Horns blew loudly at the Head Precinct’s training grounds. There, Anastasia, Andre, and Jacklyn sat at the front of hundreds of Blue Collars in private memorial service. At the front was a large portrait of officer Strongarm and to its side was one of him and his unit. Bennis sat next to the government workers, head down. He’d been quiet ever since. Finally the horns stopped and everyone stood and saluted. Bennis looked to his side to see Rickard had been brought out to participate, still in a rolling bed. Teary eyed, he was doing his best to hold his arm up. Finally Anastasia lowered hers and everyone followed suit, dispersing as the memorial came to a close.

  “Officer Bennis,” Someone in a blue shirt approached the dark Blue Collared man. “Since you were the closest to Officer Strongarm, would you like to let the public know of the incident at the bank?”

  Bennis didn’t say anything.

  “We can only keep the crime scene classified for so long until the press—”

  “Then make sure it stays classified for longer!” Bennis glared, walking away. He saw the government workers near the front, Anastasia’s gaze on him. With a heavy groan, the man went over. “What do y’all want now?”

  “Results from crime lab,” The woman replied. “Have forensics gotten back with anything yet?”

  “Jesus,” the officer said, “You’re really doing this here?”

  “I see no better time,” Anastasia said, “since Strongarm’s crew was utterly defeated we can grasp a better gauge of the suspects involved.”

  “…Follow me,” Bennis mumbled, dragging his feet back inside. Anastasia followed. She looked back at Andre and Jacklyn.

  “You two,” She said.

  Jacklyn glanced up, “What?”

  There was a pause. After deciding to say nothing, Anastasia disappeared inside.

  “Is she fucking brain dead?!” Jacklyn exclaimed. “Andre! Did you see that shit?”

  Andre was staring at the image of the officer, silent. Jacklyn coked her head in his direction, snapping her fingers in his face, “Hey, you with me?”

  “I hear you,” Andre said. “Just can’t believe he’s gone.”

  “Andre, we barely knew him outside of like one interaction,” Jacklyn said.

  “That don’t matter,” he said. “I was hearing this guy laugh and make jokes yesterday. Now I’m at his funeral today.”

  Jacklyn popped her gum. “That’s just our line of business. More so them than us.”

  “So what’re you gonna do when it’s my image up there?”

  “GACK! GACK!” the woman choked. “What the fuck’s wrong with you?! I told you to knock this shit off on the plane!”

  “You don’t get it,” Andre said. “Life’s always a game to people ‘till they realize they’ve only got one.”

  The brunette stared. She then popped her gum again and turned away. “Ask your mom first, maybe with her in mind you’ll stop talking like this.” She looked up, eyeing the gray hazed sky. “Oh, I know what you need.” She took his arm, “Follow me.”

  “Eh?” Andre was puzzled, “Where the hell you taking me?”

  “Don’t be so tense,” she grinned, “I can just tell you need to beat the shit out of something, or someone.”

  “So again, where you taking me?”

  “The homeless shelter of course!”

  The dark older building seemed to loom forward, threating to use its four story size crush anyone passing by. It’s weathered structure, as well as it’s cracked and boarded windows made it seem demolition worthy had it not been for the sign at its front reading:

  ‘SHELTERED & WARM: A ROOF FOR THE HOMELESS’

  Andre looked around, “This place’s near the bank. Is that why you brought me here? Or was really just to beat the hell out of them?”

  “Uh…both?” Jacklyn said.

  The two entered at the front. Instead of a door, there was a thick curtain in its place, which they they swatted out of the way, entering the musty smelling building. Damp wood floors were soft to the step while cracked walls boxed them in. Pale and sickly people trudged about, wrapped in blankets, wheezing and coughing. Catching sight of the two Collars, they quickly either retreated where they came, or tumbled up the stairs. The front desk worker, a smiling rosy faced woman with dark hair, looked over. “Hi! How may I serve you?’

  “Just checking up,” Andre said. “This place was within eyeshot of the whole fiasco last night.”

  “Oh I’m very aware!” She smiled, “But don’t worry. Rest assured this place was tight and secure as can be.”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  “Yeah, ‘bout that,” Andre gestured with his finger, “We’ll need a list of your registered residents anyways.”

  “Oh, that won’t be necessary!” She motioned outside where two large Blue Collars where patrolling around into the front. “We’ve had them as well as dozens of others to ensure we’re in place. No one’s coming in or out.”

  The two exchanged glances. Jacklyn stated to chew, smirking.

  “Funny,” she said. She leaned towards the woman, popping a bubble in her face. “We didn’t care if anyone came in or out before, buuuut now that you mention it…”

  The woman’s smile began to fade, “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “How about this?” Andre said. He dropped a heavy stack of cash on the counter. The woman eyed it like a hungry dog. Andre patted it, “You tell us what you’re hiding, and this may be on your card.”

  “I-I” she sputtered, “This is illegal! You already hurt these people enough with your policies and regulations!” She eyed them angrily, “You think I’ll…I’ll sellout, won’t you—?”

  Without warning, the woman leaped over the counter at the cash, but Jacklyn punched her back, causing her to slam into the wall. In a flash, the woman was climbing back on her desk, panting and wiping her mouth, eyes set on the money. “Ski-capped man in a brown coat wrapped around his waist showed up approximately twenty minutes after the explosion, stayed here the night after in the room to your right,” She said, quickly and thrusted her hand out. “Now give it here!”

  The sound of footsteps running up the stairs could be heard. Shooting his gaze to his right, Andre saw a man in a coat dashing just out of their sight.

