Kassius, in a daze after the fall tries to gather his thoughts.
Kassius: "Ugh... damn..."
(Earpiece) Arnold: "Kassius! Kassius!"
Kassius: "Arnold?..."
Arnold: "Good. You can hear me. Did you get it?"
Kassius: "It's uh... difficult to explain. They kind of... spotted me."
(Earpiece) Arnold: "What?! How?"
Kassius: "Nevermind that. I'll get out of here. How's Ulqora?"
Arnold rushes around the corner into the alley. He looks through the windshield.
Arnold: "Shit!"
Arnold dashes towards the car and opens the door.
(Earpiece) Kassius: "What happened?"
Arnold: "She's... sleeping. Hey, Ulqora."
Ulqora: "You're back."
Arnold: "What happened? You called for help."
Ulqora: "I'm sorry but I don't remember calling for help. But I did have a bad dream."
Arnold: "It's okay now. Kas, she's fine. I'm coming back there."
(Earpiece) Kassius: "Don't do that. If they catch us both, then Ulqora... Don't worry. I'll find a way out. Let's meet at the front now but try to not draw too much attention."
Arnold: "Got it."
Kassius stands up and brushes himself off.
Kassius (in head): "Time to fly."
Kassius runs up to a podium and jumps off it to reach the vent. His fingers just graze it and he misses it, landing back on the ground.
Kassius (in head): "Too high. Got to find another way out."
Kassius looks around but something in the corner catches his eye. He walks up to it and removes the casing.
Kassius: "Might as well."
Kassius looks around more but finds nothing. He looks up, as the blinding lights shine into his eyes.
Kassius (in head): "Maybe... Yeah. That could work."
A group of seven security guards rush to the door.
Guard leader: "On my mark... Go, go, go!"
They rush in one by one and the leader follows in last.
Guard leader: "Lights!"
Guard 1: "Negative sir. Switch has been destroyed."
Guard leader: "No problem. Seems we have a little hide and seek game on our hands. Shut the doors, and search for them. Don't leave any corner unchecked."
The guards shut the door and they all pull out their torches. They spread out across the room and start looking around. Kassius starts trying to sneak by, making sure he doesn't get spotted.
Kassius (in head): "They locked me in here. I guess I have to deal with them."
A guard walks towards the corner and points his torch towards the back of a podium.
Guard 2: "All clear."
The guard gets put in a head lock and choked to the ground.
Guard 3: "Over there."
Two guards rush towards the corner but spot only the unconscious guard with their torches.
Guard 4: "He's attacking."
Guard leader: "Stick together. Don't let him pick us off one by on-"
The guard leader gets kicked out of the way of the door to the ground. Kassius sneaks out the door.
Guard leader: "Get him! He's escaping!"
Kassius closes the door and locks it. The guards bang on the door in frustration, trying to push it open.
Kassius: "OK. Your turn to hide. I'll come seek later hehe."
Kassius runs off towards the front. Moments before this occured, the group in the artifact room had heard the news and they have started to panic.
Random guest 1: "Where do we go?! Are we safe?"
Random guest 2: "Get us out of here immediately!"
Yveline: "I need you all to calm down. There is no need to panic. We have everything under control."
Someone tries to exit the room but a guard blocks the door.
Random guest 3: "What is the meaning of this?! Let me out this instant!"
Yveline: "We can't let you leave so soon. Especially before we take your stuff."
Random guest 3: "Huh?"
The guard at the door points a gun at the guest. They gasp in shock and some start screaming. Yveline shoots a gun in the air causing them to silence immediately.
Yveline: "Ugh. Hostages are so annoying. I'll make this clear once, if you peep even a little bit, you're dead, understand? I'm trying my best to not to get angry today. Especially because we... hit the jackpot. The president's only daughter. In the flesh."
Yveline tries to walk up to Marialette but her bodyguards point their guns at her.
Yveline: "Uh uh uh."
All the other guards aim their guns at the bodyguards and the guests.
