"It was his choice, Mack."
"Choice?" He harrumphed through his thick mustache. "Damn those Denizens. He never had any choice once they got their filthy fingers involved."
She leaned toward him, keeping her voice level. "Want to get on their radar? Keep announcing it to the world. You know they have eyes everywhere. Remember what happened to Ralph."
"Ralph was a dumbass." Mack lowered his voice, however; directing his officers to clear a path. They shoved their way into the crowd, who grudgingly let them pass. Ronnie adjusted her firearm as she followed the black-suited agents. The ugly mood was palpable, like a storm about to break. She'd seen enough riots erupt to know that a single spark could create madness in a matter of seconds. Many of the faces were covered by masks or goggles; others rendered nearly featureless by heavy hoods. Some shouted at her as she passed.
"They gonna pay!"
"Pigs for show. They drop charges, wait and see."
"You gonna let Dens walk, pigs?"
Dens? A rush of adrenaline made Ronnie feel dizzy. The shifting masses blurred around her. There was no way that a Denizen would be in the worst part of the city. Not unless—
The sight was surreal enough to be unnerving. Most of the officers in the city were present, in rigid formation behind a hi-volt barricade erected tall enough to prevent anyone foolish from trying to leap over. The RCE officers appeared unusually uneasy, but it wasn't because of the angry throngs that surrounded them. It was because of the source of the uproar.
Three Denizens were secured to a street lamp post; arms raised above their heads by wired manacles attached to the lamp's control panel. If they tried to free themselves, they would be electrocuted. They were forced to remain there, shackled in one of the worst neighborhoods in Neo York like disgraced angels exiled from a vengeful heaven. Their outlandish robes only made the contrast more distinct.
Yet there was no fear on their cherubic faces. They gazed at the raucous crowds with searing contempt, faces calm and unruffled. As if the people had gathered to face their judgment, instead of the other way around.
Ronnie knew all too well that was more than likely the case.
"What the hell is going on here, Mack? Who's in charge?"
He gave her a worried glance. "Far as I know, you are."
"What? We're looking at three Denizens shackled to a light post. There should be a ranking officer at the very least. Where's Commissioner Miller?"
"Not here. Don't think he wants to be. I call him and report; he says 'keep me informed' and hangs up. Can't get the Chief on the wire at all. No one wants this, Ronnie. You're the Agent. It's in your hands now."
She looked at the other officers and realized it was true. There was no one there that outranked her. She took a deep breath, hoping her expression didn't reveal the razor-winged butterflies that carved ulcers in her stomach. The Denizens twisted around to stare at her, realizing she was the figure of authority over their situation. The tall, blond-haired man offered her a thin-lipped smile, eyes glimmering like freshly polished sapphires.
Mack gave them a nervous glance. "They only gave us their names. Blond one calls himself Ulysses. The other is Ramses. Woman's name is Electra."
"Royal or mythological names. They do think highly of themselves, don't they?"
Mack cleared his throat. "That's not all, Ronnie." He gestured to the Underground entrance.
Ronnie hesitantly stepped over and peered into the tunnel. It was packed full of preteen children, boys and girls who stared back at her with haunted eyes.
"What's the deal with the kids?"
Mack shuffled his feet, barely meeting her gaze. "They… say they were kept in cages. By the Dens. I sent a team inside. They found some sort of lair deep down. Matches what the kids claim. They say the Dens did… things to them."
Ronnie's stomach clenched. "What kind of things?"
A tortured expression etched across Mack's face. "You know what kind."
Anger surged so quickly that her vision reddened. "All of them say the same thing?"
"The ones who will talk. Some are too afraid. Some too messed up to be coherent."
The crowd rocked back and forth, shouting in a chorus of fury. Some had weapons brandished in the air. For once Ronnie didn't care. They were reflections of the rage she felt inside. One chant caught on with the crowds, shouted over and over again.
Make them pay!
Make them pay!
Make them pay!
She stalked over to where the Denizens were shackled. Ulysses smiled again. He would have been strikingly handsome had it not looked like someone punched his face in. His nose was broken, his lips split, his right eye nearly obscured by heavy bruising.
"You'll let us out, won't you, Agent? I'm sure you want to do the right thing. After all, this is simply a terrible misunderstanding." His voice was velvet-soft, his gaze sharp with malice. Ronnie saw the hatred, the shame he tried to hide. He thought nothing of her, would kill her if he could just for witnessing his humiliation.
"You know me?"
Another condescending smile. "Oh, indeed. Headstrong orphan who survived the gritty streets to become a decorated Agent for the RCE. Bravo, Agent. Not many make it that far in those circumstances. Not… completely intact, anyway. A shame what happened to your partner. That's what — your fifth one so far? One might think pairing with you is bad luck, Agent Banks."
A wave of heat scalded her cheeks. She felt the eyes of the other officers watching her. "One might think imprisoning children for perverted sex games is the sign of a deranged mind."
His grin widened. "That's exactly why we were sent there. Haven Core caught wind of this disgusting business. That's why they sent their best agents to handle the situation. We're doing the job your agency won't do. You can thank us later for picking up your slack."
Ronnie's eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you saying?"
Electra turned, stabbing Ronnie with a scalding glare. "What do you think? We're HSSC. Our mission was to infiltrate and dismantle. Our cover was blown, and we were ambushed. It was only by luck that none of us were killed."
"I don't believe you."
"It doesn't matter what you believe. You're in over your head, Agent Banks. Our authority supersedes yours, and I'm giving you a direct order to release us. You don't want to impede our investigation any further, I assure you. You know what happens to those who do."
Ronnie stared into the eyes of the fiery-haired woman. Could she be telling the truth? There was something behind her words, something hidden behind her fierce demeanor. She wanted Ronnie to believe her. Desperately. A bead of sweat slid down Electra's forehead, dripping off the tip of her perfect nose.
Ronnie folded her arms. "You're lying."
"What?"
"The HSSC would never botch an operation so badly. Had they been involved, there would have been quite a few bodies left behind before they went down. I'm willing to bet that the only blood at the scene belongs to you three. Someone ambushed you; that much is sure. But it wasn't any undercover op gone wrong. We'll get to the bottom of this. After you've been processed, maybe I'll tell you what we find."
Ramses lifted his head. Like Ulysses, his face was painfully bruised. Despite that, he spoke in a deep and commanding voice. "You're going to try to arrest us? Denizens of Haven Core? You don't have the authority."
"Authority? If you were really HSSC someone with authority would have already arrived to claim you." Ronnie watched Ramses' face sag, confirming the truth. "Even if you were just a few Denizens slumming for thrills, someone with authority would have pulled your feet from the fire. But no one is coming for you. You're all alone out here. Which means you're under my authority."