A Hero's Lament | ONC 2023

Duty II

A thunderclap juddered eardrums when Asmodeus' boots slammed onto tarmac; multiple fissures snaked beneath vehicles clustering the MMPD HQ's parking lot; surrounding traffic screeched immobile; pedestrians directed their phones toward the figure towering in the midst of a crater.

Clad in riot control gear, officers barricaded the parking lot's entrance while a team escorted Asmodeus through the sliding doors without delay.

The crowd's garbled pleas and demands for access overwhelmed every sound in the lobby. A modest queue stood in front of the reception desk, scrolling through their phones or rolling their eyes at receptionists scrutinizing their laptops behind bulletproof glass.

Coffee and doughnuts scented the hallways leading toward the main office, a bittersweet union offering normalcy amid obvious tension. Inside, officers bustled behind every desk, scrutinizing their laptop screens or snapping information across the room in ordered chaos. Encircled by a tactical squad, Captain Slovurn ceased speaking upon beholding the smouldering gaze beneath the heart-shaped visor.

"Been ages, Asmodeus. Gave us the slip at Keyboard Warrior's base of operations; eliminated him and contaminated the crime scene afterward; all evidence surrounding the murder of Victor Travis, a thriving plumber based in the industrial district, points at you. Under the circumstances, I am willing to overlook these things." Captain Slovurn rose and extended her hand, features pale and haggard.

Asmodeus accepted the gesture, steely eyes brushing past the squirming tactical squad before resting on their leader. "What's the situation? Our mutual contact said you'd explain."

Resuming her seat, Captain Slovurn hunched low, perspiration glistening on her temples. "Another hostage situation, worst I've experienced throughout my career. Led by Morris Cane, unknown assailants commandeered the Gemini. That name must be an alias. Found no such person registered in our database. No links to previous crimes. To think something like this happened under my watch... Mayor Chamberlain, countless staff and security..."

"What does Morris Cane want? Such an operation, threatening staff and security distributed throughout the Gemini's floors, requires time and meticulous planning, inside knowledge perhaps, months' preparation at least. Our mutual contact must have pointed that out," growled Asmodeus.

Captain Slovurn's posture straightened; her eyes sparkled. "Correct. We know the takeover occurred early this morning. Morris Cane and his associates are armed. Decrypting their recent communications, our mutual contact further informed us of their single demand: Asmodeus must face them alone in Mayor Chamberlain's office or else. Unfortunately, that's as much information as he provided until now. Our cybercrime specialists are attempting to obtain more with no success thus far. The assailants have made no direct contact with us but are expected to in the evening."

"What are you planning?" rumbled Asmodeus' baritone.

"Relying solely on our mutual contact's information, we believe Mayor Chamberlain and the others are safe as long as they can be used to manipulate you. Unfortunately, the public haven't bought our sinkhole story. Officers will close off affected roads, divert traffic and reinforce our claims. Over time, the tactical squad will be dispatched around the Gemini Plaza's vicinity. While you confront the assailants, we can offer background support, pin them down, frustrate a getaway at the very least. Our opponents have every reason to believe they are in absolute control. I want to keep it that way." Perspiration masking Captain Slovurn's pale skin refuted her confident tone.

The afternoon progressed according to plan. On account of sinkholes, officers successfully diverted traffic and pedestrians away from the Gemini Plaza; tactical units progressively departed for surrounding skyscrapers and occupied the topmost floors.