Catching Phantom Thief Starlight (ch5)

FOR MY $10+ PATRONS!

This chapter will be short. Prepare yourselves.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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													Chapter 5. Confrontation

It's jarring.

One moment Maya and Claudine are in their hotel room having a tender conversation.

And the next, several loud, blaring blasts sound off in the town below.

The sound is unmistakable, especially to two police inspectors.

Both of them react immediately, pushing up from their chairs and forgetting all about their conversation.

"What's going on?" Claudine says, hurriedly going to the drawers to retrieve her gun and handcuffs; they hadn't been provided with bulletproof vests for a mere investigation mission.

"It came from outside," Maya reports, also searching for her weapon. Once she has it, they both hurry to the window to peer outside.

Down below, across the street from a hotel is a small convenience store. People are running frantically away from the shop, and even from this distance they can hear shouting and screaming. Another gunshot goes off, and the windows of the store flash from it. Maya and Claudine can't afford to waste another second.

"Go!" Claudine barks, and Maya is already out the door.

They hurry down the hotel hallways and down the stairs, already hearing the sounds of panic as people slam their doors and run for cover. Maya and Claudine are the only people in the lobby now, save for a ruffled security guard who tries to urge them not to move. But one flash of Claudine's police badge is all it takes.

The two of them burst out the hotel doors and race across the street. People are still screaming and running off, but they can hear a man's voice shouting inside the store.

Both Maya and Claudine are inspectors, but they have done their fair share of actual police work as well in their short time with their respective departments. Though they've only ever been backup on active gunman cases before; this would be the first case where they were the initial response.

Both of them near the store with guns drawn, trying to assess the situation. Claudine speaks first.

"One gunman," she reports. "And I see one assault rifle."

"He's got the clerk trapped," Maya says. "But I see no other civilians."

"All right. Let's go." Claudine makes a move to move forward, but Maya grabs her arm to stop her. Claudine whirls around. "What are you doing?"

"I'll go," Maya says. "You should direct the civilians."

Claudine snarls at her.

"There are no civilians other than the one being robbed! The others have already cleared the area! We're going in together!" Claudine narrows her eyes at her. "What did we just talk about, Tendo Maya? You need to trust me."

Maya gazes back at her, but says nothing. Claudine wrenches free from her grasp and moves toward the convenience store's door. She opens it, letting Maya in first, then quickly follows.

"Police!" Maya shouts. "Put the weapon down!"

The man with the gun whirls around, looking frazzled and angry. The clerk is huddled behind the counter, but appears to be unharmed.

Both Maya and Claudine have their weapons on the suspect. Claudine catches the clerk's eye and nods for him to duck down behind the counter, which he does immediately. The suspect's gun is aimed at the floor, but it's clear several shots had been fired up into the ceiling. There's money littered on the counter and floor, so they can assess it was a robbery in-progress. The man curses at the sight of the two officers.

"Shit, cops already?!"

"Put down the gun!" Claudine orders. "You'd rather just be charged with attempted robbery than assault of a police officer too, right?"

The man actually seems to stop and consider. Claudine goes on.

"Think about it. You'll get a few years. That's all."

She shares a brief glance with Maya, who nods. And as much as Maya still thinks she had to do this alone, she's now very relieved that Claudine is here with her; she's much better at talking to people in these tense situations.

"Other officers will be here soon," Claudine tells him. "It's over. So just come quietly."

The man does a lot more cursing and jerking motions. Maya and Claudine keep an eye on his gun, and their fingers ready on their own triggers.

"Drop the gun," Maya says firmly.

He curses, but obeys. The rifle clatters onto the floor.

"Hands behind your head," Maya orders. "Get on your knees."

At this point, Claudine retrieves the handcuffs from her belt and hands them to Maya. Maya puts away her gun to take them. Both she and Claudine approach the suspect cautiously. Claudine strokes his ego to keep him pacified.

"You're doing the smartest thing," she says. "I'm sure the courts will take into consideration that you came quietly and without incident."

Maya gets close to him and grabs his hands. But just as she's about to cuff him, the store clerk jumps up from behind the counter.

"Did you get him-?"

The sudden movement startles Maya, and she loses focus just for a split second.

And that's all it takes.

Claudine sees it first, how the gunman is already moving out one leg at an awkward angle. At the same time, he yanks his hands free from Maya and reaches down into his sock. He pulls out a small knife.

"Go to hell, bitch!"

With a crazed shout, he lunges up at her. Maya staggers back in shock, unable to react.

But her partner is quicker.

"Watch out!"

Claudine leaps forward, shoving Maya away as hard as she can.

Maya watches as the knife gets plunged deep into Claudine's side, and the blood begins to pour.

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A/N: *Gives 2 giant cliffhanger chapters in one update* I'm sorry...