Of Wolves and Devils: A Dark Angel Fanfiction Story
Episode 19:
On a dark rainy night…
Late night businessmen in dark brown trench coats are hurrying to their cars to go home. Women and other men are driving out, eager to pick up their wives and husbands before the storm gets worse.
Down a alley... There's footsteps. Loud, fast, and splashing footsteps.
A pre-teen girl with messy shoulder length black hair and a near colorless worn out ragged pink shirt and rags for pants is running, not caring for the puddles she keeps running through.
There's another set of footsteps. A puffy looking shadow of a creep runs against some metallic walls of warehouses and privately contracted delivery trucks of black and yellow.
With some heavy breathing of its own... The shadow pauses to catch its breath before a puddle.
The girl hides under some tarp over the back of one of the trucks: Like she's done this before.
A few long minutes pass.
She peeks out from under the tarp.
She breathes a faint sigh of relief as she pulls it away.
The girl gets out of the truck, tumbling to her feet.
When she gets up though...she gasps. Hints are seen of dark red gloves holding out a gray pistol.
She cries, "no. Please. Please have mercy! ! !"
A shot is heard...as the girl falls to the ground dead.
Dark red liquid begins to form around her head. And, the shadow runs off into the night.
On the following day, in the morning...
The sky is clearer. But, it is kind of cloudy out.
The body of the girl is under a black tarp. Yellow police tape is around it.
Two Sector Police cars are left and right of the alley, blocking it off.
Some Sector Police and forensics are on the scene. And amongst them is Tara Colka: In a mostly grayish black Sector Police uniform and helmet, with her hair coming down from the helmet.
Most everyone in the Sector Police ties their hair back if need be to fit under their helmets.
Most in the force give Tara a hard time for her bluntness. Some took it personally and tried to beat her up, only to get beaten up or forced to back off by the Sector Police captain. Some just glare.
Even the police captain Tara takes orders from gave her a hard time about the hair thing.
He thought it'd just get her killed if someone dragged her by her hair. But, after months of arguing, he dropped it: Because she has never let someone do it to her, and that's good enough for him.
A brown near shaven haired detective in a gray overcoat is here as well.
He's double checking the body. But, noticeable disgust is on his face as he covers it back up.
With her rifle ready to fire from her belt and a hand on it... Tara walks over to him.
She comments, "if you're not looking for hellish, you got the wrong job."
The detective admits uneasily, "I never liked seeing dead bodies: Especially of the young."
Tara faintly smiles as she takes her hand off of her gun.
She wonders more casually, "then why you a investigator? Did your mother rope you into it?"
The detective explains, "no. Just want to see the killers in jail sooner. The less dead, the better. You know?" Tara figures, "damn. That is a bit more noble than me. But, I got you."
The detective faintly chuckles, "not really from the sound of it."
He introduces himself, "Detective Steve Dobran."
Tara introduces herself, "Sector Police Lieutenant Colka." They politely shake hands.
Tara bluntly turns back to the scene, "so, what we got here?"
Detective Dobran recollects, "a brutally shot body of a young girl. No sign of bruises. But, from the rags of clothes she had...it looks like she had no home to run to."
Tara sighs heavily, "a shot homeless girl. The fourth one this month: Near gang activity, just like all the others." Detective Dobran figures, "yep."
Tara is quick to point out, "do you think that is coincidence? Cause I sure as hell don't."
Detective Dobran highlights, "coincidences are everywhere. Gang wars have spiked up again. So, who knows what crime goes where unless forensics comes back with something more concrete?"
Tara reasons firmly, "well, sure. I just hate not knowing a killer. At least I can shoot them if I know who they are." Detective Dobran adds, "you and everyone else on patrol."
Tara adds back, "not everyone else. But, I get what you're getting at."
Detective Dobran solemnly says, "sure. Let's finish up here. Then you can go back out on sector patrol." Tara firmly adds, "I'm all for that."
Detective Dobran goes to follow up with forensics. Lieutenant Colka stands guard in the alley with a few other cops. Standard sector procedure: In case a gang comes in and tries to wreck the place.
They seem lucky today though.
A hour later, up in Max's apartment...
Max and Anin are sitting at the steel legged mostly pale white table to the side by the kitchen area, playing chess with dark red and gold tinted white pieces.
Anin is in a coquelicot sweater like dress. Max is in her bright gold army jacket, over a gray semi-casual business shirt with three pale white buttons at the top.
