Chapter Text
Elliot moved hastily down the wooden flight of stairs, neverminding how each step creaked and thrummed with intensity. The cacophony of sound mattered little, for he lived in the shoddy 2-story home all alone. The only thing Elliot cared about at that moment was getting to his workplace on time.
As a respectable cop in Robloxia’s police department, arriving late would surely be frowned upon by everyone around him. It would bring shame to his title and his name. Crime never rests, and could very well be lurking through the crevices of the streets he’d sworn to protect. Time was always of the essence, no matter what, at least that’s what his superiors would say.
Once he had finally descended, Elliot was practically tripping over himself to get to the kitchen. His black, baggy pants flapped behind him like wind entering a sail. His shaky, yellow hands clutched the sides of his jacket, keeping it tact so it wouldn’t fly off of him. He’d usually shed the article of clothing when he embarked on missions, but the cold, chilly autumn weather demanded he wear it at the moment.
Elliot slid into his kitchen island, eyes bloodshot and desperate. As soon as he flipped on the lightswitch, he got to work. His movements remained quick and agile as he began to shuffle through every caramel coloured cabinet in his vicinity. He was on the hunt for his coffee mug, and sugar so he could get some coffee into his system as soon as possible. The concoction was the very elixir that kept him awake and focused, even throughout the sleepless nights that his job had demanded of him. Someplace at the back of his mind continuously begged for a sliver of reprieve. Foolish to think he’d ever get any anymore.
After mere seconds of searching, Elliot had retrieved his favourite multi-coloured cup. He slammed it onto the kitchen counter, and it remained sturdy in spite of the impact.
Soon after, he found the sugar, and began to make his coffee. Elliot found himself dashing through each step, as more and more rocks of sugar powdered his counter. As long as Elliot got some caffeine in his system, the mess he’d made could wait.
Finally done, Elliot grasped the handle of his cup and chugged down some of the drink. A pool of warmth spread throughout his body, burning his insides. Elliot staggered backwards, tears pricking the sides of his eyes from the heat. He probably should’ve waited a little longer for it to cool..
He beelined for his door, cup in tow. A turn of the door handle sent the door swinging open, letting a faint gust of wind in. The light breeze caressed his skin and blew through his clothes. A fiery orange feather tucked under his police visor swayed excitedly. The smell of autumn was all around him, it dulled his hyper senses and brought forth an ounce of tranquility in his hectic morning. Leaves danced across the orange sky above him, with the sun’s pale golden rays bouncing off of them as they began to litter the walkway. Every crisp cool amber hue that surrounded Elliot reminded him of home.
It made him recall the childlike wonders of his distant past.
Years ago, he didn’t work at the forefront of dangerous missions. Didn’t bloody his fists, or force criminal minds into doing hard time. Elliot had his humble beginnings behind the counter of a pizza parlor.
Elliot spent most of his mornings, noons and nights serving customers with a wide smile across his face. He’d dirty his hands making pie after pie with all the love in his heart. Being the town’s pizza boy wasn’t the best paying job by any means, but he was happy. Serene, in the company of his family, all working towards the shared goal of upholding their family legacy.
The routine was one Elliot loved and died by, and wouldn’t mind following for the rest of his days. He was sure that he’d work at the Builder Brother’s Pizzeria forever. Elliot used to be the kind of guy who lived in ignorant bliss, the only world that existed to him was his own. He loved the permanence and simplicity of his job. Hell, he had dared to dream of a future with kids, who would follow in his footsteps.
That was until everything had burned to ashes.
His family legacy. His second home. Reduced to charred, ashen rubble. Every wall he had traveled since before he’d been able to speak had succumbed to hungry flames.
Being an eye witness to the building being burnt to the ground was an image that was engraved in Elliot’s mind forevermore. Though everyone had made it out alive that night, a part of Elliot’s innocence didn’t survive.
The perpetrator of the event has yet to be caught, even to this day. Policemen and civilians searched every nook and cranny of the streets as to where they might be, but to no avail. They had left the scene of the crime without so much as a trace. The event had instilled a growing feeling of rage within him, a sickening need for revenge, hungrier than the flames that destroyed the parlor.
Not long after, he was forced to relocate and start anew elsewhere. Elliot was ripped away from his family, friends, and everyone he’s ever known. Thrust into a new life, a new world with nothing but himself.
But as one door closed, another one had opened right at his feet, causing Elliot to step into the line of work he did now.
