New Year's Vengeance: Seven

"No!" The Disturber blanched, "you can't be here! Not for another twelve hours at least!"

"Because you were sighted in Trafalgar Square? Because you threatened to disrupt New Year's Eve?" The Green Man stepped further into the room, drawing his gun. "You forget, Disturber, I have many agents of vengeance." The masked man chuckled menacingly. "Soon after Ms. Madison left for Mainstone, you arrived at the house. By that time another of my agents was able to forward your picture to me."

Bristow stared, open-mouthed at the Green Man.

"And the line you threw Ms. Madison about my being Michael Rake!" the Green Man's tone was scornful. "You can see now who I am, Disturber!"

"I can," Bristow rose from the sofa, his hand going for a concealed weapon. "And now I know all I need to - men!"

The Green Man easily shot Bristow's gun from his hand.

"And don't think about the men outside." The Green Man laughed. "They will never bother anyone again."

"He's right you know." A red-headed figure familiar to Ms. Madison entered through the door, sitting down as soon as she could."

"Andrea!" Ms. Madison laughed with relief, "how are you?"

"Out of bullets," the red-head cracked.

"So, Monty Bristow," the Green Man laughed, "you thought to draw me into a trap. Instead, you are the one who is trapped. And don't try telling me that I'll never take you alive," the Green Man's voice was grim. "You belong in an asylum."

"And, because it's still the season of goodwill, and your blood would ruin the carpets" The Green Man showed in a couple of burly men in white coats, "you'll be carried out of here alive - not in a coffin." With that, he laid Monty Bristow out with a single blow. The villain was picked up, put in a strait-jacket and carried away, the Green Man watching impassively.

"Well," Lady Sylvia got up, "it's still not midnight. Won't you join us, Green Man?" She moved towards him, smiling.

"Sorry," the Green Man backed towards the door. "I have the Girl in Grey waiting outside. We have to make Peterborough in time for her to catch a train to Scotland. Farewell."

"But I," Rake stepped towards Ms. Madison, "am most definitely staying. Lynette?"

"Mike - darling..." she lifted her face.