Chapter Six

Jacron awoke in the hospital. Masa was not at his side, unlike what he was thinking when he won. He was about to leave his bed when a doctor came in and pushed him back down onto the bed. "Hey, Jac, we can't have you sneaking around or leaving because we need to keep track of your health." The doctor paused a second and then quickly flipped up his index finger, showing that

he remembered something. He then left the room, door opening and heading left, clearly not seeing the man opposite of the wall.

He pushed off the wall and put his foot in the door right before it closed. The figure strolled in and stood at the end of Jacron's bed, who was keeping an eye on him before recognizing the person. It was the one from the arena, who said he could meet Floyd after completing the task that Jacron did three times over. Jacron smirked, "Well, well, well." The man stared at Jacron before smiling himself. "Nice work, laddie, but I understand you had a companion?" Jacron's face suddenly turned to concern. "Yeah, she was in the crowds, watching me." "Heh, I could tell. She was the only one who looked worried for you."

"Where is she at?"

"Well someone came to pick her up."

"Who?"

"Don't know, looked like someone from the Bounty HQ. Figured they knew each other 'cause she had just left with them."

"We're from District 9. We don't know anyone outside of our own district. What did they look like?" The man's face dropped as he grew wide-eyed.

"If they were from Bounty HQ and you guys only know from your kind... She's in trouble. The one who walked out with her was a rather large Mantu."

"Mantu? And why is she in danger? What's Bounty HQ?" "Calm down and let me answer them in order, now what was the first one?"

"What are the Mantu?" "The Mantu are the race from the 2nd District, the District that crossbred with insects. Don’t ask."

"Why is she in danger?"

"Because Bounty HQ took her, which means someone needs her dead."

Jacron's face suddenly grew serious. "What is Bounty HQ?"

"It's a company located on the 2nd District. They deal with people who want other people dead. All bounties submitted are anonymous and you can send in a request remotely. Just pay, give a name and face and they'll have it done."

Jacron shot out of bed, grabbing the man by the arm and jumping out of the window. They fell a solid three stories before they landed, going into a series of rolls before running into town- towards the Tele-Train Station. After they went out the window, the doctor walked back in the door. "Oh come on! Again!?." He complained,, looking back at the sheet then to the window.

Running through town, weaving around people, Jacron and the shady arena guy approached the Tele-Train. Jacron ran with a slight limp, his leg not being fully healed. He tried to hide it, but the shady fellow was noticing it more and more. They reached the Tele-Train and they taker asked for the boarding cash. Jacron felt his pockets. "Oh, no... I'm broke. I can't-" The shady guy stepped forward and put the money on the counter and shoved a large wad of cash into Jacron's pocket

"These are your winnings from the arena." The taker took the cash and gave them their tickets, thanking them for their business. They got onto the train and Jacron looked at his leg. The wound had reopened and was slowly soaking his pants. "You should've waited 'til they got that all sorted out." Said the resident shader. "I'd rather lose my leg than my best friend." Jacron said, not breaking eye contact. They sat down and put the knockouts on.

Awaking at the receiving station, they both got out and sloppily ran into the Tele-Train's main plaza, exclusive to a few Districts-mostly the rich ones. "The Bounty HQ is on the other side of the District in a large, formal building. You really can't miss it."

"Why is that? All these places look formal."

"Mostly because it's in the shape of a massive H. Oh, and there's banners all around it labeled 'Bounty HQ'."

"Huh." Jacron shrugged as they went onward. "Is there a faster way around? I don't think this leg can handle THAT far of a distance. Plus, at this rate, it's going to take forever."

"Lucky for you, there is. There's a plentiful amount of drivers in the plaza and market that'll take you. They all charge high amounts, but they're at least true to their words to get you there fast. You best let me do the talking, though. They don't take too kindly to... Your kind."

"Well that's racist."

"Not like that. I mean, the combat school grads who carry their weapons in plain sight primarily make the drivers nervous. They tend to think they're cops, but if they see a shady fellow such as myself vouching for you, they'll probably make an exception."

"Ah, there's one!" Jacron said, pointing to a guy on the other side of the plaza, standing next to a rather heavy-looking car. "How can you tell that?"

"Just a hunch, I suppose."

Shades McGee walked up to the driver and they began conversing. Jacron couldn't hear them, but he saw both give him small glances. Shady came back and leaned next to Jacron. "He said you can go, but you gotta keep that sword sheathed and you need to stay quiet. They wiretap the cars and I don't think we need any more attention than we have."

"But we haven't gotten any attention since we've been here."

