Template:Featured Articles/40-2023
 Inez was tired. Not physically; her muscles didn't do that, not as quickly as a normal human's would, at any rate, and she'd only been chasing her target for less than two minutes. He probably was tired, but he was still running, though she'd closed the distance to less than half a block. The bullets he'd shot at her in the first alleyway where they'd met had slowed her some, but that made her all the more angry and determined to catch the son of a beesting. No, she was just tired of chasing him at this point. It was a futile effort, even he should've realized that by now, but he refused to quit. He ducked around the corner of a building, pushing an unsuspecting couple out of his way and into hers; another temporary distraction. Inez hurtled over the lady with an apologetic smile and a light shrug of her shoulders, then sprinted forward as soon as her shoes hit the concrete. The man - who stood taller than her at 6' something, heavier for sure, and heavily garbed in motorcycle gear - was faster than he looked, she gave him credit for that. But that was about all she'd give him credit for. He ducked into another alley, probably hoping she wouldn't see him. She saw him. Only a handful of people were on this sidewalk, thankfully, and Inez did her best to gracefully - and safely - blow past them before turning down that alley herself and picking up a steel garbage can that rested against one of the walls. Time to put this guy down, she thought to herself. Alex was on his way down the street, looking at the list of coffee orders that he fully prepared to apologize for. Everyone wanted coffee today. And snacks. It must have been time to stock the break room again. He didn't notice the man, but he saw the blonde woman disappearing into the alley, and frowned. People going into alleys was generally a bad sign, especially alone. Maybe she was trying to lose a tail? He stashed the list in his pocket and crept closer, peeking around the corner to see- Holy fuck. She definitely did not need help. But the guy she was preparing to throw the trash can at might. Pulling back the barrel over her head, Inez hurled it at the man - not with all her might, because she didn't want to turn him into a smear on the alley floor (ok, well, she kinda did but knew she shouldn't) - but enough to send him flying face-first onto the concrete. Which was exactly what he did. "Dammit, man," she said, slowing down and rubbing her hands together. "Why y'gotta make it so hard?" She wasn't out of breath, but she was out of patience. Reaching down, she picked him up by the collar of his jacket and pushed him against the wall. "Now you're comin' with me." No please or room for debate; his fate was sealed. At least as far as she was concerned, whatever happened to him once she turned him to her employer, well. That was another story, and not hers. She looked down the alley way and froze when she saw a stranger looking back at her. "Nothin' t'see here," she said, still holding him, a larger person than herself, against the wall and a few feet off the ground. |
