Fight of the Nightingale

Chapter Seven: More than a Fiend

Henri's heart was hammering against his chest hard enough to hurt, he gave one more desperate look into the shadows in search of his coat-and-feather-clad patient, but to no avail. The man in the bowler choose to lean against the leftmost wall, observing the other two thieves with a chilled expression. Henri swallowed as the shortest one edged closer with a sneer.

"Looks like payday's come early boss." He spoke in a nasally voice toward Mr. Bowler-Hat. "A richie walkin' 'round the backstreets like 'e was wantin' to be caught."

The young doctor took an uneasy step backward, his right hand clasping around his hindered left one hard enough to make his scars tingle. He didn't carry much currency, as he wasn't one to spend much at all if he could help it. The thing he was more worried about was the fact that they may become violent if they didn't collect the amount they desired. His eyes fluttered shut momentarily.

Lord... please help me!

"Hey! You asleep there fancy?"

Henri's eyes flew open at the address, and he shuffled back another step. A diversion... he needed to stall them.

"A-A-Anything I can h-help you with misters?"He stuttered out.

The man leaning on the wall let out a soft snort, shifting his arms to lay crossed over chest. The man with the scarred shoulders cracked his knuckles.

"You might be able to help us lift a few pounds." He chuckled darkly, moving toward the panicking doctor.

"The doctor is busy; you may have to look for aide elsewhere." A familiar voice challenged.

All heads snapped to the darkest side of the alley, where a hazy silhouette clad in a fathered coat stood. NightOwl took a step nearer to the group, his golden eyes flashing with an unspoken threat as he fingered one of his silver daggers. Henri's mind spun, the vigilante had returned to help.

Thank you Lord!

The men all stepped back in unease, their previous confidence evaporating at the sight of the street-whispered legend. The head man in the bowler eased off the wall, his eyes still trained on the Vigilante as the scarred man spoke.

"Bugger off Nighty-bird. This is none of your concern."

NightOwl huffed, his mouth twitching into a smirk.

"Isn't it though?"

A flash of light darted across Henri's vision just as the shorter man cried out in pain, a shallow cut grazed over his hand as a dagger clattered to the ground. A second flash, and this time the taller one was the recipient of a scratch. The NightOwl toyed with a third dagger, seeming without care.

"Shall I continue Viper? Or will you take your rats somewhere else?"

The man in the bowler, Viper, gave an angry hiss, jerking his head to summon his followers. The trio left the alley, Viper shooting a venomous look over his shoulder.

"Mark my words; I will not be turned aside so easily in the future." His deep, slithery voice warned.

Henri's heart was running a marathon, and the foreboding sentence did nothing to help it. He took a shaky breath in an attempt to calm his mind. NightOwl walked over to him, his feet dragging on the cobblestones as he looked up at Henri with pain-glazed eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked in a strained voice.

The doctor's fear faded in place of concern as he examined his patient.