"I hope everyone has gotten their mingling done," Ringa announced while slowing the carrier down. "Refinery 72 isn't too far from where we're about to land." The vehicle came to an abrupt halt. Ringa carefully maneuvered the descending vehicle between a narrow set of buildings before landing it in the middle of an abandon section of the sector. With the carrier grounded, she turned around to face her partner. "You ready?" she asked quietly. Brielle looked over her gun one more time, making sure that her weapon was in working order. The officer pressed a switch, making a loud click.
"I'm ready." Brielle kept the weapon pointed upwards with her finger off the trigger as she stepped out of the passenger seat of the vehicle. Both the detective and the officer stepped out and closed their doors behind them.
"I guess that's our cue to do the same," Itzel said as she opened her door. Janus hopped off his seat but froze the moment he examined his surroundings. A thick and dark haze obscured the area. Of the short distance that he could see, rubble lay scattered across the ground. The pavement he stood on was uneven, cracked and crushed like tectonic plates that had be eroding against each other for centuries. In front of him stood the remains of what once a refinery. Large cracks travelled up the length of what remained of the building's wall. The upper portion had collapsed inside itself, making the top of the building come to a jagged and crumbling end. At the base were long metal wires that jutted out from bits of wall that had fallen.
"Is this Refinery 72?" Janus said aloud to anyone who could answer.
"No," Ringa said as she opened the hatch doors to the hauler. Enidri jumped out first with Gurk following right behind her. "The one we're heading to is just a few buildings away. But this was the only place that had enough area for me to park the carrier. It's a short walk to Refinery 72 from here." Janus could see a tall and rusted chain-link fence in front of the parked carrier.
"It's going to feel like an eternity,” Enidri said as she looked towards their destination. "I guarantee you we won't be coming anywhere close to Refinery 72 without some fighting." She pressed a button on the hilt of her Ion Blade and activated. The bright orange beam lit up a small area around her. "I'll lead," she said as she walked in the direction of the target refinery. "I'm the best Exterminator here, so it's best if I go in first."
"Hold on Enidri," Itzel said. The swordswoman turned to face her.
"What is it?" she replied.
"Are you sure that your brother is hiding out in Refinery 72? Looking around, any of these places could be used to stow away in."
"No, I'm not sure," Enidri replied curtly. "I already told the detective that I don't know for a fact where he is. I'm just going off a hunch."
"We're taking a big risk off of your 'hunch.'"
"If you've got any better ideas, I'm all ears," Enidri shot back.
"When was the last time you talked to him?"
"I told you already! I haven't seen him years! Not since our father died."
"Don't worry, I remember.” Itzel said almost apologetically. “I just didn't want us heading off towards some random abandoned building and risking our lives for no reason."
"Take it up with the detective then. Since I'm here, I'm going to make the most out of this little detour. Hopefully I can earn a decent amount of Tokens at the very least." The others caught up with Enidri and Itzel. Everyone turned towards the detective as they awaited to hear what the next part of the plan was.
"Am I clear to go Ringa?" Enidri said. "Or is there some other bureaucracy we've got to deal with before we can actually get this operation going?"
"We don't have time to wait for the Labrisson Justice Department to get back to us. We'll have to make our move now."
"That's what I wanted to hear." Enidri then walked in front of the long metal fence that separated the section they were in from the area that they were trying to get to. "You won't report me for destroying Labrisson property, will you?" she shouted back at the detective. Ringa shook her head from side to side.
"Good." With four swift slashes, she cut through the chains in the fence and kicked in the section that she had just sliced and created a small entrance. "We'll be taking a more direct route. Just watch your step. The metal is still hot." Enidri stepped through, followed by Itzel with the two officers and Janus not far behind. Only Gurk remained on the other side of the fence, looking through the entrance that had been cut.
"My bad, Gurk," Enidri said. Starting from the bottom of the fence, she dragged her sword around the hole she had just cut, making it big enough that Gurk could get through by ducking and without grazing against the smoldering bits of metal. Once on the other side, everyone turned their backs to the carrier to look towards the center of the section they were in.
Despite being a short walk away from the other block of refineries, the one that the group had found themselves was in a significantly worse shape. Entire buildings had been reduced to nothing but piles of steel. The pavement had been turned into a long, rolling series of mountains from the way it had been cracked and shattered. The light from the stars and moon were dimmed by the thick exhaust spewed out by the rest of the Refinery Sector, making the long expanse look like silhouettes in the distance.
"Coming across Essencima is going to be inevitable," Enidri said with a hush, "but that doesn't mean we can't save ourselves a few battles by being smart. I'll lead us on the shortest path towards Refinery 72. Follow my trail and try to be quiet. I'll get us there as soon as possible." Enidri put one finger in front of her lips as her eyes scanned the rest of the group. Everyone else nodded as they began to follow her footsteps in a single file line.
