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Post by Ayen on Mar 29, 2012 10:32:38 GMT -6
Light quickly filled up the vast and beautiful metropolis clouded in an otherwise eternal darkness as the bright rays of the suns were forever lost on the forsaken city where technology duplicated what nature would not touch. Skyscrapers as far as the eye could see covered the landscape and noise soon followed the lights whether it was the helicopters that patrolled the skies or that of soldiers' feet who patrolled the ground, or the citizens who lived an oppressed life at the hands of their government, noise followed the light.
It was the middle of the afternoon, Drake and Meryl walked the streets filled with both Isafaro citizens and soldiers, and even though they were both in civilian wear their rank in the Crimson Vulture was still recognized, sparing them the grief of the other citizens who struggled to live day by day under the strict code of conduct their ruler General Vulture had laid out for them. But at the same time earning them contempt from the people who passed them by. Drake and Meryl would soon leave the crowded main streets and enter into the very same alley where the green-haired assailant allegedly attacked Meryl and her squad.
“All right, we're here.” |
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Post by Meryl Silverburgh on Mar 30, 2012 14:36:19 GMT -6
"Damn! They cleaned everything." Meryl walked over to the center of the dark alley where she was standing back during the incident. "I was standing right here with my squad behind me. And he..." Meryl took a couple of steps forward and turned around to face where she was just standing at. Trying her best to replay the night for Drake's eyes to see. "He was standing right here facing me." Meryl took a couple of more steps backward.
"And the perp who stole data from us, which he knew about, he was standing right here. The man killed him and returned the data to us." Meryl walked back to Drake and lowered her head in shame. "I hesitated. Not that it would've mattered. Our weapons couldn't penetrate his barrier. I don't know what he had on him. Personshields, perhaps? But either way I let my squad down."
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Post by Ayen on Mar 30, 2012 15:30:34 GMT -6
"Damn! They cleaned everything."
“If it's cleaned that means investigators have all the evidence they could get from it.”
Which mean they had enough for processing, and seeing that Meryl is already the accused that was bad news for them. Drake watched as Meryl reenacted everything that happened the other night before walking back up to him with a hint of shame on her face. By the bowing of the head she may as well plea guilty to General Vulture now. Because it already looked like she's given up.
"I hesitated. Not that it would've mattered. Our weapons couldn't penetrate his barrier. I don't know what he had on him. Personshields, perhaps?"
“Doubtful. Personshields are still under development. Your weapons would have easily ripped through them.”
"But either way I let my squad down."
“Now is no time to be feeling sorry for yourself. What can you tell me about this 'data'?” |
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Post by Meryl Silverburgh on Mar 31, 2012 11:08:22 GMT -6
"You're right. I'm sorry." Meryl shook the guilt from her mind, although it remained in her heart despite better judgment, as she now focused on what she could remember about the data. "The team that came after I called for help said it was stolen from one of their research labs but I don't know what exactly. I'm not privileged with that level of information as you well know. I don't think the data holds any relevance, at least not to the man who attacked us."
Meryl mind went back to their conversation remembering the point where she started to be provoked by the stranger. "After I said he could go for helping us he asked me how you were doing. Then he mentioned Ayanna. I should have known he was only trying to provoke me. I ordered my men to arrest him and that's when the fight broke out."
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Post by Ayen on Mar 31, 2012 11:30:01 GMT -6
"The team that came after I called for help said it was stolen from one of their research labs but I don't know what exactly. I'm not privileged with that level of information as you well know. I don't think the data holds any relevance, at least not to the man who attacked us."
“I wouldn't rule anything out just yet. I'll look into that further once I'm at the Research Labs.”
"After I said he could go for helping us he asked me how you were doing. Then he mentioned Ayanna."
“Ayanna? What did he say about Ayanna?”
For the first time in the day Drake actually sounded genuinely concerned. The last thing he neither wanted nor needed were anything bad happening to the one woman who was like a sister to him. Well, when they weren't – you know...
"I should have known he was only trying to provoke me. I ordered my men to arrest him and that's when the fight broke out."
“Go over the fight for me.” |
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Post by Meryl Silverburgh on Apr 1, 2012 13:37:33 GMT -6
Meryl couldn't help but feel hurt when Drake showed real concern for the well being of Ayanna. He never acted like that when it came to her. She shouldn't be surprised, no matter how often she try to deny it there was no competing with Ayanna in his heart. It made her wonder why he even bothered with other women if his feelings for Ayanna was so strong. But she wasn't Drake. She couldn't get into his mind and understand him. Better people have tried already and failed. "Don't worry. He was only holding the fact Ayanna didn't know about us over my head."
Meryl then went over the fight with Drake word for word what she could remember and eventually her reenactment led them out to the main streets rejoining with all the people, looking towards the corner up north from where they now stood, where the man was last seen. "Around that corner is where I last seen him. I didn't make any attempt to follow. There was no point. I was out of my league."
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Post by Ayen on Apr 1, 2012 15:12:45 GMT -6
"Don't worry. He was only holding the fact Ayanna didn't know about us over my head."
“Well he did his homework. I'll give him that.”
Drake listened and watched Meryl reenactment of the fight and then followed her out onto the main streets, now looking towards the corner the assailant ran off to before reinforcement arrived to help the wounded.
"Around that corner is where I last seen him. I didn't make any attempt to follow. There was no point. I was out of my league."
