Posts: 27
Preferred Name: Varmun
Pronouns: He/Him
Character Profile: Character List
Character Name: Caith Alwood
Main Account: Isaac
Status: Active
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Post by Caith on Sept 15, 2015 15:21:44 GMT -5
Caith nodded along to Elgen's suggestions. Why Elgen didn't want to go undercover—seeing as that was his job—was beyond her, but she didn't argue. If he felt more confident with hiding and striking, then that was fine. There were plenty of officers who could go undercover and join the team. Caith knew a handful of capable men and women.
But then, Elgen addressed the elephant in the room. A smirk crossed Caith's lips, and she said, "What will I be doing? Well—Galbraith—I believe you've already said it."
Late at night, a few minutes past ten, men and women started to creep behind a small, banged-up, crumbling pawn shop on 85th Avenue. The slum dogs that slinked through the alley looked greasy and sick, their faces pale, their eyes lined with shadows so dark that Caith could spot them from over a block away.
In an alley of her own, Caith sat in her van. It had pained her to dirty it up, but she had done everything she could to make it look rusted and dead. Cars were uncommon in the Slums, but they weren't unheard of. Caith had read stories of Scavengers from the Lower and Middle classes taking their cars down into the Slums to have a mobile home—perhaps the smartest way to keep a roof over one's head for the fleeting days before their inevitable deaths. Hopefully people would believe Caith was one such Scavenger.
She leaned against her steering wheel and gazed down the block and across the street to the alley. The undercover cop joined a couple of drug addicts, and they all trudged down the alley. Caith raised a walkie talkie to her lips and said to Elgen, "Our man's headed in. I'm in position and ready to drive. What's your status?"
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I SWEAR ON ME MUM
Posts: 31
Preferred Name: Nama
Character Profile: ♠♠♠
Character Name: Elgen Galbraith
Main Account: Levenin
Status: Active
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Post by Elgen on Sept 17, 2015 14:58:26 GMT -5
There they were, as expected. People checking ‘round corners and behind themselves as they scurried to the back of Pawnsby’s one by one. Elgen had since lost track of time, but he guessed every 15 to 20 or so minutes between each buyer or set of buyers, and it seemed business was booming tonight. Every last one of them left cradling something underneath their clothing. Their man was clearly here, though he was selling to idiots who couldn’t look any more conspicuous if they tried. If the police had staged a real check here, they would’ve made out like bandits (a thought he found amusing for the irony). However, he continued to stand silently in the shadows, watching intently in case anything suddenly changed from the projected plan.
”I’ve seen a few of these roaches look eerily similar to our guy back in the hospital,” Elgen whispered into his headset once the crackling of Caith’s voice came over the line. He had a hope that they'd actually find some Big Blue while here, judging by his observations. Of course, the more logical part of his brain could only think of how hard drugs in general could have the same effect. ”Otherwise, I can only report that my status is bored as hell.”
The undercover cop disappeared behind the building and the minutes ticked by without incident. Elgen would’ve sighed in frustration, if only it wouldn’t have potentially brought attention to himself if anyone happened to be standing by. He needed something to go down, anything that would break up the monotony of waiting and watching. His fingers twitched, tapping impatiently on his arms. ”I thought busts were supposed to be more exciting than this. It’s the least these people can offer me for dragging me down to the dumps,” he said over headset. So it wasn't supposed to be used for idle conversation, but when did that ever stop him?
Another minute or two went by. A few left the scene, and yet their undercover man did not come with them. Elgen’s brows turned down. ”Where the hell is Abernathy? This is taking way too long…”
Concerned as he was, a spark of adrenaline burst within him. Did this call for a plan B? ”Alwood,” he began with a wicked smile, ”do you hear anything from Abernathy? It’s been an uncomfortably long time since he went back there.”
