You have really gotten yourself worked up over a sneeze Derek asked his mouth quirking up in amusement
Hydie abruptly frowned to see him act so flippantly about the situation It was a high stress scenario We tightened the screws and had him on his back foot He was panicking and about to reveal the truth Then I sneezed due to my damned luck and broke all the tension It wasnÆt just a sneeze
Snorting Derek turned away from Hydie and continued walking forward Rather incensed Hydie stomped after him What What is it WhatÆs so funny
I donÆt think this was about you at all Hydie Derek continued His serious eyes flicked side to side along the streets Even now he was weighing the surroundings for threats That man he was sent here by someone but he doesnÆt seem like he was given a mission It just feels more like he is an alcoholic that was maneuvered into walking into a bar the rest happened organically He had the propensity for violence and the opportunity triggered him Some people find the spirit of Kharon quite off putting you know
AND we could have learned that secret from his own lips rather than relying on all this conjecture Hydie huffed They proceeded off of KharonÆs main commercial thoroughfare and toward the large bridge between Kharon and the outskirts of the Orchard Next time I promise you I wonÆt let the bad luck hanging around me get in the way
As if on cue DerekÆs hand shot out and snatched an icicle that had been falling toward the head of an oblivious pedestrian in front of them Derek scrutinized the surrounding roofs but found that this was basically the last remaining icicle large enough to be an inconvenience It was a stubborn holdout from the storm two days ago finally succumbing to the sunÆs influence
Despite the fact that even Hydie would admit that the System largely made humanity powerful enough that such an icicle was harmless she pulled quite hard on DerekÆs shoulder to turn him around Then she jabbed her finger at the pick of ice in his hand See This is why IÆm worried Maybe I shouldnÆt be involved in these investigations I could normally focus my abilities on our enemies but we donÆt know who our enemies are So the bad coincidences keep piling up around us and you
This Derek waved the forearm sized icicle in front of HydieÆs face These things happen You donÆt have a monopoly on accidents Hydie Bad things happened before you were born
HydieÆs glare was vicious as she slapped DerekÆs arm to get the icicle out of her face How can you be stupid about this Just because you have reacted well to the hex so far doesnÆt mean you always will And what will you do if you are injured or killed huh What will your son Tim think of that Suddenly an orphan like all the other brats on this Wandering City All because you are too proud to admit
Suddenly Hydie ran out of steam She licked her lips and then bit them The pale light of the sun filtered down on them while people walked past the duo The people eyed the two Order Ducis operatives that stopped in the middle of the walkway but didnÆt give their presence much thought The wind was cold as it whistled past Abruptly Hydie flushed I probably shouldnÆt have thrown his son in his face
O o or said that bit about orphans
The rather blank way that Derek was staring at her seemed to energize all of HydieÆs insecurities People continued to walk past in both directions Her heartbeat began to quicken DerekÆs eyes were dark and heavy as he looked at her Was he realizing that what she said about the inherent risks of proximity to her was true That the two of them shouldnÆt be partners any longer
Eventually Hydie couldnÆt stand the silence any longer Hey Derek I
We have work Derek interrupted in a rough tone Then he turned away and flexed his hand crushing the icicle into harmless snow powder With the police force gone we are standing in for the patrol officers Besides can you feel it in the air The people of Kharon are angry Looks like word of the attack has spread Our job is especially important at the moment
Derek had taken several large strides forward before Hydie blinked and scrambled after him For whatever reason her heart was still uneasy as she looked at his broad shoulders But Hydie knew that now that he had brought up work he was absolutely done with the prior subject So Hydie could only bury her anxiety and ask Would people getting angry be a problem Sometimes sometimes people get angry but it really doesnÆt mean anything
You are right about that Derek grunted They had reached the archway that housed the segmented rope bridges swaying down to the city below Of course most people didnÆt need to utilize the bridges to get down they possessed enough Endurance and Vitality to just jump off the edge and crash into the ground But both to prevent damage to the surrounding area and for the sake of appearances they made the bridges It might not mean anything that the people of Kharon are angry by itself But that means we need to be extra careful that there isnÆt any further spark to set this place ablaze
Derek continued to walk forward toward the main thoroughfare into and out of Kharon but HydieÆs steps gradually slowed Her eyes were on the fragile ropes of the bridges that creaked side to side with the wind and peopleÆs casual steps Derek arenÆt we just supposed to patrol Kharon
With more speed than Hydie had expected Derek spun around and studied her with sharp eyes That gaze became a blade that lanced through her body and pinned her to the ground While he watched her Hydie felt like a rare butterfly that had been extremely difficult to catch now victoriously suppressed by a grudge holding insect collector
But gradually DerekÆs expression eased we wonÆt be leaving And I suppose waiting here is fine
So the two stood Hydie staring at the ground and wondering if he was mad at her and Derek looking toward the bridges They waited for about three minutes before a skinny man with excessive arm hair walked up onto Kharon proper and looked around Even though HydieÆs image detection was much less acute than DerekÆs her gaze immediately locked onto this young man when he entered her line of sight
The man scratched his arm habitually and looked around with a gaze encumbered by extremely deep purple bags under his eyes From the curl of his lip it was clear that he didnÆt have any positive intentions toward Kharon
Derek immediately stepped forward Excuse me sir can I ask you a few questions
DerekÆs voice was low but he immediately drew the gazes of everyone going in and out of the arch Those people subconsciously slowed their pace to get a better look at what was happening In the face of DerekÆs calm smile the man with the heavy bags under his eyes looked uneasily side to side
Even those not from Kharon would recognize the eye catching sigil of the Order Ducis on Derek and HydieÆs arm The young man cleared his throat I IÆm sorry do you have the wrong person IÆm just here
Kharon is home to some of the most sophisticated image users in the world Derek interrupted His smile widened Did you really think that you could walk in with all of that resentment and ill will and not be noticed
Hydie flexed her fingers and then dropped her hands to the pair of handcuffs at her belt Even if she was still feeling somewhat worried about DerekÆs opinions of her this was at least a good distraction Since they were filling in for patrol officers Hydie was ready to work out some of her frustrations through an arrest
What she didnÆt expect was for the young man to stare at Derek for a long time and then burst into tears
For the moment they took him back to the station to be put in a holding cell Then for the next six hours Hydie rushed after Derek Moss watching him avoid the misfortune that came along with remaining near her and also casually intercepting other individuals with malicious intent as they came into Kharon All told they had caught five such people before their shift was over