Operation Teardown

Cauda 14 - Paedophobia

"I WON'T LET YOU CORRUPT THOSE KIDS!"

It took a bit of water and a good kick to the stomach, but Sarvente woke up. Her first instinct was to cast magic in an attempt to blind everyone. Though she emitted a flash of light it was weak and nothing more than a brief spark.

Updike managed to calm her down by having S play his voice. When she understood her safety, she explained everything.

"They kidnapped me out of the prison after mass. They put me in that tank. I don't know how long I was there. They would move us around occasionally. There were three of us. Me, that blue demon and a feral one."

"That would be Blackjack." Updike said through S. "What did they do to you?" Currently, he and Huggy were somewhere in the manor maneuvering towards the vault. With Psychic gone he and Huggy took the gamble and re-entered, resuming their original plan.

With you, Tabi and the Andromedas currently engaged in the fight of your lives you weren't listening. Solazar too, watching the fight from your POV.

Sarvente, still sitting on the ground, felt her back, above her wings. The wounds where the pipes were in felt raw. "They took power from me. They would wait until I regenerated and do it again. I-I tried to escape but I couldn't. It was as if they could hear my thoughts. I didn't do anything bad. I swear, I promise. I-I am sorry."

"Don't be..." Updike stopped. "...Ace. Do you read me?"

S sighed, guessing he had become a glorified operator. He let Ace speak through him too.

"Yes?"

"Is Retro an archdemon?"

"I think so, why?"

"Dammit. They can't be that stupid..." Huggy watched as Updike became noticeably more anxious. Thinking it because of the guards he let out a cooing sound that it would be all right.

"I gotta go. You all take care of Sarv. I gotta make some calls. Tess! Displo!" Updike said hastily and hung up.

An awkward silence filled the room, Sarvente feeling the most out of place. One minute she was barely conscious and the next she was thrust into the real world, saved by people who she herself vaguely knew.

"What is going on?" She finally asked as thoughts whirled around her head.

A call on the intercom caught Nikku and Nikusa's attention. Already familiar with the special ringtone, they knew it was the police again. "You explain it. We got work to do." Nikusa said to S, pulling Nikku along. Watching Nikku leave, Sarvente remembered her from the arrest. "Huh.." The one who pretended to be her.

Still confused, Sarvente turned to S and Pompom.

"Where are we?"

"We're on the Dearest Family Compound! Late at night, June 30th!" Pompom shouted.

"T-the Family? S-so it was them." She shivered. "They captured me..."

"Well, you're all better now. You can thank Pompom here for finding ya." S said.

"So then you aren't with them? W-who are you people then?"

"We're the Carnival and we're planning on robbing the place!" Pompom declared. Matching her enthusiasm, S declared too. "Yep! Gonna bleed 'em dry!"

Rescued by common thieves, Sarv thought grimly.

"But then, why did you save me and him?" Sarv asked, motioning to Retro. He still lay sprawled out on the desk, unconscious.