Sheriff Hooper immediately focused on the most important word in Heather's warning.
A chainsaw.
Jed Sawyer had survived the fire.
Hooper's expression changed as the pieces fell into place. He looked past Heather toward the distant mansion and urgently asked, "How many people are still inside the estate?"
"Ash, Mayor Hartman, and his son," Heather answered.
Hooper silently cursed. He had no idea why Burt and Carl had come to the Carson property, though he suspected they might have planned to eliminate the final traces of the Sawyer family. Whatever their intentions had been, they were now trapped inside the mansion with Jed.
There was no time to investigate the reason.
"Everyone stay alert," Hooper ordered as he drew his handgun. "The suspect is a large masked man armed with a chainsaw. If he attempts to attack anyone, open fire immediately."
The deputies raised their weapons and entered the estate in formation. Patrol cars remained outside the gate with their emergency lights flashing across the dark road.
Hooper turned toward Gwen and Heather before following his officers.
"You two should remain here. Better yet, drive back to the sheriff's office and wait for us."
Gwen shook her head.
"Most of Newt's officers are standing here. There isn't a safer place in town."
Her voice remained calm despite the fear tightening around her chest. She had witnessed the supernatural creature that killed her parents years ago. Gwen understood that the world contained dangers ordinary people could not explain.
If the attacker inside the mansion was another monster, hiding in a police station would not guarantee her survival. She would rather remain close to Ash and face the danger with him.
"Give me a gun," Gwen said. "I know how to use one."
Heather did not understand the supernatural nearly as well, but her decision was no different. Ash and Gwen were both at the estate, which meant she would not leave them behind.
Hooper studied the two women and realized that arguing would waste time. He removed a spare handgun from one of the patrol cars and handed it to Gwen after briefly checking the magazine and safety.
"Stay behind the officers. Do not fire unless you have a clear target."
Gwen nodded.
Hooper entered the estate with Heather and Gwen following near the rear of the formation. The iron gates closed automatically behind them as the group advanced along the stone driveway.
Inside the mansion, Ash heard the Ford disappearing toward the front gate. Once he knew Gwen and Heather had escaped the immediate danger, he lowered the empty Remington and drew the enormous sword from the sheath across his back.
The weapon was almost as tall as he was. Its broad blade carried a cold silver-white shine beneath the dim hallway lights. It appeared to contain silver, though the metal was far harder than any decorative weapon should have been.
Rows of ancient Latin prayers had been engraved along the center of the blade. Ash could not translate the words, but the craftsmanship gave the weapon a solemn appearance that reminded him of something carried by an old crusader.
The greatsword had belonged to his father. It remained locked inside a wooden chest in the Williams family basement with several firearms and other belongings until Ash discovered it before the road trip.
He had brought the sword because his instincts told him it might prove useful. Without the Heavy Weapon Mastery he gained from the West Virginia cannibal, Ash would barely have been able to swing it properly.
Leatherface released a broken roar and charged.
Ash took a deep breath before shifting one foot behind him. He guided the sword with his waist and shoulders, then thrust the heavy blade forward with the speed of a much lighter weapon.
The silver edge struck Leatherface's descending fist.
Metal collided with flesh and bone with a harsh clang. The prayers engraved into the blade briefly glowed as blue smoke rose from Leatherface's hand.
The monster pulled away and released a distorted cry of pain.
Ash noticed the reaction but had no chance to examine it. He used the momentum of the block to turn his body and swept the greatsword across Leatherface's ribs.
The edge opened a deep wound and released a spray of foul blood. The follow-through carried the blade into the wall, where it became buried in wood and plaster.
The narrow hallway was a terrible place to fight with such a large weapon.
Ash pulled against the handle while Leatherface bent over Burt's body. The monster grabbed the yellow chainsaw and tore it from the mayor's ruined forehead, bringing fragments of bone and tissue with it.
Ash freed the sword and began retreating toward the front entrance. He needed open ground where the blade's reach would become an advantage rather than a weakness.
