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Cold Snap 2: Winter Virus

We open... in the cold...

“Alright, you lot! Let's get goin'! Get goin'!”

Gray, emotionless walls. Tall, oppressive towers. Hundreds, if not thousands of prison barred windows. And the two story tall barb-wired fences that surround it all.

This is Eastgate Penitentiary, the dubious home to well over 100,000 criminals. A dangerous hellhole of concrete and steel, it gained the 'honorable' name of 'Last Stop' by those inside of it. Why? Because once you step foot into these hollowed halls, you never leave it.

Or so the story goes...

Snow laid upon the fields surrounding the land. A blizzard had blown through the area two nights ago, laying the area in about three to four inches of snow. Thankfully, the roads leading to and from the prison had already been doused in salt, with the sun handling the rest, resulting in mostly empty roads. That was important, for a bus had been pulled up to the penitentiary's docking bay.

It was blue, with black stripes running down its sides. 'EASTGATE PENITENTIARY' it said proudly upon its sides in bold black letters. Parked to the back of the prison, its doors opened. Standing outside was the bus driver; a middle-aged fellow dressed like your typical prison guard. He was casually smoking a cigarette, his hat pulled down to help fight off the oppressive cold that nipped at his flesh. Next to him was the exit deck of the prison, and walking out of it was another man.

A short man. An older man. A hunched over man. A loud and crabby man.

“Keep it movin', you fuck-ups! Keep it movin'!” he shouted, his baton swinging left to right.

Bringing it to the guardrail in front of him, he dragged his baton against its steel bars, sending a series of loud 'CLANKS!' splitting into the air. He then stopped, performing one last loud 'THWANG!' as he struck the guardrail, before pointing towards the open metal doors he exited from.

“Get outta here!” he shouted, “Fuck! It's cold, don't you feel it!?”

At last, his grouchy shouts were answered by footsteps. Feet followed feet followed feet, along with the dangling of chains mixing with them. And emerging from within was...

A man. A beastkin. He was tall, his body chiseled, his curly hair brown and long, his eyes a glistening blue... and his ears those of a wolf. When he emerged at the front of his line, he did so with handcuffs around his wrists, and wearing the thin blue garbs expected of a prisoner. At the very least, they gave them jackets to withstand the winter chill... but it wasn't much.

Not that it bothered him. When this man emerged from the building, a smile spread on his lips, and he took a deep breath. The cold winter air blew along him, drawing out a pleasing smile as he shook his head left and right, as if basking in the feeling of the winter season and the sun beaming down upon him.

“Haaah...”

“Stop fuckin' around up there...” said the crabby guard in front of him who raised his baton to once again strike it against the guardrail, “Let's get movin'. This place is too fuckin' cold!”

“Awww! Calm down, Melvin,” said the lead prisoner, a smile on his face as he began walking forward, “Christmas comes only once a year. And look around,” he gazed at their surroundings, “It's a white Christmas. So great!”

“Maybe for you...” the grouchy guard – Melvin – said as he shook his head, “Christmas is downright miserable for some of us. Bitchy in-laws, annoyin' kids. Bah! You'd think when you turn 50, some of this shit would go away. Gah...! But...” he shrugged his shoulders, “Seein' the grandkids is nice,” bringing up his baton, he smacked it against the bus next to him, “Alright! That's enough outta ya! Get movin', you lot! Get movin'!”

As the lead prisoner walked towards the bus, he brought behind him many, many, many others. There were at least thirty criminals, bound by their wrists and ankles, with chains connecting them like blood veins. Some were big, some were short, some were human, some were beastkin. All of them were dangerous.

In correctional institutes, there's always a chance that innocent men and women are put into prisons. That was not the case here. In this line of thirty men, all of them were criminals. There wasn't any debating this, there wasn't any arguing this, there wasn't any grays about this statement. Every single man in this line needed to be in this lind.

But five of them deserved to be more so than the others.

“Alright, alright!” said Melvin as he slammed his baton against the bus, “Get on here, you fuck-ups! Let's hurry this up!”

The lead prisoner – the wolf with the brown hair – approached Melvin, who pulled out a pair of keys. Sliding it into the chains that kept him bound, he undid them, allowing the chains to drop from their wrists. The handcuffs remained, but they were free to get onboard the bus and pick their seats, so long as they did so behind a plexiglass wall that separated the criminals from the staff.

One by one by one, the thirty inmates boarded the prison bus, while Melvin reached to the side. In the bus driver's free hand was a shotgun, one he handed to his fellow guard. Upon getting his hand on it, Melvin cocked the firearm, nodded, and then boarded the bus. The bus driver lingered behind, finishing his cigarette as it burned all the way down to the filter. He then dropped it, and crushed it beneath his toes. Shortly after, he climbed upon the bus, closing the door behind him.

The bus was already loud as the inmates spoke, laughed, and chortled with one another. They acted as if they weren't currently being ferried through state lines to another penitentiary. A penitentiary that some of them wouldn't be leaving. Well, not alive anyway.

But air among them was jovial and upbeat, causing Melvin to raise up and slam his baton across metal bars.

“Alright! Shut it up, you fuck-ups!” he shouted, “You might be leaving Eastgate, but the place you are goin' to ain't much better!” he then turned, facing the bus driver, “Alright, Kurt, get us the hell outta here. I'm already catchin' a cold... achooo! Shit! Choooo!!!”

“Got it, Mel...”

Putting his foot to the pedal, he began driving away from the docking bay, coming up to the barbed-wire fences. The guards standing foot at the fences nodded, saying nothing and instead giving hand signals that caused the gates to slide open, allowing the bus driver to exit the prison and enter the roads outside.

The bus rumbled beneath them while Melvin leaned back, his shotgun slack in his hands as he gazed at the prisoners, watching them start to talk again. It made him roll his eyes as he turned to gaze out the windows, seeing nothing but miles of snow surrounding them. Everything was so silent outside. All he could hear was the rumble of the bus and the conversations of the inmates behind him.

“Hey, Melvin...” said a voice through the plexiglass behind him, causing the grouchy guard to sigh.

“Please, Walt,” he said as he turned around, facing the prisoner, “Not now.”

It was him; the lead prisoner... the wolf with the long curly brown hair, the glistening blue eyes... and the affable smile.

“C'mon, Melvin,” he said, a grin adorning his lips, “This might be the last time you see me and the rest of us fuck ups. I mean, like...” he gestured behind him, “Lenny over here is scheduled to be executed in a few months. C'mon! Give us one of those big smiles of yours!”

“Me? Smile? Bah... you've gotten me confused with Turk!” he shook his head, “Just drop it, Walt. I think... I think...” closing his eyes, he leaned back in his chair, “I'll catch some winks. We'll be at Bellmount Penitentiary in a few hours, so might as well get comfortable... hrmm...”

“Aaah... don't be like that, Melvin,” said Walt as he leaned against the plexiglass frame separating them, “We know you love us. You're, like, the only guard who puts up with the nonsense me and the boys do.”

“Yeah, ya lousy fuck-ups,” Melvin groaned, “And for one last time, you're fuckin' up my chance to get some sleep. I already put up with you and the rest of those inmates during the day.”

“I'm just saying, Melvin. From the bottom of my heart and the rest of us, we're really going to miss you,” said the wolf, a kind smile on his lips, “You're always scolding us and getting mad at us, but you never abuse the power you had. Why, you're like the father I never had.”

“Ughgghgh… Don't give me nightmares...” Melvin mumbled, “I already put up with my son's brand of nonsense, and he's married. I don't need anymore delinquent kids...” he then paused, “Besides, I don't know why you're so talkative. You're one of the guys who's gettin' executed at Bellmount. What? Tryin' to schmooze up with me so I can help get your death sentence lessened to life in prison?” he shook his head, “Ya'know they ain't gonna listen to some prison guard.”

“No, Melvin, no,” said Walt as he shook his head, “I just... uh... I just wanted to hear your voice one last time. Have one more conversation before we never see each other again. So... uh... please, entertain this young fool.”

“Aaauh... fine, Walter, fine,” said Melvin as he leaned up in his chair, his hold on his shotgun growing loose, “What is it you wanna talk about?”

“I just wanted to tell you something, is all. Just... just...” he closed his eyes, his smile growing warmer, “I just wanted to ask for your forgiveness. Honestly. You've been a big friend to my crew and the rest of us, and I feel terrible for what's about to happen.”

“Now's not the time to start suckin' up to the pastor for forgiveness, Walt,” Melvin muttered, “You're getting the needle, you and the rest of your crew. For all those things you did, I think... I...” he paused for a moment as he replayed Walter's words in his head, “Wait... for what's... about to happen...?” he leaned up, facing the wolf, whose smile had shifted into a toothy grin, “What are you talkin' about Walt?”

VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRMMMMM!!!

KRAAASH!!!

It was sudden. It was loud. It was brutal. It was relentless.

Something big struck the bus on its side, having tore through a three-way intersection at speeds approaching 80 miles per hour. It struck the prison transport with so much speed that the bus was lifted off the ground briefly, and knocked off the road into a mound of snow.

Melvin and the bus driver were both thrown from their seats, their ears ringing from the sounds of bending metal and shattering glass. For a few moments, they suffered from vertigo and confusion, while the ringing slowly subsided. It didn't take them much longer to recoil, with Melvin shooting up first.

“THE FUCK'S GOIN' ON!?” he shouted as he readied his shotgun, “K-KURT! GET IN CONTACT WITH THE PRISON!”

“I'M ON IT!” the driver barked back, “JUST LET ME...!?” he stopped, his head tilted up, “By god...?”

Figures cloaked in white. They emerged from three trucks that drove up to the crash site. And in their hands they held fully-automatic rifles. Rifles they had no qualms pointing towards the bus, and rifles they had no qualms with firing.

RATATATATATATATATA!!!

Their muzzles flashed, and bullets tore through the steel and glass of the prison bus. Melvin didn't have time to parse what was happening before they were riddled with bullets. But he felt it. He felt every single bullet tear through his jacket and penetrate his body, drawing blood and triggering pain with each strike. His eyes – dazed and haggard – even watched as Kurt fell from his chair, having died long before him when a bullet struck his head. But Melvin wouldn't be so lucky.

He groaned on the floor, laying in a puddle of his own blood as the bullets finally stopped. Every attempt to move was matched with unfathomable pain. All he saw was the shotgun next to him, one he reached out for slowly... weakly. When he touched it, he didn't have the strength needed to pull it close.

“Buaah... wh-what...?” he muttered... while outside the bus, he heard the crunch of snow beneath the boots of men.

Those armed men came to the door of the bus, which they 'SLAMMED!' and 'KICKED!' and 'WHAMMED!' against, until they finally worked a crowbar into it. And with that crowbar, they forced the door of the bus open, allowing them to enter inside.

They said nothing. Maybe Melvin heard one of them say 'Aiyiyi', but he wasn't sure. Their hoods were pulled up to their heads obscuring their bodies, and on their eyes they wore goggles like skiers on mountain slopes, which obscured their faces. They then looked around, where all they saw was a dead man... and a dying man.

Melvin tried – oh God did he try – to grab his shotgun... but he couldn't do anything. The men in jackets merely looked down upon him, watching him bleed out, until his movements finally stopped., and he laid there...

Dead...

One of the men reached down, grabbing the keys off of his body. Bringing the keys over, they slid it into the plexiglass door that separated the front of the bus from the entrance. Chuckles and chortles left the lips of the criminals inside as the doors were pushed open. And among them was that wolf - Walt - who stood up with an affable smile on his face as he faced the armed men in front of him.

“Took ya long enough,” he said as he stepped forward.

“Sorry boss,” replied one of the men, “But Bill here nearly got us lost on the highway,” he gestured for the doors, “Let's get going before the cops show up.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said the wolf as he turned, facing the other criminals inside, “Alright boys! Christmas came early this year! And Santa has given us the gift of freedom!”

“YEEAAAAAAAHHH!!!”

On December 10th at 9:00 AM, a prison bus transporting dangerous criminals left Eastgate Penitentiary. There were 30 inmates onboard the prison bus and two guards: a bus driver named Kurt Little, and a prison guard named Melvin Wilder.

Its destination was Bellmount Penitentiary, where it was planned to arrive at 11:30 AM. At 11:47 AM, prison workers attempted to make contact with the prison transport, only to get no answer. Both Bellmount Penitentiary and Eastgate Penitentiary quickly sent out police officers and statesmen to find their missing transport.

At 12:03 PM, the prison bus was discovered several miles away from Eastgate Penitentiary, where it was found overturned on the side of the road. There were signs of a car crash, as the side of the bus was severely battered, along with scatters of steel and glass. Both Kurt Little and Melvin Wilder were found dead via gunshot wounds.

All 30 inmates escaped, their whereabouts unknown. Among them were five dangerous criminals known as the Westboro Five and their leader.

Walter Cage.

…

Act 1: Winter Daze

Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham-Wham-Wham! Wham! WHAM!!!

When she bought this punching bag, it was a spur of the moment choice. She was patrolling the streets close to the local flea market, and saw it hanging up on the front porch. It had a modest price – about 15$ – which is expensive for flea market prices, but damn cheap compared to typical punching bag prices. She didn't really think much about it beyond that, as she dropped 20$ on it, told the shopkeeper to keep the change, and, well, later that day she was sticking this punching bag into the corner of her apartment.

It was dusty. It was worn. And, damn was it satisfying to strike.

Wham! Wham! Wham!

Tall. The woman... no... the wolfess who struck this punching bag was so damn tall. A towering amazon of a being, her skin was dark, and her hair was this vibrant red. Two bangs fell along her face, the right side being thicker than the left, while the back of her head was tamed into this long ponytail that fell and fell and fell.

She had this stout figure to her, with her powerful physique. Calling her a 'towering amazon' was no mere exaggeration. Her body seemed chiseled from stone by Greek gods with how remarkable it was. Her muscles were as elegant as they were powerful, with such strength in her arms, might in her legs, and the bolster of her abs.

Her shoulders were curved, her midsection slim, her hips a bit wide, but not too wide, and her bust... oh... heavens her bust. A woman of her caliber deserved a powerful bust to match, and she had it in spades. This chest that seemed to hold power, all contained in a stretchy sports bra that stretched around to just the bottom of her chest.

And yet, for as beautiful, strong, and voluptuous that her body and figure was... it all seemed to pale in comparison to her face. Her cool face... her suave face. A face that was so disarming and so damn attractive, despite all the power she held in her limbs. And the reason why her face was so beautiful and charming? Because of her eyes. They were green... green like grass... but... no... brighter than that. Green like the fields on a hillside that's shining in the sun. Yeah, that kind of green. At that point, the mere word 'green' is no longer good enough to describe the sheer resplendence of her eyes. Her eyes were instead verdant. Yes.

She had verdant eyes.

Wham! Wham! Wham!

A flurry of blows left the wolfess: Punches, kicks, elbow strikes, and knee strikes. Her aim was precise, her intent deadly. Both were important in her profession. It wasn't good enough to be just 'good enough', she had to be better. Just 'good enough' might be just good enough to get her killed... and she couldn't risk that.

WHAM!

“Mrgrgrgr... Lucaaaaa...” a voice grumbled from nearby, “Can't you keep it down?”

“Heh heh heh... sorry, cutie...”

Resting on her bed was the wolfess' complete opposite. She was a short young woman... as befitting her species. What species? Bunny rabbit, of course. Her figure was sleek and slender with these rounded shoulders, this narrow waist, a perky yet surprisingly busty chest... and these wide hips. Again, it was only befitting her species. From her head fell hair that was long and balled into this unkempt bundle of blonde hair that was black at the tips, making it two-toned, while from the sides of her head extended two bunny ears that were coated in white fur. With their length, shape, and color, it wasn't uncommon for her ears to be confused for horns.

Considering her abrasive attitude, perhaps horns would be more befitting of her.

Her face was framed by two bangs which hung down at the sides, while a thicker bang hung between the center of her eyes. Her sharp... slender... brown eyes. Eyes so brown, they could be seen as carmine in certain lights. And when placed on her face with her pointed nose and typically aloof expressions, you make for a young woman who was almost too cool to approach.

That includes even now, where she was a groggy mess resting in her girlfriend's bed.

She laid upon the mattress, wearing nothing but a sweat shirt and panties, her hair messily fanned around her head, and this disgruntled look in her carmine eyes. With half of her face resting in the pillow beneath her, she gazed over towards the wolfess, watching as sweat glistened upon her amazonian form. The air was thick with her pungent odor, not just because this was her bedroom, but because of her morning workout... as well as some lingering scents from last night's fun.

“Did you sleep well last night?” asked the wolfess as she leaned against her punching bag, this smile on her lips and her arms crossed.

“It was going well...” mumbled the hare, her tone annoyed as she hugged close the pillow she rested beneath, “But someone needed to wake me up throwing punches against her punching bag... mrgg...” closing her eyes, she turned to face the pillow, nuzzling her face deeper into it, “Why don't you just go to the gym, Luca? Mggg... or at least take a shower first...” Sit... “Ah...?”

The hare pulled her head from her pillow, her carmine eyes gazing up to see the redheaded wolfess. She had sat down on the edge of her bed beside her, this charming smile on her lips as she tilted her head. In a show of abrasiveness, the rabbit groaned, rolled her eyes too, but her girlfriend wouldn't be deterred. Instead, that strong and powerful hand dropped down to her thigh, where she gently stroked her palm upwards towards her hip. The hare shuddered beneath her touch and gritted her teeth... but her cotton tail fluttered left and right in excitement.

“Tch...! D-don't you have work today...?” she groaned, her words annoyed... but her body reacted pleasantly to her touch.

“Of course I do...” replied the wolfess as she leaned forward, pinning her girlfriend beneath her body as she rested her chin on her shoulder, “Buuuuut... hmm... I'm thinking of calling off... I'll have a much better time snuggling up with you all day long... hm... staying warm in the apartment away from all the snow... aaah... heh heh... just thinking about it makes me smile.”

“You're... gah... you're playing too much, Luca...” the hare bemoaned... though she brought herself close to nuzzle up against Lucretia nonetheless.

Her name was Vivian North... or just 'Vivi' to her friends... and apple pie to a certain someone. She was a nurse at Sacred Hope Hospital, and – despite her rough and abrasive attitude – she was a damn fine nurse, one whose propensity for helping others had not only saved plenty of lives, but also charmed many of them as well. But there was only one person in this world who held her heart, though she loathed to admit it out loud. Saying simple 'I love yous', just failed to leave her lips. Then again, how could you say 'I love you' to someone like her? How could you say 'I love you' to the supercop wolfess who saved your life? At that point, a simple 'I love you' becomes so mundane!

“Okay, okay,” said Vivi as she stopped nuzzling against the wolfess, “C'mon, Lucretia. You have work, and you love working at the department, so...” she nudged against her, “Come on, shoo, shoo. It's shower time.”

“Shower time...?” repeated the wolfess, a smirk on her lips, “Shower time... together?”

“Tch...! You annoying bitch...”

Vivian gritted her teeth... pouted too... but ultimately, she fell in defeat to her own desires. And how could she not when the wolfess' strong and powerful arms wrapped around her shoulders and neck, pulling her in closer... and closer... and closer. Instinctively, she pursed her lips and closed her eyes. It did not take long for her lips to...

“Mmmm...”

“Nmmm...”

Meet her lips.

It was a year ago now when she and the wolfess first met. The hare had been given a ticket to some cruise liner named 'Queen Tower', which was about to depart on its yearly trip to Willington. It was one day filled with fun and luxury, where she was free to eat, play games, and enjoy entertainment until she had her fill.

And then terrorists attacked.

His name was Pierce. He was a fox, and a former psychiatrist for the US army. Of course, they did not know that at the time. On December 17th, Pierce and his crew made up of ex-military soldiers assaulted the luxury cruise liner. Their mission was simple; on board the Queen Tower were bearer bonds that were worth 1.2 billion dollars, and they were planning to steal them. To that end, they had no qualms killing anyone who stood in their way. They were so focused on stealing those bonds and getting away with it, that they stuffed C-4 into the boat's hull, planning on destroying the ship as a whole and sinking it into the ocean. They would've escaped on boats into the horizon, while all of their victims met their end at the bottom of the cold, winter ocean.

There was just one tiny problem, and her name was Lucretia Salem. A name so strong, so powerful, that it instantly makes criminals quake in their boots... and causes Vivian to sigh in joy.

And it was in Lucretia's arms that Vivi was lifted into the air, a smile spreading upon the bunny's lips. Abrasive and bratty though she may be, she couldn't help but to snuggle close to her lover as she was carried over into the bathroom. It was time to wash off the previous day's gunk and grime, and start the new day fresh!

…

“Here's your coffee. And...” Smack! “Hey! Stop that...! The food's not ready yet.”

“Heh heh heh...! Thanks, apple pie.”

'WORLD'S BEST COP' said the mug as her hand curled around its handle. Within its basin burned a light brown liquid; coffee mixed with the perfect amount of milk and sugar, and forged with care and attention. Bringing it close to her lips, the wolfess took a sip of her coffee, groaning from its taste. With a silent thank you, she pulled back, and retreated to her couch.

The air smelled of fresh fragrances: apple and cinnamon mixed together thanks to Luca's soaps. It further began to combine with the smells of Vivian's cooking, as the stove both boiled water that had eggs within it, and caused pancake batter to solidify. Lucretia meanwhile retreated to her couch, sitting upon it as she palmed for her remote, where she quickly turned on her TV.

“What the hell are you doing...?” Vivian mumbled as she began flipping the pancakes, “You don't watch TV, Luca...”

“I'm not watching TV,” the wolfess replied as she began flipping through the channels, “I'm just going to the news. I wanna see the score from yesterday's Gold Wings game.”

“Sports scores?” Vivi scoffed with a roll of her eyes, “Luca, you have a phone. Just look them up there like a sane person,” she shook her head, “God, you're so fucking old-fashion...”

Lucretia chuckled as she navigated the channels of her TV, eventually coming to the news channel. DCN50... or... 'Document City News 50'. The wolfess expected to see her sports scores, hopefully with a Gold Wings victory over their rivals, the Emmit City Generals. Maybe she'd see the weather forecast for the next few days, or perhaps some general news broadcast or something like social issues or politics.

What she didn't expect to see was breaking news.

Yesterday's scores were stuffed hastily into the corner of the screen, along with the week's weather forecast, but Lucretia couldn't care about any of that. How could see when she saw multiple police vehicles surrounding a crashed prison transport? The police had set up a barrier surrounding the prison bus, but even from this distance and through the screen of this news camera, the wolfess could see the bullet holes that littered the transport's side.

“... Recent news has come in,” said the reporter on duty – some dear woman, “This prison bus left Eastgate Penitentiary at around 10 AM this morning. It was planned to arrive at Bellmount Penitentiary near Bellcrest at 11:30 AM. When it didn't arrive, authorities scrambled to find the missing transport. It was located on the side of the road at around 12 PM, where its two guards were discovered murdered, and the prisoners onboard were nowhere to be found.”

The screen then changed, showing the images of five individuals. The pictures were lined up – one by one by one by one by one – and were all mugshots of dangerous individuals, the names of which were lined up at the bottom of each photo.

To the far left there was Riley Cortes. He was a reptilian beastkin, one whose hair was spiky and black, and whose body was layered in a plethora of tattoos. From flowers to skulls to dragons, the areas of his body one could see looked to be a work of art and ink. His figure was lithe, lean, sinewy, and wiry, like he was some graceful acrobatic who got into the wrong occupation in life. Grinning like a madman, he looked less like a criminal taking a mugshot, and more like some manic jester smiling in a madhouse!

To his right was the photo of another man, one whose name was Marcus Kade. He was a dog beastkin, his body being stocky and sturdily built. And yet he wore glasses like some analyst, and had a focused face like one too. His hair was lean and brown, and he had this focused look in his brown eyes. While he appeared unassuming to the naked eye, you could easily tell that there was something cold about him. As if he exuded indifference from his mere stance alone.

On the far right of the line up of photos was Elias Monroe. He was a fox beastkin, his hair thin and white, and his body pale and skinny. He almost looked gaunt, and the cold look in his eyes gave off the air of a living skeleton or ghost. But much like the dog from before, there was an air of unmistakable danger exuding from this man, even through his photo.

Beside him on the list of photos and names was Jessie Cross... and he was easily the biggest of the five photos. A feline, no, a lion beastkin, he had rippling musculature on his body, and a towering build to match. His head was completely shaved, and he had a scar running down the side of his cheek. His face was just as crazed as Riley's, being this wicked grin that gave off a threatening aura that could easily make others quiver in fear.

And then there was him. The man in the middle, the kingpin, and perhaps the most dangerous member of them all.

Walter Cage.

He was tall, his body chiseled, his hair curly, brown, and long, with these glistening blue eyes, and these strikingly handsome features. With the ears of a wolf, he gave off this domineering allure, but this affable attractiveness that drew in the eyes of others. Couple that with the smile he wore in his photo, and you probably wouldn't mind if this man took your daughter out on a date. If only you knew.

If... only...

These were the Westboro Five; Lucretia didn't need to be told that. They were a notorious group of criminals from six years ago who performed an alarming number of crimes during their tenure. From drug trafficking to armed robbery, there was nothing off the table for them when it came to their illicit business. And with the number of murders they committed in their time among all the other violent crimes, was it any surprise that all five members got the death penalty?

And now, these five dangerous criminals – as well as twenty-five others – managed to escape.

“What's going on?” asked Vivian as she walked up with two plates in hand, “There was a prison break...?”

“That's what it looks like,” Lucretia mumbled as she took a sip of her coffee, her face focused and serious, “That's... not good...”

“Heeeey... I know that face, Lucretia...” Vivi said, her tone scolding as she leered at her girlfriend, “I hope you don't get yourself mixed up with that. Leave the prison break to the authorities...” she then stopped, remembering that she was talking to a cop, “I mean... the other authorities. The FBI handles things like prison breaks, right?”

“The crash happened outside of Eastgate, which isn't too far from us,” Lucretia explained as she gazed at Vivian, giving her a smile, “If they end up in our neck of the woods, I'll have to deal with them.”

“Tch! There's a difference between them coming to us, and you going to them, Luca,” Vivian scolded as she pinched her girlfriend's ears, “I know you're a supercop, but if you come home to me injured because you went on a manhunt for dangerous criminals, I'll never forgive you!”

“Heh heh heh! Oow! Ow!” Lucretia playfully winced, “I know, cutie, I know. I promise, I won't do anything stupid. At least, not with you finding out about it...”

“I heard that...”

Vivian growled at Lucretia... but soon acquiesced. She knew that – no matter what she said or did – it was impossible to stop Lucretia from helping others. Being a police officer was in her blood. Literally; the Salem family were lawmen for as far back as their history went. Asking Lucretia to not hunt down criminals is like asking Lucretia to not eat when she has food in front of her.

It's just not going to happen.

Speaking of food...

“Nmph!”

…

Document City! All around here were blankets of white and snow which covered the city and air. Lucretia casually drove through the city, drifting around cars and past corners as she came to her destination. DCPD. Located on the northeast side of Document City and not too far from Principal Park, Lucretia drove up to her department and got out of her car, where to her not-so-surprise, she saw it was rushing with people.

There were people everywhere. They ran left and right, with cops rushing to leave the department while others entered. Dispatch was also getting a large amount of calls, and Lucretia could tell why. 30 criminals recently escaped a prison, and the news had been talking nonstop about them and how dangerous they were. Now every Tom, Dick and Sally were sending in 'information' as they swore they saw one of the criminals at the grocery store, or on the street, or at the supermarket. Because of this, every officer was being sent out to investigate these calls. While most of them ended up being incorrect or flat out lies, they wouldn't know until they investigated them.

“Hey, Luca!” a voice suddenly called, causing her to stiffen up.

She gazed through the throngs of people, where in the distance she saw an office door open. Standing there was an otter, his body tall, his figure burly, his short hair brown and his eyes brown as well. Arm swinging in, he gestured Lucretia over, who pushed through the people towards him.

“Felix,” she said, “Good morning.”

“Jeeze, I wish,” muttered the otter with a roll of his eyes, “C'mon, the chief's about to give his debriefing.”

The two stepped through the doorway, entering an office that wasn't too dissimilar to a classroom. There were desks lined up, and at the end of the room was a whiteboard. Proposed onto the whiteboard via a projector were the images of all 30 inmates who escaped the transport, with the five biggest portraits belonging to the Westboro Five.

“Good morning, Detective Salem,” called a deep and older voice from the front of the room, “I hope you had a good night's rest.”

“Eh... it's been better,” she replied.

Police Chief Timothy Parker. He was the man in charge of this department, and he commanded it with respect and wisdom. A large and looming tiger of a man, his hair was neatly groomed, and he retained this aura of strength and leadership. When one saw him, they'd instantly be whipped into being on their best behavior.

“So what's the APB?” asked Lucretia as she sat at a desk, causing Timothy to raise an eyebrow.

“If anyone knows what the APB is, it would be you, Detective Salem,” said the tiger as he placed his hand upon the whiteboard in front of him, “It's all on the news, everyone. The Westboro Five – as well as 25 other dangerous criminals – are out and about in our county. We don't know where they are or what they're planning, but we've been getting swamped with calls all this morning.”

“Do you think they've returned to their hideouts and businesses?” asked an officer in the room.

“We're almost sure of it,” Timothy answered, “But it all happened so fast that we're not sure where they can be. We do know that this attack was planned and coordinated. The transport bus was t-boned by another vehicle, and the guards were executed by gunfire that pierced through the bus and struck them down. The rounds were armor-piercing, making it easier to penetrate steel. So far, that's all the information we have gotten from the FBI. The same information is being sent out to police departments in Eastgate and Bellcrest.”