Being a police officer was a taxing and demanding job, no doubt, heavily differing from the old fast-food chain occupation he had back then. It was cruel and morbid at times, and prompted you to think and act fast at the expense of civilian’s lives. But after a while, Elliot had adapted, and learned his way around the ropes. He secured himself a blue-collar job that ensured that every single criminal in Robloxia earned their rightful retribution. Through many trials and tribulations, Elliot had worked his way up the chain and became a hero. A respectable officer in his field, even if he operated away from the limelight.
Elliot’s always been the kind of man that’s seen better days, but pushes regardless of them. That’s who he was, and who he’d always be.
And now, thanks to him, the people would see the light of justice that had never dawned on him when he needed it all those years ago.
Regardless of the heartache, he’ll push on.
He can’t let them down.
xxxx
Elliot had been on the road for quite a while now, the painted black roads having stretched on for what seemed like hours now. His vision was slightly darkened due to his shades, dulling the saturated colours of autumn. He had one hand on the steering wheel, and another on the radio dial as he mindlessly switched between stations.
The other vehicles around Elliot have paved the way for him, mostly out of fear. He was no stranger to the stares that pedestrians and drivers alike would toss his way. Passersby would swivel their heads to the sound of Elliot’s blaring siren, and other cars would adhere to him, letting him zip through the streets with ease. His black convertible was harshly different from the rest, what with being a cop and all. Small and unscathed, with bold lettering on the sides reading “ROBLOXIAN POLICE”.
Many years back, he would’ve certainly hated all the attention, but present day, he’d been prone to it. Life had dealt him this hand, and Elliot had no other choice than to be grateful.
After sitting through a myriad of trashy pop songs while talking to himself, Elliot could finally see his workplace come into his line of sight.
He slowly rolled into the parking space, and found himself admiring the building, even sliding down his shades to do so. It was long, the width nearly having covered the entire lot. Its glass, opaque exterior shined and gleamed against the sun, its colour mirroring the blue sky itself. Big bold letters read “Police Department of Robloxia” across the building, with a small golden star sitting at the top.The place wasn’t flashy, but it was definitely big. It had been around for well over a century--or so he heard from Guest--and still looked in pristine condition, its stature unwavering even against the hands of time.
Elliot had parked the car close to the building, thanking the stars that he’d been able to find a parking spot sooner.
He exited his ride and slammed the door behind him, with his intimidated gaze still fixated on the building. Like a small child staring wide eyed at a skyscraper, Elliot felt as if his own workplace would swallow him whole. As he gulped nervously, his whole body started to tremble in tandem. The rational part of his mind had told him to stop losing his shit, while the other had begged him to make a break for it. Elliot wasn’t fond of superstitions, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that something bad was going to happen if he walked inside. Elliot had passed it off as his anxiety probably playing tricks on him.
Regardless, his slow steps turned into strides as he approached the building, trying to school his nervous expression into a more stoic one. Once he made it, his clammy hands wrapped around the door handles. With one solemn prayer, Elliot threw the doors open.
Instantly, he was greeted with the smell of bitter coffee and manilla. His co-workers, varying in rank, had been running too and fro at rapid speed. The room was bustling and buzzing with commotion, filled with workers eager to get their jobs done.
The interior of the building definitely wasn’t as remarkable or overwhelming as the outside. There were lights lining the ceiling overhead, their luminesce blinding Elliot almost every time. The walls that enclosed them were a pale, beige colour, nothing like the grand, exuberant hue of the exterior counterpart. Arrays of desk spaces stretched across the room, uniform in design. Overall, the place was fairly gloomy, but that was to be expected. A police station wasn’t a ballroom, after all.
Still, the atmosphere was another one of the millions of things that triggered his longing for home. His old home. The place was devoid of any warmth, as if Elliot was thrown into a cold dark winter storm after years of endless sunshine.
Home.
Elliot sat at his desk and started getting to work. Doing paperwork was one of the more calming aspects of his, otherwise, hectic job. Within a matter of minutes, he was already deep in the throes of his task, his brain fully on autopilot.
His fingers flew across the keyboard, adding the finishing touches on one of his case reports. In the previous week, Elliot had gotten a criminal arrested for thrashing civilian’s vehicles in broad daylight. They wielded a strange, emerald sword that hummed with mysterious energy, its impact leaving noticeable imprints on every victim’s car. It didn’t take long for Elliot to connect the dots.
