A hush had befallen the White Fang's Kilo Regiment.
Shortly before the eerie quiet had overtaken them, there had been joking and playfulness among the hundred-strong expeditionary force. For most, this was their first group mobilization. The excitement was palpable.
Their mood shifted the deeper they drew into the wooded wilds. As the scenery became rugged and crowded with trees, they squirmed. Those present understood that, despite their numbers, none were safe.
Formations grew tighter with each acre traveled. They were practically on top of each other. A tight nucleus had formed around the three carts they were helping transport. Whenever the wheels were caught up in debris, heart rates increased.
Dread and apprehension tread on their heels. Each unexpected twig snap and kicked rock had them shaking in their boots. That their fear was a magnet for those stalking them made the experience exponentially worse.
Every faunus knew death could be right around the corner. Though dressed as monsters, they would not be spared. The Grimm took no prisoners.
Near the front of the regiment was a woman with mouse ears. Umi was just as nervous as the rest of them, if not more so. Technically speaking, she was not a part of Kilo. Her presence was more a function of the one she was with.
"Stick close." Elder murmured as he helped her push aside a branch.
Separating from him was far from mind. While originally functioning as the lieutenant's minder while he was injured, Umi had graduated to being his assistant. Or rather, she had appointed herself to the position.
Elder either did not mind or could not be bothered to tell her to go. She was happy with either explanation. At least, she was until this moment.
The rodent faunus was a city-dweller. Trekking through the wildlands was not her idea of a grand adventure. But, when the order came for them to depart, she did so. That was how she ended up rummaging through the underbrush beside Elder and Adam Taurus.
Her presence near the top brass brought consternation her way from the rest of the regiment. Although she had the same training they had, she was merely auxiliary support. Their jealousy was palpable.
Umi was oddly glad that they were now distracted. She was unsure if she could stand under their intense glares. Not when she was feeling so conflicted.
There was a rifle in her hands. Standard issue, semi-automatic. The connecting strap painfully dug into her shoulder. It felt heavier than usual.
Then she blinked.
Now she was holding a pistol. Beneath her was a man laying on concrete flooring. His life essence pooled around his head. The phantom smell of singed hair and cooked flesh lingered in the back of her throat.
Back in reality, she gagged. Sweaty palms made the grip points on the gun slick. If she lost her hold, she was afraid the weight would pull her deep down into the dirt.
"We're here."
Her trepidation was temporarily tossed aside by Adam's words. True to his proclamation, they could all see the edge of the forest. There was relief as his statement filtered through the ranks. Some of their earlier excitement and confidence had returned.
That all died again as they passed into a field.
Across the plain were two tall, curving ridges. Connecting them was a metal wall of about the same height. Together, they formed a fortification around a sheltered valley.
This was a common enough configuration. Settlers often used the environment to safeguard their homes. It was cheaper and faster than building from scratch. Mistral's capital itself was constructed in and around the sides of steep mountains.
The artificial portion of this defensive position was like the one that surrounded Vale. In fact, they very well may have been built at the same time. This similarity, and the distressingly large hole in the center of what protected many of their own homes, caused them all to pause.
"What-" Umi licked her lips. "What is this place?"
Ignoring her, Adam walked toward the broken wall. Elder followed first without hesitation. The rest of the contingency shuffled along, not wanting to be left behind.
XXI. Numbers Game
Growing closer unnerved them further. The hole was more massive than they originally thought. Kilo Regiment could pass through comfortably in their battle columns. Such a breach would have been fatal for those counting on its protection.
Portions of the wall lay undisturbed by nature. Rust at the margins let them know that it had not fallen yesterday. Claw marks and scratches ran along the collapsed sections.
Collapsed houses and huts lined the footpaths leading inward. The space for a trading center or bazaar was overgrown with weeds. A bronze-cast bell that must have once been used to call meetings lay overturned and half filled with water.
No one was sure what to make of the locale. They sensed that the soil beneath them was hallowed, like a grand cemetery. There was significance to this area beyond being a place to hide their Dust stores.