In half Spanish and half English... Anin realizes, "you actually seem off this time."
Max faintly smirks, "really? Cause you're winning?"
After a bit though...she admits uneasily, "yeah. Maybe. It's these murder hits in town lately."
Max reluctantly moves her gold tinted queen to go after Anin's dark red knight threatening her bishop and one of her knights.
Anin says nervously, "Max...in the time I have know you, I've never seen you nervous like this."
With not much any holding back... A teary eyed Max reasons, "I know. Moderate sigh. Kicking down SOBs I got no issue with. But, there's a gang out there full of whacks killing downtrodden kids over something. The longer police take to get them, the more they're going to kill."
Anin captures the knight her knight is threatening, putting Max's king in check.
Anin concludes solemnly, "and you feel kind of helpless."
Max comments, "not the kind of word I'd go with."
Anin figures kind of awkwardly, "sorry. Would restless be a good word to you?"
Max adds with a faint smile, "sure. Sounds good enough."
She captures the knight with a pawn. Then, Anin puts her king in check again with her queen: Leaving Max forced to move the king to a corner of the board.
Anin proposes, "well...I can't give you a Eyes Only mission. But, I got something close for you."
As the teariness starts to dry itself away... Max figures, "all right. Go."
Anin moves a pawn two squares to be alongside her queen.
With some amusement, Max adds, "not exactly all I meant." Anin faintly smiles, "it doesn't mean your mother can not keep you on your feet for better from time to time."
Max faintly chuckles.
Taking her hands away from the board... Anin adds, "I will go ahead."
She explains her thoughts out loud, "you remember Angelic Hope for Traumatized Children?"
Max bittersweetly concludes, "the orphanage you've been trying to run for a month. Yeah. I know. We've talked about it. And, even with it all being a awesome try at a protection program for the downtrodden... I got to know: What does all of this got to do with those kids getting killed?"
Anin continues, "please let me finish. You will then understand why." Max says, "okay."
More self assured sounding... Anin explains, "I've been lucky to get two children to their families. But, for weeks, I haven't found homes for four children. Jenny and Robinson keep to themselves and are for the most part ok: Even with the torturous lives they had gone through. Liraki is only a little kind. But, there's hope for her yet. Samuel is not exactly understood. He wears a mask, and many of his words are like empty pages. Both are believed to be suspects in the murders by the police. But, I have hope for them both that they did not commit these crimes. A therapist was supposed to come in tomorrow on behalf of Mister Cale himself. But...I've talked it over with him. If you want to come out and try to find out on the front lines on this, I am sure he would be ok with it."
Max grins, already knowing her answer. She concludes, "and on top of it all, the orphanage happens to be close to two sectors where gangs have been seen shortly after two of the murders. Well, if it wouldn't be a even bigger dealio for the kids in the orphanage... I'm sure as hell game."
Anin faintly smiles back, "you're welcome."
Max concludes, "thanks. I hope they're not the killers either."
Blushing a little... Anin solemnly says, "thank you." Max adds, "you're welcome."
Not very long after...
Max is speeding down some streets on her motorcycle. She hard turns the corner, avoiding several mostly silvery cars and trucks coming her way.
She's talking with someone very familiar over her cellular phone with her free hand.
From the other end, in his jet black jacket over gray... Logan reminds her, "you know it's not going to get any easier. Convincing your mother to do the right thing and let us find homes for them."
Max adds kind of uneasily, "maybe. Either way, these two kids have got to get a shot at getting off their asses to speak for themselves."
All the while, she is thinking to herself:
And my mother is a more old fashioned lady.
Before we started to hang, I thought no guy or lady could be more old fashioned than Logan.
For better and for worse, it turns out I was mistaken. She thinks the kids in orphanages ought to just go and find their "real" parents so they can all chill and crap.
If Eyes Only couldn't find my mother, I would think it's time to stop looking. Hell, I even stopped looking before she found us on her own.
I know Anin means well. But... Moderate sigh.
It's time she get clued into the real and let us help: Even if the parents aren't genetically related.
A little sarcastic, Logan comments, "and here I thought you were going to find a easy way through this."
Max points out, "Logan...I know what it's like. Besides, not every runaway wants a mother or a dad. Sometimes, all they want is each other."
Logan faintly smiles in reflection, "like your brothers and sisters." Max adds, "exactly."
Logan figures reluctantly, "I get it. I just..." Max uneasily inquires, "just what?"
