Back in the desert, the group is surrounded by the ACO officers led by Lucia.
Kassius: "Shit! Why right now?"
Lucia: "Kassius Moore. You are surrounded. Don't try to escape."
Lucia (in head): "There are five of them? She's... a black sand bandit."
Kassius: "You're... that officer. From Umoja. Wow, you came out all the way here to capture me? I'm not too sure how to react to this."
Lucia: "Don't flatter yourself. You may have caused me problems earlier, but I have another task at hand. Which is why I'm here to make a proposition."
Kassius: "Hmm?"
Lieutenant Michael: "If I may, Lucia. You see, we have reason to believe you hold the key to finding the base of the black sand bandits. We simply ask for this information, and your lives may be spared."
Kassius: "... Pfft. Hehehe! 'And your lives will be spared' Haha!"
Michael gets irritated from the mocking.
Lieutenant Michael: "Mind telling me what's so funny?!"
Kassius: "Look, you clearly aren't here for us. So it means what we have is valuable, isn't it? Can I speak to a serious officer?"
Lieutenant Michael: "Why you..!"
ACO officer 1: "Sir..."
Michael walks up to Kassius and lifts his gun, aiming it at him.
Kassius: "Oh?"
Lucia: "Lieutenant!"
Just as the group is about to step in Kassius gestures them to pause with his hand behind his back.
Lieutenant Michael: "I'd suggest you watch your mouth. Sure, you may have valuable information. However, we don't need all of you. Just the one with what we need."
Kassius: "And who's to say that isn't me? All I'm saying is that we could always come to a proposition, no?"
Lucia: "He's correct. Stand down, Lieutenant."
Michael, although reluctant, lowers his gun, clearly frustrated.
Kassius: "Now, obviously I won't hand over the information. But, I could take you to the base."
Lucia: "I have a better proposition."
Kassius: "Shoot."
Lucia: "Her, right there."
Ayana: "Me?"
Lucia: "She is a black sand bandit. Meaning she herself knows the location."
Kassius: "And that means?"
Lieutenant Michael: "It means we have no more use for the dead drop. We will work with her instead. And you all will be arrested."
Kassius: "What?"
The officers draw in closer, causing the group to get more defensive.
Lucia: "Tell your group to come quietly."
As Arnold, Kaizen and Bonnie prepare to fight, Kassius' hand is forced,
Kassius: "Gu-"
Ayana: "I have a proposition!"
Kassius turns in shock as Ayana grabs the attention of everyone.
Ayana: "It is true. I do know the location of the base. And I will take you there. However, I do have goals of my own. And I require these people here. So I'll take you, but they must come with us."
Lucia: "Why?"
Ayana walks closer to her.
Ayana: "To destroy the black sand bandits. What you and what they want may have some similarities. So I do think it's best if we all help each other, correct?"
Lucia: "Hmm..."
Ayana: "You also cannot alert other officers of our whereabouts. Do we have a deal?"
Lieutenant Michael: "You're making too m-"
Lucia: "We do. We will leave immediately. You, separate from the rest, but ahead of us will lead the way. And do not plan on escaping. We have vehicles of our own and we will not hesitate to stop you, lethal or not."
Lieutenant Michael: "Lieutenant. I don't think this is reasonable."
Lucia: "I am in charge of this group. I have made the decision. Anything else?"
Lieutenant Michael: "... None."
Lucia: "Then let's prepare to leave."
As the officers prepare to leave, so do Kassius and the rest, while Ayana gets her vehicle.
Bonnie: "I'm still so tired."
Kaizen: "Just drink some water, you'll be fine."
Kassius: "I can't believe we got away with that."
Bonnie: "Yeah, that Ayana girl really saved us."
Kaizen: "She's right. She might be trustworthy after all."
Arnold: "She needs us. That's why she saved us."
Kaizen: "Hmm, perhaps. Still, a day free is a good day, right?"
Arnold: "I guess."
ACO officer 2: "We are prepared to leave. Follow me."
Everyone starts walking, following the officer. Kaizen walks up to Arnold, whispering
Kaizen: "Look, if you're still worried about this,..."
Kaizen whispers something to Arnold.
