Ivy was strong and quick, but Muerganne was strong and cruel. As she leaped to knock him down, he reached forward and grabbed her collar. He checked her leap and threw her off balance, and she landed on her back. Pinned down by his gnarled hands, Ivy opened her mouth in a scream as Muerganne flicked out a hidden knife and held it over her heart. She screamed loudly and shrilly, even though she knew that no matter how long or how loud she screamed no one would hear her.

But someone did hear her.

For years after, Ivy still remembered the glittering blade and Muerganne's laughter at his enemy's defenselessness. She also remembered the sudden, sharp cry that came from her side, sounding more animal that human. It was soul-wrenching cry of fear, loss, and pain; and even as Muerganne was about to commit murder he looked up in surprise. Ivy saw his eyes and mouth widen for a split second before he was thrown violently off her by an invisible force, quicker than the eye. She rolled over and watched as Muerganne stabbed downward at someone he held below him, then heard Carmen's cry of pain as she flicked her arm upward. The knife was knocked from Muerganne's hand and flew in the air; it skittered across the floor and came to rest a few feet away from where Ivy kneeled, its blade stained crimson.

A shout from Muerganne made Ivy look up. "This time you won't survive to bring your Friscan kin after me again!" He had his hands fastened around Carmen's neck. Carmen struggled weakly, her eyes wide with terror.

Ivy sprang forward to attack him. Muerganne unclasped one hand and raised it, pulling it back in a fist. Ivy leaped at the last second and sent him sprawling with a drop-kick. Muerganne snarled in anger and swung again; Ivy was taken off guard and his fist caught her on the side of the face. As she fell, clutching at her face, Muerganne snatched up the knife from the floor and leaped for her again.

He heard the same angry cry from behind him and was knocked sideways as Carmen ran into him and grabbed the arm that held the knife. He slashed at her and she yeilded, still unable to fight him face to face. All three stood back in a triangle, with Muerganne at its head, Carmen and Ivy at the other two corners.

Knife in hand, Muerganne stood up straight, sensing the connection. For some reason or other, LeVrai was protecting this new Friscan, though long years of fear kept her from fighting him on the offensive. If he struck at the redheaded girl, LeVrai would attack him. If he struck at LeVrai, the girl would attack him. He frowned in confusion. Why would a Friscan detective defend a criminal's life so adamantly? Why did LeVrai risk her life for that of the detective?

Carmen took the silence between them as an opportunity to speak. "Muerganne!" she cried out vehemently. "Touch this child and die!"

Muerganne blinked, not expecting such an ultimatum. Then he snorted. "LeVrai!" he cried out in reply. "It is not the child that I want." He flourished the knife. "I have been waiting for you, Karlena. Do you dare to fight me openly? If you do, you will meet the same death as your mother."

At the mention of Catherine, Carmen flinched visibly. Muerganne grinned at her wickedly, advancing the slightest bit as he did. "Or would you rather run? It would be so much easier for the both of us, LeVrai." His grin turned to a leer as he said, "After all, you never did have the courage to face me. When we met in the complex, perhaps you could have beaten me. Even then I was beginning to grow old, but you...a promising young detective, yes indeed. But you ran." He laughed thickly, and Ivy saw Carmen tremble visibly. "Yes, you ran," he continued, "And look at you now! An exiled criminal! After this night, you'll spend the rest of your days in a cold cell. Hah! The other Friscans will throw you away. They don't need you for anything else."

"Don't listen to him, Mahli-Saia," Ivy told Carmen.

Muerganne snickered. LeVrai's daughter was hanging on his every word. His taunts had struck home and he knew it. "Give it up, LeVrai. Die by my hand or die in prison, it's your choice. It won't matter. You'll soon be forgotten, just like your mother. Just like those in the complex whose lives you couldn't save." His voice dropped, and he would have sweetened it if he could. "I can make your suffering shorter, LeVrai." He held up the knife.

Ivy turned, frightened, to Carmen. The young woman had tears forming in her eyes, remembering those long dead. Afraid that Carmen would surrender to Muerganne, Ivy stepped quickly over to her and touched her arm. "Carmen?"

Ivy felt her tremble again, but this time it was from fury, not fear. When Carmen's reply came, it was low and thick, but very clear. "You always were good at frightening children, Muerganne." She gently pushed Ivy's hand from her arm, and advanced slowly as she said, "I am no longer a child, Giovanni. You no longer have any hold on me.”

Muerganne took a hasty step back, not at all expecting such a reply. Ivy tried to pull Carmen back but Carmen shook herself free, pushing Ivy away as she did.

Recovering, Muerganne snarled. "So be it!" he cried, and charged her.

Carmen met the charge will all the skill of a Donnekahshaie Central Senior. Muerganne went flying, and he fell to the ground. Carmen leaped upon him, but he fought back. Locked in lethal combat, each of the two strained for an opening as Ivy watched fearfully from the sidelines.

Muerganne had slashed Carmen's arm earlier with the knife, and although she had been trying to hide it, the wound was bleeding and had weakened her. He focused all his strength on her weak arm, and pushed it for a split second out to her side. He stabbed again, aiming for her heart; but she sensed his intent and rolled, and he struck her just below the shoulder. Even so, it was a serious wound, and she cried out and flinched in pain. Muerganne grabbed hold of her other arm and threw her over his head. She landed hard, and lay gasping for a moment. "You have lost your skill, LeVrai," snarled Muerganne.

He charged her again, but she leaped up, now on full Adrenaline Control. She met the charge and threw him against the wall. He lay stunned for a moment, then raised the knife as she charged again. She stopped short, enabling him to rise to his feet.

Muerganne had had enough of this. It was time to end things quickly, before the two Friscans managed to overpower him. He dashed to his drawers and opened the top one. He whirled round and brandished a small gun, and the Friscans froze.

"LeVrai!" he cried, gasping for breath. "You lose again!"

Just as he was about to fire he heard the stamping of feet, the clicking of weapons, and a commanding female voice cry out, "Freeze, Muerganne! If you fire, we will open fire on you!"

The girl and the young woman looked up. Lynn stood to the side of a large group of detectives, all with guns drawn. Many were Juniors, but among them were also Priya, Jessica, and Suhara.

Muerganne lowered his gun, turning to the daughter of Catherine LeVrai as he did so. She was now on her knees, relaxed, waiting for whatever end would come. Ivy stood next to her with one hand gently placed on her uninjured shoulder. Muerganne's face twisted in loathing and disgust.

"LeVrai," he addressed Carmen, speaking to her and only her, though the entire roomful of people could hear him. He was silent for a moment, as if contemplating how he would phrase was he was about to say. Then he grinned evilly, lowering his voice almost to a whisper, so that only the woman and the girl could catch his words. "I'm doing you a favor, LeVrai. We both know you'll never be able to live a normal life. Too many bad memories, too much pain, eh? And nothing to look forward to but a dark cell. I have to admit, you've won over me. Your mission is completed; your mother's and friends' killer will himself die. The Friscans know your story. You've nothing more to live for. So let me do you a favor and complete my mission."

He raised the gun. He was too close to miss.

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