Logan apologizes, "sorry. I...just can't imagine."
Max mostly assures, "it's okay. It could trip up anyone who hasn't been there."
Logan adds, "thanks."
Max voices with a faint smile, "not a problem. Just looking out for my messiah."
Logan faintly chuckles, "sure." He adds in, "I'm also looking out for my revved up girl."
Max grins in acknowledgment, "I know. Thanks, Logan."
Logan concludes lightly, "sure. See you tonight?"
A little snarkily, Max figures, "unless it's a army of walker things straight up from Star Wars coming to kick us on our asses? Wouldn't miss it for a thing."
Looking a little amused, Logan figures, "all right. Well...see you later." Max goes, "later."
She hangs up.
She comes to a stop before a street corner. Up ahead, with her cat like vision... She sees the dark blue mansion styled orphanage...and some Sector Police cars not far off in front.
Several Sector Police officers are in them, black rifles out and ready.
They got lights flashing. But, there's no sirens and no storming in. The lieutenant is sweating nervously in his seat: Hand clutching a rifle and all too ready to fire at anyone suspected to be in a gang.
Pityingly, Max just sighs heavily to herself, "guys."
She speeds right for them on her motorcycle as high speed as it goes.
One of the officers calls out, "what the...?!"
A second Sector Police officer at the driver's seat drives back his car, fearing a collision.
Though, just as they see the blur... She angles her wheel up, launching her motorcycle over the Sector Police cars and grinding to a halt a few miles away.
The first officer shakes his head. He mutters, "damn motorcycle punks."
Fifteen minutes later...
Thanks to a call from Max and Logan's connections, the patrol has been ordered to drive around further out with their lights off "without making it any more embarrassing for them than it already is for causing several public disturbance calls on account of near blindness from their lights".
With some mixed relief, Max props her motorcycle near the yellow rimmed front door of the Angelic Hope for Traumatized Children orphanage.
A sign over the door says Angelic Hope for Traumatized Children in blocky engraved letters, with a marker like yellow halo around the hope part.
It all used to be a small warehouse styled office complex with tight quarters, before the owners were offered a better building in another sector as part of a business merger and they didn't care for the original building anymore. It was remodeled and made bigger from the ground up, with help from some of Logan's own accumulated share of millions from the computer boxes over the past several months.
Max heads in through the kind of creaky metal doors.
The two halls of the wings are done up in light blue and dark blue checkered tiled walls. They're plastered in left barely visible dark red to orange graffiti with words from "authority is bullshit lies to burn" to "burn all politics, burn all assaulters!" Scrub marks from trying to scrub it all off are plenty.
There's a yellow tiled kitchen with a stove and a wooden table, a shower room, a kind of small yellow tiled bathroom next to it, and a public computer box in the dark blue titled living area for internet and DVDs with limited apps. There's white silverware, and a mix of health food snack bars and microwaveables: Because even with the computer boxes helping Post-Pulse America's economy, just about everyone's hard pressed for cash unless there's stealing to go around or something.
Some kids are finishing some snack bars at the kitchen table. Their names are Jenny and Robinson. Jenny has fairly long gray hair. She has on a pink sweater with ambulance lights icons on it. Robinson has fairly long messy light brown hair. He has on a red sweater with police siren icons over it.
They look nervous. But, they're mostly just keeping to themselves: Even though they're awkwardly facing each other.
Max faintly smiles to herself as she passes the kitchen.
Up the winding solid white stairs are a few bodyguards in jet black jackets and grey jeans on guard: Courtesy of Eyes Only. They were originally just brought there in case a enemy of Eyes Only tries to kidnap the orphans as leverage against them. But, there's great unease in their eyes.
One of them comes downstairs. He has medium dark blond hair.
He says, "ah. Max. Good thing you're here."
With a smirk, Max remarks, "and I figure you and Tiger Jack there got your own Eyes Only decoder rings. What's up? Cause I don't see any problem now coming in."
The bodyguard faintly uneasily chuckles. He adds, "well, not right now. But, around Liraki...we can use as many bodyguards as we can get."
Max catches sight of a burn mark on his hand.
Max faintly uneasily laughs. She thinks out loud, "thanks for the advice. I'm not here to be on watch. But, I'm sure as hell there won't be trouble. Not with me."
Max starts making her way down the right wing's hall.
The bodyguard comments, "ok. But, don't say I didn't warn you."
Max just ignores him with a wave of her hand as she continues down the hall.
