Harvac Westward's Story

Pulse District
Thirteen hundred hours

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---

Alpha-4 was beginning to doubt the credibility of that lead. Granted it had only been an hour since he had gotten set up shop, and it was the middle of the day so there likely wasn't going to be much movement right now. But the informant had been instant that something would be moved through his district. So here he was with a pair of binoculars sitting on a roof top in the baking sun with Alpha-7 watching cars go by and people stumbling about and making fools of themselves at the various sin dispensing services of New Cairo's 'pleasure town'. And honestly, if he knew his superior officer right, he'd probably have them squatting up here until early next morning if they didn't find anything soon.

"Oh the joys of being a marksman." He grumbled. Despite the distance between them and the stronger wind current at their height, Alpha-7 still heard him. "Quite bitching. This is the exact thing they trained us for." Alpha-4 gave a humph. "Yeah but they didn't train us to like it."

"Well like it or not this is what we’re doing. So I suggest you shut your trap before boss rings in on com's and chews you out for lack of discipline." As if on cue those communicators crackled to life and a stoic voice echoed from the other end. "All teams, report."

"One and three, no activity."

"Two and five, situation normal."

"Eight and five, nothing to notify about."

"Four and Seven. Bored out of our wits." Alpha-4 sighed. There was a sharp tone of "Four" to which he replied. "Sorry, sir. No events of note." He hoped the boss wouldn't start taking that as a sign of him slacking off. The team 'overseer' was well known for being a very strict man, borderline hardass if he was honest. He'd better find something quick to placate him for yet another minor infraction in 'field discipline'. The frustration of being assigned wild goose chases was probably getting to the man, and he didn't want to be the one to have it taken out on.

As luck would have it though, he did spot something suspicious a few blocks over. A van, painted to lock as nondescript as possible rolled up into an open alley behind a garage. It wasn't that noticeable on its own, but the way the drivers got out, the way the men in the shop that came to greet them, it looked off. Zooming in, he caught sight of nervous faces, shifting looks, and eyes watching entrances into the back area. It wasn't until he saw two of them pull out some guns and set up watching post that Alpha-7 was certain though. Whatever was happening clearly wasn't legal.

"This is 4. We've got few guys with an illegal weapons possession. Looks like there doing an Oh-3-niner. Contraband drop off. Behind the barber shop across from the Cyrus casino." There was a series of 'Rogers' sounding off on the other lines as the others began to move. Alpha-7 scooted over next to him and layered sights on the position he had marked out.

"4, 7, hold monitoring position. Engage only on my say so." Came the orders from their superior, to which they replied with a short confirmation. A few moments later 7 turned to him. "Well... looks like this won't be so boring after all."

---

---

About 20 minutes passed from that point. The couriers, oblivious to what was coming, had just about finished moving the last of the cargo out of the van. There was still some tension in the air, but it had dissipated a bit at this point now that nothing had jumped them. Most of them wanted nothing more than to be over and done with this job. If they had known exactly what they would be carrying in the first place, they wouldn't have taken it to begin with. The last box was pulled out and set down and a collective sigh of relief escaped them when it did. Now all they had to do was move this stuff inside and hold it until night fall.

One of the couriers, a woman with telepathy, started wiping the sweat from her brow when she felt it. The presence of a few new minds closing on their position. She paused, looking around, and trying to listen. For some reason she could barely hear what they were thinking for some reason. And what little she could pick up almost sounded like... numbers? Just a long stream of seemingly random numbers being spouted off quickly. She looked around a bit more frantically, trying to pinpoint them. How could they be so slippery? Even if she was only a level four it shouldn't be this hard to pick out a few voices. Her confusion was palpable enough to attract attention of her peers. "Hey, Sally, what’s wrong?" someone asked. She would have responded if she hadn't finally heard something recognizable as human thoughts.

"Wait, who’s that girl! Oh crap we gotta move!"

