“…Thou shalt perish!” shouted James as he swiftly brought his right arm to his right. The sharpened stainless steel of his flick-knife found its way into Stefan Bakowski’s throat, blood splattering onto the footpath in inch-thick droplets. Stefan’s laughter turned into an inhumane gurgle as he choked on his own blood, being held up only by his collar. James released the figure, letting him collide against the sidewalk in a loud thud. Stefan continued to gurgle, as if still laughing at James.
James turned, running his thumb across the smooth wooden and metallic side of his flick-knife up to the thumb catch on the blade of the flick-knife. His thumb caught against it, he brought his thumb in towards him, bringing the blade with it. He run his hand down to his right thigh pocket, using his fingers to open the pocket as he released the pocket knife, it dropping right inside. James stopped to look around at the gathered crowd – One being unwanted – A Civil Protection scanner.
James turned, hoping the Scanner didn’t get an ID on him, speed-walking towards UCH block A. Climbing two steps at a time, James reached the top of the flight in minimum time, proceeding to jog down the hallway to the room on the far left hand side. James moved his left hand to the door knob, pushing down with his body-weight by leaning onto it then pushing the door open along its Axis. Ayuko Hayashi was sitting on the couch, recovered from the blows gained during the conflict.
Ayuko Hayashi is a Japanese female in an intermediate relationship with James. They’ve been seeing each-other since City 18 where Stefan attacked Ayuko, resulting in dislocating her nose where James responded by dislocating and fracturing Stefan’s left ankle, dislocating Stefan’s nose and generically ‘beating him up’.
James entered Ayuko’s apartment after a week absence in another city, being shifted for a major CCA work-task which he didn’t have the choice wether to do it or not. As he entered the room, he noticed that Ayuko was sitting with a rather blank face and hiding something out of James line of sight. James approached her, starting to speak.
“Hey Ayuko”
“H-Hi” Ayuko responded with a stutter,
“Is everything okay…?” Asked James, Ayuko responding by shaking her head quickly. James picked up on the piece of paper she is hiding. “What’s that you’re hidin-“ asked James, cut off by a yell from Ayuko.
“No!” she yelled, causing James to jump out of his seat. James stood up, placing his left hand on her right shoulder.
“Ayuko, what is it?” James asked.
“I…” Ayuko begun.
“You?” James urged.
“I’ve been… Getting blackmailed…” Ayuko continued.
“By who!?” James asked, quickly becoming enraged. Ayuko stood up.
“Stefan’s gang, but James, wait!” Ayuko answered. James turned towards the door, stopping.
“Yea?” he asked, turning to look over his shoulder.
“It’d be safer if… We… Don’t be together any more” Ayuko said, James stopping in his tracks.
“Oh… Well, in that case… Wouldn’t it be safer if I leave all together…?” James said as he begun to approach the door, swinging it open quickly.
“James, wai-“ Ayuko pleaded, James slamming the door shut. Ayuko let out a sigh.
James approached the sewer entrance, the one that drops down into the drain with the ladder, as a lone UNION-04.767 approached him.
“Citizen. What are you doing here?” 767 asked.
“…What do you think?” asked James sarcastically, turning to face 767.
“Face the wall.” Ordered 767 as he raised his stun-stick into the air, cracking it alight with a sharp snap of his wrist.
James, being near the sewer entrance, looked behind him before taking a single step back, trying to fall into the sewer.
Seven-Six-Seven rushed in, gripping James by the collar in his left hand and stepping onto his left foot in the left-hand direction, throwing James at the drain. James let out a deep grunt as he hit the metal cover of the sewers, Seven-Six-Seven quickly taking James CID card, reading it aloud.
“James… So how are you and Ayuko doing?” Seven-Six-Seven asked.
“What!?” replied James angrily.
“Well, I couldn’t have let it go on…” explained Seven-Six-Seven “And we had reports about a very troublesome you, so I took advantage of it…”
“So it was you…!?” James grunted, climbing to his feet.
