Chapter 1 - The Midnight Mission
The all too familiar sound of an CP siren echoed down the dark alley. This time was too close, Trent thought. He couldn’t keep risking it like this. No matter how bad it might be, but he knew others too were counting on him. A shot of hot air from a street vent hissed violently, causing Trent to stumble and lose his balance. He collapsed from a sprint and tumbled to the grimy concrete. The sound of footsteps brought him back to his feet into a dead run. He was closing in fast on the apartment buildings maintenance entrance. His fingers caught the edge of the building as he swung himself around the corner of the alley and out of sight. The doors metal latch broke with a loud crack under the force of a full kick to the hinges. Trent left the door and continued down the alley. He leapt up onto the dumpster, and flopped over the rusty chain link fence that spanned between the two buildings. Hands grasped around his mouth, Trent silently caught his breath and waited for them to take the bait. Shadows quickly began to crawl along the walls, followed by the droning sirens and finally heavy footsteps.
“Pursuit engaded. Suspect has broken and entered APT 12.” The officer’s voice trailed off as he entered the building.
“Roger that, breeching main door, over.” The voice cracked over the vehicle’s radio. Trent’s heart rate finally slowed. He stood up slowly and walked over to the sewer grate not fifteen feet from where he has been sitting. He lifted up on the iron mesh and slid down into the darkness, making sure to let the cover down without a sound.
As Trent began his way down the tunnel, his younger brother Javin leapt out from the darkness and tackled him to the ground. He had intended it to be a joke, to scare him, but soon realized it was not the time for games. Trent glared at him with frustration as he held his elbow. He let out a deep sigh. Javin’s rare smile had faded. He scrambled for a useful excuse for his stupidity.
“I, I thought you were one of them.” He uttered. “I’m sorry.” Trent’s face turned skeptical. “I know. I shouldn’t have tried to scare you,” Javin confessed.
“It’s okay. I’m just beat-up enough as it is.” Trent said. Javin suddenly understood his brother’s aggravation.
“You didn’t get anything did you…” he offered. Trent shook his head.
“Thier gonna kill me…”
“Nevermind them,” Javin grumbled. “Looks like you’ve got bigger issues than being hungry.” He pointed to a large cut on Trent’s right arm from where he had tripped in the alley. “Come on, we’ll act like you’re really hurt. They won’t even notice you didn’t steal any food from the station.” Javin helped Trent to his feet and continued down the tunnel.
“This is bullshit anyway.” Trent fussed. “They send me out alone in the middle of the night. That damn CP was just sitting there!” Javin thought for a minute.
“They say I’m too young to go out on these missions.” He flared his nostrils. “I don’t care what they say though, Trent. Next time I’m going with you.” Trent smiled. You sound like you want to kill something, Javin.” Javin laughed.
“Nah, I just want to a damn meal, Trent.”
The all too familiar sound of an CP siren echoed down the dark alley. This time was too close, Trent thought. He couldn’t keep risking it like this. No matter how bad it might be, but he knew others too were counting on him. A shot of hot air from a street vent hissed violently, causing Trent to stumble and lose his balance. He collapsed from a sprint and tumbled to the grimy concrete. The sound of footsteps brought him back to his feet into a dead run. He was closing in fast on the apartment buildings maintenance entrance. His fingers caught the edge of the building as he swung himself around the corner of the alley and out of sight. The doors metal latch broke with a loud crack under the force of a full kick to the hinges. Trent left the door and continued down the alley. He leapt up onto the dumpster, and flopped over the rusty chain link fence that spanned between the two buildings. Hands grasped around his mouth, Trent silently caught his breath and waited for them to take the bait. Shadows quickly began to crawl along the walls, followed by the droning sirens and finally heavy footsteps.
“Pursuit engaded. Suspect has broken and entered APT 12.” The officer’s voice trailed off as he entered the building.
“Roger that, breeching main door, over.” The voice cracked over the vehicle’s radio. Trent’s heart rate finally slowed. He stood up slowly and walked over to the sewer grate not fifteen feet from where he has been sitting. He lifted up on the iron mesh and slid down into the darkness, making sure to let the cover down without a sound.
As Trent began his way down the tunnel, his younger brother Javin leapt out from the darkness and tackled him to the ground. He had intended it to be a joke, to scare him, but soon realized it was not the time for games. Trent glared at him with frustration as he held his elbow. He let out a deep sigh. Javin’s rare smile had faded. He scrambled for a useful excuse for his stupidity.
“I, I thought you were one of them.” He uttered. “I’m sorry.” Trent’s face turned skeptical. “I know. I shouldn’t have tried to scare you,” Javin confessed.
“It’s okay. I’m just beat-up enough as it is.” Trent said. Javin suddenly understood his brother’s aggravation.
“You didn’t get anything did you…” he offered. Trent shook his head.
“Thier gonna kill me…”
“Nevermind them,” Javin grumbled. “Looks like you’ve got bigger issues than being hungry.” He pointed to a large cut on Trent’s right arm from where he had tripped in the alley. “Come on, we’ll act like you’re really hurt. They won’t even notice you didn’t steal any food from the station.” Javin helped Trent to his feet and continued down the tunnel.
“This is bullshit anyway.” Trent fussed. “They send me out alone in the middle of the night. That damn CP was just sitting there!” Javin thought for a minute.
“They say I’m too young to go out on these missions.” He flared his nostrils. “I don’t care what they say though, Trent. Next time I’m going with you.” Trent smiled. You sound like you want to kill something, Javin.” Javin laughed.
“Nah, I just want to a damn meal, Trent.”