---

Ai found herself walking through the lively streets of the Pulse District. Overhead the sun shines brightly, a thing that cannot be avoided in New Cairo. Honestly the Pulse District isn't the same as the Old Market; here you have to keep watch of your things as thieves and scoundrels lurk the alleyways. It made Ai uncomfortable that she had to be here, searching for this brand new shipment of tea for the café. Why the boss made her go was beyond her. Of course she tried to persuade the boss of picking someone more capable but he insisted. Checking inside her handbag, she sees the basic necessities: pink lipstick, a glass bottle of perfume, a wallet and her golden hilted twin daggers. Of course no one can be too careful around the Pulse District so she bought her weapons. No one would try and steal from her if she is packing weapons. But they wouldn’t know that until they get stabbed. Ai hasn't actually hurt anyone before, except when she was only a girl when she took the life of a human. But that is another story.

Looking at the note in her hand every few seconds, Ai seems confused about the address. It wasn’t a typical warehouse that the regular shipments came through. 201 Shamarr Lane never had she heard the address. But of course she hadn’t heard of a lot of things, she has only been living in New Cairo for two years. Luckily she is fluent in the Arabic language, having been taught back in Japan by her Aunt.

Ai's lavish brown hair is tied up neatly into a bun as she wears a peach dress with a golden chain trim. She definitely doesn't belong in the Pulse District. Stepping across the pavement in white platforms she looks like a Princess from some foreign country. But this is how she dresses. She has already gotten the intending look from people walking past her, whistling and telling her to call them. She rolls her eyes and keeps walking down Shamarr Lane. On either side of the street of various sizes of stone buildings, they seem like dark wraiths among the radiant sun. Stopping in front of a seemingly innocent building with the steel number, ‘201’ the building looks more like a garage than a warehouse, with spare parts and wreckage just lying out the front. She looks around suddenly feeling strange, like she is being watched. Its nothing... she assures herself. Walking towards the metal door that seems like the entrance, she knocks on it, waiting for someone to answer so she can get the tea and get out of the Pulse District.

Just as Ai reached the front door, two figures quickly started to emerge from the other side of the street. As they crossed, one of them called out to her, a slight bit of restrained urgency in her voice. "Miss! Miss please stop right there! We're going to have to ask you to step away from the door." They drew noticeable attention from other pedestrians as they walked, what with the full body armor covering the entirety of their features, and the words SWAT painted across their chest in black.

Ai turned around at the noise, only to see two hulking figures crossing the street towards her. She couldn't understand why two people in body armor were telling her to step away from the warehouse. She was only there for tea. Then she had seen the word SWAT painted across the armor, so she had stepped away from the door and towards them. Maybe she could explain that there is nothing bad going on here. Standing about a meter from the SWAT members she seemed like a small girl compared to their height, looking up she started to ask, "What is going on officers? Why shouldn't I go near the warehouse?" A hint of fear was on her voice, why wasn't she allowed to go in there. Unless something else is going on. . .

Finishing the last leg of the distance both cops were became slightly wary of her as she started to actually walk towards them, unsure if she was affiliated with the group inside. The one standing on the left, the man (though it was difficult to tell them apart through the armor) responded to her question. "We've received a report from some locals that they spotted two men with guns skulking about in there, so we're putting the place under investigation. I'm sorry ma'am but we're going to have to ask you to stay away from the building for the time being."

When the officers had finished talking Ai was left confused and impatient. "I do not think that you understand my situation, I am here to pick up tea for my boss." She starts to step closer, trying to contact her frustration, "Now if I go back empty-handed then heads will roll. The cafe has already been under the hammer before when a shipment of sugar went missing and we had to replace it with sweetener. Let's just say that a few people gained a lot of weight and blamed it on us. Now, either I am going to get my tea or you are going to get it with those protective suits of yours" As she delivered her ultimatum, she took a step back taking a moment to compose herself.