Arnold: "Yes, this can work. But j-"
ACO officer 3: "Oy! What are you two mumbling to each other about?"
Kaizen: "Nothing important."
ACO officer 3: "Quit it and pick up the pace!"
They all group up with the rest of the officers, with Ayana at the front with her vehicle.
Lucia: "We're all here. Now, lead the way."
They all get on the officer vehicles (similar to golf carts), Kassius and Arnold on one while Kaizen and Bonnie are on another. Ayana gets on her vehicle (quad bike). As Ayana drives off, so do the officers following her. They drive through the desert, as the sun rises from the East. They drive for a short while through the morning before Ayana stops. The ACO group also stop behind her.
Lucia: "Why did we stop?!"
Ayana: "We can't drive any further! We'll be spotted too easily. We've travelled a good distance with our vehicles. But we'll walk from here. Gather any important resources before we continue."
Lucia: "Hmm. Very well. Men, prepare to go on foot!"
ACO officers: "Yes Lieutenant!"
As the officers get off their vehicles, Kassius and the others group up. Lieutenant Michael goes up to Lucia.
Lieutenant Michael: "I suppose you have reason for listening to the bandit."
Lucia: "I do. She makes a valid point. We can't alert the enemy of our presence. This is simply the best course of action."
Lieutenant Michael: "That is fine. But how do you suppose we alert the captain of our location?"
Lucia: "That is much simpler. Our vehicles can alert the captain. Once he finds them, they'll be patrolling the nearby area, by which we can shoot a flare to give our location. But only when the time is right. We can't risk Captain Tobias or any of the prisoners that may be with him."
Lieutenant Michael: "Are you suggesting... No. This is a horrible idea. It's too risky."
Lucia: "We have no other option. It's either this or we don't find the captain."
Lucia presses a button on the side of the driver's seat. Back in Canant, the alert arrives to the officers.
Captain John: "An alert? Alright, prepare to move out immediately!"
Over on their side, Lucia writes on a paper and tears it from her notebook.
Lieutenant Michael: "What's that?"
Lucia: "Instructions. For the Captain, when they get here."
Lucia walks up towards the rest of the group, looking at Kassius and Arnold.
Lucia: "Separate those two."
Kassius: "We haven't even done anything!"
Lucia: "You might. And I don't like that. Separate them."
The ACO officers start to walk towards them.
Kassius: Fine, fine. Whatever."
Kassius starts walking forward.
Arnold: "You go with him, I'll stay here with her."
Kaizen: "Alright."
Kaizen catches up to Kassius and walks with him behind Lucia and a few officers whilst being followed by Michael and some officers. Arnold goes with Bonnie and the other remaining officers. Ayana leads the way as they start walking. Noon arrives, the bright sun shining on the entire desert, not a cloud in sight. The heat, so strong. They continue to walk and walk and walk.
Bonnie: "Where is this place?! I'm so hungry and thirsty. Can we take a short break?!"
ACO officer 1: "Lieutenant Lucia. Might I suggest a short break? The group seems fatigued."
Lucia: "Yes. We can take a break. Best to keep up our energy. We'll eat and drink for a short while, and continue our journey."
Lucia turns to the group.
Lucia: "Everybody stop! The Lieutenant has allowed for a short break. Sit or stand, and take a break."
Everybody stops and starts to eat. Bonnie grabs some food and drinks from her bag and starts eating away. Arnold reaches into his bag but notices the officers' piercing gazes. He grabs a bottle and a snack and closes his bag.
Kaizen: "Are you hungry, Palu? Here you go."
Kaizen feeds Palu some food while he stays in the bag.
ACO officer 4: "Is he talking to his bag?"
ACO officer 5: "The desert heat really does a number on you it seems."
Kassius pulls out food and a drink from his bag and also notices the officers looking towards him.
Kassius: " 'Ooooooh, he has a sandwich, be careful' "
Kassius starts eating his food.
Kassius: "Yo, you're not going to eat?"
Kaizen: "Yeah, I probably should. Just checking up on Palu is all."
Lucia: "Time is up. Let us leave at once."
