[Freezair]

Nara crouched in the shadows of the tall building, scraps of greasy paper scudding around her feet.

At Oh Six-Hundred Hours this morning, an anonymous reporter--and elderly woman--had called in to her precinct and reported that he had caught an individual attempting to break into his house. The individual had smashed a window and entered the woman's domicile. The individual caught sight of her and attempted to flee; she ran to her room and grabbed her compound hunting bow to defend herself with. By the time she returned to her living room, the suspect was gone. He'd made off with several DVD's, but she'd managed to stop him before he could take anything else.

The woman described the subject as short and slimy, with a spined shell.

This was not the first report they'd had that month of the mysterious "Snicky theif." They'd all come from the general area of the Slums--he seemed to reside there.

At Fifteen Hundred Hours, another anonymous tipster said he knew of the Snicky Thief's hideout. He gave them advice that pointed toward a group of rundown warehouses in the Slums.

Now, it was time for Nara to do her job.

A sudden movement over in the corner caught her eye. She pivoted quickly, ready to strike.

"Ahhhh! At ease! Don't shoot!"

Nara narrowed her eyes.

An impeccably-dressed Meji, his entire body wincing defensively, came out from behind a stack of trash cans. "Please! Don't shoot! I--I'm innocent!"

Nara stood up straight, but kept her death glare on. "What are you doing out here?" She vaguely recognized the fellow--she thought he might be a regular at her Italian restaurant, but couldn't be sure.

"I'm lost!" he shouted again. "Honest to Zu'hai! Oh, please, miss, don't--"

Nara sighed. "This place is dangerous. You shouldn't be here." And she walked past him without another word.

[1, 31]

[endermage]

[center]

Weber had found himself in the bad part of town again. It wasn't really that bad aside from the smell. It smelled of mold and bad cheese. The homes in this place looked rotted out and some were so bad even the rats refused to live there.

"What was I doing here again?" he thought trying to figure out why he would be in such a place. The client. Right. He had received a strange letter at his home that asked for an escort out of the slums. It wasn't signed but there was the promise of money. Oh how Weber loved money. The smell, the feel, and sometimes even the taste. Money was power and Weber wanted more.

He turned the corner and saw another Lucain and  a Meji in conflict.

"Please! Don't shoot! I--I'm innocent!"

"Interesting," he thought to himself,"Maybe I can get something out of this." He noticed immediately how well off the Meji appeared. He looked more than a little wealthy.

"Can I assist you in some way, sir?" he called out with a devilish smile on his face.


[center]


Karin watched from high above on one of the high rise buildings near the warehouse district. The edge of the building was weak but her claws were plunged deep into the side of the building. It was unlikely that she would be knocked off. Karin was, or had been, investigating some activity in the slums that recent data might have suggested it was Black Khimearan in origin but the trail had gone cold. With time left over Karin had decided to do some research in the area, specifically how pollution had effected the creatures of the slums.

She had gotten distracted from her pet project by this recent series of events. A well to do Meji, mistaken for a criminal by a Lucain and now another Lucain was joining the mix. Nothing better to do Karin continued to watch and observe to see what would happen.

[Freezair]

"...Miss?"

Nara strode past him purposefully.

"...Miss?" Now that's odd, the Meji thought. One moment she's all up in my grill, and the next she's walking by me like I don't even exist! Like I was one of the pieces of trash down here or something. I wonder what's her deal.

"...HEY! HEY YOU! WHAT'S UP?"

"I'm busy!" Nara called back. "I have an important mission to accomplish here. A civillian such as yourself would do well to stay out of it."

"But I--!" But no. She rounded a corner.

"Can I assist you in some way?" another voice said. The Meji turned.

"Oh! Another one," he said. "Well, no harm in it."

Picking up the hem of his trench, he shuffled over to the new Lucain.

"Look here, pal. I don't want no trouble--you saw that, right? No trouble at all! I'm just tryin' to get home, and it's dark and it smells bad and I'm worried about gettin' mugged because you do not see folks like me here often, and if it weren't obvious I was carryin' a purse and Ijustthoughtshe'dbeabletohelp!" He panted out the last part. "Oh, please, please, please guy! I'd get down on my knees if I didn't want to ruin my pants! Do something--wow her with your killer bod, whatever--just please find a way to make her help me out of heeere!"

[2, 32]

[endermage]

Hook. Line. And sinker.

"Sure, buddy I'll help you out. You want to assist that strange Lucain and that's just what we will do. And after I'll walk you back to home and that will be that. My name is Weber. Now I have to catch that lady and then our adventure can begin." Weber said with a smile.

He jumped onto one of the far walls and then dropped down in front of the other Lucain.

"Now...are you gonna let us help you or what?" he said gruffly.


Karin watched the conflict continue. She was not yet ready to involve herself just yet. Maybe after this insanity resolved.

[2],[2]

[Freezair]

"Wait. Help her? No nono. You misinterpreted me, buddy. I need help from  you. I need to get out of here and get to my subway! I don't have anything to do with... HEY! WAIT UP!" Tobias threw his arms up in the air and chased after Weber.

"Tobias, by the way!" he said as he chased the Lucain. Then it occured to him: "WAIT! Why do you need to catch... Huff... whoo! I have GOT to work out more..."

Up ahead, Nara's ears perked. They didn't burn, but she thought she'd heard someone speak her name.

The Meji fellow, if she recalled correctly. His voice was somewhat distinctive.

