HUXLEY

“Detective Huxley,” she admitted before stuffing her badge away again. “And no, you may not. I need you to slowly turn toward the wall and set your hands against it.” She hadn’t forgotten the fact that there was blood on the ground. Which is why she needed to contain this woman and clear the area while she could.

Eli kicked the black plastic bag at his feet back further into the shadows as he stepped out into the meager light leaking in from the mouth of the alley. Every once in awhile, his duty as bouncer also turned into his duty as ‘discrete disposer of mysterious trash bags he didn’t dare look into’. Tonight, with a buzz of his phone, he’d once again found himself driving far from the neon lights of the Silver Spurs with a trunk full of shiny black trash bags, and a fifth of whiskey open in the seat next to him. 

She holstered her Beretta and looked the stranger in front of her over curiously. Even though he may not have been a meta, he didn’t seem harmless either. Large and muscular build littered with tattoos, and an attitude without surprise of a gun in his face? This man was trouble - or had least seen some. Though she tried not to be completely prejudiced as she assumed a casual yet authoritative stance, hands idle at her belt.

“You always take your trash out this late?” She questioned with an arched, sculpted brow. 

She was not tall, no more that 5’6 with two of those inches gifted by ruined leather boots, and sylph-like. Talia did not look the part of predator and she played that to her advantage as they shifted together, never moving closer than the other moved away, following Huxley’s lead until they were both in the growing light from the street.

“Has nobody told you it isn’t safe to wander alone at night?” Huxley prefaced, her eyes steadily upon the stranger in front of her. Regardless of appearing innocent, she still had a hunch that that was blood at her feet. She paused to hear an answer from the woman, but even if she didn’t respond, she’d follow up with another question. “What’s your name?” The first of many.

A slow breath brought in the natural feminine fragrance of the woman lingering just out of sight. No single female would be dumb enough to explore the dark alleys of Vegas alone. Unless… ‘she’s a fucking cop.’ Talia thought. Still crouched low over the slowing pool of blood, Talia was motionless. Her body was tense with energy waiting to be released, like a cat just before the pounce.

“And neither do you if that’s blood you’re stepping in,” Huxley said calmly, poised and ready to shoot, even though they were at a bit of a stand off. Her eyes strained for the details from the feminine voice, a tall form taking shape at least, but it wasn’t good enough. “Las Vegas Metropolitan Police,” she lied in introduction, “step out into the light with your hands surrendered.”

She couldn’t have been certain the stranger was armed anyway. For every step the stranger took out, she’d take a step back toward the mouth to the street.

Heeled boots hit the ground as the kickstand was knocked into place under her bike. Its clean white paint was a stark contrast to the black fitted riding pants and jacket. Utility beat fashion tonight and both hands ran over the supple leather and across the the twin Beretta Nano’s tucked away at the small of her back, ensuring their access before she turned to contemplate the multitude of a darkened alleys that stretched before her.

Dark, quiet, the district was all but abandoned for the evening. The emptiness a bit unnerving in what should be a busy city. The only sign of life was the rustlings of the homeless hidden among the shadows and the unclean odor that lingered around them. But there was something more, the distinct scent of blood caught the air. With the elevated grace of a wild cat stalking its prey, Talia strode down the alley, hoping to arrive before the attacker had lost interest. A single story brick wall blocked her path to the growing aroma… It was too much blood, she was too late and she knew it even as she pushed off the wall with one foot to jump onto the dumpsters lid. Metal banged against metal and scraped against brick as she landed and lept again to vault the wall.

Coming up on the first dumpster she’d thought she had heard a noise from, she paused as the pool of dark liquid became visible upon the concrete. It was thick, and it still seemed fresh or disrupted at least. But before she inspected what it could have been, she needed to clear the corner she couldn’t see - the other side of the dumpster.

Her pistol’s barrel raised upward at the ready, and with careful steps she placed her back near the opposite wall. Just before her line of sight broke, she took a quick step past the dumpster, her gun pointed on the corner, hoping to get the jump on anything would it have been there.