[Espy]

HAYATE

He sat up slowly and groaned. Who would...?

"Who are--" Too late. The girl, or police, or whoever she was, had vanished. Apparently she was headed in the direction he had indicated. She would figure out, sooner or later. Is there a way to stall...?

He struggled down the fire escape and was halfway down the ladder before his blood-slicked fingers slipped and he was forced to awkwardly break his fall, stopping in the middle and jamming his tailbone against the ground.

Ow. Shit... Pushing himself forward against the brick and concrete walls, he limped forward as quickly as he could.

"Wait! Who are you?!" he yelled in her general direction, then coughed blood again.