Chapter 14
Pre-Encounter
Caitlyn and Vi enters the factory, a corridor separate the two from the fugitive that they so wanted to hunt. A few moments away from facing the man, Caitlyn look at Vi that seem to be enthusiastic on meeting the man. Caitlyn knew Vi quite well but she questioned her enthusiasm beating people up. She could look to her past but that would be immoral.
Caitlyn forgets about it and focus on dealing the predicament that was Malcolm Graves, she plans to talk Graves out and maybe work together. She was confident that she could make an agreement with the Outlaw where two side would get benefits that each side want. But she know that it won't be that simple and the chance that he would accept her offer would be less than minimal. She can be optimistic but she also have to be realistic with the situation.
Shooting the man till he's dead would be the last resort, she could not stop imagining how many crooks that she could put down with Graves by her side. Vi - a great example of her work - was surely helping her on making sure the city was safe and she plans to continue recruiting high profile criminals so that she could turn the tables with the bad guys in the city.
The duo finally arrive to the more spacious part of the factory that hold all the gigantic machinery and also the Outlaw. But Caitlyn was shocked, the place was full of ruble and the machines that fill the place could barely stand on their own foundation. She walked slowly, cautiously with her reflex high. Vi was also surprised but different compare to the Sheriff. Vi was getting a little bit jumpy, being more motivated to meet the man.
"Cool" Vi said. "The cowboy sure know to follow orders" previously she encountered with Graves and literally told him to make a big crime scene and creating havoc, so he did.
Caitlyn looks around and thoroughly observe the place, the concrete floor was uneven and she could see visible craters that was similar to a mine explosion. Remaining of robots were also abundant with most of them barely recognizable. Blood was also present in the factory and she suspected it was the officers that sacrifice their lives, but there was a big chance that it was the Outlaw blood. The machinery was filled with holes on its thick metal casing, it gave the impression that it was a hard fought battle.
But what was odd was that Caitlyn wasn't greeted by gunshots, this could be a sign that he was planning to make a surprise attack or even he was dead. Close quarters combat was not her profession and she plans to use distance to make deadly shots, high ground was common sense for a sniper like her. Vi was a savant on close quarters combat, Graves might be agile but Vi has a few tricks on her sleeve. Combine with unprecedented chemistry, they were the Piltover Finest, capable tackling any criminal.
Caitlyn looked at Vi seriously and said "Vi, I think you know the plan"
"Yep" Vi cupped his hands. "You take high ground to watch me beat up the guy to a pulp. Same plan as always."
"Make sure you get him out from cover, so that I could make a proper shot. Scout around the place and also the rooms in the factory." Caitlyn separate herself from Vi in search for high ground. "I will signal you if anything happens"
Vi nodded and jog around the place, cracking her neck with a grin.
Not far from the place the duo separated, Caitlyn found a ladder that leads to a platform that provides a wide vision of the factory with the exception the things beneath the platform. She put a few traps under the platform for good measures but this time that traps didn't have any cupcakes on it. She put her sniper rifle behind her back and start climbing. The ladders was shaking as she climbs higher and it worries her, not because of the height but the instability of the platform. The slightest shake could disrupt a precise shot and could lead a difference between a dead man or severely injured one.
She arrived at the platform and it has been proven to be more shakier than before, one small step and she could feel the platform starting to give. Nevertheless, she rested her sniper rifle on the handle bars of the platform that prevent anyone from falling and look through the scope. The platform gave her the advantage of elevation and also distance. She could see everything from her point of view, the machinery could give the Outlaw good cover but a calculated ricochet shot would be enough. The situation that she was facing was siding to her, optimistically she thought.
The Sheriff look around and she could see that Vi was already punching through the doors at each room that she could find. She radioed Vi through her radio. "Anything interesting?"
"Just pile of boxes" Vi answered as she got out from a room. "I don't know what the hels is the factory producing. Does a box factory even exist?"
"Keep it up and stay cautious"
"Kay Cupcake"
Without a pause she push the button and tries to make contact with Graves. "This is the Sheriff speaking, can you hear me?" no one was answering her call, she tried again in hopes that Graves would answer. "This is the Sheriff, respond."
