BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 137's

Jose was just about to turn around when he saw a patrolman walking towards him from the direction of a large street. The man's steps were regular, but somewhat hurried.

George, who had been escorting Jose when he drove Clearwater away, walked to the police first without being ordered. The two men spoke seriously outside the gate. George turned to face Jose.

"Young Master, that man is Sergeant Gordon. He wants to talk. He said a vagrant was arrested while entering North Bjork."

"Why with that tramp?" Jose frowned, not understanding why the patrol police should report it to him. He wondered for himself whether Marco also always got reports for such trivialities.

"Sergeant Gordon said the tramp might be a friend of the Young Master. The sergeant wanted to make sure, because the man they arrested insisted that he was a friend of Mr. Do you know the name Nowah?"

"I'll listen to the story." Jose walked away from George to meet the patrolman in question. In the middle of the road he realized that he should just have sent the police closer, but then Jose put away his regrets. There is no time to be noble now. All the seconds are precious.

Gordon took off his hat politely as soon as Jose approached.

"Good morning sir, sorry I interfered. I'm just—"

"Good morning, Sergeant Gordon," cut Jose fast. His eyes scanned the man, his gaze pausing on the scar on the cop's cheek. New scars. Looks like a scratch mark. "I heard you caught a bum. What do you mean by the bum? Is his name Nowah or Nolan?"

Gordon clenched his thin lips, looking half scared and half anxious. He worried about his life, knowing that one step only then his career must be over. "I'm sure his name is Nowah. He spoke indistinctly, Sir, but he called his name that way. He said he needed to see the Lord. I don't really want to disturb you in the morning, sir, but he's wearing an expensive coat that has the Argent sword emblem. I .. I know it could have been stolen, but I just want to make sure. I'm sorry to interrupt. If the bum is lying and the coat is stolen, I'll make sure he's severely punished."

"Is she a girl with corn-blonde hair, blue eyes, and a mouth so rough that what comes out of her lips is just mockery?"

Gordon gulps. He rubbed his bleeding cheek nervously. "Yes, Sir."

Jose turned his head past his shoulder, towards George who was already three steps behind him. "Prepare the train, George. Have Hans and Gerald prepare. They'll keep me company."

"Master?" Gordon was pinning his hat on his chest, looking nervous. "You don't have to bother anywhere. I can bring it here, if it's Mr.'s friend."

Jose doesn't want to risk anything unwanted on the road. He doesn't trust anyone now. But he just smiled politely and asked Gordon to show the way later.

***

Nolan ransacked the police station. He kicked and clawed the files at the table, rolled back and forth, and this time cornered like a mouse in front of a cat. His back was leaning against the corner of the room, his hands holding onto the booty police baton, pointing it forward, towards the three policemen who were surrounding him angrily. Several other policemen instead watched and cheered them while whistling, thinking this was a new pastime. Nolan hates them. They made him who had just changed his mind about the Northmen so turn to hate again. He hates the North. He hates rich people. He hates government dogs. Marco and Jose made him feel that the Northmen were not so bad, but when it returned to reality as it is now, Nolan knew he was right. Hatred's right.

Once in North Bjork and passing through the market located beside the tax office, Nolan passed two patrol police who immediately asked the reason for his arrival, his identity, and why his appearance was so strange.

Both policemen suspected he had stolen once he saw the man's coat he was wearing. Without waiting for a response from him, Nolan was dragged to the police station and interrogated further. Nolan had tried to explain that he had to meet with Jose Argent—ia called the name complete because as he remembered the Northmen hated that he only said first names.

Upon hearing Argent's name, the police's eyes became more meticulous and vigilant. They saw the crossed sword emblem guarded by two lions in the mantle, and soon concluded that Nolan was indeed a thief.

"You'll be sorry if you don't call Argent here! I'm a friend of Jose and Marco, if he finds out you're after me, you're all gonna be out!" Nolan called for that while running from the pursuit of the police who wanted to take his coat. He did not want to take off his coat. Marco lent him the coat. He still keeps the brown paper wrapper he ate last night in a coat bag. Even if he was beaten, he would keep what was lent to him well.

Now, Nolan's cornered. Some people who were not dressed by the police tried to persuade him from afar with a contrived voice like talking to a child, some others just laughingly told him to fight back.

Nolan swung his staff to the right and to the left. Those people didn't scare him. Nothing else could scare him after last night. All he felt now was annoyance. He must find a gap to escape and run to Jose's house.

A policeman walked forward. Nolan swung his baton in a thump, which was soon caught by the second policeman. Meanwhile the third policeman snatched Nolan's arm and twisted it backwards, making the girl screech in pain because what was twisted was her injured arm.

"Once upon a time catch only one monkey!"

"Well you have to exercise, don't just sit down, Smith!"

"Remove the coat, check if it belongs to Argent. You little thief!"

Calls appeared and chimed in on each other. Nolan is not listening. He was busy biting his lips in pain. The pain stabbed him so hard that his head was dizzy and his eyes were sore. He almost cried when he felt the hands that were blocking him slowly coming off. First the hand on his head came off, then the one on his arm. The atmosphere was also suddenly quiet. Nolan's hopes soared.

Jose has arrived?

Nolan staggered to the point of almost falling. His heart was racing with relief. He raised his face, preparing to flee, but his whole body was petrified. Shoulder slumped. Nolan's gaze hit the black eyes of the man standing in the doorway.

Robert Dawson's.

Nolan walked backwards trembling.

He's mistaken.

He should have fought stronger. He should be screaming like crazy on the streets to be free. He forgot that one of the people he was following was the police, and now here he is, in the police lair. Enemy nest.

"Inspector! You hurt, sir?" ask one of the officers who approached.

"Oh, this?" Robert took off the grip of his hand from his left shoulder, revealing the blood that soaked his palm. The man smiled slightly obliquely. "Small injuries only. A bandit tried to snatch my gun. Hungry bandits. I managed to knock him out."

Nolan felt his stomach wrapped around the pain. He knew who the bandit that man meant. Nolan opened his mouth to cuss, but he could only make a choking sound.

Voice over. Nobody comes out.

"Where are the bandits now, sir?" ask the others.

Robert did not answer. He stepped closer to Nolan, who was resting on the floor with a confused face, still trying to talk.

"That's what happens when you keep screaming" whispered Robert coldly. He turned to one of his men and gave the order, "Toss him into a cell. Marco lost his coat at the festival yesterday the day after tomorrow. We've found the vane now."

Nolan was still trying to fight back, but he was helpless. His whole body was limp.

***