Freedom Fighter
Chapter ten: Thanks for the tip
"Where are you going?" Aunt Cass folded her hand between the pages of her book and stared questioningly at her eldest nephew. He shrugged on his jacket and held his hat.
"I'm going back to my office, there are some loose end I need to tie up. Call me if Hiro wakes up or if something happens. I love you Aunt Cass." He cast her a waning smile then disappeared around the door. She stared at where he stood. Cass sighed. The gust of air had barely left her before Tadashi came rushing back in.
He threw his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. "Last hug." He chimed. Cass smiled and hugged him back. After, she allowed him to leave and do whatever it was that only he knew about. She sighed and opened 'Brainzz', allowing the constant drone of the heart monitor to lull her back into the land of science fiction. Where the robot-zombie was about to eat captain Star Chuck's brain.
Tadashi turned off the ignition and hung his helmet onto the handle of his beloved baby bike. He juggled the keys between his hands as he strode up the steps and into the station. The objects jingled in his hands and he found that the noise calmed his nerves as he strode down the bustling halls.
His eyes twitched to and fro, scanning for anything and everything. He took note of piled desks, historic coffee rings, as well as the various desk toys that littered some of the other officers' desks.
Tadashi blinked rapidly and let his eyes fly over his path. Officers came from all sides and briskly brushed past him. If it wasn't for him quickly calculating how to avoid an incoming collision papers would probably have stained the rough carpet below.
Another collision was swiftly avoided and Tadashi successfully made his way through the busiest part of the building. The administrative office was warped with work and was practically bent backwards trying to get through all of it.
They had to deal with customs and their ailments. Along with at least three missing persons case accounts that had to be filed properly. They had peaks of other paperwork peeking at them precariously. 'Serial killer on the rampage.' Great; another psycho to deal with.
Not that they were the only people working...
Instead of heading for his office Tadashi took an unusual turn and clomped down the stairs to the detention level far below the police station. With one last toss of his keys into the air he grabbed them easily and pocketed the tinkling items.
He nodded at the soldier situated behind a desk, protected by a house of bullet-proof glass. The officer glanced up from his monitor, observed Tadashi, and buzzed him in. A smile grappled at the prodigy's face as he pushed open the bars and walked into the inspection room. Tadashi dropped everything he had into the plastic bowl before stepping through the metal detector.
After passing the clearance test he continued down the small corridor. Cells on either side of him were occupied with inmates laying or sitting in the small cots. They were only being held here for preliminary trial.
But Tadashi didn't care; he had come here for things much more important than a couple of petty thieves.
"You are a very interesting person." Tadashi opened the cell door and stepped in. Fred sat up immediately. "Are you here to brainwash me and take away all my memories?" Tadashi laughed and pulled a plastic chair closer. "You should really lay off the Marvel comics."
"Why are you really here? I know it must have something to do with the little fellow, so spill!" Tadashi clenched his teeth and took a deep breath. It's not really something he was eager to discuss. Fred frowned. "Is he okay?" He asked, lowering his tone somewhat to lessen his abrasiveness.
Tadashi smiled gingerly and stared at the prisoner. "He's in the hospital right now." He downplayed the fact that he knew as much about Hiro's condition as Justin Bieber knew outside the world of porn.
Meaning very little.
"What's gonna happen to him? I know he's a hybrid, but that doesn't mean he isn't human! You can't throw him into a box and test on him! I won't allow it! I'll even take you to court about it! You're not going to get away with illegal experimentation!"
Tadashi paled and his throat went dry. His eyes widened and all air left his lungs. His heart practically stopped right then. "No wonder you're paranoid about us stealing your memories." He shook his head, banishing the bristling darkness dwelling in the back of his brain. "Calm down, Frederick-"
"Just Fred, your majesty."
Tadashi smiled. "Just Tadashi, Fred." He nodded in acknowledgement. With a rush, Tadashi reached into his pocket and pulled out something. "I believe this belongs to you." He held it out for the convict/witness to take. Fred's eyes widened as he reached out to take the offered garment. The wool felt rough and warm under his fingers, it was heavier that he remembered it.
"No," He whispered to himself, "I gave this to..." Fred looked up, determination settling in his eyes. "I want to see him." Tadashi was taken aback by the abrupt demand and even recoiled in his chair. "I told you he was in the hospital."