“You made the right call, Meryl. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise. Unfortunately though he could be anywhere by now. And there doesn't seem to be anything here to point us in his direction.” |
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Post by Meryl Silverburgh on Apr 2, 2012 14:20:37 GMT -6
"In other words; I'm fucked." Meryl frowned as returning to the site of the battle has done nothing to further defend against the charges that are being placed on her. It was all just her word and while she was a higher ranks than the rest of her squad, Isafaro wouldn't be so willing to let it slide when more than one mouth is speaking and all the evidence points to her. Not content with the poor results of coming back here, Meryl headed over to the corner that her attack fled to the other night and went around it to begin to track his trail. Coming around the corner and heading to Downtown Isafaro. "People don't just vanish without a trace. People with good eyesight and memory don't lie for no reason. There has to be some way to track down his trail. Something, anything that can lead us to his whereabouts."
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Post by Ayen on Apr 2, 2012 15:07:38 GMT -6
"In other words; I'm fucked."
“You didn't seem to mind it so much last night.”
There was a silent pause before Drake realized what she meant.
“Oh. You meant with the case they're building against you. Yeah you're pretty fucked...”
Meryl went off around that corner and Drake was right behind her. Downtown Isafaro, contrary to popular belief, was always bursting with life during the day. There were shopping malls, movie theaters and various restaurants one could go to. Even a hospital. The only exceptions were no place to buy tobacco, the restaurants couldn't sell alcohol and places couldn't even sell you prescription drugs without seeing your medical records. And of course there was always a military man in crimson red lurking over your shoulder to make sure you weren't doing anything wrong. Big Brother was everywhere, and they were as plain as day.
"People don't just vanish without a trace. People with good eyesight and memory don't lie for no reason. There has to be some way to track down his trail. Something, anything that can lead us to his whereabouts."
“The unexplained happens everyday. That's nothing new. Even before the Downward Spiral in the Crystal Expanse rose up out of the ground this very continent was victim to the unexplainable. Why should that change now?” |
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Post by Meryl Silverburgh on Apr 3, 2012 17:22:16 GMT -6
Meryl asked around for the answers she seek, taking people aside and describing her attacker to them to see if anyone has seen him but alas nothing turned up. Fueled by the desire to prove her innocence and sheer stubbornness Meryl continued her search stopping everyone that passed them by asking about her attacker. As Drake spoke Meryl listened and simply looked at him irritably. "So you're saying I should just give up then? Roll over and play dead, is that it?"
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Post by Ayen on Apr 3, 2012 18:59:53 GMT -6
"So you're saying I should just give up then? Roll over and play dead, is that it?"
Drake grabbed Meryl by the wrist and forced her around to look at him.
“You know damn well that is not what I meant.”
He released his grip on her before continuing, “But this is getting us nowhere. Now sooner or later we're going to run into the soldiers ordered to take you into custody and when that does happen I recommend not resisting and making the situation any worse for yourself. Until then let's head down to the Research Lab and find out what was on that disc.” |
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Post by Meryl Silverburgh on Apr 4, 2012 16:51:21 GMT -6
Meryl glared at Drake at first when he first grabbed her but soon found herself sighing in defeat. He was right. This running around back and forth pulling over everyone that crossed their path asking the same questions weren't going to get them anywhere. Although Meryl failed to see how finding out what was on that data would help with anything but Drake was the experienced one here, not her. "All right, Drake. We'll do it your way." She signaled for him to take the lead and waited to follow. Hoping that she wouldn't be arrested and held behind bars anytime soon.
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Post by Ayen on Apr 4, 2012 22:53:41 GMT -6
Drake raised Meryl's hand up to his lips and kissed the back of her palm before gently pulling her into a warm embrace, softly caressing her cheek while looking deeply into her eyes. He could sense her uneasiness and attempted to help the only way he knew how.
“You know I would never let anything bad happen to you, don't you?” |
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Post by Meryl Silverburgh on Apr 5, 2012 19:26:11 GMT -6
Drake's sudden show of intimacy came as a surprise to say the least as Meryl was under the impression that he only showed such love to Ayanna. Meryl looked up into his eyes as he caressed her cheek and for a moment she wanted to just melt away in his arms and forget about her worries, but she remembered where his heart truly lies and while he may woo every pretty girl that came around, whether he was able to admit it to himself or not, the only one he really cared for was Ayanna. "I know." Meryl stepped back, away from his embrace. "But don't act like it's anything more than loyalty to a comrade."
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Post by Ayen on Apr 5, 2012 22:17:16 GMT -6
Drake's face hardened in response and soon he returned to his usual cool, indifferent demeanor before turning around, his back facing Meryl now, and he spoke, “All right. Let's head to the Research Lab.”
Isafaro's Golden Boy led the Private out of Downtown Isafaro and into the heart of the city labeled 'The Core' where all of Vulture's main military and research bases reside surrounded by some of the toughest military and defenses you'd ever see making many who were foolish enough to attack The Core dead in a matter of minutes. Upon reaching the entrance of the Research Labs they would be stopped by five men, all dressed in the standard crimson military Isafaro uniform and made complete with black masks, gloves and combat boots. A squad just like the one Meryl led the previous night. Their Private stepped out and looked towards the two.
“Can I help you?” asked Drake.
“Mr. White, we are under orders to take Private Meryl Silverburgh into custody on charges of treason.”
“Treason?”
“She attacked her squad, as you no doubt know by now. The Private is to be taken to a holding cell awaiting trial by General Vulture himself.”
Drake looked over to Meryl for a brief moment before looking back to the squad.
“How long until the trial?”
“A day. Maybe two.”
Drake returned his gaze back to Meryl and whispered, “Want me to order them to stand down to give us more time to investigate together?” |
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