[i]A cache is forming![/i] The thought kept repeating through Taija's head as she raced to get a better vantage point. Although hardly a unique process, it was one she found strangely beautiful. The dark form of the city's servants shifted and danced above the skyline, their storm marking the location of the cache. It was a big one this time, bigger than most of the other caches that had formed around the sector in the past weeks. [i]Definitely something worth sending a team towards.[/i] Taija thought. Then she realized the direction of the cache, and it suddenly seemed far more urgent that a team be sent out to get what they can from the cache before there was another stupid standoff with Sector Three. There had been [i]far[/i] too many retrievers and hunters in the clinic with bullet wounds recently. And far too many who never made it back for treatment. She shuddered. It was bad enough they had the dangers of the City itself to deal with. It seemed ludicrous to her that people would waste such effort killing each other, when there were so many other problems to deal with. Despite the horrible things the people in Sector Three were said to have done, they were still human.


The clinic was largely empty as Taija walked back past the beds. The few people that were there simply needed to spend time resting, and with most of the retrievers at least a day south, there wouldn't be anything urgent happening for some time. Taija stopped suddenly, a possibility suddenly opening up in her mind. Th majority of the retriever teams were gone, or laying in the beds around her, and there was a new cache that would need a fast response. A quick mental tally of the retrievers she knew of, versus those that she knew were gone meant there were probably only a couple skilled city-goers left in Sector Nine. 

Barely a moment after, the radio confirmed her suspicions, calling out for any who would be willing, and maybe just crazy enough to head to the council offices for work outside the deadzone. Bubbling with excitement, Taija headed out to gather her things. She waved a quick goodbye to Suzie, the nurse manning the reception area of the clinic, yelling back that she'd be gone for the rest of the day. [i]And possibly a bit longer, depending on how the cache recovery goes.[/i] But Suzie didn't need to know about that. 

The small apartment the family shared wasn't too far from the clinic, and as usual, remained uninhabited. A boon, considering Taija was hardly in the mood to have the same argument about venturing into the city, or be further lectured about its dangers. Taija had certainly seen what those creatures could do first hand. Shaking her mother's voice out of her head, she went back to gather supplies. Most of her worldly possessions were already stored in her bag, but a quick inspection revealed her first aid kit was lacking in bandages and painkillers, and she could probably use some more food for the journey - a quick fix at the market, but it would take a bit of time. Finally ready, she jotted down a quick note for Jess to find, and headed out towards the council building. Taija could deal with her family's outrage after she made it back alive.  

[hr]

Roughly an hour later, Taija finally found herself standing outside of the council building, her excitement ceding to apprehension as the building loomed before her. Gathering herself, she flew up the stairs and through the doors. The reception area was distinctly...clean. A pleasant break from the pervasive bloodstains of the clinic. The man sitting behind the desk looked up boredly. 

[b]"Taija Willow, I'm here because you needed some spare hands on that latest cache."[/b] Taija interrupted him before he had a chance to say anything, bouncing on her heels slightly as she talked. [b]"Unless of course you've already got enough people...?"[/b] She trailed off, leaning forward slightly as she waited for his reply. 

The receptionist gave her an odd look, then leaned back, barking out a harsh laugh. [b]"Well, suit yourself. That request is getting more of a response than I ever thought it would. I'll let 'em know you're here. In the meantime, feel free to take a seat."[/b] He then turned, picking up a phone. Meanwhile Taija paced in front of the chairs. She was far too apprehensive to sit down at a time like this!

[b]"Got another one responding to that cache... Yup... Alright."[/b] With the brief conversation over, the receptionist turned to Taija once more. [b]"Looks like Connelly is meeting with the wanderer now. You're welcome to head up and wait outside. Make sure you leave any weapons you have in one of those lockers before going up. Take the key with you, grab your things on the way out, got it?"[/b] 

Taija nodded when the receptionist finished giving his directions. [b]"Thanks, I'll be sure to head up. But I don't have any weapons to store, so I won't be needing the lockers."[/b] The receptionist gave his most incredulous look yet with this last response, his eyebrows climbing up into his hairline, but Taija was in the stairwell before he could inquire much further. Apparently Jones had some trouble believing this as well, as she received a fairly thorough search before being left to wait outside Councilman Connely's chambers.