"Viper7, this is Command. We have a 10-60 at Nevsky street, with one confirmed fatality. Suspect was last seen fleeing the area on foot. We need you to apprehend and bring him in for questioning. Arrest warrant and GPS coordinates are being transmitted to your unit now."

Emeraude sat up, unsure if she had heard correctly.

Nevsky street?

That was in the Northern quarter. Way out of her assigned section in the Eastern. She knew there were several agents in that area and by all means they should have been the ones being given this task.

"Questioning your superiors is not part of your job description," Emeraude murmured to herself as she started up her car. "Serve and protect."

She tracked the suspect's path as he made his way down to the Eastern quarter, and groaned when she saw where he had taken refuge.

Emeraude exhaled deeply as the of a Raven-class helicopter reverberated off the towering buildings that loomed above her. She gazed skyward to catch a glimpse of the shadowy form of the chopper as it weaved its way across the street, the glint of a long rifle in the open doorway catching her eye.

Jasper had been sent by Command to accompany her once she had relayed information on where her target had chosen to hideout.

She tapped her earpiece in. "I thought I told you to be subtle."

"I can't watch your back while on the ground," Jasper replied from the other end of the line. "Up here I can see everything!"

"You're also a big target hovering above a city full of pissed off supernatural criminals."

There was a short pause while Jasper digested what Emeraude had said. "Are you sure this is possible?" he asked.

"I'm sure it's not," Emeraude said. "Otherwise it wouldn't be any fun. They've installed new barriers using thick concrete walls and heavy steel doors, complete with a secondary layer of defense featuring fortified windows and high-security locks. Impenetrable."

"Really?"

"No."

The sky above was a dull and lifeless gray, with a misty rain that seemed to coat everything in a dreary haze. Emeraude turned down the street and veered right onto 7th Avenue, expertly avoiding the throngs of protesters that had taken up residence on Main Street. She continued on toward the bustling Starlight Plaza, where towering holographic displays flickered and flashed at irregular intervals. The "Starlight" sign still worked, despite the blank spots that now marred its surface. It had been a while since she had last walked these streets, but nothing much had changed. The city still had the same drab stone buildings, grayed with smoke and covered in graffiti on every visible side. The streets were littered with trash overflowing from bins that hadn't been emptied in ages. The place was fairly deserted, abandoned during one of the biggest human-supernatural clashes in recent history. Jupyter had further declared that the entire division was off-bounds to humans and that it was not responsible for anyone who got caught trespassing by the rogue supernaturals.

Said supernaturals had slunk back into the dilapidated buildings as soon as they had caught wind of Emeraude and her aerial escort. The buildings that stood here were little more than charred, skeletal remains, their walls blackened by fire and their windows shattered.

She was well into the deeper parts of the Eastern quarter, and the people here were much more confident. Emeraude kept her eyes straight ahead but could almost feel the burning gazes of the people around her boring through the red and black Jupyter jacket she wore. Some jeered, spat, or cursed at her as she passed them, but none dared to touch her.

She would have liked to think that they thought better of it because of who she was, but she knew it was more due to the Raven hovering with silent eeriness above them. It was just far enough out of range for an attack from the average Mage, but bullets from above could cross the gap in a fraction of a second.

Each building was full, despite some of them being nothing more than four walls on either side with massive chunks of concrete missing. Children stared and pointed to the sky while others tried to go to her, only one to be pulled back by their mothers.

As she approached the Bastion, the people only grew in number, having settled in tents that covered the entire semicircle of space around the front of the massive temple. It was easily the biggest refugee stronghold within this corner of the country. When she reached the foot of the dark stairs that rose to the entrance of the obsidian-walled building, her way was blocked by two men. They weren't armed, so she assumed they were Mages.

"What brings you here?"

Emeraude stood her ground, sizing up the two men before her. She had hidden away her gun to avoid any conflict that might arise, a situation that happened far too often with rogue supernaturals.

She took out a sheet of paper from her jacket. "I've got an arrest warrant from Jupyter for one Nikola Petrovich."

One of the Mages grabbed the warrant, a fire Elemental, from the very subtle way he kept weaving a tongue of fire through his fingers. He glared at the paper for a whole minute while murmuring as he read the words.

"I'll have to verify the validity of this," he said as he turned to go up the stairs, still staring at the warrant. "Make sure she goes nowhere."

"What did he do?" the other guard asked once his partner was out of earshot.

"He was involved in a violent incident in the Northern quarter," Emeraude explained.

"Are you sure it was him?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't have come all this way otherwise," Emeraude told him. "We got DNA proof on the scene, and video footage of him fleeing the scene."

The Mage scratched his head sheepishly.

"It's just that-"

"It's just that what?" Emeraude prompted, her eyes narrowing.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "It's just that we've had a few incidents of our own, and Jupyter does nothing. Meanwhile something happens in the North and they send a Viper all the way down here."

Emeraude crossed her arms.

"Curses and insults are a far cry from murder," she said.