"Oh no," she sighed to herself. "Just what I need. A civillian getting caught up in all of this..."

[3, 33]

[endermage]

"Sorry Darling," said Weber,"It was all a misunderstanding."

Weber walked over back to Tobias, he felt a little foolish but it added to the realism.

"To the subway station station it is then." he said to the Megi,"Unless you can give me a better offer Darling?"

Karin looked down and rolled her eyes. Weber was a terrible con-man. Probably completely see through to those on the ground. Of course...she did have a good perspective.




[3],[3]

[Freezair]

"What the... 'Darling?' HEY! POLICE LADY! SEXUAL HARASSMENT OVER HERE!"

Nara rolled her eyes. Did she want to waste her valuable time helping out a histronic Meji, beset by a fellow who was, undoubtedly, Just Trying To Help?

She looked out into the dank of the evening. Plastic tumbleweeds of greasy, pungent garbage spun across the street. A twinge tickled at her heart.

"I'm going to regret this later," she sighed.

Setting her legs straight, letting her tails whip, she rounded back around the corner.

"Babe!"Tobias said. He scooted away from Weber and siddled up to Nara. He put a hand up to her shoulder.

She pulled away so sharply, he nearly fell on his face. His awkward stumble--and the "Woaaah!" that went with it--was practically a pratfall in itself. She looked sideways at him. She was very particular about her personal space. Something about people touching her without her permission--it was like having something biting her head. She didn't know why.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" she said personably. "Why did you call out for me?"

"He keeps calling me 'Darlin'!'" Tobias protested.

"That in and of itself doesn't constitute sexual harassment."

"...He was calling me 'Darling!'"

Nara looked pointedly at Weber. "What's your side of the story?"

[4, 34]

[endermage]

"I was just teasing the puff-ball....gods lady, what's your deal? Poking your snout in other peoples business. I mean come on, it's not like you'll take our little lady, gods he is such a woman, to the subway station. You're too busy to help our little friend to a safe location and all I require is a little monetary reimbursement." said Weber with a dirty look.

Karin saw that this might be a bad course of action for the Lucain. She sat on her perch however, the Lucain had made his own bed and now he had to sleep in it.



[4], [4]

[Freezair]

"Will he?" Nara looked at Tobias.

"Well... Yeah, I suppose he will," Tobias sighed. "But tell him to stop calling me naaaaames!"

Rudely, Nara thought, And do you want me to get your bottle for you while you're at it? Goodness, this fellow was helpless. She sighed. "I'm certain you can handle this yourself. If he attempts to hurt you, call me, but I'm very busy right now. Mr.--Well. Please help escort this fellow out; there's a good fellow. Now, I really must be going. I have a theif to hunt."

She turned around to leave them. Her head craned upward briefly. She thought she saw someone there, but she reconsidered.

[5, 35]

[endermage]

"A thief you say...." said Weber ,"What did he steal? Is there a reward?"
The main problem with this con-artist of a Lucain was he was never focused enough. Whenever the possibility of a bigger score presented itself he couldn't help but drool.

Karin shook her head, it was like watching a bad sit-com.



[5].[5]

[Freezair]

"A burgler. Of the usual sort," Nara said. "Cat burglar, probably. Stole television sets, computers--the like. No embezzlement; no grand theft auto. Allegedly, he's a Snicky. There is a reward for information leading to his capture, but I'm seeking him out right now. I'm not a detective, but if you know anything about a Snicky thief...?"

"A Snicky?" Tobias tilted his head. "Out of all the animals I'd expect to be a theif, a Snicky ain't one of 'em. How's that work out, eh?"

[6, 36]

[endermage]

"A reward huh...." said Weber with a smile,"How much we talking?"
He didn't even know how much he would get out of his first job, and talking about it in front of his client was not a good plan. He shook himself out of the cash craze and looked at his client.

"How much ya gonna pay me Fluffy?" said Weber.

Karin continued her watching......she was beginning to get bored.

[6],[6]

[Freezair]

"Woah! We didn't say NOTHIN' 'bout payin' here," Tobias said. "The way you came up to me, I figured you was doin' it out of the goodness of your own heart! It ain't very nice of you to just spring that on me all of a sudden."

Nara ignored Tobias. "That depends on the information. You give us your information, and we'll tell you what the reward looks like."

Nara flicked her head upward again. She swore there was someone up there watching them...

[7, 37]

[endermage]

Weber smiled. Just what he liked to hear. This cop was walking right into the oldest trick in the book. He could create a bunch of phony data and then she would lead him to the perp, he grabs the perp and turns the thing in for the reward, it couldn't be easier.

"I've been in these parts a long time," began Weber,"I heard from one of my more shady associates that there was a robber who liked to store his stolen loot in Warehouse 2254. It's a few blocks down the way, but I think I can get you there."

Karin sighed, the guy was far to easily distracted.


[7],[7]

[Freezair]

"Oh really?" Nara said smoothly. "I suppose you're referring to the one we locked down and purged just last Sunday? Rooted out two drug dealers and a pair of cat burglars sharing the same space; we seized seven hundred pounds of raw Evelonic Psychosucculents, two TV's, five and a half stereo systems, and a gutted car. I'd be very interested to know how the Snicky Theif and his loot got under the nose of fourteen Evelonian Cops."

Tobias gulped appreciatively. He looked up at one of the roofs, trying to distract himself from the scary competance of Nara.

I'd swear that gargoyle is looking straight at me, he thought.

[8, 38]