The first shots shattered the glass store front and scattered the customers within. All but one who, instead of cowering like the rest of the group, hopped behind the counter for cover. Once there she withdrew a handgun from her purse. She took quick looks from behind the counter to determine the situation. Three cars were parked in front of the place in an arc around the entrance. All told there were about ten guys there, each with a gun. Mina frowned. The remnants of Tsun's thugs had found her it seemed. Mina thought she'd managed to avoid them. Not only that but they had the gall to attack in public. Broad bloody daylight. The cops would be showing up soon and Mina had none of her mission gear with her. The very last thing she needed was to have her face and fingerprints linked with a shoot out and a gun that would turn out to be unregistered.

On the other hand these creeps needed taking out and she could always disappear before the cops caught her. She had the fake papers for the gun in her purse. They would tide the police over for a while. It was a tough call. Mina enjoyed not being hounded by the police in her everyday life. A shoot out this public would ruin that. But she also hated relying on the police to protect her. Tsun's thugs needed to die, not be arrested. They'd been a nuisance ever since Tsun's three main enemies had descended on him two days ago and killed him and most of the upper management of his gang too. That served Mina well but the rank and file weren't happy and had apparently been smart enough to pin at least some of the blame on her.

So there she sat, gun in hand, trying to decide if a bunch of leaderless thugs were worth the trouble killing them this publicly would cause. It was unfortunate that the store had little to disguise her features. Or rather even if it did she couldn't afford to break cover to get them. As it was the thugs were starting to rack up a body count of bystanders since they couldn't hit her. At least anyone who'd witnessed her pull the gun wouldn't be alive to talk to the police about it. Anyone that had been in view of her had already been perforated.

Shooting. There was shooting.
Like some damn action movie.

"Bloody hell!" Krisz yelled over the gunshots as he hummed for cover behind the counter "I think a bullet just went through me. I mean, it definitely did. Right where I, you know, could be. Damn! I could be dead! What the f*** is wrong with those guys?! They are killing people! Has someone already called the police? Someone should call the police. They are supposed to be here in minutes, right? This is New York bloody City! You don't just kill people like that! What kind of a person does that?!"

A bullet shattered glass above them.
Krisz was quickly regretting following Mina to the shop today. It was supposed to be a surprise. Also, some investigation into the life of the mystery woman.
That went well...

"Ouch." the voice muttered next to Mina "Are you all right? You should get out of here. Is that a gun? Why am I not surprised?..."

Mina was starting to be less and less surprised when Krisz showed up. It was a testament to the frequency of his little visits. She'd barely had a day's peace since she'd met him. Tenacious little sound bite.

"Oh calm down Krisz. You're sound. They'll go right through you without doing any damage. They're gang members, Tsun's heavies that haven't been killed or absorbed into other gangs." Mina allowed herself a chuckle, "They blame me for it so now this. Someone out there will have called the cops. They'll show eventually. For now, we sit tight"

Krisz tried to ask if she was alright and then advised her to run away. She just shook her head in the direction of the voice.

"I'm fine for now. They've hit everyone but me it seems. And just where would you suggest I run? There are bullets flying all over the place. I'd prefer to make it out of this intact."

She didn't comment on his comment about her gun. She merely checked to see if any of them had started to move into the store yet. There was a faint sound of sirens, if you listened closely. The cops would probably be a couple more minutes. Another problem, Mina only had what ammo was already in the gun. She didn't make a habit of carrying three extra clips. It was too heavy and too noticeable.

"They would have to attack in board daylight of course."

>>"Oh calm down Krisz. You're sound. They'll go right through you without doing any damage. They're gang members, Tsun's heavies that haven't been killed or absorbed into other gangs. They blame me for it so now this. Someone out there will have called the cops. They'll show eventually. For now, we sit tight"

She seemed... used this whole mess. She even chuckled, almost as if she was enjoying it. Must be the adrenaline, Krisz decided, she must be full of adrenaline. He was pretty sure he would be, if he would have a body at the moment.
But then I would be screwed.

>>"I'm fine for now. They've hit everyone but me it seems. And just where would you suggest I run? There are bullets flying all over the place. I'd prefer to make it out of this intact. They would have to attack in board daylight of course."