"You're... picking up tea from a car repair garage?" The woman asked. Though the face mask prevented her facial features from being visible her tone of voice and tilting of the head were clear enough signs how incredulous she thought the notion was. "...Be that as it may Ma'am," Started the man, not really taking kindly to her sass. "Like I said this place is under investigation, and we have orders to keep bystanders away from here for the time being. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I am still going to have to request that you stay away from the building for the time being for your own safety." He tried to emphasis his point a bit more to get through to her. The man was starting to get a little impatient. They we're drawing a lot of attention as it was, which was something they really didn't need or want right now.

She was a bit taken back by the man’s statement, but still she remained persistent. One way or another she was going to get the tea. "Sir, I realize that this must be confusing for you because believe me, I am confused but you have to understand. No matter what your sources are telling you and whatnot, the people in there are expecting me to retrieve the crates of tea and bring it back to my cafe. Otherwise I don't get paid." Knowing that she is probably being a tiny bit forceful on someone of the law. But she will risk being arrested, this was her last chance to get promoted and if this doesn't work out then she will remain the boring waitress who is never going to get anywhere. Hoping to persuade the two by her bloodline she pulls out her mage ID from her handbag;

Ai Kurozaka

School of Magic: Summoning

Level TWO Mage

She boldly shows it to the two, hoping it would show them that she is more than capable of handling herself.

Both police officers clenched up tightly when her hand went into the bag, worried that she might be drawing a weapon, but didn't make any other movements when she brought the card out. They took a good long look at the card. Dead silence resting on the scene as they did. The officers slowly turned their heads to share a look between themselves before returning full attention to the girl. They stared at her. Just stared at her with those unreadable masks hiding their expressions. "Ma'am." There was a hard coldness to the man’s voice as he spoke. "Vacate the premises. Immediately." He didn't bother wording it as a request this time. This time he meant it exactly as he was saying it. "This area is off limits due to investigation of suspected criminal activity and for public safety. If you do not leave now we may be forced to press charges on you for attempted interruption of that investigation."

Ai puts her ID back into her purse, trying not to make it clear that she is fuming. Bowing simply out of respect she then storms off, her platforms making a loud noise when she walks against the pavement. When she is out of the earshot of the two SWAT members she reaches into her bag and takes out her white phone. Holding it with both hands she quickly texts her Boss and tells him about the predicament. The message sends with a positive tweet and then she locks her phone, holding it in her hand she begins to walk along the pavement. Until she sees her phone light up, her boss has already replied. That was quick... she tells herself, opening up the message.

Find another way Ai. Remember the promotion. the words shined bright as day, but their meaning meant a lot more. She leant against the corner of the nearby wall, peering into the alleyway. She had to find a way inside, or else her future is on the line. But at the same time, she doesn't want to get arrested. Then again, what was so dangerous about the garage. How dangerous is it that a SWAT team is here? She looked up into the clear sky, trying to find a way.

---

Fuck, fuck, fuck. were the only words that ran through the telepaths mind. Composing herself, she made her way back to the side of the truck and simply grabbed a bag. As she did so she whispered harshly to the other couriers. "Nobody react." This command caused some confusion among the others. "Someone found us." She clarified, and instant alarm made its way across their faces. "There watching us now. Whatever you do don't make it look like you’re on to them." Sharing brief looks of nervous panic amongst each other, they quickly tried to compose themselves the same as she had and made a significant effort to look nonchalant about their business.

"Where are they?" Asked the largest out of the group, a guy named George. "Two of them are out front, talking with some girl." Sally, the telepath, responded. "It's hard to make out what's in their heads but I think I read something about a pair of snipers." There was a hush exclamation "Fuck!" from Rena, the other woman in the group. "What are we gonna do... what are we gonna do!?" She seemed to be taking wild looks about the place as if trying to spot where the marksmen were watching them. Martin, the only one besides Sally that seemed to be taking this calmly, clapped his hands together. "Okay guys!" He exclaimed with a faked smile on his face. "Why don't we go inside for now." It wasn't a question. He was trying as hard as he could to make his posture and facial expressions seem like this was just an everyday routine for him, and he was doing a hell of a lot better than the others. "Then we can figure out what to do next."

