Welcome back to City of Angels and Demons. Last time, the dreadful truth was revealed. The perpetrator behind the kidnapping of Christina Summer and many others with the intent for human trafficking was Officer Moe Azaria all along! Hicks almost caught on, but instead went for the red herring that was Inspector Frank Lesus, only to learn the truth as his phone is shot from his hands by Officer Azaria. We're nearing the endgame now, so what awaits? Read on to discover...
(Our scene resumes back at the bakery, where Hondo has just called Hicks, and is trying to tell him that Inspector Lesus isn't the ringleader, only to hear the gunshot from Officer Azaria, knocking the phone out of Hicks' hand.)
Hondo: Hicks? Hicks! (Realizes what's going on, then hangs up) Azaria's already got them.
Spyro: Then we don't have much time.
Cynder: Let's get moving then.
(Seeing there's no time to waste, Hondo makes a call to Luca)
Hondo: Luca, is Black Betty out of the shop? (Hears the answer he was looking for) Good. Get to my location. We need to prepare for an assault. On Headquarters.
Spyro: (As Hondo hangs up) Black Betty?
Hondo: Our tactical vehicle.
Cynder: Now this is going to be fun.
(And seemingly within seconds, Black Betty pulls up outside the bakery, with Luca, Street, and Deacon stepping out.)
Deacon: Somebody call for a siege engine?
Hondo: Let's do this then.
(While Hondo and company drive back to headquarters in Black Betty, we transition to back inside SWAT HQ, where Officer Azaria is still holding his gun on Hicks and Inspector Lesus.)
Hicks: It was you?!
Officer Azaria: Surprised me shooting at you didn't give it away. Though I've got to give it up to Frank for playing a great decoy.
Hicks: (Turning to Inspector Lesus) So you are in on this!
Inspector Lesus: Not of my own will, I assure you!
Officer Azaria: For once, the prick is right. He was just the patsy I had set up to take the fall should my operation ever be uncovered. The DA that started that bakery was his brother, after all.
Hicks: But... why?
Inspector Lesus: He caught me cheating on my wife.
Officer Azaria: With one of my girls, nonetheless. Kept her around to blackmail him, allowing us to use his own brother's bakery as a base was clever for a time.
Hicks: Until you got caught.
Officer Azaria: And who said I've been caught? There's nobody here but you two and myself. And I'm a dedicated officer of many years, while everyone knows that Frank here is a royal pain in everybody's ass. Nobody will be surprised when he confesses to all of this.
(At this point, Inspector Lesus gives Hicks a strange side glance that goes entirely unnoticed by Officer Azaria, but Hicks realizes exactly what it means, turning back briefly to the computer screen behind Officer Azaria, revealing that Hondo and his team are on the way.)
Officer Azaria: So, any questions before I finish you off?
Hicks: Just one: Why? You seemed so concerned when Christina turned up, and outright disappointed when she died, yet you were pimping her out for a solid year. Was it all an act?
Officer Azaria: Why else? Money. This is one of the world's oldest industries after all. And it's stuck around for a good reason. You have no idea how much people will pay for someone who can't refuse. Though I will admit, I was kind of torn up when my lackeys killed Christina. She was one of the most profitable pieces in my collection. Got way more money out of her in one night than I did from any of the rest in a year. The rest of it though, just a cover.
Hicks: You seem pretty confident that I won't talk.
Officer Azaria: Oh I've got good reason to be confident. (Prepares his gun to fire) Because you're not leaving here alive.
(And as Officer Azaria delivers his threat to Hicks, our scene ends)
And that looks like a good spot to end for now. So, Officer Azaria doesn't plan for Hicks to get out of SWAT HQ alive, and for Inspector Lesus to take the fall for it all. But this can all be avoided if Hondo and his team arrive in time to save them. So, will the team arrive in time? Or will Hicks end up a bloody stain on the wall? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!