Not long after, in one of the bedrooms...
Mostly dark red graffiti is everywhere: Much like in the halls, except a lot more easy to see.
There's very dark gray walls, with fire pits painted on the walls, scorch marks plenty, and some kind of ripped up looking posters of the Black Eyed Peas. One is of the E.N.D. World Tour with a green computer generated robot like face. The second is of The Black Eyed Peas's The BEGINNING of the E.N.D. documentary promotional picture in a flame like backdrop, with the Canadian flag in the corner.
A deaf teenage girl is lying on her bed: With a cold look in her eyes, long dark purple dyed hair, dark grey ripped jeans, and a dirt brown T-shirt with a silvery tan blue skull. She's holding a clipboard with plenty of aluminum foil strip made paper on it to write on with a dark purple colored pencil.
Dark purple sheets are on the bed. A lighter is next to her reddish orange pillow.
With a annoyed roll of her eyes, Max stands there with a hand on her hip: Waiting for Liraki.
Soon though, Max takes the message she's written out for her. It says:
You saw my words as soon as you walked in.
Anin saw them before authority stepped in and tried to wash away the TRUTH.
I'm gonna cut the bullshit: I REALLY don't know who you work for.
Anin didn't try to wash it away. Even let me keep my room full of TRUTH.
Are you here to get it over with for the big c***sucker himself on the air and all the other police and BEAT on me? Or, are you with Anin?
Max glares, tempted to crumple it up and throw it at her.
But, as Liraki nervously goes for her lighter, Max backs off a little.
She turns the paper over and sits on the floor: Taking out a pencil she came with to write with.
Liraki holds the lighter. But, she's breathing heavily as she lies there.
After a bit... Max crumples up the paper anyway and tosses it to her.
Liraki puts down the lighter to open it up.
She faintly laughs with a smirk as she reads it. It says:
I'm not the enemy. But, I can be a real bitch.
Anin said you're a little kind. She also told me there's hope for you.
She's my mother, and I want to believe her on this. So, it's not a big dealio you're this close to pissing me off this time. But, piss me off again...and I'll kick your ass so hard you're going to wish you lit yourself on fire. Eyes Only or no Eyes Only.
Now, I'm gonna only ask once. Do you know anything about the downtrodden kids being murdered lately? Or, do you just get kicks out of lighting police's asses on fire?
Liraki writes back on another piece of paper. She crumples it up and tosses it over to Max.
She faintly laughs as she reads it. It says:
You have TRUTH. I THINK I like you.
I've been assaulted many times. But, I always burned them.
They can't fire for shit when they're on painkillers forever or dead and shit.
All of them except for higher grade police. They get a little burned.
I've heard of you on the streets. But, I thought it just a MYTH. I REALLY don't want to be on painkillers forever. But, I will fend for myself and TRUTH. And, I REALLY hate LIES.
I don't know shit about these homeless kids. Only word going around.
You REALLY think I would kill them in a great big self LIE?
Assaulting defenseless kids is bullshit. But, I take it you too THINK so.
Max writes something on a piece of paper Liraki freely hands her.
Max leaves it on the floor and walks out, slamming the door behind her.
Liraki kind of nervously bends down to pick up the paper.
She then faintly sighs annoyedly to herself. It says:
So noted. I feel you. But, don't expect us to hang. Enjoy your little propaganda art projects.
Not long after, in another bedroom...
There's sharply bright red walls with some personally crafted light blue face masks hanging from them on nails. Red to blue shoulder pads, mouth guards, knee pads, and masks are everywhere.
No one can really see the floor under it all. But, the bed is visible.
A teenage guy is sitting there: With a distant stance to him, messy medium black hair, a kind of smelly dark blue face mask, a sleek gray biker jacket, reddish black ripped jeans, and a T-shirt of a movie poster of Maximum Risk from 1996 on it. Masks and pads look to be his specialty.
Max kind of cautiously says, "hey." Samuel just says, "toolbox."
Max wonders, "do you know who I am?"
Uncertain sounding, Samuel answers, "retinal scanner."
Max figures, "okay. I'll take that as a no. I came cause Anin is my mother, and she believes you're innocent. I want to believe her on this. Still... I got to ask: Do you know anything about these murders of downtrodden kids going down lately?"
Still uncertain sounding, Samuel voices, "retinal scanner. Soldiering gun."
A little annoyed sounding, Max concludes, "fine. I have no idea what all of what you mean is. It sounds like you don't know. But, thanks for your time."