There was some silent nodding from the others, and they all started making their way in through the back door and out of sight of anyone watching them. In their Sally went back to monitoring the girl and the two cops outside, trying to find anything she could use to get away from here with her hands unbound. The police guys had gone back to just sprouting numbers again, much to her confusion and frustration, but the girl....

'Find another way Ai. Remember the promotion. '

---

"Guys," she hissed. "Guys I got it. Wait a second." She focused with her mind, reaching out to the stubborn kid that had been pestering the cops outside. 'Hello' she started, trying to cut the frayed nerves out of her system as she transmitted her thoughts. 'Is this Ai? From the tea shop?'

Suddenly out of nowhere she hears a voice of what sounds like a woman. Ai looks around only to see people continuing about their business. 'Hello, is this Ai? From the tea shop?' She doesn't know how to respond. Is it a Telepath trying to contact her? "Um, Hello?" She whispers so others don't think that she is crazy. Waiting to see if it is a Telepath and just not her going crazy.

"Sally what are you-" Dean, another one of the guys holding a gun asked her but she shushed him quiet. 'Hi, Ai, this is Sally, one of the couriers dropping of the crates.' She started slipping in a cheering and friendly tone with her thoughts.

"Oh so you have the crates of tea?" Ai asks, keeping her head down, turning around into the alleyway to avoid the public.

'Yeah, we are. Sorry about the coppers outside. Dean and Marty were trying out some toys replicas that he wanted to ship off to a collector friend back home. But don't worry about them, there’s a way around to get in if you really need this stuff.'

"Where? It’s just I need the crates for my boss, he said that you were expecting me?"

'Yeah, we were. Just head down the alley in front of you. There should be an open door in the back. Knock on it and we'll let you in.' Sally cut the communication and faced her companions, a wicked grin on her face. "Guys, I think I have a way for us to get out of here...."

She looks into the alley ahead of her, 'Just head down the alley in front of you'. Shrugging she walks down the dark alley, sticking close to the wall. She turns around to find single metal door amongst the 201 warehouse. She takes a final look around and then walks up to it, knocking twice. God, I hope I know what I am doing...

---

On the roof top a few hundred meters away, Alpha-4 tightened his grip on his binoculars. "Squad, be advised, the level two alpha-3 and 6 encountered is making her way around the back." Alpha-7 steadied the sniper rifle and trained its sight on her. "I've got her line up. Should I take her down?"

"No. Do not fire." Came the stoic voice of the commanding officer again. "I repeat do not fire." Alpha-7 removed her finger from the trigger, but kept rifle's sights trained on the young woman's torso. "With all due respect sir if she links up with the others inside then we're going to have a hard time breaching and clearing." There was a short moment of silence, and Alpha-7 remembered that it was generally in advisable to second guess a superior officers orders. However the man on the other end finally replied without a hint of any distaste for the break in establish hierarchy. "I've taken the time to memorize the profiles of all known level 2's in the city. Ai Kurozaka's guardian is powerful, yes, but it also has the disadvantage of being incredibly large. If she tries to summon it inside of the building she'll run the risk of collapsing it or crushing herself. Letting her go for now is the best course of action." Alpha-7 gave no sound, only consented and waited for further orders.

Down on the ground, Alpha's 3 and 6 started to lay down standing pulls in front of the garage. Once they were set up, a holographic line connected them, and the words "police line, do not cross" started to scroll across them.

---

When the knock at the door opened, Sally was the one who opened it. Quite forcefully in fact. Her eyes darted to the roof tops quickly before settling back on Ai. "Oh.... hello you must be Ai, right. Come inside. Quickly."

