But A Hunt

They landed slightly outside the city, hidden by the trees so that no one caught sight of them before the two of them could shift back to human form. The walk into the city wasn't long though, mostly because it was more of a sprint and they all possessed super-human speed. Xinyi led them to the bank and then across the roofs along the street where the guy was last seen.

" Can I get a list of the crimes this guy has commited?"

" Why?"

" There are too many smells here, and none of them are particularly strong or different so his scent might already be gone if he hasn't walked through here recently."

It wasn't a long list, but it did prove to him that they wouldn't catch his scent here, none of the smells matched a murderer and serial kidnapper. They cursed under their breath as they started back moving, taking the alleyway that the guy had disappeared into when he left the view of the cameras. He couldn't catch a scent there either. The alley spit out onto a road, but they caught sight of an alleyway directly across the street as well, too many possibilities. He refused to get frustrated in front of the detectives, not like he would when he was alone on a job like this. He slipped back into the alley and pulled up the illusions still attached to the camera system open on his computer. He heard the detectives let out little noises, whether of shock or awe, he really couldn't give a shit. He pulled up the map next, and was surprised to see how rapidly the vitality signs were fading from the area.

" Shit! He must have seen one of you two, he's running!" illusions like this required him to keep his focus on his computer in order to get a clear picture, especially when at a distance. He cast two quick spells, listen, and whisper, though calling it that did a disservice to how loud he could scream through it.

" Head west after you leave the alley, I'll give you as many directions as I can, but you're going to have to try your best."

They nodded at him before moving to follow his orders, more faith in him than he would expect from two detectives, but it was not unwelcome. Before they left his sight he closed one eye and cast surveillance. It gave him a bird's eye view so he'd have a better chance at identifying the guy, and keeping track of where the detectives were. Directions were wonky at first, having to split his brain power between detectives and then again between what his eyes were seeing. The Tweedles moved fast, making use of the roofs to avoid humans and run at top speed. They were adept at parkour and following orders, as well as quickly switching directions.

" He should be in the plaza somewhere, keep low and try to avoid attention. Or you can make a big scene and spook him. Hurry up though, I have other things I need to be doing soon."

Namely getting back to his couch, where he knows he left a bag of bone chips. He made them himself so they were perfect and he adored them and he was kinda hungry. He was always hungry after a mission like this, but it had gotten better over the years so he could hold off on finding a new job as long as possible.

" Tweedle Dumb, on your right, 4 o'clock."

" What did you just call me?"

He was honestly surprised the little one got the moniker correct. The blonde one snickered as he caught sight of the indigent face Tweedle Dumb was making, and then it stopped as he caught sight of what Xinyi was trying to draw their attention to. The guy they were chasing stood as still as an intact brick wall, his only movement the harsh pants he was trying to pass off as breathing, and suddenly Xinyi remembered what he forgot to tell the detectives.

" He is most definitely high."

And then he was rushing at Tweedle Dumb with a knife and the crowd was parting like a tree before an axe. Tweedle Dee seemed amused at this, not at all concerned, so Xinyi started shutting everything besides the three spells they were using on the detectives down. They'd be done here soon, and that bag of chips was calling their name.

This was how their alliance with the DIU started, and how they were assumed to be working with the cops, which took a knife to his reputation for a while. It also started his stance as a neutral party only interested in three things. Money, food, and themself. It took them months to fix what the DIU's lack of good security did, and then another couple to up said security in secret. It was a sign of goodwill mostly, but also they still had things they could give him, and they couldn't do that if they were dead.

Once they were mostly back to their previous standing, food and money source once again as stable as being an assassin and information broker could be, things started going smooth again. Until someone shot him through the head while he was sitting on his couch playing candy crush. That was rude, was the first thought he had when he once again awoke at the bottom of the harbor. He was chained up in a box in pieces this time though, so props to whoever thought of that, didn't stop him though.

The DIU looked rather shocked when he walked into their office, soaking wet, covered in blood, missing their shoes, and wearing clothes they had once more stolen from the military surplus store.

" I'm crashing on your fucking couch, goodnight."

He took a nap for a fucking week, because why not, and when he woke it was noon on a Wednesday and he already didn't want to be awake, but he smelled like fish piss and salt, so he needed a shower even if no one else could smell it beside him and Director Orange. No one bothered him as he left the building and made his way back to their apartment. Thankfully, nothing important had been touched, the only things out of place being the things in his office and the shattered glass of his living room window.

His shower was long, unlimited shower time still a novelty he wasn't over even after years of having it. He didn't dress up like he normally would on an outing to the DIU, just threw on his work uniform, the clothes he stole on his first night in the city, before heading back to the office.