The last installation in the CTPD series/cycle/something! Be forewarned, it is very long. Or at least long by TTC standards.
Enjoy and read on!
The rumbling of tire treads echoed in Zelda's ears as she drove slowly through the endless blocks of warehouses on the outskirts of Castle Town. The entire area seemed deserted, the silence deafening, and she felt tensed and ready. Kafei sat beside her in the passenger's seat, with Link in the back.
"You know, it's a different experience altogether, not being behind the wheel." He noted, pulling at the door handle.
"Don't give me a real reason to arrest you." Zelda whispered, leaning forward over the steering wheel as the car inched forward.
"Look, I'm just as excited as you are to raid the base of the most infamous cartel in Castle Town without significant backup."
Kafei gestured for Zelda to pull over, holding Luna's notebook up. "We're here. Is our backup in position?"
Zelda tapped her radio with one finger. "Already called in. They're ready when we are."
"You know, I would feel more safe in this situation if I had a gun." Link crossed his arms.
"I'm still not sure we should bring a civilian into this." Kafei intoned in a low whisper.
"This civilian has ears, you know!" Link protested.
Carefully Zelda opened the car door and raised her pistol, but nothing posed an immediate threat. With a nod of her head Kafei and Link followed her, the latter still looking sullen, and they approached the address that Luna had written.
"And we know this is the Gerudo Cartel's base... How, exactly?"
"Someone really doesn't want to raid this warehouse." Zelda shot Link a glare and he gave her a thankless smile.
"I'm keen on staying alive, that's all."
Kafei rapped his knuckles against the door of the warehouse, each knock like a gunshot in the eerie silence. After a few moments Zelda kicked at the door above the lock and a low snap alerted her that the lock had broken. Kafei shoved his shoulder against the door and the hinges splintered away, the door crashing down.
"I call dibs on the next door-smash." Link raised his eyebrows, smirking slightly.
"Let's focus on drug cartels and crime rings, okay?" Kafei stepped into a small hallway leading into the warehouse, pistol at the ready. Zelda followed him, cocking her own weapon with Link trailing behind her.
"Zelda... You might want to see this." Kafei hissed, peering through a mail slot in another door.
"Called it." Link stepped forward, preparing to knock down the door.
"Wait!" Zelda whispered, pulling him back. She knelt beside Kafei and looked through the thin slot, her jaw dropping when she saw the scene before her.
The warehouse was crammed full of desks, behind which sat a workers whose hands flew over stacks of rupees and piles of materials. The room stank with the stench of sweat and chemicals. Zelda didn't need to have any narcotics training to know what they were making.
"I guess we found the Geurdo Cartel." Link muttered. "How did Luna find it?"
"Who cares? I wish she could have seen us take the Cartel down, though." Zelda added, frowning. "It's all thanks to her that we're here this far."
"Check out those guards." Kafei pointed around the room, where groups of barrel-chested men patrolled with large swords strapped across their backs. "The Cartel means business."
"We are definitely going to need backup." Link angled his head towards the guards. "No kidding when you said they mean business. How are we going to get in there?"
Zelda settled back on her heels, a thousand ideas and half-formed plans running through her head. "We need a plan of attack. First, what is our main goal?"
"Arrest the Cartel's leader." Kafei replied firmly. "Without their leader the Cartel is just a collection of pawns. They'll fall apart."
Kafei's plan made sense – after all, these workers didn't seem like crime lords, and the leader of a drug cartel this large wouldn't have any intelligent people in high levels for fear of safety. The only problem that they faced was the Cartel's leader himself.
"How do we know who the leader is, thought? We're going into this blind." Kafei's frown mirrored Zelda's.
"We wouldn't know... Unless he just walked in." Link pointed through the mail slot and Zelda leaped forward, staring through the narrow slit as one of the doors to the warehouse boomed open.
"Good morning, everyone! Who's ready for another day of organized crime?" The voice was low and booming, but strangely excited, and Zelda felt her grip on her pistol tighten.