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Posts: 27
Preferred Name: Varmun
Pronouns: He/Him
Character Profile: Character List
Character Name: Caith Alwood
Main Account: Isaac
Status: Active
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Post by Caith on Sept 19, 2015 11:39:35 GMT -5
Caith had to turn off her radio so Elgen wouldn’t hear her facepalm. How was this man in the Secret Police? He seemed like an impatient child. Although he had been very helpful earlier on, he was starting to remind her of a whining child. Caith had to pinch the bridge of her nose and rub her temples to keep herself calm and focused, and one thought ran through her mind that made her feel a lot better: Maybe this means getting in the Secret Police will be easy. Fuck, they might just offer it to me the moment I get my new nerves.
But Elgen’s question snapped Caith back to focus. She stared across the street and back to that alleyway entrance—though she couldn’t see anything from so far away. She touched her earpiece, hoping to hear Abernathy talking, but she couldn’t even hear the ruffling of his shirt against the wire. A spark of worry ran through her body, and she tapped the earpiece twice, trying to send a signal to Abernathy to make him say something. The tapping would a weak jolt up his wire to let him know Caith wanted his attention. But still, she heard nothing.
Picking up her walkie, she asked another officer, “Jo’enness, where is Abernathy? He’s not responding to me. Do you have visual?” This other officer, Joenness, was stationed at one of the other alleys that led behind the Pawnsby’s. “Jo’enness?” Caith repeated, but she heard no reply. “Jo’enness!”
Punching her steering wheel, Caith swore and called Elgen back, “Elgen, Abernathy and Jo’enness aren’t responding. Something’s wrong. Send half of your men to cover the west alley while you and the rest go in from the south. The bust is on. Go!”
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I SWEAR ON ME MUM
Posts: 31
Preferred Name: Nama
Character Profile: ♠♠♠
Character Name: Elgen Galbraith
Main Account: Levenin
Status: Active
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Post by Elgen on Sept 22, 2015 3:45:50 GMT -5
Elgen’s fingertips impatiently brushed the handle of Edinburgh, who was tucked safely on his back under the ridiculously large jacket he’d been forced to wear. He didn’t see the point in doing so when his ragtag MCPD team urged him to. With the thing barely going down to his waist, the bulk of the weapon had no trouble poking out underneath where it was clearly visible. Something about making him less conspicuous in a place like this where the eyes were many and wandering. One would think the Slum dwellers wouldn’t be stupid enough to confront him when he was armed.
His earpiece went dead for a moment as Caith left him to compose herself. If it weren’t for her voice calling for their back up, he might’ve just jumped right in then by himself, consequences be damned. Elgen certainly didn’t need Caith disappearing on him as well. Abernathy and Jo’enness were no particular concern of his, but catching the target before they bailed out to escape was very much so.
”Fuck that,” answered Elgen before quite literally ripping Edinburgh through his jacket. Damn, did it feel good to be rid of something that was too form fitting to be comfortable. ”Whoever can hear me on headset, go west like Alwood said. Look for the two missing officers when you’re done clearing the area of druggies. I’m busting our guy myself before he books it.”
They’d barely done anything but stand idly and waste time, and somehow things had fallen apart. Elgen really couldn’t rely on anyone but himself, could he? The way their plan was going, the lot of them would be carting around dead men at end of the night— and not the ones he wanted either. Already, he could hear the team protesting him to wait. Too bad there’d been plenty of waiting to spare him a lifetime.
The few patrons leftover behind the Pawnsby’s fled as he came around the corner with Edinburgh cocked and ready to go. At least there was some sense to be found here. ”Where the hell did he go?!”
No sign of Abernathy, or anyone that fit the description of their dealer. Elgen swung back to the fleeing buyers, temper rising to a dangerously high fever pitch. ”Where the hell is he?! I know one of you saw him!” he screamed.
Luckily, there was a quick response to his inquiries as a burst of static came through on his headset: ”There’s a figure running down 85th Avenue! It has to be him!” Perfect.
”Alwood, get down here! Let’s go!”
