[@Avant][@Plank Sinatra]

[B]Gandharva - Night, School District 15, The Alleyway[/b]

He took umbrage at the sheer gall of his pursuers. Their usurious fixation on their own selfish, materialistic gain in this nightmare of a situation was utterly ridiculous. Even if he was relieved in the slightest by their disinterest towards the innovations of the body (now little more than the waste produced by a half-rate slaughterhouse), the fact that they were demanding him to debase himself further in this dark, waterlogged alleyway was simply without dignity. An inelegant, mercenary desire for more yen.

Gandharva, still cloaked perfectly within the night, did not speak out, his quiet footsteps - drowned out by the continuing spray and dripping of water from the ramparts - moving him slowly further away from the two. Although they were unlikely to pinpoint his location in the suffocating confines of the alleyway, the covetous Caucasians could still strike at him if they so wanted. The projectiles of the weasel-eyed one may not have been accurate, but the narrow shadows of the neighbouring buildings did not provide much protection from a lucky shot or any possible spray. He was certain on the water having washed away his scent, nullifying the animalistic nose of the greedy evolutionary throwback, but his power was more dangerous. If Gandharva's conclusions proved to be correct in identifying the Euroweeb's speciality to be one regarding kinetic forces, then a single movement could spell his defeat.

Gandharva despised the path his logic was taking him. It was now a question of pragmatism; had there only been an individual, he could have attacked, but it was not within his abilities to pull out such a victory. The attempt to utilise the body as a decoy was unsuccessful, as the savage considered the pursuit of pretty to be of greater importance. It was a night utterly devoid of any elegance whatsoever, and the impugning of his dignity refused to subside.

His goal was a clear one: successfully escape to the Dianoid for the rendezvous. Retrieval of the body was originally paramount, but the damage to it and the unexpected resistance meant that it would have to be discarded. He simply needed to leave his pursuers behind, and the horrid night would be over.

If handing over their money was what was necessary ...

This was all her responsibility. It was her failure to perform the cleanup. It was simply the just course of action to foist the payment onto her.

Bank details were remembered. The cheque was quickly written, the scratching of a pen quietly audible in the alleyway. And into the dimly lit circle produced by the phone torch, the slip of paper became visible.

It was done.

He was already moving away.