1x was her name, Elliot recounts, staring hard at the document. The guy was a menace, but didn’t come close to being an outlier in the batch of smooth brained crooks he’s dealt with.
If you’re going to wreck other people’s shit, at least be sneaky about it?
Then, a hand, sturdy and firm, gripped Elliot’s shoulder, pulling him from his reverie. He jostled slightly at the sudden contact, eyes as wide as saucers. Bracing himself for the worst to come, Elliot had turned around in his chair. Though, he became less tense once he discovered who had been behind him.
It was Guest, the chief of the department and the senior deputy. A.K.A, Elliot’s boss.
The wave of relief Elliot had felt in those fleeting moments simmered in an instant. Though Elliot was glad that imminent danger wasn’t sneaking up on him at a vulnerable moment, the alternative still sent shock waves of nervousness throughout his body.
Guest, on the other hand, smiled warmly at Elliot’s chagrin. The chief’s expression was calm and reassuring, in spite of whatever dire situation had brought him to Elliot’s desk. The cerulean haired man would seldom seek other officers like this, unless it was for something of importance. Aside from that, he had fully trusted his officers to do their jobs efficiently, even when he wasn’t always at the helm. Every now and then, Guest would put Elliot and his peers through extensive, grueling training, mainly to help strengthen their stamina. He would always preach wholeheartedly that without their stamina and agility, they’d be as good as goners. Clad in a beige uniform that differentiated from the other ranks, Guest strived to lead every one of his pupils to victory no matter what.
Elliot had never known the man personally, but he would hear multiple different accounts from those around him. Two Time, an..odd co-worker that sat beside him, would say that Guest was something like a volcano on the brink of eruption. Conversely, others often commended Guest for his wise, compassionate nature.
Elliot didn’t know what to believe, but he had a feeling he’d find out soon enough.
“Elliot, I’m sorry for startling you.” Guest chuckled, though his tone was laced with something almost apologetic. He raised his hands in surrender, removing his firm grip on Elliot’s shoulder in the process.
Blinking hard at what transpired, Elliot turned around more in his chair to better see his boss. “It’s okay, sir.” Elliot replied, a slight shakiness still evident in his voice. He had willed his mind to keep it together, yet again.
Elliot straightened his composure and awkwardly cleared his throat. “Is everything alright, chief? What’s the matter?”
Just like that, Guest’s warm smile faded, a darker, more somber expression fully taking its place. The shift didn’t intimidate Elliot, but it did evoke a feeling of concern within him. It's almost as if Elliot was in front of a stranger. The gleam that once danced in the old man’s eyes had dulled, as his gaze left Elliot’s and found the floor. Guest was thinking hard about something, his knuckles pushed against his chin while his other hand clutched his hip. All Elliot could do in that moment was stare quizzically at his boss, his mind already combing through the worst possibilities. He tried to mentally prepare himself for whatever bad news would spill from his boss' lips.
Finally, Guest’s eyes locked on Elliot, stealing all the air from his lungs in the process.
“Come to my office, we’ll discuss this matter further once we’re there.” His words were clear, but cutthroat.
Like any obeying cop, Elliot had obliged, as he began to leave his desk space and follow Guest through the lobby. Elliot was trailing right behind him, too fearful to stand right alongside him. From here, he could see the old man’s muscular back and large, broad shoulders. Guest’s physique had frightened him the longer he observed, reminding Elliot of something like a bull. One that could annihilate anyone and anything in its line of sight. Though Eliot knew that he rarely did any hands-on work anymore, rumour had it that Guest was very involved with it back in the day,
and it showed.
Elliot had also tried his hardest to ignore the evident stares he was getting from everyone around him, the way their gaze burned at his skin from all sides. After a bit, he had resorted to keeping his head hung low, whilst biting down the increasing quiver in his lips. The attention he was receiving now wasn't like the kind he’d garnered on paved roads. At least there, Elliot was in the safe confines of his convertible, his face obscured behind tinted windows as he sped through. Nobody could really commit his face to memory that way.
But at work, everyone knew him. Elliot was honoured, no doubt, but walking behind the Chief like some lost puppy had everyone talking, and for the wrong reasons. Their whispers felt like a choir of screams in Elliot’s mind, making his skin tingle and itch with a sensation that made him want to rip it to shreds entirely.
He hated prying eyes, hated their sneers and their senseless chuckling. He hated it all.
