The Power Array Saga - Season Two - Part IX

Part IX – Meeting Eye to Eye

“I had no idea anyone could do something like that to another person,” said Major Rufap.

“Luckily, she doesn’t know how many are in on this investigation,” Sergeant Hoplow. “Or else she would run. I think we need to find her before she finds us and then go in with las-guns on rapid fire.”

“I agree,” said Major Rufap. “But first we have to find her.”

“Another reason why I called you,” said Sergeant Hoplow, “is so that you could travel to the private investigators’ office with me so we can search it and see what info we can find.”

“Well then why didn’t you start with that,” said Major Rufap.

Sergeant Hoplow wore a sheepish smile as he rose from his desk. Stepping over to the small weapons locker in his office, he put on an arsenal that would fit a tank. He strapped on a bullet-proof vest and tossed one to his major. Retrieving several different las-gun handles, he strapped two to his waist, two he placed into the brown leather holsters dangling underneath his shoulders, and on his ankle he placed a miniature las-gun handle. 

If I didn’t know any better,” said Major Rufap wearing a wide grin, “I’d say you look a little nervous.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being prepared,” said Sergeant Hoplow. “This… lady just slaughtered a good friend of mine and turned him into…”

“It’s okay,” interrupted Major Rufap. “I understand. Remember we need to try and capture this woman alive. She may have information on who the culprit is that attacked the Mage Monolith.”

“Understood major,” said Sergeant Hoplow. He wore a grim expression as he looked out of his office window.

The sun was rising above the dwarven mountains to the east. The sergeant steeled his resolve and spun away from the window to face his comrade. With a nod they both exited the office and entered the basement of the precinct where the hover crafts were stored. After entering a four door hovercraft they drove through the rarely used tunnels that made up the interior of the floating cities internal base. Access was restricted and the elven civilians were mostly unaware that the tunnels even existed. After traveling a few kilometers they exited through an elevator that extended out of the bottom of the elven floating city. The two police officers zoomed out of the elevator and soared above the heads of the under-city residents just as the UV lights were beginning to shine. In only a matter of minutes, the pair had reached the apartment of the private investigator.

Sergeant Hoplow punched in the password on his friend’s touchpad lock and the door swung open. As they stepped inside the apartment, to their surprise, their eyes swept across the apartment’s tiny living room and met with those of the person that they were seeking, the Butterfly Samurai. She stood frozen where she had been rifling through the papers on the desk in the corner.

Letting out a growl, Sergeant Hoplow drew his las-gun. He fired off a few laser blasts.

Isis instantly drew her sword and, with a twirl, blocked the laser bolts flying in her direction. “Wait!” she shouted while holding a hand out. “Don’t shoot.”

“You’re a wicked monster that needs to be put down,” said Sergeant Hoplow through gritted teeth.

Before he could fire off another round of laser fire, his major placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t shoot,” said Major Rufap. “Let’s see what she has to say for herself. Maybe she’ll turn herself over to us so this encounter doesn’t have to get messy.”

“Fat chance that I’ll let you cops take me alive,” said Iris.

“That can be arranged,” said Sergeant Hoplow growling through clenched teeth.

“What’re you doing here?” asked Major Rufap. “And how did you find this place?”

“My Acro Eyes can do wonderful things,” said Iris with a small smile. She reached toward the glasses that she wore but before she could remove them she froze in place as Sergeant Hoplow locked onto her with his las-guns, ready to shoot at the slightest movement. Major Rufap also went for her las-gun and in a matter of seconds the weapon was out of the holster but not pointed at the woman. Iris slowly lowered her hand as she shrugged her shoulders.

“Leave those glasses on,” said Major Rufap. “I’ve read reports from people that have survived meeting you. They’ve said that as long as she keeps those glasses on, you still have a chance to walk away alive but once they come off…”

Iris let out a little giggle. “Seems like you’ve done your homework,” she said. “And here I am all unprepared.”

“Why did you do that to my friend?” asked the sergeant.

“Oh, he was your friend now was he,” said Iris with a widening smile. “Well then why did you send him after me to terrorize my roommate?”

“Look,” said the major interrupting. “I can’t speak for who my subordinates hire and for those that work outside of the law but with me in charge I can guarantee that from this point forward, if you work with us, we’ll make sure you and those you love aren’t injured.”