"Kotake, Koume, looking lovely as always. Have we found a new runner to replace the one the cops found?"
Zelda stiffened and Kafei nudged her with his shoulder. So Luna did work here.
"We're still looking for someone dedicated to the cause. I hate cops! Hate 'em!" A shrill woman's voice screeched.
"My sentiment exactly, dear." The cartel's leader sauntered into view and Zelda committed his face to memory. He was rugged and broad-shouldered, with a well-tailored silk suit and fedora cap set at a jaunty angle. He was obviously Gerudo, with auburn hair and deeply tanned skin, but the feature that struck Zelda the most were his eyes, deep and twinkling with a twisted sort of light. A smile curled his lips, but the sight of it unnerved her.
"That's not..." Kafei trailed off, jaw slack as he stared.
"That's him." Zelda finished grimly. "Presenting Ganondorf, CTPD's most wanted."
Ever since Zelda had joined the force his mug shot had sat on the top of the most wanted list. Crime, smuggling, murder, grand larceny, the list went on and on. A special task force had been dedicated to tracking his movements a few years back, but the man was like a ghost – every time the police thought they had found him he was gone. Without fail he vanished, leaving no trace.
And here he was, standing in front of Zelda.
"What do we do?" Link hissed, looking over Zelda's shoulder through the mail slot as Ganon continued his rounds.
"All right, get fired up, everybody! Let's ruin some more lives and make money! Don't look so down, you two – we're, er, stimulating the economy. Yeah, I like that! Let's stimulate the economy, people! Jacin, you're looking great! I like that blistering stare you're giving me, it looks good on you. Pick up the pace, let's go! Kotake, Koume, my office."
"I like this guy." Link whispered and Zelda snorted.
"What with the murder and drug dealing, I can see why you like him." She retorted.
Kafei pointed through the mail slot. "Look, they're leaving. Maybe we can get in now."
"And do what?" Zelda shook her head. "We're stuck here until backup arrives."
"Oh, and you guys hiding behind the door? Yes, you? You can come to my office as well." Ganon's booming voice sounded again and Zelda leaped up, tugging Link and Kafei away from the door.
"Go, run!" She shouted, pivoting to run into one of the barrel-chested guards. Their meaty hands clamped on her arms and pulled her away from the door.
In seconds the guards had stripped Zelda of her radio and pistol, tossing the weapons over their shoulders. Kafei was handled in a similar manner, they they were dragged through the door and into the warehouse.
Once she was inside Zelda could truly appreciate the immensity of Ganon's operation. The warehouse was packed with desks piled high with intricate tools and stacks of rupees. One worker seemed eerily familiar and Zelda almost laughed when she saw the Bean Seller passed out on his table. A guard stormed over to him and roughly pulled him upright, growling and muttering.
"Again? That's the sixth time this week!" The guard barked, waking the Bean Seller with a start.
"I think we know who attacked you, Zelda. And that would explain the DNA." Kafei jutted his chin toward the guard and the Bean Seller.
Setting her jaw, Zelda tugged her arms in an attempt to free herself from the iron grip of the guard. "I can walk on my own, thanks." She seethed, but the guard's expression remained blank as they marched forward.
"Well, I wasn't expecting a playdate with the police, but I guess we can fit it into my schedule." Ganon tilted his head and smirked at Zelda, who scowled in return.
"And who else have you brought me? We'll address this in my office. Frankly, I'm impressed. Only my closest and most trusted workers know where our little factory is. Alert Koume we might have a worm in our midst." Ganon nodded to another guard, who marched away swiftly.
Swinging a door wide open, Ganon revealed a lavishly decorated office, complete with Bullbo-skin rugs and an impressive display of medieval weapons mounted on one wall. As Zelda watched he took a small throwing knife from the collecting and spun the blade between his fingers with expert skill. A seed of dread rooted in her stomach and she kicked at the guard restraining her, but her foot might as well have struck concrete. The guard didn't budge.
