Detective Maiwake stepped out of his vehicle, the crunch of gravel beneath his feet as he approached Mr. Edema, who stood anxiously at the doorway of the house. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows, deepening the lines of concern on Mr. Edema's face.
"Were you around during the event that supposedly took place, sir?" Detective Maiwake asked, his tone measured as he observed Mr. Edema's expression.
"No, I just arrived and noticed the door was open and the place ransacked," Mr. Edema replied, his voice wavering slightly as he glanced back at the house.
Detective Maiwake nodded and entered the house, the air heavy with the scent of dust and something metallic.
"Alright... Did you move anything?" The detective's eyes scanned the immediate surroundings, noting the disarray.
"I haven't even entered," Mr. Edema answered quickly, his eyes wide with concern. "As soon as I saw the scene, I called the police."
"Good," Detective Maiwake acknowledged, stepping further into the dimly lit interior. The living room was in chaos—one couch was broken, the other toppled over, with cushions strewn across the floor. The detective's gaze shifted to the cracked walls and the dark stains on the floor that hinted at violence.
"Private," he called out, his voice echoing slightly in the empty space. One of the officers in the house turned toward him.
"We're going to need photos," Maiwake said, continuing his inspection as the officer nodded and left to retrieve a camera.Detective Maiwake turned back to Mr. Edema, who lingered by the door, his face pale and drawn.
"Was anyone supposed to be home?"
"My granddaughter... She was supposed to have arrived by evening. Is there any problem?" Mr. Edema's voice trembled with worry.
"I don't know yet, but there appears to have been an altercation." Detective Maiwake's tone was cautious. "Some of my men are asking around to find out what may have happened."
His attention was drawn to a tablet lying on the floor, partially hidden beneath a cushion. He bent down and picked it up, the screen flickering with a presentation. Maiwake quickly scrolled through the clips and slides, noting the content but not revealing much outward reaction.
"Hmm." He turned the tablet over in his hands before looking back at Mr. Edema. "Is this yours? Or maybe your granddaughter's?"
"No..." Mr. Edema responded, his confusion deepening.
"Well, we're taking it," Detective Maiwake said, slipping the tablet into a plastic evidence bag. He started toward the door but paused when Mr. Edema spoke up, desperation in his voice.
"What about my granddaughter? Is she safe? Please, find her and bring her to me."
"It's not likely, sir," Maiwake replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "She might have to be brought to the station when found..." He glanced back, noting Mr. Edema's puzzled expression. "Depends. She might even be arrested." With that, he exited the house, leaving Mr. Edema to grapple with the implications.As Maiwake reached his vehicle, another officer hurried over.
"Reports?" Maiwake asked, his tone brisk.
"We asked around, and this is what we found. The neighbors say they saw a teenager run out of the building a few minutes before they spotted Iron Hero flying off, carrying a young woman."
"All of them?" Maiwake questioned, his mind already working to piece together the scenario.
"All, sir," the officer confirmed.Detective Maiwake frowned, running the information through his head.
'Iron Hero must have been here to interrogate a suspect... She probably attacked, and though Iron Hero likely overpowered her, the suspect might have injured his partner, forcing him to abandon the scene to save her...'
Maiwake's thoughts trailed off as he signaled the other officers to prepare to leave.The officer from earlier emerged from the house, camera in hand.
"You got the photos?"
"Got them, sir," the officer confirmed.
"Good. Come on, we have some things to examine," Maiwake said, entering his vehicle. The engine roared to life, and the police convoy began to pull away from the scene.
Mr. Edema stood on the porch, his mind racing with worry about his granddaughter, Dumi. As the police vehicles disappeared down the street, two men of strong build, who had been waiting in the shadows, silently approached Mr. Edema.He barely had time to react before a hand clamped over his mouth, a chemical-laden handkerchief pressed against his nose. His eyes widened in shock before his body went limp, the world fading to black as he was gently lowered to the floor, unconscious.
John landed lightly on the rooftop of his penthouse --Also his office building--, the familiar skyline of the city sprawling out before him. The evening air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of rain on the wind. His armored suit, a marvel of modern technology, had taken quite the beating. Gashes marred its sleek surface, scars from his intense battle with his nemesis that surprisingly appeared to be a teenage girl the previous day --off all the kinds of villain s in the world a teenager... That would be terrible on my hero portfolio he thought--. He couldn't shake the thought of how she'd gotten her hands on those bladed weapons—technology that should have been impossible to acquire. In his mind, not existing meant he hadn't seen them; he had always assumed the technological realm revolved around Adrotech, his company.The suit's damaged segments whirred mechanically as it began to disassemble, retracting from his body like a loyal, wounded beast. Beneath the battered exterior, John's appearance was anything but that of a superhero. A crisp, white corporate shirt with neatly pressed trousers and a bow tie replaced the armor. The remnants of the suit folded toward his right hand, morphing into a briefcase with smooth, practiced efficiency.