“Have any demands been made? Any tips come in through dispatch that was legit?” asked Lucretia.

“I wouldn't say so. Demands are not the Westboro Five's MO.”

That voice... wasn't Timothy's voice.

Everyone straightened up and turned, gazing down the central lane to where the voice came from. Walking down it was a woman, an eagle. She had short and curly blonde hair that curled over the right side of her face in an indifferent veil. Her body was athletic and strong, owning years of physical activity within its surface. And her eyes? Her eyes were these powerful reds that seemed strong enough to pierce a person's very soul, and had white highlights running around them. Her clothing was refined and immaculate, dressed in navy slacks with an open vest, a white button up shirt, and suspenders running down it.

She walked into the room with this air of strength and power, causing everyone to straighten up as they faced her. Lucretia meanwhile tilted her head as the eagle came to a stop at her, tilted her head, and smiled.

“Detective Salem, I presume?”

“Yeah, that's me,” said Lucretia as she straightened up, “And you...?”

“Detective Salem,” said Timothy, “This is Federal Agent Tasha Vance.”

“Tasha Vance...?” repeated the wolfess, “As in... thee Tasha Vance? The woman who was responsible for the arrest of the Westboro Five in the first place?”

“I see you've done your homework,” said the eagle – Tasha – as a kind smile adorned her lips, “But I expect nothing less of the heroine who saved Queen Tower all on her own.”

“I... ah... you don't need to bring that up,” said Lucretia with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders, “I was just doing my job.”

“You're far too modest, Detective Salem,” Tasha said as she offered her hand, “It's nice to meet a fellow officer who goes above and beyond to protect others, even those they do not know.”

“No problem,” said Lucretia with a smile as she shook her head, “Though... if I may be so bold, do you mind me asking why you're here?”

“The same reason why you're all here,” said Tasha, “The Westboro Five are incredibly dangerous criminals, and the threat they pose to the people of Lexicon County cannot be understated. I was responsible for putting them in jail in the first place, so it's imperative that I go around and warn all the departments involved personally. Besides...” she tapped Lucretia's shoulders, “It's lovely to meet a fellow hero.”

“Ah... please, stop with the hero stuff,” Luca mumbled, “I get enough of that from the city already...”

“Certainly,” said Tasha as she turned away and began walking towards the front of the room... only to stop, “Ufufu... I appreciate that humility of yours.”

She then continued, with Lucretia sitting back down at her desk as Tasha took center stage in the office.

“Now then,” said the federal agent as she palmed the whiteboard, “Please, everyone, pay attention to what you are about to learn. Some of this information may be familiar to you all if you've studied, but for those who haven't, allow me to explain.”

The image of the projector suddenly shifted, flashing the photograph of a certain lizard.

“This is Riley Cortes, also known as 'Knives',” said Tasha, “He is the attack dog of the Westboro Five. Arguably, he's the most dangerous member of the five due to his personality and his enjoyment of physical combat. He's a sadistic thrill-seeker, and he's incredibly unpredictable. If you see him, be alert at all times.”

The image changed again, this time showing a certain dog.

“This is Marcus Kade, also known as 'Cipher',” Tasha continued, “He is the team's hacker and tech guy. Any mechanical wall or computer mainframe placed before him, he can break apart and decipher in a matter of minutes. He's normally seen wearing hoodies, and he carries with him a portable tech rig.”

The image changed, showing a fox.

“This is Elias Monroe, known as the Ghost. As you can tell, he is very slim and very pale. He acts like the team's scout and assassin. Despite his appearances, he is a master of disguise, and has the uncanny ability to blend in and put on any performance that is necessary of him. Personality wise, he is quiet, calculating, and he rarely talks.”

The image flashed, now showing a lion.

“This is Jessie Cross, or Boomer,” Tasha rolled her eyes, “Despite his name, he is incredibly dangerous. At most, Cortes can only take down a few people at most. But Jessie can take down multiple, as he is Westboro Five's demolition expert. He is a master of explosives and firearms, typically sowing chaos with explosions and breaking down barriers. He's loud, brash, loyal to his gang, and always carries explosive gear on him.”

The image flashed one final time, showing off that wolf.

“And last but not least...” Tasha took a deep breath, “We have Walter Cage, the leader of Westboro Five. He doesn't have a codename... and he doesn't need one. He's charismatic, intelligent, and manipulative. He's also a master of hand-to-hand combat, as well as various firearms. He is the brains of the team, and has successfully led them on a variety of heists throughout his career. It's thought that he's the one who planned their escape from Eastgate Penitentiary by getting in contact with lesser members of his gang who were on the outside.”

“Weren't his messages out of the penitentiary monitored?” asked Lucretia, her head tilted to the side.

“Very astute of you, Detective Salem,” answered Tasha with a smile, “Indeed, we did monitor his messages. However, he seemed to use several ciphers and coded words in his messages, ones that would seem mundane and simple to most, but in reality contained secret commands. We believe he used these codes and ciphers to orchestrate his escape from the prison transport.”

“As you can tell, Agent Vance here and the other agents at the FBI have relentlessly investigated the escape,” Timothy interjected, “So I'm expecting you all to do your jobs. Keep your eyes peeled, and listen out for any tips you come across. We'll inform you with any additional information we gain. Until then...” he nodded, “Continue on with your duties and routes as planned.”

Everyone nodded and stood up from their desks, prepared to start their days in earnest. Lucretia lingered behind however, watching as Timothy turned to face Tasha, where the two began talking with one another. Head tilted to the side, the wolfess couldn't help but to read their faces, watching as her chief's expression became surprise, then confusion, while the agent chuckled coyly. What were they talking about? Whatever it was, it didn't concern her.

Luca turned and exited the office. But before she could move too far.

“Detective Salem!”

Tasha called out to her.

“Agent Vance...?” she replied, eyebrow raised, “Is something wrong?”

“No, ufufu, I just wanted to talk to you,” said the eagle with that charming smile on her face, “Timothy speaks so highly of you. Even without taking into account your performance on the Queen Tower, he says you are the best performing cop he's ever had the pleasure of overseeing,” she tapped Lucretia's badge, “That promotion you gained was well-deserved, and a long time coming.”

“I appreciate the kind words, I really do, but... I've said it before,” Lucretia shrugged her shoulders, “I was just doing my job, Agent Vance.”

“Still, I'd love to have a conversation with Document City's residential supercop,” Tasha replied with a mirthful chuckle, “In a way, I see a little bit of myself in you. I was in a similar position to you when I was young. But after I took down the Westboro Five all those years ago, I was offered a job as a federal agent, and I never looked back,” she tilted her head, “I wonder though... after dealing with that nasty terrorist attack, were you given any offers? A part of me feels as if being a detective is... beneath you.”

“Me? Of course I was,” Lucretia replied... only to shake her head, “But I turned them down. I never had any intentions of joining the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, or any other government bureau. I've only ever wanted to be a detective: nothing more, nothing less. Besides... I have family members in the FBI; I don't want to bump shoulders with any of them.”

“Ufufufufu... so very humble indeed,” Tasha commented with a shake of her head, “Well then... do you mind me asking what your plans are for Christmas? I've noticed on your department's schedule that you have the week of Christmas taken off.”

“I uh...” Lucretia mumbled as she scratched her ear, “Just... Christmas stuff. Visiting family... spending time with my girlfriend... nothing more, nothing less.”

“Well then...” Tasha's hand slid into her vest's inner pocket, “Why don't I add a bit of spice to your Christmas vacation, hm?”

Tasha's hand came out of her pocket, revealing... a brochure? Handing it to the wolfess, Lucretia looked at it with an eyebrow raised, confused. It advertised a place called St. Dismas Memorial Hospital. Specifically, it advertised a party that was occurring within St. Dismas; a fun winter excursion meant to help fund the hospital.

“St... Dismas...?” Lucretia repeated, confused.

“I'm not surprised if you've never heard of it,” said Tasha, “St. Dismas Memorial Hospital is a rather old hospital. It's been abandoned for the past five years, but I've been maintaining it for all this time. Call it sentimentality; my father died in that hospital, so I don't want it to just fall apart and be bulldozed.”

“That's... a bit odd...” Lucretia mumbled, making Tasha chuckle.

“I appreciate your honesty, Detective,” said the eagle, before shifting her gaze back down to the brochure, “To help maintain the hospital, I tend to throw parties in one of its wings from time to time. They're open to the general public, as paying to come in and enjoy the festivities helps go to renovating the hospital. Personally, I wish less of our tax money went to paying for prisons and more went to paying for hospitals... but I digress,” she tilted her head at Lucretia, “I'd like to invite you to my winter gala as a... special guest. No need to pay, and... I don't think it would sit well with me to pay off Document City's residential hero.”

Lucretia leered at Tasha for that 'hero' remark, but sighed as she gazed at the brochure. While she found it weird for a party to be thrown at an abandoned hospital, she could tell through the pamphlet that the eagle had worked hard to maintain the hospital for the general public. According to this brochure, she rented out the space to others so that they may have parties of their own, with all the money going straight to the hospital's renovation.

But was she really looking forward to going to a Christmas party at a somewhat abandoned hospital? Maybe for Halloween! Besides, they still had five notorious criminals and twenty-five others to catch! Although, even with this prison break, Lucretia was still planning on taking her vacation. Hey, she promised Vivian they'd have that Christmas break, and honestly, the wolfess was far more afraid of her girlfriend than she was of the Westboro Five!

You do not piss off a nurse. Speaking from experience.

So this gala – weird though it may be – would be the perfect start for their Christmas break together. They'd then have the next several days all to themselves. Just thinking about it was enough to bring a smile to Lucretia's lips.

“I'll think about it,” said the wolfess, making Tasha chuckle.

“Thank you, Lucretia,” replied the eagle as she began walking off, “That's all I ask,” turning away, she began walking off, “Have a lovely shift, Detective!”

Lucretia raised an eyebrow at Tasha, and tilted her head to the side. Tasha was certainly... friendly. She didn't give off the serious and professional vibe that Lucretia would have expected of a federal agent. Then again, everyone often teased the wolfess for being too robotic and monotone at times when it came to her work. Even Vivian wasn't above teasing her girlfriend for her perceived seriousness.

Vivian...

Vivian would enjoy a Christmas party, wouldn't she? One that would – hopefully – go better than their last party. Ya'know, the party that ended with a terrorist attack and several innocent people dying. The idea of whisking Vivi off for a party with wine and entertainment was... fun. And, sure, there were dangerous criminals running around, but they had every police officer in the county hunting them down, not to mention federal agents like Tasha to boot. One day – one night – of fun, music, and food wouldn't hurt anyone.

Again... hopefully...

For now, Lucretia sighed... and stuffed the pamphlet into her jacket. It was time to get going.

…

“St. Dismas Memorial Hospital?”

“Yeah... have you ever heard of it...?”

Sacred Hope Hospital. At almost all hours of the day, the halls of the hospital were filled with doctors and nurses. This was even more apparent during the winter season, where illnesses increase, as well as other injuries. Ya'know, all that snow, that ice, not to mention seasonal depression, increasing the number of patients in the hall.

But here? This place? The hospital cafeteria? It was a lot like her sanctuary. A place where Nurse Vivian North could sit back and unwind...

For at least a few minutes.

But those few minutes always felt a tad bit longer when she entered the hospital. Sometimes, the world aligns, and Vivian's break and her girlfriend's break sync up. And when that happens, and she sees the wolfess walk through those doors, her heart skips a beat.

Though she'd never admit it. She'd just keep her face focused and cool... though her cheeks would turn red.

She expected to sit around and talk with her for a few moments. Lucretia often told her what was going on through her day. Instead, her girlfriend pulled out a brochure for some party at a strange hospital she's never heard of, one that Lucretia claims is--

“Abandoned...?” Vivian said as she looked up, eyebrow raised, “I did hear you, right?”

“Yeah, you did,” Lucretia said as she leaned back, “I looked into the place already. It used to be running a decade ago, but due to poor management and more than a few malpractice lawsuits, it lost a lot of funds and needed to be closed down. It was closed down for a few years, before Agent Vance bought it and the surrounding land. She's been renovating it, and setting it up for multiple parties throughout the years. Birthday parties, Thanksgiving parties, Halloween parties...”

“Halloween parties...?” Vivi repeated as she looked the brochure up and down, “Sounds about right. This place looks horrifying... an abandoned hospital? Imagine getting chased through this place,” she looked back at her girlfriend, “How much of this place has been renovated? All of it?”

“No... just a wing of it,” Luca answered, “Maybe only a floor or two. Just enough to comfortably hold a large amount of people, and nothing else. A Christmas party; that's it.”

“Hmm...”

Vivian gazed at the brochure again, taking note of all the images and pictures within. And as a woman who works in a hospital... she couldn't really tell this was a hospital. If she were to see these photos in a vacuum, without being told this was a hospital beforehand, she would have never guessed. The floor plan was expanded, walls torn down to make for various areas such as a general seating area, a place for eating and dining, a stage for musicians and shows, a spacious dance floor, and even a fountain.

Of course, this was all she could see. She was sure there were untended areas that looked more like a (derelict) hospital, but she figured Tasha had barricades in place so that no party-goer would accidentally wander into them. Still, it was so odd being told that this place was a hospital – an abandoned hospital no less – and for it to look nothing like one.

“Hm... well...” Vivi mumbled as she tapped her chin in thought, “It's a bit strange for a venue, but...” she looked up at Lucretia while shrugging her shoulders, “Eh... fuck it... why not? It's not like we have much planned for Christmas break anyway.”

“You want to go?” asked Lucretia, a small smile adorning her lips, “Heh heh...! I would think that seeing the inside of a hospital would give you an immediate headache!”

“Tch... I'd rather have a party in a hospital than another party at your department,” Vivian replied as she crossed her arms, “Timothy's a great chief, but he really needs to let someone else throw parties. That summer party was a fucking disaster...”

“Hah hah hah! I can't argue with that!” said Lucretia with a few chuckles, “Then start preparing for the trip. It's just for a day; I'm sure we'll have some fun.”

“We better...” Vivian said as she crossed her arms, “So long as it's nothing like last year’s 'party', then I think I'll be fine.”

“Heh heh...! Even if it's exactly like last year's 'party', you'll be fine,” said Luca, “I won't let anyone lay a finger on your delicate hair, apple pie.”

Vivian gritted her teeth.

“D-don't say that when we're out in public...!” she growled, “How many times do I have to tell you that...? Gah!”

Lucretia laughed, finding Vivian's attempts to remain abrasive as being cute. But her laughter was cut short when her phone began to buzz. Pulling it from her jacket, she read the screen, causing her to stand up from their table.

“Time to go, Vivi,” she said, “Got a call from downtown.”

“What? Is it one of those Westboro guys?” Vivian asked, to which Lucretia shook her head.

“Maybe... but most likely not,” she answered, “That news break has been airing for hours, and everyone's getting worked up into a tizzy. We're getting calls almost every few minutes about a sighting of one of these guys, but most of them end up being fluff. Still, we gotta investigate them all, just in case.”

“Tch... yeah, I figure. Suddenly, everyone's got eagle eyes,” the hare replied as she gazed at her girlfriend, “But... ah... whatever. Just be careful, Luca...”

“Heh...! Of course I will.”

Before leaving, Lucretia bent over, closed her eyes, and pursed her lips. Vivian leaned up to meet her, pressing their lips together in a quick kiss. It didn't last too long before the wolfess left through the cafeteria doors, leaving Vivi behind. With a deep breath, the hare gave a forlorn sigh, before bringing her gaze back over towards the brochure advertising St. Dismas Memorial Hospital. Once more she opened the pamphlet, confusingly looking it up and down with a quizzical eye.

“An abandoned hospital...” she whispered, “It just... well...” then she shrugged her shoulders, “Whatever... it's whatever...”

Now then... what to wear.

…

Act 2: A Hospice for Memories and Thieves

December 22nd... time sure flew by, didn't it? Twelve days of a lot of nothing. Lucretia went to work, Vivian went to work, they had dates in between, and life just went on. The horror of 30 escaped criminals started to leave the collective conscience of the everyday masses, though the police and FBI continued to investigate the situation. Sure, there were the occasional calls and the occasional tips, but almost everyone seemed to just...

Forget...

But no one could forget the Christmas cheer.

Document City was a place where almost every year was a white Christmas. And as snow blanketed rooftops and sidewalks, Christmas ornaments ordained everything else. From walls to lampposts, from fences to mailboxes, everything had some sort of ornament on it, be it flashy banners, glowing lights, or candy canes, or whatever else have you. Even cars had extra lights on them that flashed Christmas cheer! That had to be a hazard, right?

Meh... not that it mattered... it's not like she had a car to drive...

Sitting on her chair with her knees drawn up to her chin and her phone in her hand, was Vivian. The hare had been planning out her outfit for this party ever since Lucretia told her about it, and she was sure she had chosen well.

Blue. Vivian was wearing a lot of blue. If a jacket and a dress could be fused together, that's the best description for what she was wearing. Its slim bodice gripped upon her chest, and the seams of which were puffy and white. The midsection of the dress clinched her waist before billowing out around her hips and legs, extending down beyond her knees and ending in white fluff... while her skirt beneath extended even further beyond. Dark blue buttons ran up the skirt and to her chest, while golden buttons adorned the belt of her jacket... as well as the scarf that was wrapped around her neck.

Did it make her look rich? Good! Because that's the point.

Bweep~! Bweep~!

“Hm?”

Suddenly... a text message. Lucretia had just pulled up to her apartment, and was waiting for her downstairs. Smiling from cheek to cheek, Vivi leaped up from her chair with an energetic hop. She was so excited, even she realized that she was being too excited. So she quickly took a deep breath... and mentally slapped herself on the head.

“What the hell is wrong with you...?” she grumbled to herself as she turned off her lights and exited her apartment, “Jeeze... Lucretia's gonna tease you for this...”

With her nose stuck up and a 'Hmph!' from her lips, Vivian marched out of her apartment and headed downstairs. While she didn't know what to expect at St. Dismas Memorial Hospital, she could not stop her mind from racing with thoughts about what Lucretia was going to wear. She had asked her several times during the weeks leading up to the party, and each time Luca played coy, often teasing her for her perceived curiosity. But of course she'd be curious! What if they went to the party wearing the same outfit?

But of course, that wasn't going to happen. She was childish in thinking they'd share clothing even similar to one another. Vivian was a short and dainty hare. Lucretia was a tall and amazonian wolfess. The two could not be any different from one another.

She just wanted to know. She just wanted to know soooooo bad!

Eventually, her elevator came to a halt at the bottom floor, and Vivian exited into the lobby. Leaving her apartment complex out onto the roads outside and coming to the parking lot.

And she stopped.

Black. So much black. Lucretia was wearing sooooooo much black!

The wolfess stood there next to her car, a smile on her face. On her shoulders was a jet-black coat, one that fell and fell and fell, nearly touching the ground at her feet. Fur trimmed, its sleeves and collar were puffy and black. Beneath her jacket she wore a black turtleneck sweater... one that had a keyhole in the center of it, flaunting the cleavage of her powerful bust. Her legs were clad in tight black jeans that seemed both incredibly tight, yet also easy to move around in. And capping it all off (literally in this case), on the wolfess’s head was a fuzzy hat.

She stood there, one hand on her hip and the other hand at her side while her lips curled into her trademark smile. Just the sight of her caused Vivian to stagger, her cheeks turning red as Lucretia's looming stature and staggering attractiveness had her stuck like glue. She wanted to say something – mostly to praise her – but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. Instead she growled and gazed to the side... while her cheeks turned even redder.

“Y-you're late, Luca...” she growled, still attempting – and failing – to hide her attraction.

“Heh heh...! Sorry, apple pie,” Lucretia said as she walked with her to the passenger-side door, “Guess I was a bit excited last night. I stayed up later than usual.”

“That's... gh... not an excuse...” Vivian scolded while Luca opened up her door, “Ah... th-thank you...”

As Lucretia chuckled, Vivi entered the familiar interior of Lucretia's car. The wolfess then circled around to the driver's seat of her car, pulling it open and getting inside.

Next stop, St. Dismas Memorial Hospital.

…

“So... how many people do you see?”

“The number is increasing. So far I count about... seventeen individuals.”

“Any ratio you could give?”

“It seems to be slightly in favor of men to women. I'd say... two men for every one woman. And... several children.”

“Good. Good. Keep watch. We'll move when the final guest arrives.”

St. Dismas Memorial Hospital... for a place that threw parties regularly, it sure looked...

Dead...

St. Dismas was a large hospital. Keyword being 'was'. In the past, it was a majestic structure, its walls white, its windows shimmering, and its fence Gothic in design. But now, everything felt so... warn. The walls had lost their white luster, instead being gray and dismal. In certain areas, the windows looked pure and clean... but in other areas – areas just out of view – they were shattered and broken, as they had clearly not been maintained in years. The fence that surrounded the perimeter had lost all of its majesty and beauty, now being as worn gray as the walls of the hospital, with weeds growing through their rested black bars. How could this place ever throw a party?

Quite often, honesty. If anything, the derelict and rundown nature of the hospital appealed to thrill-seekers and adventurers.

Side by side, the parking lot of the hospital was lined with cars: guests who were invited for this year's Christmas party. Men, women, children; families as a whole exited their cars with smiles and laughter. And one such car was coming in last of all: a stylish black car with a golden livery on its hood. It parked in the last open parking spot, and exiting it were two young women: a tall wolfess, and a hare.

“I believe that's the last two people coming to the party. Tasha should be closing the gate soon.”

“Good... good... now then... Ghost... keep surveillance of the outer perimeter until Cipher can tell us the identities of everyone at the party. It's time we got what we came for...”

“Understood...”

“Ya'know cutie... you could always hold my hand...”

“Tch... d-don't say stupid shit, Luca...”

Side by side Vivian and Lucretia walked, traveling down the puddle and snow-laden parking lot. The hare glanced up at her girlfriend after her remark, shooting her a glare... while her cheeks turned red and her lips began to pout. Fucking bitch; she just always had to get under her skin, didn't she? Holding hands? Out in public? What, was she crazy?

Yes, brazenly so. Lucretia was an absolute machine when it came to police work, but her duty was always tainted by a tinge of insanity. After all, only an insane woman would fight against terrorists by herself, and only an insane woman would actually succeed.

Maybe that's why Vivian reached up. While she was annoyed by Lucretia's words... she couldn't help but to grab upon her hand and hold it tight. Luca squeezed her hand back, and for a brief moment, they both smiled with rosy cheeks and visible hearts in their eyes.

Oh shit. Damn did Vivi hate this lovey-dovey crap. She always thought it was stupid shit that only happened in movies and books; mere fantasies. But whenever she was with Lucretia, she felt those fantasies come true. And when she looked into the wolfess' eyes, she could see the same feeling within her.

Together – and hand-in-hand – the two walked down the parking lot towards the hospital before them. Vivian turned to face it, her head tipped back as a gaze of genuine awe left her lips. It was so big. Sacred Hope was large, but it was also warm, inviting, and cutting-edge when it came to its technology. But St. Dismas Memorial Hospital was anything but. With its gray walls and worn Gothic architecture, it exuded authority, control... and dread.

Why would this place ever hold a party?

“This is so odd...” Vivian whispered, before shuddering as a cold gust of wind brushed through her. A terrible omen, “L-Luca... aah... I... I'm suddenly having second thoughts about...” she looked up, “This...? Luca...? Is something wrong?”

Lucretia wasn't looking at Vivian. Lucretia wasn't smiling. She was gazing towards the distance, gazing towards the group of people who were shoveling snow out of the way of the parking lot. They all wore heavy black jackets to beat out the cold air and windchill; nothing about them was out of the ordinary. So why did Lucretia look so... serious?

“Luca...?”

“Hm? What? Hm?”

The wolfess looked over, gazing towards Vivian. Her girlfriend looked back at her, her face concerned.

“Is something wrong, Luca?” Vivi asked, to which the wolfess straightened up.

“Uh! Y-yeah. Heh! Yes, cutie, everything's A-OK,” she said as she took a deep breath, “I think I just... uh...” she shook her head, “Nothing, it's nothing. Let's get going, okay?”

Lucretia smiled, yeah... but she also squeezed Vivian's hand a tinge tighter. The rabbit was no fool; she understood the hidden meaning in this clinch. Luca was on alert, but she didn't know why she was on alert. That only made the hare's ears straighten up as she grew alarmed as well. Perhaps they should just leave? It's not like this party was in their honor or anything...

“Ah! Detective!”

Too late!

Lucretia and Vivian gazed forward towards St. Dismas' entrance. Standing there was an eagle with short, curly blonde hair, red eyes, and a charming smile on her lips. Wearing an open vest on her shoulders, a button up white shirt, and black slacks with warm boots, she looked like some grizzled detective in a noir film. Odd clothing for a Christmas party.

“Agent Vance,” said Lucretia as she approached her.

“Ufufufu! It's nice to see you again, Detective,” said Tasha, though she shook her head, “But, please, you can drop the 'agent' part of my name. While we're here at my party, we can be more informal with one another. Please, just call me 'Tasha'!” her eyes then roamed over towards Vivian, who clutched tighter upon Lucretia's hand, “And, my my, who's this cutie here?”

“Ngh...?” Vivi mumbled.

“This... ah... cutie... is my girlfriend,” Lucretia said... her words oddly possessive, especially with how she said 'my'. It honestly made Vivian's heart flutter... thought she'd never admit it.

“Hm? Is that so?” said Tasha, seemingly oblivious to Lucretia's defensiveness, “Well then, it's nice to meet you Miss...?”

“North,” Vivian said with a dismissive wave of her free hand, “Vivian North.”

“Ufufufufu! Nice to meet you, Vivian North,” said Tasha as she placed her hand on her chest, “I'm Tasha Vance, but I'm sure the Detective has already told you about me, seeing as how you're here at my party. I hope you enjoy your time here! Ufufufufu!” she stepped aside, “Come in, come in! It's already cold out here as is!”

Together, Lucretia and Vivian entered the hospital... where they gave audible gasps. The sheer bewilderment of St. Dismas continued as they entered not the decaying lobby of an abandoned hospital, but instead the beautiful and refined lobby of what could only be described as an avant-garde office complex!

Everything had this gold and brown color to it, with hexagonal panels adorning the walls and floors. To the side of the room was a fountain that looked natural, with water rushing from the top to the bottom and back again. There was also a seating area to the opposite corner, which was currently filled with the other guests Tasha had invited. They were all talking casually, while the eagle herself walked to the end of the room to stand before the elevators.

“Hello, everyone!” she called, attracting everyone's gaze to her, “And welcome to my Christmas party! I hope everyone had an easy time coming here today!” she then shifted her gaze, staring at Lucretia specifically, “And please, everyone, I'd love to introduce our guest of honor this evening, Detective Lucretia Salem.”

“Wh-what? M-me?” said Lucretia as she pointed at herself.

In their relationship, Luca loved teasing Vivian. It was her favorite thing to do. Ya'know, aside from hugging her, and kissing her... oh yeah, and eating her. She absolutely loved doing that last part. But her teasing antics were normally one-sided. No matter what Vivian said or did, she could never embarrass Lucretia.

But Tasha could.

Calling Lucretia the 'guest of honor' caused everyone in the room to look at her... and realize that she was the supercop that saved the Queen Tower a year ago. Sure, not everyone knew it, but those who did gave genuine gasps of awe, as if they realized they were standing in the same room as a celebrity! It caused Luca to deflate and groan, her eyes rolling as her cheeks turned red, and Tasha chuckled.

“Ufufufufu! Sorry, Detective! I couldn't help myself!” said the eagle, “I'm sure someone would've noticed sooner or later!” she then pointed down an adjacent hall where a staff member stood, “Now, come this way, my guests. Mr. Ellis here will lead you to the party hall proper.”

Lucretia groaned and slumped forward, while the many people in the room all began walking towards the staff member, following him to where the party was being held. As they exited the lobby however, someone lingered behind. Once the area was empty, that person in a baggy hoodie pulled himself up, revealing himself to be a dog with lean brown hair, brown eyes, glasses, and a small laptop he typed away on quickly.

“Did you get all of that?” a voice buzzed into his ear.

“I did...” the dog answered as he tapped the earpiece, “Lucretia Salem, age 27. Holds the rank of detective in the Document City Police Department. She has high marks in all of her policing files, currently holding the highest accuracy rating of her precinct. She's also been the highest performer for the past several years in her precinct. But most importantly of all...” he paused, “She was the so-called heroine of something called the 'Queen Tower Incident'. Apparently...” he paused again, reading his laptop, “There was a terrorist attack/heist on a luxury cruise liner called the Queen Tower. There were multiple casualties, but the terrorists were all successfully routed by Lucretia and Lucretia alone. Interesting...”

“Indeed,” a voice echoed through his earpiece, “What is a woman like her doing here? Heh heh heh... oooooh Tasha... you bitch...”

“Should we call off our plan?”

“Why would we do that? Everything is going according to plan so far. We have our hostages, we have Tasha, and we have our cash, so let's keep going. Head over to the tower and get to work jamming it. Oh, and keep a low profile, Cipher. Boomer will be coming soon.”

“Understood...”

The dog tapped his earpiece and closed his laptop, before gazing at the hall the guests entered into.

…

If you knocked her out, woke her up in this hall, and told her to walk, she would never think that this place used to be a hospital. Absolutely none of the hospital's original functions and corridors existed in this hall, at least from what she could see. From the gold and brown colors, to the floor aureate LED lights that shimmered on the floors, to the general architecture of it all; absolutely nothing said 'This used to be – and still is – an abandoned hospital!'

She could understand now why people come here for parties if this is what they were greeted by...

