Chapter 14: Intimidation Tactics*

Marie was no stranger to danger. Years in the FBI had honed her instincts, made her sharp. But something about this case felt more personal, more dangerous. Maybe it was because Kevin knew her from the old days, or maybe it was because this was her hometown, and she felt like the people in it were hers to protect.

For the past few days, she and Officer Green had taken it upon themselves to stake out the properties linked to Kevin's shell companies. They split the list evenly, agreeing to keep their operations off the books. Marie hadn't told the Eds. Not because she didn't trust them—they had proved themselves more than capable in their own way—but because she couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get even darker. And if anything happened to them, especially to Edd… she wouldn't forgive herself.

Each day, Marie spent hours parked in inconspicuous spots around town, watching the empty warehouses, dilapidated factories, and the odd abandoned home. Most of the properties were run-down, places no one would think twice about. They were perfect fronts—if Kevin was hiding something. Still, no movement, no strange activity. At least, not yet.

But as she finished another uneventful night, she walked the streets near home to clear her mind. Suddenly, she felt the first tingle of unease. Her instincts flared up—a car had driven past her one too many times. A tall figure loitering on the corner was too still. She quickened her pace, her hand instinctively brushing against the hidden knife she carried at her side.

Stay calm, Marie, she told herself, ducking down a narrow alleyway, hoping to lose her tail. She kept walking, her boots crunching lightly on the gravel beneath her, the street lamps casting long shadows as she moved. A figure behind her kept pace, blending into the darkness. Her heart began to race as the sound of footsteps drew closer.

She turned a corner, picking up her pace, and just as she thought she'd shaken them, two figures stepped out from the shadows, blocking her path.

Marie stopped in her tracks. They wore black hoodies, faces obscured by masks. She glanced over her shoulder—two more were behind her, hemming her in.

"Wrong night for a walk, sweetheart," one of them growled.

Marie's blood ran cold, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she slipped into a defensive stance, her eyes cold and calculating. "I suggest you back off before you get hurt."

They only laughed. The tallest of the group lunged first, swinging wildly at her with a baton. Marie ducked under his swing and delivered a swift elbow to his ribs, causing him to grunt and stagger back. Another attacker came at her from the side—she pivoted, driving her fist into his throat and sending him stumbling backward.

But they didn't let up. A third thug managed to grab her from behind, locking his arms around her in a bear hug. She slammed her heel down on his foot and twisted free, elbowing him in the face before he could recover.

For a moment, she thought she might make it out. She fought like hell, every punch and kick fueled by adrenaline. But all it took was one slow reaction. A fist connected with her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Before she could recover, one of the men kicked behind her knees and she fell back, slamming down right on a waiting knee of another man. She cried out and rolled to the side to try to get away.

The man laughed, enjoying the fight.

One man leaned down and grabbed a handful of hair, raising her up to her feet. Tears stung her eyes and she desperately scratched at his fist to get him to let go. "Not so tough now, are you?"

"Get off of her!" A familiar voice cut through the chaos, and out of nowhere, Ed, Eddy, and Edd appeared, charging toward the attackers like a pack of wild dogs.

Ed, with his surprising strength, barreled into two of the attackers, sending them flying into the alley wall. Eddy, smaller but scrappy, grabbed a wooden plank from the ground and started swinging wildly, forcing the others to back off and drop Marie.

Edd rushed to Marie, who was now on her knees, curled in on herself to catch her breath. "Marie! Are you ok?"

She nodded, wincing slightly as she tried to stand and pain radiated up her back from the bruise surly forming. "I'm fine. What are you guys doing here?"

Ed, now towering over them to stand guard, cracked his knuckles menacingly. "We were coming back from the comic book shop and saw them messing with you!"

Eddy grinned, twirling the plank in his hand. "Yeah, we didn't want you to have all the action."

Eddy wiped the sweat from his brow. "What the heck was that about, Marie? Why didn't you call us?"

Edd, still standing close to her, frowned with concern. "You've been keeping something from us, haven't you?"

Marie sighed, running a hand through her hair as she steadied herself. "Yeah. I didn't want you guys involved in this part. It's getting dangerous, and I didn't want to put you at risk."

Edd's expression softened, but there was a hint of frustration in his voice. "We're already involved, Marie. You don't have to protect us. We're in this together."

Ed chimed in, his voice earnest and full of heart. "We're your friends, Marie. We want to help."

Marie looked between the three of them, her heart swelling with a strange mix of gratitude and guilt. She wasn't used to this—having people care about her like this. But she couldn't deny that she was relieved they'd found her when they did.

"Alright," she said finally, her voice quiet but firm. "I'll fill you in. But let's get out of here first. I think we've made enough noise for one night."

--

Back at the Eds' apartment, Marie sat on the couch, gulping down two pain killers while Ed and Eddy paced around, still fired up from the fight. Edd sat beside her, a calm presence despite everything.

"Those guys probably work for Kevin," Marie said after a long silence. "They probably followed me from one of his properties that I was staking out. Classic intimidation tactics."

Eddy scoffed. "Well, that didn't work out for them, did it?"

Marie smiled faintly, shaking her head. "No, it didn't. We've hit a nerve, and I plan on hitting more."

Edd leaned forward, his brow furrowed with concern. "Marie, you can't keep doing this alone. We've already come this far together—you can't shut us out now."

Marie glanced at him, her heart aching a little at the sincerity in his voice. He was right. She'd spent so long trying to handle everything on her own, but this wasn't just about her anymore.

"Okay," she said softly. "You're right. I shouldn't have kept you guys in the dark."

Edd smiled gently. "Good. Now, let's figure out what our next move is."

Marie took a deep breath, feeling the weight on her shoulders lighten just a little. She wasn't used to leaning on others, but maybe, just this once, she could trust them to have her back. And maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have to fight this battle alone after all.