The door had swung open to reveal a woman, she seems frantic and anxious. She invites Ai inside and she does just that, quickly stepping inside the building. Waiting for what seems to be the supplier of the tea to take her so she can get out of here as soon as possible.

Once the Japanese girl had gotten a few steps into the room, Sally slammed the door shut behind her. "Now!" Sally cried out, and both George and Dean step out from where they were hiding, chains in hand and rushed the smaller girl. Before she could react they were on her, over powering the smaller girl and wrapping her limbs up in spite of her attempts to protest or wrestle free. Once they were done, Sally sauntered over.

"Sorry girly, but it seems you fell into the wrong crowd."

---

COLLAB by Wake and xXRubyDarkWolfXx

Ai and her Capture (Wake and xXRubyDarkWolfXx)



Moments later outside, the mass of people were waiting just beyond the outer edges of the police line, trying to see what the commotion was about. The pulse district was known for some seedy stuff, but never anything that would have attracted so many heavily armored police. It was as the team of four started to position themselves for a breach entry on the entrance that they got their answer...

In the form of a chained up girl being place in the window with a gun pointed at her head.

"Hold! Hold" One of the officers yelled, and they all back away from the entrance to prepare for whatever the smugglers would do next.

Slowly Ai began to return to consciousness; she must have passed out from shock or something. She is place upright on a wooden chair, stuck to the damn thing. The last moments that she can remember was being grabbed and being bound by chains. THAT woman, she did this. I know that I shouldn't have trusted that witch, oh god why did I do this just for tea... She thought to herself as she tried to wriggle free of her chains, they are too tight to move in. Opening her eyelids she finds herself a run-down garage, with wooden crates stacked upon each other. She is faced towards the window, outside is the police. Swinging her head around she becomes face to face with her captor, and she is holding a gun to her head. I am not going to let this happen to me now. Looking up at the height of the building’s roof, she knows that it would be a tight fit for it. But one way or another she is going to get out of here. They have released her bad side, one for kidnapping her, two THERE IS NO REAL TEA. Her boss is probably a terrorist and was going to kill her anyway. She should have listened to the police outside; she should have just tried to walk away. No, summoning Postremo would be a bad idea. She thinks to herself, coming to the conclusion that she would actually have to wait for what would happen next.

Sally stood next to where Martin was holding Ai. She poked her head out the window and shouted. "Alright you fuckin pigs! I know what you’re after! You don't come in here or the girl gets her brains splattered all over the wall!"

"Alright! Alright" Came the voice outside. "Just calm down and don't shoot." One of the cops held an arm out in position to wave his comrades back away from the door.

At this Ai immediately became afraid, she threatened to shoot my brains out! What is she going to do, what can she do? "Please don't hurt me, what have I done to you?" She pleads, trying her best to talk down this crazed woman. The police has to do something, or else Ai is going to be dead soon enough.

"Just don't come in here!" Sally shouted outside. "Just stay right the fuck where you are." Turning around she slapped Ai across the face. "And you shut up. Play nice and you can go home with your limbs intact." Turning to the others she hollered. "Dean, check the back door and get the van ready! Marty, come with me and bring the girl. We're gonna make a run for it."

She definitely felt woman’s blow to her face, once she regained herself she could feel the sting that it is going to leave for a long time. Trying to escape the verge of tears she just keeps quiet, not wanting to get hurt again. In any other situation she would- well she has never been in a situation quite like this one. One of the thugs must have had her handbag because it was nowhere to be seen; hopefully they haven't seen her weapons.

---

"What's going on down there? Report." Came the commanding voice over comms. "Sir, we have a hostage situation. Young girl looks Asian- Fuck it's that same girl that we talked to just a second ago! Ai Kurozaka!"