“What!” shouted Sergeant Hoplow. “You can’t be serious!”

“Why would I work alongside you?” asked Iris. “And why would I even trust you?”

“Because we both have the same goal in mind,” said Major Rufap. “We want to find who’s responsible for the Mage Monolith Massacre.”

Iris let out a giggle. “So you don’t know who’s responsible, do you?” she teased. “You don’t even have a name yet do you?” She let out raucous laughter, throwing her head back and slapping her thigh. “It looks like you need me more than you know.”

“Don’t get it twisted you wicked little woman,” said Sergeant Hoplow. “You’ll pay for the murders of those two private investigators.”

“You mean those two ruthless bounty hunters,” said Iris with a furrowed brow. The Acro Eyes flared underneath the dark shades that she wore and red smoke rose from her eyes to drift out of the open window that she had used to enter the apartment.

The two sun elves watched in disbelief.

“Look,” said Major Rufap shaking herself back to reality. “We can get you a deal if you promise to give us the information we want… we’ll be able to work out something, I’m sure of it.”

“I’ll tell you one thing right now… as a show of good faith,” said Iris. “After I say this, you’ll understand that I should be the least of your worries. When you see me again, you still won’t be able to shoot me. Because when I tell my friend Momotaru that two sun elf police are looking for him… not only will he come to find answers he’ll find you two. You’ll be lucky if you can dig yourselves out of a mountain of paperwork that will last a career. So expect a call from the human chancellor and your very own sun elf princess.”

The two sun elf police officers looked at each other with eyes wide. When they turned back, they caught a glimpse of Iris’ rear as she slipped out the open window.

The Power Array Saga - Season Two - Part VII

Part VIII – How to Send a Message

Iris Longwing, more commonly known as “The Butterfly Samurai” crept through the late night shadows of the sun elf capital city of Aver. She did not dare step foot on the upper city where the elven elite dwelled. Instead, she resided in a basement located on a ground level known as the under-city. With no stars visible and very few street lamps operating, instead being partially drenched with UV light, the under-city was dominated by shadows. The Butterfly Samurai did not need the light to see; her training long ago saw to it that she could operate with her senses impaired.

When Iris entered the basement where she lived, she could tell something was amiss. Wafting through the air in her rented space was nothing but the dingy smell of fear, sweat, and blood. Iris did not smell the sweet aroma of cinnamon buns, steamed broccoli, or garlic asparagus from the left over plate of dinner that would usually be awaiting her. She removed her dark shades to let her Acro Eyes peer at the unadulterated images while she crept down the steps.

Iris could see the shadows of movement from the people who had trespassed into her abode and she did not like what she saw. Whoever the assailants were, they had brutalized and then dragged her longtime friend down the basement steps as she kicked and screamed, fighting back futilely against the two muscle-bound brutes.

Iris pulled free her thick, curving blade that was strapped across her back. The magic runes etched into the blade glowed a dull red. Iris stopped. She backed against the wall and peered carefully around the edge of the wall. She saw them before they saw her.

               “Tell us where the Butterfly Samurai is,” asked one man with a deep, nasally voice. He had the tell-tale accent of a sun elf, speaking in their high-pitched, sing-song way although he spoke in the common tongue.

               “I told you,” said her friend, Pera Baoyt through her body wracking sobs. “I don’t know where she is.”

               “Don’t lie to us,” said the man. “We know that she lives here, now tell us where she is and we’ll be on our way.”

               Iris stepped around the corner, bearing her weapon in an attack stance in front of her. Not giving the two men in the basement a chance to figure out what was going on, she shoved her sword into the back of the sun elf that had been speaking, and the one she assumed was the leader.

“Looking for me,” said Iris as the blade was shoved through his spine, protruding through his stomach and coming out coated with dark globs of crimson. “Well now you’ve found me.”

               The other sun elf assailant spun around, drawing a las-gun pistol. Before he could take a shot, Iris sliced the weapon in half. He rushed towards her, a mistake on his part. Since Iris did not want to kill the sun elf, she engaged him in hand to hand combat. In most cases, an elf wound make quick work of a human due to their enhanced agility but Iris was no ordinary human. The sun elf led with a jab that Iris slapped away lazily as she stood wearing a bored expression and proceeded to deflect the sun elf’s blows. A right hook from the sun elf was easily ducked by Iris and she delivered an elbow to the sun elf’s midsection. The elf collapsed to the basement floor, holding his stomach. With her sword in hand, she rested the tip against the sun elf’s neck as he lay on the floor.