They were not left in the dark for long. Adam stepped on to the bell to elevate himself above them. His auburn hair and onyx blazer flapped with an updraft. The emblem of a wilted red rose stitched on his breast pocket puffed in and out.
"This!" He called out while gesturing to their surroundings. "Was once a thriving faunus community. One of the few settlements that was not Menagerie or owned by the Schnee. Some of you may remember or were told stories."
There were confused murmurs but also some affirmation. Elder bristled at the mention of the family that owned the SDC. It was a more visceral reaction than Umi had ever seen from him.
"Our people lived here freely, laboring on the lands and sharing the wealth. It was not perfect. Nothing in this world is. Many nights, they went hungry or without power. But it was theirs. Their success. Their failures. Their lives to live."
"What happened?" One of the braver members asked.
"Grimm, obviously." Another retorted.
Based on what they had seen, that was the logical solution. Grimm wiped communities away with depressing regularity. A solo faunus settlement was even more at risk due to a lack of resources from human-led kingdoms.
The deep laugh Adam let out was harrowing. "Those mindless hordes picked the bones, but they were not the killers. They were not the ones to strike the lethal blow. Bringing down the wall required a higher level of intellect."
They all knew the answer to the implied question. No one wanted to give it to him. Adam let the silence persist while waiting for someone to speak the truth.
Elder provided. "Humans did this."
"They came in the night." Their leader raised his voice over the hubbub this revelation created. "Slithering their way close to sabotage. What surrounds you is the result of their work. A shattered sanctuary. Sacked homes. Grimm in our streets."
There was a terrified shout. As if summoned, a creature of darkness emerged from the rubble. It prowled on the group. Saliva fell from the canine's maw in expectation.
A few prepared individuals among their rank brought their weapons to bear. They let loose a volley. The giant wolf howled as its faceplate was punctured by bullets. It collapsed under the weight of the concentrated fire.
More demons arrived, drawn by the sounds. They were numerous, coming from every angle. Fear and panic took hold as the faunus were boxed in.
"I was powerless before!" The bull faunus screamed, unsheathing his red katana. "But I can now rectify the by-product of their sins!"
He rushed toward their right flank. His blade fell upon the Grimm like a hedge trimmer. Limbs and heads went flying as he smoothly dissected the creatures. It was an impressive display that would have earned cheers and adulation if they could have spared the attention.
But they could not.
Everyone else was more concerned with themselves. They did benefit from the distraction. While the creatures focused on Adam, the rest of the White Fang organized.
In the thick of it was Elder. His chainsaw cut down a bear-shaped Grimm probing their perimeter as he shouted orders. The squad leaders joined in the effort, pushing the members into formation. Umi merged with the firing line as best as she could.
Her hands quaked as she raised her weapon. When the command was given to fire, she held back. Drill practice had instilled the need to have confidence before letting loose. They could not afford to waste ammo. Others were in a similar state, leading to a weak first wave.
The barrage grew steadily with the second and third rounds. Umi had yet to contribute. She could not stop shaking.
Despite her lack of contributions, their group efforts were making quick work of the opposition. Adam and Elder's interference allowed them to use their firepower successfully without being overwhelmed. As each Grimm fell, their confidence grew.
They could do this. They could fight. They could win.
Screeches from above broke the self-assurances.
A dark blot against the blue sky grew larger as it descended. Umi's stomach flipped as she could make out the dreaded black and white motif. A feathered Grimm, the size of three Bullheads, circled them.
"Nevermore!" Someone shouted.
Another shriek followed as the raven-like monster dive-bombed them. The faunus in its path attempted to get out of the way. One unfortunate soul was seized by the shoulders.
Everyone watched in horror as Caldwell was taken high up. His free gun arm blasted the creature to no effect. They heard his screams as he was eventually released. Gravity did the Grimm's work for it.
Mourning would have to wait. The Nevermore turned back for another pass. It wanted more victims.
