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“Oho, you forgot me already? I thought I was special!” She grinned, turning and walking backwards to meet his eyes with her own. “Maybe this will jog your memory: forty-seven~”

A memory would reignite in the prince’s mind--Five years ago. A woman with madness in her eye, standing in the center of the royal court, laughing her guts out while shouting that number, over and over and over again… the high ceiling, lit with sunlight, somehow growing darker as her composure was crushed under the judge’s gavel—it was the first time she’d confessed how many men, women and children she’d murdered.

Geth would know this woman well. Her real name was Angela, and she was the Photobooth killer. His father had personally ordered her execution. She had poised as a photographer’s wife, and whenever people came to her to get their photos taken to commemorate moments in their lives they wanted to cherish forever, she shot them with a pistol hidden behind her pictograph.

No one knew why. Or even how many she’d killed, before she snapped. But they did know she escaped death row, all on her own, using one of the bars of her own jail cell as a spear to kill a dozen guards on her way out.

Bison sighed, looking away from the two: he’d best keep out of this.

~*~

Javert slowly lowered one leg onto the plants, and then soon the other—he landed on his left foot wrong, however, and almost fell backwards: thankfully a soldier had been there to grab his arm. He probably wouldn’t have gone off the ledge, but he was still uncomfortably close…

“Indeed. You investigate there—I’ll test my fortune at the trading station.” He nodded, actually using his cane to walk across the mesh of greenery—it was solid, but uneven, and falling on his old hip was a very real possibility.

When he reached there, he nodded to the operator: the man who oversaw the trades and made sure the town got a cut of the profits.

“Sir.” He tipped his hat, flashing his badge at the individual. “What do you know of this man?” He asked, holding up the picture of Judath Mauve had prepared for them.

Looking up as he heard a voice, the man looked at the investigator suspiciously. He didn't like it when these kinds came about with their fancy smancy attitudes. They always felt like the town owed them something and even worse they always seemed to expect the town to become a bunch of snitches on the drop of a hat. Nah they weren't snitches. They kept their mouths shut when they could.

The picture though, it did worry him. What had Judath gotten himself into now that he was bein looked for by the United Columbus? "What about 'im?"

For a moment he panicked, not sure what to do. Before he got much time to do so though, he felt himself suddenly be lifted upwards and away from her. It was at this point, his held breath was released and he gave a sigh. Bison was right. This wasn't the time for this. No they had to focus on Sherspire, even if her being around seemed to ruin the possibility of that entirely. After all, who was to say she wouldn't just turn on them when she got a chance?

He hated this situation so much, but nonetheless, he regained his composure and tried to keep calm. "In your dreams siren," he said rather coldly in return as he continued walking forward, Judath's bullet whizzing over them as they did so.

In a matter of time, the wall was reached, getting them finally out of the line of sight of snipers and allowing them to move onto the next part, getting in...

~*~

The pirate frowned some at the investigator's threat, not liking it at all. Worse yet though was his claim. Damned if he let that spoiled brat bring down a good captain like Judath. "Jude didn't kidnap that damned brat. The prince hired him. The kid had some plan he wanted done and he hired some pirate to do it since your navy is more than preoccupied at the moment. Jude just happened to be the one the kid picked. Ain't nobodies wish but his own really. Judes just doin what the kid asks him to."

"Not sure exactly. He told 'em to stay hush hush ya know? And since I didn't go meself I wouldn' know. The only hint I might have is it has somethin ta do with Sherspire. Dun know what though," the man said with a frown," he's your prince so I spose you'd know better than any of us.

~*~

Climbing up quickly, the prince was glad once he was finally up on the wall and not dangling over the edge in a life or death situation. The possibility of being shot was much more preferable truly. Anyways, time to get to work.

First, the prince moved to the nearest guard, grabbing a few bullet cartridges and a pistol off of him. He then carefully slid a rifle over his shoulder, trading it out for the shield which he moved to his arm. Then, just like that, he extended it, blocking a blow directed towards Bison. Once blocked, he turned his arm and proceeded to bash the side of the shield into the guard's head before extending his leg to kick another man away from Bison, who seemed to be their main target oddly enough. Or well, not odd, he guessed. After all, he was quite...intimidating.

He was doing a decent job really, at least keeping enemies away from the man's rear. Bullets though...those were a little harder to block He tried his hardest really, but really the only thing he could do with those was be an accidental meat shield, which he was. Two times actually. Thankfully though his shield did deflect some. Even more so though, they were able to end the battle quickly.

Once all the men were down either unconscious or otherwise, the brunette gave a sigh. Reinforcements would surely be here soon, but by then they'd have Judath and, well, the numbers would definitely not matter as much once he'd arrived.