Once the two finally reached their destination, Elliot finally looked up. Guest’s office was in a more secluded hallway, the only other door being the storage room. Elliot finally exhaled, his clouded vision suddenly brightening once more as Guest turned the door-handle.
The office’s interior was compact, but homey in a way the other corridors and floors weren’t. Framed photos lined and scattered one wall, almost serving as a time capsule. From his family to his glory days, Guest had everything framed. It was the kind of collection that his old age called for. The ceiling fan above them whirred and spun, killing any kind of deafening silence, which Elliot had been grateful for.
In the middle of his office was a desk, which Guest was already seated in. The chief had gestured to Elliot to take the vacant one across from him, to which Elliot obliged.
“Elliot.” Guest spoke after a short period of daunting silence. Elliot’s eyes met Guest’s, finding out his gaze was still hard as stone.
“I just want to preface this conversation by saying that I am truly proud of your work here. I know we haven’t communicated much since you started working here 4 years ago, but your achievements certainly haven’t gone unnoticed. I commend you for that.”
Guest’s words took Elliot by complete surprise, his body uncoiling at the words. Elliot’s face lit up, feeling so light he believed he could fly. Never did Elliot think the Head Chief thought so highly of him. The fact that he went through the lengths to tell Elliot this alone, in his office made Elliot feel giddy. He was definitely going to ride on the high the praise gave him for the rest of the week. Clinging to validation had never failed to be Elliot’s vice.
To this, Elliot sputtered and stammered until he was finally able to say “Thank you, sir.” He couldn’t fight the small smile that crept up his face.
Guest’s lips tugged upwards slightly, a small grin cracking his steel expression.
“No need to thank me, Elliot. You’ve done an outstanding job here.”
Then, just as it had vanished, the long uncomfortable silence that lingered between them returned, permeating through the joyful atmosphere they shortly had. Guest’s ghost of a smile had diminished, showing a man who meant business. Any sheer sense of vanity that Elliot had felt before evaporated, as he watched Guest with bated breath, preparing for the worst. Somewhere in Elliot’s mind knew that the showers of praise wasn’t going to be the end of it.
Guest clasped his bulky hands together and rested them under his chin.
“All of this is why I solely trust you to carry out this mission.”
Elliot’s breath got caught in his throat, constricting his ability to breathe. Being assigned a solo mission from the Chief himself was definitely not in the cards for him.
But here it was, happening in real time.
Millions of thoughts and questions swarmed in Elliot’s mind. Why him? Why now? What mission could’ve possibly prompted the boss to summon him of all people? Elliot truly didn’t know whether to feel honoured or frightened.
“No justice has ever gone unserved under your hand, Elliot.” Guest continued. He was now sifting through the drawers of his grey file cabinet, skimming through each manilla folder. Finally, Guest had settled on one of them, and pried it from the bunch. The drawer closed with a loud, echoing slam that made Elliot jump.
“This criminal is different from the other no-good idiots that roam the streets, you see. He’s been wrecking havoc all across Robloxia since not long before you arrived.” Guest laid the folder on the desk between them, causing Elliot’s eyes to stare daggers at the item. The chief wore an almost tentative expression, almost as if he was considering revoking the file. Though, instead, he slid it across the desk, its contents more visible to Eliot now.
With careful, hesitant, eyes, Elliot started assessing the case in front of him. Upon turning the page, the first thing that caught his eye was the heading in black, bolded letters.
INFAMOUS ROBBER OF ROBLOXIA.
Elliot felt goosebumps snake up his spine. He had only briefly heard about a no-good robber that prowled the streets, from both the grapevine and the news broadcast. What he’d mostly heard was that their identity was strictly unknown to the public, and that victims of his wrath had never seen him at all. Nothing but dirtied, hurried footsteps would be left at the scene of the crime.
He faintly recalled policemen of other branches trying to catch the culprit in the act, but to no avail. Suspects who’ve committed similar misdeeds were questioned, but none of them ended up being the robber they were looking for.
“Your friends, Two Time and Noob, had managed to capture a picture of a robber absconding, and they both believe that this crook is the one we’ve been looking for. Though, unfortunately, the two were unable to capture them. The thief was just too fast.” Guest admitted, furrowing his brows in dismay.
