There is only truth in death, for silent mouths cannot tell lies. Nor can they protect their belongings. Mai rummaged around the pockets of the corpse, pulling out everything she could get her hands on. A tan line on the man’s wrist marked all that was left of his watch and jewelry, already in Mai’s backpack. A few buttons in his wallet, but nothing more than anyone else on the street. They too joined the contents of the thief’s pack, amidst other nicks she had made over the course of the day. The real prize she found sewn into the lining of his jacket, papers. They were citizenship documents, all filled out and stamped ready for approval, this would snatch a fine sum in any dark corner of the city. Nowadays the right person would pay anything to get into the country, not that she could see the exact draw of living here. Stuffing her prizes into the pack tightly slung around her shoulders Mai pushed the body back into the slime filled alleyway, not caring that the man’s skull slammed against the cheap government streets in the process. Wiping her hands on the grey cotton of her pants Mai peaked out to check for any city patrols. No uniforms or overblown egos in sight she slipped back into the crowds of downtown Sinvendel.

  Uptown and downtown of any city were of course different, but Mai always found Sinvendel to be the most polar in its opposites. Tin roofed stalls with robotic sellers calling out automated catch phrases to lure buyers had set up just a few blocks from five star restaurants that added shredded gold into their champagne and you had to wait nine months just to make a reservation. Shaking her head to an over exuberant android and it’s handmade tinker toys, Mai kept her head down and eyes cast about in search of anyone who might have caught her stealing. Though it was only a body and no longer considered human she could still face punishment, worse if they decided to pin the murder on her. Brushing strands of fiery pink hair forward to obscure her face the thief kept up her pace, if she managed to slip out of the market soon she would make it back to her apartment before dark. On the outskirts of the city the shabby room was the only thing Mai could really afford on her kind of income. It was a hole in the wall and in the winter she would all but freeze from lack of insulation, but anything could be better than dying in an alley. 

Ducking under another transaction Mai could see the first clear street, the stalls now thinning to only one or two on either side. Grinning to herself, she swung her backpack over her shoulder and caught it deftly, hoping to check out a few of the pieces she had nicked earlier. Unfortunately a patron decided at that moment to bump into her, an excessively heavy man of near middle age, the hit sent Mai only a step or two back, but her pack was lost, fallen to the ground it's shiny contents cascaded into the streets like a cornucopia.

“Oi! Where’d you get all that there?!” The assaulter cried, called the attention of a passing group of city officials. They’re silver and white uniforms pristine against the dirt and grime of the marketplace, they stuck out more than than Mai’s hair. A single one strode confidently towards them, followed closely by his armed followers, all weapons now pulled out of holsters and buzzing with excitement. The glint in their eyes let her check off trying any excuses, these boys were itching for an arrest and a violent one to break up the monotony of patrol. Wide eyed and guilty looking Mai knew she was screwed every which way and where, so being the quick and irrational thinker that any fourteen year old was she grabbed the goods and ran. A shout followed behind her, but Mai didn’t even throw it a glance, head low and arms gripping the bag for all its worth she zigzagged in between the remaining stalls before exiting the market all together.

She found the city near empty, everyone gone for shopping or eating their midday meals, so there was little for Mai to blend into. Loud footsteps erratically sounded behind her, heart pounding Mai knew she didn’t have long before they had her. She could always surrender, people say judges look kinder on those who don’t run from their crimes, she may even get off with both hands. But she couldn’t lose the bag, it’s contents would set her up for months and she had already missed two meals and a week's rent. Boots slapping the cracked sidewalk, her head swiveled round for any sort of escape, an open sewer or possible leaning house she could climb up. Nothing, the despair of no way out killed the last of her speed, slowing her down enough for a poorly set stone in the sidewalk to trip her. Stumbling slightly Mai felt a hand tickle the back of her neck, grasping for her collar or hair. Jumping in fear an extra push of adrenaline jumped through her system, shooting forward Mai saw an upcoming coach, the automated wheels bumping along the road unaware of the conflict in front of it. A surge of something deep down inside Mai steeled her forward as she dug her heel in the sidewalk and turned a sharp right, sending herself straight for the coach.

Now the unfortunate thing with these newfangled riderless coaches was that no one could watch for accidents. They thought themselves so clever for putting sensors to catch other coaches and the sides of the road that it never occurred that a person might play chicken with one. Mai’s body dented the front of the vehicle, stopping it in its tracks as the wheels broke under the unexpected weight, stupid cheap designs. Flying forward from the impact Mai fell hard onto the ground, a sharp pain in her back warned her of several new damages to her body. Her head pounded as it had smacked against cold stone and with her vision swimming she couldn’t locate her fallen loot anywhere around her.

  “Stupid girl, bind her!”