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Posts: 27
Preferred Name: Varmun
Pronouns: He/Him
Character Profile: Character List
Character Name: Caith Alwood
Main Account: Isaac
Status: Active
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Post by Caith on Sept 25, 2015 14:59:59 GMT -5
Caith was already yanking at her accelerator before Elgen could even speak up. Her tires squealed and her engine roared as she burst out of the alley and tore out onto the street. "I'm on my way," she called over her radio as she raced for the pawn shop. She hardly slowed down when she arrived. If Elgen wasn't ready, it was his own fault. She pressed a button to pop her passenger door open to let him in. Once Elgen was inside, Caith flew down the street, turning on her brights to try and spot the dealer in the dark Slums.
Her eagle eyes darted around, searching both sidewalks and beyond for their fleeing figure. But she saw nothing. "Does anyone have visual? The target isn't on 85th. I need an update, now!"
Just then, she saw something flash out of the corner of her eye. One block over, between two tiny homes, Caith saw a black shadow dash between the two silhouetted buildings. Most people would believe it to be their imagination—the figure having moved far too fast to be real—but Caith trusted her instincts. She turned right, then left, chasing after this mysterious figure.
"There!" Caith pointed to a man in a black trench coat who was dashing down the street, running twice as fast as any normal person. He hopped over chain-link fences and leaped over buildings, moving from street to street. "Dammit, he's got magic." Caith whipped around another corner to try and keep up with the man. The man's size and agility gave him a clear advantage. He could cut across streets long before Caith could reach an intersection, but she managed to keep up. Even with magic, the man couldn't outpace a car, and he couldn't lose Caith now that she had him in her sights.
When she rounded another corner, she managed to get behind the fleeing man again. Rolling down her windows and opening her sunroof, Caith said to Elgen, "Whatever you want to do, do it. I'll keep the car steady."
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I SWEAR ON ME MUM
Posts: 31
Preferred Name: Nama
Character Profile: ♠♠♠
Character Name: Elgen Galbraith
Main Account: Levenin
Status: Active
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Post by Elgen on Oct 20, 2015 14:56:14 GMT -5
Elgen nearly ripped off his headset when he heard the tire squealing practically blow out his ear drums, but he had no time to waste on annoyances. Now here was somebody who was on top of her task so he had to be as well by the time Alwood arrived. He unlatched Edinburgh from his back, completely ripping its pathetic cover to shreds in the process. Unnecessary, yes, but it felt good to finally bring this thing out from hiding and into the spotlight it so rightfully deserved. Axe mode was quickly converted into ranged just as the car pulled into view.
”Never mind the passenger seat!” he called. ”Open the sun roof!”
It was about time for some target practice. That, and a sniper-enabled Edinburgh would never fit into the front seat anyhow. Elgen leapt into the car from the top, feet crashing down onto the cushions of the backseats. Good thing this wasn’t his vehicle or else somebody would be chewing him out for wanton damage to the upholstery. ”Alwood, we’re gonna need to—“
His message through the headset was cut short when the car jerked suddenly. Elgen was about to scream at her driving until he saw why: their perp currently jumping over every obstacle in his path with ease. ”Damn, that is Magix. Playing dirty,” he grumbled as Edinburgh was cautiously lifted back down from shooting position. No use in wasting ammo like this. All he could do was helplessly wait as Caith kept up with their man as well as a two-ton van could, and yet still no clear shot.
Elgen brought a finger up to the headset again, his ability to stay calm waning. ”Alright, this is going to be annoying, but here’s what I got: I have eight shots and only eight. You’ll have to line me up as best as you can and keep this damn thing steady, or else this whole bust will have been a waste of time. Got it?”
With a heave of his arms, his weapon went back into position. At any moment, the winning shot could be in reach. Elgen let the first bullet fly a few seconds later with a kick of the gun that made the entire car shake. A ball of plasma sang out in the night air but unfortunately landed short as the target veered left into another alleyway with a mighty jump.
Seven chances.
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Posts: 27
Preferred Name: Varmun
Pronouns: He/Him
Character Profile: Character List
Character Name: Caith Alwood
Main Account: Isaac
Status: Active
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Post by Caith on Oct 22, 2015 12:22:06 GMT -5
"Got it," Caith called back. She kept the van steady while Elgen took his first shot, but she hadn't expected the force of that rifle to be so severe. She grunted as her whole van shook, and her legs banged against each other and slid back and forth, her feet getting all twisted up and her hips sliding down until she was slouching.