Elliot thought it was bold that Guest assumed Two Time and Noob were his friends. The former of the two was a crazed maniac in religious psychosis. Elliot would try to steer clear of them, but would end up caught in the crossfires of their incessant rambling. The latter was better than Two Time by a wide margin, but their tight-lipped nature left little for Elliot to connect with. Noob was the kind of person who kept their cards close to their chest, and Elliot didn’t feel the need to pry.
“I’m sure you’ve already heard of the infamous robloxian burglar already, as well as the search teams we’ve sent in the past to try to locate them.” Guest mentioned, to which Elliot nodded.
“It’s been incredibly hard to track them down, mainly due to the fact that, compared to other thieves, this one doesn’t leave any notable physical traces behind. No calling card, either.
But, check this out.”
Guest grabbed the case folder and swiftly flipped through each page. Once Guest stopped, he unceremoniously slammed the folder back onto the desk for Elliot to see. The pages were filled with paperclipped photographs of many kinds of artifacts and trinkets. Elliot noticed the items varied, but one similarity they all shared was that they were valuable, ranging in size and shape. Necklaces, tvs and even chairs were shown.
“The items they chose to steal are valuable, yes, but do you notice a pattern, Elliot?” Guest inquired, eyes narrowing onto Elliot as he tried to scan through the photos.
Elliot racked his brain to find any kind of connection. Was it the material they were made from? The place they originated from? He stared hard at each and any one of them, and slowly, he could feel the cogs in his mind start to run again as each piece started to fall into place.
Maybe it wasn’t the item itself, but perhaps it was…
“The quantity..” Elliot muttered, his eyes still scanning each individual photo as he double-checked, triple checked. “He only decided to steal seven items each time…but why?”
“Exactly.” Guest said, pointing at each photo. “Victims would report that seven of their items would go missing right under their noses. Why the thief decides to do this as well as their methods of doing so, however, is still unknown to us.”
The motif struck Elliot as insanely odd. He always thought thieves sought to steal as much as their strengths allowed, leaving the crime scene with big sacks of goods in tow. Maybe it was because Elliot had never gone after a robber that he didn’t fully understand, but then again, neither did anyone else.
Elliot’s mind became addled with confusion, his eyes squinting hard at each page he came across. He flipped back to the dossier at the beginning, and saw the photos Two Time and Elliot took of the suspected culprit.
The robber’s appearance had also weirded out Elliot a little. The thief wore an oversized, black jacket with matching baggy pants, flailing as he ran away from the camera flash. On top of his head was a burger with a small yellow head on it. Just beneath them were long, dark red horns that jutted from his forehead. He wasn’t the most peculiar criminal Elliot’s seen, but he definitely wasn’t the least.
Elliot zeroed in on his scared expression, especially how his large brown eyes widened like saucers. Something about their hue had drawn Elliot’s attention, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was exactly. In the harsh light, they were a soft mahogany that reminded him of the autumn leaves he’d found outside earlier.
“Even though we were not able to make much headway with bringing this man to justice, I will not give up until he is stopped.” Guest declared, pulling Elliot from his reverie. Elliot stared at the man in front of him intently, hanging on every word.
“Yes sir.” He sternly replied.
A proud smile spread across Guests face, and the lost sparkle in his crinkling eyes had briefly returned. “I knew I could count on you, El.
You are our last resort, don’t let me down.”
The weight of the situation slowly started to settle within Elliot, and the more it did, the more unprepared he felt. He was to embark on this mission alone. The boss had trusted him to capture a criminal who’s stolen behind everyone’s back for years. He wasn’t like any foe Elliot’s ever heard of. He was one who operated in the shadows. One who deceived even the greatest cops Elliot’s ever known. Someone everybody knows, but nobody can identify.
And the man in the photo could be him, but Elliot feared that this suspect could end up like the many who were falsely convicted before him.
Guest must’ve seen Elliot mentally spiral, and extended his arm so that a hand could rest on his pupil’s shoulder.
The contact had grounded Elliot, and only then, did he find the courage to speak again.
“I won’t let you down, sir.” Elliot mustered, his gaze falling to the case file in front of him once again.
Everything from his date of birth to his origins was left unknown. No backstory, no nationality. The man had covered all of his tracks well, and ultimately, left Elliot very little to go off of. Elliot directed his focus on the name listed under the batch of photos. The culprit’s real name was also unknown, but it stated that he was universally known as 7n7.
Seven…
“Good.” Guest smiled, squeezing Elliot’s shoulder before retracting his hand.
“Here’s our plan to take down 007n7.”