"You're not really good at counting are you. He was forty-eight," he said simply, pointing to a lifeless corpse on the ground. He then started moving about, grabbing cartridges from guns and pockets and setting them in a pile for either Bison or Judath to grab. He then put his rifle on the ledge, looking through the scope just to make sure the snipers were not hindering Judath's journey over. He could do nothing about it really other than maybe scare them down, considering he was a bad shot, but he was sure even that would help the redhead a tiny bit. He, thus, took a few shots, deterring the movement of any of the other people for a bit while Judath made his way over.

Soon though the rifle had to be abandoned as the door swung open wide, the reinforcements coming much sooner than he'd expected. Bison, too had to end his series of trips and wires prematurely as a few shots were sent his way.

Turning his head, he watched as ten to twelve reinforcements walked through the doors. He then slid his shield off his back and moved towards the other two. Before he could close the gap though, a smoke screen was put down. It was an irritant, making his eyes water and causing him to reel back. He couldn't see the two anywhere though it appeared they'd been just bit disorientated as well as a few men slipped through, goggles on, right to the side of the smoke the prince was on. With the gun trained on him, he really had no choice, but to stay where he was and attempt to reach for his pistol. Before he could even react though, a bang went off from behind him, followed by two more to finish off the other two.

Turning about, he spotted Judath behind him, swooping in a saving the day just as he expected. Alright, so he didn't exactly predict that, but he did predict that things would get a lot easier once he arrived. No that anyone should take anything from that. It's no like he respected him or revered him or anything. It was just a logical fact and nothing more. Yeah. A logical fact that was based on aim and not facial features or personality. Just aim and skill.

Smiling some at the man's stupid little joke, he nodded some and followed after Judath, trying to ignore the pained yelp from a soldier as Judath stepped on him. Poor guy. He almost felt bad for them, almost...

Moving through the doors and down the hall, he jumped just a bit as the doors were closed behind him, giving Bison some extra protection from hallway snipers. He quickly turned around though and followed Judath, not wanting to get too far apart from the captain, knowing that to do so would be a huge mistake. "Where to first, he whispered, trying to be quiet, as he assumed they wanted to go without being spotted for as long as possible.

"Four," he asked looking a tad surprised before nodding. He supposed they did think he was a pirate didn't they? After all, they wouldn't actually have a clue as to what was going on. They would just know that a group of pirates had entered for what seemed like no reason and started killing their men. They probably thought they were just here to rob the place or something.

Speaking of this place, it was odd looking, so militaristic. Even the Columbus' forts looked a little less cold than this place. It was hard to think anyone here could possibly have much morale. This place just looked like a prison. Cold, metal walls, small torches, and not even a bit of sunlight leaking in. It was depressing to think anyone had to live in this place, even if they were the enemy.

Walking close behind, he jumped suddenly as Judath kicked a door open. He then stared for a moment before entering. Inside was a maid. The poor woman looked scared to death with good reason. After all, here stomped in a bunch of strangers.

"No, no. Leave her be. She's innocent," he said with a frown as he took a place in front of her, daring them to move. He then waited for a moment before offering her his hand. "We aren't going to hurt you, I promise. And either is Sherspire. I'll make sure of it personally if I have to miss," he said before lifting a hand and lightly brushing a piece of hair from her eyes.

"Nah nothing I can think of. Other than that he's a captain and a real smart guy. He never talked much about it, ya'know," he said simply before hearing someone call his name, telling him to go over back to work. "Well, that's all I can really tell you sir. So, if you don't mind I have to get back to work."

~*~

Frowning some at that, he tried to think of something else to do, some other way around this. For a moment it seemed there was no way, but he'd promised and a promise was a promise even if it did make things more difficult. What would they do now though?

Then suddenly. BANG! A gunshot went off signaling that they'd been found out. Crap. "Kamel. Here just leave her be. Judath needs your help more than mine. You are a better fighter than me," he said as he slid in between the two of them, both being truthful and trying to keep her from pounding on the girl at the same time. "I'll figure something out. Alright?"

With that said, he turned to the girl, giving her a worried look, really he didn't want her to get harmed. What could he do though? They were going to try to get it out of her one way or another and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop that were that to happen. "I know you don't want to give up the information, that your scared. If you don't say anything though...there is nothing I can do to help you. We are going to find Sherspire one way or another and when we do they'll blame you. It wasn't my intention for such a thing to happen, but whether you tell us or not I'm sure they'll blame you. If you do tell us though, I can try to protect you as best as possible from anything like that. We could take you out of here, even with us, if you'd let us... He really wasn't sure Judath would allow that, but it was easy to make a promise as long as he kept fighting.