"Adeola, remember to sort the hospital bills," John instructed, his voice calm but firm as he moved across the rooftop toward a hidden hatch.
"Sure, sire," came Adeola's prompt response, her tone as crisp as the night air.
The hatch opened soundlessly, revealing a narrow staircase descending into the building. John moved quickly, his steps echoing softly as the hatch closed behind him. He reached a door at the base of the stairs, which slid open in anticipation of his approach. Without breaking stride, he grabbed a coat from a hook by the door and shrugged it on, his movements fluid and precise. The cool fabric of the coat brushed against his skin, a comforting contrast to the cold metal of the briefcase in his hand.He approached the elevator, dropping the briefcase to adjust his coat and button it up. As the elevator doors slid shut behind him, he slipped on a pair of glasses, the lenses catching the soft light of the elevator's interior.
Picking up the briefcase again, he asked, "Adeola, are you still keeping track of the contact lenses? The assassin's."
"The assassin has a name. Miss Dumi Edema, and yes, I still have access to the location..." Adeola's voice trailed off for a moment, then returned with a note of intrigue. "It appears to be moving, giving two probable options: either she put it on something else, or she still has it on. Probably still too tense to remember the contact lenses can track her."
"Good, keep tracking it. We might need it soon, cause I'll be out of here in a short while," John replied, his tone resolute.
"I thought you had to supervise the workers today... You haven't been paying attention to the company of rec—"
John cut her off politely. "I can't be at peace while that murderer is out there... And besides, I have you."
A small, playful emote of mock annoyance flashed across the lenses of John's glasses, followed by a melodramatic tear. He couldn't help but smirk as the elevator reached his floor. The doors opened to reveal a sleek hallway, where a few workers passed by, offering polite greetings. John acknowledged them with a nod, his mind already elsewhere. Adeola's voice broke the silence.
"It appears that an officer by the name of Detective Maiwake wants to see you, sire..."
"Looks like I'll have to dodge that one," John muttered under his breath.As he walked, a female worker hurried up to him, her footsteps quick and purposeful.
"Good day, sire. Detective Maiwake intends to meet with you, although he doesn't have an appointment. But he says it's important."
John sighed inwardly but maintained his composed exterior. "Tell him I can't meet him now 'cause I'm busy."
The woman hesitated before continuing. "He was expecting this response, sire, and said to inform you it's about the location of suspect Oritsedumi Edema."
John stopped in his tracks, the weight of the situation settling over him like a heavy cloak.
Sheesh, he thought to himself. Outwardly, he remained calm. "Take him to my office and tell him to wait there. I'll be with him in a few."
The worker nodded and hurried off as quickly as she had come. John turned, his expression hardening as he headed back toward the elevator he had just passed. His mind raced, considering the implications of this meeting. The elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside, greeted by more workers who were heading to their stations. They offered the usual greetings, and he responded with his customary nod, though his thoughts were elsewhere.
"Man, this is serious," he muttered, more to himself than to Adeola.
"I suppose he saw the presentation that was at her place. Well, 'Iron Hero' intended to submit the evidence to the force anyway," Adeola replied, a cheeky winking emote appearing on his glasses.
"But that should have been after we caught her. And besides, he doesn't know I'm Iron Hero, so he'll definitely be here to request her location and question me about why I gave Iron Hero access to such information."
"Lucky you," Adeola teased. "I suppose you'll have to find an excuse for that one."
"Yeah," John agreed, his mind already working on a plan. "
And I'll have to go hunting our assassin quicker than expected, I think."
"Probably should," Adeola quipped as the elevator doors slid open, leading John back into the fray.
John moved toward his office with a brisk stride, his urgency clear but controlled. His employees recognized this pace—usually reserved for moments when he was either heading to his armor or on his way to see Blessing. They wisely kept out of his way, understanding that this was not a time to interfere.
As John entered his office, he found Detective Maiwake already seated, exuding a relaxed confidence as he waited. The detective's eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and challenge.
"You've got a lot to answer for, Mr. Adetola," Maiwake began, his tone laced with a knowing smirk. "Or should I say, aspiring Minister Adetola?"
John remained unfazed, his expression unreadable. "Just get on with it already. We both know what you're here for."
Maiwake pulled out a sleek tablet, tapping the screen to display a presentation. He adjusted the angle so John could see it clearly as he took his seat opposite the detective.
John glanced at the screen with a hint of boredom. "And?"
