Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Four: Carry on my wayward son, there's no peace with what you have done.

 “Sitting around doing nothing blows.” Charlie sighed, lying on his bed.

“There was nothing we could do anyway. We would have been killed if we had stayed.” Belle pointed out, as she sat at his desk, reading over the news websites on his laptop. 

“Especially with you shooting out chandeliers. I still can't get past that.”

“Just shows you how far even I have fallen.”

“It's kinda refreshing.”

“I bet.”

“Hey you two, want some hot chocolate? We've been cooking and we decided that it was the best way to finish our baking spree.” Izzy poked her head in.

“Sure, we'll never say no to chocolate.” Belle grinned. Izzy dashed off to get two mugs of hot chocolate.

“You know, I'm kinda glad we decided to stay in. It looks like it will rain soon anyway, and we all know how you hate getting your cape wet.” Charlie teased.

“Almost as bad as you and your trench coat.” Belle fired back.

“I can hear them teasing each other, they HAVE to be together!” Lizzy said to her twin downstairs as she ladled the chocolate into mugs.

“Leave it alone. Please. I can't take much more speculation.” Betty poured a decent serve of rum into her hot chocolate before chugging it down.

Lizzy and Izzy looked at each other, worried.

– 

“Okay, okay, okay, the food is coming!” Daniel groaned as Marcus kept wailing. He'd had his nappy changed, now he was hungry and was determined to let the world know about it. 

Daniel meanwhile was frazzled. Not that he doubted his girlfriend could handle herself, but more that he was certain that he had pulled the wrong bottle out of the fridge to be warmed up and was in for a yelling at once Judith got home. The yelling from his son did nothing to quell his fears.

“Okay kiddo, bottoms up!” He got the bottle in the baby's mouth. Suddenly sweet silence as Marcus gobbled down his food like he hadn't been fed in years. “I feel you kiddo, I'm feeling kinda hangry myself.”

He sat down on one of the comfy chairs, watching his son drink for his life. He felt cozy, content and didn't care how much he was getting yelled at anymore. The little man in his arms made everything worth it.

Dingbat had two kids.

Except that annoying little voice. Daniel sighed. He guessed he had to accept that voice in his head, as punishment for murdering another human being. It wasn't fair, especially after all the pain and suffering that Wallace Dingbat had caused and let happen in his reign at the police, but life was never fair.

It had been a few hours now since he'd left City Hall. He wondered how much violence and bloodshed had occurred when suddenly there was a knock at the door.

He looked at Marcus, who was falling asleep over his half-empty bottle. Sighing, Daniel got up and went to the front door.

Standing there was Master Revolver, looking thin and pale.

“Wow mate, you need a protein shake or ten.” Daniel was taken aback by how sick the older man looked.

“Judith's dead. She was killed by a Crusader.” Revolver croaked out.

Daniel's world stopped.

–

“I mean, surely if I invest in Nozz softdrinks that's fine, they're local!” Charlie groaned.

“They're indirectly owned by a known investor of the Crusaders.” Belle didn't even lift her head off his desk.

“You're…” Charlie did some more typing on his laptop “Jupiter Clothing, that's small enough that it shouldn't be a criminal endeavour!”

“Lindsay from Transport, his wife owns it. I'm not sure she knows he's a Trouper.” Belle mumbled, half-asleep.

“Are there ANY local businesses apart from your Uncles restaurant that I can invest in without inadvertently supporting the local crime syndicates?!” Charlie fumed, shaking his laptop.

“You're invested with Restorative Cosmetics though.” Belle pointed out. 

Charlie blanched.

“Troupe owns controlling shares. They're not a local gang y'know.” Belle sighed.

“That just makes way too much sense.” Charlie frowned.

Suddenly Izzy burst into the room. “Dan just dropped Marcus off at Sunnys, Judith was killed!” She yelled.

“Wait what?!” Belle and Charlie shot up, horrified. The Improbability Clause began to niggle at Charlie again. If, and that was a big IF, Dan had killed Dingbat, then would he seek to kill the Crusader that left his son motherless?

“We need to stop him and talk to him. He's not thinking straight. Last thing Marcus needs is his father drinking himself to death.” Belle rushed to the door. 

“ Absolutely.” Charlie agreed, for a very different reason.

They bolted out of the house, nearly knocking over Sunny, who was holding Marcus.

“Where did Dan go?!” Belle yelped.

“I thought he'd come over here!” Sunny yelled back.

“We need to split up and find him before he does something he'll regret.” Charlie said, looking pale.

They quickly got Charlies family and they all headed out – Izzy and Lizzy were going to get Sammy and TJ, Betty headed to Daniel's grandparents place to check there before getting Peter and Thomas, Belle and Charlie headed to Daniel's place and Sunny took Marcus back to her place to look after the children. 

