One went to the floor with an uppercut under the chin; but came back.

The other landed hard on Gabriel's jaw.
He turned to strike down, again, the first of the two.

He heard the bed creaking, and saw the policeman struggling to arise.

In a whirlwind of blows, the second detective flailed at him, striving to beat down his guard and floor him with a vicious rib-jolt.
"All's fair, here!" thought Gabriel, snatching up a chair.

For a moment he brandished it on high.