Fred stood up. Tadashi followed briefly, his hand going to the taser on his hip. The appendage hovered there. He wasn't going to take any chances with this man, he barely knew him and now he demanded to see his brother.
Fred froze immediately; his eyes swiping at the apparent danger then back at the officer's face. He wasn't going to take any chances with this one. First he denied him of seeing the little guy and now he wanted to electrocute him into an unconscious spasm. He couldn't trust the man at all.
Both men narrowed their eyes, waiting patiently for the other to make a move. Fred tightened his grip on the beanie in his hand and let his shoulders slump. Tadashi acknowledged the movement and let his hand go lax at his side.
"When can I see him? If ever?" Tadashi's eyes softened. "Not now, but soon. There are a few things I want you to answer. Afterwards you can go home." Fred smiled and sat back down on the small bed. Tadashi nodded and sat down as well.
"First of all: How did Hiro know you?"
Fred smiled lazily. "So that's the little guy's name? I was wondering what it was, because FF didn't strike me as a name that suited him well."
"FF?" Tadashi frowned and leaned forward. His hands clasped each other until his knuckles turned white. Fred blinked, only just administering the cop's confusion. "I thought you knew?"
Tadashi shook his head and stared at the man who frowned sympathetically. His heart beat fastened at the absolutely pained expression taking over the man's face. What was he talking about? "FF was his name in the arena."
Cold bolted through his body and froze Tadashi's limbs. "It was his name when he fought, when he fought for his life and when he fought for his freedom. Hiro was the Freedom Fighter. And man, was he one heck of a brawler."
It may sound like something straight out of a comic book, but it really happened. These underground fights are scheduled and sometimes invite only. You don't get in unless someone wants you there.
I was there with my friend for about two weeks, we were getting ready to go home, but then something happened. A large crowd of people were heading to this mansion. Sure, there are a lot of parties that rich people have, but this didn't look like one I've ever seen.
The people who entered the huge house were shady and didn't fit the description of rich... which is weird, because neither do I. apparently looks can be deceiving. That was exactly what I thought when I got in that house.
From the outside it looked completely normal, but once inside it felt like I had entered a mosh-pit that was organised by gothic teenagers. Everyone was shouting and pretty much acting like hyped up three year olds.
Inside was an entire arena set into the floor with robots fighting below. At first I thought it was one of those scheduled 'Real Steel' fights that get onto ESPN every year, only with smaller and more realistic- looking robots.
So, I looked around, trying to find someone it charge. It wasn't everyday that you get the opportunity to buy a mini- battle bot. There was this retro-looking chick, with a mini Mohawk, died completely white, leading a man with a black briefcase. She kept talking about her merchandise and how she had the best prices this side of The Windy City.
I followed them, being casual at first, but as we got to the lower levels of the mansion the extravagance vanished and it became colder, much much colder. Some people keep coolers to make sure that the technology doesn't over heat, but man, it felt like Antarctica down there.
One thing can be said about that night, and that is that something inconceivably wrong was going on. It wasn't just the overall eeriness down there, but it was what was hidden down there. Most people would have just found a ton of hybrids down there, but there's something bigger going on.
That woman, the one with the mullet, she was planning something. And by the sound of it, it wasn't anything involving bunnies and fluffy pillows. There is a reason why she's trafficking those people.
And I suspect that the only one who knows why is Hiro. The Freedom Fighter. He was there long before I came and I didn't know how long he was going to be there. I met him when I was scoping out the place.
I was planning on calling the cops and reporting the incident as soon as we were at sea, but there were complications. I'm sure they're long gone by now. To think- there were crates and crates and crates of hybrids down there, but only one made it back home.
It's like a horror story, but only real.
Human trafficking and enslavement is bad enough... but doing it to children... forcing them to fight to the death. Exposing them to violence against their will. The abuse. The injustice. Something has to be done about it!
Someone has to stand up for them, because they can't do it alone. It isn't their war to fight, but they were thrown into it against their will, making it their fight as well. We may not be able to do much, but we can do something.
If everyone, everyone, puts forth a small amount of effort a task seemingly impossible can be achieved in no time at all. We can stop this; we can be the start of a revolution that shakes this planet to its foundation.
And it starts here. Right now. With you and with me. With our fighter. With our little Freedom Fighter.
"Hey, little fighter, things will get brighter."
-Unknown
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