  “Jackie!” he said, darting after the man in hot pursuit.

  “Right behind you!” she said, “Should I switch to bubble gum? I can have this whole building locked down in no time.”

  “The last thing we need is a multi-homicide after yesterday, so no,” he said. “If I can get a clear shot I can grab him.”

  The two raced down the second floor, shoving past shouting men, woman, and children while keeping an eye on the running man, who turned a corner just as they saw him.

  “This place’s got four floors,” Jacklyn said. She elbowed a young girl into a wall as the two ran up the stairs to the third floor. “He’ll run out of room sooner than later.”

  Pursuing him on the third floor, the two could see the middle aged man more visibly now as he shot a terrified glance back. They ran even faster as he disappeared near last flight of steps. Twisting after him, the two suddenly felt a spike of GI in the air and leaped back as a stream of saliva splatted into the wall and exploded.

  “Shit!” she said, “Gum now?!”

  “Not yet. Tell the Blues outside to get this place on lock!” Andre glared ahead. He dashed to the destroyed staircase, sliding under another explosive stream of spit and threw his wrist forward. A chain extended and caught the ceiling. He yanked himself, letting his feet catch the wall and ran. He threw his other arm up, letting another chain extend and spinning it rapidly, deflecting a barrage of oncoming spit as he ran to the fourth floor. He landed in a cluster of screaming people, running and ducking back to their rooms. One grabbed Andre.

  “Help!” they yelled.

  “Move!” he shoved them back and ran forward, hearing their screams as more explosions ensured through the hall.

  ‘This guy’s got some type of Gi to be able to keep up with me.’ He thought. ‘Let’s see how far you can go then!’

  In a flash, Andre whipped his right chain to the left, just as a massive glob of spit to his right. He sneered.

  ‘Stupid.’

  The chain coiled around his head and into the spit, deflecting it through someone’s room in a violent explosion. At the same time he threw his left chain forward so fast the tip of it cracked along the wall. Andre felt it hit and yanked it back quickly just as Jacklyn ran up to him.

  “You get him?” she asked.

  Andre’s chain pulled back a ski cap, dripping with blood. Up ahead, they saw someone lying on the floor, arms at their sides.

  “Holy shit!” Jacklyn said. “And I thought I had to be the one to worry about casualties, huh?” she grinned, popping her gum.

  “Gah—shut up! I didn’t hit him that hard…I think.”

  The two quickly made their way towards the guy. He was out of shape with messy brown hair and an after shave. Blood poured from the wound in his head. Jacklyn pressed her lips together.

  “Wouldn’t’ve been the first time you’ve underestimated your own strength.”

  Andre knelt down, feeling the man’s neck, “Well, Bodily’s outta the question, he dead. Dang it,” He looked at her, “Quick, use your gum on him before he gets too cold.”

  Jacklyn chewed faster, “Which means he’ll taste…” she blew a bubble over the man, letting it pop and splatter. She sucked it back in and let out a pleased breath, “Sweet, oh this guy had Talent alright. Material”

  “But not Bodily,” Andre said shaking his head. “That’s the only way he could’ve made his—” he almost gagged, “—spit explosive.”

  “Eh?” the woman tongue stroked her mouth, “Wait a minute,” she eyed a strand of gum on the man’s bloodied cap. She grabbed it from Andre and blew another bubble on it, sucking it off and grinning. “Andre,” She said.

  “You found something?” he said.

  “Oh-ho I found something alright!” she said. “This ski cap has a different flavor than the man, the spicy kind.”

  Now Andre’s attention was peaked. “That means—”

  “Yep,” Jacklyn looked out the window, “Our guy’s still out there. But now we have another lead.”

  Andre’s phone suddenly cackled on, Anastasia’s voice came through. “What are you doing away from the precinct?”

  “What the hell?!” Andre almost dropped his phone. “How’d she get in there?”

  “I’ve set a protocol so your phone auto answers when I call.” She replied. “Now answer my question.”

  “Andre!” Jacklyn snarled, “Gimmie your phone! Now!”

  Horrified, Andre held it back. He didn’t like the look in her eye. “We’re at the Shelter near the bank.” He said in the receiver, “What’s it to you?”

  “Give me a full report and get back to the precinct.” Anastasia said. “The forensic scans are done.”

  “Hey! Why don’t you try calling MY phone, bitch!” Jacklyn said, grabbing for Andre’s. “You were awfully quiet at the precinct. You avoiding me or something?!”

  Andre held her and her flailing arms back, “Yeah, yeah, we’ll be there when we finish up here. Got it?”

  “You have twenty minutes.” She hung up.

  Andre cursed under his breath and released Jacklyn, who was panting. She pointed to him, “Stop holding me back!”

  “I will when we’re not on shift!” he said. The two Blue Collars from outside ran up to the two. They saluted.

  “Mr. Carmichael, Miss Wollfe, we’ve secured the perimeter!” one said.

  “Did you see where the homeless guy went?” Andre asked. “He should’ve jumped out the fourth story window.”

  The two men looked at each other, then back at them and shook their heads. “When we heard the explosions, we rushed up here as fast as we could.”

  “Dammit!”

  “Even if he got away,” Jacklyn said placing a hand on his shoulder, “You guys can still scan the city for an injured homeless dude in a jacket, right?”

  “Miss that’s…nigh impossible.”

  She glared at him.

  “But I will alert the Collars on the ground.” He gulped. He and the other man saluted again, leaving quickly.

  “We’re also gonna need a collateral count,” Andre said, eyeing the damaged hallway. He sighed, “Looks like I can kiss that Christmas bonus goodbye.”