"Can I get you anything? Water, tea, lemonade?" Ganon watched Zelda and her company expectantly, then shook his head. "I suppose not. Well, let me begin by congratulating you on finding my base. You got me! Has the lady cop got any cuffs on her? You can take me away now."
Zelda was released and she stumbled forward, hand instinctively reaching for her pistol. Its absence felt alien and she longed to hold the weapon in her hands. "No cuffs, no." She fixed Ganon with a burning glare and he grinned.
"Feisty, I like that. Your name seems familiar... I think I sent someone after you a while ago. You must understand I send assassins after a lot of people. It's not personal." He gave her a one-shoulder shrug.
Ganon's nonchalance made Zelda bristle and suddenly the weapons on the wall seemed more visible than before. Instantly she started to calculate the seconds it would take for her to take one of the daggers, how long it would take for the guards to react...
She dismissed the idea quickly. Ganon and the guards would be too quick, and they were expecting the attack.
"Who's your other friend? Hmm... Kafei, is it? I've been doing some research on the precinct lately, what with the evolution of this case and all. I guess I should explain myself, shouldn't I?" Ganon reclined leisurely in his desk chair, feet propped on his desk.
"Your victim, Baito, was in a relationship with one of my runners, Luna. She was pretty good as a cop – I didn't even know she was with the police until one of my guards caught them on camera. It's funny how things like that happen. A lovely photo, by the way, and in the background you can see the two of them at a table exchanging information. You can buy the photo in the Shooting Gallery, if you wanted to know."
"We didn't." Kafei twisted, trying to free himself from the grasp of his guard.
"Rude, but I'll pardon you for now." Ganon placed his hands behind his head, the image of cool confidence. "First I disposed of the man – Baito, was it? Without him Luna couldn't get to the police, and I had hoped to scare her away from working with the cops. Only later do I find out she's been taken into custody at the precinct. It was easy to get one of my sleeper cells up and running. Consider all the loose ends all tied up. The cops are running in circles without any leads, getting them off my trail again. It's a win-win."
Zelda was rendered speechless with fury. Here was the leader of the Gerudo Cartel, confessing to the murder of two individuals, and she was helpless to stop him.
"You did a very good job, you know. You should be proud of yourself."
"Hey, don't forget that she had help." Link's voice sounded from her left and Zelda bit her lips to keep from screaming at Link. Now is not the time!
"Let's drop the pretenses, shall we?" Ganon stood and walked over to Link, waving his hand. Following the gesture, the guard released Link, who stood before Ganon without a semblance of fear on his expression.
"Welcome back, Link."
The words stabbed into Zelda like daggers and she reeled away with shock. Welcome back?
"Link, what does he mean?" Kafei stammered, eyes as wide as saucers.
"You're a cop!" Zelda shouted. This can't be real. Link can't be...
"A dirty cop." Ganon raised a finger. "There's a fine line between the two."
Anger and shame rushed over Zelda like a tide, her fists clenched and trembling with rage. Link, who had saved her. Link, who she had shared every fact of the case with. Link, who she had trusted.
Link, who was a traitor.
Ganon clapped a hand on Link's shoulder and led him around to his desk. "Link is one of my most skilled operatives. And when I heard he had inside information with the cops on this case... You're rearing for an advancement in the ranks, son."
"You're too kind." Link joked, smiling easily. Zelda gritted her teeth, nails digging into her skin.
"Yes, Link was my inside to the police for the duration of this case. Unfortunately, it won't be your case much longer." Ganon cast Zelda a sympathetic glance. "Besides, you were doomed from the start. Let me put it plainly: you have no proof."
"I'd say this warehouse counts as proof enough!" Kafei snarled.
Ganon looked up and frowned deeply, as if Kafei's words posed a problem. "It would be, if the workers were in the police system. The shipping addresses would be a problem if they weren't routed through a complex network of codes that only my highest-ranking followers know. It would be a problem if the rupees weren't wired through seventeen dummy accounts, one of which being the CTPD itself. So you're right, officer. Arrest me."