"This," Maiwake began, gesturing to the tablet, "was found at the residence of Oritsedumi Edema, a teenager Iron Hero claims is a suspect in the assassination attempts we've had to deal with over the past year. But honestly, I don't care about that. He just helped me solve a problem I've been struggling with. These politicians—they hide themselves from us, die hiding, and then expect us to clean up the mess." He sighed heavily, as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.
John kept his face impassive, but inside, he knew where this was going. Adeola's voice echoed in his mind, projecting text onto his glasses: "Here it comes."
"What really grabs my attention," Maiwake continued, leaning forward slightly, "is how Iron Hero had access to this information."
The text on John's glasses shifted: "Said it."
Maiwake, oblivious to the silent exchange, pressed on. "You might want to say he hacked it, but both of us know that no one is that capable. So, I ask: why would you give him such information without tipping off the force? This info here solves all our problems concerning that case." He stared at John, waiting for an answer, the tension in the room thickening.
John allowed the silence to linger for a few seconds before responding with a blunt expression. "Well, I just thought he had a reason for asking for it, and since he's proven capable based on the presentation here, I can only surmise I made the right choice."
Maiwake's expression shifted to one of exaggerated surprise, his tone mocking as he replied, "Huh... Look, you can't just trust someone you don't know. I know he's Iron Hero, but no one really knows him. He could be any damn soul walking across the street. You can't just trust anyone with such info."
John forced a sigh, playing along. "Alright, I'm sorry. I just trusted him, maybe a bit too much since he saved my life, you know. I promise I'll do better next time." Adeola, ever the mischievous AI, projected "Haaaa" followed by a shocked emote onto John's glasses.
Maiwake leaned back, seemingly satisfied with the apology—for now. "Well, I also want access to her current location right now. I suppose the police have access to such info, seeing that we've saved your life probably a thousand times already." His tone turned serious, his gaze sharpening. "And let it be a live tracker..."
John clenched his jaw, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. Adeola, sensing the shift, discreetly sent the requested data to the tablet on the table.
A grin spread across Maiwake's face as he stood up, victorious. "Aha, that's how we do it." He started toward the door but paused to look back at John. "Good day, Minister John," he said with a slight bow, then added, "Please do well to add Lieutenant to my name when next we meet, 'cause what I got is a hell of a promotion." He waved the tablet slightly before leaving the office, humming a tune that grated on John's nerves.
The door closed behind the detective, and John allowed himself a low growl.
"Why are you angry?" Adeola's voice chimed in, ever the curious companion.
"Nothing... Just not happy," John replied, his tone clipped.
"Well, I know... You're not happy to see someone come out successful in an altercation with you."
"Hey..." John started, but Adeola wasn't done.
"Well, I have a question I've been meaning to ask for a while now."
"Shoot."
"Why do you still have workers doing a lot of jobs that I already do? For example, the lady that informed you of Detective Maiwake's visit—I already informed you about it. Funny part, that's not the only one."
John sighed, this time more out of exasperation than anything else. "Well, if I didn't, the world would ask why, and I'd have to come up with a perfectly reasonable excuse for that because I can't have people knowing that I have a super AI like you. So..." His tone shifted to one of command, steely and decisive. "Prepare my armor. We've got a criminal to catch."
"Yes, boss, we got this," Adeola responded, projecting a flexing muscle emote onto his glasses, her tone filled with confident enthusiasm.
Dumi peeked out from a shop in the bustling market, her eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of law enforcement or Iron Hero. After a careful sweep of the area, she stepped out, blending into the throng of people going about their daily routines.
'You've messed this up big time, Dumi,' she scolded herself, weaving through the crowd, shoving past customers and vendors alike. Her eyes darted around, checking for anyone tailing her. With so many people searching for her—Iron Hero, the military, her former captors—paranoia was an instinct, not a choice.
'Girl, you're a legend, yo,' she thought, trying to lighten the gravity of her situation. But the humor fell flat, overpowered by the memory of what she'd done. She could still see Miss Blessing's face, the moment the blade struck. 'Innocent lady probably dead because of you... Imagine what Gramps would say when he finds out...'
She shook off the thought as she noticed a man who had been lingering behind her for a while. He was dressed in shabby clothes, trying too hard to blend in, but the hat gave him away. He was tailing her.
'This guy reminds me of someone,' she thought, her mind racing as she devised a plan to lose him. She quickened her pace, but the man mirrored her every move. Making random, confusing turns through the market, she hoped to shake him off. But when she saw him leap onto a nearby roof, panic set in.
'Can't other people see this guy?' she thought in disbelief. She darted into a narrow alley between two shops, hoping to hide.
'Blegh... Trash,' she thought, grimacing at the stench of rotting garbage that filled the cramped space. But she had no choice—she had to lose that strange guy somehow.
"Do you even know where you're going?" she muttered to herself, peeking out to see if she'd lost him. The alley seemed clear, but just as she began to relax, a voice from behind startled her.
