Paws Chase Murder Case ✓| bxb, police drama, urban fantasy

34.1: Attack on High Collection Headquarters

"Riverie!" Mason cried as blood spurted from her head. He caught her limp body.

Driven by anger, Scotch gripped the gun and ran, kicking and punching anyone that came to apprehend him. Ginger tried to attack Tyler, but he knocked her away with his arm.

Tyler Frost with a frosty heart. Scotch dodged the fighting of Humans and Halfhumans, but he couldn't get any closer and Tyler was going to get away. It was now or never. Scotch lifted the gun and aimed, but it was still far away.

I could use some help now, stone of justice. He never understood how magick worked, but he could feel it glowing in his pocket in response. I need this one for River.

He pulled the trigger. Tyler, for some reason, stopped and turned. His eyes widened. The bullet hit his head. Scotch wasted no time and hurried to his friend's side. Christoph was standing guard to kill anyone who dared bother their moment.

"I killed him," Scotch said. "Let's end this," he added. Serelia approached them with two other females in tow with a gurney. They helped put River in and Ginger went with them. Without a word, Mason and Scotch made for the exit with Christoph and Serelia covering for them. They were going to end this chaos. No more fighting. No more injustice.

Once they were outside, Mason whispered, "I never thought I'd love someone so much."

Then he began to sob. Scotch put his arm around him and together they walked to the chaotic main street where a mob of Humans and Halfhumans marched to High Collection Headquarters each shouting their own desires to rule the world.

"Will this recording put a stop to it?" Scotch wondered out loud. Now it seemed like everyone was a criminal. What would the Halfhumans representative do with a recording of Trinity?

"I think," Mason sniffled, "I'll trust the stone of justice."

Scotch rubbed Mason's shoulder. "Justice for River."

"And Borrecki."

For his father? But what was he after? "Justice for all."

"Yeah," Mason shook himself, "okay, let's do this. Let's get in there."

Scotch shook himself, too. He was in shock. Was River really dead? And even though he hated Tyler, he couldn't believe Tyler was dead either. And then the mess with him and his friends being on the wanted list, it was all so much. Right now, he would focus on the task at paw.

They weren't far from the main doors when it started to rain. Scotch scowled up at the clouds, darkening by the minute. But they couldn't get in the front doors where a mob of Humans and Halfhumans were pushing and pounding on the doors to be let in. A roaring came from behind and Scotch and Mason leapt out of the way as three muscular Humans carried a large chunk of metal. The crowd parted to let them barge.

"One, two, three, heave-ho!" they all shouted. The metal cylinder came crashing into contact with the door. Scotch could hear a faint panicked shout coming from within.

"Let's try the back."

Scotch heard the pained tone in his friend's voice. "Mason," he called as they trekked across the road to the other side where the backdoor was. They scaled the fence and climbed into the other side. "Mason, wait," Scotch said. Mason turned.

"What's up?"

"You're really brave."

Mason's ears drooped. "Yeah."

"Really."

Mason nodded and wiped his nose. Scotch felt his own eyes tear up. The world was a mess and hopefully they could do something to make the change. They kicked open the backdoor and hurried up the stairs to the first floor. When they got to the landing, they peeked out of the door and saw, standing sentinel near the door, some strange dark brown dog-like creatures with glaring red eyes. 

Their fur looked like wisps of smoke were coming off and their backs were hunched up like a frightened cat. Drool from their mouths hissed and made black burnt marks in the flooring. A figure in a cloak approached them and they wagged their stumpy tails, but they didn't seem like the kind of pet that would express joy.

"Mister!" came a call from a young male with long white hair. "They are coming."

"The Scentaurs will find the perpetrators. The rest is not a Sorcerer's problem."

"Centaurs, Mister?"

"Scent, centaurs. They can smell the bad apple twenty tail-lengths away. I suggest you keep out of their way, Tilfred."

Tilfred gave a squeak of response and ran off. Scotch and Mason slowly closed the door.

"Scent centaurs? Sorcerers have bad naming sense." Scotch started up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Mason whispered. "That Sorcerer's probably the representative. We could—"

Scotch did not want to meet a Scentaur or know what those creatures were made out of or see them in action. The High Collection everyone was on the move, it seemed, ready to fight the mob when they came in. "Let's try finding somewhere unoccupied."

They eventually found their way to the right hall where the Halfhuman representative was to reside. Halfhuman workers were rushing about and although they glanced at Scotch and Mason, they didn't stop them. Maybe too much was on their mind.

Or maybe we look too shifty and wrecked to be dealt with. Scotch looked down at himself. His clothes were dirty, his knees were ripped, and Mason had blood on his shirt that had now dried up and turned an ugly rustic red.

Down the gray-carpeted hallway they ran. On both sides were doors but there was one ornate one at the end and two guards stood stiffly outside with rifles on their belts. They pointed them at Scotch and Mason.

"Stop! You are not authorized to—"

"We've come to speak to the representative!" Scotch said. "I'm Scotch Borrecki and this is Mason Flinders—"

"Borrecki?" one of the guards blinked. "Bran Borrecki's son?"

Scotch didn't really like to be recognized as his father's son so much, but it had worked to his advantage so far. "Yes, sir. And I have information about Captain Morgan Trinity and we have reason to believe she is the perpetrator of AEM along with Alex—"

The sound of glass breaking within the room reached all ears no matter the sub-species. One of the guards hesitantly left his post and barged into the room. "Hands up! Drop your weapon!"

"Get outta the way unless you wanna die!" came Maya's voice. She fired the gun. The guard dodged. The other one left his post and the doors swung closed. Scotch and Mason blinked at each other bewildered. How did Maya get here all of a sudden?

He heard a click.

"Don't you figgin' move, whore!" Luka said behind them. "Didn't they teach you to watch your back at all times?"

Screaming came from within and the doors were shoved open. A guard dragged himself on his hands and arms. His lizard tail had been chopped off, but there was no blood due to lizard traits. Scotch glanced at Mason and slowly got closer.

"I said don't figgin' move, bastards! Traitors of Halfhumans!" Luka shouted.

"I have a gun in my pocket," he whispered. "If ya can—"

An explosion rattled the ceiling. Scotch heard screams and shouts of Humans and Halfhumans both speaking Universal and sometimes their own languages. From the garbling mess he caught phrases.

"...never allies!"

"You're savage animals!"

"You killed our ancestors!"

"The race of rapists!"

"Kill the Humans!" came Trinity's voice. "The Anthro Era has begun!"

Then a Human chant began. "Mo-nar-chy of the Hu-man Race! This old world is a big dis-grace!" Humans followed the chant and Scotch wanted to plug his ears as yowls and moans filled the building. 

Guns were fired. Swords clashed. Things were broken, crashing to the ground. And those who had no will to fight were sobbing until their sobs were cut short.