This time around, they were ready. Their concentrated fire focused on the main body. After scoring a few hits, the evil bird crowed while performing a mid-air twirl. Its great wings flapped forward. A gust of wind carrying black dots descended on them.
The firing line broke. Umi was pushed to the ground by those trying to escape. Painful wails rose out of those that could not. She saw the carnage firsthand as a woman with leopard spots landed beside her, dead. Several pinions were embedded in her back.
Umi wanted to scream. She crawled away on hands and feet. A swooshing sound from behind had her freeze.
She glanced back to see the Nevermore's approach. It had picked her out as easy prey. All she could do was whimper.
Her sounds were drowned out by the rumbling of a chainsaw and a roar. Elder jumped into the intended flight path, putting himself between the Nevermore and Umi. He swung at the bird, scoring a jagged cut on the upper beak.
His heroic reward was to be swatted out of the way. He bounced off the ground a few times before his momentum was arrested by one of their abandoned pull carts. Wood splintered as his bulky body smashed into the crates on top.
This had diverted the Nevermore momentarily, but the beast was relentless. It once again made for Umi. Another person stepped between them.
Compared to the previous rescue attempt, Adam was silent. His blade was tilted toward the ground. He stood there unflinching as a sure death approached.
"Adam! Here!" Elder threw something.
Umi belatedly recognized it as a Dust canister. The large SDC snowflake emblem on the side glinted in the sun. The White Fang leader tracked the item arching through the air.
Rather than catching it, his sword slashed up and through the projectile. Right through the symbol of the Schnee's dominance. Having seen what happened the last time a container of Dust was shattered, Umi flinched in anticipation.
Nothing happened.
There was no heat. No explosion. The remains of the glass vessel fell to his feet.
Then, something unexpected began to occur. Adam's blade began to glow. The katana's brilliant hue grew like an out-of-control flame. This shine attracted the approaching Nevermore's full focus.
Adam's entire being took on a similar brightness to his blade. Or rather, everything around him dimmed. The surrounding space was saturated with color to the point of pitch black.
As the avian closed in, the zenith was reached. The red of his sword, hair, and mask dominated the darkness. Undeterred, the Nevermore reached out to snuff the emitter out. Adam met this with a forward slash, consuming everything in a crimson flash.
Umi was forced to turn away. Dark spots danced in her vision. Crucial seconds passed before she could see again. When she finally looked back, what was there left her gob smacked.
The Nevermore was no more.
Split down the middle, from head to cloaca, the smoking halves of the monster lay a good distance apart. There was no gore. The cut had been clean, searing the insides closed.
In the center knelt Adam, sword extended outward to the sky. Slowly standing, he returned the weapon to its sheath before strolling deeper into the ruins. Nothing impeded him.
What could?
Umi watched in amazement. It was as though the world understood that his strength was not to be denied or abridged. A growl from behind being abruptly stifled brought her out of the trance.
Elder stood over the corpse of a wolf creature that had been sneaking up on her. His chainsaw was still whirling. He tugged the blade out of the smoking pile before pulling her up.
"S-sir. I- What-"
"Snap out of it, initiate. We have the momentum. The time has come to push back."
As they spoke, she could finally hear the gunshots again. Their brothers and sisters were indeed leading a counterattack. The roars of the dying Grimm were as fierce as the bellowing from the faunus fighting for their lives.
"What about Adam?"
"He did his part. It's up to the rest of us to pull our weight. Can you do that?"
She looked down at her rifle. It still felt heavy. Yet she understood what was required of her now. Being so close to death finally made everything clear.
/ / /
"You're sure he was looking for me?" Leroy asked of his Scroll.
Csenge hummed over the video call. "The officer was quite rude about it too. We had to take measures to turn him away."
Leroy had called Csenge after receiving a message to get in touch. Good news had not awaited him, although you would not be able to tell based on her demeanor. She sat on a couch painting her toenails. Between strokes of cherry polish, she recounted the tale of the policeman who had dropped by her business.
"You didn't do anything drastic, right?"