"Police is on the way. I can hear them. That's good, right? Not the hearing, I mean, but that they are coming. They will clean this up in no time. Are you going to be all right? Just don't move, okay? Is there something I can do? I would hate to see you gt hurt. By the way. You don't happen to be an undercover cop, do you?..."

Krisz was useless in action situations, Mina determined. He was a complete and total civilian bystander type. Mina was used to this sort of thing and it enabled her to remain calm under fire. Krisz however acted like a normal person was expected to act. He panicked. It annoyed her a fair bit. However at the end of his rambling he presented her with a golden opportunity and she took it.

"Krisz, do me a favor and shut up. As much as you can anyway. Yes the cops are on the way and that's a good thing. You are a civilian and don't act like you have any training at all. Therefore you should sit still and do nothing."

She sighed a little and nodded to Krisz.

"Yes, I'm an undercover cop. Deep cover so don't be surprised if the cops treat me like just another suspect. If I can I'll run before they see me."

Mina had never tried to impersonate a cop before. She'd been many things but never a cop. How Krisz had made the jump from prostitute to undercover cop she didn't know but she would take the opportunity and see where she could take it.

>>"Krisz, do me a favor and shut up. As much as you can anyway. Yes the cops are on the way and that's a good thing. You are a civilian and don't act like you have any training at all. Therefore you should sit still and do nothing."

"You know I can't" Krisz pointed out as another bullet whisptled past "For multiple reasons, but mainly, because I am a voice."

>>"Yes, I'm an undercover cop. Deep cover so don't be surprised if the cops treat me like just another suspect. If I can I'll run before they see me."

HOT.

"Oh" Krisz said, a bit surprised that his guess was actually right "Wicked. Did I just guess another part of your story, or what? Boy I am good at this. Watch out!"

One of the thugs gained a better angle at their hiding place. Krisz felt the instinct to pull Mina farther out of the way, but in his current form, all he could do was yell. Which wasthe least he could do, because he was the one distracting her in the first place...

Mina darted a glare in the voice's direction.

"That's why I said as much as you could."

Krisz was doing a little verbal celebrating after she told him that she was a cop. It was just too easy. However his shout alerted her to the thug encroaching. Her gun was up in a flash and she squeezed off two shots, one at the head and one at the chest. The thug in question slumped over. Mina ducked back behind the counter as the cop cars pulled up and began to form a cordon.

"And there's our back up. Or rather their new targets. We should be getting out of here."

With the cops there to take care of the other nine Mina could safely retreat out the back. Hopefully the cops would be too busy shooting at the other nine to notice the sole person inside was fleeing. The gunfire quickly turned outward as more cops arrived and Mina saw her chance. She headed for the back room, just as she'd done the last time she'd been escaping police in a shop like this.

Mina killed a man, just like that. She was obviously trained in this. Krisz did shut up for a monent, then chalked it up to self defense and a long list of etc.

>>"And there's our back up. Or rather their new targets. We should be getting out of here."

"So, let's go" Krisz agreed; he was just a voice, but if she was going to run, he had no intention sticking around to explain stuff to the cops. Mainly, the long story of how he got here in the first place. "What are we waiting for?"

Mina darted to the back door; Krisz followed, then zooomed ahead. "All clear" he called back to her "No one's here. Oh look, there's the door. Wait here." Another humming sound and he was through the door "Clear again" he noted "Come on, hurry up. We don't want you to blow your cover, do we."

Well, if nothing else the annoying stalker made an excellent scout. The moment she'd mentioned running and had made a move for the back room he was off to scout it. Not only that but he scouted the route beyond the exit door as well. If she had been alone at that moment she would have been laughing. With the pest around she couldn't safely embark on any of her normal jobs. However this did open up some good opportunities as far as eliminating competition and taking a few other folks down a few pegs.

Mr. Wayne's old gang would make for a fine start. Sure she'd already killed Wayne. However his gang had survived and had been meddling from time to time. She'd ensure that they knew not to mess with her.

"Good job, rookie."

A little encouragement to keep her new tool happy would do nicely. Now that she thought about it, if she set it up just right, she could go about her usual business too. All she'd have to do was make sure the folks she took down either had committed some criminal offense or looked shady enough that Krisz wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Then it would simply be a matter of pulling a police style raid and at some point having to open fire on the target. Krisz could in fact be incredibly helpful. However she'd need a new base of operations. Her old warehouse was wonderful but this trickery wouldn't last forever and she would eventually need a new place to live. Mina couldn't afford the possibility of Krisz going to the police with the location of her home.