There was a long moment of silence from the other end. "We've made a grievous error in judgment." There was nervous tension among the ground teams. The plan had been to just rush in and toss a stun grenade. Not though they couldn't do anything without risking the girl getting shot up in the fire fight. On the other end the commander was thinking. There was no way the smugglers would just sit there. They had no means of maintaining a continued siege. Taking the girl hostage would be more spur of the moment desperation. That meant...

"They're going to attempt to escape out the back and take off in the van. Two, Eight, disable the front tires and hide yourselves. Be ready with a sonic grenade." Both operatives gave a word of confirmation and did as instructed. Things were about to get hairy. And noisy.

---

Martin dragged the girl with him as he quickly followed Dean and George out the back door. All the while Sally was barking orders. "Get the girl in the back. Move it. NOW!"

She was thrown into the back of the van with a thud, it actually hurt that it caused her to curse under her breath. It was like she was nothing, but a bargaining chip. Something to be used and then thrown away like it had no meaning. She was about to give up, let go of all hopes that she had about a rescue. Was this to be her fate? She scrambled to the back corner of the vehicle, not wanting to be touched by anyone, things were looking down.

"Okay she's in." George called. Sally started trying to push one of the other guys up front towards the front of the van when Rena spoke up. "Guys, the tires are fucked up." "What!?" Martin called, pulling himself away from the back where he had thrown the girl. "The tires, it looks like somebody shot them." Rena clarified. To which Sally responded with another, even louder "WHAT!?"

Then something hit the ground an unbearably loud screeching sound vibrated in the air, and all hell broke loose.

A echoing BANG just barely audible over the screeching noise when off fallowed by a scream. That was then quickly followed by several other noises that sounded like a rattling noise. Shouting came next, and the van started to shake on its axis left and right a bit roughly and a large indent appeared in the side as if a body had just been slammed into the van with severe force.

Ai screamed when a dent was made in the van like it was made with ease. What is going on? She sat up on her knees and kept a close eye on what was about to reveal itself, or is it her captors.

A few dozen more seconds passed as various sounds of struggle were made. Finally after a while of frantic shouting and banging, the noises all stopped, even the loud screeching. "We got a pair of runners!" Came a muffled voice. "Leave ‘em; let the other team take 'em." Came the response. "Somebody check on the hostage." A few more seconds passed before the edge of a visor crept around the door entrance to the back.

"Ma'am?' The man asked cautiously. Once he was sure no one else armed was in there with her he stepped fully into view. "Ma'am are you alright?"

She saw the officer walk into view, to that she gave a deep sigh of relief. Almost on the verge of tears she says, "I am fine, thank you." She slumps down against the side of the van, breathing heavily but it felt nice. Her heart wasn't stuck inside her throat, and she was free. Safe. Something that she hasn't actually felt in a long time.

The man also seemed to relax his posture when it was clear that she was alright. Sheathing his side arm he made a gentle 'come here motion with both his hands'. "It's alright ma'am, we got you. Please come here a moment."

She nods at the man, while slowly shifting her way to the edge of the van she swings her legs over the edge and sits there for a moment, keeping her head hung down for a moment. Her hair managed to get out of her bun so now it lies across her shoulders.

The officer gently placed a hand on her shoulder as she came to sit at the edge of the van, checking her over for any injuries. "Are you sure you're okay." He asked. He still took a few looks up and down her form before trying his luck at getting the chains off.

"How does one feel okay from being tied against their will? For the first time in my life I felt trapped. But over time, wounds will heal, and I will just move on with my life like nothing happened." She says softly, looking into the man’s visor as if peering into his soul.

"Being able to bounce back from little things is a strong quality in a person." He half joked, hoping to lighten the mood. He didn't seem to mind that she was looking him in the eyes, having all manner of people do that in the past. He fiddled with the chains a bit more, but seemed to be growing frustrated with the lack of progress on that front. Finally after a moment he called out so someone up by the front of the vehicle. "Hey Harvey can you get over here and help me get this chains off her?" "Yeah give me a second." Came the reply.

