Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Two: Back at City Hall

“I TOLD you dumping my Dad would drive him up the wall!” Sunny laughed as she sat at the tip on a chilly Saturday morning. At her feet, Melody was smacking a tennis ball with a plastic cricket bat. “You are so cute!” Sunny couldn't help but coo over her daughter.

“He went bright red, then pale, then said “Fine” and signed the bill.” Belle grinned, sitting on an old sofa. “Still felt sick afterwards, just being close to him makes me feel ick.”

“While that's nice and all, can we please get on with it?” Daniel said, holding his replica Dragon Scale Scythe. Since Marcus had been born, Daniel had become his old bossy self.

“Yeah, it's go time!” Sammy swung his nun-chucks around. Charlie, who was sitting on a fridge, noticed that Sammy tended to agree with Daniel a lot recently.

“We're having a CONVERSATION, training can wait.” Sunny said.

“We're the DEFENDERS OF THE CITY, training CAN'T wait. This isn't your fast bowling.” Daniel frowned at her.

“WHAT was that?!” Sunny was suddenly up on her feet.

“Your over rate makes the International Cricket Authority's wallets wish you were an actual cricketer.” Daniel fired.

“I'm so glad we're all friends again!” Belle smiled as Sunny punched Daniel with all the force she could muster.

“I know, now I can go back to ratting on your economy.” Charlie smiled back.

“THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY ECONOMY!”

—

“Stupid Charlie and his stupid batting average and there's nothing wrong with my economy!” Belle continued to sulk the next day at work.

“Hey Belle. Oooooh, that shiner looks like it hurt!” Harriet from Community Services said as they stood at the water cooler.

“Not as much as what I did.” Belle grinned.

“Which was?”

“Quoted back his past four cricket scores at him.”

“Oh Belle you are NAUGHTY!” Harriet giggled. “By the way, have you seen Judith around?”

“Not today, she probably has to take Marcus to the doctor or something.” Belle replied, sipping her water.

“How is Marcus doing? I hope she brings him in one day.” Harriet asked. “Counsellor Barry bought his little girl in yesterday, she was telling me all about her gymnastics medal.”

“Kids are so adorable, aren't they?” Belle smiled. “Marcus is doing fine for a premmie. According to his father his lungs definitely aren't premature!”

The two chuckled. Then Harriets phone rang.

“Let me just get this.” Harriet answered the call. “Hello? Yes! Absolutely!”

Belle checked her own phone and continued to sip water.

“Will do! Thank you!” Harriet finished the call. She turned to Belle. “The only reason I'm telling you this is because I like you – GO HOME NOW.”

“Why?” Asked Belle, but Harriet was already heading back to her desk. Belle shrugged. She went back to her desk, sent an email to Judith saying she was heading off for the day, and headed for Bills restaurant.

“Hey Belle. Aren't you supposed to be at work?” Bill asked as Belle walked in.

“Hey Belle! I was picking up lunch for the guys at work, you want something?” Charlie asked.

“No thanks Charlie. Harriet from Community Services got a call while we were talking at the water cooler. She then advised I should get out of there.” Belle shrugged as she sat down.

“Harriet?” Charlie asked.

“Yeah, really nice. Would be a friend if she hadn't been an ex-Mobster.” Belle poured herself some water from the jug that sat on the table.

Charlie froze. Belles eye started twitching.

“Mobster Marion has been pretty spry since Marcus was born…do you think she's going to try something?” Charlie asked.

“My stuff is at home. I'll meet you at the tip.” Belle downed her glass of water and got up. “See if you can't get onto a few of the Knights.”

“Will do.” Charlie agreed. “I'll have to drop this all off at work first. Never get on the wrong side of hungry blacksmiths.”

“I'll keep that in mind.” Bill smiled as the pair bolted.

—

Harriet had been wise to tell Belle to escape. Sure enough, the Mobsters of Misneach still had plenty of loyalists in the Council ranks. So when Harriet got the call from her former lieutenant, they were all ready to storm City Hall from the inside.

“Of course they would!” Demon barricaded himself in his office. He ran to his phone, and put the call in to Haiter. “Get your cops here NOW, and get your Troupe here as well!” He barked into the phone. He then slammed it down into its cradle. Damn! How had Marion kept her spies in the Council?! They all should have changed allegiance to the Haunted Maze Troupe! Especially as Marion had gone crazy.

