I could feel a single trickle of blood slowly run from my neck and down to my chest. The kid looked at me and then at the stranger, he slowly wiped his eye and blubbered. "I want my mother."
The stranger gave out a cruel and cold laugh. "Run along little boy. Let the men talk."
The kid split and I gave a silent curse to myself. How could I have been so bloody stupid?
"At last we are alone Darknight." His face finally loomed out of the darkness. It looked angelic. Like it couldn't hurt a flea, yet I knew this man was a cold bloodied killer. Who at any moment could cut my head clean off?
"What do you want?" I said.
He leaned in closer to me and hissed." You and that damn Chief Inspector have been spoiling my fun. Don't you know I plan to paint this town red?"
I made my move. I spun as fast as I could to reach one of my guns. But I was too slow, too damn slow. He pierced me with the sword right through my shoulder. On cold days I can still feel the wound.
Then he grabbed one of my 45's and pointed it to my head. I reeled on the floor in agony; I was bleeding out like a pig.
"Now I'm afraid I'm simply going to have to put a bullet in your head." He levelled the gun. "I would of course loved to have tortured you first but as we both know the place is crawling with police so I have to dash."
"Not so fast bone head." I looked and saw a sight I'll never forget. Even with the pain I nearly burst out laughing. The kid from somewhere in the museum had found medieval armour. He looked like a drunken tin man from the Wizard of Oz.
He zigged and zagged his way towards us. The armour was clearly too heavy for him. At any moment it looked like he would fall over.
The stranger stood up and pointed my gun at him. "You're gonna die tonight boy just like this fool will." He fired a shot that knocked the kid down. "Well I be Darknight your bullet didn't go through." The kid slowly got back up.
I shouted to him. "Firefly, just go. Get the hell out of here!"
He stumbled forward then fell. The stranger gave a cackling laugh. "You got guts kid, it cost you your life but you got guts, I'll give you that." He walked over to him and pointed the gun to his steel helmet.
"And it got you close." The kid replied. In his hand there was a small thin dagger. In a flash he threw it straight into the eye of the stranger.
He was dead before he hit the floor.
From the far end of the room the Chief and three police officers rushed in. They had heard the shot.
The kid ripped off the armour and rushed over to me. "What's all the fuss Darknight." He said. "I've had worse shaving cuts."
I gave a spluttering cough and agreed with him.
The next day I was released from hospital with 15 stitches and a limp. I had somehow twisted my ankle as I fell.
Outside the kid was leaning up against a waiting black cab.
"Shouldn't you be at the orphanage?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I ran away and joined the circus. I figured you could do with a lift home today."
"Thanks for saving my life." I said as I got into the passenger seat. "Just tell me one thing kid."
"Sure." He said.
"What's your name, real name?"
"Fred Bell and I need to ask you one thing."
"Sure." I said.
"Are we partners? I mean real life crime fighting partners?"
We shook hands and never spoke about it again.
Of course, this all sounds crazy today. But you have to understand the times. There was a different vibe in the air. Things were still being mapped out. Life was so much freer way back then.
It was a land made fit for heroes.