“Yea, didn’t I just admit that?” asked 767, allowing a slight chuckle. “Now get on the wall.” James stood still for a moment.
James stepped in, bringing both his hands together into a ball and swung it harshly at 767’s faceplate. Seven-Six-Seven took the hit, stumbling back, tripping over his feet and falling to the ground. James ran for the sewer entrance, attempting to jump in. Seven-Six-Seven reached out, gripping James by his ankle and pulling it back. James fell forward into the sewer, with an inhuman crack his face he fell limp. Seven-Six-Seven rose to his feet, holding James out where the fall would affect him and…
…Dropped him.
James woke up some time later in a pool of sewer water and his own blood, a sharp pain ringing through his head and neck. He looked up to the sewer entrance; it was sealed with a Cinderblock on each corner. James let out a deep grunt, getting up and rubbing his head, hearing the CCA patrols approach with the loud clanks of their equipment. James turned, running for the deeper sewers where he could patch himself up.
James passed underneath one of the drains coming from the main street with a strong limp and bloody face. Ayuko was passing above, peering down at her feet, recognising the figure who appeared to be hurt. A Civil Protection unit approached her – ‘Move along!’ he ordered. Ayuko begun to head to the sewer entrance, spinning on the ball of her foot and starting to walk.
James comes to a halt in a lone room in the sewers, removing half of his bandage wrapped around his right eye and wrapping it across his face and around his nose. He took his bandage clip, one end still attached to the end, and attached it to the length of bandage running around his right eye. It would have to do for now, James mindset slowly shifted to getting revenge on 767.
James made his way up to the sewer entrance he came through, seeing Ayuko waiting cross-armed. James climbed half-up the latter, rattling the entrance cover.
“Ayuko, thank god, can yo-“
“Yeah, yeah…” answered Ayuko, knowing what the question was going to be and moving the Cinderblocks aside. James pushed up on the cover, sliding it aside and climbing out of the Sewers.
“Ayuko, I found out who was sending the blackmail.” James begun.
“Yeah, who?” Ayuko asked dryly.
“The Civil Protection” James answered.
“…Really?” asked Ayuko, confused.
“Yea.” James answered.
“How do I know your not lying?” asked Ayuko.
“What would I gain from lying to you Ayuko? Look, if you don’t want to believe me, fine.” James answered. Ayuko remained still for a moment, looking to her feet.
“...I believe you.” Spoke Ayuko.
A lone civil protection unit begun to round the corner, James turned his head to recognise the damaged faceplate.
“Ayuko, get into the sewers and follow it to the slums. Go to apartment block C’s lobby, I’ll meet you there.” James almost ordered.
“Wait, why?” asked Ayuko, confused.
“Just go, quickly!” nudged James, nudging her lightly at the sewer entrance. She proceeded to climb down the ladder as James picked up a cinderblock, leaning against the wall just at the corner of the sewer entrance, preparing to ambush Seven-Six-Seven.
Seven-Six-Seven came into eyesight of James, looking to the sewer entrance. He noticed the lid was open and there were three cinderblocks.
Three cinderblocks… He turned quickly, but it was already too late. James had the cinderblock over his head and threw it harshly at 767 in a similar form to a soccer throw, the hit connecting and causing 767 to fall flat on his ass. Quickly, a damage warning was sent through the ranks of the CCA, an armed team of three rushing to the scene.
James looked around the corner, noticing them coming. Quickly he ran for the sewer drain and broke into a sprint, hoping to catch up with Ayuko.
“Ayuko, we have to flee to the outlands” explained James.
“Why…?” asked Ayuko.
“I kind of threw a cinderblock at that unit who was coming around the corner and no-“ James begun, the dispatch voice echoing through the district cutting him off.
“James L. Phillips and citizen of interest, citizen-ship has been revoked. STATUS: MALIGANT.” The voice boomed. James looked to Ayuko.
“Yea, my point exactly.”
“But how will we get there…?” asked Ayuko.
“I know someone. People call him a dog of war, but he’s more or less a wolf.