Empire

01 - On The Run

Chapter 1 

On The Run 

On a pleasant Sunday afternoon, all was fine, except for the fact that there had been a jail break, and the world's most wanted criminal, Roy Alduino-the man with a US$ 7600000 price on his head-was on the run - again. And this time, he had taken a low-security prisoner, Joseline Sparrow, with him. 

The Humanitarians (that's police to you and me) were after them, and they knew it. They were in a monorail station, trying to use the rush hour crowd to their advantage.  

"Roy! The Humanitarians know we're here! They're on our trail!"Joseline's voice had a note of panic in it. 

Roy felt sorry for her."Poor kid," he thought "she's not been on this side of the law long enough."Aloud, he said "What time is it?" 

"That's all you can think about?!They're gonna catch us, Roy, YOU SAID YOU HAD A PLAN!!!"Joseline was almost hysterical. 

"I do, just tell me the time!" 

"12:47 pm....but why?!" 

"Come on! We've got three minutes!" 

"Where are we going?Roy!We'll be caught!" 

Roy grabbed Joseline's arm and pulled her towards a sleek silver monorail-train."No we won't," he said, "And we're going to hitch a ride. First class." 

He pushed Joseline into the 'Private first-class ' compartment which was by now in front of them and got in after her. Then he quickly took out the stolen "International Railways Platinum-member" card and swiped it on a panel set in the pneumatic doors. As the green light strip above the doors blinked on, confirming that the doors were now locked, he turned around. Joseline was using her belt and her cravat-like prisoner tag to bind and gag a middle-aged man who appeared to be asleep. 

"He was already asleep...just gave him a shot of the good old stuff to make sure he stays that way for a while." she explained. 

"How much did you give him?" asked Roy.

"A bit more than prescribed. He'll be out for 72hrs at least....though he might be out -  uh -permanently" she added. "But then he won't be in our way" 

Roy sighed. Joseline knew what to do, and she was resourceful....most of the time, which was why he had chosen her to be his partner-in-crime, and partly why the jail break had been successful. 

"Why couldn't you have used your own timedroid?"she demanded, referring to the watch-like devices strapped to both their wrists, which told the time, made calls and did a couple of other useful things, depending on how expensive the model was - actual watches had been outdated years ago. They weren't even manufactured anymore. 

"Mine needs a recharge."Roy answered, "That aside, you should get some rest. We'll get down at the first station." 

"And then?" 

"And then we take a private jet to Paris."Roy flopped down on a light brown suede seat.It was,after all,a first-class compartment. 

"We're on the run?" asked Joseline.

"Yes,my child,welcome back to Earth." 

"With almost no resources?" 

"Yep." 

"And the HF (Humanitarian Forces) from all over the world are keeping their eyes peeled for us?" 

"They are, indeed." 

"The Paris gig is our finalized plan?" 

"Totally." 

"You're being serious, aren't you?" 

"Absolutely" 

"I seem to be missing the 'achievable' and 'possible' and 'non-fiction' part of our plan." said Joseline. 

"Like what?"asked Roy. 

"Like the part about the private jet, for instance." 

Roy grinned lazily."I forgot to mention. Miss Raesler is providing funds."

--------- * * * --------- 

The butler carried the Smartphone up the long, spiraling staircase made of polished wood. He walked down a corridor which appeared at the first landing. He stopped in front of a pair of large, oaken doors with "scientia est efficax gramen" engraved in the wood. Knowledge is an efficient blade.Typical.He knocked. 

"Yes?"  

"There's a call for you, Miss Mira." he said as answer to the enquiring voice. 

"Come in!" 

The butler opened the doors and entered a large library. Beams of sunlight came in through tall, arched windows, while a stained glass one sent colorful shafts of light all over the room. The room itself was elliptical, and almost completely covered with floor to ceiling bookshelves. A girl of 13 sat at a round antique mahogany table, the latest volume of her favorite manga * lay open in front of her. The girl looked up at the butler expectantly. With her fair skin, silvery-white hair, smiling face and bright, lilac eyes, Mira Raesler hardly looked like a professional assassin. 

"Who is it, Siegfried?"she asked the butler. 

"I believe it is a business associate." he replied "Someone by the name of Roy Alduino." As if he didn't know who that was.

Mira's lilac eyes glittered briefly. "Ah,finally!"she exclaimed taking the Smartphone from her butler.

"Hello,Mira Raesler speaking......"

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*manga- (for those of you who don't know) A Japanese comic known for it's distinct art style,with the pages and panels reading left to right,top to bottom.If you want to try some,I'd reccommend Kuroshitsuji(Black Butler),Fairy Tail,Rave Master,Ghost Hunt and Negima.