"Worry about that later and focus on losing the guy tailing you."
She whirled around, her heart skipping a beat. The man she'd been trying to shake off was standing right behind her, his face partially hidden under the brim of his hat. He lifted his head, revealing a familiar face.
"Walker?"
"Whazzap, Kayla... It's been a while."
"What're you doing here?" Dumi asked, her voice tinged with both relief and suspicion.
"Just decided to pay a friend a visit and drop a few tips." He grinned. "And call me Chase from now on... 'Cause that's my real name, you know. So, what's popping?"
"You know what's going on... I'm hiding..."
"Little bit of advice," he said, turning back towards the street. "Avoid Adrotech products."
A wave of realization hit Dumi like a punch to the gut—her contacts. Before she could fully process this, Chase pointed towards some officers entering the market. "Someone's ratted you out."
Panic surged through her veins. She bolted, searching frantically for an escape route. Before she could get far, Iron Hero descended into the scene, his presence commanding and ominous.
"You ain't going nowhere, kiddo," he declared.
"Gah," she muttered, spinning on her heels to head in the opposite direction, towards the police. The officers attempted to grab her, but she slipped through their grasp like an eel, using the chaos of the market crowd to her advantage. She leaped onto a police vehicle, then onto an officer's shoulders, knocking him down.
'I've got to get to the rooftops,' she thought, adrenaline fueling her every move.
Using the officer as a springboard, she launched herself onto the roof of a nearby shop, immediately sprinting across the rooftops. Below, the police fought to keep up, pushing through the crowd with little regard for the civilians. Above, Iron Hero trailed her effortlessly, his movements smooth and controlled, a stark contrast to the chaos below.
"Well, I've gotta say it, she's good," Adeola remarked over the comms.
"But not so good. You notice she still has the contacts on, don't you?" John replied, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Adeola responded, "Yes, but I also made another outstanding discovery... She's using custom-made cat contacts, but judging by the current light levels, they're more like Owl-grade. You know what that means."
"Ha ha..." John chuckled, "seems our girl is sensitive to light... You know what to do. Light her up."
Adeola deactivated the dark mode on Dumi's contacts, flooding her vision with the harsh brightness of the daytime. She cried out, blinded by the sudden glare, and stumbled, losing her balance.
"Gahh," she yelped, ripping the contacts from her eyes as she tumbled across the roof. Desperate, she scrambled to get off the rooftops, aiming for a darker part of the market. But Iron Hero wasn't about to let her go that easily. He armed his suit, targeting her as she fled.
"Boss?" Adeola's voice carried a hint of surprise.
"She thinks I'm here to joke. Someone's got to remind her how dire her situation is."
He fired, but Dumi was quick. She dodged, and the bullets struck the roof just in front of her. Below, the market erupted into chaos as people screamed and ran for cover.
"Stop!" a voice shouted.
John looked towards the source. Detective Maiwake had made it to the rooftops as well, his badge out.
"I'm an officer of the law, and I order you to put down the weapon. I'm instructed to bring her in alive."
The distraction was all Dumi needed. She dropped off the roof and vanished into the panicked crowd. Both Iron Hero and Maiwake paled as they realized she had slipped through their grasp.
"Ugh, dammit," Iron Hero growled. "And she's taken off her contacts."
"...." Adeola remained silent.
Dumi darted into an alley, finally out of sight. She collapsed onto the ground, her thoughts racing, the weight of her actions crashing down on her.
'What are you going to do now?' she wondered, her mind spiraling. 'Who are you to even accuse those people you killed?'
"You know what to do."
Dumi jumped, startled by the voice. She turned to see Chase sitting beside her, still dressed in his rough clothes, but now wearing glasses.
"Walker... I mean, Chase."
"Why are you looking at me like that? You know you can't keep running." He leaned back, smiling. "A criminal can only run so far."
Dumi replayed everything she had done in her mind. Then, with a newfound resolve, she stood up.
"I know what to do," she said, her confusion replaced with determination as she walked deeper into the alley.
Chase smiled, satisfied. But as he glanced in another direction, his expression changed. Shock flickered across his face, and he stood up, removing his glasses.
"Ooh, come on... Damn you, Author," he muttered, running off toward some unknown destination.
Dumi arrived at her house, peeking through the window to see Mr. Edema asleep in the sitting room. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought them back.
"Sorry, Gramps," she whispered, turning away. She hurried to the police station, her resolve hardening with every step. Entering the compound, she stood in the center and removed her hood, raising both hands in surrender.
She was quickly spotted by some officers who had likely given up searching for her at the market. They rushed towards her, roughly cuffing her hands and shoving her inside the station. She stumbled and fell to the ground, but as she lifted her head, she couldn't help but smile.