Hand-in-hand with Lucretia, Vivian and her girlfriend walked through the halls along with the rest of the crowd to the party floor. Their trek took them up one flight of stairs to the hospital's second floor, where they pushed through open double doors to enter a larger room. It was the same room that was being advertised in the brochure: there was the dining area, the stage, the dance floor, a seating area with tables and a couch, and – of course – the fountain.

Again, this place used to be a hospital?

“Please, everyone, please,” said Tasha as she walked into the room, “Enjoy yourselves while you're here. Mix, mingle; talk with one another! And don't be afraid of going to the food table for refreshments! My staff are working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure everyone has a good time!”

“Food table?” Lucretia repeated.

“Ugh...”

Vivian rolled her eyes... and was almost immediately drawn across the room, through the people, and brought to the food table. Not that she minded, nor was she surprised. The moment the word 'food' entered into Luca's ears, she was magnetized to the table.

Before them was a smorgasbord: a table filled with a wide assortment of food that made the wolfess' jaw drop and eyes glow. Sandwiches, pasta, fruits, vegetables, meats of all kinds like poultry and seafood! Anything Lucretia could possibly want to eat was placed before her, ready to be devoured! There were even sweet treats in the corner! That's just perfect!

Vivian stood aside, her face falling flat as immediately – immediately! – Lucretia began gorging herself on the food placed before her. The rabbit would be angrier... but this was typical of her girlfriend. Besides – and this was yet another acknowledgment she'd never admit to – but she kind of liked how big of an eater Lucretia could be sometimes.

Ugh... even admitting that in her mind caused her to pout in annoyance. This was all her father's fault; he was always a big eater!

“I see the Detective didn't hesitate to make her way to the food table,” said Tasha, who suddenly appeared behind Vivian, making her straighten up.

“Huh? Y-yeah,” said Vivian as she clutched her arm, “Lucretia's like this. She's a big woman and she needs a lot of fuel to keep going, so she eats a lot. At least, that's my rationale behind it. Personally, I think she just likes to eat. She has a big stomach...”

“Ufufufufu... needs a lot of fuel to keep going, eh? I suppose you know a lot about that,” said Tasha with a wry grin, before said grin turned hapless as she chuckled, “Sorry, sorry! It was just a joke. I don't want to assume anything about your personal life with Lucretia. Here...” she extended her hand, “Let me introduce myself to you more formally. I'm Federal Agent Tasha Vance.”

Vivian looked at Tasha, being defensive. She didn't know this eagle, but her smile was kind, and she had this air of strength to her. She was also a federal agent, so – on some level – she had some sense of camaraderie with Lucretia as they were both lawkeepers. So Vivi sighed, letting loose of her abrasive nature, if only for a moment.

“Vivian North,” she said, reintroducing herself to the agent as she shook Tasha's hand, “Nurse Vivian North.”

“Oh! You're a nurse!” said the eagle, “When I read Lucretia's file, I figured she was the kind of woman who was married to her job. From the looks of things, she spends more time at her department than she does at her own home. So when she introduced you earlier as her girlfriend – oh, I'm sorry, as her cutie – I thought you would have also been in the department. Maybe as a forensic analyst... a secretary... maybe a baker.”

“C-cutie? A baker?” Vivian didn't know what was worse; having Tasha refer to her as Lucretia's 'cutie', or being called a baker, “Aanh...!”

“Sorry, sorry! I have the unfortunate habit of teasing others,” said the eagle, “Just a bit of harmless fun. When you're surrounded by stuffy agents all day, you look for fun wherever you can find it.”

“I get enough of that at my hospital,” said Vivian with a dismissive wave of her hand, “Everyone says I lack a sense of humor... but... I just don't think it's funny.”

“Ouch! Ufufufufu! But... expected...” Tasha leaned forward, “I can see why Lucretia's dating you. You have fangs, and wolves love a strong pair of fangs,” her eyes grew sharp, “And you probably love it too.”

Were federal agents always this flirtatious? Tasha had a similar air to Lucretia with how she flirted, and how tall and strong she was. Eagles were predators too, and Vivian did love predators, but the agent's flirting left her feeling a bit uncomfortable. Thankfully...

“Vivi!” Lucretia called, a smile on her lips as she picked up a meat kebab, “They have steak, and chicken, and fish on this kebab! You've gotta try it!”

“Ugh...” Vivian mumbled as she approached her girlfriend, “This better be good.”

Tasha lingered behind, her arms crossed and head tilted to the side as a small smile adorned her lips. Focusing her gaze on Vivian, she watched as the bunny joined her girlfriend... before bringing her gaze up over towards Lucretia herself. Focusing on the wolfess, Tasha nodded a few times, before reaching into her pocket to pull out her phone.

So far, it was just a little past 12 PM. Everything was going well. Here's to hoping it stayed that way.

…

“AACCKH!? GRRRKGH!? URRGKH!?!?!? GAH! GAHK! AACKH!? GHGHHRRGHH!!!” SNAP! “...”

Thud!

He lingered a bit too far from where he should have been. Just some staff member who retreated to get a smoke break, wandering into an area of the hospital he shouldn't have. When he saw that lizard, he shrieked. He recognized his face on the news, knowing there was a manhunt for him. So he did the wisest think he thought of at the moment; he turned and ran.

And maybe – juuuuust maybe – if he wasn't dealing with some sort of super-criminal, he would've escaped him. There were several yards between the two of them and he had a head start; he could've run away, couldn't he?

That's what he thought, but... well... he's no longer thinking, is he?

His name was Bradford, keyword being 'was'. A man in his early thirties, just working as a staff member for this little event to make some extra Christmas cash. But – for some reason – the universe decided that today was the day he died. But, no, the universe didn't decide that, did it? The universe doesn't decide anything. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Nothing more, nothing left.

Bradford's body laid dead on this decaying floor, while above him stood a lizard. His hair was spiky and black, his body was lithe and sinewy, his eyes this sadistic red, and his lips were curled into this manic smile. Stretching up above Bradford's body, he performed a bow, as if bringing an end to a play for an audience that did not exist.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Until the footsteps behind him echoed out.

“Will you stop messing around, Knives,” a gruff voice spoke behind the lizard.

Said lizard straightened and turned around, his eyes falling on a lion. A tall, muscular and wall of a lion, one with a balled head, a burning red mane, and a scar on his cheek. Wearing a large overcoat, he glared down upon the lizard, who continued grinning up at him.

“What's wrong, Boomer?” asked the lizard – Knives – causing the lion to roll his eyes, “I took him out before he went and warned everybody. I wouldn't want to make your explosions go off too soon. We both know how much you like to wait for... the perfect moment!”

“It's about to get loud...” said the lion – Boomer – as he began walking forward.

“It's always loud when you're involved! Gehehehehehehe!”

Together, the two began walking through this decaying hospital. Unlike the party floor, this place looked like a true hospital, just dark, dank, and derelict. The air was cold and musky, the walls were chipping and falling to pieces, the floor was laden with trash, gunk, and puddles of nondescript water, and there were many abandoned tools resting around. But the lion marched through it all without flinching, and the lizard pranced through it like he was traveling among a bed of flowers.

Entering into a crumbling stairwell, the duo climbed up the second floor of the hospital, while the lion tapped the earpiece he was wearing.

“Walter,” he said into it, “Knives and I are on the second floor. We're nearing the party as we speak.”

“Good. Everything's going to plan,” a voice replied through his earpiece, “Backup will be coming in a moment. So, please Boomer, be a little patient and don't go blowing things up prematurely. That goes double for you, Knives.”

“Hey booossss! Gehehehehehe!”

“Don't worry, Walter. I'll keep him in check.”

Tapping his earpiece again, the lion shut it off, before he and Knives gazed forward together. In front of them were a pair of double doors, ones that were locked. Unlike the rest of the decaying hospital, the doors in this hall were bulky and strong, being clearly new and reinforced. To break through them would require a more... forceful touch.

Boomer had that 'forceful touch'.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out what looked like a wad of clay. Gently, he applied the clay upon the hinges of the door, as well as the outline of the entryway as a whole. This? This right here? This was military grade C-4. When applied correctly, it could blow up cars, destroy tankers, and outright detonate a tank. In this case, it was almost overkill.

That's good. Boomer loved overkill.

It didn't take him too long to apply the C-4 to the double doors' rim. Now all they needed to do was wait.

…

Act 3: Die Hard

“Here... open your mouth...”

“Aaaawwwwwww...” Push! “Mmph! Nmmmm... Nomph!”

The flowing water of a fountain. The conversations of other people. The glittering lights of gold and brown. The subtle Christmas music playing in the corner. All combined... this was nice.

But nicest of all...

“Okay... give me another one...”

Was the wolfess in front of her.

Sitting next to the fountain, Lucretia's green eyes gazed into Vivian's carmine ones. In a rare moment of public vulnerability for the hare, she looked at her girlfriend with a smile on her face and a plate in her hand. On said plate were several kebabs containing an assortment of meats, steamed vegetables, and fruit. Vivi would pick up one of those kebabs, gaze into Luca's eyes, and...

“Open your mouth...”

“Aaaawwwwwww...” Push! “Nmmph! Mmmmm... Nomph!”

Moments like this were frequent between the two. The rabbit wasn't lying when she said her girlfriend loved to eat. And there was a certain intimacy in holding the end of a kebab, sticking it into Lucretia's mouth, and watching her pull the food off of it with one bite. It was flawless, and the closeness they shared always found a way to draw Vivian just a smidgen closer.

Chu!

Lucretia's lips kissed the tips of Vivian's fingers, causing the rabbit to give an uncharacteristic giggle. She heard it and Luca heard it, but neither commented on it. It was just an intimate little moment that came and went, before Vivian grabbed another kebab.

“Nmph…! Are you having fun, cutie?” asked Lucretia, causing Vivian to chuckle as she brushed some hair from her face.

“If I wasn't having fun, I'd let you know,” the hare stated as she brought the kebab close, “Now open your mouth.”

“Aaaaaawww!” Push! “Mmmm...! Nomph! Nomph! Nomph! Sho ghood...” Lucretia mumbled before swallowing the food in her mouth, “Aah... ya'know, Vivi, I've been thinking about some things as of late. You and me... we've known each other for over a year now,” she took in a deep breath, “And... I guess it's nostalgia, but I've been thinking about that day on Queen Tower. Heh... before the moon went down...” she leaned in close, “I'm so happy of all the time we spent together.”

“Lucretia...” Vivian whispered, her face growing forlorn... before she stiffened up and gritted her teeth, “D-don't say anything stupid... you... you wouldn't want anyone getting the wrong idea about how we feel about one another.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Lucretia replied as she leaned her head on her fist and smiled, “I'm pretty sure I know how I feel about you. Heh... I've never been shy of telling you how much I love you.”

Those words. Those three simple words. 'I love you'. How can three words hold so much weight behind them? Vivi felt them push down on her shoulders, causing her to growl in a show of indignation. That abrasiveness of hers only increased when she looked forward, seeing the genuine smile on Luca's lips.

Oooooh, did she hate it when Lucretia did this. The thing is, Luca rarely did it purposefully. It was just instinct for her. Like it was in her blood to tease Vivian, no matter what. Whenever she put on that smile, and her green eyes gazed into Vivi's carmine ones, the hare felt stuck in place. She needed to retreat and save face.

“You're such a glutton,” said the rabbit, “Let me get you another plate...”

Standing up, Vivian quickly began walking away from Lucretia... which shifted into hops in order to put as much distance between herself and her girlfriend as she could. Secretly, a part of her wished she was as simple as Luca was. The wolfess was three things: a focused detective, a ravenous glutton... and a dutiful lover. Everyone who knew Lucretia knew she was these three things, and she never hid them. Why should she? She was proud of who she was, and she should be!

Vivian wished she could be as simple. She wished she could put herself into three easily definable traits. But above all, she wished she could say the same three words Lucretia never had qualms sharing. Vivian wished she could say...

I love you, too.

But she couldn't. It was like there was a barrier in her mind stopping her from uttering those simple words. That weight she felt on her shoulders when Lucretia said them, was the same weight that prohibited her from saying them in return. Because – deep down inside – Vivi knew she loved Lucretia. Hell, Lucretia knew that Vivi loved her! But the hare just didn't feel strong enough to say it out loud.

What if? What if they were wrong? What if – somehow – their relationship breaks apart? What if – for whatever reason – she left Lucretia? What if Lucretia left her? The hare's heart couldn't take it! But on the other hand, the hare couldn't admit her love to the wolfess.

If she did, then their whole life would change. What would happen then? Would they move into the same apartment? Would they move into their own house? Would they even... ya'know... get...

Mar... ri... ed...?

Marriage!? Gah! What was she doing pondering about marriage? She was still a nurse for heaven's sake! Marriage was still years off! And when marriage gets into her head, naturally, the thought of children would come up next, and the whole can of worms that brings up! Were either of them ready to be mothers? Was Vivian ready to be a mother?

Well... kinda... but she's not sure if that's her, or if that was just the bunny in her blood.

Vivian shook her head. What was wrong with her getting thoughts like this? Thoughts like these were best saved for the privacy of her apartment; not in the middle of some Christmas party! No! She was going to collect a few more kebabs, go back to the fountain, and return to feeding Lucretia!

Yeeeeaaaaaah...

So she did that. She placed several assortments of kebabs upon the plate, and began walking back to her girlfriend. Looking up, she saw Luca sit there on the fountain's edge, a smile on her lips. Vivian smiled too... only for her ears to suddenly perk up.

She was hearing something. She didn't know what she was hearing, but her mind seemed to ring like a silent alarm. Turning, Vivian gazed into the direction of the double doors at the end of the room. Vivi opened her mouth, and...

KA-THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

It was the ringing Vivian heard first. A high-pitched 'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!' that bounced between her ears. Then came the roar of pain. It raced up her back and through her body, keeping her pinned to the floor. A few seconds later, she realized what happened.

There was an explosion. It wasn't close to her, but it was close enough to knock her off her feet and throw her into her back. She sat there, writhing in pain as the shock wore off and reality settled in. The high-pitched ringing began to dissipate soon after, replaced by the sound of screams. And then those screams...

RATATATATATATATATATATA!!!

Was pierced by ringing gunfire.

Bullets pushed through the thick smog created by the explosion, and Vivian's eyes split open. Flattening her ears to her head in order to block out the raging sound, she struggled to get to her knees so that she could crawl out of the open. Footsteps raced all around her, she couldn't tell where anything was or wasn't, she just knew there were some couches nearby. If she ran for them, then maybe she could...

GRAB! LIFT!

Never mind.

Vivian wasn't mortal; that was something she had long since accepted. The same could not be said for her girlfriend. Lucretia was many things – an officer of the law, a powerful wolfess, a dutiful lover, just to name a few – but mortal was not one of them. For no mere mortal could move the way she did.

Like a blur of red and black, she zipped in and scooped Vivian up into her arms and off the floor. The rabbit had no time to even realize what happened... but her body did. The moment those strong arms gripped her slender body and the wolfess' scent flowed into her nose, she knew she was safe.

Fwip!

Lucretia leaped over a barricade containing shrubbery within it, before leaning back to hide themselves beneath its wall. After resting Vivian safely beside her, the wolfess pushed her hand into her coat and pulled out... a gun. But this wasn't just any gun. While Lucretia was a master of firearms of all shapes and sizes, there was only one gun that was perfect for her.

It was a magnum of some sorts: a bombastic, black, burly beast of a weapon. Boxy and angular in shape, its slide was flat and rectangular, and it looked heavy enough to break the wrist of a lesser man if they were to hold it. Red accent marks ran along its side as well, glowing as if this gun had a life all its own. Imagine then the recoil of firing such a weapon.

This? This powerful weapon? This was Lucretia's personal sidearm, and its name was Justiciar!

Snapping upright, Lucretia looked over the surface of the barricade she leaned upon, gazing towards the double doors that had been blown open. Walking through them were men, all of whom were wearing baggy jackets to block out the winter snow, and had visors on their face to help obscure their identities.

Not that Luca cared; she was more focused on the machineguns they had in their hands! And they weren't shy of using those guns, as they endlessly squeezed their triggers to fire a spray of bullets into the screaming crowds before them. Some fired to the ceiling just to stew chaos, but more than a few actively took aim at the innocent crowd, rushing to wantonly slaughter them as quickly as they could.

Those were Luca's targets...

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

They may have expected retaliation. They weren't expecting return fire.

Lucretia's gunfire pierced the air, flying towards her target and striking him with pinpoint accuracy. Her bullet's tore through his jacket like a knife stabbing cardboard, causing him to fall back and collapse to the floor. His partner – the man beside him – was quickly alerted to Lucretia, and he angled his machinegun to fire upon her. But before he could fire...

POW! POW! POW!

“ACK!?”

Bullet's struck his body, these coming from a different direction. Just as he was falling to the floor, he turned to face who shot him, seeing the red eyes of an eagle gaze back at him.

Standing next to a pillar with a pistol in her hand was Agent Kade. Her red eyes were sharp, her firearm smoking as she glared at her fallen target. She didn't stare for much longer however, as one of the men firing at the ceiling shifted his attention towards her. Squeezing the trigger of his gun, he fired upon Tasha, who quickly jutted back behind her pillar.

“Detective!” she shouted out, “A little help here!”

There was no hesitation.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Right on cue, bullets raced through the air, striking the man with .50 caliber bullets. Was it overkill? Maybe. Unfortunately for her targets, Justiciar couldn't underkill.

The man dropped dead, slamming to the ground with so much force that his visor bounced off his head. Lucretia was quick to duck back down and reach into her pocket, pulling out six bullets, and reloading her magnum at sonic speeds. Once her gun was ready, she straightened up and gazed at the door.

“Detective!” Tasha shouted, “To the back corner of the room is a fire alarm! Can you get it!? I'll keep you covered!”

“I'm on it!”

Like two synced up machines, Lucretia didn't hesitate to rush towards the back corner of the room. As she did so, Tasha popped out from around the corner, taking aim at two more men who were coming through the door. The moment they revealed themselves holding guns in hand, she fired upon them, forcing one man to retreat behind the wall, while the other man was shot dead. Luca kept focus however, leaping over tables and chairs to come to the corner of the room. No hesitation; she grabbed the fire alarm, pulled it down, and--

EEE! EEE! EEE! EEE! EEE! EEE! EEE!

The alarm started roaring, followed by sprinklers activating to drop water upon the area. The flames from the explosion were quickly tamed, and the smog began to dissipate. Using that time to run forward, Tasha came to the wall on the opposite side of the door, locking her eyes on Lucretia's.

“Everyone!” Tasha shouted as she pointed to a door at the opposing side of the room, “That maintenance door leads upstairs to the employee lounge! Come on! Let's go! Let's go!”

Taking lead point, Tasha began ushering the guests to follow her, which they did quickly. It was madness and there were still screams of fear, but as the gunfire grew quiet, people grew more calm in the head. They followed the eagle into a hall which led to a door at the back, while Lucretia turned.

“Vivian!” she shouted as she ran back to where she left her girlfriend, seeing her hand lazily lean over the edge.

“Koff Koff...! I'm here...” she replied with that typical and cool indifference of hers. Ya'know, as if she wasn't caught in the middle of yet another firefight.

Lucretia didn't hesitate, as she quickly rushed back to her girlfriend. She was a little scratched and scuffed from being blown back, but Vivian was fine. Not that it mattered, as Luca was quick to pick her up into her arms, holding her girlfriend near. She then rushed through the room, entering the hall behind everyone else. As soon as she pushed through the door, Tasha slammed the door shut behind them, and locked it in place.

Clunk!

For several moments, there was silence, one that was only broken up by the desperate breathing of everyone inside. Lucretia and Vivian both turned to face the door, as if more assailants would come bursting through it. When they were sure they were safe and that no one was currently attacking them, Luca and Vivi looked at one another.

“Are you okay?” asked the wolfess as she pressed her nose against Vivian's.

“I'm... gulp... I'm fine, Luca...” she whispered, her heart pounding against her ribcage, “I-I promise I'm fine. I just... just... Mmmmpfff!”

“Mmmm!”

Adrenaline. The blood pumping fear of death. The thrill and rush of combat. It all elicited something primal in the both of them. The two didn't know what came over the both of them. They just let their lips crash together in a needed kiss, their tongues grinding and writhing as this fervent and primal hunger took hold over them. Smacking lips and clicking tongues, sounds that would have gone on for much longer – and grown even lewder – had an abrupt 'Ahem...' not echoed to their side.

Vivian and Lucretia's eyes both grew wide as if forcibly brought back down to earth. The two sat there, immobile, before slowly breaking their lips to turn. Facing them were all the guests of Tasha's party... including their frightened children. Thankfully, their parents covered their eyes to block the view of the sudden makeout session, but Vivi still blushed and looked away while Luca smiled sheepishly.

“S-sorry... heh...!” she apologized, before gently letting Vivian down to the ground.

“Well now... Detective...” said Tasha as she walked up behind the wolfess, tapping her shoulder, “I must say, your performance was admirable. I didn't think that...” she tapped Lucretia's side, “You brought your firearm with you.”

“Luca rarely leaves home without it,” Vivian said, before straightening up, “Ah... wait...” she then turned, facing the crowds, “Everyone, my name is Vivian North, and I'm a nurse working at Sacred Hope Hospital. If anyone is injured, please line up against the wall and come to me, I'll tend to you as best as I can.”

Vivian could hear confused murmurs, conversations, and the crying of others as everyone struggled to understand what situation they had been placed in. She paled slightly... but was quick to puff up her chest, refusing to let this situation slow her down. People needed help, and she was going to help them. Thankfully, the employee lounge was big enough to hold everyone, with various seats around. She would investigate everyone, giving Lucretia and Tasha time to figure out what was going on.

As if they needed to think long about it...

“What the hell is going on, Tasha?” Luca asked, “Who were those guys?”

“You probably have an idea, Detective,” the eagle replied as she reached into her pocket, “Weeks ago, criminals escaped from a penitentiary, some of which were the Westboro Five, a notorious group that I had a hand in arresting. And now – without warning – the party I'm throwing is suddenly ransacked by an explosion?” she shook her head, “Sounds like Boomer's handiwork.”

Tasha's hand emerged from her vest's pocket. In her hand was a radio.

“I swiped this off the body of one of the men,” she stated whilst eyeing it closely, “It's a military-grade radio... tch...” she looked back up, “These guys know what they're doing.”

“It's the fucking Queen Tower all over again...!” Lucretia growled, “I must have some bad luck with Christmas parties...”

“Duh...” Vivi mumbled from behind as she checked a man for injuries.

“Shit... fuck...” shaking her head, Lucretia reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone, “I'll call the nearest department. They'll get us out of this... ah...”

Now, look, Lucretia wasn't really a phone person. She knew it was important, and she used it to call people, but that's where her usage of it ended. She didn't watch videos, she wasn't listening to music unless she was driving, and she definitely didn't play any games on it. Her phone was a tool first and foremost; not an entertainment system.

But she knows what it looks like when she has no service. There was no 4G, no LTE, no wi-fi, no nothing. There was nothing.

“V-Vivi...” Lucretia said, alarmed.

“I'm busy here, Luca...”

“Your phone... do... do you have service here?”

“I... uh...”

Vivian quickly grabbed her phone, checking it. And, no, there was nothing. Just a red 'X' mark where their service should be. The hare glared at her phone, causing Luca and Tasha to both tense up.

“Everyone! Check your phones!” shouted the eagle, “See if anyone has service. See if you can call or text!”

While everyone was still shaken up and frightened, they obeyed and began pulling out their phones. One by one, everyone attempted to call, text, or message people in any way they could. And one by one, all of their attempts failed.

“Nothing?” said Lucretia, causing Tasha to growl.

“Those bastards... they thought about everything...” Tasha growled, “They must have blocked the signal tower outside of the hospital.”

“Signal tower...?” Lucretia repeated, “There's a signal tower here?”

“This was a hospital once, and it was important for people to make calls to and from it,” Tasha explained, “So years ago, there was a cellphone tower erected close to its perimeter to make sure calls could be as clear as humanly possible. It's on the premises, so if we can get to it, we can--”

Skrrtch!

Jason... are you there...?

Everyone stiffened up, growing as silent as the wind. Lucretia and Tasha both turned, facing the radio that buzzed nearby. The radio stolen from that man's corpse: a voice was coming through its speakers. A familiar voice.

It was a charming and affable voice. Why, if you didn't know who this voice belonged to, you may even be attracted to it. It was the kind of voice that instilled calm in others, no matter what situation they were in.

But Lucretia and Tasha knew who this voice belonged to. They knew all too well. Shakily, the eagle reached down, grabbing the radio and pressing its 'Push to Talk' button. She then waited for a moment, breathing in and out, before letting out a deep breath and bringing it to her lips.

“Cage...”

There was another boom of silence, one finally broken up by...

Heh heh heh... laughter, Tasha! How are you doing? It's been a while. But, I suppose six years is longer than just a 'while'.

“Cage...!” Tasha growled, “What are you doing here? What are you planning!?”

Well... isn't it obvious? his suave voice replied, My group and I aren't here for fun. Although, I must say, it is impressive that you managed to fix up this crumby place into something more... presentable.

“Stop this nonsense, Cage!” Tasha shouted into the radio, “We have civilians in here!”

Good! The more the merrier! the voice replied, and one could feel his smile on the other end, I hope they're having fun. It's so cold outside... I'd hate for someone to try and leave this place without permission. If they did that, well... there's so much snow... and there's no way to know how many of my men are out there... waiting.

“You son of a bitch...”

Language, Tasha, language! I know there are some children among you all. We wouldn't want them to get any nasty habits, would we? Heh heh heh...

Tasha growled. Shook the radio too. But, ultimately, she let loose a sigh of defeat. Her red eyes looked up towards Lucretia, who looked back down at her with a face of frustration.

“What do you want, Cage...?” Tasha whispered. The wolf on the other end chuckled.

You know exactly what I want, Tasha. All me and the rest of my crew want is to have a personal talk with the woman responsible for putting my gang into that hellhole of a penitentiary. I think you can do something about that, couldn't you?

“You want... me?”

Come down to the hospital's morgue. I think that'll be the perfect place for you and I to... talk... heh...

“And if I refuse...?”

Hmm... good question. What would happen if you refused? Tell me, what do you think will happen if you refuse when Boomer is running around? I'm sure he'll love the fireworks when they go off. And the idea of people being in it? That makes things even better.

“You sick fuck...”

Hah hah hah...! Oh... you already know that, don't you? Hah... tick-tock, Tasha. Tick... tock...

Skrrrtch!

The radio cut off, and Tasha pulled back. Glaring at it in her hand, the eagle remained relatively calm, despite the danger of the situation. Slowly bringing her gaze up, she came face to face with Lucretia, who glared at her in a no-nonsense manner.

“What are you going to do...?” the wolfess asked with arms crossed, though she already had an idea of what Tasha was going to say.

“You already know what I'm going to do,” the eagle replied whilst straightening up and looking forward, “I'm going to go down there to the morgue. If Cage wants me, he can have me. Maybe I can negotiate my life in exchange for the lives of the guests.”

“Bullshit,” Lucretia said as she dropped her arms, “We both know that's not going to work. He sent his men in here and had them open fire. If he wanted to just hold us hostage, he wouldn't have risked killing us. Tasha, you of all people should know that the Westboro Five don't leave hostages.”

“Aah... I know that...” she replied whilst scratching the side of her head, “But that was six years ago. Maybe they've changed their minds. Or maybe they hate me so much for locking them up, that they'll only focus on me, and let the rest of you run free.”

“Even if that is true, we're sitting ducks out here,” Lucretia stated, “Unless we can get in contact with the authorities and tell them that the Westboro Five and the other escaped criminals are here... which is something we can't do if they're blocking our signal out of here,” gripping the bridge of her nose, she groaned and shook her head, “They have us completely trapped... bombs... armed men... the tower being jammed... what do we do...?”

Closing her eyes, Lucretia took a thoughtful pose, pondering what they could do to escape this situation without losing lives. Tasha did likewise, and the two sat there thinking about their options. After a few moments, Luca's ears perked up and she faced the eagle.

“Tasha... do you have a map of the location?”

“What? Of course...” the agent replied as she walked over towards a nearby cabinet, “I need to keep an updated map for all the renovation we do for the St. Dismas...”

From out of the cabinet she pulled out a folded map, one she placed a table so that Lucretia could look it over. Just as Tasha said, it was recently updated at the beginning of Autumn, making it the most up to date map they had. Not only did it detail the various locations in use for her party hall, but it detailed the plethora of corridors and surgical theaters that were a part of the old hospital. But the map did not stop there, as it extended out towards the perimeter. Specifically...

“There,” said Luca as she tapped a metal tower that sat on the map, “This is the location of the cellphone tower, right?”

“Yes, it is,” Tasha answered with a shrug of her shoulders, “But why would... wait...?” she looked at Lucretia with an eyebrow raised, “You're not going to...”

“Yes, yes I am,” said the wolfess as she removed her coat, dressing down to her turtleneck sweater beneath, “If I can get to the tower, I can reactivate it, and we can call for help.”

“If anyone should do it, it should be me,” said Tasha, “I'm the one who's throwing this party, and I'm the one they want.”

“That's exactly why you can't do it,” Lucretia retorted, “If you go out there, they'll either shoot and kill you, or take you hostage. And once they get their hands on you, there's no reason to not blow up the St. Dismas with everyone inside of it. So long as you stay out of their hands, then they won't do anything too hasty. Besides, one of us has to stay to protect everyone if some goon appears...” she paused for a moment, “Is there another way out of this room?”