Caith reached up to the headrest behind her and pulled herself back up. Her eyes snapped over to the alleyway, catching it just in time. The alley was too narrow to drive through even if it was empty. There was no direct way to pursue, so Caith focused on the perp. All she got was a quick glimpse of him as he neared the end of the alley, making his decision on where to go. The man looked over his shoulder, staring back at Caith, and he turned left down the alley.
"Heh," scoffed Caith as she yanked on her accelerator, then called up to Elgen. "Hang on! U-turn!" Caith then pulled the handbrake, making her tires squeal. But she didn't turn. She remained straight, pausing for just a moment before she drove forward again, going in the seemingly wrong direction.
In a lower tone, but still loud enough to be heard, she told Elgen, "He's trying to fake us out. He's going to turn back and head right. When I whip around this corner, he'll be on your left. Get ready." She knew that the perp had seen her. He had looked back to see which way Caith's van was pointed, and to see if he was being watched. He was going to try and mislead her, trick her into wasting time turning around. But Caith knew that turning left meant going back toward the crime scene, back toward the cops. No, he was going to run right.
Caith sped down to the end of the street, and just as promised, she whipped around the corner and steadied the van right as she reached the intersection. There, she found the perp, his sneakers scraping against the sidewalk as he clambered to a stop, his eyes wide as he saw Elgen's gun.
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I SWEAR ON ME MUM
Posts: 31
Preferred Name: Nama
Character Profile: ♠♠♠
Character Name: Elgen Galbraith
Main Account: Levenin
Status: Active
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Post by Elgen on Oct 31, 2015 2:42:39 GMT -5
Elgen might’ve assumed Caith was paying him back for the gun's recoil making the whole car rattle like a loose screw, but he had to stop himself from jostling around as she pulled on the brakes with no warning. He was mere inches from literally kissing the barrel of Edinburgh. While he coveted her, she was still boiling hot on that particular end from his earlier shot. ”Easy, Alwood,” he reprimanded. Caith’s enthusiasm was appreciated, but not at the cost of his face. ”I’d rather not get cut in half at the waist tonight, if that’s okay with you.”
They hadn’t even turned around like she’d so helpfully announced. Getting ready to complain again, her voice rang out to him just in time to look to his left. Just as she’d said, a running figure emerged into view. It was definitely their man, seeing as how the target’s face could only be described akin to a deer in the headlights as they squealed onto the street. And even if it was some random passerby, Elgen wouldn’t miss this time. He fired a second round, though his reloading was a bit hasty for his liking. The shot was off center as a result but close enough.
”Brake! Brake!” Elgen yelled as he steadied Edinburgh more carefully for another. The second bullet hadn’t quite struck gold, but it’d landed near enough to stagger the perp. Their target struggled to get upright again after the shock of the first blast. It was almost too easy now.
He was tempted to simply go right for the head or chest. If he did, though, Elgen knew HQ would never let him hear the end of it. The means justified the ends, at least within reason. No way a common drug dealer from the Slums would ever threaten him enough to require deadly self defense, and the Secret Police knew that. No, bringing the dealer in alive and (mostly) well was probably the best option. Not as fun, but better in the long run to avoid a lenghtly lecture. A third round was fired for the runaway’s legs but with the streets as dark as they were, the damage couldn’t be seen clearly. However, Elgen didn’t need to study it to know this man wouldn’t be walking ever again.
”Not sure if you wanna interrogate him while we’re here,” he said as he heaved himself on top of the car. ”He likely won’t be talking much after that. Get our back up out here, and probably emergency services.”
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Posts: 27
Preferred Name: Varmun
Pronouns: He/Him
Character Profile: Character List
Character Name: Caith Alwood
Main Account: Isaac
Status: Active
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Post by Caith on Oct 31, 2015 19:17:34 GMT -5
Caith did her best to stop the van without giving Elgen whiplash. As she pulled down on the handbrake, she braced herself for recoil. Two shots fired, and the whole van shook. Once more, Caith slid around, the top of her seatbelt pressing up against her jaw and her hips halfway off the seat. With a groan, she pulled herself back up, and she looked to the window. But she didn’t need to look out to know that Elgen had hit his mark this time.