               “Now tell me,” said Iris. “Why are you searching for me? Who sent you?”

               “You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” said the elf.

               “No, actually, you have no idea who you’re dealing with,” said Iris. She raised her sword in the air and slashed down, leaving a bloody gash over the sun elf’s chest. “Now tell me who you are and why you’re searching for me.”

               “Are you serious right now!” shouted the sun elf. “I can’t believe you cut me you crazy broad. When me and my partner don’t check in, you’re gonna have the entire Aver police force on your arse. Just wait, you’ll get what’s coming to you.”

               “So, that’s who hired you,” said Iris. “I doubt that you’re a member of the police… I’m guessing bounty hunter which means I still have some time before they locate me… and some time to get rid of you and your friend.” She knelt down and leaned close to the wounded sun elf. “You made the wrong mistake of taking this contract. You have no idea what I can do.”

               “Oh yeah,” said the sun elf. “Well don’t underestimate us. Those weird eyes of yours won’t save you.”

               Iris laughed, throwing her head back. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, I almost feel sorry for you, you simple little elf. The moment that you locked eyes with me you were dead. My Acro Eyes will trap your soul in another dimension and now your body will do whatever I command it to. I think I’ll send a little message to your cop friends.”

***

“Sir, you better come see this,” said a young, uniformed police officer.

               Sergeant Hoplow looked up from his desk and saw the horror in the eyes of the young sun elf officer and quickly rose from his desk to follow the officer outside. Hoplow let out a low growl at the sight before him.

               The bounty hunters were former police officers that Hoplow had worked with on a previous case when he was first starting out. He ground his teeth together until his jaw hurt. He turned to the young officer.

“What’s that symbol on his chest?”

               “It’s an ancient human symbol,” replied the young officer.

               “I didn’t know the humans had anything that was considered ancient,” said Sergeant Hoplow.

               “Well it’s not ancient compared to us,” said the officer. “But for them it is. It’s a secret symbol that stands for the words butterfly warrior. I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean though.”

               “That’s because this message was meant for me,” said Hoplow. “Someone cut them down and be quick about it.”

               To Sergeant Hoplows horror, just as he was about to turn around, the voice of the grotesque sight before him spoke.

               “Police… officer,” said the head that was embedded into the stomach of the bounty hunter as he hung upside down from a lamp post. The head spoke with a zombie-like cadence. “Next time you take a shot at the queen, you had better kill the queen because now I’ll be coming for you.”

               Sergeant Hoplow spun back around and stormed into the precinct. Once inside his office he made a phone call. “Major Rufap,” said Hoplow. “Get over here. That Butterfly Samurai is a much bigger problem than first thought.”

The Power Array Saga - Season Two - Part VII

Part VII – Consequences of Action

“The general public doesn’t know this yet but we think the murder of Corporeal Maxin and Sergeant Gunop are related to the Mage Monolith Massacre,” said Sergeant Hoplow. His pointy sun elven ears slightly drooped and the white hair of his goatee swayed whenever he spoke. He stood in a morgue surrounded by police officers that had known, worked with, and even been saved in combat by, the two deceased officers.

“The wounds at both crime scenes match up,” Sergeant Hoplow whispered to the major. The sergeant had ebon skin, hazel eyes, and close-cropped white hair which was balding slightly on the top of his head. He wore dark blue trousers and a button-up shirt with a black tie. His badge was pinned to his chest, just above the shirt pocket. Underneath the shirt he wore a bullet-proof, carbon-composite-aramid vest. Sown onto his shirt’s short sleeve were three golden stripes.

               “Do we know who’s responsible?” asked Major Rufap. “Whoever it is must have had help. There’s no way one man could’ve taken down so many elite magic users.” Major Rufap had thick, plush pink lips on her dark chocolate complexioned face and dark green eyes. She wore her pinkish beige hair short, it barely reaching her neck. On her shoulder, a golden lotus leaf badge was sewn into her dark blue shirt.

               “So far, according to the forensic team, they think the perpetrator is one man with a sword,” replied Sergeant Hoplow.