“There are doors to the back,” Tasha said, “But they lead to the hospital's backrooms, and the other areas that haven't been renovated yet.”

“That's not the issue,” said Lucretia as she pulled out her magnum and checked it, “You guys can use it as an escape route if they threaten to blow up the door. But I'll go and apprehend Boomer as best I can to make sure they don't have the ability to trigger their explosions anymore. Assuming he has the detonator.”

“He probably has the detonator to various smaller bombs, but not the ones to the bombs that are placed around the hospital,” Tasha shook her head, “Assuming they even have bombs placed around St. Dismas. But I have my doubts.”

“For now, we should operate under the assumption that they do have bombs placed around,” Lucretia stated before picking the map up, folding it up, and stuffing it into her pocket, “Okay, I'll head out now.”

“My, my,” said Tasha as a smile appeared on her lips, “Are you sure you're just a detective? You have a very decisive mind, Lucretia. Maybe you should join some sort of military installation. I'm sure you'll climb through the ranks in no time.”

But Lucretia shook her head.

“Sorry, my place is on the streets,” she stated, “I can help the most people there. Besides...” she smiled, “I don't think Vivi would be happy if I left her.”

“So how the hell do you think I feel now over hearing you two?” Vivian's voice snarled.

Lucretia turned around, her eyes wide. In front of her was Vivi, her arms crossed, and her face fuming with palpable anger. Without another word, the haughty hare pulled back her fist... and threw forward a punch...

Pat!

It struck the center of Lucretia's chest, but the wolfess didn't budge.

“What the fuck, Luca!?” she growled, “Why do you always have to do stupid shit like this!?”

The wolfess didn't answer, at least, not verbally. Instead she wrapped her arms around Vivian's shoulders, and pulled her apple pie in for an embrace. Vivi was still angry, still fuming with growing rage... but as she took a deep breath, she also took in a heavy whiff of Luca's natural scent. It was so familiar... so strong... so comforting... she couldn't help but to melt into Lucretia's arms as she hugged her back.

“I'm sorry, Vivi, I really am,” she said with a reassuring smile, “But I'm not just going to sit around and do nothing when I can do something. You see all the scared people in here, don't you? I've gotta make sure they – and all of us – get out of here safely.”

“Tch... d-dammit Lucretia,” Vivian growled as she pulled her face from her girlfriend's chest and glared up at her, “Remember... ah... remember what you said to me when we were on the Queen Tower? You... said you were just... haaaah... doing your job, right? And you... you hate it whenever people call you a hero. So...” she shrugged her shoulders, “Why are you trying to be a hero again?”

“I'm not doing it because I want to be seen as a hero, Vivi,” Luca replied with that reassuring smile of hers, “I'm doing it because it's my job. To protect and serve, right? Heh heh heh! And... I want to protect and serve you most of all...”

Leaning in and closing her eyes, Lucretia pursed her lips, and planted a kiss on Vivian's cheek. The hare's body heated up upon the intimate show of affection, but she gritted her teeth in that typical abrasiveness of hers.

Oh did she hate this. Oh did she hate how Lucretia made her feel. Oh did she hate how Lucretia made her heart race, and how alone she made her feel when she left her. Oh how she wanted to hug her big bad wolf, and to squeeze her, and to never let her go. And oh how she loathed the fact that the aspects of Lucretia that angered her the most – her selflessness – was one of the reasons why she loved her so much. So...

“Haaaaah... you fucking bitch...” Vivian whispered as she leaned against Lucretia, “You... you better... you better come back safe, Luca...”

“Heh heh heh...! I promise I will... apple pie,” Lucretia whispered as she draped her coat upon Vivian's shoulders, “I don't want to piss you off anymore than I already have... heh!” she then pulled back, “You just keep doing your job, Vivi, and I'll do mine. The people need your help.”

“Aaah...” Vivian nodded, “Yeah, you're right... ah...” she then smacked Lucretia's side, “Just... get going you big bitch. Before I change my mind.”

“Heh heh... okay...”

With Justiciar in hand, Lucretia began pushing through the other guests, approaching the door at the back of the room. Slowly unlocking it, she allowed a cold gust of wind to brush along her body as she exited out into a silent and decaying hall. Lucretia's mission was simple: Find and eliminate Boomer so that he couldn't cause more damage with his explosions, and reactivate the cellphone tower so that they could contact the outside world. And if she were to come across any other members of the Westboro Five? Well, it was going to be their funeral.

It was time to hunt.

…

Thirty escaped criminals, five masterminds, one true kingpin. They took down three men who attacked the party, but she wasn't sure if that actually put a dent in their numbers. While thirty prisoners escaped the penitentiary, the Westboro Five had outside help to take down the prison bus in the first place, so there was a good chance there were more people than just the thirty escapees.

Tch. So fucking annoying...

With both hands on Justiciar handle, Lucretia rushed through the halls of the derelict hospital, gazing around at its crumbling architecture. In the past, St. Dismas had an ornate and Gothic design meant to evoke the image of churches and chapels, thus the name of Saint Dismas. But as it was now, the heavenly infrastructure felt demonic and evil. Warn paint, discarded trash, crumbling busts of small angels; the decayed building around them felt like it was mocking her.

But Lucretia wouldn't be deterred. She pushed forward, rounding a corner that led to another corridor of forgotten hospital rooms. According to the map, the cellphone tower was on the western end of the hospital. They were on the eastern side, so she'd have to cover a lot of space in a timely manner if she was going to get to safety. So far, the locations she traveled were quiet. That's good. She needed to keep going forward.

In a silent yet quick walk, Lucretia pushed down the corridor, her eyes scanning for anything out of the ordinary. She heard nothing, but she could feel them. Through all of the decaying stone and paint of this godforsaken hospital, Lucretia could smell...

“Sniff... sniff...”

Fresh meat...

“God damn... that fucking... Knives,” a voice whispered from around the next corner, “He gives me the creep...”

“Quit your bellyaching,” another voice growled, “You don't want him overhearing you. If he does, well... I don't think you'll be talking for much longer.”

Lucretia came towards a corner and took a deep breath. Peering over the edge, her eyes fell upon an open space that she assumed was once one of this hospital's cafeterias. There were several men in the room – about four in number – all of whom were wearing heavy coats and snow goggles, and all of whom were armed with firearms.

They were submachine guns. Not the largest guns around, but they definitely had a familiar style to them. Foldable buttstocks, pistol grips, modular handguards; just a few attributes she could tell from sight alone. Going by their style and looks, these guns were--

“D5K Deutsche...” Lucretia whispered, “Ah...”

But they were all painted white instead of their typical black color, making them perfect for stealth warfare in the snow. Despite this, the men carrying these guns didn't hold them like Pierce's crew did. They were lackadaisical with their firearms, one person not even keeping finger discipline. These four men were just a bunch of thugs given military weaponry.

But...

Where the hell did they get those guns from? They didn't look too dissimilar to the weaponry used by Document City's police department. How did the Westboro Five have so much power and influence that they could arm 30+ criminals with military equipment, such as radios and explosives?

THAM!

“Hey guys! Look what I found!” a voice suddenly cut through the area, making Lucretia's blood turn cold.

For a moment, she thought she had been caught. Instead, another door behind the group of thugs opened up, revealing a fifth man. He walked forward with his gun in hand... while pushing forward another man with his hand. The thug's hand forcibly slammed into the back of this man, nearly knocking him off of his feet as he stumbled forward. One final push knocked the man onto his feet. He was some frail looking fox fellow, one with orange fur and chestnut hair. With his wrists bound by plastic wires, he fell to his knees between the five men, while their sinister chuckles filled the air.

“Went roaming around, didn't ya?” one of the thugs asked, “Got lost from the rest of the party?”

“I-I swear,” the fox replied through ragged breaths, “I-I'm just a...! I'm just a worker! I...! I didn't see...! I didn't see anything!”

“That's not on you to decide,” replied one of the thugs as he lowered his head, “If we let you run off, you just might run off to warn the police, and that'll ruin all of our plans.”

“Just shoot 'em already,” replied another one of the thugs, “It's easier this way than letting him run around,” Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! “What the...?” WHAM! “GAH!?”

Again. Lucretia is not mortal.

They didn't know when it happened. One moment, the man who loomed over the fox was talking, the next moment, a red and black blur appeared, delivering a haymaker straight to his cheek and chin. The punch was so strong that the man – someone who weighs over 200 pounds mind you – was knocked clear off of his feet, and slammed into the decaying floor.

The four other men in the area quickly turned, just in time for Lucretia to pull up Justiciar and fire.

BLAM! BLAM!

Her blows scattered through the wind, piercing air and sending them scattering. She struck too with her quick shots, penetrating the backs of two, while the other two quickly retreated for some overturned chairs and tables in the distance for protection. That gave Luca enough time to grab the civilian off the floor and quickly pull him to his feet, retreating to behind a crumbling counter.

“Hey, hey!” she said as she looked at the fox, “You okay?”

“I'm... koff! I'm fine!” the man said.

“Good, then keep your head down!”

RATATATATATATATATA!

The men unloaded upon their cover, causing debris to fly over their head as bits and pieces of the counter were destroyed. Lucretia meanwhile took her time to load two more bullets into her magnum, before slamming the cylinder back in place. With a gun twirl, she gripped Justiciar tightly in her hand, before taking a deep breath... fuuuuuuuh... and waiting...

RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!!!

More and more pieces of the fragile counter were blown to bits, flying over her head and the head of the cowering civilian at her side. But once she heard that telltale 'Click!' of a gun running out of ammo, she pulled her head up from behind her counter, and leaped forward.

For Lucretia, it was like time began moving into slow motion. She still moved at the same speed she always did, but the men in front of her did not. They were deer caught in headlights, unsure of how to operate when this six foot seven wolfess with blazing red hair leaped through the air with both hands on her magnum.

BLAM!

Crack!

“GURHK!?”

Her bullet pierced the goggles of one of the men, flying straight into his eye socket and causing his head to jerk back. At the same time, Lucretia twisted herself to face the other man. He hadn't slipped his clip into his gun yet, before the wolfess fired upon him too.

BLAM!

“ACHK!?”

Her bullet struck his chest, the force behind it so great that his body was nearly knocked back from the impact. Lucretia finally landed on her chest, where she quickly rolled to her feet. Before her, the two men she shot...

Thud! Thud!

Fell down dead at her feet.

Standing up straight, Luca scanned the immediate location, seeing the bodies of the five men she dispatched. Two were dead, two were dying, and one was merely knocked unconscious. Lucky him.

“Is... is... are... are they... d-dead...?” asked the civilian who meekly lifted his head up from behind the counter.

“Yeah, fuuh... they're dead...” Luca answered, “Except for one of them, but...” she shook her head as she approached the fox, “Stay right there, let me get those wires off of your wrists.”

Pulling out her combat knife from her hip (of course she has a combat knife on her. What self-respecting Salem doesn't have their trustee combat knife on them?), Lucretia tore the plastic binds off of the fox's wrists, freeing them. A gasp of joy left his lips as he looked at his hands, while Lucretia returned to the bodies of the men on the floor. Returning to the thug she knocked out, she unzipped his jacket, revealing his body beneath.

Oh... he was a deer... huh...

“Wh-what are you doing...?” asked the fox she saved as he watched Lucretia rummage through the deer's body.

“I'm looking for something that can help me,” she answered, “Like a radio or something. I'm gonna need one if I'm going to reconnect with Tasha and the group,” her eyes tightened in, “But he doesn't have one... ah...”

Lucretia pulled open one of the goon's pouches. Inside was another pair of plastic handcuffs... and a map. Curious, Luca pulled out the map, seeing that it was a map of St. Dismas Memorial Hospital. But there were a few differences between this map and the map Tasha gave her. The map this goon had seemed more... current.

“What the...?” Lucretia whispered, “How did...?”

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

“C'mon, c'mon!” a voice rang out in the distance alongside footsteps, “I heard gunfire over here!”

“Shit...!”

Shaking her head, Lucretia quickly grabbed the goon's gun, before facing the fox she saved.

“C'mon! This way!” she shouted, “Follow me!”

The fox nodded, running along with Lucretia towards a hall in the opposing direction of the footsteps they heard. Entering the hall, Lucretia grabbed the fox by his wrists and pulled him aside, entering inside a small alcove. It must have been a broom closet of some sort in the past, because there were various decaying cleaning utensils inside of here.

With Justiciar raised up, Lucretia hugged the fox close, keeping his voice muffled so that he didn't make a noise. Through the walls they could hear the voices of the other goons as they located their fallen comrades. They snarled, cursed too, but had no clue where Luca could have gone. Though they had no clue that Lucretia was opposing them, instead thinking this was the work of Tasha.

“This isn't like the last time...” Lucretia remarked as she gazed around the corner, checking to see if those thugs were coming her way, “They're just... punks with guns... not like Pierce's group.”

“Pierce's... group...?” said the fox as he looked up at her with his bright eyes, “As in... th-that stuff that happened on the Queen Tower a year ago...?” he then pulled back, his face brightening up, “Oh my god...! You're Lucretia Salem, r-right? The supercop!?”

“Shhhhhh! Be quiet!” Luca whisper-yelled, “Those guys, they might--”

“HEY!? I HEARD SOMETHING THIS WAY!”

“Shit!”

Lucretia popped out the cylinder of her magnum, making sure it was loaded properly. Not long after, the doors to the corridor they were in were slammed open, where they broke off their worn hinges. Three men entered the room, their SMGs trained on the hall in front of them. Lucretia took a deep breath to silence herself, and covered the mouth of the fox she saved. The both of them grew deathly silent soon after, leaned up against the wall as they heard the footsteps of the thugs travel by.

Luca waited... and waited... and waited. If they had half a brain like Pierce's group, they would have thoroughly checked every crevice they passed. Instead, they walked by the staff closet, completely unaware of the two hiding within it. Once again, they proved their ineptitude, unlike those ex-military guys she fought last time.

Lucretia's eyes grew wide as they passed her by, but she refrained from making even the slightest peep. When the three men passed by, she faced the fox in front of her and placed her fingers to her lips, gesturing him silent with a 'Shush' motion. She then leaned him against the wall and silently stepped out of the staff closet, her magnum pointed forward.

“Hey... did you hear that?”

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Three precise shots.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

And three fallen bodies.

The bullets moved with such staggering speeds that the thugs seemed to drop on the ground before the gunfire rang out. Regardless, the end was all the same; on the floor laid the dead bodies of her targets.

“Fuuuuh...” Lucretia let out a deep breath, before performing a gun twirl and holstering her magnum. With Justiciar safely stowed away, Lucretia approached the bodies of the thugs, making sure they were properly dispatched. One writhed on the floor... but not for long.

“Maybe I could have...” Lucretia whispered... before shaking her head, “No... I can't hesitate...”

Kneeling down next to one of the bodies on the floor, she rolled him over and pulled open his coat, revealing the body of a horse beneath. Sifting through his belongings, she searched for more ammo for the SMG she took, a radio so that she could contact Tasha... and another map.

She found not much extra ammo, she found no radio, but she did find another map. It was folded on his person, and just like the previous map she found on the body of the last escapee, Lucretia saw that this map was more up to date than the map Tasha gave her.

“How is this possible...?” the wolfess whispered, “Tasha said--” Click! “Aah...?”

“Don't. Move.”

That voice. That indifferent, unnerving voice. Hearing that voice felt like having ice-cold water being poured into her ears. It made her shudder, and caused the fur on her ears and tail to stand on end. It matched with the cold feeling of a gun barrel being pressed to the back of her skull.

“You let your guard down... Detective...” the cold voice whispered, “Stand. Up.”

“Aaah... I'm not used to taking commands from anyone who’s not my girlfriend,” said Lucretia as she stood up to her feet.

The voice didn't seem to care about her joke.

“Civilians,” he whispered, “Where are they...?”

“The civilians...?” the wolfess repeated, this wry grin appearing on her lips, “Hah...! If you think I'm going to tell you where they are, then you're just gonna have to shoot me, because I'm not saying anything.”

Lucretia couldn't see it, but the voice shrugged his shoulders. He gave a command, and she disobeyed. There was nothing else that needed to be said.

He pulled the trigger of his gun.

Click!

But nothing came out.

Click! Click! Click! Click!

“Tch...!”

With that cocky grin still on her lips, Lucretia quickly swung back, performing a sobat – a rolling back kick – that struck her assailant square in the chest. He was knocked back by the blow and slammed against the wall, nearly losing grip on his gun while the wolfess turned around and pulled out her magnum.

Her eyes fell upon the fox she saved... but she wasn't surprised. Perhaps to the naked eye, he really did look like some unfortunate staff worker who got wrapped up in a bad situation, but Lucretia was no fool. She saw it in his eyes the moment he looked up at her. Or – more accurately – it was what she didn't see in his eyes.

Life...

“How did...?” he growled at her while Lucretia slowly approached him.

“C'mon... did you really think I'd just drop a loaded gun on the floor?” Lucretia chuckled, “That D5K in your hand is empty. Shoot it as much as you want... nothing's going to come out of it...” the wolfess straightened up, “Now I have with me one of the Westboro Five. Tell me, are you interested in talking... Monroe...?”

Elias 'Ghost' Monroe, the Infiltrator. A master of infiltration, he used his talent in disguise to sneak into places, gaining intel when needed... as well as how to take out any targets that prove themselves dangerous. And if there's one thing Lucretia was, it was dangerous.

“Where is the rest of your gang?” asked the wolfess, her grin replaced with a focus glare, “And where are the bombs you've set up?”

Elias twisted his head at her.

“HAH!”

“WHAT!?”

Throwing up his hand, he slammed his hand against a glass cabinet that once contained a fire axe or fire extinguisher in the past. Instead, it slammed against Lucretia's hand, jerking her magnum up, and giving the fox enough time to escape through the door behind him. But the wolfess wasn't stopped for long. She quickly gave chase, rushing through the doors behind him and returning to the cafeteria. Along the way, Ghost swiped a D5K from off the floor and twisted around, facing the wolfess chasing him.

RATATATATATATATATA!!!

Bullets tore through the air, forcing Lucretia to the side in order to dodge his attacks. She hid behind a wall, one that exploded from sparks and debris, while Lucretia waited for his attacks to stop. They eventually did, and she quickly emerged from her cover to see...

Nothing.

“Shit...”

Rushing forward, Lucretia pushed through the doors, exiting the cafeteria and entering what appeared to be a general lounge. There were discarded chairs and tables littering the area, along with a plethora of busted machinery that once filled the place. It made the hospital feel like it was abandoned in a rush and left to rot, instead of merely being closed down. Just what happened here in its past?

No, that's not what mattered now.

Lucretia remained focused, her eyes trained forward as she gazed at the multitude of trash in front of her. She heard nothing aside from the sound of her own footsteps, but she knew Elias was in here.

Somewhere...

The file she read on him did not speak much about his combat experience. It wasn't that he had none, it was that he killed his targets so precisely, that it looked like they never put up a fight... because they died too quickly to put up a fight. But Lucretia was a detective, and a damn fine one at that. When it comes to criminal profiling, she could tell that Elias was the type of fox who didn't like direct confrontation. He was probably going to lie in wait until her back was turned to make a move...

Crack...

Right on cue...

“Hah!”

Without warning or hesitation, Lucretia performed a backwards roundhouse kick. Her foot swung through the air, striking a fire axe! It sat in Elias' hands, where it was knocked off angle, nearly causing him to stumble back. But he was a skilled fighter, and quickly used the energy of being kicked to swing his axe back around, grip it by both hands, and bring it crashing upon Lucretia. But the wolfess was just as quick as he was, if not quicker, and she moved in with her arm, pressing it to his axe's handle to stop the blade from falling.

Bringing up Justiciar, Lucretia aimed it for his shoulder and squeezed the trigger...

BLAM!

A bullet rang out... but Elias lived up to his name as 'Ghost'. He moved quickly, dodging his bullet just in the nick of time, and countered by bringing his knee up. It slammed into Luca's gut, but she remained strong, and instead pushed his axe out of the way. The axe blade slammed into the weakened wall next to them, causing it to explode with dust and debris that quickly filled the air. Elias was quick to use this distraction to aid him, as he performed a spinning kick to Lucretia's side, knocking her away.

Shit. This guy was good. Those other goons were, well, goons. But the members of the Westboro Five were more than just intelligent criminals with a lot of money. At the very least, they knew how to fight.

Good. Lucretia didn't mind getting her blood pumping!

Elias rushed forward, where from his sleeve a pocket knife slid out. He gripped it tight, and performed a flurry of slashes in an attempt to lacerate Lucretia. But she pulled back, dodging each and every slash just in the nick of time. His last slash brought him dangerously close to cutting her sweater, but she ducked back just in time, and countered with a punch to his hand, knocking the pocket knife from his grasp. She spun around, and delivered a powerful elbow strike to the side of his head.

CRACK!

Damn. She broke his nose with that strike. And yet he didn't stop.

Ghost growled through the pain, his eyes locked upon Lucretia as he suddenly dove forward. His arms wrapped around Luca's shoulders, gripping her tight, and using his body's weight to knock her off her feet.

KRAAASSH!

And through a nearby window.

Glass shattered around them as they fell upon an outdoor deck. Lucretia grunted, her fall slightly dampened by the blanket of snow they fell upon. She could feel thousands of glass prick into her clothes and flesh, but none were enough to puncture flesh and draw blood. The fox above her was different.

“RAAAH!”

With skillful hands, he pulled Lucretia's combat knife off of her hip, and dropped it immediately for her neck and chest. Lucretia pulled up her arm to block his knife from stabbing her, holding him off just barely. He was so much smaller and lighter than she was, but being surrounded in all of this snow made it so hard for her to get a grip on him. She could only hold him back with one arm, while her other hand palmed for Justiciar. But her magnum was nowhere to be found; it was knocked out of her hand when he tackled her through the window. Luca kept palming – kept searching – for something, and she eventually found it. Grabbing it in her hand, the wolfess swung forward...

STAB!

“URHK!?”

And stabbed Elias in the neck.

The fox's eyes grew wide as he felt something cold penetrate his flesh, running deep. He next felt the burning heat of blood as it began rising up and through his throat. Coughing, his voice was cut short as he pulled off of the wolfess, dropping her combat knife and retreating to the wall behind him. When he grabbed the object Luca stabbed him with, he realized it was a piece of jagged glass.

Krack!

And it shattered into pieces when he tried to pull it out.

His cold eyes looked at Lucretia, his face one of disbelief. He tried to say something, but nothing came out. Eventually, it grew too difficult for him to even stand, and he fell down to his feet. There he sat, bleeding out through his neck and mouth where as he palmed where he had been stabbed. So desperately he tried to stop the bleeding, only to fail. And when he failed...

“Uggh...?”

His head slumped forward, his eyes wide, his mouth wide too, but his body immobile. The Ghost had been exorcised.

“Gaah...! Nghg... shit...” Luca groaned as she sat upright, her head shaking left and right.

Getting up from the bed of snow and glass she laid in, the wolfess brushed herself off before picking Justiciar and her combat knife up from off the ground. After holstering her knife, she reloaded her magnum, and stood above Elias' corpse, watching him bleed out.

“Alright. Come here you,” she said as she grabbed him.

With a thrust forward, Lucretia threw him back into the derelict hospital, watching him roll to a halt. She then pulled his jacket off of his body, checking to see if he had something – anything – that could help her quest. What she found was a barracks worth of hidden knives. They practically coated the inside of his jacket!

“Damn... maybe you should've been the one they called 'Knives',” Lucretia quipped, before noticing something, “What the...?”

She opened up another one of his inner pockets, revealing a map not unlike the maps held by their goons. So many maps somehow had the full schematics of St. Dismas Memorial Hospital to a degree unlike the map Tasha gave her. But this map went even beyond those, for Elias was thorough enough to make a plethora of notes and details. One note was specifically tied to the location of the hospital's morgue, and all it said was...

“Treasure...? What treasure?”

The morgue was the area Walter told Tasha to go to, but this map said it was the location of some 'treasure'. Was Tasha the treasure they were talking about? Were they that excited by the prospect of getting revenge on her that they thought it was equal to some sort of treasure?

Lucretia had no doubts that was true... but... she also doubted it as well. There was more going on here than just some revenge scheme, but she didn't know what it was. For now she'd focus on her two primary objectives: Reactivating the cellphone tower, and taking Boomer down. After those two missions get done, then she could try and figure out why the Westboro Five were really here.

After making sure her magnum was reloaded, Lucretia performed a gun twirl and holstered it. She then stopped and gazed out the windows. In the distance, she could see the cellphone tower that would get them in contact with the outside world. However, snow was starting to fall from the skies... and it was steadily thickening. Before long, this gentle snow fall would become a storm... and perhaps even worse.

“Great...” Lucretia grumbled, “As if I didn't have enough on my fucking plate... ugh...”

She was prepared to leave, but needed to make sure of one last thing. Those last few goons didn't have a radio on them, but did Elias? After searching through his body one more time, she didn't find a radio... but she did find an earpiece. It was small and transparent, but would easily hook around a person's ear. It also worked like a radio, meaning all she needed to do was tap the 'Talk' button, and she'd be able to hear and speak to anyone on the same frequency as it... and they'd be able to talk to her.

But, wait, weren't the Westboro Five and their goons using basic military radios? That's how Tasha found her radio; on the corpse of one of the men who attacked the party. Maybe those lesser goons had basic radios, and the Westboro Five themselves had these earpieces? Hmm... there was only one way to find out.

Lucretia pushed the button... and spoke.

“Hey... is anyone there?”

…

Act 4: Cold Snap

It was cold down here. It was musky down here. It was dark down here.

The word 'death' means many things to many different people. When one hears of it, they may think of a few things, perhaps graveyards, maybe the afterlife, maybe of their loved ones whom they have lost. But when he thought about death, he thought about... hospitals.

Hospitals are such unique places, for they are somehow an oxymoron. How does one structure act as both a place where people live... and where people die? A place of both salvation and damnation, where the end result can sometimes be as promised as a flip of a coin. Maybe that's why he was attracted here. Just a group of thieves looking for salvation, but perhaps being given damnation.

Well... maybe...

Ten years ago, this place was a hospital that was on the verge of collapse. There were a few doctors and nurses still working here, yes, but after a few years of nearly consistent medical controversies, St. Dismas Memorial Hospital needed to be closed down. No one cared to see it go, and more than a few people were happy to see it be closed down.

Walter Cage was one of them.

The police of Lexicon County spent years searching for him and his gang as he gained power. Whenever they got a whiff of a possible safehouse belonging to the Westboro Five, they'd rush to investigate before the night was over. And each time they did, they came up empty handed. For all the shitty motels, hotels, and apartment complexes they searched, not one member was ever found. Why? Because they were always looking in the wrong places.

One would think with all the money the Westboro Five made, they would've moved to a mansion or estate. But even that was thinking wrong. Sure, they could have moved into a mansion, but why would they do that? They were the most infamous men on the east coast; they'd be stupid to move into a flashy and gaudy estate!

Noooo. They needed to play the long game. They needed to be inconspicuous.

After all, if you were a multi-millionaire crime lord, would you live in an abandoned hospital? Most likely not.

This place here was the temporary resting spot of his ill-gotten wealth. And now he has returned.

Cold air brushed along the wolf's tall and stout body as he walked through the dimly-lit halls of the decaying hospital. Blue lights had been erected by his team, illuminating St. Dismas so that they could more easily navigate through the location. Not that it was necessary for him; he could close his eyes, and still walk through these corridors without walking into one scrap of discarded trash.

The sounds of his footsteps bounced off the derelict halls of the hospital, while he descended deeper and deeper into its decaying depths. Here, the air was rotten and acrid, and the air was somehow even colder, while the halls seemed to stretch on into near infinite darkness. But he walked through them uninhibited, where he came to a door close to the end of the hall. Grabbing its nob and turning it, he opened a door into a more brightly lit area.

One filled with slots in the walls. Human-sized slots in the walls. This was the hospital's morgue.

If the air felt like death outside, then imagine how it felt in here. The atmosphere was still and immobile, and breathing felt oddly... difficult. But not for him; not for the wolf who entered inside. He instead pulled back the hood he was wearing, allowing his jacket to fall slack on his shoulders, revealing his curly brown hair, his glistening blue eyes, and his handsome features.

“Fuuuh...” said the wolf as he stroked his claws through his hair.

“Did you enjoy your walk...?” a sarcastic voice rang from the corner of the room.

The wolf looked to the corner. Sitting there was a dog, one with a stocky and sturdy build, glasses on his face and lean brown hair. He sat there with his fingers furiously tapping upon his laptop, performing a variety of tasks that would go over everyone's head.

“Apologies, Cipher,” said the wolf, this affable smile spreading on his lips, “I just needed to get some... fuuuh... fresh air. It's been six years since we last saw this place... I guess I was just being nostalgic.”

“Bleh...” the dog – Cipher – replied whilst sticking out his tongue, “Yes, nostalgic. Nostalgic over the rotting hospital in the middle of nowhere. Oh yes, the memories are rushing back to me...” he rolled his eyes, “Christ... I can't believe this place is making me miss Eastgate Penitentiary... but not by much...” he looked up, “And Tasha's supposed to be maintaining this place? I am afraid to know what her home looks like.”

“Not like you could tell...” the wolf replied with a grin, “Tell me... have you already hacked into Tasha's camera.”

“I did it as soon as we got out of the prison,” Cipher replied, “Honestly, her color coordination is dreadful. She has yellow curtains with red rugs. What absolute misery.”

Beep! Beep!

“Hm? Hold that for a moment, Cipher,” said the wolf as he straightened up, “I'm getting a call from... probably from Ghost...”

He tapped his earpiece, expecting to hear a certain fox's voice.