Leatherface dragged the starter cord.
The chainsaw roared to life. Blood and tissue flew from the spinning chain and splattered across the walls.
Something inside Jed's body seemed excited by the smell. His ruined throat produced a wet hiss as he pursued Ash through the mansion.
Ash reached the front door and drove one shoulder against it. The wooden panel burst open as he stepped onto the porch and moved toward the lawn.
Leatherface followed.
The abandoned grill, folding chairs, and picnic blanket remained scattered across the open ground. Ash stopped near the center of the clearing and raised the greatsword with both hands.
Moonlight fell across the blade.
The Latin prayers began glowing one after another. A soft white radiance spread from the engraved words and pushed back the darkness around him.
Ash glanced at the weapon before focusing on Leatherface.
The sword was more than an old family heirloom. If he survived the night, he needed to investigate where his father had obtained it and why it reacted to supernatural creatures.
Leatherface charged like an enraged bull.
His thick arms raised the chainsaw above his shoulder before bringing it down toward Ash. The spinning chain struck the greatsword and released a shower of sparks.
Ash shifted the blade and redirected the attack. Leatherface recovered quickly and swung again, forcing Ash to block from the opposite side.
Metal crashed against metal across the front lawn. The chainsaw screamed while the greatsword cut through the air with enough force to split a normal man from shoulder to hip.
Neither fighter gave ground easily.
Leatherface possessed unnatural strength and showed no concern for his wounds. Ash relied on superior speed, skill, and the reach of his weapon to prevent the chainsaw from touching him.
Sheriff Hooper and the armed deputies followed the noise through the estate. When they reached the open ground, the scene before them stopped several officers in their tracks.
A huge man wearing a filthy butcher's apron swung a roaring chainsaw with both hands. More than half of his head had been destroyed, exposing broken bone and mangled flesh, yet his body continued moving with impossible strength.
The young man fighting him looked no less unbelievable.
Ash wielded a nearly six-foot greatsword as though it were an ordinary blade. Every swing produced a sharp rush of air, and the glowing silver edge repeatedly forced Leatherface backward.
No one standing on the lawn could mistake either of them for normal men.
Ash caught sight of the officers at the edge of the clearing. Relief passed through him, though he did not allow his attention to leave Leatherface for more than a moment.
He struck the side of the chainsaw with the flat of the greatsword. The impact knocked the weapon away and created enough distance for Ash to retreat.
"Open fire!"
Hooper recovered from his shock and raised his handgun.
"Open fire! Fire at will!"
The officers formed a rough line and aimed.
Pistols and shotguns erupted together.
Bullets tore into Leatherface from every direction. Buckshot ripped apart his apron and body while handgun rounds drilled through his chest, arms, and legs.
The sustained barrage forced the monster backward. His enormous frame shook beneath the impacts, yet he refused to collapse.
Leatherface attempted to raise the chainsaw again. His movements slowed as bullets shattered bones and tore through muscle, but the weapon continued running in his hands.
Ash knew conventional ammunition might not kill the creature. Even an immortal body required working joints and an intact skeleton to move. Enough damage could still reduce Leatherface's ability to fight.
He moved behind a large oak tree to avoid the crossfire. As he waited for the officers to finish shooting, Ash noticed a sedan hidden farther inside the woods.
The vehicle did not belong to Burt, Carl, Farnsworth, or anyone in their group.
"Why is there a car out there?"
Ash only considered the question briefly. The gunfire continued for several more seconds before the deputies began running low on ammunition.
Smoke drifted across the lawn.
Leatherface stood in the center of the clearing with hundreds of wounds covering his body. The chainsaw hung at his side while blood pooled beneath his boots.
He no longer moved.
Hooper raised one hand.
"Cease fire!"
The final gunshots faded into the night. Officers kept their weapons trained on the motionless figure while several began reloading.
Ash stepped out from behind the tree.
He did not believe Leatherface was dead.
Gripping the greatsword with both hands, Ash charged toward the mutilated body before the monster could recover.