"You idiot, look around. We-mostly you- have been getting dirty looks off the charts. It's only a matter of time before one of these guys will take some kind of action." "Sure they're not just looking at my really-red leg?" "Nobody sees-nor cares about your leg in this crowd. You look official enough to put their businesses at risk." Jacron looked at his clothes. They were new, fashionable, business-looking attire from the hospital staff. His old ones were torn to shreds and burned, so they tossed them. "I guess you're right. I'll try to stay quiet." "Good, remember, these guys only need a name and face. Some have tech to get a name from your voice. Local records from other Districts and such."

Jacron nodded and they headed to the man. "Hey, you've helped me out quite a bit so far. What's your name?" Jacron questioned shady with genuine curiosity. "I can't tell you now, but I guess you can call me Dain."

They got in the car after a short pay conversation with the driver and Dain. Jacron forked over the large amount of cash and they got in the car to drive off. "So, what's a Cune like yourself going to the Bounty HQ for?" Jacron looked at the man and then to Dain, who sat up. "As I said, my friend here is mute. He won't cause trouble. Those are just clothes from the hospital."

"Yes, as you have said. Say, where did you get that wound on your leg?"

"Arena fight, as I said."

"If that's so, why isn't he at the hospital, getting it treated still?" He said with a suspicious eye. "Apparently his friend got kidnapped and he can't wait for it to heal." "Ah, but they don't hand out those kinds of suits until you are done being treated." Dain looked at Jacron for an answer this time. Jacron pulled out a small note with a single word written on it. 'Stolen'. "Ah, so that explains why you looked so formal in bed. I thought you were about to die." Dain said before handing the paper to the driver, who gave a smirk in amusement. "So, this friend is worth stealing a suit, getting away with using hospital care and meds, and travelling to a criminal side of town to work with wanted convicts, which is, by the way, considered treason?"

Jacron gave a short nod. The driver began to laugh. "Heh, sounds good to me. No cop would go that far outside, right?" They pulled up to the District and got out. "Thank you, sir." Jacron said after giving the driver a short wave. "Wait a minute, you're not mute! You said he was mute! You lied! I'm calling this in. You aren't going anywhere! I got not only your face from my car-cams, but also your voice!"

"So close." Jacron said. "Who knows what else you lied to me about." He scoffed before finalizing the report, which, in total, took about five seconds. "So much for the peaceful viewpoint!" Dain yelled before grabbing Jacron's

arm and heading for the entrance. "I'm sorry! If it makes you feel any better, the rest of that was true!" Jacron yelled back to the angry driver, who was already speeding off in a large puff of smoke.

As soon as they walked through the front door, several alarms began to go off. Guards from every direction started running down the halls. Jacron and Dain stood in the lobby, looking for a way out of sight. Dain noticed an air vent attached to the wall and pointed towards it. Jacron followed his gaze and nodded. The two of them slashed the vent out with ease, causing metal to fly around them. They both managed to get into the air vent just before the guards came around the corner. Jacron moved a nearby potted plant in front of it just in time for the guards to not see their escape route.

Jacron and Dain moved around the air vent's shafts, searching for a trace of Masa. Jacron noticed a door labeled 'Women's Hold'. It was solid green with white, formal text near the top. "That must be where she's at." Jacron whispered as he ripped out the vent with his claws. He poked his head out of the ceiling before going all the way out. They had gone about three stories upward, so the guards must've been on the first still.

Jacron went first, falling and landing face first on the floor. Dain didn't look before he went, causing him to fall on Jacron's back, but landing on his feet. "Ow..." Jacron muttered before Dain jumped off him. "Woops, wasn't looking where to land." He said, scratching the back of his neck.

They walked through the green doors to what looked like an elevator. "What the heck?" Jacron said, examining the elevator's inside. "Must be how they keep so many bounties here." Dain added, "But if they keep the people here, then the rumors were false." "What rumors?"

"The ones that say that the bounties are killed. They're just kidnapped...But why?"

"Who cares? That means Masa’s probably safe. Let’s go free some bounties!" They hit the button for the first room. The elevator went down far before stopping on the designated floor. The doors opened to see what looked like a stage. On the stage was a Cune, almost bare, sitting in the center. She was shaking and visibly crying. She was trapped inside a large glass area and several men and women of all races lined the edges.

They were shouting and throwing cash as they pressed several buttons on what looked like tablets before them. One of them got what seemed like the highest bid. A screen lit up behind the girl on stage. In bold white-on-black letters with even some graphics in the background, it read 'Shrapnel Parade'. Several of the people cheered and booed as several panels opened around the girl, who was now screaming and begging. The walls on the glass became reflective and coated in rubber. The removed panels made a short hum before firing thousands of rusted metal pieces in every direction.

The girl screamed as they ripped her apart. After several agonizing minutes, the shrapnel stopped, but the girl was already dead on the ground. A loud voice came on the speaker, "Next bounty!" as another girl was forced on stage by some very large looking men. Dain looked at Jacron, who matched his face of utter disbelief. They said in almost unison, "We need to find Masa."