Hey... is anyone there?

Instead, he heard someone else.

The wolf and dog both straightened up as they heard a voice that did not belong to one of their allies. It was the first true hitch that had been thrown into their plan, and they scrambled to recoil. But the wolf – ever the tactician – was quick to take a deep breath, settling his nerves. He already knew who he was speaking to.

“Detective Salem... what a wonderful surprise.”

Cage, her voice replied, Walter Cage. Personally... I would say the surprise is all mine. I was expecting – and hoping – that this year's Christmas would be a boring one. And yet, here you are before me.

“I would say the opposite,” Walter said, a smile appearing on his lips, “It was I who was expecting a simple and by the numbers Christmas. I did not know I would be conversing with last year's heroine. I dare say, your reputation precedes you.”

Tch... all in a day's work, Lucretia replied, Nothing to fanboy over.

“Dare I ask, Detective Salem... to what do I owe the honor of this conversation...?” asked Walter... before his face tightened into palpable frustration, “And how are we speaking right now?”

This? Oh? This little earpiece? She replied, her voice teasing, Let's just say... a little fox gave it to me. He was so kind too. He tried to get the jump on me, but... he didn't last.

“Little... fox...?” repeated Walter, “You don't mean...?”

The one you call Ghost? That's exactly who I mean, Lucretia answered, Though I'd say he's more of a ghost now than he was before.

“What...?” said Cage... before he took a deep breath, settling his nerves, “Whatsoever do you mean, Detective Salem?”

Oh nothing. Well... nothing you need to worry your little head over, Lucretia replied, I don't know what game you're trying to play, Cage, but it's over. I recommend you give up... or else...

“Or else what, Detective Salem?” asked the wolf, “If you haven't noticed yet, there is only one of you, and there's over thirty of us. Even if I were to be intimidated by your words, I'm not sure if I could call off my men. A group of ex-prisoners aren't too keen on going back to jail, especially a hellhole like Eastgate.”

Well that's unfortunate, Luca retorted, But I guess that's their choice to make. They can either leave in handcuffs peacefully, or leave in a body bag. Fuuuuuuh... how many bombs do you have set up around here, Cage. And what's this treasure written on your map?

“Bombs? Treasure? Heh heh heh... why would I tell you anything?”

Hm... good point, said the wolfess, 'Kay then. I'll find it out either way. You, Boomer, Knives, Cipher... you're all going to be joining Ghost soon enough, so... don't keep me waiting~

Click!

Lucretia's voice died out, and Walter's finger – trembling – left his earpiece. For a moment, he stared at one of the many slots within the morgue, becoming as deathly silent as the bodies that once sat within them. Instead he took a deep breath... and another deep breath... and then another deep breath... before letting it all loose.

“Fuuuuuuuuh... Cipher...?” he said, that affable smile returning to his lips.

“Yeah, boss...?”

“If Tasha thinks she can treat Lucretia like her personal attack dog, then so be it,” said Walter, “We'll just have to apply pressure to her and the other civilians until she gets her feathered ass down here.”

“I knew something like this was going to happen,” the dog mumbled as he typed at his keyboard, “Tasha can't be serious in thinking that Lucretia is enough to turn the tide for her,” he shook his head, “We made her career. Tasha wouldn't be where she was if not for us. She'd still be some meter maid...”

“Now now, Cipher. Let's not lose our heads over this,” Walter muttered as he pulled off his jacket, revealing the impeccable white and black suit he wore beneath, “We're still not sure if Lucretia really did take out Ghost, or if she's bluffing. Until we find out for sure... haaaah... Cipher, I want you to head to the tower. That's probably Lucretia's goal. She wants to get there in order to reopen communications with the police outside. We can not let that happen. I also want you to switch the com-links you, Boomer, and Knives have. Keep communications with one another so you can coordinate strikes against her and gain information. Have Knives locate Ghost and confirm if he's dead or not, and have Boomer continue planting the charges...”

“And you...?”

“I'm going to bring Tasha down here, even if I have to drag her by her fucking plumage...”

Reaching into his jacket, Walter pulled out a radio.

…

“Here... apply some pressure to it. That should stop the bleeding.”

“Thank you, Miss North...”

When they originally rushed into this room, there were concerns that some people had been shot. Those gun-toting goons were firing indiscriminately into a crowd of people; someone had to be shot. Well, a few people were unfortunate enough to be stricken by gunfire, but thankfully, they weren't in any place that could be considered deadly. A hand here, an arm there, a leg or a shoulder. She was able to get to those individuals first, using the first aid kit Tasha had on hand to help stop the bleeding, remove bullets, and suture wounds as best she could.

Then came the multiple cuts and bruises. People were falling over and running into others, causing even more injuries But the hare didn't growl or grow frustrated, instead remaining focused as she helped mend their wounds with the medical tools she had.

Was it difficult? Yes. Was it impossible? Not really.

“You're an amazing nurse, Miss North,” a voice rang from the side, followed by the offering of a bottle of water.

Vivian looked at the bottle of water, then brought her gaze up to who held it. Tasha stared at her, a smile on her face as she offered the cold bottle of water to the hare. With a nod, Vivi silently thanked her, before taking the bottle of water to take a sip.

“Mmmph... aaah... thank you,” she said before taking a deep breath, “Fuuuuh... I think that was the last person who was injured in the attack. At least...” she looked forward, gazing at the other guests who now sat around the employee lounge, “No one's lining up for me anymore...”

“Then take a breath and relax,” Tasha suggested, “There's no point in stressing yourself out and giving yourself a headache.”

“That's easy for you to say,” Vivian mumbled as she crossed her arms and gazed away, “Your girlfriend isn't out there fighting for her – and our – lives...” she shook her head, “How can I not be tense...?” she then looked back at Tasha, where she sighed and let her arms drop, becoming more... vulnerable, “The last time something like this happened, we were together almost every step of the way. It was frightening, but...” she shrugged her shoulders, “I don't know... there was just something safe about Lucretia. I felt... protected by her... the situation was dangerous, yeah, and people were shooting at us, but... I felt safer with her than I would've if I stayed contained with the other hostages.”

“I understand,” Tasha remarked as she gazed ahead, “The Detective is a capable woman. When that explosion rang out and the gunfire started, there was no hesitation. She immediately rushed for you and got you out of danger. The way she returned fire and quickly understood my orders was without equal as well,” Tasha nodded, a smile spreading on her lips, “I dare say, the Detective would make for a far better agent than many of the partners I've had over the years.”

“Huff... you're... praising Luca too much,” Vivian said, her cheeks turning a rosy tint, “She doesn't like it too much when people praise her. She thinks the things she does are what a good police officer is supposed to do,” Vivi shook her head, “But I never agreed. Luca's just... otherworldly with the things she can do, and the limits she's willing to push herself in order to help save others.”

“Let me guess,” said Tasha as she leaned against the desk next to her with her arms crossed, “That annoys you, doesn't it?”

“Well... how else am I supposed to feel?” Vivian asked with a shrug of her shoulders, “Lucretia's selflessness and her dedication to doing what's right is so admirable. She isn't an officer because of... pride, or status, or fame, or whatever... it's like...” she groaned, “Those Salems... they don't have blood like you or I; they literally just... bleed law and order. Aaaaaaah...” Vivi deflated slightly, before looking up at Tasha with a hapless smile, “At her precinct, her other officers call her 'Robocop' because of how stiff and dedicated she is when it comes to her duty. But if you know Luca like I know Luca, then you'd know she's nothing like that. She's... she's... she is... ah... haaaaah... she's my big bad wolf.”

“And that's why you don't want her out there,” Tasha said, her head tilting as her body leaned forward, “Are you that worried about her?”

“Lucretia's the most capable woman I've ever met,” Vivian claimed, “But that doesn't matter. When I know she's out there getting shot at, putting herself through dangerous shit for us, I can't help but to feel... helpless. And... mrgrgr! I hate feeling helpless...” her anger subsided, and her shoulders slumped forward, “I just... want Luca to be safe...”

Closing her eyes, Vivian grew silent for a few moments. Once, twice, thrice she took deep breaths, while her soft and vulnerable expression became that stiff and indifferent veil that was typical of her. She then looked up at Tasha with those carmine eyes of hers and straightened up.

“Sorry,” the bunny apologized, “I didn't mean to get so emotional with you. I guess I'm struggling to understand how the same shit can happen to the same girl twice...”

“Maybe danger is attracted to the Detective,” Tasha remarked, “People like her cut their teeth on such challenges. They gain experience from them... and get stronger because of it. Ufufufufufu! I see a little bit of myself in the Detective when I was her age! Always searching for greater challenges, no matter how often I got bit in the butt for them. Buuuut... if I may...” bringing over her hand, she placed it upon Vivian's shoulder, giving it a tender squeeze, “I'm happy to know that the Detective has someone like you in her corner. I know she may seem reckless now, but it's because of her need to protect those she cares about that she's pushing herself so hard. People like us? We'd be lost without people like you to give us purpose. Because no matter what Lucretia says, no matter how much she loves to uphold the law, she'd never be as great without you there to push her forward.”

Vivian looked down, her bunny ears bouncing as she thought about Tasha's words. There were times where she felt like Luca's love for law took precedent over their relationship. While she'd scold herself for having those thoughts, that didn't stop her from thinking them. But listening to the eagle felt reassuring. Maybe it was because Tasha and Lucretia were so much alike, being strong and confident predators who worked in law enforcement. It helped Vivi not feel like she was Lucretia's 2nd place.

“Thanks... Tasha...” the hare whispered.

Skrrtch!

The radio began buzzing.

In unison, both Tasha and Vivian gazed at the transceiver. All the conversations in the lounge came to a halt; no one dared utter a single peep. Gazing at the radio, Tasha took a deep breath and reached for it, grabbing the device from off the desk and answering it with a curt--

“Cage.”

Hello... Tasha, the wolf's voice answered, causing Vivian's ear to ring.

Even though she wasn't holding the radio directly, she could feel the malice in Walter's voice. It made her heart rate spike, though she took a deep breath to hopefully calm herself down. Hell, a smile even appeared on her lips, for she knew only one person could anger a man like that.

I thought I made it perfectly clear that I wanted you in the morgue, Tasha, said Walter, causing the eagle's chest to puff up, Are you trying to annoy me?

“You really expect me to go downstairs to the morgue alone? Without anyone to protect these civilians?” Tasha replied, “I know you're crazy, Cage, but you're not stupid. I can't risk leaving when all of these people's lives are at stake.”

You can't risk leaving? Oh hah hah hah... Tasha, Tasha, Tasha... do you forget who is in control here? No matter how you look at it, you are surrounded. When – and I do mean when – my men find you and that group, it doesn't matter how confident you think you are, you will be filled with bullets. And don't think that redheaded bitch you've let loose will deter me in the slightest. Don't forget, Tasha, I own the power here!

Skrrtch!

The eagle flinched, her blood running cold as Walter's threat rang in her ears. A part of her even began to quiver, but no, she would not stray from this path. Not when she had a greater chance of success now more than ever.

“What do we do now...?” asked Vivian, to which Tasha took a deep breath.

“We... we pray the Detective gets that tower back online. Until then,” she faced the door, “We wait...”

…

The map that was so graciously 'donated' by Elias proved more invaluable than Lucretia could have ever imagined. While she still did not know what this 'treasure' was he wrote about, she didn't need to know what 'explosives' meant. And now, she didn't need to worry about where to find them.

Swip! Click!

St. Dismas Memorial Hospital was a labyrinthine structure, one with many hallways, corridors and rooms. Extending up to about seven floors in height, the building was square shaped, and surrounded a central courtyard that was rather large in its own right. Of course, now everything was decaying and crumbling apart, reducing the once proud and Gothic structure into a mere shell of its former self. So why is this important?

Because while St. Dismas itself had a somewhat religious vibe with its name and architecture, its parking garage was something else entirely. Stepping through its doorway inside was like walking from a haunted castle, and entering into an abandoned subway. It gave Lucretia visual whiplash.

St. Dismas' parking garage appeared to be the one place most affected by vandalism. Graffiti littered the walls, copious amounts of trash cluttered the ground, and there were even signs that people would have races here and in the surrounding areas. Wasn't Tasha supposed to be maintaining this place? How did the party hall look so upscale, but everything else looked so miserable?

Bah! Whatever! She was here to route criminals, not question Tasha's deplorable management skills.

Lucretia focused forward as she gazed through the mounds of discarded rubbish and abandoned crates that littered the parking garage. According to the map, the Westboro Five have a van filled with explosives parked in the parking garage. It did not say exactly where that van was though, and this parking garage went up about four floors, while she was on floor three.

So Lucretia located the nearest staircase. Fourth floor... nope, nothing but snow. Okay then. The third floor was already cleared. Second floor? Nothing but trash and refuse. First floor then. Lucretia saw various vehicles, no doubt belonging to Tasha and her staff. She saw the catering service that was hired to provide food for the event, as well as the janitorial company hired to make sure everything was clean, among other vehicles for people like waiters.

That made things difficult. What cars belonged to staff members, and what cars belonged to the Westboro Five and their goons? And where were those damned explosives?

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!

“Augh!?”

LIGHTS! BRIGHT LIGHTS! They illuminated Lucretia, falling upon her like searchlights from a helicopter. The wolfess flinched and pulled back, before gritting her teeth and gazing around. All she saw were the shadows of men on the other sides of the lights; prisoners whose insipid chuckles filled the air.

“There's the bitch!” someone shouted, “Get her!”

“Fuck!”

Lucretia didn't hesitate. She couldn't hesitate. She'd never hesitate when danger is afoot. This was something she was trained for!

RATATATATATATATATA!!!

Bullets rang out, all of them flying from different directions. But somehow – in that moment – it all fell on deaf ears. Instead of running, or leaping, or doing anything to leap out of the direction of her enemies, Lucretia began spinning. On one foot, the wolfess twirled like a spinning top, twirling around at such speeds that her ponytail flowed through the air like a streamer. At the same time, all the bullets that flew towards her just... missed.

Somehow – somehow – Lucretia positioned her body juuuuuuust right to dodge each and every bullet that came rushing towards her. They passed by her legs, her hips, her neck, even her great bust, and all failed to grace one inch of flesh on her body. And amid those twirls, she tracked the number of men who shot at her. There were about six. Good, because Justiciar had six shots in its cylinder. So as soon as that gunfire stopped...

Click! Click! Click! Click! Click! Click!

“Tch!”

Lucretia stopped spinning... and she countered.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Six precise shots! They all rang from Lucretia's magnum, and they all flew in six different directions. Lucretia shot forward, shot behind her back, shut under her chest, shot to the right, shot to the left, and took one final shot to a diagonal angle. And then she paused...

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

They all dropped, one by one by one by one by one by one. Six bodies laid on the floor, while Lucretia straightened up. Popping her cylinder from her magnum, she ejected the spent casings within, and quickly reloaded Justiciar.

“Fuuuuh... boys...” she whispered, “Really trying to work me over, aren't ya?”

Approaching the vehicles that surrounded her, Lucretia checked through them all, searching for the vehicle containing explosives. Most of them were just transport vehicles, but one of them was a big white van. It was inconspicuous if you were to see it driving on the highway, especially with all this snow. Fortunately, there was a button at the back of the van, causing its doors to slide up.

“There you are... talk to Mommy...”

Guns. Soooooooooo much guns. Enough guns to fight a small-scale conflict. And explosives. Soooooooo many explosives. They filled the vehicle to the brim, nearly bursting at the seams with weaponry that was waiting to be used. But what struck Lucretia the most was the grade of the weapons. Specifically the fact that almost none of them were civilian guns, or civilian remakes of guns. They were all military grade weaponry, not unlike the weapons Pierce used at the Queen Tower.

“What the...?” Lucretia whispered as she palmed at the bevy of guns, “How did they get their hands on all of this...?”

This seemed like... too much for a simple revenge scheme. Perhaps they were prepared for a full on firefight against authorities? Or maybe it had something to do with this 'treasure' they spoke of. Lucretia was convinced that there was more to this game than Walter was leading on.

Speaking of Walter...

Lucretia tapped the earpiece, turning it on.

“Walter, darling!” she said, her voice charming and sweet, “Mind explaining to me why you have such a large ordinance of weapons? Seems to be a bit unnecessary, wouldn't you agree?”

She didn't have to wait long for a response.

I believe it was first written in 'The Biblical World' by the Reverend H. K. Williams where he first wrote 'By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail', Walter responded through the earpiece, his voice oddly calm, I believe it goes without saying that we – the Westboro Five – are currently the most wanted people in America, not to mention the thirty or so other prisoners who escaped with us. We'd be foolish to not be prepared for any attack. Especially when they come from overzealous detectives such as yourself.

“Oh... both knowledgeable and feisty,” Lucretia remarked, “Ya'know, you're a rather handsome man. With your intelligence, you could have gone far in a more legal business. If only your soul wasn't as black as oil.”

You say... but even oil has speckles of rainbows within its surface.

“Those rainbows aren't the refuge you think they are,” Lucretia replied as she closed the door to the truck of the van, “They're there to obscure the danger oil brings. But I won't be fooled.”

I don't understand you, Detective Salem, Walter whispered, a threatening growl rumbling at the recesses of his throat, Why do you care? You're clearly capable. You can leave whenever you please, and get in contact with the police outside. Why risk your life for the lives of people you don't know.

“Don't insult me,” Lucretia growled back, “You think I'm some fucking coward? Get real.”

I never said you were a coward, Walter replied, I just said it would probably be wiser for you to leave and get help. You have no personal stakes in this situation. What? Is it out of some sort of misplaced respect for Tasha? Let me tell you something, Detective Salem, you do not know Tasha. The person she is, and the person you think she is, are two different people. She doesn't deserve your dedication.

“It's not about Tasha,” Lucretia growled, “And why would I believe anything you say?”

Let's just say, Salem... that I've known Tasha longer than you have.

Lucretia's eyes tightened as she deciphered his words. One could interpret what he was saying as being metaphorical; Tasha spent a few years chasing Walter and the rest of the Westboro Five down. In that time, she would have gotten personal with his group's files, and he would have gotten personal with the persistent agent chasing him down.

But on the other hand, Lucretia could take his words as being literal: That he did know Tasha on a personal level, one that went beyond the two being adversaries. It was a laughable thought to be sure... and yet... the wolfess wasn't laughing. She wasn't even chuckling. Something was beginning to click. But she hesitated from speaking out.

Lucretia heard something...

Rattle Rattle Rattle...

“Ah shit...” BOOOM! “AHK!?”

Explosions rang out at Lucretia's feet, filling the air with flames and debris. The impact of the detonation was so great that the wolfess was thrown back, where she rolled to a stop on the ground before one of the car's still glowing headlights. Teeth gritted and pain running through her body, she got up to her knees in defiance, and gazed towards the blazing inferno before her. Within the raging and smog, she saw the burly silhouette of a lion steadily approach her.

Ah... I heard that, Walter's voice rang through her earpiece, It sounds as if Boomer has found you. Lovely. I'll just leave you two to have your fun.

Click!

With teeth gritted, Luca watched as the lion readied a weapon in its hand. Going by its size, its shape, and its length, she assumed it to be an LMG. And yet he held it with one hand... and he had no qualms with firing it.

TUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTU!!!

Bullets roared from the muzzle of the LMG, firing off dozens of rounds in only a few seconds. Without time to think or speak, Lucretia quickly turned around and leaped upon the hood of the car behind her, where she rolled over its hood to land safely behind it. The bullets from the LMG continued raining upon her however, perforating the car, shattering its glass, and tearing holes into its steel. Her cover wouldn't last much longer, forcing Luca to bolt for more cars in the distance, using them as cover.

But the lion did not stop. He had no reason to stop. His LMG carried with it an unbelievable amount of bullets, ones he steadily fed into it with his bullet feed. He could squeeze his trigger for an eternity if he willed, and considering his enjoyment, he may just do it.

Click!

But he didn't. He stopped firing, allowing the air to be peppered by the sounds of his spent bullet casings bouncing and rolling upon the floor. They were followed up by the heavy sounds of his boots as he marched through the decaying parking garage.

“Lucretia Salem, no?” said the lion, this grin spread upon his lips, “You're the one giving my boss a headache, aren't you? Heh heh heh...! Lucky me!”

Jessie 'Boomer' Cross, the Demolitionist. He was tall, muscular, and built like a wall. His head balled, yet his mane and beard were glorious. His duty as a member of the Westboro Five was simple: To make things go boom. He was the heavy hitter of the group, the one responsible for destroying barriers and creating chaos. And he did it all with this grin on his face!

TUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTU!!!

More bullets roared through the air, rattling several cars in the garage. He had long since lost track of Lucretia... but that didn't matter much to him. So long as his LMG could fire, he was going to squeeze its trigger. The force and feedback that his wicked weapon gave off was intoxicating for him! He could fire for what felt like forever!

And Lucretia?

The wolfess kept moving, ducking behind cars for safety, and putting distance between herself and Boomer. The bullets from his LMG continued ripping through the air in chase of her, tearing through each and every vehicle in front of him. Eventually she paused, appeared from over the hood of a car with both hands on her magnum, took aim at Boomer, and--

BLAM! BLAM!

“Ack!? Urgh!”

Each bullet struck Boomer, landing square in his chest. A victorious smile spread on Luca's lips as his gunfire came to a halt... only to fall as the lion continued standing there. In fact...

“Heh heh heh...”

An insipid chuckle escaped Boomer's lips as he gazed forward, his eyes locked upon the wolfess in the distance. Lining his LMG up with here, he didn't hesitate to squeeze the trigger.

TUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTU!!!

“SHIT!?”

Lucretia ducked down again, Justiciar raised to her side as her cover was relentlessly pelted by a maelstrom of bullets. What the hell? She shot him! He should be dead, or at least, bleeding out on the floor! How is that possible?

Then it struck her, and it all became as clear as day. That heavy jacket he was wearing wasn't just a jacket; it masked the body armor he was wearing. But Justiciar packed .50 caliber bullets; it should have pierced his armor, or at least injured him beneath it! Either his armor was really, really strong, or Boomer was just that resilient.

Both sounded plausible, and neither were good for her.

“Shit...!”

Jutting to the side, Lucretia kept low to the ground as Boomer's LMG continued firing upon her position. Along the way, the wolfess stowed Justiciar back into its holster and picked up one of the D5K's she picked up along the way. And upon coming to a pillar in the parking garage, she popped up from around the corner, took aim at Boomer, and--

RATATATATATATATATATATATATA!!!

Bullets tore through the air, striking Boomer's back and shoulder. He ducked down to protect his head, while his body armor protected him from the relatively weak bullets of the D5K. Teeth gritted, Lucretia growled at how bulky he was, before ducking back down for cover.

“Is that all you have, Salem?” shouted the lion as he aimed his LMG at her, “I thought the hero of the Queen Tower would have been TOUGHER!!!”

TUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTUTU!!!

Stowed behind the pillar once again, Lucretia paused to take thought over her situation. Boomer was unloading on her position, and unless she got that body armor off of him, she wasn't going to be able to stop him!

As stupid as it sounded, she needed to get closer. And the only way to get closer...

RATATATATATATATATATA!!!

Was by firing back.

Running around in circles, Lucretia fired upon Boomer. Some bullets struck the lion, but most did not. Not that he minded; he continued to track her, unloading on the bevy of cars she used for protection, and nearly shattering them into pieces. Her counter attack only seemed to make his blood pump harder, as excitement burned hotter than adrenaline!

But not hot enough to illuminate the darkness.

“What the...?”

Lucretia wasn't firing at him. She was never firing at him. Her bullets ripped endlessly, but never to strike the lion. Sure, some hit him, but none could penetrate his body armor. Instead, they struck the headlights of the cars that brought light to the parking garage, plunging everything into darkness. For Boomer, his eyes had yet to adjust to the sudden decrease in light, making him virtually blind. He couldn't see more than a foot in front of him! But he could hear...

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

Footsteps!

WHAM!

“Oof!?”

Maybe she underestimated him. The lion may not be able to see well in the darkness, but his hearing was impeccable.

Boomer heard her coming from behind, and he threw a kick backwards in retaliation. His foot struck the wolfess' gut with so much force that Justiciar was thrown from her hand. Dammit! But she was quick to recoil, quickly reaching down to grab her magnum... but given no time to do so.

“RAH!”

“OOF!?”

Like any lion should, Boomer pounced upon Lucretia, causing the both of them to roll upon the cold pavement of the parking garage until the wolfess 'SLAMMED!' against a car behind her. She gasped from the sudden pain and was even briefly dazed, but recoiled just in time to watch as he dropped the butt of his LMG upon her as a bludgeoning tool

But Lucretia pulled up her arms just in time, blocking the blow and holding against him. He was strong, but she was just as strong, and after thrusting forward with her head...

WHAM!

“GRGH!?”

She slammed her forehead against his chin, forcing Jessie back. He stepped off of Lucretia's body as he gripped himself, allowing the wolfess to stand back up. Even through the darkness and despite him recoiling in pain, she saw him angle his LMG towards her, but she wouldn't give him the chance to fire it.

“Toh!”

Rushing for Jessie, Lucretia placed her hand upon his heavy machine gun, pushing it to the side right as he squeezed its trigger. The air ripped with the sound of 'TUTUTUTUTUTUT!!!' but Lucretia pushed on nonetheless. Her elbow dropped, and she slammed it against the lion's head. She then swung with her left fist, punching him against his temple. Boomer was dazed by each blow, but Luca wasn't done yet. With a quick jab to his chest, she pushed him back, and with one final 'KICK!', she caused him to stumble upon the hood of a car behind him.

His teeth gritted, the growling lion pulled his LMG up just enough to aim at Luca. But in the darkness of the parking garage, he saw the glint of her magnum.

Boomer fired...

TUTUTUT!!!

Lucretia fired back...

BLAM!

But Jessie's bullets flew over Luca's head, for the wolfess had dove back upon firing. In return, her bullet struck him true, slamming into his chest.

“Guh?”

Jessie winced and palmed his chest... where he felt something lumpy. But it did not take him long to realize what it was he was touching, as his eyes grew wide. A bullet of sweat streaking down the side of his head, he pulled his hand up to feel more of it, realizing that it was a lump of--

“C-4...”

KA-THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!

A ROARING EXPLOSION TORE THROUGH THE AIR, SENDING STEEL, GLASS, AND EVEN BITS OF FLESH THROUGH THE PARKING GARAGE. FLAMES AND FIRE SPREAD OUT FROM THE CENTER OF THE EXPLOSION, WHICH SURGED TOWARDS THE VAN THAT BOOMER LAID UPON. WAIT? A VAN? YES! THE SAME VAN WHERE AAAAAAAALLLLLL OF THE EXPLOSIONS WERE. WHICH OF COURSE MEANT THE LARGEST EXPLOSION ANYONE HAD EVER HEARD!!!

The force of the blast was great... but not great enough. For while any normal man would have been blown off their feet, or perhaps even outright incinerated by the intense flames, Lucretia was not.

Like an erect and immobile statue, the wolfess stood before the flame unflinchingly, gazing at it with Justiciar in her hand. When she found that van of explosives and weaponry, she made sure to swipe some C-4, just in case. Her original plan was to drive the van a safe distance away and destroy it, but when Boomer got the jump on her, she needed to improvise. So during their fight, she put the C-4 on him, and detonated it with a well-timed shot.

A bit hasty, but damn well worth it! Boomer went... boom! Heh!

One of Lucretia's objectives was complete. With Jessie defeated and the explosions gone, she no longer had to fear the destruction of St. Dismas as a whole. But her mission wasn't over yet. The cellphone tower was nearby; she needed to go... now!

So Lucretia placed her hand to her lips...

Chu~

And blew a kiss farewell!

…

KA-THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!

“What the hell was that...?”

He was far from the epicenter of that explosion... but he felt and heard it nonetheless. The entirety of St. Dismas Memorial Hospital shook, with objects within even rattling to the point that they fell to the floor. One such object was his can of soda... how annoying...

Putting it lightly, Walter Cage was not having a good day...

“Auugh... ay, caramba...” he grumbled whilst palming his head, “This red bitch... hrr...” bringing up his hand, he tapped his earpiece, “Cipher, elaborate! What the hell is going on!?”

I would say the fireworks have gone off, replied the dog through his earpiece, I'm outside of the hospital's perimeter and am at the cell site as we speak. That explosion came from the parking garage however... he paused for a moment, I don't think Boomer decided to let one go off prematurely. That's not his style...

“It wasn't him. It was her,” Walter growled, “I can feel it. Lucretia...! Did you ever get in contact with Boomer?”

I did, Cipher answered, Knives and I were sure to put ourselves on the same frequency. Boomer told me he and his men had tracked Lucretia to the parking garage. He went dark shortly after. You don't think...?

“Grrrgh...! And what of Knives? Has he found Ghost's body yet?” Wham! “Wait... hold for a moment...”

The door to the morgue slammed open behind Walter. Unafraid, the wolf slowly turned to face his guest, his gaze falling upon a familiar lizard. He entered the room while carrying a body bag on his shoulder, one he laid upon the surgical table in the center of the morgue. Walter gazed at the reptile, who looked back at him with an uncharacteristically solemn expression on his face.

The wolf didn't need to say another word.

“Do you think this was Tasha's plan?” asked Knives as he faced his boss, “To sic this wolfess on us?”

“I'm sure of it,” Walter replied, “It's her way of betraying us without actually betraying us. Think about it, Knives. Why would the wolfess who singlehandedly saved the Queen Tower from terrorists, be here of all places in a plan that was years in the making?” he shook his head, “That feathered bitch... she thinks she can ruin everything we've been waiting for. No...” he shook his head, “I won't let that happen,” he began walking towards the door, “Let's go, Knives. It's time this farce was brought to an end.”