His arrogance filled Zelda with rage and she stormed forward, slamming the palm of her hand down on Ganon's desk. "You're going to jail for this, you lousy son of a bitch, and I'll be the one who's smirking when I put you behind bars."
"I can see why you like her." Ganon nodded at Link. "What are you going to do, sweetheart? You haven't got a gun – here, catch." He tossed her pistol at Link. "You haven't got any proof. So come at me. Let's see what you've got."
Zelda' cheeks flushed with heat, but she knew that Ganon was right. They were grasping at straws already, and without any real proof the case was finished. The Gerudo Cartel had won.
With a click Ganon raised Kafei's gun and pointed it at her forehead, the barrel of the pistol staring her down. "Any last words? That's a good evil line, I'm keeping that. Copyright Gerudo Cartel, by the way."
He was going to humiliate her before she died. Zelda raised her head and stared into Ganon's eyes, the eyes of he man the CTPD had hunted for so long, and she smiled.
The gunshot never came.
In a flash another gun leaped upward, this one pointing at Ganon's temple. Zelda's pistol settled against Ganon's head, with Link's finger poised on the trigger.
"I would not do that if I were you." He smiled, and Ganon scowled.
"Link, I would highly advise you to lower your gun now." The Gerudo froze, his grip on the gun rigid.
"Sure, boss, whatever you say." Link drawled. "Zelda, you remember my file? I worked deep-cover in the Gerudo Cartel. I'm guessing you didn't read that file yet." He nudged the barrel of the pistol into Ganon's forehead.
"You dirty little..." Ganon seethed, but Link pushed the gun against his temple.
"Still want to finish that sentence?"
"Hylia curse all of you!" Ganon spun in his chair and Link fired, two shots ringing in the small space of the office. Zelda and Kafei dropped to the ground to avoid any stray bullets, and the guards ran from the room in panic.
"Link!" Zelda jumped upright. "Are you hurt?"
"Fine." He replied, placing her gun on the desk. "You might want this back."
Zelda stood to see a thin trail of blood snaking down Ganon's temple. "His shot?"
Link crossed his arms, looking pleased with himself. "Missed."
"Quick, we need to get any proof of his crimes that we can!" Kafei tugged open a drawer in Ganon's desk and withdrew a laptop. When he opened it the screen flashed with strange symbols and numbers Zelda didn't recognize, but Link leaned forward and typed out a short sequence on the keys.
"Remember what he said about the code? Good thing I'm a high-ranking official."
The laptop unlocked with a chime and Link pulled up the wire transfers from Ganon's account, then groaned with frustration.
"Ganon covers his tracks well. I can't make heads or tails of it."
"Wait!" Kafei leaped forward, tapping frantically at the keyboard. "He said he transferred the money through the CTPD?"
"Yeah, so?" Zelda watched as Kafei's gaze tightened with concentration.
"Well, any badge-holding officer such as myself can track it." The computer pinged again and a scrolling list of accounts filled the screen, every monetary exchange recorded. "Gotcha."
There was a moment of relieved silence and Zelda's adrenaline slowly simmered down. The Gerudo Cartel was finished. Baito and Luna's murders were avenged. The case was closed. A giddy sense of relief washed over her, a sense of accomplishment.
"You know..." Zelda said suddenly, turning to Link and lowing her gaze. "I've been looking for a partner. You know, if you're interested."
"Well, you're just about the luckiest officer out there. Isn't everyone dying to have a partner who personally disposed of the leader of the Gerudo Cartel?"
"I know I am." Zelda smiled, and thus began the tale of the greatest crime-fighting duo Castle Town had ever seen.
This actually took me like three hours to write. I just had to restart my Les Mis playlist, that's how long it took. So please, please tell me what you thought!
The next chapter will be Hyrule Warriors (I know, get excited!) Any thoughts, levels, characters or bosses you want to see? Any chapters you hope you this one will be like? Let me know! I 3 your feedback.
I guess that's all for now. Until next time!