>>"Good job, rookie."

"Thank you" Krisz sounded more cheerful now that the shooting was behind them. Scouting ahead around corners wherever they went, he hummed around Mina, simply happy they were safe and away "You are not hurt, are you? That was one hell of an attack... is that a normal day for you? How do you deal with it? I would invite you to... a drink, or whatever you do, but turns out, all I have got in this country is on me... aww damn you are not gonna arrest me are you? I would invite you to my place, you know, if I had a place. Not for any funny business, just to hide out, lick wounds... I don't mean actual licking... but, I don't have a place either, I am sorry. Have I asked if you are hurt? You are not hurt, are you?..."

Krisz talked a lot. Probably a symptom of his mutation but that didn't make it any less annoying. Tools weren't supposed to speak after all.

"I'm fine. None of them managed to hit me."

She could still hear the gunfire as they fled. Mina was aiming for the garage where she'd parked her car. That was still a couple of blocks away though.

"To answer your questions, yes that's a normal day for me. As for how I deal with it...well you learn. In such situations if you panic you die. If you hadn't been sound in there you would have been dead. If you ever wondered why cops have their little vices, well, dealing with that is why."

Mina was completely making this up as she went. The life of a cop was something she had very little experience with. Cops to her were annoyances to be avoided or killed when avoiding was impossible. However she could fake it well enough. That was something Mina was excellent at.

>>"I'm fine. None of them managed to hit me."

That was a huge relief. Krisz had been worried about her for a moment. Or maybe two.

>>"To answer your questions, yes that's a normal day for me. As for how I deal with it...well you learn. In such situations if you panic you die. If you hadn't been sound in there you would have been dead. If you ever wondered why cops have their little vices, well, dealing with that is why."

"Vices like choking men in the bathroom?" Krisz chuckled "Makes perfect sense. Sooo, you are one of the good guys after all, huh? Would have never believed it. Had me completely fooled. Nice job, officer... whatever. I guess it is a job requirement, huh? I like this about America. Back home, haven't seen one decent looking female cop in thirty years..."

Mina was beginning to get the hang of this cops character so when Krisz made the crack about choking men in bathrooms she just grinned. Her usual response would have been something more erotic than a grin. Krisz rambled on about her acting skill. While that talent wasn't inconsiderable she hadn't exactly been acting for at least part of the time Krisz had been with her.

"Yes well, you nearly ruined my cover in the restaurant. I was understandably angry."

She arched an eyebrow at him.

"Not one? Oh the poor men. What women in uniform will they dream about without the sexy female cop?"

The was sarcasm dripping all over her statement. She was taking this time to plan out hits, with Krisz taken into consideration, on some of her rivals and enemies. All it would really take was one successful hit and she'd be able to use the 'you were my accomplice' line on him to ensure he didn't rat her out if he discovered the truth. Yes, that nosy writer was going to regret his choice in stalking her. Eventually.

>>"Yes well, you nearly ruined my cover in the restaurant. I was understandably angry... Not one? Oh the poor men. What women in uniform will they dream about without the sexy female cop?"

"I know, right?! No wonder everyone who can flees the country. Being a mutant makes that much easier, by the way... anyhow. Umm, Mina? Is that even your real name? Where are we going, exactly?"

He was sticking with her, no matter what. It was really not a stalking issue. Or curiosity. It was also the fact that he was alone ina strange continent, literally without anything, not even clothes, and she was the only person he knew.
...
All right, so maybe it was mostly curiosity.

Some other people would have seen it as stalking. But not Mina. Mina was smarter than that. She invitied the writer to follow her, and discover her true story. It was probably an undercover cop psychology syndrome no one has ever heard about. People working like that were bound to have issues. Maybe she wanted him to know her true story, in case somethign happened. And then he would know the truth. That was a reasonable explanation.

She laughed again. Not that she'd found his comment particularly funny but it was something her cop persona would enjoy.

"Yes, Mina is my real name. And we're heading to my car. From there I'll be heading to my base of operations."

Mina stretched.

"I need to figure out which gang I'll be targeting next."

That and decide which of her enemies or competition she was going to be taking out. Krisz really didn't know just what he'd gotten himself into.