Eleanor backed away, staying out of his reach. Mike watched with white knuckles; Bill actually knew how to fight. Bill threw a flurry of punches, and Eleanor parried or dodged every single one. Bill stepped back to catch his breath: — “You’re fast. But if you just defend, you’ll tire out.”
Eleanor’s breathing was still steady: — “I’m fine.” Bill grinned: — “Are you? I can see the sweat.” Eleanor said: — “Effort is natural.” Bill charged again: — “Give it up!” He threw everything he had, but Eleanor was like a ghost. She was always an inch away from where his fist landed.
Bill tried a roundhouse kick. Eleanor stepped inside the arc. Bill’s foot smashed into a table, flipping it over with a crash. Danny cheered: — “She’s cornered, Boss!” Rick added: — “Get her!” Bill pressed the attack, and Eleanor began to give ground.
Her back hit the wall. Bill smiled: — “Game over.” He threw a massive straight right. Eleanor jerked her head to the side, and Bill’s fist punched a hole right through the drywall. Bill roared in pain: — “Son of a…!” Using the opening, Eleanor slipped under his arm and moved back to the center of the room.
Bill, nursing his hand, panted: — “Who are you? Why won’t you just go down?” Eleanor straightened her shirt: — “Just a citizen who wants to finish her day.” The tension was thick enough to cut. All three men moved in at once: Rick from the left, Danny from the right, Bill from the front.
Eleanor grabbed Rick’s arm and shoved him into Danny. They collided with a grunt. Bill’s fist came flying at her face. She ducked. Bill kept swinging, shouting: — “No more games!” Eleanor parried and blocked, but fighting three at once was taking its toll. She was starting to look human.
Danny’s fist grazed her ribs, and she winced. Rick tried a sweep, and Eleanor stumbled, dropping to one knee. Bill laughed: — “Now!” He swung a heavy kick. Eleanor blocked it with both arms, but the force sent her sliding back across the floor.
Mike couldn’t take it anymore. He ran out from behind the counter. — “Stop it!” He grabbed Bill’s arm. — “You’re going to kill her!” Bill shoved Mike away: — “Back off, old man!” Mike hit the floor: — “This is wrong! Stop!”
Eleanor stood up and looked at Mike: — “Are you okay?” Mike got up, trembling: — “Eleanor, please! Just apologize! It’s not worth it!” Eleanor shook her head. Bill sneered: — “Apologies? It’s way past that!” Just then, the distant wail of a siren reached the diner.
Rick looked out the window: — “Boss! Cops!” Danny panicked: — “Who called them?” Mike spoke up: — “I hit the silent alarm under the counter five minutes ago.” Bill’s face went pale: — “What?” Two patrol cars screeched to a halt outside, and officers jumped out.
Bill glared at Eleanor: — “You got lucky today. We’re done here.” Eleanor didn’t say a word; she just stood there, catching her breath. The police burst in: — “Nobody move! What’s going on here?” Mike pointed: — “These men were assaulting a customer!”
Bill put on a fake smile: — “Officer, it’s a misunderstanding. We were just having a heated debate.” The cop looked at the wrecked diner: — “A debate? Looks more like a riot.” Tables were overturned, glass was everywhere. Danny tried to help: — “We accidentally bumped into some things.”
The officer looked at Eleanor: — “Ma’am, are you alright?” Eleanor nodded: — “I’m fine.” The cop noticed the mark on her side: — “You’re hurt. You should see a doctor.” Bill cut in: — “Officer, we didn’t touch her! She’s the one who…” He stopped himself.
The cop looked at Bill: — “She’s the one who what? Beat up three grown men?” Bill shut his mouth. The officer commanded: — “Alright, everyone down to the station.” Rick grumbled: — “For what? We didn’t do anything!” The cop didn’t blink: — “For a statement. Or you can resist and make it a felony.”
Bill sighed:
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