"Just a light touch and some choice words. I'm not some brute who is incapable of dealing with rabble-rousers non-violently. I run a legitimate business."
His eyes narrowed. Her touch could be powerful. Nevertheless, he let that go.
"Did he leave a name?"
"Rude men don't leave names, darling."
"What'd he look like, then?"
She blew on her big toe. "Plain. Could be a seven, if he were nicer. His ugly soul brought him down to a two. Talked big. Probably to compensate for a micro-"
"I meant physically."
"I was talking physically."
"You know what I mean." Leroy sighed.
"You really are no fun." Csenge rolled her eyes, capping her nail polish bottle. "Most distinguishing feature was a smushed nose, as if he had recently run face first into a door. Did you happen to be that door?"
"Wasn't me."
Other than his skirmish with Mercury Black, Leroy had not been in any fights. Especially not with a cop. There had been those officers at the hospital, but he had been the one to take the punishment. Not the other way around.
"Either way, he did not want to take 'no' for an answer. Seems like they want more from you than just to 'go over a few statements,' if you get my meaning."
"Yeah." He did.
VPD was up to something. The heavy-handedness of their attempt to locate him hinted at their motive. They were looking for someone to pin the High-Rise Massacre on.
Leroy knew that the incident, one way or the other, was going to come back on him. That he had escaped arrest before was a minor miracle. Now that the jackboots were out for him, his days as a free man were numbered.
"Need a lawyer? I have a few on retainer who could negotiate a surrender."
"No." He had already lost a decade of his life putting his trust in a lawyer. "At least, not yet. I've got other plays to make before going that route."
"Very well. How goes our other business? Have you anything for me?"
"Not yet." He glanced down from the loft. "Maybe soon."
Below, Tommy was entertaining a captive audience. Balanced on his index finger was the cutesy parasol he had insisted on bringing along. The bound boy watched from a chair. His face shifted between anxious and annoyed.
After driving for thirty minutes, they had doubled back to Torchwick's shack. It was the only location that they knew for certain was empty. Leroy realized belatedly that he had nowhere else to take their hostage. He had not thought that far beyond the confrontation.
To be fair, he had not counted on taking a prisoner. The possibility existed, but Leroy wanted to avoid the dramatics. He had hoped to strongarm the kid into following along and slowly upping the pressure.
Instead, they had jumped directly to kidnapping. With Tommy involved, Leroy should have known better. The Vacuan had always been a hothead.
"Then I will leave you to it. Stay safe out there." Csenge said goodbye.
Leroy hung up. A moment later, he had another idea. Going through his Scroll's contact list, he found Earnie Shoat's number and hit connect.
Despite his dislike of the police, the former guard would admit a certain fondness for the detective. Earnie had always been a straight shooter. Leroy was sure he could get an exact answer for why the department was after him.
The Scroll rang and rang. After the ninth ring, the answering machine started up. It asked for Leroy to leave a message. He almost did before deciding against and closing out.
It was for the best. Leroy did not want to bring any heat down on Earnie. Interacting with a wanted man could have made things hairy for the detective. Besides, Leroy already knew a way out. Locating Black took on a new urgency. Exposing him as the true killer would mean the difference between freedom and a noose.
Descending the stairs, Leroy walked up to the only other people in the room. Tommy was prodding the boy in the chest with the parasol. The blond winced with each ferrule poke.
"Now, people like to throw about words like 'torture' to describe-"
"Tom. No."
"What?" Tommy looked over at the approaching faunus. "I got a whole speech worked out and everything."
"We can skip that part." Leroy urged Tommy to back away. "Our new friend here is going to cooperate, right?"
The boy was not looking at him. His eyes were on the far door, no doubt wondering if he could beat them in a foot race. A fool's hope. With his legs and hands still tied in front, he was not going anywhere.
"Pay attention." Leroy snapped his fingers in front of the boy's face. "Let's start with a name, huh? Unless you want me to refer to you as Torchwick's bagboy?"
