by Shane Migliavacca

The Crimson Scorpion Strikes! Chapter 20 Kitty’s Plan

Joan Allenby clasped her husband’s hands through the steel bars. Kitty watched, wishing her mother had stayed home today. She cast a nervous glance at the clock behind the guard’s desk again. Soon. Kitty would make an excuse to step outside for some air. That would be the signal for Misa. For better or worse Kitty’s plan would be set in motion. Clutching an over-sized handbag at her side, She turned back to her parents. 

“I have Jonah working on it now dear.” Joan reassured her husband. 

Robert Allenby scoffed. “That man couldn’t win a case against a toddler. I don’t know why we retain him.”

“He’s never failed us Bob and he’s a family friend.” Joan replied.

Kitty smiled slightly. Despite being in a holding cell, her father was still the same old curmudgeon. Some things would never change. She glanced at the clock yet again. The guard looked up from his magazine. He smiled at her. Kitty returned the smile. If the man only knew who he was smiling at.

“I’ll be back in a minute.” Kitty told her parents. “I need a bit of fresh air.”

“Bring some back for me.” Her father joked.

Walking past the other holding cells, Kitty was thankful they were empty today. The catcalls that had greeted the pair of them on their first visit had been quite vulgar. The guard unlocked the door for her, smiling broadly. All her glances in his direction at the clock must have given the poor guy the wrong impression.

“Thank you.” Kitty said. Noting that his name-tag read: Stevens. “Officer Stevens.”

“Just doing my job ma’am.” He replied. “Is there anything else you need?”

“No, just going for some air. But if you could slip me the key to my father’s cell…” Kitty laughed.

Officer Stevens chuckled. “Sorry ma’am. That’s one thing I can’t do.”

Making her way upstairs into the controlled chaos of the precinct’s bullpen. Her eyes traveled about the room. Detectives questioned witnesses. Uniformed officers hurried about. Others were taking care of the drudgery of paperwork. There was one person Kitty hoped to see. Yet he was nowhere among the harried and haggard faces here. Without him the plan would be for naught.

Past the front desk, out the front door to the stairs outside. Some uniformed officers stood talking besides a parked squad car. Still no Jenkins. Kitty looked up towards the rooftops of the buildings across the street. Misa was up there somewhere, waiting for this moment. Waiting for the signal. If Jenkins hasn’t come through on his end…She paused. Unsure. Then… 

Kitty yawned loudly, stretching. Giving the signal. Her mind made up.

From one of the rooftop’s across the street, the "Broomhandle” Mauser thundered. Kitty heard the bullet strike the parked squad car. Instantly the officers took cover. Pedestrians fleeing, some taking cover in the nearby buildings.

Another shot rang out, hitting the stone front of the precinct. One of the officers pointed up at a dark silhouette standing atop one of the buildings. Large hat and and billowing jacket.

“It’s the Crimson Scorpion!” Kitty shouted.

The officers returned fire, forcing the Crimson Scorpion to take cover. She felt her pulse quicken. Misa had agreed to the plan. She knew the risks, still Kitty felt the familiar sting of guilt.

Misa returned fire, her shots purposefully hitting empty cars and the sidewalk. Kitty turned to see a wave of dark blue emerge from the precinct.

“Ma’am.” One of them ordered. “Get inside.”

Rough hands took her by the arm, pulling her into the safety of the precinct. Detectives rushed by her, headed outside. Save for a few civilians and clerical staff, the interior was bare of police now.

Kitty headed to the ladies restroom. If Jenkins came through on his end of the plan it would be here. Her fingers brushed over the bottom of the sink nearest the far wall. Taped to the grimy porcelain underside was a piece of paper.

Drawn on it was a crude map of the station house. “You are here” with a line leading from the ladies bathroom to the one place Kitty needed to go. The evidence room. A bright red X marking the spot.

Jenkins had come through on the first part. Now to see if he’d manged the rest. Quickly Kitty pulled a brown wig from her bag. Couldn’t take a chance getting recognized. She ducked out of the bathroom. Gunfire still ringing outside. Misa would keep it up till Kitty gave her the signal to stop.

