Oracle surveyed the room before her. Two drug dealers were deep in conversation, boxes stacked around them, most likely filled with the drugs they were smuggling. The two duffles she assumed was where the money was hidden.

She moved her gaze from the two dealers to the guards surrounding them. They were surrounding the pair in a spread-out semi circle, looking in all directions, except up.

It was almost too easy.

Oracle watched the guards, quietly slipping over to the other side of the warehouse when it was safe, looking for a suitable stack of crates to climb up. There she waited, listening for the footsteps of patrolling guards. When she heard none, Oracle scaled the crates.

Her heart began to beat steadily against her chest as she reached the top of the container, blending into the shadows the dim light created. From her perch it would be easy to take out the patrolling guards. She could see them but they couldn't see her.

Downing then would leave only the six guards around the two dealers. She took a moment to memorize the patterns the guards walked before reaching for her rifle. Oracle took the weapon off the magnetic clips on her back, checking it before sighting down the scope. She took the first guard out and moved to the others, downing them quickly.

Panicked shouting echoed off the walls as the guards realized what was happening. To her right she heard one of the drug dealers shout something at the other.

Oracle killed the last guard out and looked for the dealers. She flinched back as a shot glanced off the metal.

"Shit." she hissed ducking, trying to find where the shot had come from.

She spotted guards over on the other side of the room.

"Great." she muttered.

She leapt from crate to crate, moving through the shadows like a panther stalking her prey.

"Where did she go?" Hissed a voice.

Oracle looked out over the crate and saw two other guards. She took aim and hit them, watching as they went down. Two more came into view and she downed them too. Now there were only two soldiers left.

She waited silently, looking for any movement in the dark. She saw one and took aim, hitting him in the leg. Oracle hit her enemy in the neck and he went still, dark blood spreading from the wound.

The last guard crossed the space below her and she crouched at the edge of the crate, jumping when the guard was below her. Oracle tackled and dispatched him, moving away from the body quickly. She switched to her pistol after realizing she used all of her rifle ammo.

Oracle heard something move off to her right and saw Bastian taking aim at her. She fired her pistol, hitting him in the arm in a spray of blood. The drug dealer swore loudly as he dropped his weapon, disappearing behind the crate. Oracle took advantage of this distraction, sprinting to where they were hiding. She kicked the pistol away from where they hid.

She felt something sink into her shoulder, letting out a hiss of pain as an intense burning sensation spread through her shoulder and neck. Oracle lashed out at whoever had attacked her, feeling her fist connect with flesh. Oracle heard a grunt and kicked who she now recognized as Bastian hard in the chest. He stumbled back, gasping for breath.

Oracle heard someone else say something, turning to see another man with a pistol aimed at her. She saw Bastian get up out of the corner of her eye, bloody combat blade in his hand. Oracle made a split second decision as Bastian moved in on her, going for the pistol.

She grabbed it just in time, seeing a bullet ping off the concrete by her arm. Oracle aimed the weapon at the other dealer and pulled the trigger, putting a bullet between his eyes. He crumpled to the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut, blood streaking his tan skin. Oracle aimed the pistol at Bastian, ignoring the pain in her shoulder.

"Put it down." She ordered, her voice a dangerous hiss.

Bastian did as he was told, sliding the combat blade across the floor so that it tapped her foot, the bloodied blade leaving crimson marks on the floor.

"Do as you're told and you'll keep your life." She growled, picking up the blade.

Bastian grunted, standing and turning his back to her. Oracle promptly fastened a set of handcuffs on his wrists, the magnetic locks sealing themselves with a hiss.

Oracle walked behind Bastian, keeping the gun at his back in case he tried to run. The Bounty Hunter smiled to herself. The good thing about her targets was that they never knew if they were really going to get killed if they ran, or if they were too valuable to kill, and that meant that Oracle could manipulate them easily.

The two walked in silence until they got to Crimson Shadows.

"Sit." She said, motioning to a spot along the wall of the ship.

She closed the ramp and turned her back to Bastian, grabbing the Med Foam to momentarily stop the bleeding.

"That's a nasty wound." Commented the drug dealer, looking at where he had slipped the combat blade between the plates of her shoulder armor.

Blood had managed to deep out between the midnight black plates, lines of crimson streaking her armor. Intense pain spread down her arm and into her neck every time she moved it. She didn't notice, however. Pain didn't bother her anymore.

"Unfortunate," she said, keeping her voice level.

"I'll have to clean it, which is always a pain in the ass."

Bastian chuckled slightly.

"I know the feeling."

Oracle glanced over at him, keeping her gaze carefully neutral. He didn't seem afraid of her, not like her prisoners usually were. He was talking to her like a friend instead of a captor. Bastian seemed almost comfortable in her presence, an observation that made her feel oddly uncomfortable.

Maybe it's because he was a soldier. She thought to herself.

