Free Brotherhood of Blades by Linda Regan

and stones and a bucket of faeces pelted down. Something slimy and foul-smelling narrowly missed Stephanie and Hank Peacock and landed on the back of Georgia’s head in her neatly tied ponytail. As the slippery globules dropped from her hair on to the back of her black leather coat, she fought not to cry out in disgust. The memory of that long-ago autumnal night spun inside her brain.
    Stephanie handed her a large handkerchief. At the same moment Hank Peacock took off into the flat at a sprint. He had caught sight of Yo-Yo in the room at the end of the hallway, hauling himself out a window. Hank was like a whippet on speed. He leapt up on a table, grappled with Yo-Yo’s fat, kicking legs and pulled him back into the room. Uniformed officers moved in to help, ducking and jumping to avoid the kicks Yo-Yo flung out in all directions. Hank wasn’t about to let go; he dragged Yo-Yo’s feet back to the floor, and Stephanie was ready to click handcuffs into place.
    As she read him his rights the sound of the angry, barking dogs in another room almost drowned her voice. The police made a speedy exit from the flat.
    Getting him into the police wagon was the next problem. It seemed as if half of the Brotherhood were now blocking their way, holding bats and chains. Georgia made an educated guess that some of them were carrying knives, and possibly even firearms.
    She took a deep breath and stepped in front of Stephanie and Hank, who were walking either side of the handcuffed Yo-Yo.
    ‘Mr Reilly is being taken in for questioning,’ she told them calmly. ‘Anyone who tries to hinder our enquiries will also be arrested and charged with obstruction. Please stand aside. There are more of us than of you, and we also have armed police officers in position. Please go back to your beds and let us do our job.’
    Her words fell on deaf ears. More youths of all colours and sizes arrived from different parts of the estate, armed with bats, sticks, bricks and chairs. Some leaned menacingly against the police vehicles while others blocked the exit from the Aviary Estate.
    Georgia stood her ground while Stephanie phoned for back-up from the riot unit.
    ‘I’ll ask you again, politely for now,’ Georgia said loudly as a brick landed next to the police van. ‘Step away from the vehicles and clear the exit from the estate. You are obstructing the police in their line of duty.’
    No one moved. A couple of youths took a step towards her and lifted their weapons.
    The uniformed police surrounding Reilly moved closer to guard their prisoner.
    Hank Peacock took up a position beside Georgia.
    Yo-Yo beamed from ear to ear.
    The police and the estate gang stood facing each other, each waiting for the other to make a move.
    The sound of sirens grew louder, and a fleet of police vans sped into the estate only to be blocked by a horde of angry youths. The siren’s scream stopped, replaced by an urgent growl from a loudspeaker, and a warning to move back or take the consequences.
    Some of the youths gathered to form a barrier. The police vans’ riot grills dropped over the windscreens. The vans slowed, but kept moving, sirens shrieking.
    Then a brick flew out of the crowd.
    The vans halted and the doors flew open. Police clad in face shields and body armour jumped out, ready to face the threatening mob. Some of the crowd dropped their bats and sticks and hurried off, realizing they were probably going to lose and get arrested.
    Others held their ground.
    Stephanie, Georgia, and Hank Peacock were now flanked by a dozen uniformed police. A handcuffed Reilly stood in the middle of the group, wearing only boxer shorts and a dressing gown, socks and trainers on his feet. They attempted to hustle him through the crowd and into the van, but each time they tried, they were pushed back by armed youths.
    A tall youth holding a jar threw its contents at Georgia. She realized it was urine, and ducked to prevent the putrid liquid from hitting her face. In that