Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

MAY 51' - 1:26am

PROBLEM MATTRESS SPRING - There may as well be pale separating us on the vast expanse of this mattress... I feel like we're growing apart, Harry's Left Hip...

YOU - You chew your lip absentmindedly.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [trivial: success] - You're not even remotely tired, despite how late it is.

EMPATHY [trivial: success] - You're too excited.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [easy: success] - It is the Lieutenant's first day at Precinct 41 tomorrow. After a few days off, he'll be bright eyed and bushy-tailed as he walks into the old silk mill for the first time.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [easy: success] - You, however, will drag yourself over the threshold like a sack full of dumbbells if you don't get some *damn* sleep.

YOU - Okay, yup, I'm ready. Send me to sleep please.

PAIN THRESHOLD [medium: success] - Is this a good time to bring up your back? Twisting your body away from the problem spring is causing a pretty persistent knot to form near the base of your spine.

PROBLEM MATTRESS SPRING - Yes! RETURN to me!

VOLITION - A suggestion? Maybe start putting money aside for a new mattress. On your current salary, minus the deductions for the Coupris 40, food, rent, bills, city tax, and rainy day money; it'll only take-

ESPRIT DE CORPS [godly: success] - Eighteen months.

VOLITION - ...Oh, wow.

YOU - Damn...

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - A different suggestion?

VOLITION - No.

EMPATHY - A different suggestion: since you're not sleeping anyway maybe dedicate some time to that thought project?

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - For the record, that is what *I* was going to say...

YOU - Why do you guys keep bringing this one up, specifically? 

INLAND EMPIRE [godly: success] - It is integral to your current motivation and goals. You are thinking about it, whether consciously or not.

YOU - 

1. Internalise the thought "Kim Kitsuragi Addiction"
2. Discard thought (for now...)

YOU - Fine. But if this is just another roundabout way to keep calling me pathetic then I'm not gonna be impressed.

PROBLEM:

You were a man drowning in the sea of vices.

As you gave in to the waves and consigned yourself to your watery grave a gloved hand pulled you from the brine. *He* cradled your baby bird form in his palm and raised you from the ashes of the phoenix: Tequila Sunset. You have well and truly imprinted upon Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi. Now every half smile, micro-expression shared only with you, inside joke, or compliment is paramount to a bump of speed or cocaine.

But why? Maybe there really is something to be said for substituting one addiction for another... Or maybe there is more to it than that.

+2 EMPATHY towards Kim Kitsuragi (On your mind)

-2 ELECTROCHEMISTRY (A new type of drug)

RESEARCH TIME:

???

YOU - Huh? Why's there no deadline on this one?

LOGIC [impossible: failure] - We... Don't know...

INLAND EMPIRE [impossible: success] - Those two can keep things hidden from even us.

HALF LIGHT - IT IS COMING.

PAIN THRESHHOLD - IT WILL HURT.

EMPATHY - Don't be scared.

MAY 51' - 8:08am

The silk mill really is something to behold. You had been told from above it looked like a lady-bird, but without your own aerostatic or wings you have no real way to confirm or deny the fact. With it's domed roof and distinct lack-of-fish smell you do, however, feel something close to trepidation bubble in the pit of your lungs. You are not scared or nervous. A simple transfer of precinct is beneath causing you any distress. You remember which way to go to reach C-Wing since you passed it on your way to meet with Captain Price last week. However, you hear a voice to your right as you enter the lobby.

"Ah, Lieutenant! Welcome." Officer Minot. She was in the process of removing her cloak, must have just come in from night patrol. "Would you like me to walk you up? I'm just finishing so I need to collect my bag." She smiles warmly despite her dark eyes being lined with obvious bags.

You instinctively go to decline her offer, before realising you would be walking in the same direction anyway.

And that would be *awkward*. It's too early for such a *serious* faux pas. Reputation in flames.

Ah. Perhaps you are a little nervous. The unfortunate piece of your psyche that you've come to dub your Inner Juvie has a tendency to rear its head when you are stressed. You consider it a side-effect of too long spent working undercover in the Juvenile Crimes Division. After your promotion you'd done your best to shove that cheeky, nasty persona in a box. But it just kept punching the lid off.

Y'know *normal* people refer to voices like mine as their "inner child". Normal people do not acknowledge voices. And yet you replied!

You disregard the thought and nod at Minot. "If you are heading that way anyway then I would appreciate it, thank you Officer."

She beams as you fall in step besides her. "I wasn't sure you'd make good on your word. It's a pleasure to have you joining us, Lieutenant."

You regard her sideways. "Oh?"

"Well, I'd just understand if you were only saying yes in front of Harry to get him off your case is all." 

Ah. Not even at C-Wing yet and it has already begun.

She must notice a change to your mood as she begins to flap. "I- I just mean he has a tendency to not take no for an answer, right?" Her eyes widen as your head whips towards her in alarm. "Ah, not like *that*! I honestly meant it when I said he's never wronged me specifically..." Her cheeks are beginning to grow red as she senses the hole she's digging. "I just mean he *cries* and stuff, it can be awkward..." She breaks your gaze.

Big whoop! The man *cries* why don't we just put him down like a sick dog for it? You feel a rush of unwanted adrenaline as the need to *protect* surges alongside the voice. We *like* Harry! Better he cry than hold it in and smother it. Isn't that right *Lieutenant*. You cannot deny that Detective Du Bois' naively *whimsical* nature - combined with his uncanny detective skills - quickly endeared you to him. He looks at us like we pin the sun in the sky. He thinks that we are *cool*. It has never been this effortless with anyone before. He has long-term amnesia, an obsession with the by-gone era of disco, and did not know his own name for several days. What he thinks is 'cool' holds little stock. But it holds stock with *you*, you liar.

"Just... Forget I said anything..." She is deeply embarrassed now.

In truth you are way ahead of her, distracted by the niggling voice in the back of your skull. After years of practise it only tends to bully you on the dark days and you've gotten excellent at ignoring it. However your Inner Juvie took an *immediate* shine to Harry and is very protective of the man. They have a lot in common you suppose. It has gotten quieter as you've gotten older, but in Martinaise you noticed that part of you getting louder again. What is interesting is that it also seems to get *kinder* when you're around the detective, both to yourself and to other people. That hasn't happened since...

Since Eyes. You utter failure.

You blink. Now is definitely not the time for *that*.

"Lieutenant?" She's looking at you again, worry creasing her brow.

You've been too quiet for too long. She hates you for ignoring her.

"Are you nervous?" The corner of her mouth twitches in a sympathetic smile. "Don't be. I have this feeling that you're going to be the best thing to happen to Major Crimes for a very long time." The smile becomes genuine and her eyes crinkle at the edges. She's being heartbreakingly genuine and for a moment you see Alice in her features. 

You cannot compare every female officer to Alice. My *word* we are not having enough sex to become a misogynistic fag.

You choose to reply to Minot rather than the odd bait offered by your brain. "Thank you for the reassurance, Officer. I don't know if I'd call this nerves as such, but..." You trail off, praying that she understands.

"I understand," she smiles. "It's quite the change." 

The pair of you stop at a set of doors you'd come to learn seclude C-Wing from the rest of the precinct. You feel Officer Minot look up at you and - being the beacon of composure that you are - push the doors open without hesitation.

JUNE 51' - 2:13pm

YOU - "Lunch?"

KIM KITSURAGI - The Lieutenant is sat at his desk, one leg crossed over the other and bouncing his foot as he scans the paperwork in front of him.

EMPATHY [medium: success] - He's getting a little stir-crazy. You've noticed he does that with his foot when he needs a break.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - He's been here a week and his jobs are as varied as they are numerous. Due to his by-the-book nature and experience handling his decompetage *without* a partner, Price currently has him offering crash-course training across the board.

He's reading through the case file of another wing's junior detective so that he can sign off on it. This morning he sat in on a basic first-aid course which mostly consisted of officers asking him if he'd *really* fished a bullet out of *your* leg. Yesterday he, Vicquemare, and two new patrol officers took to the streets so that Kitsuragi could train Vicquemare on how to train *the officers* in securing a crime scene.

In a few months time Jean should be capable of delivering the training that Kim is currently dishing out.

YOU - You couldn't imagine Jean taking orders from anyone, but his mood around Kim is tightly leashed. 

AUTHORITY [formidable: success] - It is equal parts respect and *fear*. 

EMPATHY [medium: success] - He doesn't dislike the Lieutenant - in fact he has a certain admiration for the person who got you to actually do your damn job - however, he doesn't know how to hold himself around the man.

CONCEPTUALISATION - Kim is a new kind of animal in the precinct and Jean is still sniffing him under the bathroom door.

EMPATHY [impossible: success] - There is also the *tiniest* tinge of jealousy buried deep in there. Kim is succeeding where he believes he failed, and now he's swanning around *his* precinct telling *him* what to do.

ESPRIT DE CORPS -  By order of *his* captain.

SAVIOR FAIRE [trivial: success] - Exuding this aura of cool, collected, calmness that comes to him like it is *nothing*.

AUTHORITY - On his first day Kim had shot down one of Jean's rants about your 'useless ass' by virtue of a raised eyebrow and crossed arms. Jean had *hated* it.

RHETORIC [impossible: success] - He loathes to be your handler. That's all Jean has said since your return to the precinct. What he *won't* say is that he loathes anyone *else* handling you, lest they do a better job. 

KIM KITSURAGI - "One moment." He is chewing the end of his pen and you watch his eyes speed up as he scans the last of his paragraph. Then he lowers the page and looks up at where you're stood next to his desk. "What did you say, Detective?"

YOU - "I asked if you wanted to get lunch. By my count you haven't eaten yet."

KIM KITSURAGI - "And by *my* count you've been slacking since 11am." There's a weariness to his voice but you notice a glint in his eye. "Perhaps if you applied yourself to the field the way you seem to apply yourself to noticing things about *me* there would be no crime left in Jamrock."

EMPATHY [medium: success] - He is teasing you.

SUGGESTION [hard: success] - He won't take much nudging. The mere mention of 'lunch' has drawn his attention to the void in his stomach.

RHETORIC [impossible: success] - And there's something he wants to talk to you about.

YOU - "Hey," you start, crossing your arms. "I gotta do something to make up for all the problems I've caused. *Further* calculations reveal that lookin' out for the guy who's actually FIXING my mistakes is worth the effort."