“Gehehehehehehe! I'm so excited!”

The two turned to exit, with Walter pulling out a pistol, and Knives pulling out, well... a few knives.

…

KA-THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!

The room shook. Everything shook. The earth itself quaked at its foundation, with the rooms within the hospital nearly breaking apart at its seams. Even through the walls, the sound of the explosion pushed through and entered everyone's ears, causing fear almost instantaneously.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!?!?”

The employee lounge howled with the terrified screams of the civilians inside. There were screams of 'WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!' parents were hugging their children, and everyone just waited for the building to fall apart.

But, of course, it never happened. No thugs even rushed through the doors. No one knew where the explosion came from or why it echoed out... but Vivian did. The hare clutched her hand close to her chest and her ears bent down as she took in a deep, deep breath. She knew where the explosion came from, and she knew who caused it. And it made her smile.

“Luca...”

“EVERYONE! EVERYONE!” Tasha suddenly shouted above the screaming group, “EVERYONE! CALM... DOWN!!!”

She was like a beacon; a light at the end of the tunnel. Despite the fear everyone felt, when she spoke, they all listened. Everyone's eyes snapped over, falling upon Tasha as she stood on a table with her hands up to draw as much attention to herself as she possibly can.

“Everyone! Please! Calm down!” Tasha said, her voice growing lower as the screams and conversations beneath her finally quieted down, “Fuuuh... listen, everyone, an explosion has wrung out. We all heard it, but none of us can pinpoint where it came from, or who caused it. I can also not get into contact with Detective Salem. For now, we're going to move to another location, one closer to an exit so that we can leave as soon as possible. So, please, everyone gather to the back door. I will take lead point.”

The people nodded, their screams transformed into whispered murmurs. Doing as they were told, they all began gathering at the door to the back of the employee lounge, everyone except Vivian. The hare took a deep breath as she lingered behind, her hand still clutching her chest. Seemingly glued to the ground, she refused to budge, even as people pushed past her. That is until Tasha's hand fell on her shoulder.

“Miss North...?” the eagle whispered, causing Vivi to look up at her.

“I... I can't go...” she said, “Wh-what if Lucretia comes back, and I'm not here? Wh-what if she's injured or something? She'll... she'll need me. I... I have to wait here.”

“You know I'm not going to let you do that,” said Tasha, “I can't leave you here alone with armed men running around. Besides...” she clutched her shoulder, “Think of the civilians in here. What if any of them get hurt? They'll need you, Miss North.”

“I know, but... L-Luca...”

“The Detective is a capable woman,” Tasha said reassuringly, “I'm sure she'll manage. And I'm sure she'll come back to you...”

“I...!”

Vivian looked at Tasha, gazed into her red eyes, and stared upon her calming smile. While the rabbit didn't want to leave, she knew in her heart that was important for her to do so. The people here needed her; she knew that. And Tasha was right: Lucretia was a capable wolfess; she'd already taken down one group of murderous thugs before, so what's another one?

“Haaah... okay... okay,” said Vivi as she grabbed the first aid kit nearby, “Let's go.”

“Thank you, Miss North,” said Tasha as she began walking forward, “Okay everyone, follow me! Stay quiet, and parents, make sure your children stay quiet. Keep low, move quickly, and move silently!”

Everyone nodded, watching as Tasha took the lead point and approached the doors at the back. When she pushed them open, a cold gust of wind blew in from the hallway outside. She then looked left and right, making sure there was no one in the decaying hall, before gesturing for everyone to follow her with her arm. In a clustered group they exited behind Tasha, with Vivian lingering behind briefly.

The bunny stood there, still wanting to stay, but knowing she had to go. These people needed her help more than Lucretia did. Besides, in some weird way, Luca was still here with her. The wolfess' coat hung on her shoulders, coaxing Vivi to grab its collar, pull it to her nose, and...

“Sniiiiiiifffff... fuuuuh...”

Oh yes. That felt much better. Vivian felt bolstered, strengthened, and now strong enough to face whatever force stands in front of her.

It was time to go.

…

BLAM! BLAM!

RATATATATATATATATA!!!

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

RATATATATATA!!!

When you trigger an explosion in a location filled with adversaries, of course said explosion would attract their attention. On one hand, that makes it harder for her to get to her destination, that being the cellphone tower. On the other hand, it draws them in like moths to a flame. And the more moths she burns, the brighter her flame becomes!

The cell site was nothing more than a quick jaunt up a road that led out of the side of the hospital's perimeter. In the past, maintenance vehicles would drive through the gated fence up the road to operate on the tower, then exit when needed. In the years since St. Dismas' closure, the cell site continued to function, so the roads were typically clear. Even now, the road up to the cellphone tower was free of snow, with only a maintenance truck in the way.

Lucretia could only pray the men who drove said truck were still alive... but she knew better...

Bullets rained down upon her from the fence of the cell site, forcing the wolfess to use the maintenance truck as cover. As glass was shattered and steel was perforated by their relentless gunfire, the wolfess reloaded her magnum and waited for a pause in the assault. It came when a 'Click!' echoed out; one of them ran out of ammo. It was time to go!

Like a black and red blur, Lucretia stepped out from behind her corner and rushed forward. These weren't well-trained military men; these were punks with guns, and nothing more. While they appeared intimidating – and some were more dangerous than others – they were still nothing compared to her.

Her dash was an intimidation tactic, one that worked wonders. One of the men stopped firing outright, leaving only one of them to fire upon Lucretia. His bullets missed however, while she aimed forward with Justiciar. No hesitation; once the iron sights of her magnum were aligned with her target.

BLAM! BLAM!

“GAH!?”

Her bullets ripped through the silent air of the snow-swept land, where they penetrated the chest of her target in front of her. He fell back, his finger still squeezing the trigger of his gun, which filled the air with even more gunfire before finally running out. His allies hid behind cover to protect themselves from his dying fire, giving Lucretia enough time to rush into the fenced off area of the cell site.

One of the men pulled up... just in time to watch Lucretia vault over it, feet first.

KICK!

Her boot slammed against his head, knocking him back and causing him to slam upon the cold pavement. Everything went black for him, while she landed safely behind the cover. Finally, the other man reloaded his gun, tracking Lucretia behind the power box she used as cover, where he unloaded upon her. Sparks flashed as he struck steel, while the wolfess remained focused and calm.

He was going to do it again. He was going to run out of ammo again. And now that he had no allies, there was no one to cover him. All she needed to do was wait for that telltale...

Click!

And Lucretia dashed off.

The man ducked down, struggling to reload his gun. But Luca appeared too fast for him to even drop his spent magazine from his gun. It hit the ground with a 'Dink!', right when the wolfess' hand found his shoulder. With ease she picked him up, and SLAMMED him upon the ground, his head cracking against the cold pavement. He went silent soon after, while the wolfess took a deep breath.

“Okay... fuuuuuhhh...”

Taking a few moments to reload her magnum before performing a gun twirl, Lucretia began walking for the cell site's shelter. It was juuuuuust as she was about to enter where she saw a silver glint within its open door.

Lucretia ducked to the right.

POW!

“AH!?”

A bullet struck her shoulder.

Blood cascaded upon the snow and pavement as Lucretia rushed for a nearby power box. More bullets flew from the door as she did so, all of them missing just barely. Silently, Lucretia cursed herself for her naivete, while palming her shoulder with her gun hand. Her assailant however...

“Detective Salem...” he said from the entrance of the shelter, “It was only a matter of time before you showed up.”

It was another member of the Westboro Five: the dog known as Cipher.

POW! POW1 POW! POW!

He fired several more shots at Lucretia's cover, forcing the wolfess to run deeper into the cell site. She entered into a valley of large power generators, while bullets from Cipher's pistol triggered sparks on steel. He missed her just barely, while Luca ducked behind some larger generators, using them for cover. These served St. Dismas in the past, but had long since become dormant, allowing Lucretia to lay her hand upon one for safety.

“Ah... sh-shit...” the wolfess mumbled as she palmed her gunshot wound, “Ah!?”

“You've been quite the thorn to my team, Detective Salem,” said Cipher, his voice coming closer and closer with each step he took, “You should have stayed home. Maybe with some hot chocolate and biscuits,” POW! “But, no, you just had to come here.”

POW! POW! POW! CLICK!

Now was her chance!

Lucretia quickly dashed from around her corner, her magnum drawn where she saw... nothing. There was nothing and no one in front of her; Cipher had already run. The sound of his reload was a ploy he used to bring her out of her cover, one she fell forward like a desperate pup.

“Shit!”

Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap!

Now his footsteps echoed in the distance, causing her to spin around. She caught a glimpse of just his shadow, drawing a growl from her lips as she ran deeper into the aisles of power generators.

Marcus 'Cipher' Kade, the Hacker. He was the electronics expert of the group: a canine capable of any machine sing whatever he wanted it to. It mattered not what encryption you used, or how strong your firewall was, he was going to break it down; it was only a matter of time. And if he couldn't get it to open up? Well, he wasn't above getting his hands a little dirty.

Eeeeaarrrr!

“Ah!? What the?” Luca said as she looked up, gazing at the speakers that hung on the four corners of the cell site.

“Lucretia Kleopatra Salem,” said Cipher, his voice ringing from all speakers at once, surrounding the wolfess, “Age 27, and a member of the Document City Police Department where she holds the rank of 'detective'. Daughter of Nero Aurelius Salem and Cornelia Sephora. Older sister is Nero Aurelia Palmer nee Salem the second. I could go on and on and on if you'd please...”

“What? Are you trying to scare me?” the wolfess growled back, her eyes scouring her surroundings, “It's not going to work...”

“It's not about intimidation,” Cipher replied, making her ears twitch, “It's about data. And I'm not above using data to get my way...”

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP!

“Ngh!?”

BLAM!

Lucretia twitched and fired, her bullet flying through the air where it struck the metallic side of a power generator. It bounced off, sparks flew, but she did not strike her target. She just missed him, seeing the edge of his coat flutter around the corner like a taunting finger curl.

“Fuck...”

Lucretia stepped forward to give chase... but stopped herself. She couldn't risk running into his trap; she needed to reverse this little game of cat and mouse. So she ducked back, entering between the steel generators with her magnum raised high. Footsteps echoed all around, coming from both Lucretia and Cipher. The cell site – despite its size – was somehow maze-like and labyrinthine, making it nearly impossible to tell who was where.

“Why keep this up?” Lucretia snarled, her voice echoing from within the steel jungle, “The people of this party have no hand in this. Just let them go free and keep Tasha. She's what you want.”

“For a hero detective... you're not very bright,” Marcus replied, “Tasha is not as pure as you think she is. Perhaps this situation – this party and our involvement in it – isn't as random as you'd think. Unfortunate, yes, but perhaps orchestrated.”

“Orchestrated...?”

Marcus slid from around a corner, his eyes looking down the main lane. He had lost track of Lucretia with his eyes... but he wasn't bothered. Instead, he opened his jacket, revealing a bevy of computer screens inside. Cipher's tech rig was mobile yet no less advanced, allowing him to easily hack machines on the go. It's what allowed him to hack into the cell site's speaker systems... as well as its surveillance cameras.

At the four corners of the cellphone tower's base, there were cameras that recorded the location. Even at this time – this many years after St. Dismas' closure – the cameras still worked... and Cipher had long-since hacked into them. With the screen on his jacket's inner pocket, he could see what the four cameras saw, which included Lucretia.

She was at the back, right-most power generator, huddled behind it for protection. Good. It was time to nip this little rose in the bud. Stuffing the scene back into his jacket, he pulled out his microphone, raising it to his lips.

“You're backing the wrong horse, Detective Salem,” Cipher spoke into the microphone as he approached Lucretia, “Agent Vance isn't the woman you think she is. Let's just say... we – as in the Westboro Five of course – are very familiar with Tasha and her methods. On the other hand, what? Are you just some starry-eyed subordinate?”

He gained no answer, but that wasn't the point. He already knew where Lucretia was; he just needed to mask his movements as he approached her, which is what the speakers were for.

“Why should I believe you?” asked Lucretia, “What good would that do me?”

“Because if you had half a brain...” Marcus replied as he rounded the corner, seeing Lucretia in the distance, “You'd get out while you could. Tasha is not on your side. Not yours, not those civilians, and definitely not your girlfriend's.”

His pistol was pointed forward, aiming towards Lucretia's back. He had finally sneaked up on her, the sounds of his speaker having kept her deaf to the sound of his approaching footsteps. And now that he had her...

POW! POW! POW!

No more words. He never liked talking much compared to Boomer, Knives, or Cage himself. The moment he had the wolfess in her sights, he fired without hesitation. His bullets tore through her back, the jacket she wore snapping as holes were ripped through it.

And... that's all. No howls of pain, no falling forward or back, no nothing. Cipher flinched, confused... while the wolfess in front of him slowly slumped back. Her body fell on the ground with a loud 'Thud!', while the hood of her jacket fell to the side. And... well...

That's not her face. That's just some random guy; some random prison goon.

“What the...?”

Click!

“Don't. Move.”

It was a trick. She had used her jacket to obscure the body of a thug, and tricked him out to reveal himself. Now she had the trap on him, the barrel of her magnum pressed to his spine.

“I have to say... impressive, Detective Salem,” said Marcus, his hands raised in a show of defeat, “I must have lost track of you.”

“It would seem,” the wolfess replied before pushing her magnum harder against his back, “I have a few questions for you, Marcus. And I recommend...” Click! “That you answer earnestly... less you want to be like Boomer and Ghost.”

“Well then... I suppose I don't have much of a choice but to answer, do I?” he replied sarcastically before taking a deep breath, “Okay then... what questions do the illustrious Detective Salem wishes to ask?”

“What are you talking about? About Tasha?” Luca growled, “'Backing the wrong horse'? The hell are you talking about? And...” she tilted her head, “Does it have something to do with this treasure that's on your maps?”

“Hm... it would seem you're already putting things together,” Cipher remarked, “That 'detective' ranking is well earned, I'm sure.”

Click!

“Don't try me,” the wolfess growled, “Answer my question!”

“Fine then. I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain,” Cipher replied as he looked forward, “Tasha has helped orchestrate all of this. We planned this heist from the very beginning with her knowing every inch of it. Our escape from Eastgate Penitentiary, our gaining of weapons and tools, or even this party was thrown on this specific date so that we'd have hostages to take. Every inch of the way, she was both aware of and helped to plan.”

“What...?” Lucretia shook her head, “And the treasure?”

“The treasure is the reason for all of this,” Cipher answered, “That treasure on the map, was the money we hid before our arrest. We hid half a billion dollars at this hospital before our arrest years ago, knowing full well we'd return one day to get it.”

“But Tasha is the one who arrested you. So why would she help you now?”

“Because Tasha was helping us back then,” Cipher replied with a smirk, “Do you really think she just found us out of the blue? Or did you not look well into Tasha's history? Before she arrested us, she was a mere detective. Just. Like. You. But when she arrested us, it launched her career, and she became a federal agent. So tell me, how a mundane detective like her managed to find the most notorious criminals of the 21st century when the FBI, the CIA, even the NSA couldn't? It's almost as if it was all planned from the start.”

“You... you have to be lying,” said Lucretia as she pressed her magnum harder against his spine, “Tasha... she would never... she could never...!”

“Fine... believe what you want to believe,” Cipher said with a roll of his eyes, “You have no reason to trust me, that is true. Personally, I didn't trust Tasha in the first place. I figured she'd find some way to betray us... but... I never expected it would be by siccing you on us.”

Lucretia sat there, growling into Marcus' ears, while the dog remained relatively calm. His words felt less like a sledgehammer to the walls, and more like someone calmly opening the back door to a house. Why? Because as impossible as his words sounded... Lucretia had already begun to suspect that there was more at play here than a random attack close to Christmas. She just refused to believe that was the case.

“HAH!”

WHAM!

“URK!?”

THUD!

Without another word, Lucretia struck the back of Marcus' head with her magnum, knocking him unconscious with one blow. But the wolfess felt not triumph or joy, instead the empty coldness of bitterness. Teeth gritted, she rubbed her temple and shook her head, feeling as if her worse fears had been confirmed. She had felt that this situation was far too coordinated to be a spur of the moment revenge scheme, and the fact that there was half a billion dollars at play made even more sense. Why else would 30 escaped criminals help the Westboro Five out unless they were promised money in exchange?

And was that really why Tasha invited her to this party? So the wolfess could deal with her dirty laundry? It was one hell of a gambit if so, and it was paying off. Two of the Westboro Five were dead, one was incapacitated, and multiple goons had been defeated. If Lucretia killed the five members, there would be no one who could finger Tasha as being complicit in this situation. Assuming of course that Cipher wasn't lying.

The wolfess took a deep breath. Now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. There were still hostages that needed to be freed, one of them being Vivian. Right now, she needed to reactivate the cell site, and get moving. After binding Cipher so that he doesn't cause more problems when he wakes up, of course.

Lucretia entered into the shelter, the room being small and filled with the blinking lights of machines and terminals. Most of them flew well over Lucretia's head, but one of them didn't require much thinking.

With a man like Cipher on the team, the wolfess thought the Westboro Five would employ some sort of devious hacking tactic in order to block out the cellphone tower. But... no...

They just unplugged it. They didn't even tear the wires apart; they just unplugged it! The wire was no longer stuck in the wall socket, requiring Lucretia to plug it in. She then checked her phone, gazing into the corner to watch as she regained cell service.

“Son of a bitch...” the wolfess growled as she lifted her phone to her ear.

It buzzed a few times, before finally connecting with who she was calling.

Huh? Lucretia? Is that you?

“Felix. Listen, I need your help.”

…

St. Dismas was a place where people went to for healing and mending. In the past – before those malpractice lawsuits – it was pristine and clean, with white halls and a somewhat religious architecture that helped alleviate one's soul. Now everything was gray and dismal, breaking apart at the seams, and seemingly close to shattering upon them.

Is this what Lucretia was fighting through by herself? It made Vivian sick to her stomach...

Side by side, the group of people – all collected in a huddle – followed behind Tasha and Vivian. The eagle and hare took lead point to make sure the location was safe for them to travel through, and that no thugs appeared to get the jump on them. From the employee lounge they traveled into another room downstairs. From what could be discerned, the area looked like a waiting room in the past. There were signs here and there that some of the escaped prisoners had made a base here, but they were long gone. No doubt sent out to hunt down Lucretia, meaning this area was clear.

For now, anyway.

“Okay, everyone,” said Tasha as she pointed forward, “Settle in, settle in. The doors are right here. When we're sure we can escape, we'll head through the doors in an orderly fashion. For now, everyone, remain calm and stay low!”

“H-holy shit...!” someone suddenly said, drawing attention to him, “My phone...! I-I can call outta here! We can call for help--” POW! “AH!?”

“No. No you can not.”

A bullet roared from an adjacent hallway, one which ripped through and struck the phone with pinpoint aim. The man's phone exploded into glass and wiring, while he winced and pulled back. Every then turned, facing the direction the bullet came from, where their eyes fell on a certain wolf.

It was Walter Cage, standing there with a pistol in hand, and a cold look in his glistening blue eyes. He wasn't alone: beside him was Knives, the lizard chuckling and grinning like a maniac, and behind the both of them were two armed men with automatic machine guns. The four men entered into the room, their guns trained on the group of hostages, while Walter specifically looked at--

“Tasha... I believe we have a meeting to make.”

“Walter...” she whispered.

“Nuh-uh-uh!” he said, pointing his pistol at her, “Don't say another word, Agent Vance. We wouldn't want anything incriminating to be said, do we? After all, there are hostages here, and it would be a shame if any of them were to get injured, wouldn't you agree?” he then looked to his side, “Micheal... Trevor... make sure no one budges. If anyone even thinks about reaching for their phone... put a bullet in 'em...”

“Yeah boss...”

The two armed men moved forward, pointing their guns at the group of civilians, and forcing them to huddle together. Tasha meanwhile was forced to stay in place by Walter, who slowly approached her.

“You little slut...” he whispered to the eagle, “You put Lucretia down to hunt me and my crew...” he shook his head, “I should shoot you where you stand...” leaning in, he pressed the barrel of his pistol against her chin, “But I still have use of you,” he then stepped back, “Come on... come on... let's go for a walk.”

Tasha gritted her teeth, her red eyes glancing to the side. She wanted to say something, perhaps argue with him, but she knew doing that would only waste time, and increase the chances of someone getting shot. So – defiantly – she stepped forward, entering into the hall behind Walter. But the wolf was not yet done.

He turned, his glistening blue eyes cutting through the decrepit air of the abandoned hospital as he dropped his gaze upon--

“Miss North, is it?” his pistol pointed at Vivian, whose breathing stiffened, “It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“How do...” Vivian replied... before growling and looking to the side, “Shit...”

“'Shit' indeed,” Walter mumbled, his voice giving way to a low growl, “Your girlfriend has been one hell of a thorn in my side. So, please, would you be so kind as to accompany us? But do know...” he gestured over towards Knives, who approached Vivian with this insipid giggle leaving his lips, “Knives here has been very antsy. He can't wait to get his hands on something. I recommend that 'something' not be your neck.”

“I...! Aah...” Vivian shook her head and stepped forward, her gaze low as she crossed her arms and hugged close Lucretia's jacket, “I understand... let's just fucking go already...”

“Ah... quite the spitfire...” said Walter, “But ultimately still so submissive. I can see why a wolf like Lucretia likes a bunny like you... heh...” he looked up, facing his other goons, “Knives is coming with me. Make sure nothing happens out here, understand?”

“Got it, boss,” the two armed thugs said in unison.

With Tasha and Vivian walking before them, Walter and Knives followed them, forcing the two along a predestined path. Vivi could feel her heart race as felt the intense gaze of both Walter and Cage on her back, and could even feel the cold steel of the wolf's pistol even from this distance. For as affable as the wolf appeared to be, and as deranged as the lizard was, she knew they both absolutely hated her. Not because of anything she did, but because of what Lucretia had done.

Lucretia. In a way, she was a savior in this event, yet somehow responsible for Vivian being held hostage as she was now. But the hare wasn't angry or frustrated. Not only did she accept it, but she wasn't as emotional as she should have been. Not when she knew Luca was still out there. The wolfess would come and save her, of that, Vivian had no doubts.

“Sniiiiiiifffff... fuuuuh...”

Oh yes. That felt much better. Vivian felt bolstered, strengthened, and now strong enough to face whatever force stands in front of her.

It was time to go.

…

Act 5: Winter Virus

“Ah shit... ACHOO! Fuck! Haaah... I really should've kept my jacket... garrgh...”

With the cell site back online and three out of five members of the Westboro Five dealt with, Lucretia felt an unbelievable high travel through her. Her body surged with an incredible heat, and strength pulsed through every mighty fiber of her being. Even the gunshot she took to the shoulder did little to slow her down.

The cold on the other hand...

Entering back into the hospital floor, Lucretia leaned against the wall as she took a deep breath. If she was a smoker, this would've been the perfect moment to light up a cigarette and relax after her near constant barrage of action. But she wasn't a smoker, and this wasn't the time to sit back and do nothing. Hostages were at stake, especially Vivian.

She needed to move.

With her moment of relaxation over, Lucretia began marching off deeper into the hospital. She tried several times to contact Vivian, but her girlfriend never answered. It didn't take a detective to know that's not a good sign. If Vivi wasn't answering, that meant they were no longer in the employee lounge, and if they were no longer in the employee lounge, then that meant Walter probably had them. And if Walter had them...

No... she didn't want to think about it...

Lucretia's fears were confirmed when she arrived at the employee lounge, only to find it empty.

“Aah... shit...” the wolfess grumbled as she slipped back, “Where'd they go to...?”

Laying her hand against her head, Lucretia grumbled to herself in thought. She should've asked where they'd hide out at if they were caught. Wait... were they caught, or did they just relocate after hearing the explosion ring out from the bombs she detonated?

Wait... Vivian's her girlfriend, and they were so close, that they both had their phones registered so that if one were to have their phone go missing, the other could find it. It came in handy, because for as glued to her phone as Vivi could be, she also had the tendency to lose it in random places. Don't tell anyone though; she's super embarrassed by it!

Pulling up her phone, Lucretia used its search feature to find Vivian's phone, where she discovered it was--

“142 feet over... 32 feet down... that should be...” pulling out her map, she cross referenced it with this new data, “The hospital's waiting room... okay...”

Lucretia rushed out of the room... only to slow down to a walk. Wait, if everyone was at the waiting room and Vivian didn't answer her phone, then that meant they were probably being held hostage. And if they were being held hostage, then running in guns blazing was the stupidest thing she could do.

Fortunately, Luca was a clever girl. Moreover, she had a map that detailed secret paths all throughout the hospital. One such path told her that an elevator shaft was nearby, one that led close to the waiting room. All she'd need to do was slide down said shaft, and she'd be able to get the drop on her enemies, hopefully from behind. There was just one problem; was she going to climb down an elevator shaft without making any noise?

Surprisingly easy, actually, for as Lucretia came to the sliding doors of the elevator, she found they were already open... and a ladder extended down towards the bottom floor.

A ladder? Here of all places? Who could've put it here? Well... isn't it obvious?

No. She didn't want to think about that, not yet. She still wasn't sure if that was the truth until she heard it from Tasha's own lips. Until then...

Lucretia slipped down the elevator, sliding down to the pit at the bottom floor. It was filled with dust, as the elevator had long since been removed. Why? For what reason? Was it dismantled to be transformed into a new elevator somewhere else? Or was it removed to make it easier to navigate around this derelict hospital? Lucretia didn't know, and she didn't like it.

“Focus, Luca, focus...” the wolfess whispered to herself as she darted through the decaying hall.

Lucretia came to the end, only to stop and stick her back up against a nearby wall. With Justiciar raised and prime, the wolfess peaked over the corner of the wall to see a group of civilians... and the two armed gunmen holding them hostage.

“So what are you gonna do when this is all done?” said one of the gunmen, a lax expression on his face that was palpable even behind his snow goggles and hoodie.

“What do you think I'm going to do?” his fellow thug asked, equally as lax about the situation as they kept their guns trained on their huddling hostages, “I know a guy down south who'll help sneak me across the border. Once this is over, I'm gonna be in Mexico by the end of the week. After that, I think I'll buy me a nice place in the Cayman Islands and live the rest of my life in luxury.”

“Tch... that's all?” replied the first guard, “C'mon, Trevor! You're thinking too small!” he tapped his shoulder, “You know what we should do? We should both move down to Mexico, and hide out there for a year or two, right? We got the money to last us ten years, but ten years'll still run out! So what we do after that is move to Europe, I'm thinking Italy personally, but maybe France. We then take the money we got to buy up and renovate a hotel somewhere. That hotel, we can advertise to travelers and tourists for a cheaper price than the other hotels around us. And since the hotel we buy will already be old and rebuilt, we can say it has some sort of rustic charm to it! We'll be making money to the day we die with that business!”

“Can you even speak French? Or Italian?”

“Bah! I don't need to! The money will talk for us! Though... we might need to get plastic surgery so that feds don't recognize us...”

Their conversation went on like this endlessly, jovially talking about what they will or won't do when this situation was over, while their hostages cowered in fear. Lucretia thought she'd need to be sneaky in order to get the drop on them, but as she walked closer, they remained still. They appeared deaf, right up until...

Click! Click!

“Don't. Move.”

From behind their visors, their eyes grew wide as they felt the cold barrel of guns be pressed to the backs of their skulls. Lucretia stood there, Justiciar in one hand and a D5K in the other, holding them hostage.

“Ah shit...” mumbled one of the thugs.

“Guess there goes your hotel dreams...”

…

“We really need to stop meeting like this, Mr. Donovan.”

“Likewise, Detective Salem...”

It didn't take long for Lucretia to deal with the two guarding goons, tying the both of them up to a pole in the room where they couldn't move. They could still argue and bicker with one another however, a sound that went silent against the wolfess' ears.

What mattered to Lucretia was the people. While they were incredibly shaken up by what happened – who wouldn't be – they were still comforting and cradling one another. Husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, parents and children, and more. With their phones active, they all called whatever police department they could reach, as well as informing any loved ones of their safety.

“Where's Vivian and Tasha?” Lucretia asked as she spoke with a human named Donovan... and someone else who also had the misfortune of surviving the Queen Tower event. Maybe he, Luca, and Vivi had some sort of bad luck about them.

“That guy... uh... Walter,” said Donovan, “He took them away... but... I don't know where.”

“To the morgue,” Lucretia said, making him tilt his head.

“Come again?”

“Don't worry about it, look, and listen,” she pointed towards the exit, “You guys need to get out of here, and now. I'm not sure how many charges they have, but they have this building rigged with explosions. I've already informed the authorities outside of what's going on, so they should be here as fast as they can. So just head to the gates as quickly and as orderly as you can.”

“What about you?” Donovan asked.

“What do you mean 'What about me'?” Luca replied... while a grin adorned her lips, “I'm getting my bunny back!”

Turning around, Lucretia rushed down the hall behind her while pulling out the map she had gained from Walter's gang. The path to the morgue was more or less a straight line, especially with the elevator being out. She had to take a staircase down to the bottom-most floor of the hospital, which she quickly slipped down.

The basement of St. Dismas was even more derelict than the hospital up above. From what Lucretia could deduce, the basement was probably a popular spot for trespassers due to the large number of graffiti that adorned the wall. Tasha probably didn't bother with renovating the bottom-most floor, probably because she never meant for anyone to use it an any specific capacity.

Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

Here more than anywhere did the air smell and feel dead. It choked Lucretia, who kept a brave front against the debilitating odors. What was this? Vivian would probably say something like asbestos.

