Tetra shrugged. “I’ve fought bigger things than that idiot.” She prodded him with a foot, and he whimpered.
A new sound thundered around them. Val tensed, fists raised, then realized it was applause. A crowd of humans stood on the street and in neighboring yards, and they clapped and whooped as police car lights painted the street blue and red.
Val plucked zip ties from her pocket. By the time the cops got out of their vehicles, she’d restrained both men with their hands behind their backs and sat them on the bottom step at Blair and Yuka’s front door. Taser was a little wobbly but starting to wake up.
A familiar figure with a well-trimmed mustache strode toward Val, his gun in his hands. “Police! Show me your hands.”
“Why should I?” Tetra barked, folding her arms beside Val.
“Tetra! Do it,” Val hissed.
The faerie’s hands jerked up, and she shot Val a furious look.
Officer Harris lowered his weapon. “Oh, hey, Miss Stonehold. It’s you. Are you armed?”
“No, sir. I was carrying my dagger. It’s on the living room floor,” Val explained.
“Okay. How about you?” Officer Harris turned to Tetra.
“No, sir,” Tetra muttered.
“You can lower your hands.” Officer Harris holstered his pistol. “What happened here?”
“Sir, this residence belongs to two clients for whom I’m providing security.” Val produced her license, expertly forged by trolls in the PMA. “I was clearing the house for them to enter when these two men attacked me. My associate and I subdued them.”
Officer Harris eyed the bullet holes in the house’s façade. “You didn’t have firearms?”
“They did.” Val nodded at the restrained men. “We didn’t need them, sir.” She smirked.
Officer Harris’ mustache twitched. “Clearly.” He nodded at the men. “Let’s see who they are.”
Val grabbed a stocking cap in each hand and none too gently pulled them off. Officer Harris gasped and stepped back.
“What?” Val asked. They looked like ordinary human dudes to her.
“Shut the front door.” Officer Harris shook his head. “You don’t know who these guys are?”
“I do,” Tetra chipped in.
Val gaped at her.
“What? I was stuck on the news channel for days. They’re wanted killers. Weren’t they involved in a drive-by shooting in Brownsville?” Tetra asked.
“Indeed they are, miss.” Officer Harris shook his head. “These two are enforcers for one of Brooklyn's most dangerous organized crime syndicates. We’ve been hunting them for months. They killed three kids in that drive-by last fall, not to mention several members of an opposing gang.”
“Assface,” Val growled at Taser. “I should’ve choked you longer.”
Taser sneered.
“You ladies have done the NYPD and the people of this city a service.” Officer Harris beamed. “I need to take your statements, though. Hang out by the cruiser while I wait for backup to get these guys cuffed and loaded.”
Val and Tetra crossed the front yard to a fresh wave of applause from the crowd.
“Why are they clapping?” Tetra whispered as they reached the cruiser.
Val leaned against the black and white vehicle, arms folded. “Because they’re grateful.”
A middle-aged man stepped out of the crowd and held out a hand to Tetra. She hesitated, then took it. He wrung it. “Thank you, miss,” he cried. “Thank you. My kids are in that house right across the street.” Tears filled his eyes. “If he’d gotten away... Just, thank you!”
The man let go of her hand and rushed across the street. Tetra stood frozen, her hand hovering in midair, staring after him.
Val grinned and clapped her on the shoulder. “Feels pretty good, doesn’t it?”
Tetra stared at her, open-mouthed.
A familiar snarl echoed around the street, and Genevieve purred up to them to gasps of awe from the crowd. Val jogged to the door and pulled it open.
“Are you guys okay?” she demanded.
Yuka gagged into a paper bag.
“Motion sick.” Blair rubbed her back.
“Yeah, Gennie does that. That’s why we have puke bags in the back. You’re not hurt?” Val asked.
Blair shook his head. “Nope. You?”
“Tetra and I are fine, the house is fine, and the cops have both guys who tried to ambush you,” Val told him.
