Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Popo

Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Popo

Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Popo

Most inner-city police forces can be divided into four broad categories. These might overlap, being controlled by the same corporations, or they might be their own entities. This depends on the city, or even the area within a city.

Detectives: charged with solving crimes in the way best suited for the entity they work for.

Beat Cops: charged with keeping the peace and solving low-level disputes.

Max Tactical: charged with high-stakes, high-risk situations. Often similar to mercenaries or paramilitary groups in appearance, equipment, and policy.

Traffic: charged with keeping the peace in the air and on the roads.

Knowing how to approach each of these is what this pamphlet aims to teach you!

--A Good Citizens Guide to Your Armed Protectors! 2023

***

Uh, maam?

I opened my eyes and looked around. It was hard to see, on account of the wall of water splashing against my front with enough pressure to send a normal, non-power-armoured person flying back.

I knew I wasnt the only one benefiting from the splashing water. The civilians wed saved took turns standing nearby, allowing the spray to wash off some of the grime. It left them wet and even more bedraggled than they had been, but at least they were clean. Gomorrah had used the hydrant water to clean herself off too. I think her suit was just as hydrophobic as my own.

I was just standing there because there was something very enjoyable about the noise and feel of so much water beating against me.

Maam?

I sighed and turned to the man calling out for me. A police officer, with a blue uniform on and white body armour over his chest, legs, and arms, made of hard plastic and likely reinforced enough to take a low-calibre shot or two.

A beat cop. The sort with an uncovered face and who carried no more than a handgun. Not a tactical police officer, or a detective; just a normal, almost-friendly face that would only beat up minorities, the homeless, and likely his wife.Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

Stepping to the side, I let the water move past to bathe the sidewalk and clean it off for the first time since... likely forever. Yes? I asked as I dripped water like a cat pulled out of a tub.

The officer shifted on the spot. His trousers were wet up to the shins. We wanted some direction, maam, he said with a gesture behind him.

The side of the street was a busy place today. Some six or so paramedic vans were parked half-onto the sidewalk, their large turbines humming as they idled, and the auto-turrets mounted above them scanned the street for potential threats.

The police cars were parked in a semi-circle around the area, lights strobing red and blue and sirens blaring with the occasional pause for an audio advertisement. The few hobos hanging around the street were long gone. This many cops in one place was bad for their business.

Yeah, this food is kickass, Rac said. But Im going to need to use a washroom sooner or later, you know?

Ah, Gomorrah said.

Is your awesome car not equipped with an in-built bathroom? I asked.

She smacked me in the stomach with the back of her hand. Dont be an idiot, Cat. I can have the Fury move. There has to be a restaurant or a gas station somewhere in the area.

Right, thatll give Franny her walk too, I said. Stick together, dont get kidnapped, and... the Fury is armed, right?

Obviously.

Then let the Fury do any shooting if it comes to that, I said. Well be diving back down into the shithole again.

Youre going to find that Doc Hack guy? Rac asked.

Thats the plan, I said. He seems linked to everything else, somehow. Im hoping it wont be too hard to figure out where hes hiding.

Atyacus has a location for his base, Gomorrah said. A few of the Sewer Dragons we took out had it marked on their augs.

Not the best information security, that, but I suppose it made sense. They had so many other things keeping their home under the city safe that hiding things probably felt like overkill to them. Myalis added the location to my own map, a red box a few blocks away and maybe six floors down from ground level.

Can we reach that from above? I asked. Instead of navigating through the sewers again.

We can, Gomorrah said. Fancy a bit of a walk?

Id rather walk here than in the sewers again. In fact, I think Ive spent enough time in the sewers that Im good for the rest of my life.

We could ride along with the police. Im sure they wouldnt mind.

And have every cop watcher in the neighbourhood tell the Dragons were coming? Nah, lets walk over. No one will pay attention to a single person walking on street level.

Going invisible on me again?

I shrugged, then flickered away from visibility. It makes things easier.

Gomorrah started walking along the sidewalk, undisturbed by any of the cops or the EMTs who were busy wrapping things up.

It felt as if we needed some background music. I bet there were samurai out there who had that sort of thing all figured out. Maybe Cause Player? It sounded like something hed do.

***