               The other police officers in the room whispered amongst themselves in disbelief. Their acute elven hearing was able to pick up every word their comrades spoke. Several individuals started betting on how many perpetrators could have overtook two of the best trained officers on the force along with some of the most powerful magicians residing in the Mage Monolith.

               “You know I can’t believe that Serg,” said Major Rufap with a shake of her head. “Not until I see it. There’s no way one person could’ve done all this, especially with just a sword, that’s impossible.”

               “Nothing’s impossible,” said Commissioner Steelskin entering the morgue. The tall sun elf had rippling muscles and walked with his back straight, chest puffed out; a commanding presence in any room. The commissioner wore a black beret with the golden lotus sown in the front. Circling around the golden lotus was a matching golden wreath. He had unblinking, steely black eyes and a thick gray beard and mustache, thin lips and a pointed, hooked nose that resembled a bird’s beak. He wore a black suit and tie with a white shirt underneath. On the suit jacket above each breast were splatterings of pins and medals along with a row of medals running from neck to shoulder.

The other elves in the room stepped aside to clear a path.

Stopping in front of the two gray metallic slabs, Commissioner Steelskin briefly peered under the thick, white blanket that covered his subordinate’s faces. After replacing the white sheet, he took a deep breath and turned around to stare at almost his entire police precinct that had come to pay their respects to their fallen comrades.

“Men, we may have a serial killer in our capital city of Aver,” said Commissioner Steelskin. “I’ve stood as a protector for the citizens of the United Elven Kingdom for nearly my entire adult life. I will not let these murders go unanswered. We’ll devote every ounce of energy and elf power that we have into discovering who did this. Now let’s get started on putting this bastard behind bars. I want boots on the ground talking to people, reviewing surveillance cameras, and checking every flight, train and rental car purchase made within the last week.”

“But sir, that could take… weeks, if not months,” said Sergeant Hoplow.

“Well then, since you were the first to complain, that’ll be your assignment. So I suggest you get started,” responded Commissioner Steelskin. “Major Rufap, since he’s under your command, you’ll be reporting directly to me. I expect a full report on my desk first thing in the morning on what progress you’ve made in locating our killer.”

“Sir, yes sir,” said Major Rufap through clenched teeth with a stiff salute as she eyed Sergeant Hoplow.

The commissioner stormed from the room, hard-souled boots clicking on the white tiled floor.

Once the commissioner was gone, Major Rufap repeatedly punched Sergeant Hoplow in the shoulder.

“Ouch, stop it,” complained Sergeant Hoplow as he ran to the other side of the room.

“You just had to say something didn’t you,” said Major Rufap.

“If I would’ve known he was going to say that then I would have kept my mouth shut,” Sergeant Hoplow responded.

“From now on just keep your mouth shut permanently,” said Major Rufap. “You’re not to speak unless spoken to. Now get outta here and get to work. Also, see if you can get a couple of your fellow officers to help you out. Whoever did this must have left behind some type of clue. I want a team to go and inspect the Mage Monolith again and check it with a fine-tooth comb. Another team will go to Jump Street and talk to any witnesses that might have seen what happened that day. Whoever did this, we’re gonna catch that bastard. We have the eyes of the entire civilian population of the UEK watching us and waiting for answers. The last thing we need is for sun elves to start panicking because they think their streets are unsafe. I’m going to go find out what type of martial arts styles could possibly be skilled enough to kill people this effectively.”

“Ummm, mam, sir,” said Sergeant Hoplow tentatively.

“I thought I told you not to speak until spoken to Hoplow,” said Major Rufap angrily.

“But I know the answer to your question,” replied Sergeant Hoplow.

Major Rufap stared at the elf with a skeptical eyebrow raised.

“The most deadly martial arts style on planet Threa is the rietsu,” said Sergeant Hoplow. “But there’s only one man that knew how to perform it.”

“Well get on it damnit,” Major Rufap said. “Where is he? Who is he?”

“He’s dead major,” said Sergeant Hoplow.

“Well thanks for nothing but wasting my time,” said Major Rufap.

“But, he taught only two students,” said Sergeant Hoplow. “One is a criminal known as the Butterfly Samurai and no one knows of her whereabouts.”

“And the other?” asked Major Rufap.

“Rumor has it,” said Sergeant Hoplow, “that the other person is the son of the human chancellor and the illegitimate son of the elven princess. They say that his name is Momotaru.”