During the ride back to the station and while she was signing the forms, the Watchman pressed Arlene for clues. Even the Watch would find it difficult to tell if something was missing from an unfamiliar house in the absence of the owner.
And indeed, there had been things missing. A box of old letters that had sat in her father's wardrobe.
some framed pictures that had been on the mantelpiece. Several books and folders were gone from his office. Though the most bizarre and embarrassing loss had been Mister Honeytoes a stuffed bear that had remained in her old room since she'd gone to Lumiere years ago.
Naturally, she did not tell the Watchman the possibility that international spies might've stolen her old teddy-bear.
Rather than waste time, while the forms were being processed at the station, Sgt Cromwell and two other officers escorted them to the Paravell embassy. Harper and Arlene were made to remember code-words and passphrases and assured that the Watch would take care of everything.
Cromwell had gotten the watch-captain's signature on an official request for their temporary extradition to Paravel and assured them that by that time tomorrow they'd be safely across the border.
Even though they were being protected by stern-faced, well armed men and women aboard Striders.
Even though they were being assured of legal and physical protection and soon a safe house to spend time in while this was resolved.
Even though nothing should be wrong-
Harper felt herself on edge.
Since Sgt Cromwell had pointed out to her that the 'Men in Suits' didn't need to necessarily be men or wear suits, she'd been on edge.
Before, she'd figured that she could probably react fast enough to save Arlene if she just saw them coming. Now? When anyone could be a threat?
Her eyes darted around, scanning pedestrians, windows, rooftops- could that bulging coat hide a short rifle? Was the pile of tools in that gasfitter's box concealing a needler?
Her paranoia had been building for the last several hours. Her superb senses added to the problem, normally she subconsciously ignored most of what happened within her range of perception, but now she was aware of just how much was going on, she couldn't STOP.
If things had continued as planned, she probably would've ended up having a minor nervous breakdown.
As it was, she noticed the unit of heavily armed patrolmen heading at full speed towards them aboard City-Striders two blocks before they'd actually caught up. Her mind jumped to conclusions, ran with them and caused her to make a decision more rash than she might've otherwise.
"How far to the embassy?" She failed to keep her voice level, but if the sergeant had noticed, he paid it no mind.
"Oh not far. We'll see it once we take a left at the end of the stree-"
She didn't wait a second longer, pulling Arlene from her seat, tossing her over her shoulder and dashing off at full speed.
Arlene had the wind knocked out of her as she was manhandled and briefly locked eyes with the sergeant who was wearing the same expression of surprise and bewilderment she was.
Unable to utter a word, she could only watch from over Harper's shoulder at the unfolding chaos.
Operating on hardwired instinct, the Watchmen recovered and began to give chase.
Or they would've had their colleagues not caught up at that moment and started distracting them, by helpfully yelling for them to do what they were about to do, asking them why they weren't already doing it, trying to explain why they shouldn't have let the girls go and so on.
The sergeant of the pursuit team exchanged a single, meaningful look with the sergeant who'd been escorting the girls and together they let out a sonorous roar, silencing their colleagues long enough to restore order.
It was a testament to the discipline of the Watch that it took mere seconds for them to restart the pursuit in a disciplined manner. Those seconds were, however, all that Harper needed.
The Watch posse came to a clattering halt in front of the Paravell embassy compound. They were wielding weapons which could only be called 'nonlethal' because they were intended for use on something that was more than human.
The gates to the compound were closed. The guards there were unhurried, calm and collected. In fact, they denied having permitted entry to anyone within the last sixty seconds, let-alone wanted fugitives.
Any watchman knows it's very difficult to distinguish lies from truth when spoken with a skilled tongue, and so not one member of the team believed it. Soon enough the Ambassador was called out and the gates swung open. Before more than a few sentences were spoken, a crate that had been unassumingly sitting near a stack of dustbins awaiting the collector, stood up.
Harper had spotted the gates the moment she rounded the corner- and realised that she wouldn't be able to cross into the embassy before the Watch came.
Sure she could jump the fence, but then she'd probably get shot and dragged out.
So she'd opted to hide instead. The box hadn't been ideal. Three sides were missing. But, thankfully it served it's purpose well enough.
And now her last furious, desperate dash brought her past the gate guards and the Watch- the latter reacting faster than the former. Normally, people would hesitate to fire at someone as they passed between them and their comrades, but veterans were different. A flurry of shots, angled low to avoid friendly fire was unleashed in an instant. Most of the darts shattered their tips on the pavement- but quantity is a quality all of it's own- a tranquilliser dart thunked into her calf, causing her to stumble the last few steps over the threshold into the embassy compound.
The ambassador, quickest on the uptake, gave a loud exclamation- "Why I didn't expect you to be back so soon after accepting my offer. However official guests such as yourselves are always welcome. Watchmen, please refrain from shooting my guests."
"Ambassador. We have over twenty one different accusations that have been levvied at both of these ladies within the last hour. If they're innocent they have nothing to fear and should come with us.
If they are not then you would do well to remember that diplomatic impunity does not extend to the provision of asylum to known criminals."
"Precisely officer. Accusations. Unproven, slander that has been heaped upon these innocent cherubim." Dawson's ears twitched with barely disguised glee- "So, kindly deliver unto me a detailed list of the accusations, their sources and evidence so we might possibly reach an out of court settlement- thus protecting these delicate damsels from in-deserved, intolerable incarceration."
Both Sergeant's faces had turned a bright shade of cherry red. Their Quarry was mere meters from them, but, regulations were ironclad. There had been accusations but there was no actual proof as such that any wrongdoing had taken place. Circumstantially, one girl had picked up the other and run from what was nominally protective custody- but that wouldn't hold water before an experienced diplomat like Ambassador Dawson and his legal team.
Arlene, a little battered, watched from on the ground as two members of the Watch left, while the others drew back and encircled the embassy, presumably to capture them should they attempt to slip away in the meantime.
Harper was next to her, looking woozy, a half empty tranquilliser dart lying next to her as she kept pressure on the puncture it had left.
The embassy guards shut the gate while calling for more of their off duty comrades to take the perimeter- and lastly Dawson, descended.
Harper wasn't in any condition to speak up, so Arlene steeled herself. The present situation would take a lot of explaining.