_ Chapter 1 _

_ Another Successful Getaway _

Kestrel Prison

25 Kilometers from Mel'Andrea

7:00 AM, Morning…

Mick parked and shut off his car at the rendezvous location outside the fence of the Kestrel Prison, the Audi SVX-4000 hidden from view by some bushes. A few moments later, three prisoners burst out from a grate near the base of the wall: A wolf, a panther, and a bulky rhino. They bolted out and got into the Audi, just as an alarm siren sounded.

“Start the car!" The panther snapped. Mick didn't move.

“Start this fucking car!" The panther yelled.

“Are you deaf?!" The wolf growled, pulling out a handgun and pointing it at Mick with the panther following suit.

Mick wasn't deterred. “I brought two suits. That was the deal. They'll be looking for us, and I'm not driving around Kestrel in the middle of the afternoon with someone in a red prison uniform. One of you is going to have to get out. This car doesn't start until you do."

The panther and wolf, realizing how serious Mick was, quickly turned their weapons on one another. The rhino sighed, rolling his eyes.

Mick got a coin out of his pocket, and pointed to the wolf and panther respectively. “You're heads, you're tails." Mick flipped the coin. It landed tails-first.

Mick glared at the panther, drawing a handgun from his jacket. “Tails. You lost. Out."

The panther, quickly realizing how hopeless and screwed he was, slowly stepped out of the car. Mick holstered his weapon, fired up the engine, and took off just as he could hear the loud shouting of nearby guards starting to close in from the distance.

# # #

Capitol of Kestrel

9:00 AM

Mick sped down the streets of the capitol, intent on getting his fares to their location on time. He had stopped at an unoccupied rest stop for his clients to change into the suits, so they all blended in with the crowd. To anyone looking on, it just looked like a courier ferrying two clients in a rush to get to their destination in his car.

At least, it was that way for a little while. Soon, Mick noticed two silver Mercedes SUVs tailing him. One of the passengers in the lead SUV got out an automatic rifle from the backseat, training the sights on Mick's car.

The rhino snorted, annoyed. “Only five minutes and the Cossack is after me! Can't a man go to funeral in peace?!"

The gun-toting thug in the lead SUV let loose with weapons fire.

“Move it!" The wolf snapped. Mick slapped the flappy-paddle shift lever down, popping the car into a higher gear, and sped off down the road. He quickly started swimming the car through the traffic, threading a needle around other cars, motorcycles, and cargo carts with precision.

Mick heard his phone ring through the car's speakers, and looked at the caller id through the car's dashboard Bluetooth connection. It was Jet, from the Phoenix Coven!

Mick hit the answer button. “Jet!"

“How are those new tires me and Xen put on working for you?" Jet asked with a hint of mischief.

“What do you want, Jet? I'm kind of busy!" Mick said as he went through a side street, entering a busy market area.

“Xen and me are waiting at your place. There's something we need to talk to you about, as soon as possible, as in A-Sap." Jet answered mysteriously.

“I'll be there in a bit, I need to take care of something first before heading to the house!" Mick said, referring to Daniels Manor, his newly acquired property.

“Got it." Jet said. “Oh, and Xen says to look after-"

Jet was cut off by squealing rubber and loud engine revs as Mick threw the Audi into an aggressive power slide, the car narrowly avoiding a merchant booth full of vegetables and fish! Mick heard and saw the SUVs spin out as it tried to copy his daring maneuver, both crashing through the market stalls, their occupants barely getting out of the way in time.

“...The car." Jet said with a wince. He then hung up.

Mick saw the SUVs burn out from their mess-up of trying to copy Mick's power slide, and peel out after the Audi once again. Mick slid the Audi around an island in the road, and onto a narrow side street, going in the direction of a temple. Mick heard sirens a short time later.

“It looks like the police and capitol guard are after you as well, sir." Mick said, nodding towards the rhino.

“...Maybe we should keep going, miss the funeral." The wolf said.

“No." The rhino replied flatly.

“He can drive us anywhere we want-" The wolf started.

“That's not the deal!" The rhino snapped sharply, cutting the wolf off.

A short time later, Mick passed two patrol cars at a fork in the road. They both stopped in front of the Mercedes SUVs, stopping them in their tracks. Mick saw in the rear-view officers jumping out of their cruisers and pointing weapons at the stopped SUVs.

Mick brushed it off, and arrived at the destination right on time: A funeral temple in Kestrel's religious district. He parked his Audi alongside some BMW, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce sedans. The wolf got out of the Audi, went over to the other side, and opened the door for his boss, the rhino.

Mick hopped out of the car as well, setting a wreath on the hood to blend in with the others. Mick's watch beeped just as some bells sounded in the temple. Right on time.

The rhino hugged some of the other temple goers, socializing and talking. The other temple goers showed great respect and voiced sympathies for him.

A few moments later, two police cruisers drove up with a Ford hatchback, souring the mood. GCOC Agent Jean-Yves Ticcoran stepped out of the hatchback, with two officers stepping out of the cruisers.

“Mister Zev Ab-Dhul?" One of the officers spoke to the rhino.

Zev turned to face the officers. “Let me bury my brother." He said flatly.

The two officers looked to Jean-Yves for a few moments. After those moments passed, the bulldog shrugged, and signaled for the officers to stand by, and let Zev finish his business for his brother's funeral.

“Thank you." Zev said to Jean. Jean nodded, and then noticed Mick. He walked up.

“Hello, Agent Ticcoran." Mick replied in a friendly manner. “Nice to see you."

“Bonjour, Monsieur Mick." Jean replied to the transporter fox. “It is always a pleasure to see you, even on such a sad occasion." Jean referenced the funeral around them. “You brought one on the mourners?"

“Yes, but I can't tell you who. It's best to respect the family's privacy." Mick replied.

“Of course," Jean agreed. “Oh, by the way, I went by your new house yesterday. You don't mind?"

“Of course not! The door's always open for you, stop by anytime." Mick replied with a grin.

“Thank you," Jean said. “Now, you will have to excuse me, I need to monitor this situation."

Mick nodded. “I understand, Inspector. Have a good day,"

“You too," Jean replied, and turned to monitor Zev.

Mick then took the wreath off his Audi. He then got int the car, and drove off after programming the sat nav for Egad's Castle.

If only he knew he was being watched, by both a future ally, and a future enemy...