Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Four: Rest In Peace

 Nurses screamed and rushed to protect
their patients. Doctors scrambled to get the high-risk patients out
of the way. The Masked Crusader walked down the hall, kicking down
doors and looking into the rooms, shooting wildly and nearly hitting
many innocent people.

“Where are the police?!” The head
nurse cried, trying to keep things under control.

“Haiter says they have more important
things to do, the Mayor is having guests and needs the security.”
Another nurse spat.

The head nurse went white. “No, no I
will NOT let any of these patients die!” She rushed out into the
hallway blindly, and tore after the Crusader. She grabbed him, not
sure WHAT she was doing, only knowing she had to save her patients.

“Get off you old hag!” The Crusader
her threw her to the floor and put a bullet through her chest.

“How DARE you!”

The Crusader spun around to see
Chuckles and Giggles rushing towards him. He grinned to himself, and
started firing at them. He knew they wouldn't kill him.

Both Chuckles and Giggles dodged out of
the way of the bullets. Giggles fired back, but the Crusader didn't
even flinch, knowing he was safe.

“He has to run out of ammo
eventually, right?” Chuckles groaned.

“We have to save that nurse!”
Giggles aimed and fired at the Crusader, hitting his shoulder.

The Crusaders eyes grew wide. He turned
and began to run out of the building, with Chuckles and Giggles close
behind.

Meanwhile the other nurses gathered
around their coworker, calling for a doctor and trying to keep her
alive.

—

“Did you see where he went?”
Chuckles asked Giggles as she landed beside him. The Crusader had
taken a set of fire exit stairs out of the building and had managed
to evade the two heroes pursuing him.

“No. Darn it!” Giggles kicked a
nearby bin. “OW!”

“I just hope that nurse he shot is
okay. Darn it, if only I hadn't made us go back to get the Lions
Claw!” Chuckles groaned.

“Well, what's done is done. The
police should have done something about it, not us.” Giggles
snapped. “Haiter is worse than Dingbat ever was, at least Dingbat
would have sent a few interns.”

“And gotten them killed.” Chuckles
snapped back. “Of course, that was one of three hospitals in
Pleasantville. He's got a fifty-fifty chance of hitting the right one
next time.”

“And plenty of chances to kill
someone who isn't even involved.” Giggles slumped against a wall.
“This whole situation stinks. Why are the Crusaders after Judith?”

“It could be another stab at power.”
Chuckles suggested.

“Then why isn't Roger taking care of
it himself?” Giggles pointed out.

Chuckles sighed. “I think there's a
disgruntled member of the March Hill Crusaders trying to cause
trouble.”

“Of course. Now their problems are
our problems.” Giggles sighed. “Come on, let's go.”

The pair flew back to the tip,
dejected.

—

“The only victim of the Masked
Crusader was nurse Margaret Able, age 43. We pass on our condolences
to her family.” The news droned in the background as the Knights of
the Last Order continued to haunt the waiting room outside of Judiths
room.

“Petunia!” TJ cried as his wife
came out of Judiths room. “You look exhausted.”

“It's been touch and go for a while.
Especially with Marion in there.” Petunia giggled. “But Judith is
able to walk around now and the baby is fine for now. Just gotta fill
out reams of paperwork now.”

“Anything we can do to help?”
Daniel asked. “As far as I'm concerned nothing is too good for you
right now.”

“Coffee would be great.” Petunia
admitted. “Any news from Belle and Charlie?”

“I don't think they're going to be
happy. A nurse was killed at Pleasantville Ultra-Care, and Chuckles
and Giggles didn't get there in time.” Tammy pointed to the
television that was hanging off the wall.

“Damn!” TJ groaned. “Why didn't
Haiter do anything?!”

“Something about a party at Demons
place.” Sunny spat. “Mum messaged. She wants to stay with me
until the press backs off.”

“Are you kidding?! Someone died and
all your mother can think about is herself?!” TJ yelped.

Sunny looked sad. “Yeah, well, that's
my family for you.”

Daniel exhaled. “We can't really
afford to argue right now. 'Tuney, is Judy able to go home yet?” He
asked.

“Wellllll…” Petunia hesitated.
“If she had a nurse with her, maybe. I'd have to check with the
doctor.”

“Would you be able to be that nurse?”
Daniel pressed.

“Are you kidding? On top of a
full-time job here?!” TJ yelped.

“Exactly! No way could I do it!”
Petunia cried.

“Come on, can't you take leave or
something?!” Daniel groaned.

“Uh, NO, because I used up nearly all
my leave taking days off whenever one of YOU guys got injured, and I
can't afford to take time without pay. Plus, if I start doing that I
could lose my job!” Petunia pointed out.

“But this is about Judy and my baby!”
Daniel cried.

“I know you're worried about them,
but I have my own life to live too!” Petunia fired back.

Sammy watched Daniel, wondering if this
was the same Daniel who he had looked up to for all of his life. The
Daniel who had looked out for his friends no matter what.

“Never mind!” Daniel spat. “We'll
just have to continue risking Judy and my childs life here!”

“You guys surely are able to hire a
nurse.” Sammy piped up.

“Do you know how much those cost?!”
Daniel snapped.

“So you were going to make 'Tuney
work for free?!” TJ asked.

“I thought we were friends!” Daniel
accused.

“We still have rent and bills to
pay!” Petunia said.

Suddenly Sammy felt a hand wrap around
his. He turned to see his twin sister looking at him, worried. As the
argument raged on, the siblings wondered what had happened to change
things so much.

—

Both Belle and Charlie were dejected
and devastated as they walked home from the tip.

“I'm so, so sorry. I killed someone.”
Charlie kept mumbling.

“It wasn't your fault Charlie. The
police should have been there, not us. The Crusader shouldn't have
killed that nurse…it's not our fault…” Belle kept trying to
tell him.

They made it home, and walked up to the
tree.

“It's not fair. Why are we the only
ones trying to change things?” Charlie wiped the tears from his
eyes.

Belle didn't think it was fair at that
moment to point out that since the ill-fated protest, there were now
a lot of people trying to make a difference. She instead hugged her
best friend tightly.

“I have to get those signatures. I
have to get those signatures…” Charlie began to mutter to
himself. Belle gulped. How much more could Charlie give before it
became too much?

—

The dumb nurse had died. GREAT. Not.

Daryl seethed. Now security would be
heightened and he'd never get near Judith. He was just lucky news
didn't seem to implicate the March Hill Crusaders, otherwise Roger
would get wind of it and the plan would be ruined.

He sighed, listening to his fellow
Crusaders sleeping in bunks around him. He couldn't be certain any of
them were sleeping though, he wouldn't be surprised if Roger had a
mole or two in the bunks.

He shifted uncomfortably. Damn that
Giggles! His shoulder hurt like nothing else, but he couldn't get it
looked at without giving himself away. He'd had to steal first-aid
supplies from a Pharmacy on the outskirts of Pleasantville, and had
sort-of patched up his shoulder, digging out the bullet and throwing
it in the trash.

He exhaled. He had suffered for a long
time already. What was a little longer until Judith had given birth
to her brat and was no longer under protection? It would give him
time to heal too.

His father was a patient man. Daryl
could be patient too.