<P><JC>--- --- --- ---
<P>
<P>There was blood in the streets. 
<P>
<P>The market of Wan Chai was emptied as though it had never been occupied by more than ghosts. Jess ran through it and stopped at a corner.
<P>
<P>She did not know where they went... There were several of them. She hadn't counted them all.
<P>
<P>Rain poured in whatever gaps between the buildings that lacked roofing. It was as though the crashing torrent filled in those spaces entirely, creating hollowed chambers - prisons, almost - of stifled sight and sound. It was impossible to hear anything other than the crashing of water, which came so fast it sounded like the static of a neglected television.
<P>
<P>But there was a footstep.
<P>
<P>Jess turned, and pointed her large, silvery magnum - the reflections of the rain darted across it in a visual game.
<P>
<P>She advanced towards the source of the noise.
<P>
<P>Stopped at another corner, and leaned outwards, weapon pointed before her.
<P>
<P>There was only a small shop, and within it sat an obese cat.
<P>
<P>The cat stared in an uninterested manner at Jess, lazily lolling its tale. Careless. Sleep came even within the storm. It rolled onto its side.
<P>
<P>The footstep sounded again.
<P>
<P>She looked. She couldn't determine its direction.