She starts to head out the door...when Samuel adds something.
Kind of nervous and kind of uncertain sounding, he says, "soldering gun. Retinal scanner, punchdown tool, workbench."
Max lightly comments, "faint chuckle. Now that I understand. That's something anyway."
She then leaves Samuel be, who's faintly chuckling to himself over the whole thing.
That night...
Max is in her black catsuit, stealthily walking down the halls in the dark. Logan is in his jet black jacket, walking beside her with a flashlight to help light the way for his sake.
At a near whisper, Logan can't help but wonders, "why couldn't we just go through the front? We already have our share of agents. This is all kind of insane."
Max pauses a little. She pinpoints, "cause most all the other agents are either sleeping or on a mission. And, all the kids are supposedly sleeping...except I expect not all of them to be."
She picks the lock on a door: With her knife and her cat like eyes telling her what grooves to hit.
Max then opens the door and walks in, much to Logan's silent unease.
She notices the window almost all the way closed. The breeze slightly rattles the frame.
Even with her acute hearing...she doesn't hear breathing from the bed.
She quickly throws off the covers, expecting the worst.
But, in seconds...she sees in mixed relief what is really there.
Not taking it anymore... Logan whispers lowly, "Max!"
Max sighs kind of annoyedly as she flicks on a light switch.
She goes, "what?! I thought we were gonna have to get him to a hospital. But, it's not even that. We walked in on a mannequin. Probably made by himself to substitute."
In the bed is a dummy: Painted to look exactly like Samuel in his brown colored underwear.
Logan faintly smiles with a sigh of relief. He says admittedly, "you were right."
Max figures, "thanks. I'll let you know when I know what for."
Logan uneasily asks, "what?"
Max admits just as uneasily, "hey. All I know is Liraki looked like she was hiding some big dealio, and that Samuel sounded like he was hiding some big dealio of his own. Considering she writes all her words down and he wears a mask 24/7, that's real big of me to figure out."
A little relieved sounding, Logan figures, "fair enough." Max adds, "thanks."
Logan figures, "we'll check Liraki's room. She could be gone too."
Max adds, "I sure as hell hope not. But, that's what I'm thinking."
She turns off the light on her way out of the empty room, with Logan right behind her.
A half hour later, in another sector of Seattle...
Past a blocky bright green lit space marines themed midway park called Treelander Invasion, past a anime styled dark and grim poster for a Deus Ex: Mankind Divided anime series under Square Enix... There's half of a grimy looking yellow bus speeding off the highway: With a nailed in tarp on the back, some stolen car wheels in back, and a Pulse hit engine replaced with a working car engine.
The grimy bus sharply turns down a winding ramp, past some honking cars.
It speeds on past a red light, knocking a car high on its side.
The driver tumbles out in time, breathing heavily on his side.
Two Sector Police cars are soon coming after the bus, sirens blaring.
Cars crash into each other as they try to avoid them. Rearview mirrors shatter and break off.
On the side of the bus in big recently painted dark red graffiti in a arrow shape are the words "Assaulters Here". And, at the wheel of the bus is Liraki: Looking coldly determined and yet uneasy.
As soon as a mostly dark gray ribbed wall flat roofed house is faintly seen from the bus's front window, she faintly smirks. With her lighter in hand, she opens it up.
She takes her hands off the wheel and runs for the tarp. But, not before lighting the dash on fire.
Liraki tumbles out from the tarp...as the bus crashes through the metal fence. Its front part explodes seconds after in a burst of flames, while the back is splintered apart in flaming pieces.
She soon gets to her feet, running for the big flaming hole now in the back side of the house.
Inside... There's light blue walls and white rimmed doorways.
A picture of Muslims in black and white hijabs and black and white thobes casually sitting and gathered around a senator with medium dark brown haired man in a white business suit hangs in the main hall of the second floor. His name is Aramis Gernback.
Fire alarms are going off. The sound of smashed glass is coming from the other side of the hall.
Two bodyguards in black are guarding the bedroom. They're armed with black rifles.
In some yellow rimmed white shower robes, a kind of sleepy Senator Gernback stirs from his room. He checks uneasily, "what the hell is going on?"
A bodyguard in black figures, "I'll call the firemen and check the safe. Go!"
The second bodyguard just faintly nods as he helps Senator Gernback down the gray steps.
In the wake of the Pulse, everything of due process in America except for mayors, state judges, and senators was dissolved. The rest was mostly given over to military power and Sector Police.
