Chapter 46:// Giving away

 

The drumming stopped.

Bhai Sharan Singh appeared in the alley. The cobra was writhing in the concrete mixer, shaking the whole truck back and forth.

It couldn’t get out.

“What have you done to her?” Singh said and looked at Leo with a deadly stare.

“A snake trap. Just like a teensy-weensy snake trap. Only bigger. Same principle,” Leo said and stepped forward, feeling his way around the truck, still not seeing clearly. The flashlight was still on, but the effect was diminished on the snake charmer, since his eyes have had precious moments to adjust.

“I will kill you,” Singh declared and pulled out a curved dagger.

A dagger might not seem all that scary, but at the hands of a frothing snake charmer with a glass eye it sure was frightening.

Leo just gripped the wall and ran back down to the street.

Singh caught up to him, punched him down and lifted his dagger in both hands, ready to plunge it into his heart.

Leo would have preferred his vision not to return at all. That way he wouldn’t see the curved blade about to cut down into him. He tried to fight but the man was much stronger.

Singh let out a cry.

Katerina had slammed a foldable shovel on the Indian’s head, knocking him out for a few seconds, but enough time for her to pull Leo away from him.

Police sirens flashed red and blue.

Leo heard only a mess of noises and sounds.

He just spread himself on the cool street and let the policemen arrest him.

He was turned facing down and a knee fell down hard on his spine. Multicuffs clamped on his arms and a temporary plastic explosive patch was stickied on his neck, should he try to flee.

He did not.

His only worry was if Katerina was safe. His vision had a smoldering spot in the middle, and he didn’t see if the Indian had managed to do something to her after that awesome shovelling. Any struggling would seem like resisting arrest, so he just tried to see through his damaged retinas for her form.

He heard her voice saying, “This is police brutality! Lemme go you corporate pig!” And then she was carried away in the distance.

Leo smiled.

She was fine. Safe.