A/N - Thank you so much for the kind reviews. Also follows and favorites. It means a lot to see that you enjoy this little idea of mine.
Matiky - Its a futuristic settings with advanced electronic systems all over the city. Shaw could hear it because Harold hacked into Root's earpiece. Whether she allowed it on purpose or no though, i am not sure. As for the courier system, its mostly relevant information on high-placed people. Also evidence of crimes and simple things that would harm the big sharks. Its illegal because of the city's large corruption. As for now, no one from the courier system is doing assassination or anything harmful. They will kill if needed though.
Your legs are carrying you at your usual speed but still, there is something different in your step. Its filled with fire and ice, both at the same time. Your hands are clenched tightly and you're sure your knuckles turned white already from all the anger you feel.
You have an inhuman urge to kill something, it feels like an itch inside your brain. You cannot seem to get rid of it no matter how hard you try, no matter how fast you run. Its a new type of burning you're not sure you like.
Its a burning caused by her. A flame she started.
Its a freezing you allow. Ice tailored specifically by her.
Black and deadly all combined and you cannot seem to care how stupid, how absurd it makes you feel.
You want it all. You crave it on your skin and you want it in your head and you want to be lost in it forever.
When you finally catch up with the other Runner, you see her running with elegance and wit. Its hard for you to properly watch her as you chose another path to reach her, a more elevated one. She's not that far bellow but far enough. You slide under the pipe construction and you continue onto the other roof.
You see her wall-run smoothly to her destination, her moves elegant and precise and oh so mesmerizing to watch and after that you hear another set of gunshots. Your eyes focus on the two Icarus agents that are running after her, their speed maybe a bit greater than hers. You know they'll have her soon, if you won't hurry.
You drop to the next floor as soon as you can.
Suddenly the little compact gun feels so heavy under your belt. Your legs wont ever stop and your lungs are burning with the familiar flame you came to love more than anything. Your eyes try their hardest to spot your goal as Finch chirps instructions into your ear.
"John's on his way." he says and you hum in approval even though you're not sure its necessary. Its not like you have never encountered Icarus before. They're hard to fight, but nothing you cant handle.
You make a long jump, you feel your bones being electrified by the raw feeling of adrenaline in your veins. You wish it could last forever. You land swiftly with a roll and you're back on your legs the very second later. You're nearly there and they nearly have her and you want to murder, destroy and burn everything in your way.
Her flame are burning in you so wildly like nothing before.
You'd run forever, the problem is there is nowhere to run from here. The roof ends and there is nowhere else to go but back. You realize the other Runner is trapped. You see her as she slows down and hides behind the crates, she takes something out of her belt that looks like a baton, you can see her clearly from this elevated point and they are nearly there and you ready the already loaded gun.
You spot the door on the far right side. That's your escape route once you're done with these idiots.
It burns in your hand like divine flames and there is the familiar murderous feeling in your veins. Finch has a simple question for you. You wish your answer was just as simple. "This isn't your fight, Miss Shaw. Why are you doing this ?" he asks as you drop to another level, so close to your targets. The two agents never spotted you and realize just how dumb they must be, special training or no.
You have a plan in motion as you wait for one of them to come close enough.
"I'm not letting one of us die alone." you say and you'd laugh at yourself if you could. Its a lie, maybe a partial truth, but you know there's more. Finch has already tapped their communications, as hard as that can be. He's a genius, after all. You hear orders in your ear that are meant for the Icarus agents.
"Wanted alive. Subdue and bring for questioning."
You wait just a bit longer, you see them reading their taser guns. As your first target crosses the line, you ready yourself for a mighty pounce as you jump from your place, gun tightly in your hand. You jump at him like a predator jumps at her prey and you end up on the floor with him as your mattress, the other agent readies his gun but he has no time to react as you send three or four bullets right into his chest. He drops dead and feel a sharp pain on your cheek all of a sudden. You realize that the agent beneath you is fighting back, punching you and you snap his neck before he even knows whats happening. You feel a small trace of blood running down your lip.
The other Runner glances at you from her cover and you can see confusion, along with worry, written all over her face.
The door suddenly bursts open and there is a man pointing his rifle at you, readying his shoot and you really don't have time to react as his trigger finger reacts.
