Ambitan's fingertips tried to find purchase in the dusty street, trying to find anything to cling onto to resist the Unaffiliated.
However, the Unaffiliated continued tugging and Ambitan's grip slipped as he began to skid all over the place.
"Fuck off you bastard!" Ambitan growled.
"You think they would teach these new kiddies better? Haven't you learned? Better have some fucking respect for your elders," the Unaffiliated said before pulling Ambitan's head back and getting up in his face.
Ambitan's legs flailed uselessly against the ground and despite how he tried to look anywhere else but into the Unaffiliated's eyes, eye contact was inevitable. The surroundings still continued on as if nothing was going on and the people carried on with their pitiful existences. All that was given at most would be a concerned glance, but no action would be taken to help him out.
"Should've given me your shit kid while you had the chance."
The Unaffiliated then raised the knife to Ambitan's throat, preparing to end this altercation.
Ambitan's hands pulled at the hand grasping onto his throat but the strength was leaving his limbs due to the oxygen starvation.
"And what the fuck do you think you're doing?"
A new voice spoke up, interrupting what would've been Ambitan's swift execution.
From a side alleyway, a group of three stepped out of the shadows revealing their dark grey utilitarian uniforms, a faded symbol of what had once been.
"This is Neo Police land. We're going to have to ask that you put the kid down," another of the officers said.
"And why the fuck would I do that? You think we haven't heard about your so-called justice? The instant I let him go I get shot!"
"Drop the fucking kid!" shouted the last officer.
Radioing back to their base of operations, "This is Officer Reynolds, we've got a hostage situation…"
"Requesting authorization to use lethal force against a non-compliant sir."
Of course, unable to hear the proceedings of the Neo Police but seeing them mutter and bark into their radios this Unaffiliated got understandably nervous.
"Kid, you're really not worth this goddamn trouble. You've caused enough shit for me to deal with now. So you're going to shut the fuck up and listen to what I say."
Then the Unaffiliated raised his voice to address the Neo Police, "You fuckers want the kid?"
Seeing the officers nod he continued, "Well I'm going to walk out here with the kid. If you guys make a single fucking movement then the kid gets it. Understood?"
Nervously the officers looked at one another, having a silent conversation.
Eventually, they came to a consensus and lowered the handguns, showing that the Unaffiliated was free to pass.
"You do anything to the kid and you get shot," one of the officers warned.
Slowly, making sure not to turn his back to the officers, the Unaffiliated dragged Ambitan using him as a sort of shield before slowly backing away into one of the alleyways.
As soon as he entered the neck of the alleyway, the Unaffiliated left Ambitan standing there, still using him as cover before turning around and sprinting away.
Ambitan's legs were shaky though, and he fell ungracefully to the ground, crashing with a loud thud.
Seeing this, the officers took the opportunity at face value and aimed down their barrels before opening fire upon the fleeing man.
The gunpowder let out thunderous sounds that boomed across the air.
With a sharp cry of pain, the Unaffiliated fell, rolling over and hitting the side of the alleyway.
Despite that, he still tried to continue to stagger on despite having to rely on the alley walls in order to support himself.
The muzzles barked several times more, propelling several bullets into the struggling body.
The Unaffiliated tried to scream but only a deeply unsettling gurgling was produced.
Then deep-red blood bubbled out from the man's lips before flowing down, staining his clothes and painting his skin.
Reaching up, the Unaffiliated tried to claw forwards but his limbs failed him and he collapsed into a pool of his own blood.
The officers then rushed over the fallen body.
Standing over it, they aimed their guns downward once again before firing.
Bang
Bang
Bang
The lifeless corpse thrashed against the ground under the fire of the repeated shots.
When the firing came to an end it seemed as if there were more holes than man remaining.
One of the officers reached over to their weathered radio to report the status back, "Target has been neutralized."
One of the men tentatively poked the fleshy mass and rolled it over revealing the horrors this Unaffiliated had gone through just before death.
Startled, Ambitan recoiled in shock. Sure he had seen such things before. It was an eventuality when it came to growing up in these slums but never so close and personal, an officer took the knife off of the corpse and proceeded to start sawing away at the base of the right ear.
"Collecting another trophy, eh Sarge?"
Bending over Ambitan saw the grim visage, half of the man's jaw had been blown off, and flesh and bone mixed together. The bone-white shards were scattered everywhere.
The back had sustained the most damage, what scars had been there before had pooled blood up inside them, and the rivulets gleamed in the dimly lit alley.
Gathering himself together though he began to turn around back to where he had intended to go in the first place.
"Citizen, you need not fear. For when justice demands it the Neo Police shall be here," the officer called out.
In response, Ambitan only shivered, the fear of the powers that be had been sufficiently instilled within him.
Gathering his belongings once more he collected himself, taking a deep breath in and then out.
That was a mistake though, and he got a deep whiff of splattered guts and blood, only further reminding him of the events that had just occurred.
With a cough, he stirred up the residual dust floating in the air drawing the attention of the officers.
"You okay there kid?" they asked.
In fear, Ambitan yelped. "Yeah! Thanks for your help officers! I'll be on my way now!"
Finally getting himself together he proceeded onwards through the labyrinth-like streets to reach the market.