A moment later another man, even larger than the officer tending her stepped into view. The first one stepped back as he approached her. "Hey there!" He said in a cheerful tune. "Sorry bout this little lady but you hold still? This will only take a moment." He wrapped his fingers around the chain binding her arms and started to tug on them testingly. "Yeah I think I can work with this." He muttered. Then with a sound like pistons starting up he pulled them apart, snapping one of the links in half.

He continued until the top chain fell away, and then did the same with the ones around her legs.

---

Else where, live news coverage was playing about a daring police raid and a developing hostage situation as a news chopper circled over head trying capture the events down below on film. What they didn't catch, was a pair of escaping smugglers that fled as soon as they saw the chance to do so.

Sally and George. Both of them were running as fast as their legs could carry them. Both sprinting as and emptying the air in their lungs as they tried to keep ahead of their pursuers. While Sally was mostly uninjured George was bleeding from the mouth. "Right! Go right here. There no one down this way." The telepath said and George turned right to slip down the next alley passage. "Their nerves frayed to the extremes, they we desperate to get away from the men in mask who had just popped in and started shooting them with stun rounds.

So when they hopped the fence and came face to face with another one they were visibly shocked.

"I thought you said there wasn't anyone down this way!" George shouted. Sally went wide eye'd and looked between the armored cop and the path they had just come from. "T-there wasn't, I checked. I didn't sense any minds here." "Well then your stupid telepathy is slipping then!"

Across from them, the man just held up on hand, palm outstretched. "Stop." He ordered in a neutral tone. "Cease and desist. You will be given a lighter punishment if you don't resist arrest."

"Fuck you! I ain't goin down to some jack boot!" George roared. Litterally roared as he was in the process of activating his powers and transforming. He went full form, taking on the shape of a massive boar. It was likely more due to his panic from earlier that he did so or that he simple didn't care about the risk in over using his powers as a morpher. Either way he charge the armored man, shaking the ground with each step as he spurred onward to crush this last obstacle between him and freedom.

The police officer, however, didn't budge an inch. He readied his feet and set his stance as the massive creature rushed in to trample him...

About a minute later Alpha-3 and 5 came round the corner at the opposite end of the alley was. Just in time to see The officer already present handcuffing a floored and horrified Sally. "How did you... what did you.." She babbled, unable to form words at the moment. Having trouble comprehending what she just saw.

The man ignored her, and stood up straight to stare at the arriving officers. "You late." He stated. "And you allowed two convicts to escape." Both officers stood at attention. "Sorry sir. We we're distracted with-"

"Don't make excuses just make sure this doesn't happen again." He stated once more in a stoic and icy tone, too which his subordinates responded with "YES SIR." The captain then knelt down and started to pull the woman to her feet. She still wasn't resisting; too shocked to even consider it. While he did so his subordinate noticed the other convict, George, lying on his side. Hands bound, groaning and barely conscious. "Wow. You did a number on him." Alpha 3 muttered.

"Just what the fuck are you!?" Sally voice now that she had regained the ability to speak coherently.

The masked captain looked at her, and she shrunk back from his visor. "The law." He replied. Then he looked back at the others. "Stop standing there and pick him up. I want these convicts back at the station for interrogation immediately."

---

1:45pm
Pulse District

---

Once the officer, Harvey as the other had called him, had finished breaking the bottom chains and allowing the young foreigner free movement of her arms and legs again he stood up and 'dusted' his hands off. "There we go."

She rubbed her wrists as she looked at the two men, "Thanks, didn't want to stay in these things forever."

"You're welcome little lady." The large officer replied, giving her a mock salute. "Now if you don't mind staying with my fellow officer here while I go take care of something."

"Oh ok, I will just be here." She adjusted herself at the edge of the van, trying to get comfortable by crossing her legs. So it was over, something that seemed so innocent turned into something that will probably change Ai forever. But it already has, they were mages, yet they tried to harm their own. Why would someone do that?