KIM KITSURAGI - He opens his mouth, and you get the sense you're about to receive a telling off for putting yourself down, then-

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Damn straight." He doesn't look up from his own paperwork as he adds his two-centims. "Hell, dragging Kitsuragi here might be the only good thing you've done recently."

REACTION SPEED [hard: success] - Look at Kim!

PERCEPTION [medium: success] - It's a blink and you'd miss it reaction but Kim rolls his eyes and mouths silently in time with the end of Jean's rant.

DRAMA [trivial: success] - *Mocking* him, just out of sight.

KIM KITSURAGI - His eyes meet yours and he clears his throat as he realises you spotted his moment of pettiness. "Khm. Yes, lunch sounds good Detective." He stands and stretches. "Do you have anywhere particular in mind?" 

YOU - You open your mouth but before you can answer him-

KIM KITSURAGI - "No. Not the kebab stall. I believe I've already told you that under no uncertain terms will I be consuming *diseased* meat."

VOLITION - Thanks, mind project! ELECTROCHEMISTRY would have had a field day with that one.

JUNE 51' - 3:01pm

CENTRAL JAMROCK - You settled on Samosas, covering both portions since Kim had been spotting you dinner money before your most recent payday. Then you were walking back to the precinct via the *scenic* route. There's not much conversation as the pair of you tuck into triangular parcels of spiced meat and peas. As far as you can remember you've never had these before, but the fried pastry is scratching an itch you didn't know you had.

PERCEPTION [trivial: success] - They're a little dry and you're not doing a great job of keeping the pastry intact but the lamb and coriander plays nicely on your tongue.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Bird!"

REACTION SPEED [godly: failure] - What?!

GULL - There's a flash of white then something collides with the side of your head.

YOU - "Ahg!"

PAIN THRESHOLD [trivial: success] - We are stronger than a bird.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT - DAMN RIGHT WE ARE!

YOU - 

1. [SAVIOR FAIRE: easy] Defend your meal
2. This might as well happen

GULL - Elysium's most graceless creature gathers its bearings then makes a second attempt to divebomb your meal. This time you're prepared.

SAVIOR FAIRE - [FAILURE]

YOU - As the seagull swoops towards your hands you lift them and knock it back into the air.

GULL - It reals away, squawking. Some communard you are, it thinks. You'd rather destroy the goods than share them with a fellow working-class warrior...

PERCEPTION - The rest of your samosa was destroyed in the process of you smacking the gull.

YOU - "Aww!" You don't know which hurts more: your lack of lunch or being called out by a bird. "I'm sorry!" You yell after the white shape circling above.

LOGIC [easy: success] - It will happily eat the crumbs from the pavement once the pair of you have moved on.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Never mind, Detective." There is obvious amusement to his voice. "Although, I will say bear this incident in mind next time you feel like eating and walking through the park simultaneously."

CENTRAL JAMROCK - The 'scenic route' consists of Central Jamrock Public Park; a mostly derelict circuit of overgrown grass and broken cement. Orchards, once lovingly pruned, now shatter the paths with their roots and shed apples too blemished to be regarded by anyone other than the most desperate.

In a month or so this park will become uncrossable due to the sheer amount of wasps getting drunk off the rotting fruit. Ironically, the fruit seems more popular once it's reached the cylindrical cider stage.

YOU - There's an empathetic twinge of pain in your stomach. Oh yeah, you've definitely eaten one or two when you were desperate.

VOLITION - More than a couple, Harry...

KIM KITSURAGI - "Since you covered lunch today," His voice pulls you from thoughts of past mistakes as he folds his samosa wrapper, shoving it in his pocket and falling in step next to you. "Would you like a lift home after work?" He's smiling at you, and not just because the two of you are alone.

RHETORIC - This is what he was itching to share with you.

INTERFACING - Ah!

YOU - "Hey! The 57th are letting you keep the Kineema!" You clap him on the shoulder, the last flakes of pastry bouncing off the nylon like water off a duck's back.

KIM KITSURAGI - His glasses jut forwards at the force of your slap and he quickly pushes them back up his nose, turning his head in an attempt to hide his grin.

EMPATHY [medium: success] - He's been buzzing to tell you about it all day. Work comes first, but now that the two of you are on break he wants to spoil you with the whole saga.

RHETORIC - One last twist of the knife, he'd said. Of course the Captain was under no obligation to send it with me, but he told me outright that he would as a 'Gesture of goodwill to the 41st'. Why get my hopes up like that only to withdraw the offer?

EMPATHY [legendary: success]  - What he had *wanted* to say was that his old Captain was A racist old bastard who'd probably staple his own dick to his chair if it made my life harder.

COMPOSURE - Kim, of course, did *not* say that. He had calmly explained that due to the money he'd put into the 57th's Coupris Kineema (and the fact that he'd had the foresight to keep the receipts) he was challenging his precinct on the decision.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [medium: success] - Jamrock is in a much direr need of a high-speed pursuit vehicle than the GRIH, especially since *you* crashed the 40. Kim was also the only member of the 57th trained to handle the hairpin turns of the GRIH's grid system at high speed, due to his previous experience on a motorcycle. 

These were the points he'd laid out to an unrelenting Captain of the 57th after receiving the bad news via telephone.

SUGGESTION - After a rather mocking "I'm sorry, Kitsuragi, but it just doesn't benefit the 57th in any capacity." Kim had switched to plan B: he either be paid, upfront, for the parts he had funded from his own pocket or Kim would return on his next convenient day off and remove them himself to resell.

LOGIC - Although he'd rather keep his MC, either of these options benefit Kim. He's been kitting out that car for the better part of four years.

INTERFACING - Due to inflation and the rarity of the Coupris Kineema most of the parts he bought are actually worth more than he paid for them at the time.

EMPATHY - As he had explained this to you, you'd noticed both barely contained irritancy and *glee* in his eyes.

AUTHORITY - He hadn't enjoyed conceding to his captain when he worked at the 57th, now it was paramount to torture.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - Lieutenant Kitsuragi is a model officer of the RCM. He ignores the slights against his person when dished out by his superiors, however the Captain is no longer his direct superior.

AUTHORITY - Fuck him!

ESPRIT DE CORPS - The captain of the 57th had balked at hearing his ex-Lieutenant stand his ground, then muttered something about coming to an agreement and closed the call.

RHETORIC - That should have been the end of it. Except Kim was shut down in the same way that most injustices in Revachol occur. Not with a direct 'no', but the agonising slog that is moralist paper trails.

INLAND EMPIRE - Each Kineema part logged in a form sent off to the RCM treasury branch, then sent to a moralinternationalist RCM representative to be read and approved for proof, then sent back to the 57th precinct to have Kim's receipt attached, then re-sent to the moralinternationalist RCM representative so the form could be stamped in approval, THEN *finally* sent back to the RCM treasury branch who would refund the cost of the part on Kim's next payslip.

No, he could not log each part on the same form. No, he could not send off another form until the previous form had been either approved or denied.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - Alice had explained all this to him over the radio, her voice pitching up each time she said the word "then". During the exchange Oldboy had watched Kitsuragi aging in real time.

YOU - "So? Fill me in then! What did ya do you crazy bastard?!"

EMPATHY [hard: success] - He'd rather not be called "crazy" but he appreciates your excitement on his behalf.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I actually have Trant of all people to thank for this." He looks up, the shadows of the leaves casting patterns across his face as thinks. 

KIM KITSURAGI - He'd been in the coffee corner waiting for the dripping to slow so he could remove the pot. He hadn't been especially enthused to deliver a sensitivity training module in the first place, but the call from Alice had only lowered his mood. He could allow himself a third cup before 3pm as payment.

TRANT HEIDELSTAM - "Ah! Lieutenant! Just the man I was hoping to find!" Trant's peppy voice combined with the expensive sounding *click* of his dress shoes intruded upon Kim's moment of quiet like the snapping fingers of a rude dinner guest.

KIM KITSURAGI - Oh fuck me. Fine. What else today? Kim turns from the pot, expression carefully neutral as he greets Trant. "Special Consultant. Good afternoon."

TRANT HEIDELSTAM - He beams, his perfectly white teeth practically glowing in the dingy communal kitchenette. "Harry tells me you're quite the savant when it comes to motor carriages."

KIM KITSURAGI - He cocks an eyebrow. Not *exactly* what he'd been expecting. "I suppose I know more than most, yes. Why? What can I do for you?" If you're having car problems I'm sure the motorpool techs could assist you... "Is it somehow related to a case?"

ESPRIT DE CORPS - Some sort of horrible, disgusting crime that involved an *extremely* specific getaway car. That'd cheer him up.

TRANT HEIDELSTAM - When he chuckles his eyes flutter shut like a video star. "Oh no! Nothing so sordid, I am simply thinking of upgrading and I would like your recommendations on a new model."

EMPATHY - Of all the reasons to talk to Heidelstam idle chitchat was very low down on Kim's list of wants and needs.

INTERFACING - However, at the speed it was brewing the coffee machine would take at least another two minutes to fill the pot.

KIM KITSURAGI - He was obviously waiting for coffee, any excuse he made would be be clearly ingenuine and rude. "You find your 40 unfit for purpose?"

TRANT HEIDELSTAM - "Oh no, she's a fine car." The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled fondly. "Although after Harry's, erm, *accident* in Martinaise I thought I could donate her to the precinct. I've been looking for an excuse to buy a new vehicle and I don't believe there'll be a better opportunity than this."

KIM KITSURAGI - Kim's brows drew up his forehead. Trant wasn't exactly struggling financially the way many officers do day-to-day, that's no secret, however the gesture was kind regardless. Kim also appreciated the tender way that Trant had referred to your obvious exit attempt as an 'accident'.

LOGIC - Then, the clever cogs in Kim's brain had started whirring. He wasn't certain how much of his Captain's reluctance to transfer his MC was down to a personal dislike of Kim, as opposed to *genuinely* needing the vehicle for the 57th. This development presented an opportunity.

SUGGESTION [hard: success] - Trant was easy to sway. The man had a strong need to be liked, especially by somebody as respected and collected as Lieutenant Kitsuragi. He is by no means at *your* level of sociotropy, but why learn all of that useless information if not for a base desire to be *useful*?

KIM KITSURAGI - "Hmm," He fit his chin between the gloved arc of his thumb and index finger as if in thought. "I'm happy to run you through some options once you let me know your desired MC specifications, however I'm having a conundrum of my own that you might be able to assist me with."

