Chiro exited the corner shop he had been lying low in. The four cops had dispersed so he knew he would have to move carefully from now on. He left the scene of crime quickly. He had to plan his route carefully out of Shugazoom now, avoid cop hot spots and lay low.
Chiro was currently in the Western section of the city. The usual safe haven he preferred to be in. But he couldn't stay here, not after what just happened. His pickpocketing had alerted the police to the area, the most plausible excuse for his friend's arrest.
Chiro sighed.
The central zone's mainstream jewellers, Just Jewels, had been robbed earlier that evening by the gang. He couldn't risk staying in that zone.
The southern zone was most likely where the police van raid took place earlier. This was because the police and holding cells were located there; along with the dock for the moon base prison complex. He couldn't risk staying there either.
The northern zone was where his boarding school was. A definite no – go zone!
It only left one zone. The East. He would have to head East, back to the area he ran from earlier.
"The cops should have given up looking for me there surely?" Chiro questioned himself as he walked. He would keep his guard up; it's all he could do. It was the least risky at this moment in time.
Chiro quickly made his way down the street, dodging the crowds. He had to move now. He was doing well, travelling out the western zone without a hitch the real test would begin now. He now had to run the gauntlet in the central zone. This was going to be tricky.
Chiro was doing well clearing the area where the main shops were. He saw some cops but his very low profile and ability to fit in big crowds had meant he had dodged the entire lot. He continued to travel well, and was nearing the outskirts.
He was in the outskirts of the central zone when it happened.
Just as he was about to enter the set of streets that were regarded as the path to the Eastern Zone, he heard the dreaded sentence being shouted down the street. "Police stop" with a quick glance out of the corner of his eyes, he knew his luck had run out. Two cops were running in his direction.
"Shit" Chiro said, as he soon ran too.
He was remaining ahead, but he was hurting. Stamina had never been a problem, but doing his ankle and knee in earlier was. The injuries were taking their toll now. He ran into the nearest alleyway in an attempt to give the police the slip. He came to a chain link fence blocking the path. So he began to climb it.
Getting to the top he swung his legs over the top before jumping down to the ground below. He let out a small cry of pain from that stunt, but kept running. No way was he going to give up now.
Chiro kept his pace up. Heading deeper into the alleyway it was getting steadily darker and more difficult to navigate with the increasing obstructions he was running into. He could not hear the cops now, this was strange. He was sure they would not give up on their chase. They never did when it came to him!
It was then Chiro became aware of something. There were other noises emanating around here, and they didn't sound like the cops!
These noises continued though they sounded far off. Chiro couldn't go any further, a dead end. He would have to psych himself up to scale the brick wall in front of him. He had to stop, this was too much. He used the wall for support. It was then he realised the noises he had heard earlier were now louder and closer. It was then he whipped his head around.
He had heard something rustle just behind him, it had startled Chiro. As he was suddenly knocked clear off his feet. Stumbling face first to the ground, he rolled just in time to narrowly avoid an attack.
'Some luck this is' Chiro thought before his eyes widened at the sight before his eyes. His predicament had just got even worse. As all he could do was curl up, his head between his hands.