Patriot City Nights - part 5
by Law2

El Diablo had been monitoring the condition of Alche-Miss when he heard Detective O'Brien give the order to cease-fire. He was puzzled by this order as it seemed to serve no purpose but that of letting the criminal, El Toro, escape. Why, thought El Diablo, would Detective O'Brien let El Toro escape? Why did he pretend that Percy Smith had committed suicide? Why didn't anything Detective O'Brien did make much sense? Was this really how detectives solved cases, by creating more mystery? Amidst a night of mysteries, the biggest for El Diablo were the motives and allegiances of Detective O'Brien, mysteries that he would get to the bottom of right now.

Detective O'Brien was conversing with officers and EXET and smoking the cigar he had lit earlier with El Diablo's aid.

El Diablo made his way to Detective O'Brien. "Why," he asked "did you let the criminal escape?"

Detective O'Brien walked away from the various officers and beckoned for El Diablo to follow. He did.

"Isn't it obvious?" said Detective O'Brien.

"No, nothing you have done tonight has made any sense to me. Even when I think you are explaining something, you create more mysteries. I demand that you tell me what is going on right now."

Detective O'Brien grinned.

"All right, let me put it to you like this. Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

"What does my having brothers and sisters have to do with anything? Are you saying that El Toro and I are related?"

"No, you've got me all wrong kid."

"Then I suggest that you set it right."

"Maybe the question was worded wrong. How about this - Have you ever been in trouble at school and have one of the teachers threaten to tell your parents?"

"You are loco! Why do you ask me these questions?"

"Just answer the question."

"Ok. Yes."

"And what did you do when you got home from school? Think about it before you answer."

El Diablo stroked his chin with one hand. He had no idea where Detective O'Brien was going with the line of questioning. He thought about a particular event in his life that related to the questions.

There was a particular incident in which he recalled himself fighting with another kid on the school playground. The teacher that broke up the fight threatened to tell their parents. El Diablo further recalled that he tried to make his parents understand what had happened before the teacher in order to avoid a spanking from both parents. Suddenly it became clear.

"Hmmm...I would tell my parents my side of the story. I think I am seeing where you are going with this now."

"Aye, now you've got it kid," Detective O'Brien chuckled and put a hand on El Diablo's shoulder, "Simple child psychology. By telling El Toro that I would spread the word that he's a snitch I forced him to run to who ever hired him and tell them his side of the story. Now round up the troops while I commandeer us a squad car. We've got some tracking to do."

Alche-Miss was visibly tired; she was sitting on the rear bumper of the paramedic van and Liberty Lad was tending to her. The ambulance could be heard in the distance making its way to the hospital. A streak of jealousy came across El Diablo as he watched Liberty Lad and Alche-Miss. His plans to romance Alche-Miss had been dashed from the moment Detective O'Brien called the Freedom Fortress and he felt his chances were steadily getting worse. As he approached his teammates he thought about how much he hated Detective O'Brien for running his plans. Why, thought El Diablo, did Percy Smith have to pick tonight to get killed?

"How are you doing senorita? "

"Ah dunno. Ah just need some rest."

"Looks like maintaining those portals was pretty stressful for her," said Liberty Lad.

"Verdad, unfortunately there is little time to rest. Detective O'Brien wants us to start tracking El Toro. He thinks that the man-bull went back to whoever hired him to ambush us."

"That shouldn't be a problem," said Liberty Lad "I..."

Before he could finish Detective O'Brien pulled up next to the super heroes and began honking the horn of a police squad car.

To be continued...