Lucia and her group continue forward with Ayana. The rest follow too. Hours go by, and they continue to walk until finally near three o'clock,
Ayana: "Over there!"
Lucia: "Hmm? Those rocks..."
Ayana: "That terrain is where we're headed! We'll get close and wait until nightfall to go to the base!"
The group start walking towards the rocky part of the desert. After a fair bit of walking they arrive and stop under a large rock.
Ayana: "Not too far from here is the base."
Lucia: "You suggested nightfall earlier. Why?"
Ayana: "It'll be easier for us to infiltrate in the dark. We are lower in numbers after all. We can't create a scene."
Lucia: "Fair point. Alright, officers! Set up base here, we will plan accordingly and move in tonight!"
The ACO officers set up, unloading their equipment. Kassius and Kaizen group with Arnold and Bonnie again.
Kassius: "It's so hot! And I'm out of water."
Bonnie: "Heh... me too..."
Kassius: "Was it that bad for you? I mean, it was hot, but you look half dead."
Bonnie: "That's because I might be."
Kassius: "What about you Arnold?"
Arnold: "It wasn't too bad."
Kassius: "Really? You might be superhuman or something cause I was starting to see things in that heat."
Kaizen: "So we just wait here?"
Arnold: "Seems that way. Are we prepared to go in?"
Kassius: "Yep."
Kaizen: "I am."
Bonnie: "Same... here."
As time flies by, the sun begins to set in the horizon. As everybody is preparing mentally and physically to go in, Kassius and Kaizen are seated on the ground.
Kaizen: "Is it always this hectic being a thief?"
Kassius: "Always? I'm not sure. But I guess it has been for me. Either way, it's good experience if you ask me."
Kaizen: "Right. Still though, it might take some getting used to, to become a natural at this."
Kassius looks over near them and sees Lucia writing on her own.
Kassius: "What do you think she's writing?"
Kaizen: "I'm not sure. Maybe a police report."
Lucia: "You're not whispering low enough."
Kassius: "Oh."
Lucia: "And it's just a daily log. Something personal, pay no mind to it."
Kassius: "A daily log? That's pretty cool. How much have you written?"
Lucia: "Not much. I only started about a few weeks before the incident at Umoja, you know... the whole president's daughter."
Kassius: "Yeah... hehe."
Kaizen: "Is there a reason you're writing it?"
Lucia: "I'm hoping what I write in here, will someday inspire another to become an officer to protect people."
Kassius: "I just got a great idea. Why don't you do that?"
Kaizen: "Me?"
Kassius: "Yeah. You said you wanna travel the world, right? You can log down the things you see."
Kaizen: "Hmm. That does sound interesting."
Kassius: "Also, you could write about thieving. Like, when we do this, what we did-"
Kaizen: "Wrong and right. Like pros and cons."
Kassius: "Exactly. Like a thief log. It'll be like an instruction manual on how to steal too."
Kaizen: "I like that. What will we call it though?"
Kassius: "How about... thieving instructions?"
Kaizen: "Ehh... I mean it's not too bad. A bit basic tho, no? Let's give it more oomf."
Kassius: "Yeah, I guess."
Lucia: "How about 'steal the world?' You know, because you steal and it's a log about your journey."
Kaizen: "Oh, I like that one."
Kassius: "Mmm. I can't lie, it is pretty good. Oh! One just clicked to me."
Kaizen: "Go on."
Kassius: "What about 'how to empty pockets' ?"
Kaizen: "Oh that's a good one too."
Lucia: "Ehh."
Kassius: "Whoa. What do you mean ehh?"
Lucia: "Could've been better. Mine is more encapsulating."
Kaizen: "Both are fine. So why not both? 'STEAL THE WORLD: How to empty pockets' I think that sounds pretty nice."
Kassius: "I guess."
Kaizen: "Now we just need a notebook. Do you have any spares?"
Lucia: "Oh, I thought we were just being creative. You guys do know you're going to prison right after this, right?"
Kassius: "Guess we know who's not getting title credits, huh?"
Lieutenant Michael: "Lieutenant! We're all prepared. She said it's dark enough."
Lucia: "Alright. Everyone gather together. You guys, included."