Board Thread:Role Plays/@comment-25924729-20151107020221/@comment-25924729-20151117091622

Zhu-li regained consciousness slowly, still stunned by her injuries. She opened her eyes and blinked in confusion seeing Akiba’s face above her. “Ugh…who… what happened?”

She wriggled out of his arms and dropped to the floor, struggling to keep her balance. With pained effort, she stumbled to a wall and steadied herself before checking the surroundings. She was at Beacon, though she had no idea how she got here. There was Asper looking pissed and aiming his weapon at the boy who was holding her, and a flash of movement revealed someone hiding around the corner, another boy.

Assessing the wound in her gut, it was crippling but not life threatening. Typical Barnes. She should be thankful the cheap excuse of a crime boss never bothered to arm his men properly, the missile was cheap, low quality and ineffective in killing it’s intended target. Still hurt like hell though.

Back to being serious, she turned to the stranger and asked “Where’s the van? Where are the kidnappers?” he looked at his expression and figured out the answer herself. “They got away didn’t they?” She slammed a small fist against the wall in frustration. “Dammit.” Zhu-li blamed herself for being unable to save them. She knew firsthand what they would be facing. The Funhouse, where kids go to die.

“I must save them…”  But she knew her condition wouldn’t allow her to do this alone. “I need your help, Asper. You too stranger, and uh… kid hiding back there.” She called to Vert. “You know about those kidnappings, I know who’s behind it, hi-“ a bullet cracked the plaster beside her head, interrupting her plea and making her jump.

“Talk and you die, Castellan.” a message pinged her CATSAI where nobody else could hear it. A subtle threat from Beacon's dominant ANGEL warning her against breaking the rules. ANGELs only work alone. If she asked for help, Tigris would personally execute her for cheating. "I uh... i'm sorry." she quickly left to everyone's surprise, shambling over to Asper and using him as support to limp back to her dorm.

In another dorm nearby, the satisfied sniper also stowed her weapon and went back to sleep.

Once out of sight, she pulled out her scroll and sent a message to the two boys from earlier. ''"Can't talk now, but meet me at this location tomorrow. Please save the kids." ''She also attached a video from her CATSAI recording earlier, showing the children trapped in the van from her point of view to prove what she said.

Asper demanded an explanation, but she only waved him away weakly, still in pain and too tired to talk. With her last strength, they returned to Team ADZK’s dorm where she went to sleep/passed out again in her bunk. “Tomorrow, I’ll explain…” she promised.

Of course, in her condition, Zhu-li neglected to encrypt or properly delete the messages from earlier. Anyone with sophisticated enough technology could hack and eavesdrop on them...

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The next evening, a small team of servants stood ready outside the mansion, ready to escort the guests inside to the dining room where Zhu-li sat alone, waiting anxiously.