The area was dead quiet. Even the typical hum of the machines working in the Refinery Sector was absent. Enidri made sure to stay close to the walls of the destroyed buildings, minimizing her visibility to avoid being potentially spotted by roving Essencima. Janus pressed his hand against the wall of a building to maintain his balance against the uneven ground until he felt his hand come across a viscous substance. He yanked his hand off the wall and gazed at his palm. There was think black substance had gotten on his skin. He brought it closer to his eyes. His mind darted back to the sludgy pool in the park. Itzel noticed Janus trailing behind and retreated from the group to meet up with him.
"Everything alright, Janus?" she asked in a whisper. Janus shook his hand, trying to fling off the gunk that stuck to his skin.
"Look at the walls," he said as turned towards the section that his hand had brushed against. "This stuff is everywhere. Looks like the same thing we saw that Essencima climb up out of back in the park."
Itzel leaned in further to examine the substance for herself. As she did so, Enidri noticed that the other two had stopped following her. She walked beside them, giving both Janus and Itzel a cold look.
"What did I say about following me?" Enidri said in the meanest whisper possible. Janus showed her his hand and the pointed towards the crumbling wall with the other.
"Look. It looks just like that same stuff that we saw a Tauria spawn out of."
"That's because all Essencima spawn from it!" Enidri quietly exclaimed in annoyance. "This place has been taken over by them. You're going to see that gunk everywhere. So unless you want to be the target of some Essencima, I suggest you keep following me!" The swordswoman stomped off in the opposite direction. Itzel and Janus followed behind her, making sure to stay in formation this time. As they progressed further, a familiar cackling made Janus shiver.
The backs of a couple of Lurkers could be seen up ahead, standing between the ruined remnants of two buildings. Enidri dashed forward, and with one horizontal slash, severed the upper halves of their bodies from their lower portions. The slain Essencima crumpled to the ground in near silence. Enidri turned around and motioned for the rest to come to her side. Once everyone was close enough, she brought everyone together for a huddle.
"We step out of this alley and it's a straight walk for Refiner 72. Just keep following my lead and we might be lucky enough to make it there without any fighting." Her one eye peered at Janus. "And that means no staying behind to touch things. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am," an embarrassed Janus replied.
Enidri turned around and crept forward. She placed one foot on top of a pile rubble as she put one hand over her eye to survey the land in front of her. Beyond the alley that they were hiding in was a long expanse that had totaled carriers scattered across it. Further out was another block of once-running refineries. Shadows roamed in the distance. Only the glowing yellow of the Essencima's eyes were visible from where she stood, making it impossible to figure out how many were out there, let alone what types they were.
Despite the lack of information, Enidri still pressed on, keeping her Ion Blade off to avoid any possible detection from roaming Essencima. Brielle kept behind her, finally putting her finger on the trigger of her gun as she eyed the yellow spots that floated in the distance. Ringa travelled behind her partner with a pair of small pistols drawn while Gurk wasn't too far behind.
"Maybe you should go before me Janus," Itzel murmured. "I think I'm more suited to fight something that might sneak up from behind. If you go next, at least Gurk and I will be able to protect you from two sides." She then gave Janus a shove in the back, making him step forward. "Don't bother asking any questions. Just go. I don't feel like hearing Eni go off again."
"Fine. And to be fair, I don't either." Janus and Itzel maintained the single file line. They could see Enidri look back them, visibly annoyed, but continued to lead. They didn't cover much distance before coming across a troop of Essencima that roamed the middle of the crumbling lot. Enidri dashed behind the cover of a crushed carrier, kneeling low so she could peek her head out in the scene. The others did the same, with Ringa and Brielle hiding behind the same vehicle as Enidri while the other three found safety behind a long public carrier. Janus adjusted his glasses, and through the smash window of the vehicle was able to get a better view of the creatures that awaited ahead.
Janus tugged on Itzel's jacket, drawing her ire as she stood up. "What is it?" she said. Janus pointed through the window as he jutted his head just high enough above the smashed window to get a view of the territory that the Essencima roamed.
"It's another Tauria," he whispered.
"Great. Just what we needed." Itzel stood up just enough so that her eyes also poked just above the sill. As she squinted, something had caught her attention.
"Hey! I think that's the same one from the park," Itzel said quietly.
"What makes you say that?"
"Remember? Gurk took off part of one of the Tauria's horns. Now look at it on the left side. Notice something?"
Janus let out a gasp from the revelation. One horn had been broken off, leaving the remaining portion short and jagged. "I think you're right! Then that probably means we're in the right area."
"I'll go tell Eni and the others," Itzel whispered. She turned her head towards the direction where the other three were. Enidri kept one hand on the front of the vehicle while the other held onto her Ion Blade. The swordswoman looked ready to strike as she took one step forward. The Tauria turned itself around, putting its rear towards the Exterminator.
"She's going in for a surprise attack," Janus said. "What if the man that had been caught is still inside there?"
The thought ran through Itzel's mind. She blinked a few times as she let out a sight. "I wish you didn't say that Janus."
"Why?"
"Because now I'm going to have to stop Enidri from slicing into that thing!"