That was before Eyes Only challenged all of that.
But, what hasn't changed in Post-Pulse America is that select senators in the west and east coasts each hold a share of the Post-Pulse American Treasury. Fifty hundred thousand dollars, plus their modest salaries.
With that much alone, any gang can afford very comfortable lives.
Meanwhile... The Sector police cars pull over.
In uniform, Lieutenant Colka and another Sector police officer come out of a car. Three more officers come out of the second car. And, they're all armed with rifles.
Lieutenant Colka orders, "spread out! Report anything you find. I don't want another dead girl on our watch." The other officers solemnly acknowledge, "yes sir."
They make their way for the house in a hurry.
A few minutes later...
A light red fire truck is coming at the scene, sirens blaring.
Max is coming in through the smashed in metal fence on her motorcycle.
She pauses.
With her cat like eyes, she spots the mostly intact side of bus with the arrow shaped graffiti.
With faint teary eyes, she realizes it was meant for her.
Max speeds around the flames for the flaming hole in the house.
And, she's thinking to herself, "I just hope I'm not too late to save you from falling on your ass."
Meanwhile, still on ground level...
There's a dimly lit ribbed gray hall.
The sprinklers are kicking in. But, shots from a pistol from a figure in a gray overcoat and hat in the shadow of a open door make them die out quick.
The fire has been slowly spreading down the hall. But, the flames are getting higher quick.
Glaring right at the figure, Liraki charges for it.
But...the figure slams the door into her: Dazing her. She violently coughs some on the floor.
Suddenly, the bodyguard insistently calls out, "not this way!"
He heads back up the steps, rushing Senator Gernback up.
They're nearly scorched by a trail of fire. But, some sprinklers over the steps and the second floor are helping ward off a lot of it so they can get up there.
Heavy mist is coming from firemen putting out the fire outside.
Lieutenant Colka quickly finds a banged up fire extinguisher. With some pressure over the nozzle with her Sector Police issue black gloves, she puts out the flames in the hall with it.
She tries to help Liraki to her feet.
Her head is slightly bruised. But, she reactively helps herself up: Clenching a fist and warningly pulling out her lighter as she gets up. Tara is nervously pulling out her rifle, ready to fire.
With some shakiness in her voice... She says, "it doesn't have to go down like this. Just please...put down the lighter and go back to wherever you call home."
In black and white... Tara is thinking back to her life in Washington.
As a kid, she had a fascination with fire: Until she accidentally burned her friend and he ended up in a hospital, who also had a fascination with fire.
She tearily muttered to herself over and over, "please don't go to hell cause of me."
He made it. But, that wasn't her worst memory growing up.
Her small crime ridden town got a lot worse, when enough young criminals got together and overthrew it by killing most of the parents with guns. They were lead by a gang called the Sinfires.
Soon, fascination with fire and all other crimes were encouraged: Even welcomed. And, a growing number of cops in nearby towns were realizing this with growing alarm.
A teenage Tara actually went as far as applying for a strip club, then turning the location over to some of the cops to help them sneak into the town and liberate it.
Fortunately, the gang was trying to branch out and attack neighboring towns that same week to take them over too. So, it wasn't long before the cops pulled the plug on all of it.
In light of her heroism, Tara was offered a scholarship for a police academy.
Because of her maturity, they would make a exception for her age. But, she didn't accept at first.
Teary eyed and fairly shaken from everything... Tara said, "thank you. I could. But...I figure that isn't possible with what's gone down. My mother and father need as much medical attention as they can get. No one else in our family can get here in time. And, it's going to cost a hell of a lot."
When a police chief though gladly offered to take care of all costs, Tara gladly accepted.
She became one of the youngest cops in Washington, who took down several gangs in one year alone when she was 18. Then the Pulse came...and Washington went to hell with the rest of the country.
She felt burned by the chaos that followed, and she had very few friends left.
The police chief that had been her friend for three years had died in the line of duty protecting her in the wake of the Pulse. And, that's just a prime example.
After things kind of calmed down, she moved down to Seattle to join the Sector Police there.
It was partly to try to start over. But, it was mostly to help fight corruption...which has led to her bluntness being met with a kind of "infamous" reputation among most of the Sector Police.
Presently...
Now off her Ninja... Max swiftly appears between Lieutenant Colka and Liraki.
Lieutenant Colka warns, "Max... Please back off. I got this."