"Yep loud and clear Sheriff" Caitlyn surprised by the sudden answer, he answered her call. She signals Vi to be cautious and Vi just nodded and continue to punch through another door that lead a room full of boxes.
"One of my officers told me that you seem to be interest with me" she said. "Apparently not in the way that is desirable."
"I want to know who is the Sheriff in town. Is the kid still alive?" he said calmly, like having a normal conversation.
"Fortunately yes" Caitlyn sweep her rifle left and right, wanting to know where he was. "He said many thing about you to me."
"He was soft ya'know, next time choose a better crew."
"You seem to be a calm man, Graves. Even though in this type of situation."
"You want to talk and I give a chat. I'm tired with the typical 'put you guns down' warning."
"Well I'm afraid you're going to hear it again, put down your weapons and surrender. Maybe we can make an understanding with each other"
"To be honest Sheriff, I have every reason why I should surrender."
"Oh really?" she said with a bit of sarcasm. "Why so?"
"I didn't eat for two days, outnumbered and my gun is almost out of ammo. Guess my situation never gets better, don't ya think?"
"Poor you, then why don't you come out and surrender. You will be safe under the jurisdiction of law, as you will be in safe custody."
"Sheriff I'm a innocent man, I don't need the law to protect me. Heck I'm already protecting myself. "
"This is the first time I hear a fugitive says that he was innocent, even though the proof say otherwise."
"Did you really investigate the place Sheriff? I understand that you're the Sheriff but that doesn't mean you can't make mistake. I bet you're going to get a different result if you double check."
"Even if I made a few mistakes, you kill 11 police personnel, it won't change the situation."
"What I did Sheriff was self defense, they came to me in arm with an intent to kill me for no reason. In my opinion is just another case of police racism."
"By law, you are already wanted in many states. You reasoning are absurd and totally blasphemous, Graves."
"Well, everyone deserve a defense. But still, you killed 11 police personnel"
"What are you trying to say, Mr. Graves."
"This is your hunt, not theirs. You can say law and all the bullshit all day, but to me, you sent 11 people to do the hunt for you. And in the end, they all dead because of you. Their families and friends going to cry at their funeral and it's all because of you. Don't say it's all because of me, I'm doing what I should do and that is to protect myself."
Caitlyn kept quiet, Graves was somewhat right even though she tries to deny it.
"Got something on your tongue Sheriff?"
"So what are you trying to prove."
"There nothing to prove, but I think you know the message Sheriff."
"I speculate that you want me to personally put you down. You trying to fiddle with my feelings and point my mistakes so that I would hate you. Eventually I put you down more because of a personal matter rather than your crimes."
"Pretty much."
"Then If I did like you just said, what do you gain . I don't understand."
"You don't have too. In the end, you get what you want Sheriff."
Vi punches through another room and discover a room full of corpse, the nine officers that was sent to take down the fugitive. Vi radioed "I found the nine officers, Cait. Cait can you hear me?"
Caitlyn was eager to hear what Graves going to say next, she ignored Vi completely.
"Do you really want to die?" asked Caitlyn curiously.
"When the outcome won't change, what can I do Sheriff. Whatever happens, at the end I will die."
"Can't ya' see, if I give in I will be executed. But if I fight, maybe I'm outnumbered, but at least the last thing I did was fight. Rather than being hopelessly hung with my hands tied on my back."
Caitlyn knew that Graves was the type of 'nothing to lose guy' and handling this type of situation was similar negotiating with a person that want to commit suicide. But she followed her gut and continue to talk him out.
"What if I could give a third option?" said Caitlyn "What if I could change the outcome, would you take the opportunity?"
Graves didn't speak and it seems he was interested to hear, so Caitlyn continue to talk. "To me, everyone deserve a second chance, and a retribution would be nice one. You have done many bad things but as long as you make good deeds for the city, you are a pardoned man."
After she finishes, Caitlyn wait for answer. For a while, Graves went quiet.
"Sheriff." suddenly he answered. "in my bounty poster it wrote dead or alive. And thanks to you I know what choice I'm going to take."
She was surprised that Graves even answered.
"Then what is it?" asked Caitlyn.
"Dead"
"Malcolm? Can you hear me?" She could hear that the radio was thrown to the ground.
She look through her sniper scope and tries to search for Graves. "Vi stay cautious, I lost contact on Graves."