Henry and the patrol jogged in the direction of Sasha’s bird zodiac as it began circling.

ME: Sasha, can you see her?

Henry wanted to let Sasha have the time to collect himself, but they needed to find Patricia.

SAS: No, I lost her but I found the legion.

Close enough.

ME: Keep the bird on it. Either it takes us to her or it loses her and we can coordinate with the BB to take it down. Hell, I’d take the police at this point.

AIM: Captain? What if she’s right?

Henry glanced over his shoulder at Aimee.

ME: She’s not.

AIM: But how do you know?

ME: Because it’s a machine, Aimee. It doesn’t have a brain. It doesn’t have a heart. It doesn’t have a soul. All it’s got are algorithms and some data.

The way she looked at him was like Chicory after he had disappointed her. He felt a squeeze on his heart.

SAS: They seem to be heading for the Park District.

ME: Good. When we get in range I’ll contact the BB there.

AIM: What do you think she thought would work on it?

ME: It could literally be anything, but I highly doubt whatever she is running off to grab will help.

AIM: But is there something that could help?

ME: Aimee, I don’t know and that’s not what we’re working on. Assume it doesn’t work and we need to take this thing down the hard way. Understood?

AIM: I guess.

She petted Sasha's holographic snake that was draped around her shoulders, having been thrown off of Patricia’s shoulders when she bolted. 

Should we’ve just gone with her? Could I’ve said anything to get her to change her mind?

REG: I see birdie circlin’. Found her?

ME: No but it found the legion.

REG: alright. We’re heading there but we’ll be there after you.

ME: So everything’s worked out with Mercy?

REG: for now. She still has to talk to that detective guy and I have my doubts, but I’ll be happy if she proves me wrong.

ME: It’s the best we can do right now, but cuff her if she acts up again.

REG: was planning on it. BTW where’s Pat going?

ME: Her home most likely. Wish I knew her full name to check in the registry.

REG: want me to see if Winston knows?

Oh shit. Why didn’t I think of that? 

ME: Good idea! Try him!

SAS: Captain, the legion’s changing direction, but it’s still heading to Park District with intent.

Henry began inputting the emergency dispatch into his SIG.

REG: Winston said he didn’t know the name, but she lives in an apartment building that used to be a hotel or still is one that rents out some rooms? It used to belong to her aunt before she passed.

Henry’s eyes looked toward the skyline. The Park District had been one of the lesser damaged areas in the Ultra-Syndicate War, but most of the larger buildings had been damaged to the point they were condemned and later demolished. One particular building that barely peaked out above the others was catching Henry’s attention. When his brother was getting married, one of the places being considered was that apartment building since it had a nice garden the tenants had planted, and his wife loved gardens. They ended up booking a larger venue instead, but Henry remembered going there to check it out with them.

ME: Sasha, is the legion heading for that apartment building at your 2 o’clock? The whitish building?

SAS: It seems to be heading towards it.

ME: Team, that’s where we’re headed. It’s called the Quiet Commons.

REG: you sure?

ME: You can see if it sounds familiar to Winston, but I don’t remember another building like what you described being in that direction.

REG: okay, I’ll double check but we’ll head there for now.

ME: Everyone else good?

SAS: Sir.

BOR: Yes sir.

LUKE: Aye Aye.

AIM: Yeah.

The group jogged on, with Luke and Aimee taking up the lead behind Sasha as Henry and Boris began to lag behind. Henry was reaching his limit, but slowing down risked Patricia’s life. Boris also seemed to be running out of steam, but he persevered, although Henry felt it was more out of concern for Sasha than Patricia. Even though he knew he needed to focus on the legion and helping Patricia, Henry still kept thinking about what Mercy did. Regardless of whether Mercy shooting the enforcers was necessary, that put a target on all of them, especially Sasha since he seemed to be their original target. 

Hopefully a problem for another day.

They winded and slinked their way through alleys and cross streets until they hit the main road of the Park District. No longer being obscured by other buildings, Quiet Commons was in full view, as was the Legion heading directly for it. It was unnaturally galloping like a horse, causing sparks to fly every time its arm blades and claws struck the ground. People and cars had come to a stop and were gawking at the bizarre spectacle before them. Henry hoped that with the legion causing a scene, it might get a blockbuster there faster. He dialed the emergency dispatch and listened to the dial tone ring a few times before someone picked up.

“If this is about the machine running down Effingham, we are aware…” Although not coughing out his lung like the previous guy, this guy sounded like he filtered all of his air through cigarettes.

ME: That machine is a legion that’s been chasing a civilian from the Neutral District.

Henry could hear the creak of a chair being adjusted.

“Did you just say a legion?” The man’s french accent became much more pronounced to Henry, causing his stomach to drop.

Please let anyone but her show up.

ME: Yes. You know the murder machines made of parts from dead folks?

“Holy fuck, a real legion?! I’ve never been on duty for one…” Henry heard their chair rolling closer to the receiver.

ME: I’m Henry Buckley with the Street Sweeper Bounty Operation, putting in a formal request for a blockbuster to be deployed to Quiet Commons Apartments. 

Henry could hear the clacks of a keyboard. 

ME: We were assisting the civilian being targeted by the legion, but we got separated.

“And you're certain the legion is heading for, how you say, Quiet Commons?” Henry watched as the legion galloped onto the lawn in front of the building. It stumbled as its blades got stuck in the dirt. The machine yanked out the blades with such force that it nearly fell over. The lawn was becoming full of dark brown scars as the legion carved a path through the grass.

ME: Yes and we need a blockbuster now.

“Well they’re twenty minutes away.” Henry watched the legion make it to the garden, barreling through pots and trampling over plants.

ME: Guess it’ll have to be enough.