This suited Daniel perfectly. After everyone left, he carefully scaled the back fence where he'd been hiding on the creek bank. He scaled the big tree and forced open Charlies window. Once he was in, he looked under the bed where Charlie kept his weapons.

The Arm Scythes were on top, resting on felt. Daniel tossed these aside, not really caring if he damaged them or not. Under the felt was Charlies grappling hook and daggers, also resting on felt. Daniel shoved these aside too, before he found what he was looking for.

The Lions Claw Blade. Daniel lifted it up. He didn't know how to get the giant blade to his destination without getting spotted, but then he realised he didn't care. He strapped it to his back and left the way he came in.

He jumped back over the fence, then headed to the dock attached to Sunnys place. Sunny never really used the little motorboat that her father left there, and she wouldn't miss it. He jumped in and untied it. Immediately it started drifting in the wrong direction – Daniel needed it to go back up to where the creek met Pleasant Creek. Throwing all caution to the wind, he turned on the motor and shot off.

The creek was peaceful. Daniel began to think about what he was doing as the tiny boat shot towards the city. About why. About the consequences. 

He almost turned back, but then he remembered what Master Revolver had told him about how Judith had been shot point-blank in the head. By a masked Crusader. 

He turned up Pleasant Creek and headed towards Pleasant Lake and the CBD. Nothing mattered now. Marcus was motherless, and nothing would be done about it – in fact, Demon would probably reward the sicko who'd done it. It was time to take matters into his own hands.

But first… the tiny boat had finally reached its destination. Daniel hurried out of the boat and towards City Hall, where Master Revolver was trying to console Mobster Marion.

“He shot her in the head.” Marion wept quietly, cradling her sisters body. “Why did he shoot my baby sister in the head?”

The Haunted Maze Troupe had quickly and wisely backed off after Sidewinder had been shot, and now the Mob were left to count the cost.

“It's time to let her go now Marion, we need to put her to rest now.” Revolver was having no luck with the distraught Mobster. 

It was the scene that Daniel walked into as the rain started falling outside. The sunset was straining to be seen behind the clouds, casting an eerie red light on the scene.

“It's true.”

Marion and Revolver turned to look at Daniel as he choked out the words, looking down at his lovers almost decapitated body. The mother of his son. 

“You didn't bring the boy did you?” Revolver asked, shaken.

“What kind of father do you take me for?!” Daniel snapped. “I'm here to help Marion get vengeance for her sister.”

Marions head shot up. Daniel pulled out the Lions Claw Blade from its scabbard. 

“ARE YOU INSANE?!” Revolver cried. “She'll slaughter every member of the March Hill Crusaders!”

“Well, it was time for another March Hill Massacre anyway.” Daniel quipped. “Like you and your father weren't responsible for your fair share of murder.”

Revolver grit his teeth. “Well, it didn't get us anywhere did it? In the end we became everything my great-grandfather wanted to destroy.”

“Your great-grandfather? What does he have to do with anything?” Daniel rolled his eyes as Marion eyed off the Lions Claw Blade. 

“Lachlan Masters founded the Death Valley Gang to get revenge for the death of his older brother over one hundred years ago.” Revolver sighed.

“Lachlan…you mean Damons brother?!” Daniel cried. “He and his best friend Pythias were murdered in the March Hill Massacre!”

“His name was James Masters and yes, he moonlighted as Damon.” Revolver sighed again. “The same way Chuckles and Giggles will go, mark my words.” 

“You know who Chuckles and Giggles are.” Daniel realised.

“Always have. What other family could wield my gun?” Revolver said, voice laced with bitterness.

“Whatever.” Daniel made a mental note to deal with Revolver later. He handed the sword to Marion.

“DON'T I JUST TOLD YOU!” Revolver cried. “Once you've killed you can never go back.”

“Already crossed that bridge mate.” Daniel smirked.

Revolver sighed again. “So be it. I'll stop her my-,”

Suddenly Revolvers head went flying towards Demons office, his body crumpling where he had stood. Daniels eyes widened in horror. What had he DONE? Master Revolver now lay dead as well, and he had done nothing.

He looked towards Marion, and decided to quickly get out of the madwoman's way. 

“Good choice.” Marion hissed at him as she walked out of the building. Daniel watched her leave, horrified and disgusted. He looked over at the body of Master Revolver. A long-lost cousin of Belle, who had never revealed her secret identity, even though he could have easily. 

He then saw Judiths body. He walked over to it and fell next to her.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t save you and I couldn’t save Marion.” He whispered.

Meanwhile, Daryl Jones was sitting in his car, watching as Marion stepped out into the darkening rain, holding the Lions Claw Blade. He saw her talk to one of her lackeys, before gutting that lackey and turning to another, who quickly rushed off to get her limo and drive her to Fallsville.

He lifted his coffee in salute before taking a sip and laughing.