TRANT HEIDELSTAM - "Oh?" He leaned in eagerly. "Do tell Lieutenant, I'm always happy to help."

KIM KITSURAGI - Kim was carefully detached as he explained his difficulties getting the 57th to transfer his MC. He outlined the same benefits as he did to his captain; Jamrock's higher crime rate and wider area being better suited to a high speed vehicle, the road structures, Kim's current commute between the GRIH and the 41st precinct, as well as Kim's affinity for driving the Kineema.

"So," he finished. "If it's not presumptuous of me, might I suggest you offer your 40 to the 57th in exchange for transferring the Kineema to us?"

TRANT HEIDELSTAM - The man had kept blissfully quiet as Kim spoke, only nodding in agreement as the Lieutenant outlined each of his points. That made it startling when he clapped suddenly. "What a marvellous idea, Lieutenant! Truth be told I did want a closer gander at your vehicle when I was in Martinaise, but Mikael's feet were getting sore by the end of the day and-"

C-WING - As Trant continued prattling on about his 'Martinaise day trip' Kim allowed himself an internal whoop of pride at this clear victory. The captain of the 57th would find it hard to refuse a vehicle trade from a civilian liaison. Particularly a civilian liaison with money. The RCM simply couldn't afford to pass up a donation from an asset such as trant. Not without good reason, which Kim had been fairly certain his ex-captain did not have.

Kim poured them both chipped mugs of burnt coffee and led Trant through MC options that prioritised comfort and safety. He even found the conversation somewhat relaxing.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Two days later Alice rang Jules to let the motorpool know they'd be receiving it today." The satisfaction is evident on his face as he finishes.

SAVIOR FAIRE [godly: failure] - Kim is too cool to be smug but-

EMPATHY [easy: success] - Oh no, he's smug alright.

KIM KITSURAGI - His expression returns to neutral but there is something searching in his eyes as he looks up at you. 

EMPATHY [godly: success] - He would like some sort of congratulations from you. This is why he wanted to talk to you specifically: as careful as he was to hide it, only you had noticed how grumpy he had been after losing the Kineema.

VOLITION - You've been effortlessly noticing a lot about him with that mind project simmering away on the back burner.

YOU - Any progress on that by the way? It's been over a week now.

EMPATHY - No! It's actually a little baffling to be honest.

YOU - "Well! First of all, yeah: I'll take that lift if it's goin'. Secondly, I *believe* an aces high is in order." You spin sideways raising your palm and beaming.

KIM KITSURAGI - He can't help the smile that breaks across his face as he turns to face you and slaps your palm.

CENTRAL JAMROCK - As the sharp slap of your calloused flesh rings out against soft leather, the gulls squawk and rise in alarm from the cluster of crumbs you left in the park.

JUNE 51' - 3:46am

You drag in your first shuddering breath like a man nearly drowned. This time you've the sense about you to kill the scream as it's halfway leaving your throat. The result is an unpleasant retch, too loud in the darkness of your room as your hands rush to your neck. You half expect the grounding touch of leather but you don't wear your gloves to sleep. Your heart pounds beneath your ribs like a piston, threatening to shatter them and punch through your lungs, flesh, skin. Breath after rapid breath is dragged down into the pit of you but it's not enough. Never enough.

Easy...

It's rare, but there are moments when the child in you is truly on your side. Fear helps. You still smell the iron of fresh blood. A lot of it. You've been told that's how to differentiate between night terrors and regular old nightmares: night terrors follow you into the waking world, blurring the edges of subconscious and reality. Audio/ visual hallucinations, the feeling of hands on your body or metal against skin, and most disturbingly; the inability to recognise the boyfriend trying to calm you down as anything other than a threat in the immediate moments upon waking.

You're both lucky you 'woke up' before you struck him.

You're disoriented. You still smell the blood. You feel the sheets under you, wet with summer sweat and sticking to your body. It is too dark and you cannot see. You still cannot breathe. 

Just a dream. Easy. You are alive and he is not. Nothing will change that now.

Panic wraps around your lungs and squeezes them empty. No, that's wrong. He can't be-

Whoops! Sorry! Force of habit! *Eyes* is dead, Harry is very much alive the last we checked. I'm not quite used to you dreaming about him yet.

You gasp as you exhale, the shake to your body evident in your voice. You feel the overwhelming urge to steel yourself and regain composure despite being alone in the dark of your flat. Slowly, the rules of the world right themselves with you. You are alive. Dominique is dead. Harry is alive. The pair of you are *relatively* safe. You put the fear of god into your landlord and all keys were promptly removed from their crevices. You drag in another shuddering breath and feel your heart begin to slow. It's still beats *hard* but less rapidly now. The iron smell is still there.

You'd half-carried-half-dragged him into the whirling on your back. As you breeched the lobby you spotted Garte cowering on the top step.

"Help me!" Your voice was commanding but the fear in it was also evident.

You didn't have the wits about you to care: you *were* scared. At the time you had no idea how serious the wound was, only that the blood had come *quickly* in the plaza and you could feel the overwhelming wet heat of it where you held Harry slumped against your back. If it had pierced the deep tissue and muscle you'd have to work quickly to save his life. If it had caught his femoral artery then he was fucked regardless.

"Oh Dolores Dei!" Garte's white as a sheet as he canters down the stairs, trilling prayers to himself. His wide eyes travel from Harry to your face. "L-Lieutenant, you're bleeding too-"

"I know. I'll sort it later, just-" You shrug Harry towards the man as he reaches you and suddenly your burden's lessoned.

Garte slings one of Harry's limp arms around his neck with ease, then the two of you are ferrying him towards the stairs. "Where are we-

"-His room. I've already got the keys." Then your burden is lifted entirely. 

You look to the right expecting to see Garte supporting an unconscious Harry, but he is gone. You whirl around to find an empty cafeteria. They are both gone. In a brief moment of lucidity you had realised you were dreaming. In reality Garte had *picked up* Harry to take him upstairs on his own, fussing about your injuries, while you went ahead to unlock the room. But this was not the aftermath of the tribunal in Martinaise. This was your own sick little head deciding that even in sleep you cannot rest.

You were in your flat then. Making tea after a shift. The lights flickered overhead as they have a tendency to do and a strange ringing filled the air. You ignore it: flickering lights and strange ringing are hardly your biggest concerns. There's a metallic pop, barely audible, then the lights go out. "Shit..." You mutter to yourself. Blown bulb. You're not sure if you have a spare stashed somewhere.

You are not alone.

The thought manifests itself at the base of your skull and your skin crawls. As you face towards the innards of your apartment you notice for the first time that your front door is open. The lock lies a few feet in front of it on the floor and you kick yourself for not hearing somebody break in behind you. The light in the hallway flickers, then that one's gone too. You are plunged entirely into darkness.

Dark. Alone. Blind and in danger. Whoever is here is going to make us *bleed*. 

A spring coils in your chest, poised between your lungs. Somebody who cares about you recently told you there are people out there who want to *hurt* you. You know this. It's one of the earliest lessons taught to you by the school of life. However, in this moment you feel it like you feel the slick humidity of the air on your skin. 

You're going to die.

Something warm and gentle grasps your left hand. You turn on a dime and pull the trigger with your right.

Harry jolts as the bullet punches through the flesh of his torso, his hair surging forwards in a wave as blood blooms through his crisp, white shirt. "Khhgh!" he sputters in shock, his eyes wide as his knees crumple.

The gun hits the floor with a clatter as you rush forwards to catch him. Your arms loop under his and you kneel quickly, guiding him flat to assess damages. You take pride in being a good shot. You hit him right where his collarbones meet in the area that's too high to be his chest but too low to be his throat. The blood has soaked his shirt to well beneath his breast at this point.

"What the fuck." Your breath comes out ragged as you press down on his wound. "What the *fuck*."

"Gh..." He tries to speak but the blood wells in the back of his mouth and he gags, flecking your glasses with viscera as he coughs. It's violent and once he's started he seems unable to stop.

"Hey! Don't try to talk - your throat..." You roll him onto his side and are hit with a wave of intense nausea as the action reveals a pool of blood underneath the detective.

Bleeding from an exit wound too. In the oesophagus no less. You can't save him.

Your heart starts hammering. No, that can't be right. You keep one hand on his collar and clap the other to his back parallel to the first wound. You feel the heat and slickness of his blood and realise with horror that you can't do *anything* like this. Both hands are occupied, glasses obscured, and Harry's retching and thrashing beneath you.

You've killed him.

"No..." You whimper. "Why were you-" As you look down at him your glasses begin slipping down your nose. You make no move to stop them as preoccupied as you are.

"K... im-" On his side the blood is able to drain freely from his mouth, allowing him to speak. His thrashing has slowed and there's a glazed look to his eyes that you're able to recognise in dying men.

"Don't talk..." You try to keep your voice gentle for him but it comes out small and sad. "You'll be okay."

You're a liar as well as a killer. He only wanted to hold your hand.

"K... h..." He's wheezing.

The glasses drop from your face, bouncing off his shoulder and onto the floor with a clatter. All you see now is swathes of red bundling the mass of a brown-haired man. Somehow, not seeing him makes it worse. "*Goddamnit* WHY were you here?!" You hate your voice. You hate how childish you sound when you're so evidently close to losing it. "What the *hell* would possess you to sneak up on me, Officer?!" You breaths come quick and hard. Harry is silent.

Gone.

He's not even wheezing anymore.

He slipped away while you were *yelling* at him. You shot him then scolded him while he died.

"No." It's not true. It is not *allowed* to be true. It is simply too horrible. "...Harry?"

There's no reply, no breath, no movement from the man beneath you. The red smear delivered to your brain by your shit, unassisted eyes remains as motionless as a work of modern art.

"Harry?" You ask again. You sound so small. Slowly, you drag your hand down his chest and towards his heart. Nothing. For a man that lived his life *disco*; who danced and sang, and made *you* feel included in these parts of him, it is so *utterly* criminal to feel him without his beat. 

And you did this to him.

You drag your hands down your face. Just a dream. He's fine. You inhale as much air as you can get and release it slowly through your nose. The tension wound into your shoulders starts to dissipate and you no longer smell blood. The shock of the experience is still fresh however. You've only had this dream once before, on your birthday. The come down from that one was easier since you could hear him breathing through the wall.

Your eyes flit to the alarm clock and although you're not wearing your glasses, when you squint you can just about make out the time. Despite the early hour you briefly consider calling him before a wave of embarrassment crashes through you. Absolutely not.