There was a pregnant pause. He looked ready to keep his mouth shut. Leroy was tempted to sic Tommy on him. Then there was a grumble of compliance.
"…Jay."
"Nice to meet you, Jay. I'm-"
"Leroy Browne." Jay answered, his calculating eyes shifted to the other man. It looked strange on a person so young. "And Tommy Two-Guns. I'm aware."
"Well now. Haven't gone by that moniker in a long while." Tommy mused, scratching his chin with the sunblind's handle. "I'm not allowed to carry guns anymore. My P.O. frowns on such detriments to my continuing rehabilitation and social reintegration."
Yet, the official had no issue with him being an 'interrogator' for a brutal street gang. To be fair, such connections were easier to hide. Tommy could leave that out of his weekly reports. A pair of pistols were harder to conceal from a pat down.
"Now, how does a young 'un like you know that old nickname?" Leroy asked.
"My boss tells me lots of things. He knows most of the players, even the small fries like you." Tommy bristled. Leroy had to shoot him a look before he backhanded the lad. "He's not going to be happy about this."
"He'll be fine with it if we find Black for him like he asked for. So why don't you help us out?"
"How would I… Wait. How do you-" Jay verbally processed before chuckling. "I take it Madam Amour sent you."
"She hired me to do some fact finding, yes, but not here specifically. That's all me."
Leroy was an independent contractor. When this got back to Torchwick, hopefully he would appreciate the distinction. There was nothing to be gained in going after Csenge.
"Okay, dipstick. I'll direct this one to you then. Why?"
"Why what?"
"If you are looking for Mercury Black, why am I the one tied up!?" Jay raged.
Again, there was an odd discordance. He yelled, yet the rest of him was stooped in defeat. There were no jerks to get free as one might have expected. No wiggling against the bindings of someone truly at their wits end.
"Because you are going to help me find him."
"You've said that, but if I knew, why would I go to Amour? What backwards logic are you running on? How could I help?"
"Start by providing context. What you gave her — a list of partial names — was not enough. Black tore that high-rise apart, killing indiscriminately. All for you. What's the motive? What makes you so special?"
Jay had the decency to stare downward in shame. Tommy whistled, earning both of their looks. He was tossing the parasol from hand to hand.
"High-rise? Killings? Like that thing on the news? Woo-wee, you sure brought me in on a strange one Roy."
"This isn't a joke, Tom. The guy's a murder machine."
"Even better."
Jay chortled. The teen was in hysterics. At least his mouth was. The rest of him was all tensed up.
"Care to share with the rest of the class?"
"Just… mm-hmm, savoring the delicious irony. Can't believe I paid good money to get myself kidnapped." He sneered up at them. "By two numbskull thugs who share a single brain cell between them, no less."
This time, Leroy did not bother getting in the way of Tommy smacking Jay. The chair tilted backward, spilling the seated one onto the wooden floor. Tommy began whacking the kid with the parasol while he continued to cackle away.
The boy had been purposefully pushing their buttons. A little bit of the rod could go a long way towards pacifying the spoiled child. Leroy counted out nine hits before breaking them up.
"Alright. Enough." He invited Tommy to converse near the stairwell.
"Don't go anywhere now!" For emphasis, Jay was hit for a tenth time.
Tommy casually dropped the beating implement. The parasol landed beside the boy. Jay rolled over with a groan.
At least he had stopped laughing.
"This isn't going well." Leroy said once they were in a huddle.
"Really? Because I'm having fun."
"Good for you. Unfortunately, 'having fun' is not my measure of success."
If they could not get anything useful out of Jay, they would have to go with the back-up plan of using him as unwilling bait for Black. How that would work, Leroy was not sure. It was not like there was a magazine they could put an advertisement in for smug, silver headed sociopaths.
Times like these reminded Leroy that he was not a detail-oriented person. Usually, he left it up to the likes of the Xiong family or Csenge to figure out all the angles. Following plans was easier than making them.
Tommy merely smiled. "Be tranquillo, friendo. All of this will come together."
