The Urbem (Completed)

Chapter Six: To Chase An Insurgo

(Nephele) 

I knew she would run. They always run when they know they’ve been caught.

I had just been innocently patrolling the east wall of the city with Twelve keeping pace behind me when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. At first I ignored it, thinking it was my imagination, but I saw it again a few moments later, and this time I realized what it was. A white owl was flapping around the city continuously, always returning to one center point. My suspicious were raised quickly; no animals come here. Ever.

Signaling for Twelve to come, I followed the bird through the city. It eventually led me to a brown-haired warrior that I didn’t recognize. She was almost as suspicious as the owl, but when it moved away, I followed.

It led me through several seemingly pointless areas, never stopping, never slowing, and never having any real purpose in its movements. Whenever I looked away, it would start toward the direction the girl had been left in. Whenever it realized I was watching, it would change direction. Was it trying to lose me? No, that was absurd; it was just a stupid animal. They couldn’t think enough to do something so complex. Nonetheless, I was suspicious, so I hid and crept along, following it out of sight.

Again the owl led me to the brown-haired unknown, only this time, it landed on her shoulder and she looked at it lovingly. I didn’t need anymore convincing; this girl was an Insurgo, the lowest of the low. Some say even lower than the men themselves. The Insurgo were the only ones that were known to interact with animals, and the closeness between this girl and the owl could not be mistaken. She turned around to face me and, in the next breath, had moved, running away.

 I followed her without thinking. I was no longer being stealthy as I took after her, my boots smashing against the cobbled streets. I wanted her to know that I was coming, to know that she would be caught. I was used to running in this gear, made heavy by all my various guns belts and guns adorning it; the traitor, however, was not, and I easily gained on her.

"Stop!" I shouted through winded breaths of air. "Or I'll shoot!"

She ignored me, pushing herself to move faster. The three of us raced own the street, the traitor out in front, me a few paces behind, and Twelve lagging behind. As we reached the end of the road, she took a sharp left, clearly trying to catch me off guard, but I knew these streets and this heavy clothing well enough to skid round the corner with ease and not lose any ground on her whatsoever. 

As we turned the corner I grinned to myself; ahead were market stalls filled with fruit and vegetables; they were large and cumbersome and blocking her way. There was no way she could-

I didn't even get to finish that thought for the moment it crossed my mind, she ran at the stalls without a hint of trepidation, and, a second before she would have collided painfully with one, she dropped to the floor and slid perfectly underneath, getting to her feet with ease once on the other side. She did this so faultlessly she even had chance to give me a smug grin before charging off again. 

Anger and adrenaline surged in my veins, giving me another burst of energy. I too ran at the stalls, not caring for her neat approach; instead using my brute strength, and, running straight through the middle of them, I sent groceries flying everywhere.  The chase continued; she was unable to lose me and I was unable to catch her. It was then I thought I caught my break. 

Ahead was a dead-end and she was oblivious. She sprinted forward but I slowed to a confident walk; she was trapped and by the time smugness had settled into my features, and she had come face-to-face with little more than the tall wall surrounding the city. She had realized it too. 

I walked towards her confidently with my pistol drawn and poised; she was right where I wanted her. There was no escape now. She slowly backed up farther against the cold grey wall, but her face betrayed no fear. She looked almost...Amused. Suddenly she sank into a low, over-dramatized, insulting bow before looking back up at me.