He wouldn't mind: he's nice like that. That's not the point, I have no need to call him. Liar. It's late, besides what would I even say to him? The truth. No chance. Coward. It is not cowardly for me to live without assurance from a *colleague* at almost 4 in the morning that he is still alive. Colleague? You're distancing yourself to rationalise your self-inflicted loneliness. Coward.

You huff in annoyance and burrow back into your pillows.

It was just a dream, but it so nearly *wasn't* just a dream.

You ignore the voice's childish teasing as irritation burns in your gut.

Isolating yourself is one thing, but lashing out when men are kind to you? Hoping that they'll stop lest you *feel* something? That's just sad. It's untrue is what it is. I've never lashed out. That night *he* broke into *my* apartment. In fact, I could call him right now and tell him about my dream and all it would serve to do is give him excess guilt.

You blink, feeling the way your eyelashes catch against the pillow. The voice is quiet now. Unfortunately you are well and truly awake at this point, your anger from the internal argument feeding into the lingering traces of adrenaline from your nightmare. You sort through voltas in your mind but abandon the task soon after. None of them seem fit for purpose.

JUNE 51' - 8:08pm

YOU - "Coulda been an axe?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "I don't think so, Detective."

COUPRIS KINEEMA - You're sat in the chair behind the driver's basket as Kim drives you home post-work. You've done a couple of trips together like this now.

At first he took the most 'direct' route, driving through the streets of Central Jamrock and down Boogie Street to reach your flat on Voyager and Main. However, between the drunkards stumbling into the road and general Revachol traffic the drive was too slow for Kim's liking. Now he tends to board the 8/81 and drive *over* Jamrock, peeling off a junction about two streets from your flat before heading back to the GRIH.

The drive takes him an extra ten minutes but he enjoys not having to slow every two. You've been enjoying pointing out elements of Jamrock's landscape to him over the barriers of the motorway.

RHETORIC - He had explained to you a few times that it would be a *bad* idea to take his eyes off the road, no matter how interesting whatever landmarked you'd remembered was. Then he'd switched to a simple 'Harry.' and you'd quickly learned to keep quiet.

YOU - "You don't think the killer used an axe? Wound would support a heavy blade like that."

ESPRIT DE CORPS - Vicquemare has taken on most of the Lieutenant's training duties for the week, with Kitsuragi being available for assistance if he needs it. Since it'd become quickly apparent that Vicquemare was *not* going to ask for help at any point, the Lieutenant had accompanied you to a crime scene in lieu of your regular partner.

KIM KITSURAGI - "It would. An axe was the first thing I considered when we inspected the body. However there are elements of the crime scene that serve to make a weapon like that unsuitable."

YOU - "Huh? How so?"

KIM KITSURAGI - You catch his eyes briefly in the windshield mirror before they return to the road. You are only able to see the top half of his face in it, but otherwise enjoy watching him from the back as he drives, hands on both steering levers and movements decisive in an experienced sort of way. "Have a think about it. I'm sure you can figure it out, Detective."

EMPATHY [medium: success] - He's not trying to be difficult. This is a test, a little *game* the two of you play as he believes it makes you both better detectives.

YOU - "Hmm..." You stretch as much as you can in your seat, turning your head to watch the skyline fly past.

PERCEPTION - In the height of summer, the sun is still very much in the sky at this hour. You're excited for the winter when this drive will provide a view of the city lights like you're being chauffeured across a sea of stars.

LOGIC [trivial: success] - If he's testing you here, away from the crime scene itself, then it must be something fairly obvious. Something about the layout of the room?

VISUAL CALCULOUS [hard: success] - More like the layout of the building itself.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [easy: success] - Oh!

YOU - "The ceiling in the store room is too low!" You click your fingers as you reach your conclusion. "If the killer had tried to swing an axe in there it would have left grooves in the roof!"

KIM KITSURAGI - You catch his eyes in the mirror again, noting how his crows feet deepen happily. "Very well done, Detective. That was faster than I was expecting."

[+1 MORALE]

ESPRIT DE CORPS - It's not a slight at you. The officers he's been working with through his training duties range between sadly undertrained and downright imbecilic. 

EMPATHY - You have *missed* him at work. When you asked him to join you at the 41st you had wanted him to join *you*, not to be loaned out to various divisions of the precinct. Working this case together is refreshing for you both.

YOU - You smile like a madman, but your glee quickly fades as you realise this gets you no closer to sussing out the murder weapon.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I do agree that the wound was likely caused by a similar tool, however. Something with a blunt, hard-"

COUPRIS KINEEMA - Kim is cut off by the shortwave suddenly sparking into life, crackling as a call connects through his speakers.

JULES PIDIEU - "Lieutenant Kitsuragi, do you copy?"

YOU - Wait, why's he calling Kim? He knows we've left for the day.

DRAMA [impossible: success] - There is no way to tell. Oldboy would carry the same bored tone if somebody was sawing his legs off in front of him.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [easy: success] - Must be an emergency though.

KIM KITSURAGI - Kim clearly senses this too. You watch his brows draw together as his eyes flit from the road to the radio. Then his left hand comes off the acceleration stick to unhook the radio from it's perch. "I am here, Officer Pidieu."

RHETORIC [medium: success] - He won't call Jules 'Oldboy' the same way he won't use any of your eclectic nicknames. It's a mark of respect.

JULES PIDIEU - "Ah good, you're still on the road. I'm sorry to ask this of you overtime but there's a situation. A hostage is involved. Which side of the river are you on?"

INTERFACING [hard: success] - The right side hopefully! Car chase! Car chase!

HALF-LIGHT - Wait, he's not seriously going to speed this death-trap around with us *in* it is he?!

EMPATHY - Did the pair of you miss the *hostage* part of that?! This is serious!

KIM KITSURAGI - "I'm not in the GRIH yet, closer to Boogie Street." He speaks quickly, eyes scanning the Esperance to your right. "Next available bridge would be The Brandy, in about five minutes... Two at a push."

INTERFACING - FUCK YEAH!

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [impossible: success] - Adrenaline floods your synapses. Oh yeah~ This is gonna be good.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [easy: success] - Unlike yourself, the Lieutenant brims with professionalism. He has snapped back into work mode without acknowledging Oldboy's earlier apology. Somebody has been compromised. Of course he will assist.

JULES PIDIEU - "10-4 Lieutenant. Stay that side. A, uh, private bouncing company is pursuing the suspect. There are officers on route to close the bridge but if you're at the other end it may be more beneficial to trap them on The Brandy instead."

YOU - "Private bouncing company?"

JULES PIDIEU - "Bodyguards for hire, Detective Du Bois. Hello, by the way."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Details please, Officer." He blinks away surprise at hearing your voice from behind him.

EMPATHY [impossible: success] - He... Momentarily forgot you were there. He's embarrassed about it.

YOU - Ouch...

JULES PIDIEU - "Call from Elfboy received about thirteen minutes ago, Sir. He and his partner followed a callout to a La Delta jewellers experiencing an armed robbery. When the RCM arrived one of the thieves grabbed a clerk, twenty-seven year old-" You hear the rustle of paper down the receiver. "Marionette. Apparently the head of security, erm, 'gung-hoed it into his van to chase them'. Elfboy believes-"

He sighs, "I'm *not* saying that. He believes they must be *romantically involved* considering the bouncer's enthusiasm. Might be a crash-risk."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Noted. Thank you, Officer." There's a tension to what you can see of his face. "Vehicle description?"

ESPRIT DE CORPS [hard: success] - There's a lot of phrases he didn't enjoy there. 'Armed' and 'crash-risk' being key players.

EMPATHY [godly: failure] - Especially with a trapped young woman in one vehicle and *you* in the back of his. Don't be distracting.

JULES PIDIEU - "Ah, there's the good news at least. The getaway vehicle is somewhat peculiar: a Weevil. *Lime green* if this account is to be believed."

INTERFACING - A...

SAVIOR FAIRE - Oh that sucks so bad. 

YOU - Huh, why?

KIM KITSURAGI - "A- *Why* on earth..." His eyebrow is raised in what appears to be abject *bafflement*.

INTERFACING [legendary: success] - A Weevil is a grandma car. It is a car that was conceived for rich old ladies to drive *very* slowly in. It is *not* a good getaway car, and that's without considering why they'd pick a lime green one.

JULES PIDIEU - "Who can say? Ask when you arrest the driver, Lieutenant. They didn't catch the bouncer's name, 'bit of a meathead' apparently but he's driving a heavy-duty black van. They're approaching southbound."

INLAND EMPIRE [legendary: success] - You're lucky: The Brandy bridge is older with a worse road surface than it's competitors. One lane is shut due to partial collapse from the bombings meaning it is generally avoided by heavier traffic. If somebody was trying to cross the Esperance in a hurry and disappear into Jamrock with seventeen-thousand stolen Reál and a hostage, *that* is the bridge they'd pick.

YOU - That doesn't sound lucky, it sounds dangerous!

HALF LIGHT - VERY.

VOLITION - Don't worry: you're in good hands.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Understood. Expect a call when I'm in position."

JULES PIDIEU - "10-4 Lieutenant. Good luck."

COUPRIS KINEEMA - There's one last burst of static as Kim hangs the radio on its hook. Without the cross-talk between Kim and Jules, the hum of the Kineema seems much louder.

CONCEPTUALISATION [easy: success] - Purring. Ready to play.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Right," You watch the snap of his shoulder as he pushes the steering lever in. The MC peels off the next exit and slinks towards the Bay Road, bridge in sight. "Apologies Detective but I am going to need your assistance. Are you able to see across the river?"

INLAND EMPIRE - The Bay Road runs parallel to the bank of the Esperance. A grey concrete wall keeps vehicles from veering down the shingle drop and onto the silt. The Kineema is tall enough that you can see clearly over the barrier. Ruddy orange plays across the water under the evening sun and the *richer* side of town is clearly visible beyond.

PERCEPTION [formidable: success] - You're even able to see the Promenade Road on the other side. Little MCs reflect grey-blue rays of sunlight like metallic ants.

YOU - "Yeah, got a good view of the road from here too."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Good." He pulls up against the bay wall a few meters from the Jamrock-side of Brandy Bridge. "Let me know when you see the suspect's vehicle." Then he grabs the radio again, speaking quick codes to Jules.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [legendary: success] - Your brain is too scrambled to tell *exactly* what he's saying, but through Oldboy he seems to be organising a plan of action with the officers on the other side of the river. You may have known these codes once, but they're more relevant to officers in control of pursuit vehicles.