Following the map, Kitty hurried through the precinct, down another flight of stairs. Hoping that nobody had stayed behind she tried the door. Easing it open. Glancing at the lock. A big wad of gum jammed into it. Jenkins fulfilled his second part of the plan.

Plain looking boxes, each marked with a label sat on three metal shelves in the center of the room. With more boxes setting on wood shelves attached to the walls.

After a couple minutes of frantic searching, she found the box. The hat, jacket and pistols of the Crimson Scorpion sat tagged.

A smile crept onto Kitty’s face as she crammed them into her over-sized handbag. Would her parents wonder what was taking her so long to come back? Or did they know about the attack on the precinct down in the holding cells?

“Almost done.” She whispered to herself.

Returning the now empty box to it’s spot. There was one more thing she needed to do. Kitty plucked gum from the door’s lock. Locking the evidence room on her way out. In the chaos of the attack, Kitty prayed nobody would pay attention to her now bulging handbag.

Back on the ground floor, the back and forth of gunfire continued outside. Kitty found her way to the second floor. She needed to signal Misa to end the charade. And allow her friend to escape before the police closed in on her.

In the captain’s office there was large window. With a good view of the buildings across the street. Kitty pushed the window up. She took a white cloth from her bag, waving it back and forth. Long enough that she hoped Misa saw it.

“What are you doing in here?”

Kitty spun around to see a plain clothes detective standing there. The man’s shoulder holster empty. His revolver held at his side.

“Lady, step away from the window.” The man sizing her up. “What are you trying to do?” He motions her over. “Come here.”

Outside the gunfire ended. Misa must have seen her. She could run for it now. Kitty had instructed them to meet up at the apartment. Now, Kitty had to deal with this new complication.

“Hand the bag over sister.” The detective ordered. “Slow like.”

“Of course sir.” She said demurely.

Holding out the bag with both arms, Kitty smiled. Before dropping it to the floor. The detective looked at her annoyed.

“Pick it up.” He barked.

Kitty bent down, picking up the bag again, she offered it to him. As he reached for it, she grabbed his wrist, wrenching him forward. Using the man’s weight to her advantage, she flipped him over the desk. Jumping over the desk, she gave him a quick chop to the neck knocking him out. He’d be out long enough for Kitty to get away.

Ditching the wig in one of the trash bins, she hid it under some rubbish. Fleeing downstairs. As some of the officers and detectives trickled in. Kitty hurried back down to the holding cells. The guard not opening the door till she told him who she was.

Her parents were both upset. They’d heard the gunfire. Then an officer had come down and ordered her mother and the guard to remain downstairs. Kitty told them how she’d stepped outside and got pinned down when the Crimson Scorpion had opened fire on the officers outside.

The bounty on the Crimson Scorpion would be a even bigger deal now with this attack. It couldn’t be helped. Kitty had her gear back. The evidence against her father. With it missing and the attack by the “real” Crimson Scorpion the police would have no choice but release her father.

Kitty whipped open the door of the apartment. She’d seen her mother off home before speeding over to check on Misa. Her friend was shedding her Crimson Scorpion disguise when Kitty entered.  

“Were we successful?” Misa asked.

“We were.” Kitty assured her. “Are you okay?”

“Unharmed.” She answered. “And quite exhilarated. Is that how it feels when you go out?”

“Sometimes, yes. You get used to it.” Kitty smiled.

“When you signaled, they were drawing near. A group had entered the building I was on.” Misa said. “I escaped across the rooftops till they gave up the pursuit.”

“You did exceptionally well.” Kitty praised her. “I would never have asked you to take such a risk if there’d been another way.”

“There is no need to worry Kitty.” Misa said. “I assume our friend came through then.”

“He did, though I never saw him there.” Kitty answered.

“What’s next?” Misa asked.

“I’m going to end Jupiter’s reign.”

back to Thriller