Ill Omen's Light (Lux/Jinx)

Chapter 9: Joyride

"...in deploying automated units at the preceding chokepoints, we create a trail of breadcrumbs leading her away from populated areas, and to this location, where, if we are successful, we stand our greatest chance of apprehending the suspect with minimal casualties."

Caitlyn's silver pointer tapped to the final location on her map.

"Uh, how many bots are we deploying, exactly?" Chief Mechanist Zevi lifted her head from her notebook, pencil tucked behind one ear.

Caitlyn smiled thin and gave her an apologetic look.

Zevi arched her brows, "...right. All of 'em. Gotcha."

She slipped the pencil free and blew out a breath as she started scratching furious notes.

"Uhm, Sheriff," Patrol Warden Kepple shifted from foot to foot, whilst his partner Mir shot him a sharp look for interrupting, "What happens if she doesn't take the bait?"

"A good question, Kepple. Should she slip the net at any point, we deploy secondary units Theta and Gamma to draw her attention and attempt to corral her at any of the following points here, here and here, referred to in your notes as Zones E through G. Remember that she will respond to any show of lethal force with an escalation of her own, but it is best to consider her prepared to escalate at any given moment."

A hand silently raised.

"Yes, Detective?"

Zayne Asako sat with his knees apart and his head tilted forward in thought. The big Zaunite's augmented eyes, prosthetic hand and elaborate network of facial and body tattoos stood out even in a far more diverse force than any Piltover had previously boasted.

As her lead sting officer, Caitlyn knew him to be quiet, efficient, and dependable, far from a maverick in the field.

Even more reason she feared the question. The one she knew it would be.

"In what scenario are we authorized to use lethal force?"

At the soft gravel of his voice, the room became very quiet. Caitlyn's spine flared with tension, anger, but no matter what that feeling tangled on her tongue, she couldn't direct it at Zayne.

It was a fair question. A necessary one. Inevitable, given the stakes. Caitlyn hated it even more for that.

She took a moment to center herself and breathe out.

"Entirely a valid question, Detective Asako," she said quietly, "Given the nature of our quarry, any hesitation could be a fatal mistake. I wish I could give you the straightforward answer this question needs, but..."

Caitlyn shook her head.

"It's fair. I've demanded of each of you that the Wardens be rebuilt on tenets of integrity, honesty, and truth. The truth is that my personal feelings concerning our target are complicated and painful. You are aware of the damage Jinx has done, to our city, this department, and to my own family. And of her relationship to one of our finest officers. Nothing about the question is easy."

Caitlyn steeled herself and looked up to them again and gave a nod to Zayne in particular.

"I want her alive," she said, "At almost any cost. I won't have the outcome I hope for her bought and paid for with more blood. Not at the price of your lives, or those of innocent bystanders. As I have asked all of you to set aside your feelings in the pursuit of justice, I must also set aside my own. And if I ask you to trust me to do that, then I must trust your judgment in turn."

She scanned their faces. "However, if one of you does take Jinx's life in the course of this operation – it will be you who explains it to Vi."

The smile she gave after that was, by necessity, cold.