5th Column Comics: Peacekeeper #13
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Indigo City is one of those places that, while once proud, falls apart easily these days. As I drag Bronson through the panicking crowds towards the police station, I notice that he’s beginning to stir, and while handcuffed, I don’t believe I can hold him if he awakes fully. Reaching the central precinct of the Indigo City Police Department, I come to an almost impenetrable barrier; the police have erected barricades around the station and aren't letting civilians in. Worse still some of the gathered crowd has realised that I’m here, and they have switched their focus from getting into the precinct to me.
“You!” A man bellows, as he elbows his way through the crowd towards me, “You’re that mutant girl hero, Gatekeeper right?! Why aren't you out there helping keep us safe!!”
“Yeah!” A voice calls out from the crowd, just as several people surge forward, all of them grabbing at me, their words forming into one long burst of white noise. I know that, despite how much I want too, I can’t shove them away without endangering them. Unfortunately Bronson knows that too, and he reacts swiftly to the added pressure on me, twisting from my grasp and delivering a double fisted punch to my stomach, the blow staggering me. Sneering he slams his foot into my face, the impact sending me crashing into the barriers with a heavy clang.
“You’re marked miss!” He hisses, in a low voice as the crowd back away from him, their desperation replaced by fear. “But it can wait; I’d rather have a city to kill you in, over having no city at all.” He adds, before he ducks into the crowd, just as I recover and lunge at him, only to fall flat on my face, the throng of people moving back in towards me. As I attempt to get to my feet, I feel someone grab at my stun gun, and another at the riot launcher, as the weight of bodies pushes down on me.
“Get back!!” A voice booms over a loudspeaker, “Disperse of we will open fire!!” The same voice announces, as the crowd withdraws from around me. Standing on the steps, is an Indigo City Police Department officer dressed in full tactical gear, a shotgun slung over his shoulder.
“Thugs!!” A voice calls out from the crowd. “Fascists!!” Another calls, as I get up and look at the intensely angry crowd, the primal desire to fight wrestling with the reason my brain has always excelled in.
“Listen up!!” I yell, my words catching the leading wave of the crowd. “I know you're scared, I know you think by being here you’re safe. The truth is you just formed a massive target, if this guy is a bomber then he will strike where he can create the most damage. If you want to help, if you want to be safe go to the panic shelters the CBTF set up. By being here you hinder the police, the ambulance service and me. Now please I beg you, disperse in a calm manner and get yourselves to safety.” I beg, my words taking effect as the crowd begins to thin, and trickle out of the plaza.
“Get inside.” The officer with the shotgun orders, as the barricade slides open letting me into the precinct. “You do realise we can arrest you for interfering with an active police operation.”
“Of course, but I could imagine it wouldn't help your image if you were to do so.” I reply, as I reattach the weapons the crowd tried to take from me.
“Point taken, at the moment we need you,” The officer states, “being Wind Dusters sidekick and all, where is he right now, we need him to help contain the growing situation.”
“I’m not his sidekick Officer…” I begin to say.
“Carmichael, and it’s Detective, Miss Williams.” The officer announces, as we walk into a debriefing room, packed to the gunwales with police officers. As I look around I can see a mixture of emotions displayed on their faces; ranging from relief to blatant dislike. And in the middle of it all, are stills taken from Nate Lime’s video message.
“So where are we at, with identifying anything about this man or his target?” Detective Carmichael asks, “As the screen rotates through a few stills.”
“Nate Lime, one of the CBTF’s 11th Tactical Engineers, we’re still waiting for more information from Director Pfeifer, or any of the Task Force’s representatives.” A female office announces in a hispanic accent, as she reads a series of bullet points off of a tablet. “He didn't mention a target or even how he plans to attack us, but we can assume it will be an area with a high population to gain maximum effect from his actions.”
“Then we do this the old way,” Detective Carmichael states, as several of the officers groan. “Four man teams, intensive search, live fire is authorised but caution is advised. Until we get more information from the CBTF, we do with what we have. Officer Torres, stay here and keep analysing the footage.” He adds, as the woman with the tablet bows her head in disappointment, “Oh and keep an eye of Miss Williams, don’t let her leave, this is a law enforcement operation.”
“But detective I can…” Torres splutters, before being cut off as the officers in the room depart leaving me and her alone. “You’re not leaving with them!!” She splutters, as I sit down in a chair and look at the stills.
“No, we can be more effective from here.” I state, a truth, but one designed to make this woman like me. Getting sanctioned by the police can only improve my image, both in and out of the force.
**
An hour passes, and Nate Lime’s words sound in my head almost constantly. Something has to give, either Lime will strike, or the ICPD will bring him in, but so far both sides haven’t actually run across each other yet. As frustrated as I am, it’s worse for Officer Marisol Torres, the most junior officer of the ICPD, and the one left behind on what is essentially a glorified baby sitting assignment.
“Something in the message isn't right.” I sigh, as I hit play on the recorder, my opponent’s words once again all around me.
“My name is Nate Lime, and I have a message to this c**p hole of a city. My condition, I hate it, I hate what it’s doing to my mind. All I want is a release before it kills me, and I have chosen to do it today. Soon all of you will learn my pain, will see that peace in Indigo is just a pipe dream, an unobtainable fantasy. Only when the corruption is burnt can a new city raise from the ashes, pure and clean. I’m ready to do what I have to do…is there anyone out there willing to stop me? I didn't think so” My thoughts are interrupted by a ping, from one of the computers behind me.
“The CBTF have finally responded and released Agent Lime’s personnel file.” Torres states, as she brings it up on the screen. “Exemplary record during the Blight Wars, a career man by the look of it, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary but at least we now know what he looks like. I’ll radio a BOLO through to the officers on foot…”
“This file is a forgery.” I state, my words cutting Torres off. “Well maybe not a complete forgery, the image is real; some of the history is probably genuine too, but look at the medical section. He went through five months of street battles without picking up a scratch. That seems a little improbable considering that Indigo City was a free fire zone during the initial half a year after the Great Impact.”
“But it is possible for a soldier to go through a war without injury.” Torres states, “Unlikely yes, but still possible, besides what would you have to hide on a medical record?”
“His blood type is B-, now that not a sure fire indicator, but from what I've seen in some biomedical journals, the Carrier gene is influenced by antigens on the blood cells. Blood lacking in antigens often bonds more smoothly with the blue gas mutagen, factor in his ‘condition’ and we may have a rouge carrier on the loose.” I announce, as Torres brings up the recording and stops it mid way through the video, and plays a small section.
“…will see that peace in Indigo is just a pipe dream, and unobtainable fantasy…”
“It’s a bit odd he mentioned the words ‘pipe dream’.” Torres announces, as she brings up a blueprint of the city, before highlighting four areas of the map. “There is one desalination plants, two oil refineries and a sewage plant in the city, all with pipes servicing the entire area.” As she finishes I look at the map, my stare intense. Torres may be right, why bother with a bomb when you can affect the entire city without anyone realising.
“Desalination plant has the most effect on everyday life.” I state, as I get to my feet. “Torres, warn the security there then call the CBTF and ask for Agent Lime’s real record, the one that tells us what he really is.”
“But Detective Carmichael said…”
“I know, but now I'm more use in the field. Call him and tell him to divert his best men to the plant, if they get there before me and apprehend Lime then kudos to them, if not then they have backup on the way already.” I state, knowing too well that it’s going to be the later, unless the ICPD suddenly improves in quality dramatically over the next twenty minutes. As I leave the room, I hear Torres cursing before, following after me, a phone clamped to her ear.
“Yeah they will.” She states, as she removes the safety from her pistol. “We’ll take my car.”
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