While the prisoner transport sped off Alco was wondering about one loose end, the woman who had been with Komoi. She seemed to have vanished during the battle earlier after realizing she could do nothing in that situation.
That assumption was correct, the loose end named Cobra had long since fled the area and in an alley far from the commotion she finally collapsed down. She knew she wouldn't have been of help to Ueso or Komoi, but she still felt terrible about leaving them behind.
Cobra's immediate thought was to call Zhale but she knew Zhale was making a break for their second safehouse over in the neighboring country right now. Zhale couldn't take the risk of either Komoi or Ueso cracking and giving up her location.
For Cobra things were just about as dire due to her wounds. She had a place kitted out with medical supplies but it was across the city. Considering Cobra was still a wanted associate of Zhale's travelling that distance wasn't an option. She couldn't use her regular tricks to avoid the cops this time around.
Her first step in a situation like this was to get a vantage point and scan the area. It hurt like hell but Cobra managed to get up a ladder onto a fire escape. Once she had followed it up to a roof she was able to spot a hospital in the distance, her best option at the moment. She quickly descended and started on her way there.
As she traversed the area Cobra's mind was still racing. She was in no position to help Komoi and Ueso at the moment and there was nobody she could contact. As she felt her body aching more and more she became aware of the police presence in the area. They were going to cast a wide net to find her, no doubt Alco's idea.
It was a matter of time until they happened upon Cobra, but she had no time to hide. She could only keep moving forward.
Cobra was just trying to cross an overpass when she heard the sirens behind her. In a single minute officers were on her. She resisted them, elbowing one in the face but failing to get out of the grasp of the other without using her ability to boost herself out. As she did her best to run off more officers arrived, surrounding her.
Cobra didn't think that this was the end of the road. As a soldier she hadn't been taught to think like that. As long as you have one leg and one arm you should never stop until the mission is complete, even if it means surrendering in a pinch.
For a moment Cobra thought about herself. Before coming to Messia she had the opportunity to live an easier life. Job offers from friends in her old squad would have given her a quiet life with a decent living standard. Instead she chose to live in shit conditions and constant fear.
"Am I just the kind of person that always needs a mission?"
The roar of a large vehicle's engine robbed that question from her. Something like a prototype tank rolled over a line of police vehicles and forced the officers to leap away to safety. It was startlingly fast and drifted to a stop in front of Cobra. From the bottom section's driver compartment Zhale emerged, waving like she was seeing an old friend for the first time in ages.
"Cici! It's me!"
Cobra, despite her injuries, managed to yell out "WHERE DID YOU GET A TANK?!"
"Well I was on my way to the border, but then I saw your tracker buzzing around and I really couldn't help myself. I brought medical supplies too!"
"TANK. HOW?"
"I was just getting to that. As it turned out Kong's house was on the way here, and I was going to steal his car but with a bit of persuasion with my knuckles he told me where to find this big boy. Bit of infiltration, beep boop bop and it was mine! I'm amazing I kn–"
