Mental shock and pain, unfocused perception staring up at the smog above as thoughts dissolve into the dirt and grime of the streets.
Detective Ryce doesn’t even breathe as he kneels onto the suspect’s backside, removing a pair of hand ties from his belt. Green arcane sigils across the black strands tangle together, rope snaking forth from its stowed position and onto the downed individual’s hands.
A crowd of workers gathering around the perimeter, curious gazes interrupted by the shouted orders behind them.
Gold arcane power flowing across his lower body, Detective Tanithil easily leaps over the wooden obstruction and onto the premises. Still intact tuna sandwich in one hand, the other points directly at the circled gathering. Calm tone, a mild breathlessness in his voice as the elf speaks forth. “This is the Police, clear the area!”
Jogging over to his Partner, the detective pauses as he observes him.
Ryce gives Tan a wordless, begging glare as he motions towards the suspect on the ground. A bit of confusion bridging to understanding, the elf simply staring at the officer in the midst of taking a bite of his sandwich. “Are we arresting him?”
Ryce rolls his eyes silently, giving a desperate nod to his partner.
“Do you require something from me?”
Frustration boils over, a gag sounding from the human detective as liquids within lungs seize muscle tissue. A small lurch sends viscous red liquid out from his mouth, Ryce doubling over as a huge stream of liquefied matter rips into the world and splatters everywhere.
Sickly sweet intermixed with the vileness of bodily fluids, massive coughs taken as the Detective purges his airways of the transmuted suspension.
Clearing his throat at the sight, Detective Tanithil Balquinal begins to dictate calmly to the suspect as he stands above them. “You have the right to silence. Any and all admissions can and will be used by the Magistrate and Jury in prosecution. You have the right to a Defender, and one will be provided to you if necessary. Do you understand these rights that I have dictated to you?”
The response isn’t clear, a gurgling of shocked vocal cords barely bridge the unconscious mind to actual reality.
The first breath in a minute taken as the final tendrils of suspension falls out of an open mouth, Ryce glaring at his partner. “Oh you bastard…”
Tan interrupts with his report, a slender finger tapping the voicecaster rune on his shoulder. “Dispatch, S.I.D. zero-two: pursuit completed. Suspect is in custody. Requesting suspect transportation on thirty avenue north at Matrico Paper Supply.”
Turning back to his partner the elf continues. “I do not understand the need to have taken a performance enhancing potion for this arrest.”
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One more cough, the human detective whipping away saliva and solution from his mouth. “Well I sure as hells ain’t catching up to him while he’s high on this stuff.”
Dirty hands move a dirtied suspect, rummaging through school uniform pockets as he finds the suspected item.
A single waxed paper bag, the roughness of stone and dust tangible through the layers of protective sheeting. Nondescript brown and large enough to be bound within both hands, Detective Tanithil narrows his eyes as he focuses the final remnants of his spell onto the thing.
“I am not detecting any magical effect.” The Elf informs.
“You will.” Ryce notes as he tears the mouth of the bag open.
Massive evocation, pure power hidden within suddenly expanding energy outwards into the world. In augmented vision the glow is enough to force Detective Tan to shield his eyes, his partner taking a glance within.
A calm tone, Ryce sighing as he easily identifies the substance with a very, very careful sniff. Reaction obvious in the realization of terrifying implications, the pharmaceutical aftertaste in his mouth setting off a biological alarm. “Well, shit.”
“What is the item?”
“Arcanophetamine…” Detective Ryce answers coldly with the scientific name.
A silence as the human carefully places the item away into a produced evidence bag, his partner asking the obvious question. “Is there any relevance to the current situation regarding the Gate of Leon?”
“There’s enough doses here in this bag to kill every junkie in the precinct two times over.” Ryce replies before answering him. “And yeah, you wonder how the hell you’re supposed to charge the arcanium dust? Damn, I’m actually kinda curious what kinda high you can get off of this stuff. Call the Chief, she’ll want to hear about this.”
“So our current case is regarding an arcane seal currently cutting off a major bend of traffic that may be related to a domestic terrorist organization is… releated to a drug manufacturing scheme?” Tan points out the obvious note.
“Hey I make the theories, I don’t make the evidence.” Ryce replies. “And city services can handle dispelling it right?”
“May I also remind you that we also have one witness who has not been interviewed.” The Detective offers as his gaze turns towards the incoming group of jogging police officers. “Perhaps he is a suspect?”
Ryce narrows his eyes. “What because he’s an elf he’s able to practice the ‘old magic?’”
Detective Tan doesn’t even react, an even voice perpetrating his own species as the rest of the backup arrives. “Perhaps.”
Shoving their way through the arranged crowd of factory workers the five officers take a moment to catch their breath. Officer Cassie speaks up first, a cough bringing out a small bit of iced mist from her frozen diaphragm. “Nice work.”
One of the other officers snaps on the pair of handcuffs to thin wrists, a gold glow of arcane locks cementing absolute order on the lawless.
Another deep breath, unfit respiratory systems wrought back as the dragonborn continues towards the suspect. “So… didn’t expect a kid like you to be responsible for this. What kinda prank is…”
“Officer Cassie.” Detective Tan interrupts quickly with a raised hand. “Where are the remaining witnesses?”
A long pause as the group exchanges stares at each other, a confusion wrought on faces before she replies. A sharp, scaled finger pointing to the man on the ground, she answers the Detective. “You caught the guy right?”
Tan remains still, Ryce standing up from his position with an audible groan. “Don’t tell me you let the elf go.”
The silence remains.
“Fuck.”