He peeked out of the peephole in his door. Several of the Haunted Maze Troupe plants in the office had started fighting back. Two of them had stationed themselves in front of his door. Demon gritted his teeth. He knew full well that those Troupers weren't protecting him.

—

Meanwhile, the Masked Crusader had made his way to Pleasantville. It hadn't been too hard to find out that Judith Jofrey was out of hospital, especially as his mother had told him all about how his father had spent a full hour in Judiths office when she got back – was he sleeping with her again?

Daryl really didn't give a toss either way if the baby was his sibling or not. He just knew that if he went in as an unidentifiable Crusader and killed Judith, then Marion wouldn't give two hoots about getting the right Crusader – she would do him a huge favour and get rid of Crusader Roger.

So Daryl had made his way into the city to make his kill – the only thing he hadn't counted on was Marion and Sidewinder coming in to take the Council back for the Mob.

So instead of going in, he watched, knowing that Chuckles and Giggles would be arriving soon.

Sure enough, they arrived, bringing Sir Lionheart, Sir Hyper and Lady Silent with them.

“Gets me out of marking. Man I hate school holidays.” Sir Hyper had pointed out when the others had asked how he could be attending a fight in the middle of the work day.

“Now, this is going to be a very tense situation. It's basically Mob vs Troupe. We have to be CHUCKLES GET BACK HERE NOW!” Giggles cried as Chuckles merely walked into the building.

“Please tell me this is a JOKE. IT'S A CHANDELIER!” Chuckles cried as he surveyed the scene in front of him. A new chandelier to replace the one that Giggles had so callously destroyed was being installed just as the Mob had attacked. Now the Troupe had the chandelier surrounded and were threatening to destroy it.

“This isn't going to end well is it?” Lady Silent asked her brother as Chuckles and Giggles rushed in between the warring factions, Sir Lionheart on their heels.

“There'll be tears.” Sir Hyper agreed.

“Okay, okay, break it up you lot.” Chuckles pulled out the Lions Claw Blade. “There's no need for this, you all have citizens to serve.”

“Stay out of this you…sword-thief.” Mobster Marion stepped forward.

“Razor-sharp wit there.” Giggles said, hand on the Lucky Seven Gun, ready to draw if anything went wrong.

“We're here to take back what ours.” Sidewinder said. “Especially as the Haunted Maze Troupe rightly and royally stuffed up letting a Chamber of Commerce be formed.”

A drug-laded dagger came flying out of no where towards Sidewinder, who used the Emerald Suit to block it.

“Rude.” Giggles frowned at the Trouper who threw it, who she suspected was Terry from Public Relations.

“Look, can't you all just get back to work?” Chuckles groaned.

“This IS work!” Lisa from Amenities yelled.

“Noooo, you should be serving the public and making life better for the citizens you serve!” Giggles yelled.

Everyone laughed.

“I hate you all.” Giggles grumbled.

“Look, Sidewinder, give this up or I'll tell everyone.” Sir Lionheart warned.

“Tell us what?” Giggles asked.

“You wouldn't dare!” Sidewinder went white.

“Come on, the Troupe have our chandelier, we need to get it back!” Luke from Accounting cried.

“We'll handle the chandelier. Sir Lionheart will handle the Mob.” Chuckles said. Giggles followed him to where the Troupers had surrounded the chandelier.

“You know there's a quick way to sort this out, right?” Giggles said.

“You wouldn't.” One of the Troupers said, sounding suspiciously like Tessa from Gardens and Parks.

“I've done it before.” Giggles aimed the Lucky Seven Gun at the chandelier. The Troupers looked at each other, panicked.

“Okay you win we'll leave it alone!” Another Trouper who sounded like Bailey from HR cried.

“This workplace is pathetic.” Chuckles groaned as the Troupers scattered.

“I'm warning you two, I will let everyone know the truth.” Sir Lionheart was still debating with Marion and Sidewinder.

“Again, you're bluffing.” Sidewinder glared at him. When he got home that evening she was going to have some very stern words with the father of her son!

“No. I'm not.” Sir Lionheart took a deep breath. “I know for a fact that you two, and your father, and all your ancestors…you're not natural blondes.”

Marion screeched with fury and swung her sword at Sir Lionheart while Sidewinder groaned and wondered why her life turned out like this.