"How can you be so relaxed?"
"Eh, I carry plenty of little helpers."
To wit, Tommy pulled out a multi-colored vial. He then proceeded to unscrew the top and tap the contents onto the palm of his hand. Burying his nose in the narcotics, he took a huge whiff.
"Seriously?"
"Oh yeah." He sniffed. "Woo! Takes the edge right off!"
"Fairly certain that's a stimulant." Leroy shook his head. "Also, could you not? The last thing I need is you amped up and jumping at every-"
They heard a loud slam. This sudden sound had them jerk in that direction. The cause turned out to be the side door to the shack. Wind had blown it inward and crashed the frame against the wall.
How that had happened was a mystery. Leroy was sure he had firmly shut the entrance behind him. He had even relocked it to give them a heads up if Torchwick or anyone else entered.
"What the- He's gone!"
Sure enough, Jay was no longer there on the floor. The netting that had once bound him lay in tatters beside the chair. Putting two and two together, Leroy and Tommy sprinted to the open door. A mop of blond hair was disappearing down a back alley.
There went their bait. They had no choice but to pursue. Their shoes slapped against the sidewalk as they chased after Jay.
/ / /
As an unmarked van rolled down a nondescript street near the docks, the occupants became restless. They had grown increasingly fidgety over the last few hours. As the driver, Technician Dorson, put their vehicle in park, their crescendo peaked.
"Are we there yet?" Officer Piper asked from the passenger seat.
"I'll be pissed if we aren't." Officer Fiddle concurred from the back.
"Right in there." Dorson pointed between two storehouses.
Fiddle crawled up to where he could look out with his partner. The policemen bobbled their heads approvingly. This was evidently expected.
A random backstreet seemed like a strange place to be, but that was where the target's Scroll had last been pinged. Piper was the first out. Fiddle followed a little later, having to clumsily open the sliding panel.
The broken-nosed officer turned back to Dorson. "Coming?"
"You want me to tag along?" The lab technician asked in astonishment.
"The more the merrier." Piper said before they began walking away.
Dorson hesitated. Protocol required that personnel stay with all field equipment to prevent theft or loss. This part of the city was not kind to unaccompanied vehicles.
Cutting corners like this was the reason his boss, Peregrine, discouraged interactions with the police outside of official duties. The Gang's Unit were notorious for their laissez-faire attitudes. She advocated for a firm wall between the forensics laboratory and VPD to preserve their institutional integrity.
But when asked to accompany them, Dorson found it hard to resist. In his youth, he had wanted to be a police officer. His sickly disposition had diverted him from that career.
Sweetening the deal was the innovative technology he got to play around with. SID-catchers were state of the art. They were not even deployed in Atlas yet due to civil liberty concerns. Dorson was on the bleeding edge.
Faced with a choice once again, he could not say 'no.' Chances to act out a boyhood dream did not come along often. He scrambled out of the van and onto the paved road.
"Good to see you stretching your legs." Fiddle said as Dorson approached him. The cops were on either side of the alleyway. "Bring any heat? We could use the numerical advantage to surprise our perp."
Their guns were drawn. Dorson was shocked at first. Then, excited, before finally settling on disappointment.
"All I have is a laminate." He lamely pointed to the photo ID on his lanyard.
"Next time. For now, watch and learn, pencil neck."
That there was a promise of a next time sent a thrill through Dorson. He nodded enthusiastically as they entered the alley. This was shaping up to be the best day of his life.
The unlit corridor was a tight fit. Overflowing trash cans shrunk the already narrow path. They had to travel lined up in a row with Piper up front, Fiddle in the middle, and Dorson in the rear.
Sensing something behind them, Dorson glanced over his shoulder. No one was there. Thinking it was a rodent, he kept his eyes focused forward. Every squish under his loafers was a reminder that he did not want to know what else was in this alleyway with them.
They arrived in a courtyard-like area. Four other alleys emptied into the space. On all sides were grays and browns. Blue skies above failed to make the area livelier.