The codes are vital for getting your meaning across as quick as possible so that you can concentrate on driving.

KIM KITSURAGI - He hangs the radio back off the console and clears his throat, routing through his jacket for something.

SAVOIR FAIRE [trivial: success] - He's settled back into the treated leather, one knee raised against the dash and head back against the shoulder rest so that he can see you better. *God* he looks so cool like this. *Truly* in his element. 

YOU - 

1. "Kim, what's a Weevil?"
2. "What's the plan, Lieutenant?"
3. "Rented any good videos lately?"
4. "Do you take this bridge back to the GRIH?"
5. Look across the bridge.

YOU - "What's the plan, Lieutenant?"

KIM KITSURAGI - He pulls a half-crushed cartoon of cigarettes from his inside pocket, shaking the box so one rises from amongst the masses. "Officers from the 57th have closed all major roads from La Delta into the GRIH and beyond. Luckily the Jewellers was at the end of a boutique cul-de-sac so our suspect doesn't really have anywhere to go." He plucks the cigarette from the box and slips it between his lips.

"There should be officers stationed half-way between The Brandy and the next bridge. The Promenade Road on La Delta side is relatively straight so the suspects should see their lights which will encourage them to cross the bridge."

He takes his first drag then locks eyes with you, smirking. "Or *attempt* to cross it at least. Once they're on the bridge I'll move to trap the suspect. I'd prefer to be working with another unit within the RCM, but it sounds like this security vehicle is keeping an appropriate pace at the very least." 

ESPRIT DE CORPS [hard: failure] - The Revachol Citizens Militia exists to PREVENT occurrences of civilians taking the law into their own hands. To rely on some meat-headed bouncer is unconstitutional and beneath the Lieutenant. 

EMPATHY [medium: success] - It's less about RCM standards and more that having an outside player provides a further level of uncertainty to an already precarious scenario.

KIM KITSURAGI - "At least if Officer William's ascertation is correct and this bouncer *does* have emotional ties to the hostage, he should be considerate enough not to ram the vehicle." Smoke curls from his nostrils as he watches a beat up truck exit the bridge in front of him.

YOU - 

1. "Kim, what's a Weevil?"
2. "What's the plan, Lieutenant?"
3. "What happens once we trap the MC?"
4. "You're having your smoke now?"
5. "Rented any good videos lately?"
6. "Do you take this bridge back to the GRIH?"
7. Look across the bridge.

YOU - "You're having your smoke now?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "Why not? We're already waiting." He's drumming his fingers on the leg propped against the dashboard.

EMPATHY [medium: success] - Impatience.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [easy: success] - You feel it don't you? That sympathetic *itch* in the roof of your mouth, the distinct *lack* of burning sensation in your throat. The way your breath comes quick but doesn't quite *fill* you deep enough.

YOU - You chew the edge of your lip. A cigarette does sound pretty good right now.

VOLITION - At least wait until this is over, I'm worried you might swallow the damn thing with Kim speeding around.

YOU - The bridge is right in front of us, how fast could he possible go?

INTERFACING [godly: failure] - Uh... Buddy you don't *wanna* know.

YOU -

1. "Kim, what's a Weevil?"
2. "What's the plan, Lieutenant?"
3. "What happens once we trap the MC?"
4. "You're having your smoke now?"
5. "Rented any good videos lately?"
6. "Do you take this bridge back to the GRIH?"
7. Look across the bridge.

PERCEPTION [hard: success] - Blue and yellow flash in tandem. The gradient of the sky dances on the pearlescent shopfronts of the Promenade. MCs turn and take side lanes, trickling from view like rain being absorbed into grass.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [easy: success] - You see them now too; the patrol cars on the other side blocking the main road with flashing lights. It's painfully intentional. Hopefully our suspect will be too panicked to notice.

YOU - Any sign of the Weevil? 

LOGIC [trivial: success] - No. Well, not as far as we know.

YOU - What does that mean?

PERCEPTION - Beyond "grandma car" and "lime green" we don't know what we're looking for.

YOU - 

1. "Kim, what's a Weevil?"
2. "What's the plan, Lieutenant?"
3. "What happens once we trap the MC?"
4. "You're having your smoke now?"
5. "Rented any good videos lately?"
6. "Do you take this bridge back to the GRIH?"
7. Look across the bridge.

YOU - "Kim, what's a Weevil?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "Oh." He looks at you over the shoulder rest, "Of course you wouldn't know. Erm..." His brow furrows as he considers how to describe the MC to you.

CONCEPTUALISATION [medium: success] - The Lieutenant is a man of poor conceptualisation skills, this we know.

RHETORIC [formidable: success] - He's also not entirely confident describing this pre-existing concept to you.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Khm, it's very round. Ah- by that I mean no sharp edges like a normal motor carriage." He removes the cigarette from his lips and quickly places it in the inbuilt ashtray, so that he can dome his hands in a semicircle as a demonstration. 

"Quite *bug* shaped, as the name suggests. The headlights resemble eyes. It's on the smaller side for a motor carriage too." He retrieves his cigarette and places it back between his lips. "Maybe just focus on the colour, that should be peculiar enough to notice unless we're especially unfortunate."

EMPATHY [godly: success] -  'Surely not two lime green vehicles on *this* road, on *this* night, heading in *this* direction...'

YOU -

1. "Kim, what's a Weevil?"
2. "What's the plan, Lieutenant?"
3. "What happens once we trap the MC?"
4. "You're having your smoke now?"
5. "Rented any good videos lately?"
6. "Do you take this bridge back to the GRIH?"
7. Look across the bridge.

YOU - "What happens once we trap the MC?"

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT - Time for an epic takedown, that's what! Or did you want to send this *KIDNAPPER* away with a slapped wrist, pansy-man? 

ESPRIT DE CORPS [medium: success] - It's good for you and the Lieutenant to discuss a plan of action like this. Means you'll be prepared for the eventual outcome. 

KIM KITSURAGI - "That depends how easy the suspect makes it for us." Tap tap of his smoke against the ashtray.  "You have your service weapon, yes?"

ESPRIT DE CORPS - Uh oh.

HALF LIGHT - Ah.

EMPATHY [trivial: success] - Oh... Kim's not gonna like this.

YOU - "Uh yeah, about that..."

KIM KITSURAGI - His head snaps sideways, eyes on you instantly. "You don't?!" His brow creases in deep lines. "That would have been good to know from the get-go, Officer."

AUTHORITY [trivial: success] - Phew... Is there a leak in the Kineema battery? The air in here feels supercharged all of a sudden.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [hard: failure] - He's thinking about how he'd expect you covering his 6 as the pair of you move to apprehend the suspect. He's thinking about how you'll let him down if this *armed* suspect chooses to fight.

EMPATHY [hard: success] - He's thinking; 'Great. Another uncontrollable liability.'  Yeah, this vastly complicates things in his mind. 'Unimpressed' is a bit of an understatement.

YOU - "I'm sorry!" You throw your hands up, sweating under his gaze. "Jean doesn't let me take my firearm home anymore! I have to lock it in the safe at the precinct before I leave each night!"

KIM KITSURAGI - He blinks - processing what you've just said - then his expression softens exponentially. Overbearing perhaps, but I have to admit in this regard that Vicquemare's judgement is not exactly uncalled for...

COMPOSURE [godly: success] - *Ouch*. OOOF. Okay... We're good.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Hmm, well it's not ideal but in that case you will be staying in the vehicle. I will make the arrest." He turns to look over the dashboard again. Please don't try to argue with me.

YOU - "But the suspect's armed, right?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "As am I," He pats the side of his jacket where you know his holster lies. "And *you* are not. Don't worry Detective: nine out of ten times the suspect gives in once they realise they're trapped."

DRAMA [legendary: success] - A lie, Sire! 

YOU - "I don't think you're-"

KIM KITSURAGI - "*Enough*." He doesn't turn but his eyes shoot to yours in the dashboard mirror.

YOU - Urp!

KIM KITSURAGI - "You will not endanger yourself unnecessarily." His voice is firm and gruff. "I can apprehend the suspect and you will stay in the Kineema reporting to Jules via the radio. Once the suspect is *in cuffs*, or I call for you, then you can join me on the bridge." He speaks quickly, his eyes doing a better job of pinning you where you sit than your seatbelt. "Do you understand?"

AUTHORITY [easy: success] - There is no room for discussion here. This was always how it'd play out the moment he discovered you were unarmed.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [hard: success] - You are off the clock and unable to defend yourself should the need arise. He refuses to toy with your life when he was supposed to be taking you home. It's really nothing personal.

EMPATHY [godly: success] - It's a little bit personal. Nothing to do with *you* though.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I asked you a question, Officer." He cocks a brow at you, the smoke from his almost defunct cigarette twisting around the eyelid underneath. 

YOU - "Understood, Lieutenant..." You look at your snakeskins like a disciplined child, flexing your toes and watching the material warp around them.

INLAND EMPIRE [impossible: success] - Don't look down now! It's go time!

YOU -

1. "Kim, what's a Weevil?"
2. "What's the plan, Lieutenant?"
3. "What happens once we trap the MC?"
4. "You're having your smoke now?"
5. "Rented any good videos lately?"
6. "Do you take this bridge back to the GRIH?"
7. Look across the bridge.

PERCEPTION [hard: success] - You hear it before you see it. The high-pitched mosquito-like whine of something being pushed to the brink. This is followed by a bass-heavy rumble that you recognise from all-terrain vehicles travelling at high speed.

CONCEPTUALISATION [medium: success] - You picture a twist of lime peel balanced on an island of ice.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Ooo, a Revachol mule! Doesn't that sound good? The burn of a ginger beer would go down practically medicinal right now.

CONCEPTUALISATION - The light bends and reflects off the domed roof of a lime green MC on the other side of the Esperance. It dances across the shellacked exteriors of Promenade businesses like the garnish in a much missed drink.

The black SUV bears down on this light like a thundercloud.

YOU - "Look alive, Kim!"

PERCEPTION [easy: success] - The whine and rumble is accompanied then by the shrill peels of a siren.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - On the other side of the river the first officer of the 57th to call himself 'Ace' looks up from picking the skin around his cuticles. "Huh? Go time?"

