Zero Encounters

Fighter

        The SIU had a breakthrough after countless of stakeouts. Captain Lee and Jisung had just completed a follow up with a shop owner's security camera when confirmation came from Zero's side.

"Zero followed a lead to the slums." Captain Lee inputted the coordinates into one of their department's undercover vehicles. "We're going there to give back up."

"That's amazing, but I thought..."Jisung held his tongue as Captain Lee answered a call.

"Zero did what?!" He exclaimed and urged Jisung to accelerate. "We'll be there as soon as we can. You two, continue to watch her movements."

Hyesoo had just informed them that Zero went off on her own when the two were assigned to stake out a well known trap house. Minhyun was in a PC room a few streets away, hacking into the CCTVs nearby to cover them. The stakeout was going accordingly until Zero impatiently left her post when Hyesoo was distracted. The thing which Zero hated the most was waiting for things to happen. If she had full control of the stakeout, she would have progressed things by initiating contact.

Zero climbed down the side of a two story building and snuck down the other side into the back alley. She hid from a street vendor cart and leapt through a window of a worn down chapel. She carefully tiptoed past the people who sought refuge in the Holy area. The very street she walked on was once prosperous with development on the horizon until the plans were abandoned and taken over by neighboring gangs. Now, it's just known as a black market for contraband and places to sign your life away. She passed a few drunkards and pan handlers on the side of the road, scanning each and every movement for danger. She pulled her cap down to meet her mask so that she can conceal most of her face as more men roamed the street. She turned the corner into a quieter alley where it reeked of alcohol, urine and cigarettes.

"When is the new package coming?" A shaky voice echoed down the alley. She turned her head to see a man of skin and bones wearing nothing, but a t-shirt and tattered, ripped jeans in the middle of winter. "I need it. I need something sweet."

"Oh, you mean this?" A man in a black coat dangled a ziploc bag full of bright colored pills. "What should we do? You think this shit is free? How are you going to pay this time?"

The desperate man salivated. "Just one, please. I'll do anything. I'll give you anything, whatever you want. I'll even be happy with half." He begged on his knees. He fumbled his pockets for money and turned them inside out. "H-Here." He took off his wedding ring which no longer fit his finger from all the weight he had loss. "She's dead anyway. Just take it."

Zero tightened the gloves around her wrists and walked towards the man. He saw her coming from the corner of his eye, but brushed her off at the thought of being able to have a taste of bliss.

"How much for a gram, Seller?" Zero asked and lifted her head. The man turned his head and she confirmed his identity right when she saw the color fade from his face. He dropped his prized possession and made a run for it. She turned to the man, shaking one finger at him. He backed off from trying to collect his reward and cowered by the wall. She shoved the bag in her pocket and took off running after Seller. It didn't take her long to catch up to him as he continuously stopped to gasp for air. She took her chance with him crouched over and grabbed him by the back of his jacket collar. She threw him against the wall with ease since he was unbalanced and sat down on a broken cement block beside him.

"W-What do you want from me?" He flinched at how close she sat. "Y-You're that bastard. The one who helps the cops, right?"

"Your people are disappearing one by one." Her warped voice went down an octave lower than usual. She unhooked her earpiece and turned off her reception. "Unlike the police, I have something rather...personal to ask you." She smirked and grabbed him by the throat, "You'll cooperate before they get here."