Kyle stops laughing. Parnassus gets the jump on some birds. Akira and Alicia don't like what they find.
Alicia and Akira were glad to see each other, but then Dr. Calvert interrupted them "Captain Howard, you got all the details from Lopez that she could give you. Lopez, you can go back to your precinct."
"I just got here. Let me help back him up."
Akira interjected too. "She also knows Akane well and is probably the second best person to search for my sister! You have to let her help us."
Yoseph considered how to split them up. It was true Alicia might have insight into Akane's way of thinking so it would be a shame to waste this extra resource. Plus he was short some Ravens from sending them after Espinosa. He hit on a solution quickly. Yoseph said, "It would be more efficient for the two of you to split up and cover more ground. You have plenty of men under your command, so send some with Lopez. Just in case. Remember, Akane wasn't necessarily the one leaving that evidence trail and if her behavior at the overpass is any indication, will attack at the slightest provocation. "
[Why are you so annoying?] Akane typed at Kyle as he added a quick meme to the fire himself.
Kyle stopped laughing immediately, his posture changed. It had been a show of relaxation, but Akane noted he had never turned his back to her. He said, "...Astute as ever, detective. I needed to see this. You transformed into something else, nearly killed your own twin, killed Jena, and then you came back. Went right back to being a goody are human, despite your new form. Why?... Why you and not..."
Akane practically heard the unspoken 'Why not my friends?' The drone Kyle used to guide her here was not just for convenience. Kyle was assessing her mental state. Those jabs and the teasing were not just for amusement. He had been pushing her to see if she would snap. Then kept pushing her in person to see if having the target of annoyance in front of her would be enough.
Akane typed, [You were planning to take me out if I was a threat?]
Kyle continued. "If you had been a threat, I would have let you and the Ravens deal with each other. Then finish off the weakened survivor."
[Fair.] Akane looked at the screens then finished the thought. [You met me in person instead of another Hermit because you didn't want to risk them getting hurt.]
Kyle nodded. "Want to check out the cameras around here? I have a couple guys helping me with this but an extra set of eyes is welcome. Oh hey, Parnassus is at work today!" He set Akane watching the other set of screens for him.
Parnassus was painting. Having all these cops in the area was a huge risk, but inspiring. The thrill of the chase somehow made this more meaningful. Today's topic? Ravens. They were terrifying and made this Parnassus put that fear into pigments on a wall behind a pizza parlor. Others would ask, "Why are you doing graffiti so soon after your last arrest? Why are you doing it in an area with increased police presence?" They just didn't get it. It was so tough, being a misunderstood artist surrounded by heathens.
Parnassus heard the footsteps and barely had to turn to see the telltale black uniforms. Time to go.
Parnassus gripped his spray paint in one hand and the smoke bomb in the other. The pair of Ravens marched down the alley with an order to capture all intruders of the area for interrogation. They efficiently cut off the alley entrance. The IRIS system was more than sufficient to handle the smoke bomb, but Parnassus was not aware of that.
Parnassus pivoted. Launched the smoke bomb. It exploded at their feet. A split second later, the spray paint bomb hit a Raven dead in the face.
Of course, the faces were covered by helmets. The end result was Parnassus fleeing from two surprised Ravens. A quick chain bind later, Parnassus was on the ground.
Alicia and Akira turned the corner. Akira waved at the two Ravens and Alicia snorted. "He got these two good. Can you see anything through that right now? Just take the helmet off. You sure they'll be the ones doing the protecting? "
"Hey, sometimes people get caught by surprise." Akira said charitably before squinting at the graffiti man on the ground. "Wait a minute, didn't my sister and I arrest you last month?" He ordered the Raven that did the chain bind to drag Parnassus away.
As Akira and the lightly painted Raven took the artist out of the Alley, Alicia cast a sideways glance at the stubbornly helmeted Raven. Seriously, he couldn't see a thing through that paint layer. Alicia figured he was trying to hide his embarrassment or something. This was stupid. Alicia's hand snaked out in a blur to the helmet release switch. The Raven punched Alicia back with way more force than she expected. In her surprise she latched her hand on the helmet. Alicia fell to the ground. Raven helmet in hand.
Alicia looked up and saw. "What. The. F_."
Akane's attention jerked right back to Kyle when he said, "What. The. F_." She looked over to see Akira on screen? That hardly warranted the reaction...