Max points out, "she's deaf, Tara! So, if you don't want this to go down hard for both of you...back off and let me handle this. Please."
Muffled shots and smashed silverware are heard from behind the door.
Max uneasily adds, "how about checking that out?"
Lieutenant Colka nervously sighs. She adds back, "okay. But, don't get me regretting it."
She slam shuts the door behind her.
Liraki faintly smirks uneasily as she uncrumples a piece of paper in her other hand.
Max takes it. It says:
I'm not here to burn police. I'm here to burn the real assaulters who killed those children.
With a faint smile, Max quickly writes back on it on the other side with her pencil:
Okay. Long as you come with me.
Liraki faintly nods.
Since she figures Sector Police got the ground floor covered, Max starts making her way up the steps with Liraki. For, she hears fast running on the second floor.
Around this time, on the other side of the door...
Lieutenant Colka looks wide eyed in shock. But, wide eyed quickly changes to a heated glare.
In the dining room, the other three Sector Police officers are lying on the floor dead.
One has white bowl pieces around his dark red liquid dripping head. The other two are shot in the chest. And, standing over them is the figure: Gray pistol out and ready in his red gloved hand.
In a rough voice...the figure coldly mutters, "the Red Salvation Gunners don't take kindly to interference: Kid or no kid. There is only one answer to wrongful defiance: Death."
Lieutenant Colka harshly figures, "then we got nothing to talk about."
They both shoot.
While shooting, Lieutenant Colka tumbles to the side to avoid most of the incoming fire.
But, she's soon groaning violently. Her shoulder is dripping dark red liquid.
The figure stumbles back. But, the bullets didn't even hurt him.
With some frustration, he tears away the bullet ridden overcoat.
Under it is very dark red padded armor with some punctured pads and a lot of muscle. He has medium black hair under his hat and a matching unibrow.
He pauses to load more bullets in his pistol.
From the ground, a faintly smiling Lieutenant Colka shoots off his pistol before he can fire.
The guy angrily grabs the dining room table and flips it at her. Silverware shatters everywhere.
Lieutenant Colka's smile turns back to a heated glare as she tumbles away from it all.
The guy then grabs her, knocking her against the propped up splintered table. It splinters apart.
In her dazed state, the guy punches her down: Making her cough up dark red liquid on the floor.
Lieutenant Colka falls unconscious, with one arm behind her back.
He picks up her gun and backs off a little to go to shoot her.
But, as he's about to shoot... Lieutenant Colka opens her eyes and throws.
She throws a piece of splintered table into the guy.
A trail of dark red liquid flies from his chest as he falls over dead.
Lieutenant Colka faintly sighs in relief as she slowly props herself up against the wall.
After catching her breath... She starts walking around to double check for any more guys: Even with her injuries.
Around this time, on the second floor...
A silvery lined metal vault is in a small storage room. A bigger office space is across from it.
Some boxes have been tossed aside. A broken window is seen across from the open doorway.
Two homeless kids in rags are setting up plastique on the vault door's hinges, while Samuel and a medium brown haired guy with glasses in a matching biker jacket named Rick are standing guard around the doorway. They're with a Red Salvation Gunner gang leader and his second in command, with gray overcoats and red gloves. Both have frontless medium black hair under their hats.
They jumped from roof to roof until they got to this house and swung in through that window.
Samuel and Rick got knives, and the two gang leaders got hands on gray pistols on their belts.
There's footsteps.
The first bodyguard rushes in. But, he stands there a little hesitant.
Nervously, he starts to call out, "drop your...!"
The gang leader though is a quick shot. He shoots him in the head, killing him instantly.
Samuel and Rick look shocked: Very much like this wasn't the plan at all.
A faintly teary eyed Samuel murmurs nervously, "jack, plumber's snake, brace and bit."
Rick murmurs his exact words.
All the while... The senator and the other bodyguard break into a run, heading out the front door.
The second in command guy sighs annoyedly. He challenges, "what the hell is he saying now?"
Rick remarks, "how's this for a answer?"
He decks the guy down with the blunt side of his knife, stunning him against the wall.
Rick soon gasps. He's punched out from behind by one of the pre-teen kids.
He falls unconscious against the doorway.
Samuel swings his knife at the leader. But, he pulls the knife away while holding his arm out.
He stabs him with his knife, making him cough violently. Dark red liquid drips from his jacket.
But soon, Samuel sees a opening. He slams his own mask into the leader to make him let go.