You tried. And failed. And now you get your reward.
Suddenly you see him groaning and the gun dropping, you see a set of sharp metal objects entering his entire arm, injuring it, you see red droplets as they fall down. Your eyes immediately focus on the female Runner as she runs towards the man with a wicked grin written all over her face. You try to ready your gun but you do not have time, she acts way too fast. She dropkicks him over the edge and he falls to his death. A terrible way to go, you think, but you don't care.
You hear Finch's surprised and terrified gasp and you smile.
You haven't seen anything as hot as this in a long time.
The female Runner jumps back on her feet like a cat and you realize she's still gripping her baton. She has no time to rest as a small group of police officers come rushing through the door but she wont let them past, she holds them there, fighting like a warrior Goddess, a valkyrie craving death. You get up from the dead body beneath you and you rush to her help but you're too late, there are already bodies on the floor, bloodied and, to your surprise, still breathing. The Runner exhales, she sets her baton back to its place and her eyes meet yours, that wicked smile still in place.
"You never told me she's after me." she asks and you're confused at first but as she tilts her head to listen, you understand. She smiles, coming to you, wiping away the small trace of blood that has gathered over your pierced lip. You hiss at the pain but she doesn't stop. You don't want her to.
The pain feels too good, too real. You ignore Finch for now.
Possible source of assistance.
Courier number 3, Joss Carter, got her order canceled. Finch wouldn't say but she knew better. She hears the helicopter ringing in the air and she knows, oh she knows Sameen's in danger. She calls Harold Finch the very next second.
Courier number 5, Martine Rousseau, hears the news. Her implant allowed her to tap in the police communications and she knows. She knows they're after Sameen and someone else. She doesn't call Harold Finch. Her interests are pointed elsewhere.
Detective Lionel Fusco receives bitter information about his associates. He's eager to help but has no real leverage in this corrupted world. Instead, silently, out of everyone's sight, he calls Harold Finch for updates. He's so eager to help.
Courier number 1, Kara Stanton, receives a personal call. She's to avoid Marble street at all costs. Her papers are showing her she's not headed there but she thanks her informant anyway. Harold Finch doesn't cross her mind at all.
Courier number 4, John Reese, is sprinting as best as he can to help. He's like that. A warrior. A paladin, all righteous and selfless. He's ready to give up everything to protect his family. Harold Finch wishes him good luck before he departs.
Analog interface number 2, Harold Finch, his phone wont stop ringing, information coming from every side. He's calling his number 2 but she wouldn't listen. Whether its because of the anonymous hacker or because of something else. Instead, he warns his other couriers and hopes for the best.
Analog interface number 1, Samantha Groves, now known as Root, her body is filled with more implants than living tissue and its sad. She's half machine now, the perfect courier, perfect analogue interface. The perfect tool. Her Goddess has chosen her and she serves without a question. Her once beautiful and lively eyes are colored azure now, multiple programs helping her coordinate in the wast environment of this enormous city. Her bionic muscle implants help her better in combat.
Half machine, half human.
She's held up now. Courier number 2 takes her time and she allows it. They're talking. Explaining. Her Goddess is already singing orders into her implant but she doesn't move. She sees courier number 2 and suddenly she's deaf and blind to everything.
She sees Sameen's smile and her will to fight ends.
Your phone wouldn't stop ringing so you tap your earpiece quickly and Finch's already scolding you. On the other line, John's in a more desperate state, hardly holding his breath. "Blues on their way, Shaw. Better hurry." he says and you can hear the police sirens right after that. You ask Finch for directions but suddenly the other Runner touches your arm, stilling you. You're not sure why but she seems certain in what she's doing. You stop and let her do what she needs. Instead you call Reese and inform him.
"How long ?" she asks and you wonder just who is she talking to. She nods and points at the door.
"We've got about 3 minutes before they arrive. Better be quick." she drops her weapons on the ground, most of them unusable anyway. She gives you a quick smirk before heading to the staircase. You follow her instantly, calling Reese off, telling him to stay away.
"What's your name anyway ?" comes the question out of your lips as you descend the first floor.
You don't really know why but you want to know more.
Deny. Relevant data not required.
"Call me Root."