Ventilation systems pumped sweltering heat into the enclosed space. Thankfully, there were no more dumpsters. Instead, palettes of construction materials dominated the area. The largest concentration of which was inside the sunken plaza at the center.
That was not the only thing down there.
On top of a marble block was a young man. In his hands was an umbrella he swung at two others below. The older men grabbed at him with each attempt. He appeared to have climbed to get away from the pursuers after being cornered.
Having found who they were looking for, Piper and Fiddle moved in. They took up positions on either side of the lip of the plaza and pointed their guns down at them. The trio ceased their game of reverse piñata.
"We've been looking everywhere for you, Browne!" Piper called to them. "And where do we find you? Consorting with other hooligans. For shame."
"Guess some animals can't change their stripes." Fiddle laughed.
"So, it was you two." The imposing man with blue shades said.
"We got you dead to rights."
"On what?"
"We'll find something. Only a matter of time. Now, assume the position. Don't worry. We'll be real hospitable."
Browne frowned, not liking the order. There was no choice in the matter. Running from the police would not end well. Slowly his hands went up. His compatriot, a man who looked like an overripe tomato, had other ideas.
"Wait. You're not going to listen to them, are you Roy?"
"You're going down too!" Fiddle howled.
"Are we? Because I know a dirty cop when I see one." The green haired man continued. "And right now? All I see are three filthy piggies that no one will miss."
Dorson gulped. Still, he was not worried. The officers held the high ground. The advantage was theirs.
It was then that there was a shattering noise.
On the lip opposite of them, a girl in pink, white, and brown appeared. How she had gotten there, Dorson did not know. Her intrusive presence spooked everyone present, including the suspects. Though, the biggest reaction came from Fiddle.
"Janus!" He spat, his gun moving from Browne to her.
This 'Janus' gave a small wave. She was overly cutesy in a way that clashed with her ominous grin. A cane spun around dainty arms and into her hand like a sword.
The blond boy had used the distractions to crawl off his perch. He was now cowering behind a pile of granite stones. If anyone else had noticed, they took no heed. Everyone was too concerned with the others around them.
Foreseeing a blow up, Dorson backed away towards the alley. He did not want any part of this. The surveillance van was much safer. There was also a radio inside he could use to call for reinforcements.
His steady withdrawal was stopped by another feeling of something behind him. This time when he looked, there was someone there. Lots of someones.
A group of heavily armed people poured in from all the entrances. Around twenty in all. It was a coordinated action, but this was not the cavalry that Dorson would have preferred. They were not with VPD. There were too many visible tattoos and tank-tops for them to be police officers.
"There you are!" A man with a bandaged forehead walked forward from the entrance perpendicular to them. "Think you could hide from us? From the High Fly Flows? We run this city!"
His hand cannon was directed right at Janus. In fact, most of the guns were pointed her way. Even with all the firepower bearing down on her, she did nothing but roll her eyes.
Likewise, neither of the cops were intimidated. If anything, the arrival had calmed them down. Fiddle smirked at the display. Piper was downright cocky as he held up his badge and called out to the gun-toting mob.
"Real cute fellas. While we appreciate the enthusiasm, this is VPD business. Back away and give us space to work."
The man in charge of the gang looked the cops up and down. Then he glanced over at the four in the center. Something shifted inside him as he vibrated in anger.
"Like I'm falling for that again!"
His arm moved over to aim at the closest unaffiliated person. Unfortunately for Dorson, that was himself. This shift happened so quickly that there was no opportunity to react. The last thing the technician saw was a bright muzzle flash.
Author Notes: So good to be back! I was out recuperating from wisdom teeth removal surgery. Pro tip: When doctors say your recovery time will be about three to five days, what they really mean is that you will stop bleeding in three to five days. You will be nowhere near fully recovered in a week.
A month out, and I still feel weird. Never used to experience migraines before, but now I have them all the time. Needless to say, that affects my ability to stare at screens and write. Updates might be slow for a while as I get back in the groove of things.
