Lonely Thieves

Act IV, Part XV

Kolya's Side (April 14, 8:30 pm)

Kolya, Raven, and Ingrid ran through the streets of the Morning Star district, avoiding crowded and bright areas as they made their way to the district's borders. With Ingrid along, they couldn't travel by Raven's usual method of jumping across rooftops, so they had to rely on the darkened alleyways to keep themselves hidden. It put them at higher risk of being discovered, but it was something that couldn't be helped.

Raven didn't seem to mind the change, but Kolya found it a bit bothersome. In general, he didn't enjoy running around on foot, especially in his advanced age, but traffic was too heavy at this time to make driving efficient. He glanced at Raven, who should have been about the same age as him. He looked like he had hardly lost any stamina at all, which was surprising even considering his cybernetic enhancements. It was enough to make Kolya rethink, just for a moment, his dislike of cybernetics.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden chill crawling up his back, and he ducked instinctively. He could hear the sound of a silenced pistol shot cutting through the night air and feel the sensation of something whizzing right past his head. He turned around and spied a man in the distance, wearing the badge of the Innocenti mafia on his lapel.

Kolya reached up to his ear and tapped on the communication headset given to him by Raven. "Something's come up. I think it'll be a good idea to split up for a bit."

"Got it. You already know where to go, so just don't take too long."

"Who should I go with?" Ingrid asked worriedly.

"Go with Raven," Kolya responded instantly. "Listen to everything he says and you'll be fine."

"Got it. I'll see you soon, then."

Raven and Ingrid ran off to the north, while Kolya stayed behind. As soon as they decided to split up, Kolya pulled out his pistol and fired off a shot at the man who had fired at him. The man dodged the shot, but it did what he wanted to do, which was make sure that the man would keep his attention focused on him.

Kolya aimed his pistol in the direction of the man in the distance, but a shot from the side knocked the pistol out of Kolya's hands. Kolya looked around as he nursed his wounded hand and spied another man holding a pistol in the distance.

Without picking up his lost pistol, Kolya immediately began running to the south while the Innocenti men abandoned any attempt at stealth and ran after him. Kolya was sure that he would call for reinforcements soon, and while he couldn't be certain that all of them would be going after him, he could at least lower the number of pursuers after Raven and Ingrid.

Kolya ran towards the crowded main streets of the Morning Star district. He wasn't hoping to lose his tail, but he knew they were armed and willing to fire. Running into a crowd should keep them from firing, if only to avoid bringing attention to themselves.

Kolya pushed through the throngs of people, trying his best to appear visible while also keeping a distance from his pursuers. He didn't have a plan in mind for how to get rid of the Innocenti, but he knew getting caught was a bad idea, especially while he was unarmed.

As he continued to push through the crowds, he caught sight of a similarly dressed man crouched in a nearby darkened alleyway. The Special Soldier looked as if he wasn't planning on pursuing, but Kolya could catch sight of a radio. It was likely that he was being tracked. He was fine with that. Better to focus their attention on him more than anyone else.

Kolya continued to put distance between him and his pursuers, though his pace was halted by the endless crowds of people. He made his way to a street crossing, but he was forced to stop due to the lights turning red. As he waited impatiently for the light to change, he suddenly felt something press against his back.