Chapter 15 – Street Crime

Note to self: Write new film. Title – Bird-kid lost in the Big City. Based on a true story.

Honestly, I was pretty lost. I mean I knew which way was north and south because of my internal compass; I just didn't have the faintest idea where I was in the city. Or even where I was going for that matter.

Plus, I was nervous and twitchy from my encounter with Ari. I searched around me constantly trying to spot any male models, anyone with hair too thick, teeth too sharp, claws to inhuman.

I know what your thinking. What about my internal radar? Well the problem is it's not very useful when there are people everywhere around you.

All alone in a forest? Very effective. Surrounded by hundreds of New Yorkers, all of which seem obsessed with barging into you? Not so much.

So I decided to pull into some quieter streets, which were still pretty darn busy.

My stomach grumbled loudly, so much so that a gothic looking girl actually stopped talking on her cell phone to stare at me. Either that or she had noticed the wings.

Self-consciously, I pulled my jacket tighter. I didn't actually wear a T-shirt because it's really uncomfortable with all the feathers on my arms and back. Only my jacket covered my wings from public view so I had to be careful. Anyway, back to my search for a computer. Maybe I could-

My stomach interrupted my thoughts again and I couldn't ignore it. I sighed and searched my pockets. They were empty. No money.

I winced again as my brain flashed with more visions. I saw that man again, stocky and well built. He talked to another figure, and then they both seemed to be grabbing each other, walking past each other, standing close together.

Something clicked inside my brain. Once again I returned to the world. I decided that the best way to get money was steal it, but not in the break-into-a-house way. I was going to do it old fashioned pickpocket style.

I leaned against a building, scanning for a decent target.

Then realization hit me hard. Every time I had a brain flash, I seemed to learn something new. Was my brain teaching itself new information…or was it retrieving it from my past?

I stood there stunned, contemplating my idea. I was so stunned that I almost missed the perfect target walking straight towards me; a businessman wearing a grey suit, a phone in one hand and a briefcase in the other.

I leaned off of the wall and walked towards him, très casual. Studying his jacket, my raptor eyes noticed a small bulge in his right inside pocket.

Just as we were about to walk past, I pretended to trip over. I put my arms out to stop myself and grabbed the man's arm. He gasped in shock as I almost pulled him down with me.

"I'm so, so sorry. I just tripped and, oh man, I'm sorry," I blurted out, helping the men to his feet. As I pulled him up I very lightly reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet.

"That's ok kid, just get off me," he replied, his voice icy. He smoothed out his jacket and swiftly moved away.

I smiled at his back before edging into an alleyway. The steal had gone smoothly. Unfortunately, rather un-smoothly, he only had ten bucks in his wallet. I suppressed a stream of swear words.

I had to do it again.

The next time went just as well. I sighted on an Asian lady in expensive boots and coat carrying a shopping bag. This time I had swiped her purse out of her handbag, gaining thirty-five US dollars for my efforts.

I thought that one more time and I would have enough money for a while.

I stepped out of the alley and almost instantly spotted a tanned man wearing a baseball cap and a small backpack. Perfect.

I made my way towards him deciding to go for the subtle brush past method. It was like my brain chose what method to do so I just went with it.

Just as a brushed the man's shoulder, I reach into his jacket pocket. However, what my brain didn't expect was a handcuff to be slapped on my wrist. The other one was attached to the guy's wrist.

"You picked the wrong pocket son," he said, taking his wallet out of my hand. He opened it and flashed a police badge. Crud.

"Your going down to the station, come on."

He dragged me away from the busy street much to the amusement of some passersby. I waited to see where he took me, praying that the station wasn't right around the corner.

To my relief, the cop dragged me into a car parking lot. I glanced around to see high walls surrounding us, no CCTV and no one else in sight.

The cop waved at his car where I saw his partner, sitting in their NYPD Cruiser, drinking coffee.

"What, no donuts?" I asked him.

"Shut your mouth kid," sneered his partner as he got out of the car.

The cop dragged me to the back door, which his partner opened.

"You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a-"

He didn't finish. As the cop undid the handcuff from my wrist I brought my hand up behind his head and slammed it against the roof of the Cruiser. He went down seeing stars.

His partner reached out to grab me but I blocked his hands and kneed him in the gut. He collapsed onto the floor with a small cry. As he fell, I grabbed his wrist and clasped the handcuff around it.

Now both of the cops lay on the ground, one unconscious and one in pain, chained together by a pair of handcuffs.

I reached down and picked up the cop's wallet and his backpack before searching his partner for his wallet.

As I did this I heard a crackle over the radio in their Cruiser.

"We've got a civilian down here. Possible drug addict. Some witnesses claim six children were seen running from the crime scene."

Max and the flock. I smiled.

And with one last look, I jogged out of the car park.