Harvey nodded and without another word walked back too the other side of the alley. There, sitting next against the wall, were the three smugglers with their hands bound behind their backs. They each looked a little roughed up, not incredibly injured but definitely having the fight taken out of them. Harvey stood with his stance wide and his hands on his hips and looked down at the woman and two men. "...So," he started. "You three wanna tell us what's so important about these boxes? Must be something pretty damn special about them if you gotta tote guns around in a city that bans 'em and take girls hostage like that."

"Fuck you," spat one of the men. Literally spat, right onto Harvey's boots. Harvey just tsked at this. "Now see, you're already in a lot of trouble as it is. I'd recomend not trying to get into any more, punk." To the side one of the other armored cops, Alpha-5 from what it read on the sholder pad, brought out one of the boxes, and popped the lid. "Five? What's inside of it?" Asked alpha-1. Alpha-5 reached in and pulled out a large black package, wrapped is some kid of tape with an inactive timer on it and wires flowing from the timer inside of the package itself.

"C4. Plastic explosives."

She perked up at the notion that the contents of her crates were not tea, but deadly explosives. "Oh my god..." She managed to get out, almost choked up in tears. Her boss was using her. The Cafe, the other employees, they are all probably a front for something evil.

"... That's some pretty heavy stuff you guys got here. Really heavy stuff." Harvey leaned over, looming over the three bound convicts. "You three know just what kinda punishments could come in for having this kinda stuff on you? A pretty big kind. Pretty, damn, big." They fidgeted a bit. None were willing to look him in the visor. Harvey crossed his arms. After another moment of silence Alpha-1 stepped forward and spoke up. "You do know that terrorist actions are punishable by death in some cases? You have enough evidence here to convict you on suspected crimes of that degree."

"We were only the middle man!" the woman shouted. The man next to her, Martin hissed something at her but she kept going. "We didn't know what was in them when we first got them, honest. We were just supposed to hold them until the pick up came by."

"Pick up?" And then, all the cops at once turned to look at Ai.

The waterfall of eyes washed over her, like preying eagles ready to strike. "I-I only did as I was told," she managed to blurt out. The sudden realisation came to her, they might actually think that they are hers. "I thought it was a shipment of tea, well that's what it was supposed to be. Not this!" she added, trying to get out of the situation. They couldn't think that an innocent girl like her was responsible for this.

"She could have been lied too," Harvey spoke up. Of course he was the most sympathetic member of the team. The others, though, were running through different scenarios. "She was awfully insistent about getting and getting the boxes when we approched her earlier." "But then why did these guys take her hostage?" Alpha-1 broke up the impending argument and walked over to the young girl, squatting down until he was at eye level with her. His face was unreadible behind that mask. "Where? Who told you to pick up the cases and where did they tell you to take them?"

It was intimidating for the cop to squat down to her level, even though he had a visor on it was like he was piercing her soul. "My boss did, see I work in this cute little cafe in the Old Market called Timeless Cafe. Anyway, he told me to get the crates and get them back to the cafe simple as that. It was supposed to be the latest shipment of tea..."

Alpha-1 nodded his head at alpha-5, who started reporting in to his superior. Alpha-1 then stood up and address Ai again. "You will be taken in for further questioning, and read by a telepath. If it is found that you we're involentarly made appart of this then you will be relased from custody later this evening."

She nodded, speechless. Why is this happening to her? She should have just left the matter alone and returned empty handed.

Alpha-1 then turned to the others and started marching with a purpose. "Alright get those three in the back of the transporter, and the girl in the back of the car. Somebody contact Alpha-0, we got daylight burning and a possible lead to track down." And with that everyone was moving. The three smugglers being hoisted to their feet and dragged off out of the alley towards where other police cars were arriving. Harvey walked over to where Ai was, and gently held out his hand to help her up to her feet. "Don't worry, little missy..." he said, "It'll be alright."

collab by Wake and xXRubyDarkWolfXx