Meta Wars / Season One /

Trail Goes Cold / Ballroom Blitz / It's A Long Way to the Top...

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#EPISODE 17 - The Kellco Case - Trail Goes Cold / Ballroom Blitz / It's A Long Way to the Top...

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"I don't have any information," CannotFitThisUsernam spoke to me in a very condescending manner. I could tell he was lying, but there was nothing I could do. The trail had gone cold and the warehouse where we had seen the tracker last led to nothing. We investigated that place for ages, secret passages, underground corridors, even pulled in Haikumo to see if there were any magic seals protecting the place. Nothing. It boggled my mind.

"Alright, bud, my partner's gonna give you his card. If you do 'happen' to 'remember' something, make sure to give us a call. There will be something in it for you if you do 'remember'."

'Saw Aulus hand him his business card, but underneath it was a couple upvotes. Gotta bribe some of these mid-level city folk.

"Thank you, officers. I'll make sure of it." We began to walk away and my arm began to glow with pain as the wound hadn't healed right. Those Kellco's musta had their weapons coated, but luckily, we had access to the best medicine in the City.

"We've gone cold, Killer." I knew that. Why was he reiterating my frustration? "You know, sometimes, we just move on to next case. I mean, we got another file open, how 'bout that H9419 feller? She's been selling shipping fuel for ages. We could give her a-knockin'," Aulus said while we walked by the bazaar. I never liked this skywalk. It wreaked of UnderBelly, but they let the merchants come up to sell their wares to the Mid-Levelers.

While we 'rounded the corner, away from the bazaar a man leaning against the wall, hat down, whistled at us. The man lifted his arm, which was filled with a series of watches. They looked authentic; to be walking around so brazen, he must have some good clout among this area.

"You're new around here ain't you?" He was talking to Aulus. "Couldn't help but overhear your predicament, boys. Name's Not_Adachi_San, but that doesn't matter a bit."

"On with it." Aulus asserted his position.

"Hey, hey, now. The ball's in my court, kid. I need a little push to get it over on your side of the field." Aulus pulled out a few upvotes from the inner portion of his overcoat, making sure to brandish his pistol in the process.

The informant took the upvotes gracefully, throwing them and catching them in his pocket. "Neat little toy you got there. Make sure to use it wisely." He winked at me. I didn't like that. "Well, let's get on with it. If you don't know there's a hidden bar, far eastern UnderBelly. It's in the old station, they serve all kinds, you'll meet my associate Melon_Notsexual. I warn you, it's a little rough, you might wanna wear something teal or green. That'll be it." I pulled Aulus by the collar back around the corner.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" I wasn't ready to get into another scrap with those damn Kellco bastards.

"He's unaffiliated. Take a look at his waist." I peeked around the corner again; the guy looked at me again. I studied him, he was wearing a belt buckle, the same color was the same that the Starco Empire had adopted." I shot my head back to Aulus. "Okay, but I swear to god, if we get into some trouble- imma give some trouble."

It was another long walk to the elevator to the UnderBelly. I hadn't used this one in years, but how did Aulus know of it? He led the way and his confidence proved to me something. I was developing suspicion about him. He knew his way around, much more than a normal person or even one of us should. I could see him memorizing the layout of the City from our maps, but this was a service elevator. No map had this lift on it.