They both stumble back to recuperate against opposite sides of the desk.
Then, Max and Liraki come charging in.
Liraki goes right for the two pre-teens, knocking out one of them to the floor with her fist.
But, the conscious pre-teen boy kicks her violently back at the window frame.
She clutches her side as she's coughing violently. But, she's still holding the lighter.
Max instinctively goes right for the gang leader. But, the second in command gets up.
He jump tackles her to the floor.
With a heated glare, she high kicks him up through the ceiling.
He flies through a hole into the night...before seconds later coming violently crashing back down to the then dented floor. His neck snaps as dark red liquid forms around his cold dead head.
With a hand on the window frame, Liraki opens her lighter.
The pre-teen boy is about to shoot with a pistol...when she lights the lighter in front of his face.
He screams as he clutches his burning face.
But, just as quickly, the sprinklers come on. And, he's soon gasping for air on the floor.
Max glares at Liraki.
In a naturally tense voice, Liraki goes, "oh, cut the bullshit. He wasn't defenseless for shit!"
With some mixed feelings, Max deeply sighs over it.
Liraki couldn't hear her. But, she stands there nervously: Knowing what she was thinking.
The gang leader though interrupts what she's thinking, "don't come any closer, or I kill him!"
He's holding a pistol to Samuel's head while holding him with his other arm.
Max sighs nervously. On the way up, she overheard what the guy downstairs said.
Trying to buy time... She points out, "you really thought you and your guys on this pathetic "Salvation Gunners" kick would go and pin hate on Samuel to feed into a whole anti-Muslim crappy shot dealio, and now you're threatening him? Are you just trying to get killed, or are you one big idiot?"
The gang leader mutters under his breath, "Eyes Only and their clever agents. I don't care what cyborg disguise they got: They're the ones who've been killing us!"
From the other doorway... Lieutenant Colka comments, "you sure as hell got no room to talk."
With her picked back up rifle, she shoots the gang leader in the leg.
He cries out in excruciating pain, letting his grip go a little.
Samuel then punches him out before he can fire and breaks free. He falls unconscious.
Max faintly smiles with relief. Lieutenant Colka wastes no time handcuffing him.
Max says, "thanks." With a faint smile, Lieutenant Colka adds, "you are welcome."
Max checks, "soldiering gun?"
Samuel faintly nods. Relieved sounding, he says, "soldiering gun."
The next day, in front of the Angelic Hope for Traumatized Children orphanage...
Max is standing uneasily there in her silvery blue top. Anin is in a light yellow dress.
Anin starts to say, "Max. I don't think you..."
Max considers uneasily, "mother... I know it's not what you want to hear. But, what happened last night could have been a hell of a lot worse without me and Tara there. You can't coop them up all year. Sometimes, there are people you just can't get back. But sometimes, going through a little hell can be good to have life be a little less broken. You've gone through a little hell with finding out the dealio on your parents. So, for the kids... How about giving a little hell a chance?"
Anin confesses, "heavy sigh. It's not easy for me to say. But...I see now you are right."
Max adds, "thank you."
Anin suggests, "just promise me one thing." Max is quick to ask, "what?"
Anin inquires, "promise you and Logan will keep a eye on them for me from time to time?"
Max figures, "sure."
They hug each other tight.
They soon pull away. But, they both faintly smile.
Not long after...
Max is on her cellular phone, walking down the streets for a certain park.
On the other end, in a long sleeved light blue shirt... Logan checks, "so how did it go?"
Max concludes lightly, "I think it's going to be ok. But, thanks."
With some mixed relief, Logan voices, "no. Thank you. Those kids need families, and they're finally going to get to find them."
Max blushes a little. She goes, "thanks. Although..."
Logan is quick to question, "yeah?"
Max admits kind of uneasily, "much as Liraki pissed me off...it looks as though she's finally coming around to not seeing Eyes Only as Neo-Nazis. You think she might ever join up?"
Logan faintly chuckles. He remarks, "well...why don't you ask yourself that question?"
Max gets a hard chuckle out of that one.
People are staring. But, she doesn't care.
Max sees a certain park bench up ahead amongst some green leaved trees.
With some amusement, she figures, "no. Don't think I'd really want to meet a younger me. But, I feel you." Logan adds, "you're welcome."
Max is now lying on the bench: With her feet up, and only Logan on cell to keep her company.
But, far as she's concerned, it's as good a time as any to chill before a mission hits or something.