In other words, your precious Mayor has been in violation of state law since his reinstating the death penalty for Concordia."
"Mayor Lawson is acting for justice! The state failed us!"
"Concordia's still part of the state, and Lawson made no effort to separate from the state."
"They let the Rochesters nearly destroy this city!"
"For Christ's sake, it's like talking to a wall. Stop being vazey, Smythe! The state is coming to conduct an inquiry into Lawson's administration, it'll go better for you if you cooperate with them."
"The state has no right to intervene! Only Mayor Lawson's rule applies here!" Smythe moved to lift his gun, and before (Name) could fire, Diego drew the sword stick out and slashed Smythe's arm, cutting it and causing him to drop the gun.
"Ahh! My arm!" Smythe cried, then saw the tip of Diego's blade at his neck. "Oh, no…please, no…"
"Yield." Diego said. "Or I swear to God the next cut will be your throat."
"I—I won't be intimidated by a crook!"
"And I refuse to let some some disgrace to mutton shunters everywhere prattle on about the lout he obeys who is using the office he inherited to achieve his ambitions for revenge. (Rank) (Name) asked you a question—where is George Dupont, if not in the Grotto with his mother?"
"I won't, I…if you kill me, you won't find him!" Diego chuckled at that.
"I do believe you overestimate your value. If you know where baby George is, others do as well. It would be easy to kill you and find someone else who knows. Inconvenient, but easy."
"Diego…" (Name) said. "If you kill him…could you wait until you bring him to the gardens before you do? Blood and guts are absolute murder to clean out of carpets!"
"Wha-what?" Smythe asked, paling. "(Rank) (Name), you can't be serious!"
"(Name)? Are you all right?" Isaac asked.
"I'm fine, Isaac, and I'm quite serious, Smythe." (Name) said. "You took an innocent baby away from his mother, whom you arrested, and instead of bringing said baby to the nearest kin he has—in this case his grandmother—you put him in an orphanage, and threatened to kill his grandmother when she protetsed this placement. That is not justice, Smythe. I would be well within my rights to take your life in recompense."
"No! No, you can't!" Smythe shouted. "I'm acting under authority of the Justice Corps!"
"Your authority does not extend to breaking up families for no good reason, and George Dupont is my godson."
"Our godson." Diego added.
"Our godson, and we are well within the rights granted by your Mayor to make you pay for it. After all, he did spend the past six months preaching retribution as an entitlement."
"No! No, you're—you're twisting his words!" Smythe sobbed. "Please don't kill me, please don't kill me…"
"'Vengeance is righteous', 'justified anger is nothing to be ashamed of'. Those are his words, Smythe, from speeches he's given. Diego, I believe the east gardens would be a good spot, though I don't think we can dispose of the body just by burying it there. Should we just chop it up and stuff the pieces in the furnace?"
"Absolutely not, human remains burn poorly in enclosed spaces and the smell is quite ghastly." Diego said. "I hear pigs will eat absolutely anything, including human corpses. I could just toss his carcass into the nearest pig farm. They would make quick work of the remains."
"That sounds like a plan." (Name) said as they handcuffed Smythe and started leading him out the door.
"St. Gerolamo's! George Dupont is in St. Gerolamo's!" Smythe yelled. (Name) turned him around and pinned him to a wall.
"Are you sure?" (Name) asked. "Are you absolutely sure that was where George was taken to?"
"Yes! After we arrested the Flying Squad, Judge Umbright told us to take the baby. We did, and gave it—him to her, and she said she was bringing him to Saint Gerolamo Eminali's Children's Home!"
"All right, new plan. Diego, you, Isaac and Charlie get the rest of our Squad out of the Grotto, as well any other prisoners there. Dick, you're with me—we'll head to St. Gerolamo's to get George."
"You should take this." Dick said, handing Charlie his case. "It has the medicine for Viola's concussion, and supplies for anyone else who might be injured."
"Ramirez, get this pigeon-livered fopdoodle locked away until Assistant Attorney General Johnson or whoever the state sends in arrives, and Smythe?" (Name) said. "If anything happens to baby George or the children in St. Gerolamo's or their caretakers? I will do everything in my power to show you how lucky Jaubert was to get himself killed."