"Go time?" Sergeant Waters replies, bored. "Nah, the 41st are handling it - we're just shunting the loser into Jamrock." He sniffs wetly. "Good fuckin' job 'un'all. This Coup 40 stinks of baby vomit - I ain't spending any longer in here than I have to."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Okay." With the grace of a water bird he swings his feet down into the driver's pit, looping the belt back over himself. "There's a car on the bridge but-" He follows the direction of your finger and clocks the Weevil just as a crack rings out across the river.

INTERFACING - WOAH!

PERCEPTION [godly: success] - A flash of red. Some sort of combustion occurred at the back of the suspect's vehicle and now there's a growing *distance* between it and the black SUV.

KIM KITSURAGI - "That- They've fit a fuel-drop function into a *battery-powered* MC?!" If he wasn't gripping the filter of his smoke between his teeth you get the impression his mouth would be hanging open. "Obscene. Why supercharge a Weevil? That's like trying to build an oven out of ice cubes." He's shaking his head but there's a distinctive twitch at the corner of his lips.

EMPATHY [hard: success] - There's an aura of the bizarre to this car that pleases Kim's tinkerer brain. Not enough to distract him from the task at hand however.

INLAND EMPIRE [formidable: success] - You have until that car crosses the bridge by the way. Get ready.

YOU - What?

BRANDY BRIDGE - A Wild Pines flatbed. Empty but chugging along into Jamrock none-the-less. The truck approaches the Bay Road from the bridge just as the little green MC boards The Brandy, then-

KIM KITSURAGI - "You might want to hold onto something Detective. Up to you." The Lieutenant throws his left-half forward as he flattens the acceleration stick.

COUPRIS KINEEMA - It howls like a beast. That same shrill cry of war that first tore you from your eternal slumber months ago. Your heart thunders up into your mouth in anticipation and you swear the MC moves around you before you're dragged along in tow.

YOU - Your hand twists instinctively into the roll cage above the window. As the infernal machine picks up speed you yelp. You're moving fast. Way too fast.

VISUAL CALCULOUS [impossible: failure] - NO!!! We're gonna collide with the Wild Pines truck!

BRANDY BRIDGE - Only one of the lanes reaches the Jamrock-side bank, the Eastbound lane having crumbled into the river below. At this very moment the Wild Pines flatbed occupies it and indicates left: turning in your direction. 

COUPRIS KINEEMA - Kim takes what remains of the Eastbound lane at the last second and skirts around the truck in a wide arc. You hear his boot hit something hard then the front-end of the vehicle is fixed in place and you pivot around it as the tires scream.

At the same time Kim's hand shoots off the lever to flick a switch on the dash. Blue light flashes above, further disorienting you, and causing the Wild Pines truck to pick up speed and peel off the exit ramp. Then his hands are back on both levers and whatever Kim had stamped on to keep the Kineema in place was released.

There's a mechanical crack then you're raging forwards onto the bridge. You actually feel the motor carriage lift as you leave the road and plough across wrought iron and wood. 

YOU - "HOLY SHIT!" You screw your eyes closed as you cry out, knuckles whitening around the bar above you.

PERCEPTION [easy: success] - You hear a long, drawn-out, obnoxious honk from in front and Kim swear under his breath.

HALF LIGHT - Well if the first crash didn't kill you, this one definitely will. LUNGE FORWARD NOW! You can snap the Lieutenant's neck: that way only one of you has to die in agony.

VOLITION - We are *not* doing that.

COUPRIS KINEEMA - Your body lurches as you're swung to the side. The old tuna sandwich you had for lunch is threatening to make a guest *re-appearance*. There's a *THUNCA-THUNCA-THUNCA* as the Kinema coasts across a different thickness of wooden planks and you crack an eye open just in time to see a second civilian vehicle speed past you with only inches to spare.

BRANDY BRIDGE - There's nothing ahead of you now except the Weevil and the black SUV behind it.

COMPOSURE - Hey, don't look to your left by the way.

YOU - You whip your head left and feel your stomach drop as nothing but the decent into open, expansive water is revealed to you. You whimper.

BRANDY BRIDGE - To let the civilian vehicle pass Kim had to coast as close as possible into the decayed left lane. This is how people usually cross the bridge, but *not* at this speed.

Ahead of you the Weevil revs its engine but as far as threat displays go, the dumpy little lime leaves a lot to be desired. The Kineema roars like a lion in response and over the noise you *swear* you just about manage to hear Kim *laugh*.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [trivial: success] - Oh that was a laugh for sure, my man! Can you not *feel* the joy in this vehicle? He's in his element, look at him!

YOU - Between the rumbling of the slats beneath you, the speed at which you're travelling, and the quickly shrinking gap between the Kineema and the Weevil; you find yourself having to screw your eyes shut again.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Aww, Harry trust me: you don't want to miss this.

VOLITION - Why is Vice Meister back? I thought the mind project was taking care of that?

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Well if he'd open his *damn* eyes we'd be about finished with that now.

VOLITION - Oh?

EMPATHY [trivial: success] - Look at Kim, Harry. You're safe. Yes really.

YOU - 

1. [VOLITION: formidable] Open your eyes.
   +1 What's going on?!
   +1 Twenty day mind project
   +1 Under Kim's care
2. [HALF LIGHT: medium] - Keep 'em closed.
   +1 It's scary out there

VOLITION - [SUCCESS]

YOU - You manage to snap your eyes open and grip the roll cage with both hands. You might be able to right yourself within the machine, but the Kineema itself is lurching to the side again.

HALF LIGHT - THIS IS IT!

INTERFACING [godly: success] - It really is. You hear the cacophony of three separate engines screaming. 

KIM KITSURAGI - "Keep holding on!" At some point he's taken his eyes off the bridge to check in with your reflection. "Press your back fully against the seat!"

VISUAL CALCULOUS [hard: success] - They're going to meet head-on like Franconian knights on a jousting field! What is Kim possibly hoping to achieve here?! We're gonna crash!

EMPATHY [hard: success] - No, he wouldn't. Not with a hostage and certainly not with you in the back.

COUPRIS KINEEMA - Looking at the MCs is too much for you so you focus on Kim instead. Although the belt is still looped around him he's half stood in the basket - it is as if he's a cyclist taking a brisk ride and not currently driving a vehicle at near 125 kilometres an hour.

RHETORIC - He recently told you that he used to drive a motorbike. Old habits die hard, maybe?

INLAND EMPIRE - It is as if everything happens all at once.

BRANDY BRIDGE - The Weevil's driver must realise Kim has no intention of balking, because they hit the breaks. Only enough to slow, but that sets in motion the snowballs of a crash.

The SUV hits the back of the weevil, causing both vehicles to spin. Although the little green car is able to right itself, the SUV loses control and hits the barrier of the bridge stopping, thankfully, before it has chance to careen into the river.

Realising they've lost a pursuer the Weevil speeds up with renewed vigour, aiming for the gap between the Kineema and the barrier.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Oh no you don't, you bastard." He growls, pressing in on the steering lever.

COUPRIS KINEEMA - The front half of the vehicle fixes in place again, this time the back-end swings 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

As the Kineema blocks the bridge her owner whoops triumphantly, swinging his body sideways - very much like a motorcyclist - as if to counterbalance her manoeuvres.

EMPATHY [formidable: failure] - He's aware that it does nothing and presents a higher risk of fatality if he were to crash, but he likes standing all the same.

INTERFACING [hard: success] - There's a bond here that you can't quite see. When he said he was the only member of Precinct 57 able to drive this vehicle he really meant it.

CONCEPTUALISATION - Like a wild stallion or the innerwoven circuits of a filament memory cube, the Kineema is a beast that only he can understand.

INLAND EMPIRE - Time slows down... if only for a moment.

KIM KITSURAGI - As the MC turns on a centim you catch Kim's expression. He's *overjoyed*.

You're swung towards the window but he leans into the centre console and then you're able to make him out fully. His dark eyes flit between the road's edge and the suspect's vehicle. The sleeves of his jacket have ridden up from the movement exposing taunt tendons that disappear behind the leather of his gloves. His mouth is slightly ajar, and although his cigarette has gone out the filter sticks to his thick bottom lip from the moisture held there.

In the dead centre of the bridge, amber light from the setting sun catches in the lenses of his glasses and paints his face in shades of gold. He looks all at once; younger, more experienced, beautiful and *terrifying*.

YOU - Oh.

[!]  BREAKTHROUGH IMMINENT: KIM KITSURAGI ADDICTION  [!]

BRANDY BRIDGE - For a moment if looks like the Weevil intends to ram the Kineema. But Kim's MC is twice its size and the driver, finally, gives in. The little green car rolls to a stop about six meters from the Kineema, putting it another thirty away from the SUV.

The driver of the SUV is out of his vehicle, leaning against it and gripping the side of his head. You can see blood even from this distance.

PAIN THRESHOLD [hard: success] - On his feet means he can't be too bad. We can check in with him after the suspect is dealt with.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Stay." He's looking at you in the mirror, panting slightly. "Remember what we discussed when we were parked up." He nods towards the shortform as he peels the cigarette from his bottom lip, wincing slightly as it takes the top layer of skin with it.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - It occurs to you that you'd quite like to *be* that cigarette.

KIM KITSURAGI - "You should call for an ambulance and report the SUV's crash, so it can be collected and the bridge reopened ASAP." He lets his hands fall from the steering levers and rubs them against his stomach.

EMPATHY [impossible: success] - Oh, *that's* why he wears the gloves. So nobody can see him *sweat*. 

KIM KITSURAGI - "I won't be long." Then there's a shunting of metal and the MC rocks as Kim opens his door and hops down to the surface of the bridge.

YOU - You're filled with a sudden emptiness - a loss as you watch him walk towards the little green car - his hand finding the butt of his armistice.

Now what?

ESPRIT DE CORPS - You have your orders. Your Lieutenant is counting on you to liaison with your precinct, hop to it Officer!

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Hold on, don't you want to unpack that tasty little thought-morsel? It's finally finished cooking up in that delicious brain of yours, Harry-boy.

YOU - Is now the best time?

EMPATHY - Well...

YOU - 

1. Unpack the thought: Kim Kitsuragi Addiction
2. Call precinct 41
3. Look at the bridge
4. Leave the Kineema

BRANDY BRIDGE - The Lieutenant is stood directly in front of the Weevil, he has his gun drawn and is using it to gesture for the driver to leave the vehicle. In the back passenger seat you can just about make out a *terrified* young woman, her face streaked with tears.

