Shadow Image

[arvg]

A throng of people spilled out of the bars and taverns, pushing their way towards the local temple of Discordianism. And from the upper gallery, unarmed and unobserved, Alvarez, El Coyote, watched his prey slipping in with them.

Predictability of maneuvers was to be expected, Warner seemed to have forgotten his training.

He was assuming nothing, keeping his eyes peeled watching for pursuit, allowing the hounds to drive him.

Though he always broke the Cardinal rule, never look back. A Coalition Spec Ops Officer knew that he was never alone, and looking back would only give away the position. It was what seperated a Coyote from a frightened pup.

He had no realization that everyone around him were being as subtly guided as he was himself. From the Child pulling at her mother's hand, through to the grizzled old Zoner changing a light bulb. The Coalition was in complete control of the situation.

A man that was bleeding as much as Warner was, attracted attention. There was no real way for him to blend in like that. And his pattern never wavered or varied. That was probably due to the pain. It didn't much matter to Alvarez. It all worked to his favour.

Alvarez crossed the upper gallery, giving a signal for his men to cover the exits, walking through the doors to the inner sanctum of the religious. Allowing them to bang audibly, echoing through the room.

"Colonel Warner," Alvarez's voice rang out as he rested languidly on the edge of the balcony, looking down at the congregation.

On cue, the Discordians parted from the man in their midst, some of them looking almost apologetically, some looking sad, as they slowly filed from the great antechamber, leaving Warner alone in the ornately carved and paneled room with Alvarez on the upper balcony.

"You always did underestimate us, Hermano," Alvarez said opening his jacket to demonstrate that he was completely unarmed, turning a little to prove he had nothing strapped to his back.

"There is no way for me to harm you, nor for you to reach me up here. The Discordians assure me that we are completely free, holmes, to have a little chat, si?"

He pointed at the blood dripping on the royal blue carpet, "and given your injuries, esse, you're all out of running, si? So what do you say, do you talk to me now?"

---