Vivian. Vivian. Vivian. Where was she? Luca could only imagine what her girlfriend was going through. Rare though it was, the hare would clutch Lucretia close, as if suffering a flashback to the Queen Tower. When that alligator – Drake was his name – held her hostage, how afraid was she then? How afraid was she now? And...

Where the hell was everybody?

Lucretia thought this hall would be filled with goons, considering the location of the 'treasure' was nearby in the morgue. But everything was so quiet, with only the sound of Luca's quiet footsteps there to give her some company.

The morgue... it was at the end of the hall. The final resting place for so many bodies. But it wasn't the only room in here. There were several other rooms with glass windows.

Autopsy rooms.

And in one such room, hanging up via chains around her wrists, keeping her bound, was--

“Vivi!?”

It was twisted in a way. Sacred Hope Hospital had an autopsy room too, but she rarely – if ever – went down there. She was a nurse, not a mortician. And despite her girlfriend being a detective, she was of no help in forensic analysis.

So to be hanging up here, bound by her wrists in this decaying room, was its own unique horror.

Vivian shuddered in the cold depths of the autopsy room. This deathly chill ran up and down her spine, making her ears stand up on end as white breaths left her lips. How long had she been hanging here? It felt like forever, but was probably only ten or so minutes. And when her carmine eyes gazed forward, she saw...

“Lucretia...?”

The wolfess looked back at her, concern in her green eyes. Vivian leaned back, her chest swelled as she said--

“Luca watch--”

Click!

“Don't move...”

Lucretia should have known better. A part of her did know better. She should have stayed focused. She should have remained quiet. She should have realized an obvious trap was an obvious trap.

But she didn't. Not in that moment. How could she when she saw her apple pie hanging up like that?

To the back of her neck, Lucretia felt the barrel of a pistol placed against her spine. The wolfess froze up, ears standing on end as her body grew still. Behind her was a lizard. A lithe lizard. A lithe lizard with spiky black hair, red eyes, and this sadistic grin on his scaly lips.

He held a pistol to the back of Lucretia's spine, forcing her to stand up straighter, and causing her to raise her hands.

“Your pistol,” he said, his voice unusually calm despite the instability of the grin on his face, “Unload it.”

Lucretia didn't hesitate. She didn't even growl. She just popped the cylinder from Justiciar, and unloaded the bullets inside, allowing them to drop to the floor.

“Good,” said the voice behind her, “Now put your pistol on the floor. Slowly.”

Again, Lucretia didn't hesitate, kneeling down to place her magnum on the floor.

“Easy now...” said the voice.

After placing Justiciar on the floor, Lucretia stood up tall, still feeling the cold steel of that pistol to the back of her spine. The lizard then stepped forward, where he kicked Justiciar to the corner of the room, before pushing his pistol to her back.

“C'mon,” he said, “Over to that sink there.”

Lucretia nodded, following along with the lizard's orders as she was led over to a nearby sink. That's when the pistol suddenly left her. Without warning, the lizard walked over to her side, standing next to her, where he unloaded the pistol he had, and placed it next to the sink.

“I don't like guns,” said the lizard, “They're too... impersonal,” he looked up at Lucretia, giving her a smile, “You see, when I kill someone, I want to feel it. That's why they call me Knives.”

Riley 'Knives' Cortes, the Enforcer. Sadistic, violent, cruel, malicious: these were just some choice words one would use to describe the lizard. He was the Westboro Five's attack dog; usually the first one sent in to sow chaos due to his blood-thirsty nature. Despite being a lizard with a somewhat shorter stature, his skill in combat was without peer. He was speedy, precise, and in a close-quarters area – such as this autopsy room – he was terrifying. Very few people have come out alive after getting into a fight with him, especially in a cramped space such as this.

“Why don't we enjoy ourselves, Lucretia?” said Riley as he stepped back, removing the jacket he wore as he did so, “I'm sure we both can use the time to... unwind after today. We are both predators, are we not?”

His jacket fell to his feet, revealing his body beneath, and the myriad of tattoos he had running up and down his scales. Lucretia looked him up and down, wanting to say something, but understanding that there was no point. Speaking to sociopaths like Knives was like trying to talk to a brick wall; nothing was ever going to change.

Her green eyes focused on him, her expression becoming tense. Riley chuckled, seeing the anger and drive within her. She then took a more battle-ready pose, causing the lizard to do likewise. For several seconds, the two combatants sized each other up, looking for any bend, break, or flaw in their defenses. And, honestly, Lucretia was impressed. For a criminal, Knives had a near flawless stance.

She was still going to break him...

Riley struck first, his hand punching for Lucretia's head. She ducked back, feeling the wind of his strike just barely touch her chin. But the lizard did not stop there. He struck again and again and again, throwing punches, swipes, and slashes at the wolfess' head. But each and every strike she dodged, retreating to the back of the autopsy room where her back hit the wall. Riley struck again...

Pat!

But this time, Lucretia blocked it.

Her green eyes tightened on Knives, and she pulled back her left hand. With a thrust, she performed a straight jab towards the lizard's face, but he juked to the right, dodging her punch. But the wolfess did not stop. Taking another step forward, she threw another punch at Knives, and another, and another! Each punch he dodged, his head bobbing left and right with expert precision. But he never countered, nor did Lucretia overextend. The two were almost in sync with one another.

And then the wolfess stopped, and the lizard did likewise. Reset to neutral.

Lucretia and Knives began circling one another, searching for any openings or flaws in their opponent's stances. Luca wasn't just a trained civil servant, she also spent many years in her college days within her local gym's boxing ring. If there was anyone who knew how to fight, it was her.

But Knives was different. She had read his file, learned everything there was to know about him. He was a young man who came from a low-income and abusive family, where his alcoholic father beat him and his siblings everyday. In his youth – possibly as an outlet from his abusive upbringing – Riley would take part in a plethora of street fights and brawls all throughout his youth and into adulthood. Those near constant fights taught him how to and how not to fight, and his abusive childhood turned him into a sadist.

Huh.... a sadist with a love for challenges. How unique.

“HAH!”

Knives struck again, rushing at Lucretia with a flurry of strikes. The wolfess went on the defensive again, dodging and parrying his blows. With one strike, the lizard flung his arm to the right... where a hidden blade slid out from his sleeve with a 'Swip!'

And Vivian heard it.

“L-LUCA! WATCH OUT!” the hare shouted.

In a split second, the lizard slashed at Lucretia, who instead of blocking his strike, dodged it just in the nick of time. His blade cut through the air, slicing some of her red hair in twain while he continued pressing the advantage. Luca was pushed back with each step, eventually coming to an autopsy table, where she leaped over and slid over its surface, putting distance between herself and Knives. She then kicked the table, causing objects on it to fly off its surface, and forcing the lizard back.

Lucretia reached for her hip, where she – like Riley – pulled out her combat knife, brandishing it threateningly. She then stood up, pointing her knife at Knives, who pointed his knife back. How ironic. The two glared at one another, their bladed weapons tipped towards one another like swordsmen in medieval time.

Now it was Luca's turn.

“Hmph!”

Swipe!

Her blade swung through the air, aiming for Riley's head. The lizard pulled back, before quickly countering with a stab at Lucretia's gut. She stepped to the side just in time to dodge his stab. But he pulled back too fast to counter, so when she struck back, he was already retreating to dodge her.

From where Vivian hung, she watched as again and again and again, Lucretia and Knives swiped and slashed at one another, their knives always coming just barely shy of lacerating one another. The silver glints of their blades flashed through the lights of the autopsy around them, dancing at incredible speeds that made the hare's heart stop.

It brought back memories of the past. The Queen Tower, and that brutal alligator Drake. Lucretia and Drake battled in the Queen Tower's casino room, all while Vivian sat there, helpless. Sure, Riley may be nowhere near as tall or as burly as Drake was, but that didn't make him any less dangerous, and it didn't make Vivian feel any less useless...

“Luca...”

“Ghn?”

“Ah-ha! Gotcha!”

Clang!

Maybe Lucretia overextended. Maybe Lucretia underestimated how fast Knives was. Or maybe it was neither of these things, and she was just unlucky. Whatever the case may be, the end result was the same: Lucretia's knife had been knocked form her hand.

She watched it slide on the floor, her teeth gritted as she pulled back. Knives – indulging in her lost of weapon – chuckled sadistically as he began approaching her. Slowly. Slowly. He really wanted her to feel the horror of the situation; of being being thoroughly caught.

“Gehehehehehe...”

His insipid laughter would be enough to chill the blood of anyone... but not Lucretia. She remained focused, kept her arms up too in a defensive and battle-ready pose, even as the knife-wielding lizard drew closer.

She stepped to the right, causing Riley to step to the right. She then stepped to the left, causing him to again step to the left. He mirrored her completely, so when she began circling him, he began circling her, keeping the wolfess dead-center in his gaze.

That's when Vivian's eyes grew wide. Lucretia had moved in such a way that Riley's back was towards her! The hare shuddered in place, wanting to gasp, but remaining silent. Instead she looked up, gazing into Lucretia's eyes, but the wolfess was far too focused on the knife-wielding nut in front of her.

Shlink... Shling! Shlink... Shling!

Back and forth, Vivian began swinging. Back and forth, she picked up momentum. Back and forth, she came closer and closer to Riley. Back and forth, the sadistic lizard kept his eyes locked on Lucretia, ignoring the sound behind him. Back and forth, Vivian pulled up her legs. Back and forth...

She kicked.

“Gah!?”

Vivian's boots slammed into Riley's back, pushing the lizard forward. It was just enough of a distraction that Lucretia was quickly capable of swinging in with her elbow, striking Knives' arm, and knocking his knife from his grasp. She then struck him with her fist, knocking him aside and causing him to stumble back. But the wolfess didn't stop there.

She dove in, arms reaching out to grab and pin him down. But Riley was far more wily than a normal person would give him credit for. Even as he recoiled from her punch, he used that momentum to swing his body around, performing a roundhouse kick aimed at Lucretia's head.

But Luca anticipated this. She knew how dangerous he was, and knew that even when he was at disadvantage, he was deadly. So the wolfess ducked down, just barely clearing his roundhouse kick as she grabbed him by his waist. With a powerful lift, she picked him up off his feet, pulled him over towards a nearby autopsy table, and--

WHAM!

“GAH!?”

Knives bounced upon the table, his eyes swelling in size as his back nearly broke in half. Slipping over and falling upon the floor, he laid there for only half of a second, while Lucretia rushed around. By that time, he got back onto his feet, rolling upon his toes as he bawled his hands into fists. Even though he had just been thrown down against the floor, he had recoiled with enough strength and vigor to throw kick after kick against the wolfess, forcing her back as she blocked his strikes again and again.

Roundhouse after roundhouse after roundhouse after roundhouse! Knives pivoted on one foot like a spinning top toy, while throwing out a relentless rush of kicks that never seemed to end! But it was all for show; nothing more than a distraction. For one does not get the name of 'Knives' without having access to even more knives!

Swip!

It slid from his other sleeve; another concealed knife which he gripped tight. After one last roundhouse, he slashed at Lucretia, thinking she'd try again to block him. But the wolfess caught the glint of his knife juuuuuust in time, where she brought up her arm in such a way to stop him from stabbing her. The two entered into a brief tussle with one another, with Lucretia holding Knives off, and Knives trying to stab her. They slowly circled around again, their eyes locked upon one another. Neither side would give the other any quarter, bringing their battle to a stalemate. However...

Shlink... Shling! Shlink... Shling!

The sound of swinging chains began echoing out again. Knives didn't hear it; he was so focused on Lucretia, so consumed by his blood lust, that he ignored everything that wasn't about the wolfess in front of him, or any item in this room that would help him kill her. So he didn't hear her swinging behind him; that bunny rabbit who he left hanging up on chains. But this time, she wasn't aiming to kick him. This time, she--

“GOTCHA!”

“WHAT!?”

Vivian wrapped her thighs around his head! And these aren't regular thighs, these are bunny thighs! Strong, shapely, bunny thighs! They clinched around Knives' head, holding him hostage! He reacted quickly, bringing up his hands where he came dangerously close to stabbing her with his knife. But...

PUNCH!

“OOOF!?”

Lucretia wouldn't let him get that far. He wouldn't allow him to hurt Vivian any more!

Her fist slammed into his gut, making his eyes bulge. But his cry of pain was choked short by Vivian's squeezing legs. Another punch slammed into his gut soon after, knocking his knife from his grasp, and sending it rolling on the floor. The wolfess then brought her foot up, and--

KICK!

“GWAH!?”

The heel of her boot slammed against Knives' chin, slamming his head, and causing his grip on his knife to fall loose. The kick was so strong, he was even knocked out of Vivian's leg-lock, causing him to fall back on the floor.

But even after all that – the punches, the kick, the choking – Knives would not go down! He quickly rushed back after Lucretia, not even caring to produce another bladed weapon as he wrapped his arms around Luca's waist, taking her off guard. He pushed into the wolfess, knocking her into a table behind her, causing her back to arch and a gasp of pain to leave her lips.

She pulled up and back, just in time to dodge the back of his head as he jerked up, attempting to headbutt her. But he had the wolfess right where he wanted her; pinned to a place that wouldn't so easily budge, allowing him to assault her to his pleasure. He didn't hesitate, as he began to wildly assault Lucretia with a flurry of blows. Punches and kicks of all kinds fell upon Lucretia, striking at her chest, her face, her legs; anywhere he could reach.

And somehow – somehow – the wolfess blocked all of them.

When a punch came to her head, she blocked it. When a kick came to her chest, she blocked it. When Knives attempted to shove his boot on her stomach in a savage stomp, she blocked it too! He was fast, yes, but she was that much faster! And when he revealed an opening – brief though it was...

“HMPH!”

PUNCH!

“GAH!?”

Lucretia struck, counterattacking with a punch to the side of his jaw. Knives' eyes bulged from the strike and he stepped back, but the wolfess didn't let up. She approached him, and 'PUNCHED!' him in the other side of his jaw, causing his head to jerk in the opposite direction. Desperately, the lizard attempted to counterattack, launching a punch at the detective. But it was lazy, it was dazed, and it swung over Lucretia's head at the exact moment she ducked down. Her fist then came rising back up, aimed squarely with Knives' jaw...

WHAM!!!

In a wicked uppercut, Lucretia launched Knives in the air. He flew high enough that his head struck one of the ceiling lamps, making it explode with glass and flashing light as it swung back and forth. When he dropped back, he did so on dazed feet, his head surging with glass, electricity, and even light flames. But Lucretia still wasn't done.

With a duck and a spin, the wolfess threw her foot out, performing a thrusting kick aimed at Knives' gut. The blow was so strong, so mighty, it felt less like being kicked, and more like having a sledgehammer being slammed into him! Like her uppercut before, it knocked the lizard off of his feet and sent him flying back. His head flew through the window of the autopsy window, shattering glass around him... and causing his head to--

CRAAAACCKK!!!

Knives' body fell, now limp and immobile like a corpse as he collapsed... yet his head remained embedded upon the shattered window's sill. A sharp blade of glass was jammed into the back of his skull, severing his spine, and killing nearly instantly. The garbled chokes and twitching were nothing more than the final gasps of a dying body.

“Hah! Hah! Ha! Oh... fuck... holy... shit...” Lucretia mumbled... before her legs gave out.

Thud!

She fell upon the floor, leaned against an autopsy table to support her as she panted for breath. Her chest too raced a mile a minute, while her hand dragged against her forehead, brushing aside some sweaty strands of hair. Green eyes gazing forward, she watched as Knives' corpse continued to twitch, as if worried that he may attempt one final sneak attack on her when she turned her back. But after several more moments...

The twitching stopped... and so too did the bloody gurgling. Knives was dead.

“Um... uh... L-Luca...?” Vivian called from her chains.

“Oh! Shit! Vivi!”

Despite her earlier exhaustion, the moment she heard her apple pie's voice, Lucretia launched upright like she'd been shocked by a bolt of lightning. And with the speed of a thunderbolt, she rushed to Vivian's side, checking her up and down. The chains around her wrists weren't bound by a lock or anything like that, instead being tied tight around her wrists. All Lucretia needed to do was loosen the chains, and--

“Ah!?”

Vivian fell into her awaiting arms.

The bitter bunny looked up at her girlfriend, carmine eyes a glow as she saw the image of Lucretia's concerned face. The way her green eyes shimmered, how her lips were slightly pursed, how her features weren't hardened, but were so worried. And what did Vivian look like in return? She appeared more reserved, with her teeth clinched. But her eyes? They showed all the emotion within her.

“Tch... it... it took you long enough...” the hare whispered.

“Heh... sorry, apple pie,” Lucretia whispered back, relaxing, “I was just a bit... indisposed...”

“How... how many times do I have to tell you not to call me 'apple pie' in public...?”

Their embrace was a strong one. Lucretia's powerful arms squeezed around Vivian's thin waist, while the hare's arms wrapped around her girlfriend's neck. They squeezed one another like they were squeezing giant plush toys, and they absolutely refused to let go. Sure, they may have only been parted from one another for a few hours, but for them, it felt like an eternity.

And then Vivian's hand slid down, where she noticed...

“L-Luca...?”

“What?”

“You... you were shot!?”

“I...! Uh... w-well...”

“Don't you 'I uh well' me!” Vivian growled as she pulled away from her, “S-sit right there! I snuck the first aid kit with me, so let me make sure you're okay, okay? Just sit there...!”

Doing as she was told, Lucretia sat on a nearby stool, while Vivian reached under her jacket to pull out the first aid kit she had secretly smuggled. Opening it up, the nurse was quick to pull out antiseptic and gauze, where she applied it to the wolfess' wound. Luca groaned, the burning pain racing through her body, but Vivian shook her head.

“Stop whining,” she berated, “How many times do I have to tell you not to be so reckless?”

“It could be worse,” Lucretia replied with a chuckle, “That hacker guy – Cipher – just got the jump on me is all. Ouch!?”

“That's what you get!” Vivian scolded as she continued tending to her wound, “Pay close attention, Luca. If you got killed... I... I'd never forgive myself because I wasn't there! And...” she shook her head, “I don't want to live with that on my conscience...”

Tying the gauze upon Lucretia's arm, Vivian gave it one final tug, making sure it was fastened tight in place. The most Luca suffered was a bullet grazing her shoulder; no penetration. The wolfess was lucky; if the bullet was only a few centimeters off, it could have caused more damage... or worse.

When Vivian was finished, Lucretia lifted her arm and spun it around in a wheel. The gauze was tight enough to stop any blood from flowing, but still loose enough that the wolfess' movements weren't inhibited in any way.

“Thanks, Vivi,” said Lucretia, standing up, “Alright, head out and get as far away from St. Dismas as you can.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” asked Vivian as she faced Lucretia, “You're coming with me, right?”

“No, I gotta go catch up with Tasha and Walter,” said Lucretia as she picked up Justiciar from off the floor, as well as he removed bullets.

“What? There's no point,” Vivian said, “Tasha and Walter left half an hour ago; she's probably dead by now! What? Do you want to confirm her body or something?” she tugged Luca's arm, “I don't want to leave Tasha either, but Lucretia, we need to get out of here before we run into anymore thugs!”

“No, no, no, Vivi, you don't get it,” Lucretia said, making her girlfriend tilt her head, “Tasha's not going to get killed by Walter. Tasha and Walter are working together.”

“Wh... WHAT!?”

“Shhhhhh! Don't get so loud!” Lucretia snapped as she covered her girlfriend's mouth, “Listen, I had a hunch that Tasha wasn't being 100% honest with us from before. I've taken down a lot of guys on my way to get that cellphone tower working, and none of them had a two-way radio like the one Tasha was using to get in contact with Walter. In fact, only the members of the Westboro Five had any sort of communications system, and they used these earpieces. But Tasha said she swiped it off the body of one of the guys who attacked the party. I think that's a lie. I think she always had that radio.”

“How... but...? Th-that doesn't mean she always had the radio,” Vivian mumbled, “Maybe some guys had radios, and the Westboro Five had earpieces?”

“I was thinking that too, but then I found this,” Lucretia's hand reached into her pocket, where she pulled out the map she swiped off of Ghost's body. She then flattened it on the surface of a nearby autopsy table, “I got this map off of one of the Westboro Five. Do you notice something off about it?”

“It's... all of those markings,” Vivian whispered as she looked it up and down, “But... that doesn't mean anything.”

“Okay, look at this,” Luca said as she placed the map Tasha had given to her next to the other map, “Now do you notice it?”

“I...”

With her nurse-like precision, Vivian's eyes ran up and down the two maps, comparing them at near sonic speeds. Her eyes then widened, and she gasped in shock.

“This map is more up-to-date than the map Tasha gave you,” Vivian said, to which Lucretia nodded.

“Exactly! The map Tasha gave me must be, like, a year or two old at this point! But this map that I found must've been made this year. And it's not possible for the Westboro Five to get their hands on this map when they first sneaked into St. Dismas, because all of these notes are too thorough to be made only this morning! They must've gotten this map at least a day ago, and planned all of this out. And the only way they could've gotten a map this in-depth, this modern, is if Tasha gave it to them!”

“Fucking hell, Lucretia...” Vivian shook her head as she hugged her arms close to her chest, “This... this is fucking crazy! Tasha's a federal agent! Th-there's no way she'd be in league with the Westboro Five! She arrested them! They hate her, that's why they planned all of this!”

“No, you don't get it,” Luca whispered as she leaned in close, “Tasha never caught the Westboro Five! Even that was planned! Tasha and Walter planned to 'catch' the Westboro Five so they could get arrested and get the heat off of them for a little while. Tasha on the other hand had her career jump started because everyone thought she arrested them!”

“Okay... ah... okay...” Vivian shook her head, “If this is all true... then...” she shrugged her shoulders, “Why this? Why now?”

“Because of this,” Luca said as she pointed at the area marked as 'treasure' on the map, “When the Westboro Five were caught, their half a billion dollars in stolen cash was never found. That's because it's here in St. Dismas. They hid it here before they were arrested, and Tasha bought up St. Dismas to keep it from being demolished, knowing that the half a billion dollars was always here.”

“But if she knew it, why didn't she just steal it for herself?” Vivian asked.

“I don't know, but I have a few hunches,” Luca replied, “I think the first reason is the simplest; she probably doesn't know exactly where the half a billion dollars are. My second hunch makes as much sense. The Westboro Five were in prison for the past few years. If they ever assumed Tasha had betrayed them, what would stop them from telling the authorities that their arrest was always fake, and that she was in league with them to help her career? She'd be removed from her position, and maybe even get sent to prison herself.”

“D-dammit, Lucretia! This is too much, and too insane! It's like you're sprouting nonsense!” Vivian said as she shook her head, “Okay...! Let me get this straight! Tasha's in league with the Westboro Five, they planned all of this and... there's half a billion dollars in money stowed somewhere in this hospital? A-am I getting this right?” she looked up at her girlfriend, “Then... why are we here? If she had a plan set up to give the Westboro Five their money, then why the hell would she invite you here knowing what you did at the Queen Tower?”

“I think Tasha wanted to renege on their arrangement,” Lucretia answered, “I think she invited us here hoping that I would do what I ended up doing; killing the Westboro Five and stopping Walter, which means no one would be alive to finger her as being a part of their plan. Tch... I'm not sure if I should feel flattered that she believed I could have taken them down alone, or disgusted that I actually did it.”

“There's no way,” Vivian whispered as she looked to the side, feeling disgusted and betrayed, “Tasha was so helpful... she... ah... she really made me feel safe while you were out there fighting. And... she's behind all of this...?” she shook her head, “I... I don't want to believe it, but...” her carmine eyes gazed back at her girlfriend, “I trust you, Lucretia. 100%. If you say Tasha's a part of this, then I believe you. So... what do we do now?”

“We? No, you need to get the hell outta here, Vivi. I'm going to stop Walter and Tasha. They have bombs placed around the hospital, and I'm not going to let either of them detonate them.”

“What? The hell, Lucretia!” Vivian snarled as she gripped her girlfriend's hand, “If you think I'm going to leave you alone with two people who you said are teamed up with one another, you're crazy! I don't give a shit if you are a supercop! You're my fucking girlfriend, and that makes you my responsibility!” for a moment she paused, her eyes looking down, “I... I'm not going to go home without you...”

“Vivi...” Grab! “Ah?”

“So I'm going with you,” Vivian said as she grabbed Lucretia's hand, holding it tight, “And I'm not taking 'no' for an answer.”

Vivian North was a bratty bunny that was as short as she was cool. But when she put her foot down, there was nothing in this world or the next that could move her. No wind storm strong enough, no man big enough, and definitely no wolfess could ever hope to make her budge.

Lucretia wanted to keep arguing with Vivian. Wanted to tell her she was being childish and to escape while the coast was clear. But she knew doing that would only serve to in pissing her girlfriend off, and she did not want to deal with that back at the apartment. Besides...

If the choice was to go in alone or go in with Vivian, then of course she'd always choose to go with her apple pie.

“Fine then,” Lucretia said with a smile as she grabbed Vivian's hand back, gripping it tight, “But don't say I didn't warn you.”

“Tch... you bitch... I don't need warnings...”

Hand in hand, Lucretia and Vivian exited the autopsy room. Their destination was the morgue, where the so-called 'treasure' laid... as well as the masterminds behind this conflict. Map in hand, Luca navigated the halls of the hospital's basement to find the morgue, though Vivi could have done so with her eyes closed thanks to how similar this hall was with her own hospital.

Upon arriving at the door to the morgue, Lucretia skidded to a halt and readied Justiciar in her hand. Vivian wanted to cling to her, but instead leaned up against the wall as she clutched her hand to her chest. Together, the both of them gazed at the closed door to the morgue, as if it would suddenly begin moving on its own. Instead, Lucretia took a deep breath... fuuuuuh... pulled up her foot...

KICK! THUD!

And kicked the door open.

Justiciar drawn, Lucretia entered into the morgue and swung her gun over. In the middle of the room, sitting on a chair and bound to it with her hands behind her back was Tasha. She shivered in place, while her red eyes gazed up towards the wolfess.

“Lucretia...” she groaned.

“You...!” Lucretia said back.

Without another word, the wolfess swept her hand up, pointing her gun towards the sharp-dressed wolf standing directly behind Tasha. Despite being held at gunpoint, he appeared cool and indifferent as he fiddled with the cuffs of his suit, before sweeping his glistening blue eyes over towards Lucretia.

Walter Cage, the leader of the Westboro Five. It was under him that his gang became the deadliest and most infamous gang in the country. Despite being localized to the upper east coast of the US, the Westboro Five still managed to rack up a laundry list of crimes, and it was all under Walter's guidance.

And now, that same wolf was gazing at Lucretia, appearing incredibly nonchalant despite a magnum being pointed at him. It wasn't the first time, and he was going to make sure it wouldn't be the last.

“'Tis my pleasure to meet you, Detective Salem,” said Walter, this smug smile adorning his lips.

“I don't remember giving you the pleasure,” the wolfess snarled back as she tightened her grip on her magnum, “This little game is over, Cage. Your gang is dead and the hostages are all free. You no longer have any leverage to use against me. Now put your hands behind your head and turn around so I can bind you.”

Walter didn't respond, instead looking down. He didn't even look down in disappointment, instead appearing somewhat... indifferent. Remaining wary of him, Lucretia gripped her magnum with both hands, keeping the barrel of her gun trained on his head.

“I'm growing impatient, Cage...” she growled, “Do as you were told.”

“I appreciate your heroism, Detective Salem,” Walter remarked as he looked at her with a smile, “That's twice now you used your grit and determination to save the day when dangerous thieves are running around. First a boat in the middle of the ocean, and now this dying hospital in the middle of nowhere.”

“Please. I get enough of that at home; I don't need to hear that from you. Now then...” her face tightened, “Hands on the back of your head.”

“You're a smart girl,” Cage remarked, ignoring Lucretia's command, “Too smart to think that this all has been merely unfortunate. Think about it. You, the woman who singlehandedly saved the day on the Queen Tower, just so happen to be in the location of another would-be tragedy. It's almost as if it all has been planned.”

“Cage...!” Tasha growled, “Shut up! You're trapped! It's over.”

The wolf's eyes tightened on the back of Tasha's head, glaring at her. Without another word, he quickly withdrew his pistol, where he pointed the barrel of it behind her head. She jerked slightly forward while Lucretia tightened her hand on Justiciar... though she didn't fire it.

“I should shoot you where you stand,” Walter growled, his affable smile replied with a cold blooded glare, “I had an idea you'd betray us in some way, I just didn't know how. I should have forced you to give me the guest list beforehand, then we would've been able to avoid this!” he shook his head, “But now, you and I...? We are all we have left. How ironic...” looking back up, he gazed at Lucretia, his face having lost any sense of affability or kindness, “You didn't shoot me, Detective Salem... why is that?”

“Because you'd be doing me a favor if you killed Tasha,” the wolfess replied, making the eagle look up at her in surprise, “You're right, Walter. I am a smart girl. I was realizing things were off during my little excursion, but Cipher helped confirm it. Tasha and you are in league with one another. This whole thing has been a play...”

“It was a play,” Walter growled as he again stuffed the barrel of his pistol hard against Tasha's head, “But then you showed up. Or – more accurately – you were invited here. Because of that, what was supposed to be a simple job has ended in a spectacular failure. And it's all Tasha's fault...”

“You... you son of a bitch!” Tasha snarled as she twisted her head at Walter, glaring at him, “Shut your mouth!”

