The Scarman Enigma

[|Scarecrow|]

Forty-Ninth Street, Los Angeles Capital,
Three blocks from the Starwood Hotel

The eight-wheeler freight vehicle shuddered uncomfortably as Seras Victoria braked hard ahead of the police blockade. The large road-bound vehicle grumbled to a halt, some of its wheels locking in the process of deceleration. The huge tyres scored scattered lines of burned rubber into the road surface. To the rear of the cab, Harada Chie grimace in pain, clutching at her ribs. Lucas Anderson leaned toward her, placing a reassuring hand over her shoulders. “Easy, easy,”

Seras gritted her teeth as she took in the sight before her. As they had discovered at nearly every turn, all the roads leading into downtown LA Capital had now been effectively blockaded. They had tried several approaches, but each time they had been turned away by local law enforcement. From this route, she could see the scarred entrance to the Starwood Hotel, some three or four blocks further up the street. Masses of armed law enforcement were teeming around the entryway. The whole place had been fully locked down and likely evacuated. Seras had no doubt that whatever elite Liberty special ops forces this dimension had to offer would be making their way up the tower, floor by floor.

There were at least ten native LACPD officers at the blockade, along with a couple of armoured aircars and a string of temporary barriers. Blue and amber lights flashed in scattered groups, and several of the officers were carrying what appeared to be some kind of high-energy laser rifles. Two of them approached the eight-wheeler as Seras opened the door and stepped down to the street.
“A lockdown is in effect in this area, I’m afraid you can’t-” The lead officer stopped, a puzzled expression on his face. “Ma’am?”

Dressed in her full combat gear as she was, Seras certainly did not look like a haulage truck operator. The officer’s hand slowly travelled down towards the pistol in his hip holster. Seras raised her arms, defensively.
“Officer,” She began, “We need access to the hotel. A member of my team is ahead of me, and she needs backup.”
“What unit is that?” The officer thumbed the catch on his holster. “I don’t recognise your colours.”
“Stand back!” Another officer had fanned around to the side, and was addressing Lucas Anderson, who had clambered down to the street to stand beside Seras. “No sudden movements.”
Anderson raised his arms to match Seras as he gently completed his descent down to the ground.
“We can’t fight them,” Lucas muttered quietly to Seras, “There’s way too many of them, and Chie’s injuries from the fall are more severe than we thought.”

The lead officer opened his comms, presumably to a command unit somewhere nearby. “Bravo ten-four, I’ve got a freight truck at blockade seven being driven by some… unknowns. One of their uniforms is a close match to that of the woman arrested at the base of the tower.”
“Shit,” Seras turned around to look at Lucas, “Miyu?”
Anderson shrugged, concern in his eyes, “Maybe?”
“What was that?” The lead officer demanded as he drew his pistol, “Speak up.”
“Please,” Seras emphasised her submissive posture, “We mean you no harm. We are trying to contain what’s happening here.”
The officer brought his pistol up and aimed it direct at Seras, “Ma’am, if you’re involved in this, I have no choice but to arrest you here and now.”
Seras took a half-step forward, “I have no time to explain this, but we have to get through- We might be able to stop this bloodshed.”
“I don’t think so,” The officer looked to one of his team. The other armed officers had encircled the truck and were aiming their weapons. “Cuff them.”

Lucas looked up despairingly at the Starwood Hotel as a couple of native LACPD approached with sets of energy-binders. The tower was partially blocked by the other skyscrapers surrounding it, but Lucas could clearly see evidence of a major battle taking place. Much of the topmost levels were surrounded in a hazy of faint whisps of black smoke, the telltale signs of budding fires. Scores of native law enforcement vehicles circled the tower, and the faint streamers and beams of light that signified gunfire were alarmingly evident.
“You all need to come with me,” The police officer spoke evenly and clearly, looking up to the truck where the pale face of Harada Chie peered back out at him.

Lucas and Seras looked at each other in defeat. There were hundreds of law enforcement personnel now surrounding the hotel. To enter non-lethal combat against so many promised certain defeat, even for two highly trained HiME agents and a Freedom Fighters Admiral. In unison, they lowered their defences and allowed the officers to apply the energy-binders. There was little they could do to help their comrades. They were out of the fight.

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