She was secretly thankful that someone wasn't afraid of her. That someone chose to talk to her instead of cowering in fear. Oracle saw him follow her with his gaze as she grabbed the bandages that were stacked neatly in the medical compartment.

"Concerned for your prisoner?"

"No, I just don't want you bleeding all over my ship," she said coldly, beginning to wrap his arm.

He stayed quiet as she worked, the soft hun of Crimson Shadows the only sound that broke the heavy silence.

"Answer me this," he said as she finished wrapping his wound, "why did Necron want me captured?"

Oracle paused for a second, not expecting the question. He should know why Necron wanted him off the streets, it seemed pretty obvious to her.

"You smuggle Irinorphine, a highly addictive and dangerous hallucinogenic drug," she said, "I would think it would be obvious why they wanted you captured."

He nodded, not saying anything more. She thought he saw a ghost of a smirk twist his lips as she climbed the ramp into the cockpit.

"Don't try anything!" Oracle called down to him.

She powered up Crimson Shadows, the ship humming to life beneath her. The flight to home base was uneventful. To her surprise Bastian didn't try anything. Oracle maneuvered Crimson Shadows onto her designated Landing Pad, powering down the ship.

She checked the time in the upper corner of her Heads-Up Display.

01:46

Perfect. She thought, taking Crimson Shadows out of Stealth Mode and walking down the ramp.

"Up." She commanded.

Bastian stood without comment as the ramp lowered. When she walked out into the concrete two service droids met her and she told them to look the ship over.

They beeped at her a couple times before flying around the ship, inspecting the outside. Oracle walked through the landing pad doors, pausing so the system could recognize her.

Inside two armed and armored personnel met her, taking Bastian. Oracle followed them through several hallways lined with doors before they made it to the elevators.

Bounty Hunters walked past her, either carrying money or following two guards with a subject in hand. Oracle looked straight ahead, paying them no mind.

Bastian and his escorts got into the elevator, Oracle not far behind. She pressed the floor 46 button and stepped back, waiting. A couple seconds later the doors opened, revealing a hallway lined with doors. Each door belonged to a different boss who had different Bounty Hunters working under them. She worked for Reclaimer, who had created and ran Necron. She entered in front of the guards, seeing Reclaimer look up as she did.

"Right on time." Said the voice of Reclaimer.

She nodded to him, standing off to the side as the guards brought Bastian in, his demeanor changing as he laid eyes on Reclaimer. She watched his eyes narrow and his lips curl back in a snarl, hia gray eyes hardening.

"Old friend," said Reclaimer, turning his icy gray gaze on him, "we finally found you."

"By chance." Spat Bastian, his voice a hateful growl.

Oracle saw Reclaimer's gaze harden and knew something had happened between the two a long time ago. What that was she didn't know, and most likely didn't want to know.

"Good work Oracle." He said, turning his gaze to her.

"I will pay you 30,000 in Blood Credits. I've already transferred it to your account." He said.

Oracle nodded.

"Now, as for our friend here, take him to cell 343 and get his wound cleaned and bandaged." Said Reclaimer, making sure to lock eyes with Bastian when he said it.

"Bastard." She heard the drug dealer growl.

Reclaimed laughed softly, a laugh devoid of mirth, hollow, mocking. Something had happened between them, something that had pitted them against one another. Oracle waited a moment longer, watching Reclaimer's gaze shift to her.

"I'm glad to see that you haven't lost your touch." he said, walking around in front of his desk. "I'll get your payment transferred shortly."

"Let me see your eyes." he said.

Oracle reached up with her good arm and took off her helmet with a soft hiss, revealing her emerald eyes, long brown hair and light tan skin. She had a thin white scar reaching from the corner of her left eye diagonally to her jaw from a nasty encounter a year ago. Other scars decorated her face, ones made by armored fists, knives and close calls.

Oracle instinctively flinched back as Reclaimer moved closer, cursing herself for doing so. He paused, looking into her eyes for a moment. She felt like he could through the mask she wore, see what she was thinking, what she was feeling. Nothing made her uncomfortable anymore, nothing but Reclaimer's cold, calculating glare.

"You have done well," he said, turning away from her.

"Always do." She answered, not letting her apprehension creep into her voice.

"Go get some rest, I have two new tasks for you tomorrow, be ready to receive one at 12:00 exactly."

"Alright." Said Oracle, turning towards the door and slipping her helmet back on.

"And get that looked at," he added, his eyes going to her shoulder, "I would hate to see my best Bounty Hunter hindered by an injury."

Oracle responded with a simple "I will," before leaving.

She took a deep breath and let it out, feeling her fatigue beginning to surface. What she really needed now was some peace, quiet and a cold shower, but first she had to get her injury looked at.

Then I can go home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thoughts? Comments? Any feedback and encouraging comments are welcome! How are you guys liking the story so far? Is it well written, do I describe everything well? Is anything confusing to you? Do you like the characters and plot? Please feel free to answer any of these questions and tell me if I need to replace, add or fix anything!

In the meantime stay safe!
~~Nightfury107