VI & CAITLYN

"I don't like this... It's been almost over an hour, already."

Caitlyn's question did bring the tones of impatience and anxiety Vi had herself years before.

It's been indeed quite some time, without any news or signs of change, having to hear the roar of passing-by airships and the walking boots of enforcers on the hunt, all from a room with lights out. So far, there was no indication they've been found, at least not yet. The enforcer uniforms they wore all the way from Central Precinct to that apartment had been discarded since, lying on what was Heimerdinger's supposed bed.

"Never had to stakeout, Cupcake?", Vi asked, still sitting down, more out of curiosity rather than inquiring on Caitlyn's anxiety.

"Not many opportunities, no.", Caitlyn retorted, walking from a point to another, frustrated and concerned. "And this is far apart from a stakeout, stakeout doesn't imply you're wanted!"

Some seconds of dead air passed between them.

"We can give another hour, if you want.", Vi said. "Say, the furry guy doesn't show up or something else happens by then, we move out."

"Another hour?", Caitlyn stared at Vi, whom nodded, and the escaping former Sheriff took a breath then. "Maybe. I don't know..."

Some more couple of seconds passed by.

"Your folks ever told you of the attempted revolt, years ago?", Vi asked. "At the bridge?"

"You mean the one under the kingpin Van-", Caitlyn started, then stopped when she looked at Vi, realizing quickly enough whom was she talking about. "Your... father, Vander?"

"I don't mind.", Vi said. "He wasn't named 'Hound of the Underworld' for nothing. Even had to grow up with that."

"I was about six, seven years-old, when it happened." Caitlyn said, a couple of seconds later. "Mother got called that night, left in a hurry. Emergency session. Grayson, the Sheriff before Marcus, she always avoided telling me about that...", she said.

"For good reason.", Vi said. "That night, when Vander and everyone else charged the bridge, my parents... the real ones, they went too. They had-"

Suddenly, a noise interrupted them.

Horn blows, but on a tone very different than what Vi and Caitlyn were used to hear, and it got Vi on her feet.

Three horns blown consecutively, over three times.

"That one's new...", Vi said.

"Search called off?", Caitlyn asked, finding it strange, before she became suspicious a second later. "*Something's off*..."

"No shit.", Vi replied. "I don't wanna stay here and find out."

"Neither do I.", Caitlyn opened the doors to the balcony, rifle in hand, as she then looked at both sides of Reveck Avenue, and then below, and then above.

No signs of life, after half a minute of eye scrutiny.

"Too empty.", Caitlyn said.

"Yeah.", Vi agreed, climbing the balcony's roof, just as she did when they were on the run, and offered her hand to Caitlyn, to help climb up as well.

"Your city, Cait.", Vi said, pulling Caitlyn up. "Any ideas?"

"Back home.", Caitlyn said, Vi glancing dumbfounded at her. "They'll have dispersed by now, only keeping external patrols. We can sneak back in for the rest of the night. And it's *too obvious* for them-"

"-to consider it.", Vi shrugged and nodded and thus both climbed up to the roof of the Piltovan building, a squarely roof.

As they reached it, however, they came across the last thing they wanted to see.

Camille Ferros, sitting with blade-legs crossed and hanging at the edge of a roof access top ahead of them, staring at them. Holding something in her lap, which meant it wasn't a good sign.

Both Vi and Caitlyn's hearts raced. Caitlyn bared her teeth. She knew it was *too good* to be true...

Camille then behold the horizon, the full view of the city, it's endless rooftops in a chaotic maze, extending to the ruins of the Council above, and the Hexgates.

"Quite the view.", she started. "The fissure girl *does* take you to places, after all..."

"Spare it, Ferros.", Caitlyn replied. "Just get your marksmen to show up, already."

"It's only the three of us here. Something the trencher would like, no doubt.", Camille replied, calmly, glancing briefly at Vi. "But I still call the shots."

The Warden-Marshall then threw what she was holding to fall a bit ahead of them, falling with a metal clanking sound.

A mechanical arm with a device Vi and Caitlyn knew too well, as they had seen a small furry little guy use it. And the arm had some blood staining it's diagonally sliced edge.

"Why, you...", Vi growled, the blood boiling.

"Before you get to your next word, they ARE alive.", Camille stated firmly, staring seriously at them, before her eyes darted to the sliced mechanical arm. "He was a good negotiator, though. He arranged for your exemption. Of you both."

"Exemption?", Vi asked.

"Our crimes, pardoned.", Caitlyn answered. "At what cost, I wonder?"

"Satisfaction, for a beginning.", Camille answered. "Beyond that, I leave it to your imagination."

Camille then dropped from the roof entrance, into the same rooftop level as Vi, Caitlyn and the sliced mechanical arm. "But of course...", Camille walked a few steps. "You can still choose to let Heimerdinger's selfless act all go to waste.", she raised her arms invitingly. "You did tell me to pray that you'd never get out. Shame on me."

Vi's blood started to boil as she stared at the Warden-Marshall and a smug smirk forming up. Just Sevika usually does.

"Vi...", Caitlyn called.

"Oh, I know...", Camille nodded. "Being nice can be *so* demanding, at times..."

"Makes two of us...", Vi said in a cold, threatening tone, stepping forward before Caitlyn suddenly pushed Vi's shoulder, getting the pink-haired one's attention.

"Cait, really-", Vi started.

"Yeah, really!", Caitlyn interjected, eyes fixed at Vi as they then darted at Camille, the look trying to convey the message to Vi, and then shaking her head.

Vi simply stared for a second at Camille whom simply remained there, shrugging, and then back at Caitlyn. "You know what she'll do...", she said.

"I know...", Caitlyn nodded, her look of nervousness conveying what she's trying to say to Vi.

Vi stared for another moment at Caitlyn before she made her choice. She stared at Camille, raising her left arm, pointing the index finger at the Warden-Marshall, whose smirk fade away and she resumed into a more neutral face. Vi's hand went down, but her curled fist was shaking.

"Such a leash you have on her...", Camille mused. "Maybe there's hope for you yet, Kiramman.", she then turned away, walking to one of the edges. "I'll be seeing you at morning... officers.", she declared, as her thigh cylinders opened and she jumped off, Vi and Caitlyn rushing in quickly enough to see Camille shooting harpoons out of her legs and reaching the front of a building before jumping off to another wall, and then another before she had to fire the harpoons again.

Vi then took the chance that Camille was away to then turn around, kick the roof entrance door, letting out her rage, and then roar out loud to echo across the neighborhood, a sight that left Caitlyn appalled.

And, the worse of it, was that Caitlyn couldn't even blame Vi for any of it.

Vi ran her hands on her pink hair, breathing heavily as she then backed off from the entrance and the busted door. Caitlyn first walked to the severed mechanical arm, picking it up, and then approached Vi slowly, with a comprehending expression, staring the defeated brawler in the eye.

"Come on...", Caitlyn said, softly, as she entered the busted roof entrance and then went downstairs, Vi following her.

Then off the building to the street.

And then, back to home.

Notes:

The last chapter prior to the climax, ladies and gentlemen. Buckle up for the next one, 'cause it'll be quite a ride...