Yveline: "Now, I told you I didn't want to take lives today. So this is your last warning. Drop your guns, or after every five seconds, one will go. Five, four, three, tw-"
Marialette: "OK, I'll go with you."
Bodyguard 1: "But madame-"
Marialette: "It's alright. I can't let you put my safety over other lives."
Yveline: "That's so nice of you. Alright fellas, gather their goods and I'll take our main prize to the van. Don't take too long."
Marialette walks up to Yveline and they exit the door, closing it behind them. Yveline holds a gun to Marialette's side. As they walk towards the stairs, a noise draws closer and closer to them.
Yveline: "Huh-"
Kassius bumps into Yveline, knocking her and Marialette to the ground.
Yveline: "What the... who the hell are you?"
Kassius: "Uh... the cleaner, hehe?"
Yveline tries reaching for her gun but Kassius kicks it away. They both rush towards the gun. Kassius tries to grab it but Yveline kicks towards his arm. He blocks her kick and sweeps her to the ground. He tries grabbing the gun again but she kicks his hand away. She stomps the gun and drags it towards herself but Kassius blocks it with his leg. He shoots it off across the ground as far as he can and she catches him in a chokehold on his neck.
Yveline: "You aren't just some petty thief. Who are you?"
Kassius: "I'm... a very skilled cleaner."
Yveline spots Marialette running down the stairs.
Yveline: "Don't think you're getting away so easily."
Kassius hits her on the side with his elbow and escapes her grapple.
Kassius: "Am I interrupting something?"
Yveline stands up and Kassius rushes towards the stairs. Yveline follows him but Kassius catches up to Marialette and holds her in place. He pulls out a knife and holds it at her neck.
Yveline: "Who the hell are you?!"
(Earpiece) Arnold: "The front is covered by police. I'll drive around back."
Kassius: "That won't work. We'll have to make the front work."
Yveline: "Are you talking to yourself?"
Kassius: "Uh... yes I am. Got a problem with it?"
Yveline: "Just pass the girl over."
Kassius: "Why do you want her anyways?"
Yveline: "You don't know, do you? Let's just say she's worth a lot of money, alive of course."
Kassius: "Really? How much?"
Yveline: "Can't say. But let's make a deal. I'm pretty sure you are a reasonable person so we can go half and half on the earnings right? And I'll give you a ride out of here."
Kassius: "Hmm. That does sound like a good deal."
The doors open behind him and ACO officers aim at him and Yveline.
Girl officer: "Hands where I can see them!"
Yveline raises her hands. Kassius remains still and doesn't move.
Girl officer: "Didn't you hear me?! Hands up now!"
Kassius turns around slowly. Him and the officer lock eyes.
Girl officer: "You're..."
Kassius: "That cab lady."
Girl officer: "It wasn't a real cab. I was under- nevermind. Let the President's daughter go."
Kassius: "The president's... wait, you're... oh yes, this is perfect!"
Girl officer: "What?"
Kassius: "Stand back! If you don't let me go, I'll kill her right now!"
Girl officer: "You're bluffing."
Kassius: "Test my patience and we'll see how the president reacts to my bluff eh? Five! Four! Three! Two! On-"
Girl officer: "Alright! Alright. Officers, stand down. Let him through."
The officers clear a path and Kassius walks with Marialette through. They go and go, down to the end of the path. They cross over onto the road and Kassius sees the car. He walks her up to the car and gets in the car with her. The door shuts and Arnold drives off. Kassius climbs to the front seat and shuts his eyes.
Arnold: "Seems like we got played."
Kassius: "I can't believe she did that. The whole Ulqora voice thing too. She must've copied her voice somehow."
Arnold: "I guess we're leaving empty handed for our first run."
Kassius: "Not really. Check this."
Kassius pulls out a sheathed dagger from his pocket.
Arnold: "A dagger?"
Kassius: "It was in the same room. So it must be worth something."
Marialette: "It is. Very important to our history too. But you wouldn't care about that would you, Louis?"
Arnold: "Maria, I'm..."
