Free Children of the Knight by Michael J. Bowler Page A

street hustling. Had there been serious traffic on Santa Monica that night, there would’ve been gridlock for all the rubbernecking. Arthur appeared especially majestic, perched atop the dazzlingly beautiful mare, a rag-tag group of boys in tow. The newcomers were chatting and laughing amongst themselves, obviously enjoying this grand new adventure, despite not knowing its eventual outcome. As Jack had told them, anything was better than what they were doing before.
    Some distance down the boulevard, a police car approached, cruising slowly, obviously on patrol.
    Mark’s eyes widened with fear. “Oh shit, the cops! We gotta jet, man.”
    Arthur calmly reined in his horse and turned back to the boys. “Halt and stand without fear. Thou art under my protection.”
    Within the police cruiser, the two officers reacted with startled amazement as Arthur and his entourage became visible through their windshield.
    “Holy shit, Mel, look at that!” exclaimed the one riding shotgun.
    The driver shook his head in disgust. “Call it in. We’ll need backup. Damn, I hate West Hollywood.”
    As the police cruiser slowed to a stop in front of Arthur and his boys, some pedestrians across the street stopped to observe. Both had their cell phones instantly up and recording, hoping for something that might make them famous. They would not be disappointed.
    Arthur sat calmly atop Llamrei, who neighed nervously as the two cops exited the vehicle and approached the group with caution. The new boys fidgeted nervously, ready to bolt if this didn’t go well, but Arthur’s squires stood their ground, hands to their waists in case blades should be required.
    “Hold it right there, mister!” said Mel, the older of the two who’d thought he’d seen it all before tonight.
    Arthur smiled with amusement. “Methinks we be already stopped, sir.”
    Nervous laughter floated up from the boys in the rear. The other cop, a mere rookie, suddenly noticed Arthur’s sword, which he’d begun carrying despite Lance’s admonitions to the contrary.
    “Shit, he’s got a sword!”
    He drew his service pistol instantly, and Mel rapidly followed suit. The new boys jumped back a step at the appearance of the guns, but Arthur’s boys stood fast. His training was paying off.
    “Okay, mister,” Mel began, waving the barrel of his gun at Arthur, “down off the horse and put the sword on the ground.”
    Arthur shook his head, his long hair catching the light of the street lamps and almost glowing. “Nay. King Arthur answers to no one but God and his own conscience.”
    The cops exchanged a quick, startled look. “King Arthur?” Mel exclaimed in bewilderment.
    Arthur nodded. “Aye, and I shalt allow no harm to befall my noble squires.”
    Mel nervously eyed the boys flanking Arthur, suspecting they were armed, but not certain, and then jerked his head toward the ones in back. “I don’t know nothing about these kids in front, mister, but those squires of yours in the rear, and I do mean rear , are prostitutes, which happens to be a crime in this city.”
    Arthur cocked his head to gaze down at these men of the law in astonishment. “Ye, the adult establishment of this city have cast these children into the streets to live as animals. Why wouldst thou now lay claim to that which thou hast previously discarded?”
    Now the rookie piped up. “Cuz they’re breaking the law, pal, just like you are. This area’s not even zoned for horses.”
    Arthur again shook his head in amazement. “Do not force me to use Excalibur, for I have no wish to harm thee.”
    He gripped Excalibur’s hilt, and the nervous rookie fired his gun. The bullet ricocheted off Arthur’s armor with a harmless ping , to the open-mouthed amazement of the boys and the cops. Still clutching Excalibur’s hilt, Arthur whipped out a small dirk with his other hand and flung it expertly at the rookie, cutting the man’s hand and knocking the gun from his grasp. Gun and dagger both skittered