The driver's side door opens and a young occidental man trudges out with his hands raised above his head. He's scowling at Kim and although they exchange words you can't make out what is being said from inside the Kineema.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [impossible: success] - He must have left his weapon inside the vehicle. With the Kineema blocking one route off the bridge and the crashed SUV blocking the other he has well and truly felt the long arm of the law. 

YOU - So I have time then?

VOLITION - I don't see why not.

PAIN THRESHOLD - We could also *not* do it though.

YOU - Why?

PAIN THRESHOLD [legendary: success] - ...I don't know. But I'm scared that it will hurt.

VOLITION - There's really no need for that now. He's already in too deep.

YOU - Okay this cryptic shit is actually really pissing me off now. I'm just doing it.

1. Unpack the thought: Kim Kitsuragi Addiction
2. Call precinct 41
3. Look at the bridge
4. Leave the Kineema

SOLUTION:

You were drowning and he gave you a reason to float.

It's not so much that you imprinted on him, it's that you follow him by choice. You've shed your baby down-feathers and are more than able to walk on your own now, but do you want to? There's a comforting presence to your right-hand side, a set of keen eyes on your back, and although they might not be the best: those eyes look out for you. How long has it been, Harry, since somebody set aside something as simple as *time* to spend with a man like you?

Yes: you are addicted to him. But there's a tricky, simple, *terrifying* word that sums it up a little better.

You love him.

+1 EMPATHY towards Kim Kitsuragi (Aiming to please)

-1 LOGIC around Kim Kitsuragi (Love drunk)

YOU - ...Huh.

INLAND EMPIRE - So? How does it feel? This is the weeks long revelation that's been brewing within you.

YOU - I don't know, I don't think it's...

ESPRIT DE CORPS [easy: success] - Appropriate? 

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [hard: failure] - Manly?

HALF LIGHT [impossible: success] - Safe?

YOU - Correct?

EMPATHY - Huh??

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Oh for- Look: take your dumpy ass to a porno venue at the weekend. Pick up some *magazines* and we can spend an evening figuring out just how *correct* it is together. How's that?

VOLITION - How is he still not getting it?!

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Brother, I don't know. Maybe we brain-injured him a *little* too close to the sun.

LOGIC - Well that was all you for a start. Don't lump the rest of us in with the mess you caused in Martinaise.

HALF LIGHT - He only wants to kill himself *some* of the time now. I'm team brain-injury. 

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - See!

YOU - So you're telling me I'm in love with Kim?!

EMPATHY [trivial: success] - Yes, Harry. You have been for some time now.

PAIN THRESHOLD [hard: success] - You've ripped the flog from Dora's perfectly manicured hands and shoved it into the plush leather gloves of the Lieutenant.

VOLITION - Well... the *first* step is to not be weird about it.

YOU - WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'DON'T BE WEIRD ABOUT IT'?! I'M IN LOVE WITH KIM??

EMPATHY - It's really not a big deal...

YOU - Am I a homo-sexual? Was that the brain injury too?!

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [trivial: failure] - Yeah, it's the brain injury.

EMPATHY [godly: success] - No and no. You like a little bit of 'anybody nice to me' and *unsurprisingly* you've always been this way.

CONCEPTUALISATION - Buried it like a dog hiding bones in the sand. The tides of life were always going to drag the sand away no matter how deep you dug.

YOU - So... I do like men then?

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Who doesn't?

YOU - And I *love* Kim?!

VOLITION - HOW ARE YOU NOT GETTING THIS! YES!

YES YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH HIM! YOU SPENT ALMOST YOUR ENTIRE PAYCHECK ON A MODEL CAR FOR HIM AND READ HIS STAFF FILE BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY *INFATUATED* WITH HIM! DID YOU THINK THOSE THINGS WERE *NORMAL*?! DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING NORMAL *FRIEND* THINGS?! YOU LITERALLY THINK ABOUT HIM ALMOST NONE-STOP!

I TAKE AN EVENING OFF AND YOU BREAK INTO HIS *FUCKING* HOME!

YOU - ...Yeah, I guess you've got a point there.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - Hey, you know what Kim likes more than anything? You know what would *really* get his motor running? Doing your damn job. He asked you to do something, remember?

YOU -

1. Call precinct 41
2. Look at the bridge
3. Leave the Kineema

YOU - You take the belt off and lean over the driver's seat. It's uncomfortable but you're able to grab the radio and hold it to your mouth with only minimal wheezing. 

JULES PIDIEU - "Hello there, Lieutenant Kitsuragi. What is your report?"

EMPATHY - You can feel it now: the way your lungs inflate from hearing even *another person* say his name.

PAIN THRESHOLD - And what else: you feel that pressure, right? The sensation of pain to come? It's going to hurt.

VOLITION - Right. Let's not *immediately* fly off the handle - we still have a job to do.

YOU - "Hey oldboy, me again, uh the bouncer crashed. Nothing major that I can see so far, but we'll probably need an ambulance."

JULES PIDIEU - "10-4 Detective. And what of the hostage and suspects?"

REACTION SPEED [hard: failure] - Ugh. I hate doing the 'liason' stuff. We're not good at this stuff!

PERCEPTION [impossible: failure] - Kim's stood next to the suspect. He holsters his armistice and produces cuffs locking them around the man's wrists. In the back of the Weevil the woman slumps further down in her seat.

YOU - "Kim's cuffed the guy now. I can see the hostage sat in the back of the car though. I'll get to her next."

JULES PIDIEU - "Noted Detective Du Bois. I'll send for medical escort, pass on the bridge closure to the appropriate traffic channels, and tell the 57th to locate the second suspect in the Greater Harbour Area. Is there anything else I can do for you in the meantime?"

YOU - "Nah, we're good."

LOGIC - Hold on, is there something funny about all this or is it just me?

YOU - What do you mean?

RHETORIC [trivial: success] - He said suspects. Plural.

YOU - Yeah, but there was only one guy in the car.

INLAND EMPIRE [impossible: success] - Are you sure?

REACTION SPEED [legendary: success] - Marionette isn't slumped in the back: she is being *dragged*. You notice the white of a bald head down and to her right, then the glint of something metallic. 

JULES PIDIEU - "Pass on my thanks to Lieutenant Kitsu-"

YOU - The radio hits the dash with a clatter as you drop it. "KIM! BEHIND! IN THE CAR!"

KIM KITSURAGI - You see his head turn towards you briefly then he's back to running the cuffed suspect through his rights.

PERCEPTION [easy: success] - He heard you yell: but not the content.

PAIN THRESHOLD [trivial: success] - I told you this would hurt.

HALF LIGHT - *NO!*

JULES PIDIEU - "Detective? Is something the matter?"

YOU - Fuck it. Instructions be damned: your hand finds the door and before you know it you're spilling out onto the bridge in a panic.

AUTHORITY - Technically he told us we could leave the vehicle once he'd cuffed the suspect. We're not disobeying him per say. 

KIM KITSURAGI - He looks up at you, nonplussed until he notices the fear on your face. He doesn't notice the gunman in the rear seat.

YOU - "THERE'S TWO!" You jam a meaty finger in the direction of the Weevil to punctuate your point.

KIM KITSURAGI - His eyes widen and he turns.

INLAND EMPIRE - Face to face with the barrel of a gun. Again.

KIM KITSURAGI - He drops to his knees as the windshield blows in a spray of glass. "Fuck!" He dragged the cuffed suspect down as he fell but released the man to shove his hand beneath his jacket. "Get back in the MC!" 

PERCEPTION - You can hear the hostage now, she's screaming. A male voice threatens her silent. In the distance you watch the bouncer take great lunges towards the scene, before collapsing in a heap.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [hard: success] - Badly concussed. Probably for the best - he'd only get in the way.

LOGIC [hard: failure] - Speaking of 'getting in the way' it is imperative that you put yourself between Kim and any potential bullets.

PAIN THRESHOLD [hard: success] - Seconded. It would hurt less. 

BRANDY BRIDGE - The passenger-side door of the Weevil swings open, near-crumpling under the force of a heavy boot. The man that unfolds himself from the car must be taller than you by a good few inches. It's impressive he was able to hide in the back. Strapped across his chest is a modified ballistic rifle.

Kim crouches in front of the Weevil's grill. He keeps the cuffed suspect in place with one hand, the other gripping his armistice. Even from this distance you can see the curve of his lip as he snarls in your direction.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Get back in the *damn* car, Harry."

AUTHORITY [godly: success] - As much as you're enthralled by the man, your recent discovery contextualises your obsession with the Lieutenant's wellbeing. It seems that, surprisingly, your feelings for him actually *increase* your resistance to his authority - as opposed to weakening it.

YOU - As such you run to his side.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - DETECTIVE! ARRIVING! ON THE- 

REACTION SPEED [medium: success] - Oh SHIT! Watch out! 

SUSPECT TWO ANODIC DISCOROO - With the strap keeping the gun level against his chest he's able to fire it one handed. That says little about his aim however.

BRANDY BRIDGE - The shot wizzes past your right and hits some element of the bridge with a *clang*. You pick up your pace as the suspect grunts and grips his weapon with both hands. 

The Lieutenant stands, dragging the cuffed suspect up with him, and lunges around the side of the car. Marionette is screaming. Kim had released the first suspect to try and grab the second's gun but between the strap and the sheer *bulk* of the man, it doesn't look like a fight he'll win with one hand.

SUSPECT TWO ANODIC DISCOROO - He sends the butt of the rifle into Kim's chest knocking him back and off-balance.

KIM KITSURAGI - In an effort to right himself, Kim grips the cuffed suspect with his free hand and holds his armistice out for balance.

SUSPECT TWO ANODIC DISCOROO - The man sneers and swings the barrel of his gun towards Kim. 

PAIN THRESHOLD - Don't look.

BRANDY BRIDGE - You hear the shot land accompanied by the familiar meaty thud and guttural grunt of somebody who's just been shot in the chest. Much like with the trunk of the MC in the multi-storey, you find you're unable to *see* anything, even if you look.

Instead you keep your eyes focused on the rapid blur of your shoes. The noise is right in front of you now: rapid breathing and the sound of a struggle. 

KIM KITSURAGI - "Get the gun away." He snaps.

EMPATHY [trivial: success] - He is *REALLY* not happy with you. He is also very much alive, however.