Marialette: "You know, my mother never actually left. I say that but the truth is, she was murdered by a thief who broke into our home. She tried to protect me but they ended up taking her life for it. And it wasn't out of hate, or rage, or liberation. All they took was our some money and our television. Imagine being such a selfish person, you would take the mother of a child's life for a TV. Well, that's what a thief is, a selfish, greedy person. I really thought you were different from the rest. But I guess I was wrong. You're somehow even worse."
Kassius: "Hold on, you sh-"
Arnold lifts his hand and Kassius immediately understands. He stops speaking and sits back.
Marialette looks to the side and notices Ulqora covered in her hoodie sitting near the door in fear.
Marialette: "Is that a child? You kidnapped a child?!"
Kassius: "We didn't kidnap her. We saved her."
Marialette: "Yeah. Because criminals save children. Hey, don't worry, the police will save us."
Arnold: "They may save you, but they won't save her."
Marialette: "And why won't they?"
Arnold: "Ulqora."
Ulqora pulls her hood down and Marialette sees her clearly.
Marialette: "You're... Crimsonian."
Arnold: "I don't think it's in the interest of the police to give a Crimsonian a good life."
Marialette: "She's... just a child. They wouldn't... right?"
Kassius: "They already do. I've seen it with my own eyes. Adults and children alike. All put to work like slaves. By the same police that protect you, the same police chasing us right now. Who even orders for such things?"
Marialette: "It's the royals. They control the ACO at the highest level. Whatever they want, they get."
Kassius: "So we just have to go end the royals?"
Marialette: "Just? Do you know what you'd have to go through. For even one royal family, you'd have to go through a nation's police force, the royal guards and the top brass of the ACO. It's a suicide mission for one. Let alone all four. It's impossible to go against that."
Arnold: "We don't need to do all of that. We just have to get Ulqora somewhere safe."
Kassius: "Speaking of, where are we headed? Should I bring out the map?"
Arnold: "No need. I memorised the route."
Kassius: "Nice. Now let's find a place to drop her off and...
Marialette: "Drop me off where? Hello?"
Kassius pulls out his knife and unbuckles his seat belt.
Marialette: "What's going on?"
Kassius: "We're being tailed. Ulqora, put the hood back on and keep low, alright?"
Ulqora: "Mhm."
Kassius: "Arnold, keep this pace and try shake them off. Miss president's daughter, stay low as well."
Arnold: "What're you going to do?"
Kassius leans the chair back.
Kassius: "I'm going to sleep."
Arnold: "What?!"
Kassius: "Hey, that fall hurt my head man. Just a little bit of rest. I just need you to stall for a little bit. Besides, it's just one car, right? We can deal with them when I'm ready."
Arnold: "Fine but don't take too long."
Kassius: "Alright, alright.
As they continue on their path, the car behind them follows. In it, is a team of ACO officers, one being the girl officer.
ACO officer 1: "Head Officer Lucia. Shall we apprehend?"
Lucia: "Let's follow them for now. When backup arrives, we can cut them off."
ACO officer 2: "There seems to be trouble back at the Imperial. Seems as though Miss Yveline whom we had helped earlier was a criminal by the name of Valeria, a criminal on green notice."
Lucia: "Was he there?"
ACO officer 2: "No reports on her leader's presence however she was not alone and is currently not there."
Lucia: "Seeing as though these guys ahead of us have the diamond, she must've been after the President's daughter. Which means she won't be far off from us. We have a big job on our hands tonight. Call in extra back up."
Not too far off from them, Valeria (Yveline) is following them in a van.
Valeria: "Step on it! We can't let her out of our sight. The boss won't be happy if we bring him nothing."
Criminal: "Yes ma'am."
The light turns red and Arnold hits the brakes. He reaches into the compartment and pulls out a knife, placing it on his waist. Kassius wakes up, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
Kassius: "Alright... are you ready?"
Arnold nods his head.
Kassius, Lucia and Valeria: "Let the chase begin."