Following the Trail

"So what was the hold-up?" Cher asked as the three of us are now walking together.

"I thought I saw something interesting but it had no connection to the guy you saw," I said with a smile. "So you guys see anything interesting?"

"So far just some smashed bricks," Katsuo said pointing to some red chunks in a linear position.

"Excellent, let's follow them further,"

"But we don't know if he's what caused them and it seems trap-like,"

"We'll be fine, I'm sure of it," I said as I followed the trail, "if you'd like to turn back now then that's fine but I'll continue. This is too good of an opportunity to pass up and we all know it,"

"You know we can't leave you to go out there alone, you don't have a manifestation. You going alone is suicide and you know it," Katsuo said.

"So are you coming or not?" The two stood there silent, Cher had a look of guilt on her face and Katsuo just looked at me with no expression. "Fine by me, I'll see you guys at work," I said continuing to follow the trail of brick chunks. By the time the trails stopped it was midday, up ahead was a busy street and there were no other signs of any manifestations. The city before me looked as though it took an entire 180-degree turn. The city before me looked as though it had undergone a purge. "Where should I go now?"

"How about back to where you came from?" a voice said.

"Well that's rude," I turn my head and see a girl about 15 years old leaning against a wall.

"Wait I know you, you're the girl that works as a government pawn," the girl said pointing at me.

"Excuse me miss but I'm no pawn, I'm just working with the government toward a common goal. Do you mind telling me where exactly I am?"

"You're on the outskirts of Tormentor territory, it'd be best to turn back now," the girl said.

"I'm actually looking for someone, do you think you could help me?" I asked the girl. 

"What's in it for me?" she said folding her arms.

"Depends if we find him or not, I always pay handsomely so are you willing to hear me out?"

"Who're you looking for?"

"A 25-year-old man named Tamaki with a wind-like manifestation,"

"Wind-like manifestation huh? Follow me," The girl said as she started running off.

"Hey wait up," I said chasing after her, "Why are you running?"

"It's almost that hour, if we don't hurry we'll get caught in the raid," the girl said running off.

"Raid?" I questioned.

"Ugh, I know you see how our city is. Every hour, there is a raid. During this raid, people get hurt, go missing, and sometimes even die. It's basically survival of the fittest here. Now pick up the pace, just by looking at you I can tell you're powerless," The girl said as she started running faster, I picked up the pace as the girl suggested. A loud horn went off and the girl cursed under her breath. "Come this way," she said grabbing my hand and running into an abandoned building. Screams and cheers could be heard while I was sitting inside. "Get down and stay down, don't move or you'll get us killed," the girl whispered. We sat there for what felt like hours, I tried my luck making conversation with the girl.

"So where are we?" I asked.

"Didn't I tell you to keep quiet?" the girl whispered. "If you really care though, it was my house,"

"Really but it seems abandoned," I said, the girl shrugged. "What about your parents?"

"Don't know, don't care," the girl said turning away from me. It must've been a touchy subject for her. The horn sounded again most likely signalling the end of the raid. "Let's go," the girl said standing up. "We have 30 minutes till the next one, I'd like to make more progress and get rid of you by then,"

"You've got quite the mouth, don't you?"

"The heavens gave me a mouth with zero restrictions, who am I to limit myself when I wasn't given one," the girl said. 

"So where are we going now?"

"There's a bar nearby, if I'm right about who you might be looking for the drunkard must be drinking his life away again," the girl scoffed.

"Hey I never got your name, you can call me Director," I said smiling to the girl.

"Who names their child that? Pretty fitting for your lifestyle now but I bet you got bullied as a kid. Honestly, what were your parents thinking,"

"Director is an alias, anyways what's ur name?"

"...Mayumi,"

"Mayumi, that's such a nice name," I complimented her, she blushed and looked away from me.

"Well it's nicer than Director," she said, my phone started to ring.

"Sorry I have to take this," I excuse myself and answer my phone. "Hello?"

"I'm going to assume you forgot about your 3:00 o'clock meeting with the board of directors,"

"Oh crap your right, think we could reschedule?"

"Definitely not, you've got an hour to get here or I'm sending Sean after you,"

"Ugh fine I'm coming," I said hanging up the phone. "Mayumi, I've got a work meeting I can't miss soon so I gotta cut our journey short,"

"Fine by me I'll take my payment now then," she said with a smirk and folding her arms.

"We haven't found him yet,"

"True but you did have to cut it short so isn't it only fair I get compensated for my work?" I sighed.

"Alright name your price," I said.

"A decent place to stay and an allowance,"

"That's what you want?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"Look you saw how hectic it can be over here, it's only a matter of time before someone kills me. So just find me a place and give me about $500 a month,"

"$500 a month!? You're a teenager what would you do with all that money each month?"

"I didn't pry into your personal affairs so you should respect mine,"

"You know what, let's discuss this back at the office. Come with me,"