“ME!?” he shouted back as he ducked down, shooting her a frenzied look, “This is all your fault, Tasha! This was supposed to be simple! In and out! We get our money, and the building blows! Only minimal survivors, and one of them was supposed to be you! While the authorities search through this building for corpses, me and the rest of my group would already be living it up in Jamaica! But noooooo! You had to invite this redheaded bitch here! At first, I thought you were having second-thoughts on this whole arrangement, but now I know better. You were just trying to save your own useless hide!”

“I just want to thank you both,” Lucretia whispered, drawing attention back to herself, “You've confirmed everything I was thinking at the moment. It's over now... the both of you...” she tightened her hold upon her magnum, “Drop the gun, Cage. Let's not drag this out any further than need be.”

He looked at Lucretia, while keeping his grip hard upon his pistol. For a moment – a brief, brief, brief moment – he thought about giving up. But it didn't take long for him to realize how foolish a decision that would be. For a moment, he closed his eyes, and in the darkness he saw...

The cold gray walls of a penitentiary. And the cold needle of a lethal injection.

Walter's fate would be the same fate as his partners if he were to give up now. They'd execute him for his crimes, and the crimes of the whole Westboro Five. So what did he have to lose in this moment?

Absolutely nothing.

Walter pulled his gun up, taking aim at Lucretia.

BLAM!

POW!

“ACKH!?”

He missed. She didn't.

Lucretia's bullet struck Walter... right in the middle of his head. He jerked back, a sharp and sudden cry of shock and pain leaving his lips as his eyes grew wide. Stumbling back, the wolf raised his hand to check where he had been shot... but dropped to the floor before he could.

Thud!

“Fuck...!” Lucretia growled as she rushed to check him over.

Walter laid there on the floor, his eyes wide and mouth agape as fresh blood oozed from the wound on his forehead. Crouching at his side, Lucretia moved him over a bit, just to make sure he was dead, and that he didn't have any tricks under his sleeve. She was so focused on him... that she didn't realize Tasha wasn't bound to the chair. It was all a ploy: one final gambit Walter pulled to lull Lucretia into a trap. And now that the wolfess' back was turned, the eagle was poised to spring said 'trap'.

She stood up slowly, and pulled her pistol out from her vest. Gripping it tight, Tasha took aim at the back of Lucretia's head. She wasn't going to barter, wasn't going to debate. She was just going to squeeze the trigger, and--

“LUCA, WATCH OUT!!!”

“WHAT!?” Thwak! “AH!?”

It was Vivian. She seemingly appeared from nowhere with a first aid kit in hand, and she slammed it down upon the back of Tasha's head. The eagle's eyes grew wide as she was knocked off balance just enough to give Lucretia the upper hand on her. And the wolfess didn't hesitate.

In a flash, Luca performed a back kick, striking Tasha in the gut and forcing her to stumble back. Stuck between the wolfess and her girlfriend, the eagle reacted instinctively, bolting out of the room and knocking Vivian aside as she did so. Lucretia didn't hesitate.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

“Fuck!”

Her bullets missed, striking only the wall around Tasha who quickly slipped through the door. Getting up, Lucretia rushed over towards Vivian, helping her onto her feet.

“Are you okay, Vivi?”

“I'm fine,” the hare replied as she gestured for the door, “Just go get that bitch, Luca!”

“Okay...!”

Rushing for the door, Lucretia skidded out through its frame, turning to face down the hall. She just barely caught the final glimpse of Tasha running around a corner, forcing her to give chase with her magnum ready. Another turned corner, and another slight glimpse of the eagle who ran down yet another corridor. Teeth gritted, Lucretia followed once more, turning the corner to see...

A pair of swinging double-doors.

Lucretia pushed through them, exiting St. Dismas' halls, and entering its central corridor. All around here were metal arches and stone pillars, all with the same Gothic architecture as the hospital, and all covered in white snow and ice. Above, the skies were gray, and the air was windy. The storm Luca foretold had finally arrived: a light blizzard that threw snow in all directions, and nearly obscured one's vision.

With Justiciar drawn and ready, Lucretia walked among the courtyard, gazing through its arches, pillars, and the snow in search of Tasha. She could hear the eagle rush through snow, and see her footprints, so she knew she wasn't far.

“It's over, Tasha!” Luca shouted as she searched through the area for her, “Just give up! You've brought enough pain as is!”

“You don't understand, Detective!” the eagle shouted back, her voice coming from... somewhere, “Can't you see how frustrating it can be? To be stuck in such a small position, when you can do so much more!? I was being held back by those above me! By an unfair system! You know what it's like, right? To be stuck in one position when you know you're better!?”

“I. Don't. Care!” Lucretia retorted as she marched through the snow, “People have died, Tasha! Innocent people! And why? For your own ambition!?”

“Is there anything wrong with being ambitious!?” Tasha roared, “Do you think it's honorable to be stuck in place, and not want more? A better job? A better position? A better fucking life!?”

“There's a difference between being ambitious, and whatever you did,” the wolfess growled, “You're so self-absorbed, that you've blinded yourself to the pain you've brought others! Face it, Tasha! Maybe, just maybe at some point you really believed you were doing the right thing. But somewhere along the way, you changed. And now, you're going down just like the rest of them...”

Around the corner of a pillar, Lucretia saw a flash of silver. In the nick of time she leaped out of the way, landing in a mound of snow.

POW!

Tasha's bullet pierced the quiet of the courtyard around them, while Lucretia pulled up to return fire. From her barrel she fired several bullets, all of which flew harmlessly through the air. They'd strike random objects, but none would hit Tasha, who retreated deeper into the courtyard. Lucretia gave chase, making sure to stay low to dodge any bullets that may come her way.

The courtyard spread open wider, revealing more arches and pillars. However, time had been less kind to the objects here, with them all having crumbled to pieces and fallen apart. They laid on the ground, covered in mounds of snow, but creating perfect waist-high objects to hide behind. Speaking of which...

POW! POW! POW!

Lucretia ducked down, and just in the nick of time. Bullets whizzed over her head, flying from the distance. She pulled back up just in time to counterattack, only to see nothing. But she did hear...

MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH!

Tasha's heavy footsteps...

She was moving, relocating to... THERE!

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Lucretia fired, launching several more bullets towards Tasha's fleeting image. The eagle had retreated to a thicker pillar for cover, the pieces of it exploding into sparks and snow. Tasha was quick to retaliate, firing back at her as the wolfess ducked down to reload her magnum.

Left and right, bullets whizzed between the two, and they constantly moved to reposition and clear space. Lucretia wasn't surprised. While Tasha may have used underhanded tricks to get the position she held, she was clearly a skilled federal agent. The way she moved, the tactics she employed, how she never overextended herself, all showed skill and experience. What was it Tasha said days ago?

I was in a similar position to you when I was young.

Ugh. Just thinking that made Lucretia sick to her stomach.

Suddenly, the gunfire stopped. The wolfess – hiding behind a pillar – took a few moments to catch her breath as she checked Justiciar. Five bullets left. Fuck. How many bullets did Tasha have left? Probably not a lot seeing as how silent things had become.

MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH!

The eagle's footsteps rushed through the snow, sounding louder and louder and louder! She was coming closer, to Lucretia's left no less. The wolfess spun around her cover to attack her, but--

Wham!

“Augh!?”

A fist slammed against her cheek.

In the briefest of moments as Lucretia recoiled from her punch, her green eyes fell upon the twisted visage belonging to Tasha. The once kind, cool and suave eagle that had praised her skill and been a bolster for Vivian, was nowhere to be seen. Replacing her was... this. Teeth gritted, veins bulging from her forehead, her red eyes glowing with a fury that was unmatched. Desperation and malice were combined within the eagle; she wasn't going to stop until Lucretia was dead.

Tasha pulled back her other hand, throwing another punch aimed for Luca's head. The wolfess ducked back from the blow, dodging it just in the nick of time. But the eagle didn't let up; she turned herself, throwing a backwards roundhouse kick aimed for Luca's head again. She dodged it, but Tasha was too quick to counterattack. By the time the wolfess had pulled back up, Tasha was already assaulting her with another punch, and another punch, and another punch! Each punch Lucretia blocked, giving her just enough leeway to counter with a punch of her own.

Pat!

It fell into Tasha's gripping hand. She waited for this.

Holding tight upon Lucretia's fist, Tasha leaned in to throw punch after punch against the wolfess' cheek. She forced her way through the pain however, where she bashed her shoulder into Lucretia's chest. Rushing forward like a football player, she slammed Tasha against a pillar, causing her back to crack and forcing a cry of pain from her jaw. The eagle didn't have enough time to recoil before Lucretia pulled back with her fist, and--

Wham! Wham! WHAM!

Each blow dazed Tasha... but none of them put Tasha down. She was too damn resilient, and too damn desperate to try and claw some amount of hope out of this situation.

So Tasha swung back with her foot, kicking Lucretia in the side and forcing her back. The wolfess eventually hit another archway, giving the eagle the advantage. She leaped at Lucretia, punching her, kicking her, striking with pinpoint precision. Maybe if the wolfess was still at 100%, she would have been able to handle this. But she'd been fighting all day long, battling against groups of enemies, and having several close-quarters battles that all left her winded. Ghost, Boomer, Knives; they all put Lucretia through her paces, and Tasha was giving her no quarter either.

But Lucretia's a Salem, and Salem's are some of the most belligerent and stubborn wolves known to man. Just ask Vivian. So when Tasha brought both hands down to bash them against Luca's skull, the wolfess caught her fists, and looked up at her with green eyes full of murder.

“RAAAH!”

The wolfess countered with a powerful uppercut, one that slammed against Tasha's chin, and sent her flying back. Like Lucretia before, the eagle slammed against a pillar, dazed by the mighty strike. Blood began flowing from her jaw, tasting of copper in her lips, while her dazed vision watched as the burly wolfess approached her.

“Grrgh...! D-dammit, Lucretia...!” Tasha growled as she threw herself at the wolfess.

In the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by snow and derelict structures, the two threw punches and kicks at one another like kick-boxers in an arena. Their traded blows were always either blocked or dodged, but neither side could gain much space on the other. Whenever one tried to push in on their opponent, the other would stand their ground and refuse to budge.

But for as much as Lucretia could give – and Lucretia could give a lot – she wasn't infinite. Even her engine – powerful though it was – could be drained. All these enemies she's faced, and now she was fighting her mirror opposite. All of the training the wolfess had gone through to become the beast of a woman she was, had been matched by Tasha.

Every punch, blocked. Every kick, dodged. Every time she left open a gap, she had been countered precisely. Likewise for Lucretia, who still landed hits on the eagle, powerful hits too. But the wolfess had been fighting damn-near all morning long. Tasha had not. This exhaustion fueled desperation, and desperation fueled belligerence.

“Grrraah!”

Lucretia dove in suddenly, wrapping her arms around Tasha's waist. To the eagle's surprise, the wolfess lifted her up and carried her back, where she slammed the federal agent up against a nearby archway. Tasha cried out in pain, but the eagle reacted quickly as she brought her hands up, and slammed them down upon Luca's spine. The wolfess buckled, falling to her knees as her limbs suddenly lost power. Was she that tired?

Kick!

“Auh!?”

She didn't have time to even think about it before she felt Tasha's boot slam against her chin. Lucretia pulled back from the kick, struggling against the snow as she landed on all fours. When she tried to get back to her feet, she felt another kick to her back, forcing her back down into the ground.

“Haah! Haah! Aaah! I...! Guh... I'm sorry, Detective...” said Tasha as she approached Lucretia, “I really am. I did not mean for things to get out of hand like this, I swear.”

“That... grgggh...! D-doesn't matter,” Lucretia growled as she rolled over onto her feet, “You... haah...! You knew what was at risk, yet you did it anyway! Hah! Haah! Aah! Attempting to betray the Westboro Five doesn't make anything better! Hoooh...! Besides, I'm no fool! You're just trying to save your own hide!”

“Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!” Tasha shouted as she mounted Lucretia, her hands falling down to try and choke the wolfess. But Lucretia pushed back, gripping the eagle's hands to hold her back, “Do you know how much good I've done as an agent! The crimes I've solved? The lives I've saved!? Things that wouldn't have happened if I didn't take the initiative! I even took down the Westboro Five in earnest! I'm a hero Lucretia! A fucking hero!”

“It's...! Grergh! Not about being a hero!” Lucretia growled, struggling to hold Tasha back, “It's about doing what's right!”

“You cannot be so naive! C'mon, Detective! Right and wrong have no meaning in our line of work! Sometimes! Sometimes the only way to make things right, is to do things very wrong! You'd come to understand... but I can't let you leave here alive! You will talk... and I cannot risk that...! I'm sorry, Detective, but it must be this--” POW! “Way...?”

The sound of a gunshot pierced the air, bringing a thunderous silence after its sonic boom. Lucretia and Tasha both sat there, frozen solid by what they heard as their eyes grew wide. They even stopped struggling against one another. That is until...

“Guahk...?”

Blood. Blood began dripping upon Lucretia's face. Blood that came from Tasha. Blood that came from the gunshot wound on Tasha's forehead.

The eagle's eyes rolled to the back of her skull, her jaw dropping as her body grew loose. Falling down, she collapsed upon Lucretia, inert and immobile. Federal Agent Tasha Vance was dead.

Lucretia – confused and alert – quickly pushed Tasha off of her body and looked up, fearing more gunfire. Instead she saw--

“Vivi?”

There stood Vivian North, the nurse... with a silver pistol clutched in her trembling hands. Her legs were part to strengthen her stance, yet her entire body shivered from tip to toe, as if she wasn't in control of her body. And her face?

Her face.

On her face she showed nothing but abject horror. Her eyes were wide, her pupils small, and her teeth were clinched. The normally calm and cool rabbit was nowhere to be seen, instead replaced by this trembling young thing who couldn't believe what she had done.

“Vivian...” Lucretia whispered as she got up to her feet, “V-Vivian... are you okay?”

Quickly rushing to Vivian's side, Luca placed her hands upon her girlfriend's shoulders. And that rabbit instantly broke down. Tears rushed down her face as she dropped the pistol to the floor, sobbing and crying as a rush of conflicting emotions swarmed within her.

“I'm sorry,” Vivian sobbed, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”

“Vivi...”

“I took the gun from Walter, and-and, I followed, and-and, I saw...! I saw Tasha on top of you... and! And...! Eekgh... Eeeek! Aaaahah!”

Unable to contain herself any further, Vivian embraced Lucretia, hugging her girlfriend tight as she cried into her chest. Tears flowed endlessly from her eyes and she babbled nonsensically, her wailing moans and sobs occasionally broken by dribbling 'I'm sorry!' that all seemed to flow without end.

And all Lucretia could do was... hold her.

To kill someone – to take a life – is a life-changing experience. Lucretia could remember well the first time she had taken a life. She remembered where it happened, she remembered why it happened, she remembered the name of the man she killed, and she remembered how it made her feel. The difference? Lucretia had been trained for that moment. She had honed herself, hardened herself, learned how to detach herself from her emotions, and doing what she felt needed to be done at that moment. Hell, as a wolf, you could argue Lucretia had an instinctive inclination towards violence and death.

But Vivian?

Vivian...

Vivian was a nurse. Vivian's whole drive in life was to help others, to heal them. For as cool and indifferent as Vivian could be, she was still a North: a family known for their almost infinite generosity. There wasn't a North alive who wouldn't help those in need, even if Vivian would throw out a healthy dose of snarky comments with her aid.

But this? This? Ugh...

Vivian had a dream. It was to get her PhD, to gain the title of 'Dr. North', and to one day open up her own private practice. But now, as Tasha laid dead not too far away, her dream felt so... distant. Almost impossible.

Lucretia wished she could do something, wished she could say something that could help her girlfriend feel better. She didn't want to say something like 'It's okay' or 'It'll be alright', because those were generic platitudes that didn't really mean anything. In a situation like this, there was nothing she could do or say that would make this pain go away. So she just hugged Vivian, and gave her a place to cry.

GUNK!

And then those double-doors opened.

Lucretia looked up. Walter Cage looked back.

The wolf stood there at the entrance to the hospital, a bag slung around his shoulder, and blood streaming down his head from where Luca had shot him. Somehow – some-fucking-how – he had survived having a bullet put in his head... but barely. Like a reanimated corpse, the wolf trembled in place like a zombie, his blue eyes filled with nothing but hatred and malice. And it was that hatred and malice that drove him forward, guiding him to raise his hand to reveal a detonator.

There was no hesitation...

Click!

The plan of the Westboro Five was simple. They'd hold Tasha 'hostage', and take the civilians of her party as hostages too. While everyone was trembling with fear, they'd collect their stolen millions and abscond with them as well as Tasha... but not after having packed the base of St. Dismas Memorial Hospital with enough C4 to light up the night sky. Once those bombs were detonated, the derelict hospital would collapse in on itself, killing everyone within. By the time the authorities would realize what had happened, it would already be too late; he and the rest of his group would have already left the country with their stolen millions. The only survivor would be Tasha, who would tell everyone about how the Westboro Five would have surely perished in the explosion.

Again, that was the plan. But of course, Lucretia had to fuck it all up. Honestly, Walter didn't know who he hated more: the hound that slaughtered his allies, or the woman who sicced the hound on them in the first place. Not that it mattered, really.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Lucretia destroyed most of their explosions when she took out Boomer... but not all of them. They had packed juuuuuuust enough explosions within St. Dismas so that when Walter triggered the detonator, a ball of fire erupted from behind him. Glass shot outward as the force of the explosion pushed through the air, and the flames engulfed Walter completely.

He was killed almost instantly.

The force of the explosion was great. Even though they were yards away from it, Lucretia and Vivian were launched through the air. But this is Luca; the moment she saw Walter there with that detonator in hand, she had grabbed her girlfriend and leaped back to protect her. She clutched Vivi close, embracing her, and shielding her from the force of the explosion. The snow softened their fall, buffeting them, and cradling them from even worse injuries.

Vivian was still trembling following her killing of Tasha. But as she laid there, enveloped in Lucretia's body, she took a deep breath, and got a heavy whiff of Luca's scent. It had the same effect on her that smelling her coat did; it quelled Vivian, calming her down, and telling her that...

Yeah... everything's going to be okay.

She melted against Luca, embracing her tight, while the wolfess finally pulled back. Gazing down upon the hare with the flames at her back, Lucretia held a face of concern, while Vivian smiled at her bashfully.

“Are you okay...?” asked Lucretia, to which Vivi nodded.

“I'm... fine...” she replied, “But... I think I'm ready for this Christmas to be over...”

“Heh heh... you and me both...” leaning upright, Lucretia looked around, “Haah... let's get the hell out of here...”

Vivian nodded, and together, the both of them stood up. With the explosion ringing out, there was a sense of finality to all of this. They could only hope that the other hostages safely evacuated before the explosions rang out. Now they needed to get out of here.

“Alright, stick close to me,” said Lucretia as she withdrew Justiciar, “I don't think anymore goons are going to be roaming around, but I don't want to risk any surprises.”

“I got it...” THUNK! “What?”

Vivian's ears turned as if on a swivel, facing the sound she just heard. In the distance, she noticed an odd bag that seemed to appear from thin air. Scorch marks marred its surface, and light flames died off around it, telling her that it had been blown away by the explosion. Was Walter holding this?

Approaching the back, Vivian picked it up, realizing that it was heavy. Very heavy. Grabbing its zipper, the hare pulled it open...

“Haah...!?”

“Vivian? Is something wrong?”

“Uh... Luca...?” said the hare as she faced her, “You might want to see this...”

…

Act 6: Fade Out

December 24th, 7:47 PM.

Hero Cop Saves Civilians

Legendary Detective Rescues Hostages

Supercop Uncovers Scheme & Kills Perpetrators

Westboro Five and Traitorous Agent Slain by Supercop

Meh... this was somehow even worse than the last time...

A warm amber light flowed from Vivian's lamp, illuminating her apartment. The hare sat on her couch, legs crossed, wearing naught by her panties and muscle shirt, while she lazily flipped through her phone. Over and over again, she was bombarded by news reports detailing Lucretia's victory over the Westboro Five at St. Dismas. They showered the wolfess with heaps of praise, gave her the key to the city again, and – of course – hounded her and the other hostages alike with a plethora of interviews.

Vivian had no doubts that – in the very near future – she and Luca would be assaulted by news cameras and reporters, all desperate to hear from the heroine cop who saved the day. This happened last time with that mess on the Queen Tower, and now it would happen again.

Ugh. What is it with Christmas and Lucretia?

Tasha's deception had been discovered when Lucretia told the authorities about what they had learned. Apparently, the eagle had kept files on her meetings with Walter at her home in a filing cabinet like it was the late 80s. The assumption was that she had collected all of these files for use in the future as possible evidence against Walter, just in case he and the rest of the Westboro Five attempted to betray her. Ironic, considering how things went.

At first, it was agreed that Tasha's deception shouldn't be made public knowledge. But – somehow – the information about her traitorous nature had leaked, revealing her to be in league with the Westboro Five. To most others, it was a juicy controversy. To Vivian, she still struggled to grapple with Tasha's betrayal.

She trusted the eagle. They worked together to save the hostages. To know that she was double-crossing everyone during that event was... horrible. And yet – despite that – when Vivian's hands trembled at night, it wasn't because of Tasha's betrayal, but because of the cold steel of a pistol the hare still remembers holding.

How she clutched it close. How she pointed it forward. How she planned on threatening Tasha with it, but how she allowed her emotions to take over. How she saw Tasha pin Lucretia to the ground, threatening to kill her. And how – in that moment – all she saw was red.

Knock Knock Knock!

“Ah? Shit...! C-coming!”

Leaping off of her couch, Vivian quickly rushed to the door. She already knew who was coming, so there was no hesitation as she swung the door open to reveal--

“Luca... don't you have keys to my apartment?”

“Um... a little help here, apple pie?”

“Huh? Oh shit...”

Presents. Like, a lot of presents. So many presents, that Vivian couldn't see her girlfriend on the other end! They completely covered her as the wolfess held up several packages that were covered in glitzy wrapping!

Stumbling inside, the wolfess brought her packages to the corner of Vivian's room, before dropping them down beside her TV. The wolfess then stepped back, where she fell on the couch with her head laid back and arms at her side, exhausted by the day.

“I swear, Vivi,” Luca bemoaned, “The paparazzi really don't know when to give up. They just keep coming and coming and coming. Uggggghh...”

“Ugh... sit down,” Vivian said as she tugged at her girlfriend's hand, “I started brewing some hot chocolate. It should be done in a second.”

“Aah... that sounds lovely.”

With an exasperated groan, Lucretia melted more upon the couch, while Vivian hopped over towards her kitchen area. Just as she said, she had begun making some hot chocolate, already having a pot filled with boiling hot water which she poured into two cups. Next came the chocolate, which she poured into their mugs before spinning around with spoons. Following that was the various toppings: the cream, the sugar, the mini marshmallows. She did it all with a practiced ease, knowing well how Lucretia liked her hot cocoa. Vivian only stopped when she was finished, where she looked up.

And saw Lucretia staring back at her.

The wolfess' green eyes were glowing, this soft smile on her lips as she tilted her head over. Her tail was wagging and her ears were twitching, as in her gaze one could see the overwhelming love she had for her 'apple pie'. It – like always – caused Vivian to blush and gaze away, appearing abrasive at first as the hare even gritted her teeth and growled. But that growl shifted into a groan of defeat as she carried over their two cups of hot chocolate, handing it to her girlfriend.

“You're really beginning to piss me off...” Vivian groaned as she sat next to Lucretia.

“Heh heh... sorry, apple pie...”

Together on the couch they sat there in silence. The TV was off, and only noise came from the ambient sounds of Vivi's apartment, as well as the sounds of cars and vehicles in the distance.

“Hm... how was work?” Vivian asked.

“It was okay,” Lucretia answered, “I had a lot of paperwork, but... that's to be expected...” she shrugged her shoulders, “How was your day?”

“It was... fine,” Vivian answered, “I didn't leave the apartment... I just sat in here... I didn't want to get bothered by any nosy news reporters,” her ear twitched, “How does your hot chocolate taste?”

“Mm... it tastes amazing, cutie,” Lucretia replied, “Thank you for this. It's exactly what I needed after today.”

Silence befell them again, with the two sipping their hot chocolate. It was broken when Luca asked...

“How do you feel?”

Vivian's ears twitched.

“I'm fine, Luca, I swear...”

But the wolfess shook her head.

“Vivian... apple pie...” she said as she looked over, her head tilted to the side as she smiled at her, “You can be honest with me, you know. I'll never hurt your feelings.”

“I...! Uhhhg...”

Vivian puffed up, ready to hurl some abrasive statement, to try and deflect and deter Lucretia. But as soon as she gained the courage to curse, maybe call Luca a 'cheeky bitch' or something like that, the hare deflated. Instead of saying something they both knew would be a lie, the hare instead placed her empty mug of hot chocolate aside, leaned out upon the couch, and rested her head upon her girlfriend's lap. Bringing up her hand, she gave Lucretia a gentle squeeze and nuzzled against her, her nostrils flaring as she took in the wolfess' familiar scent.

“I took a nap earlier,” said Vivian, “And... I had a nightmare...” she shook her head, “I know it only happened a few days ago, but... I... I can't get the feeling out of my head. Of holding that gun and... and... and killing Tasha. Auugh... I feel silly. I feel stupid. Like, why do I feel bad? Why should I feel bad? Tasha betrayed us and was going to kill you. I stopped her, and... and I should be proud of that. You feel proud of protecting me, right? So... so why don't I feel proud? Why do I feel...” she squeezed her hand in, “Sick to my fucking stomach...”

Vivian let out a deep breath, feeling like she'd just unleashed something deep inside of her. It felt uplifting to be honest with Lucretia, even if she still had that sick pit in her stomach.

But then Lucretia's hand fell upon her stomach. Gently, the wolfess guided it up, stroking Vivian's body in a manner that caused the hare to shudder. The way her girlfriend touched her never failed to elicit some response within her. Luca was a wolfess whose strength was second to none. And yet, despite that unfathomable power, and that deadly skill that has saved her not once, but twice now, Luca never failed to touch her as gently as a lover should touch her. Lucretia's touch was sweet, kind, and, yes, uplifting.

“Luca...” whispered the hare.

“It's okay, Vivi, really...” the wolfess whispered, “I... I don't want you to kick yourself for killing Tasha.”

“Luca...” Vivian whispered as she closed her eyes and began nuzzling closer, “Does... does it ever get easier?”

Lucretia paused for a moment, thinking about the question. For a moment, she thought about what she should say. Should she lie? Or should she tell the truth? Knowing Vivian... well...

“It... gets easier a lot quicker than you'd think...”

Vivian's eyes opened as she stared up at Lucretia. While the wolfess' words weren't the words she wanted to hear, Vivi was happy that her girlfriend was honest with her. No lies, no attempts to soften the blow; just the raw truth.

“Thank you, Luca...” Vivian whispered as she tugged her hand close to nuzzle against it.

Taking a deep breath, a genuine smile appeared on the hare's lips as she hugged her girlfriend close. While the pain of what she had done would not leave any time soon, she knew she would overcome it someday. But she wouldn't do it alone.

Lucretia... Lucretia would be with her.

Always...

“Luca...”

“Hm? Yes, apple pie?”

“I...”

Love you.

That's what she wanted to say. But Vivian North is as stubborn as she is cool. And while she knew Lucretia was already aware of how much the hare cared for her, she wouldn't give her the joy of her saying those words.

Not yet.

“Next Christmas... we're vacationing somewhere,” said Vivian.

Lucretia chuckled.

“Heh... of course.”

And with that...

We fade out!

Post Credits Scene?

For as far as the eye can see, there was darkness. Here was where the edge of reality and space seemed to collide, with the horizon being naught by a thin line. One half was the black void of night, with a few stars twinkling within its foggy atmosphere. At the bottom were endless plains of white snow, stretching on ad infinitum.

A single road drifted through this solitary plain of land and snow, extending out from the final city one would have to pass through, which was an hour ago now. However, there was a single building that broke up the monotony of it all. One solitary structure sitting on the side of the road at odds with the endless fields of nothing that surrounded it.

A gas station.

'Gas N Go' stood alone on the fields: a modest little gas station that a person wouldn't think twice about if it hadn't been for its lonely location. Several gas pumps laid side by side, and the station itself was a modest building. It was alone however, with nary a car in sight.

Well... save for the car currently driving up to it.

It pulled off the snow-swept roads and pulled into one of its pumping lanes. A stocky figure emerged from the car, wearing a heavy jacket that obscured his identity as he entered the store.

“Morning,” said the man behind the counter.

“Morning,” said the man, “Gas to station #3, please.”

“Sure thing.”

They were curt yet cordial with one another. The man in the jacket walked to the back of the store to grab a few bottles of soda, as well as some bags of chips. He then returned to the counter to pay for his gas and snacks.

“Ain't much beyond these roads,” said the gas station attendant, “'Less you're headin' for Montgomery City. That's an hour away though.”

“No,” said the man as he paid for his things, “I'm heading for Goose Ridge...”

“Goose Ridge...?” said the attendant, “Huh... odd...”

The attendant didn't say another word as he accepted the man's cash. After exchanging the change he handed it back to the man, who thanked him silently for it before turning to leave. But the man stopped and looked over. Next to the door were several 'WANTED' photos, all of them picture the five most dangerous men at the time.

The Westboro Five.

But the man in the heavy coat chuckled and shook his head however, before palming the photos.

“Haven't you heard?” he said, “The Westboro Five are all dead. Might wanna get these photos replaced sometime soon...”

Without another word, the man exited the gas station, and walked over towards his car. After pumping it full of gas, he got into his car and cranked it back up, while the warmth of his car's interior made him sight. As he sat there, he raised his hands and removed the heavy covering on his head.

He was a dog.