Manticore Secured

After about an hour of dealing with one complaint after another, Giorgio and Lucia made it to the tenth and final floor of the building.

“These-a people and-a their problems.” He moaned in a mix of frustration and genuine horror, “Why even-a live in this dump? I’ve walked-a through catacombs cleaner than this.”

“They probably don’t-a have anywhere else to go,” Lucia responded, dead inside, “I could-a have gone my entire life k-without seeing… that.”

They made it to Sokoro’s room with its door wide open, which didn’t bode well. They quickly entered and checked inside. The apartment was a mess. Clothes everywhere, dirty dishes in the sink, dust collected in several places, but no blood, no claw marks or signs of a struggle. Most importantly, no manticore.

“Were we wrong?” Lucia asked,

They checked his room and bathroom, equally filthy but lacking in manticores. They found hairs on the bed and the devices on their wrists were going nuts, indicating that an entity had been in this room but now they had no way of knowing where it went. Strange, if only there was another part of the building they could consider looking at.

Giorgio cursed, “Are you seriously telling-a me we came all this-a way for nothing?”

Lucia stood ponderously. Truly, all hope was lost. How could they ever hope to find their target?

“I told you this plan was-a stu-”

“Kāma, wait!” Yelled Sokoro. The agents ran out to the hallway and saw Kāma’s human form climbing out of the elevator shaft.

“The elevator,” Lucia said, slapping her forehead, “Why didn’t-a k-we think of it?”

Why indeed.

“I figured as much,” Giorgio claimed,

“No, you didn’t!" She retorted, You were-a about to lecture me about-a my plan being stupid,”

“Your plan was-a stupid,” He said,

“And what-a was your plan going to be?" She defensively questioned him, "Another heist?"

"Actually I would would've-"

Both of them ducked as Kāma's sharp quills came flying at them,

"Shut up!" She commanded, her tail raised above her head, "You two are more annoying than he is,"

"What did I do?" Asked Sokoro with arms out in confusion.

"I will say this only once," She carried on, "Leave this place and never return," She narrowed her eyes, which became cat-like, "Or never leave at all,"

The agents stayed crouched for a moment in stunned silence before regaining themselves and pulling out large guns.

"Woah woah woah!" Sokoro exclaimed in fear,

"Mr Abdi," Lucia addressed him, "I suggest-a you leave, now."

"What?" He asked, “What the hell’s going on? Who are you people?”

"Get behind me, stupid!" Kāma ordered as she grabbed his collar and nearly threw him back down the elevator shaft.

Giorgio shot tranquiliser darts at Kāma, who dodged them with ease,

"Let-a me be clear, manticore," He said, firing more, "We are leaving-a, but you are coming-a with us,"

Kāma swung her tail and knocked the darts into the wall before catching one mere inches from her face

"Over my dead body!” She growled, as her teeth became long and sharp.

“Lucky for you, it won’t-a come to that,” Lucia said, before pulling out a face mask. Giorgio did the same as Lucia fired spherical projectiles at the walls on either side. The spheres exploded on contact and the fluid, upon exposure to the air, turned to gas and sprayed all over the corridor.

“What is… this?” Kāma asked as the gas entered her airways, causing her to become drowsy.

“Kāma, hold your breath!” Sokoro warned, “That stuff will knock you out,”

“Could’ve… warned me… earlier, ” She remarked as she stumbled forward to attack the agents.

- Sokoro

Oh, I’m sorry. It takes a while for me to recognise the taste of tranquiliser or to realise that we’re fighting the Men In Black or whatever. What am I even doing? The only reason these two are here is because of her. She probably escaped whatever sci-fi facility they came from. If I just stay back and let them work, they’ll leave me alone, right?

They just put more darts in her… and she’s down. I guess they’re done then. I’ll just back up and let them take her. Hopefully, they’ll be quick and I can finally get started on that assignment

…

What are they waiting for?

…

Why are they looking at me like that?

“How are you still standing-a?” (Giorgio)

“Uh…” (Sokoro)

If only they knew all the different animals that have bitten or stung me over the years. I’m pretty much immune to poison, which for some reason extends to drugs of any kind. Another reason I hate hospitals.

“That was enough-a tranquiliser to kill a horse.” (Lucia)

“And-a you blasted it with-a civilian here?” (Giorgio)

“I thought he’d been thrown in the elevator, and you were the one who shot first! The manticore was going to kill us both if I hadn’t fired the bombs.”

Are they seriously arguing right now?

“Hey!” (Sokoro)

(Giorgio and Lucia point their guns at him)

(Sokoro puts hands up) “Okay, wait! Chill out. I’m not a threat.”

“That remains-a to be seen.” (Lucia)

“Listen-a, kid. We were never-a here. Understood-a?” (Giorgio)

“Sure, whatever you say. Just-”

Are those police sirens?

“Attention fake health inspectors!” (Policeman) “This is the Brandy Police Force. Come out with your hands up!”

“Seriously?” (Giorgio) “Again? Is impersonating-a health inspector that-a serious of a crime?”

Yes. Who doesn’t know this?

“We need to take-a the manticore and go!” (Lucia grabs Kāma’s arm and starts pulling) “A little help-a, please?”

(Giorgio points at Sokoro) “Never here!” (Grabs Kāma’s other arm and drags her away)

(Sokoro nods) Just get out of here already. I don’t want anything to do with whatever’s going on here.

“How are we even going to get out of here?” (Giorgio) “This was your plan.”

“We’ll take her to the roof and call for the extraction.” (Lucia)

“And-a do what? Fight-a the cops?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

(They drag her to the stairs and up)

They're gone. That’s my cue to go back to my room and pretend I didn’t see anything.

Huh. My blanket fell off her body. She just got dragged away unconscious and naked. That’s pretty messed up… Well, it’s not my problem. It’s not like she’s a person. I’ve got an assignment to do.

Alright. Turn on, you piece of junk. *Sigh* This is going to take forever, and I still don’t know what time it is.

Might as well do some cleaning until it does. Man, this room is a mess. Mom would throw a fit if she saw this place. (Laughs) To think, I had a girl in here just now. A big, scary, man-eating girl, because of course that would be me… I wonder what’ll happen to her…They used tranqs, so I doubt they’d hurt her. She’ll be fine, right?

I-It doesn’t matter. I’ve got chores and homework to do. I’m glad she’s gone. She would’ve eaten me at some point. Now, I won’t have to constantly look over my shoulder. Geez, that laptop is slow.

(Starts taking plates of sink)

…

I mean, i-it wasn't even ten minutes and she was already nagging me, and that was after she threatened my life. Good riddance.

(Slams dishes on counter)

"Dammit, can this stupid computer boot up already?!"

*Helicopter whirling*

*Gunshots*

(Sokoro ducks and hugs the floor)

I know what you're doing. It's not going to work. This isn't my problem. It's not my problem. It's not my prob-

*LOUDER GUNSHOTS*

"FINE! But I'm only doing this because she saved me from the elevator,”