BRANDY BRIDGE - The Lieutenant is on the ground, on *top* of the second suspect pinning his arms to the wood. The gun is still strapped to the man's middle and he's thrashing under Kim's weight.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [formidable: success] - Yeah, the bino has flexibility over this freak of nature but the guy's *huge*. He'll chuck him off sooner rather than later. 

YOU - You lunge forward and unclip the rifle from it's carry strap, flinging it behind you.

SUSPECT TWO ANODIC DISCOROO - In response the man growls like a rabid dog and redoubles his efforts to shake Kim off.

BRANDY BRIDGE - Kim swears as he's jostled by the brute. You fish out your cuffs and push them towards the Lieutenant, holding down the suspect in Kim's stead. Kim removes his knee from the man's sternum and you flip him before he has chance to break free, then Kim's on top of him securing his hands behind his back.

It's only as you pull away to give the Lieutenant more space that you notice the first suspect lies still by the Weevil. There on the back of his shirt is a gradually growing red stain indicative of a severe wound. He wheezes but his breaths are shallow, far too shallow considering he can't have been shot more than thirty seconds ago.

YOU - "Shit!" 

KIM KITSURAGI - "Mmm." He shoves the second suspect in your direction. "Put him in the Kinema. If you haven't called for an ambulance already, then do so. I'm going to see if I can save this man's life."

EMPATHY [trivial: success] - He's shaken. This was going so well until it *wasn't*. He is also absolutely furious with you. He can't even look at you right now.

HALF LIGHT [impossible: success] - We're all just animals. The *bigger* animal pointed a gun at him, and nimble little creature that he is, Kim pulled the bigger animal's *pal* in front of him like a meat shield.

EMPATHY - There's that guilt again.

RHETORIC [easy: success] - The guy was *restrained* he's right to feel guilty.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [easy: success] - Hey, if his pal wasn't going all gung-ho with the gun then he wouldn't have gotten shot. It aint the good Lieutenant's fault.

SUSPECT TWO ANODIC DISCOROO - Cuffed and sans gun the suspect is more subdued. As you push him into the cage of the Kineema he takes one last look towards where his accomplice bleeds out then snarls at you. "Murdering pigs." 

YOU - "Hey, you did this buddy. Not me."

SUSPECT TWO ANODIC DISCROO - "Protect the wealth of La Delta and their gem merchants. I bet it'll feel so good when you jack off to this later in your mould-covered little pauper hovel." You shut the door in time for the glob of phlegm to hit the window as opposed to your face.

YOU - There's a pit in your stomach as you walk away from the rear of the MC. In the distance you hear a crack.

PERCEPTION [formidable: success] - Bones breaking. Ribs. Kim must be trying to perform CPR.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [medium: success] - Unless he can stem the bleeding there's not much point.

COMPOSURE - Sometimes the hardest thing to do is admit failure.

JULES PIDIEU - "Anyone there? Detective? Lieutenant?"

COUPRIS KINEEMA - Not only did you leave the shortform hanging off its hook, but you also left the door open. You sigh, taking a moment to compose yourself, then pick up the radio.

YOU - "Here Jules. Things went to shit."

JULES PIDIEU - "Status report?"

YOU - You look across the bridge; the bouncer is still collapsed in the distance, the hostage still sits in the Weevil - now sobbing - and in front Kim performs chest compressions on the original suspect. His condition must be bad because Kim has removed the handcuffs.

"We got one suspect in cuffs in the back of the Kinema and the other on the brink of death. That ambulance coming anytime soon?"

JULES PIDIEU - "Ah Detective, the 57th's lazareth is closer and I believe on route but I have no timeframe for you. Are the pair of you, eh, alright?"

YOU - You look out towards Kim again. He's taken a pause to wipe his forehead with the back of his glove and you see his chest rise and fall from the exertion. He's not looking at you, he's looking down at the man beneath him who is pointedly *not* breathing. 

EMPATHY [hard: success] - Wondering if he should call it. Wondering if he's done enough. Kicking himself.

YOU - "We're fine Jules. See you tomorrow." You put the radio back on the hook before he has chance to reply, then you're heading across the bridge again.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - Should definitely free that hostage now. Probably check on the bouncer way back too. 

BRANDY BRIDGE - As you get close, Kim shifts off his knees and sits next to the body of the original suspect. He rolls down the sleeve of his glove and looks at his sports watch. "I'm calling it," his tone is beyond impassive. "Time of death: 8:47pm." He sighs quietly through his nose then lifts his hand to perform the stations of breath on the man.

Now that you're close you see how *truly* young he was. Limp blond hair frames a face that can't have been long out of its teens. There's a light blue tinge to his lips, but besides that and all the blood he looks relaxed enough to be sleeping. You feel unwell all of a sudden.

You lean into the open door of the Weevil. A young woman cowers in the corner of her seat, her blue eyes wide as you stick your hairy head into the car.

MARIONETTE THE HOSTAGE - "A- Are you the police?" She sounds small. "Is Micky okay?"

LOGIC [medium: success] - The bouncer.

YOU - You lift your head out of the car and look past it down the bridge. The bouncer rolled onto his back at some point and seems to be conscious. He's rubbing small circles into his temples. "Probably, only a little crash."

MARIONETTE THE HOSTAGE - Her eyes go wide at the word 'crash'. She shoves her wrists towards you and you notice they're bound with electrical tape. 

HAND/EYE COORDINATION - It doesn't take too long for you to catch the edge with your nail and unravel her bonds. Then she hops out of the Weevil and pushes past you without a second glance. 

RHETORIC - A 'thank you' wouldn't go amiss.

YOU - What do I have to be thanked for?

EMPATHY - You did save Kim's life.

HALF LIGHT [easy: success] - For the second time in only a few months. How long do you think you have before your good fortune runs out?

PAIN THRESHOLD [impossible: success] - You think apricots hurt? At least Dora is *alive*. At least *she* gets to prosper. When you lose him it will be through bloodshed and that loss will be oh *so* final. 

[-1 MORALE]

CONCEPTUALISATION - There's a sinkhole in you that you briefly managed to pad with phone calls and antique little trinkets and bird metaphors. Now it's growing. It's going to swallow all the nice new memories you've made for yourself and then swallow you whole. 

ELECTROCHEMISTY - Uh... Are you guys not getting the memo? This is supposed to be, like, a fun thing. The whole being in love with Kim thing...

YOU - Why do I deserve fun? Oh *god* what if I do lose him?!

HALF LIGHT - NOT IF: WHEN. 

VOLITION - Hey! That's enough! We all die eventually: just do the best you can while you're both alive. 

YOU - I'm scared...

BRANDY BRIDGE - Marionette drops down next to the bouncer and you watch as his shaking hands rise to cup her face. She leans in slowly and presses her lips to his. In the distance you hear the wail of a siren too little too late and the flashing lights of a lazareth transport.

You feel movement to your right and don't have to look to know who's at your side.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I thought I told you to wait in the Kineema." His voice is carefully measured but when you *do* look he's doing little to hide the disappointment from his face. "There are no words to describe how reckless your actions were this evening." He lets his eyes drift shut and removes his glasses polishing them on his shirt.

EMPATHY [impossible: success] - There's something else going on here. He's remembering things he doesn't want to and pasting your face over the top of them. He wants to stop but finds that he is entirely unable to.

SHIVERS - The two of you have more in common than either of you know.

YOU - "Sorry," It comes out hoarse. Even you are getting sick of that word now. "But you would have died if I hadn't said anything."

KIM KITSURAGI - He looks up at you then, slowly, places his glasses back on as if trying not to startle you with his movements. "You could have got back into the car when I asked you to."

YOU - Something in you stirs then, and for the first time you can remember you allow yourself to be angry at somebody you love. "And what makes that fair?! Why would it be okay for you to die for me but I'm not allowed to die for you?" You feel heat prick at the corner of your eyes and bite the inside of your lip so hard that you taste blood.

COMPOSURE [formidable: success] - We're not crying. By Dolores Dei herself Kim can see how badly we're *trying* not to cry, but we are not crying!

KIM KITSURAGI - His dark eyes dance across your face, searching.

EMPATHY [medium: success] - It *just* clicked. What you said just then struck a cord deep within him. He's uttered almost those *exact* words to a dream, to the memory of a man he believes he failed. He just realised he's angry at you for trying not to be the self he hates so much.

KIM KITSURAGI - He chuckles sadly. "I told you I wanted to live into my seventies, correct?" He breaks your gaze and looks towards the flashing lights, they're on the bridge now and only getting closer. "With the sheer strain you put on my heart sometimes I doubt that-"

YOU - He's cut off as you throw your arms around him and pull him into your chest. His hands come up to flank either side of his ribcage and you hear his heart pounding away inside.

VOLITION - Woah, woah! You just grabbed him! You can't just do that!

KIM KITSURAGI - He's statue still. Given a second to think about it you'd have expected him to push you off or chew you out, but he just freezes inside your embrace - putting up with it like an elderly cat. 

YOU - You turn your head and press your cheek against his hairline. From here you hear the hitch in his breath as you move. 

EMPATHY [legendary: success] - He is... surprised. Surprised that you were brave enough to pull him into a hug and equally surprised that he doesn't hate it.

KIM KITSURAGI - His heart begins to slow. Then, he lowers his arms, and cautiously wraps them around your middle. 

YOU - You squeeze him tighter in return and feel him settle against the meat of your body.

KIM KITSURAGI - "This..." You can barely hear him where he's pressed against you, so he moves his face. "This is not going to become a habit of yours, by the way." Despite the scolding, one gloved hand is running up and down the length of your spine. "If you try and grab me like this at the precinct chances are: you'll get a slap. Don't give Officer Vicquemare that satisfaction, please."

YOU - You choke on your tears and Kim's little joke. You want to reply but find every word you've ever known caught in your throat. You bury your face into his hair instead.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - He's warm. 

[+1 MORALE]

YOU - I love him.

VOLITION - You do.

YOU - I really *really* love him.

VOLITION - Yes, you really *really* do.

INLAND EMPIRE - As the sun kisses the Esperance goodnight The Brandy Bridge is rife with activity. A soul is swallowed by the pale but the elderly driver of a rusted ambulance pulls up behind an overturned SUV regardless. As the siren cuts out, two pairs on the bridge finish embracing simultaneously.

CONCEPTUALISATION - If real darkness wears love for a face, then what does the sunrise wear? In a life spent surrounded by death, what funeral shroud could light possibly call its cloak?

SHIVERS - HOPE.