The Red Line

IV

Elysium Tower

Iagon Kert was in a foul mood. A sharp pounding in his head was the cause of this. Two hours in the Infirmary bay had done nothing for his pain. In fact, he felt worse than he did beforehand. Especially with the cognition that 7t39 managed to evade his capture, four times!

"Tell me you've found our boy, D. Joan". He mumbled, while rubbing at his temple.

"No sir". D. Joan replied. "His signal's gone dark".

"What about the other boy? 2x41".

"Nothing".

"What the hell is a tracker good for if it can't do it's job?" He spoke crossley. "7t39 has microchips implanted in his system codes". He lashed out at the surveillance console. "For fucks sake! His body's a beacon!"

After a moment of silence, spent swearing, Iagon spoke up. "If you can't pull their signals than find me the stolen suit". He relayed, "My squad tells me someone in uniform took them out from behind".

"On it". A map of Nowak flickered to life on the hologram screens. "It's on the zipline. Shuttle 16". D. Joan pointed out a blinking blue light.

Iagon straightened in his chair than rolled the furniture closer to the object for a better view. "Get me live footage".

"Can't sir".

Iagon was a very easy going-lazy-man, but when things weren't going as planned, he was known for blowing his top. "Why not?" He inquired, slowly.

"The Zipline has a passenger privacy contract with the courts. The shuttle's don't have surveillance". D. Joan delineated.

Iagon clamped the bridge of his nose, while a frustrated sigh slipped his lips. "Fine. Pull up the station cams. Sector 13 through 19." He leaned back. "Rewind by four hours".

The man did as told, rewinding the cams as quick as possible.

"Stop!" Iagon roared. He bent over the console.

"What is it sir?" D. Joan asked.

"Rewind. Twenty seconds".

The screen flickered than froze on a small crowd. "There". Iagon pressed his finger to the interface screen below the hologram projectiles. He leaned so far over that his nose hit the software. "That's the suit".

D. Joan cleared the image than blew it up on the hologram. The thief's face was hidden by a mop of dreads. "Get me the route this cab took". Iagon ordered. "Asap".

D. Joan read off the list. "Fifteen minutes after this video was taken, shuttle 16 stopped in the outskirts."

Iagon snapped his fingers. "Get me surveillance".

"The camera's in that area aren't-"

"Get me footage". He repeated.

It took alot of time and searching before D. Joan found an operating camera.

Iagon watched, in anticipation, as the shuttle came to a smooth stop. Three figures got off. Two of them were hidden beneath hoods, the third being the only visible one. "Freeze and clear it".

D. Joan did as told.

"My squad lost to a girl?" Iagon gawked.

A lanky girl with sharp features and rust coloured dreads piled on her head.

"Twenty of my best guy's taken out by that". He sneered.

"They head west after this". D. Joan said.