The Mage considered her offer for a moment before nodding. "Yes," he said. "But these were supernaturals here are attacking each other. Fights are breaking out each day, people are dying suspiciously with every passing night. The Baron-"

The first guard returned, and he fell silent.

"You'll have to come with me to see the boss. He wants to ask some questions first."

Emeraude nodded. The fact that she had a warrant meant they had to comply by all means, but she was willing to entertain the Baron.

Force was only a last-ditch option, and it would mean innocents getting hurt.

She took one last glance up at the Raven and followed the Elemental up the stairs and into the heart of the Bastion.

Emeraude had only been to the location once before, when she was part of a unit deployed to handle riot control. She was struck by the sheer size and complexity of the structure. The walls were made of obsidian, a dark stone that seemed to drink in the light.

No wonder the Baron had to wear sunglasses all the time when outside.

The Elemental led her through a series of winding corridors and down a flight of stairs. And they descended, Emeraude caught glimpses of the inner rooms and dozens of doors, marked with symbols she knew as runes but did not know the meanings of.

She tried to keep track of the turns they made, just in case she had to fight her way out. They were three floors deep, that she knew, but the doors and corridors blurred together in her mind to form an incoherent maze.

Emeraude was snapped back to the present by the delicious smells of sizzling meat, freshly baked bread, and simmering spices. She found herself standing at the doorway of a grand kitchen, surrounded by rows of gleaming copper pots, polished silver utensils, and a massive stone hearth that seemed to be the heart of the room. The air was thick with the aromas of roasting meats, steaming vegetables, and freshly baked pastries.

As she looked around, her eyes widened in surprise. The Baron, big bad wolf of the Endorra clan, stood at a raised central cooking station, expertly chopping a mountain of onions with a flourish. His tall figure, usually clad in tidy suit, was now dressed in a simple white apron, his sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms covered in tattoos.

The kitchen was a whirlwind of activity, with a small army of cooks and assistants scurrying about, preparing a feast for what seemed like an entire army. It made sense, considering the number of people outside. Pots clanged, knives chopped, and the sound of sizzling meat filled the air. Emeraude's stomach growled in anticipation as she took in the sights and smells of the bustling kitchen.

The Baron looked up, his piercing eyes locking onto hers, and a sly grin spread across his face. "Ah, the little Viper is here, welcome! I see you're just in time for the main event." He gestured to a massive roasting boar, its crispy skin glistening in the firelight.

"What?"

The Baron slipped off his apron in one fluid motion, revealing a fitted shirt and dark jeans underneath. He stopped to give instructions to one of the chefs, and then gestured for Emeraude to follow as he walked past.

She hesitated, and then hurried to keep up with his long strides.

"What is all this?" Emeraude asked, pointing back to the kitchen.

"We've been expecting you, Emeraude," he told her in a smooth voice.

"I'm not here for food, I want-"

"You have an arrest warrant for one of my men, yes," the Baron finished, eyes glinting eith amusement. "Don't you find it interesting that he came all the way down here yet he could have hidden out in several places along the way?"

"Or why an agent in a different sector was assigned the task of hunting him down yet others were closer?"

Emeraude felt her pulse quicken.

He had influence in Jupyter. For a man like him, that was expected, but she assumed it was low level corruption, money under the table for agents to look aside as he smuggled weapons past the borders or partook in illegal deals. Manipulating the assignment of agents required administrative clearance.

"You look like you've seen a ghost. That seems to happen too much around me."

Emeraude stopped and he was forced to do the same.

"I just want Nikola," she insisted.

"He's all yours," the Baron said, his voice dripping with charm. "I just want you to stay for dinner."

Emeraude laid a hand against her weapon. "Or I could just find him myself and leave."

"This is a big place, little Viper," he warned. "Take a wrong turn and you might end up somewhere you don't want to be."

"Are you threatening me?"

He raised his hands in mock innocence.

"Just a warning. No need to get feisty."

Emeraude's voice was cold and even. "I could have you taken in for interfering with an arrest."

The Baron's smile grew wider. "And I could make a call that would end your whole career, Viper. Everything you've fought so hard to achieve, gone, in an instant."

"Just a meal. Nothing shady, I promise."

Emeraude's face paled but her voice remained firm.

"Only if you give me Nikolai," she told him. "And the location of ten high profile wanted suspects."

He laughed.

"I'll only give you three locations, Nikolai, because I like you."

Emeraude's eyes narrowed. "Seven."

The Baron's smile faltered for a moment before he replied. "Five, and that's my final offer."

"Deal."

He smiled once more. "You drive a hard bargain little Viper. Dinner is in a couple of hours."

"What about-"

"Your friend outside, yes," the Baron interrupted. "He had to deal with a scuffle in the Southern Sector. You know how it is."

He winked, and Emeraude fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"I love the uniform, but I'll have someone bring up something more fitting of the occasion," he added, eyeing her from head to toe.

Emeraude felt her cheeks burn as she watched him walk away.

It was just dinner.

How bad could it get?