The dealer screamed as he rolled back and forth on the sidewalk. The streetlamp reflected in the pool of blood, and Caith could see the man holding his bloody leg. Her face twitched as she saw the mangled mess below the dealer’s knee.
“Fucking hell,” she muttered under her breath. With a shake of her head, she looked back to Elgen’s legs, standing in the middle of her van. “We’re not going to get anything out of a corpse. I’ll call for an ambulance and I’ll have someone interrogate him when he’s stable.”
Caith got on her NUIP and called for an ambulance before she called the other officers. She told them that she and Elgen had caught the dealer and then asked about Jo’enness and Abernathy. The two were alive, but injured. The dealer had stabbed Abernathy during the deal—apparently after Abernathy had tried to bust him—and he had stabbed Jo’enness while fleeing from the alley.
Once the ambulance arrive and took the dealer up to the Middle Class—a hospital he clearly did not deserve—Caith drove Elgen back to the MCPD. She pulled into the parking lot, crawled into the back of the van, and climbed into her wheelchair. From there, she rolled out the back and headed inside. As she and Elgen went across the parking lot, Caith said, “Depending on what we get out of this guy, I might not have much else to do. If he talks, then all that’s left are a few strikes on the other dealers and cooks. Other people can take care of those. I might need to decipher Mr. Potter’s formula, though, just in case we need to track down the cooks with a grocery list of chemicals.
“What do you plan on doing, Galbraith?”
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I SWEAR ON ME MUM
Posts: 31
Preferred Name: Nama
Character Profile: ♠♠♠
Character Name: Elgen Galbraith
Main Account: Levenin
Status: Active
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Post by Elgen on Nov 8, 2015 18:52:13 GMT -5
Reaching into his pockets for his electronic vaporizer, Elgen took a deep drag of it before sighing the smoke out into a wispy cloud. He’d been waiting for this sweet relief all night long. ”Don’t worry, the heat from the bullets probably soldered his wounds shut, at least enough to where he won’t bleed out before the paramedics arrive. Better to do it now while he thinks he has some chance of redemption for spilling details. But hey, suit yourself.”
Elgen turned to the man lying on the ground, beginning to writhe around in agony as the adrenaline rush gave way to the smoldering in his muscles and skin. He took a second drag, slow and burning, as he looked on with contempt. After the mess their team had been put through to catch this guy, and yet he was going to receive halfway decent medical care and the virtue of a fair trial. Some just didn’t deserve it in his opinion. ”As if he needs to run around again after this. Clearly he’s proven that he can’t handle the responsibility of having legs if he’s just gonna pull this shit.”
His attitude quickly changed during the car ride back to the MCPD. The tension that’d hung around the air all night had been replaced with what he interpreted as anger. Or maybe not anger, but definitely something negative. Elgen wasn’t one to call himself empathetic, but maybe, just maybe, he could sense he’d made Caith displeased with him somehow. Maybe his own mood had rubbed off on her, as emotions were contagious sometimes. In either case, he saw fit to avoid conversation until they arrived at the station. Better to not bring about the wrath of the one behind the wheel, especially not after some of the stunts she'd pulled already.
”If there’s a formula to be decoded, then I’d say we’re not one-hundred percent done then, are we?” said Elgen after arrival as he fished around for the keys to the cruiser. And just when he’d gotten used to the van, and now he’d have to drive the SP clunker home instead. ”I see some more work in our future with Potter’s name attached to it. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re paired together again to tie up loose ends. Hopefully you’re not... upset with me in any way or that might be difficult.”
Elgen flashed her a rare smile. ”Really, I wouldn’t mind another tag team. You’re one of the most competent people I’ve had the pleasure of working with in recent months. As for what I plan on doing tonight, if you don’t need me for anything else, I plan on smoking the shit out of this thing until the charge runs out.”
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