Convicted Innocent(15)

The sergeant stilled suddenly, an arm stretched across David’s chest pressing him against the wall. In the next breath, the priest heard the sound of running feet and curt voices coming toward their hall from both directions along the corridor they’d just departed.

Before their pursuers drew abreast of their hiding place, the sergeant tugged the priest deeper into the gloom. The dark passage offered footing more uneven than the well-lit main corridor, but they managed to move at a fairly brisk, quiet pace away from their captors.

For perhaps five minutes or so, David thought they might actually get free and clear. Then their hallway took a right turn, and then another right…turning them back toward the main passage and their kidnappers and captivity.

And within a few minutes of this discovery, their captors found them. Lewis refused to meet them in the narrower, darker confines of the side passage, so he took the fight out to the well-lit central hall again.

David could hardly think as he renewed the mockery of his favorite sport.

The sergeant fought like a berserker, but it wouldn’t be enough. Couldn’t be enough. There were too many of them. Far too many. And David was…himself. Far too weak, too incapable, to be of any help.

His crate slat was torn from his fingers. His feet were swept out from beneath him, and the weight of at least two others crushed him down to the floor.

His thoughts amok, David could but watch, numbly, as his friend continued to fight.

At least six thugs were straining to bring Lewis Todd to the floor; time and again, though, the sergeant twisted and heaved and rallied, his fists and feet (even knees and elbows) weapons enough. The men ringing about him pulsed away, staggering, and then swarmed in again.

Once; twice; three times.

A few blokes with cracked heads or bones staggered away for good, but they were replaced and the battle continued.

Then the blond chap entered the fray and the tide turned. He moved like no one David had ever seen before – not even his best mate – and the other thugs pressed back to allow the two some space.

The priest would hardly have been more surprised if they’d started placing wagers on the fight’s outcome.

Lewis was already battered and winded; after a few exchanges with the blond fellow, he was bleeding and limping as well as. He and his opponent circled each other.

None of the other kidnappers interfered.

Dear God. They do find it entertaining.

A few more punches and blocks, kicks and blocks, and Lew stumbled back with a hand pressed to his side. The other fellow sported a bloody nose, but seemed fine otherwise, or did until David’s friend sent a blurred fist at the blonde’s face and split the skin over his cheekbone. It dazed the fellow and Lew pressed his advantage.

For a moment, David dared hope – though he didn’t know what beating the blonde would gain them, surrounded as they were by the other heavies….

The fair-haired chap was fresher than the policeman, however, and the latter was slowing down.

If only…

Then it was over.

Lew’s opponent rallied and launched himself forward with a frightening series of blows, many of which found their target.

David’s best mate slammed backward against a wall and then toppled to the floor. No one bothered to hold him down as they were the priest.

The blonde grunted as some of the others whistled and crowed appreciatively.

“Shut hit, you lot.” Wiping sweat and blood from his face, the leader glared at his crew. “Shouldn’t ‘ave come to this. Lock these two up wif the other, like you were supposed to, an’ let’s call hit a night.”