One hour later, she listened to the rumble of the bus leave the stadthalle. Cannibal Lighthouse had arrived the night before. The road crew had been up all night setting up the stage and special effects, and were just pulling out of the parking lot to get a well-deserved rest before kicking the concert off tonight. Cannibal Lighthouse’ show was due for 9 pm to 12 am. That gives me plenty of time before security gets paranoid to walk around the stadthalle.

The tour around the building turned up no visible exits that weren’t on the plans. Let’s see what a spell can get me. She moved across the street to the small park across Rosenstrasse. Making certain she had line of sight on the building, she crouched down near a large oak, then idly scratched a circle in the ground with a stick. It wasn’t a perfect circle, it didn’t need to be. All she needed was the circle, and the four ‘ordinal’ runes that defined her purpose.

To the direction of the building, she scratched the rune ‘to see’. To the left, ‘silence’, to the right, ‘to be hidden’, and opposite her target ‘the all’. She finished the runes, then slowly sang the runes quietly as she sat down against the oak, her feet pointed at the stadthalle. As she repeated the chant, she felt the world go fuzzy. She rose above herself and floated into the stadthalle. There was darkness in the walls, which brightened as she floated into a hallway.

She followed the hall, looking down through the rock, comparing her vision to what she remembered of the public plans. Slowly floating over through the auditorium, she saw the huge paper mache’ lighthouse, with half eaten bodies holding up the banner proclaiming ‘Cannibal Lighthouse’. The pyrotechnics showed up in her sight as a pulsing yellow energy, waiting to be fired. Security was posted top and back. She’d managed to get lucky as the teams were going through final checks of patrols and stations for the show. It was no surprise to see the dark brown shirts and black pants of Kruss. They were the biggest security provider in Nurnberg, so it was expected they’d be the ones to handle the concert.

Two at each back door to the stage, a two man team above the lights, three two man teams in the halls, and six in front of the stage. They’re all armed. Movement below her caught her attention. She floated down to get a better look. Her vision wien black as she drifted down through the rock, becoming bright once more as she found herself in a hastily dug tunnel. Two short stocky men were operating spells to push and solidify the earth moved. Both were dressed in leather robes, with small gems of all colors set all across the leather like rhinestones. The shorter of the two men had a thick thatch of black hair that was bound into a ponytail that almost dragged the floor. The larger man was bald, and slightly thinner than the first. Both sere still under one-point-five meters, and seemed about one meter wide.

The men formed a six foot tall tunnel, the earth being forced to the side and heating slightly to reinforce the walls of the tunnel. Earth magic was expensive, and required both endurance and strength to wield like this. Dwarven stoneworkers didn’t come cheap. She backed into the wall, leaving only her head in the tunnel. These mages could see her if they turned around.

After a few minutes of watching them grow the tunnel another twelve steps away from her, they stopped. They both looked up, and stayed that way for a long moment, then their faces turned to look at each other. They started to turn, and Blade ducked back into the wall. Darkness surrounded her. She started a slow count to thirty, but at five, light started to strike her incorporeal eyes. They’d seen her! She floated to her left towards the end of the tunnel. She heard a muffled curse as the diggers tried to follow her movement. She increased her speed slightly, feeling the strain on her heart. A quick pop of her head showed she was right at the ront of the tunnel. Forgoing any slow movement to conserve energy, she shot upward as fast as she could, drifting up through the rock and into a small dressing room.

She estimated the size at maybe one and a half meters wide, and three long. The room was taken up by a small army cot in a corner, a foldable dressing table with a full kit of makeup. Two guitar cases sat in the corner, with the letters ‘D.E.’ on them. Darkos Edge’s dressing room? Are they after the bell? She floated up out of the stadthalle and rushed back to her body. Her chant faded as she settled back in. There was a moment of weakness due to the extra energy used to return so quickly, but she rose off the ground and strode deeper into the small park and away from the stadthalle. Looks like we have competition.

She gazed at the tall, three story buildings. Crowded together at odd angles, the mingled architecture gave the feel of age and a mischievous sense of life. The various stores were as haphazard as the buildings. Electronic stores nestled against Coffee shops, which in turn abutted banks, which in their own turn, snuggled up to a laundromat. Small businesses abounded, with only a few buildings that were single tenant. Kruss Limited building was immediately recognizable. It’s Dark blue glass front was jarring compared to the red and yellow brick fronts on the neighboring stores. The light reflected onto the street in bright squares as each pane was slightly off in mounting to it’s neighbor, creating a spray of light across the street onto shops across the narrow two lane road.

The design was meant to be intimidating, and the turret overhanging the top floor like a cobra with its hood spread added to the oppressive nature that emanated from the building. Kruss was like an octopus, Blade recalled, having fingers in electronics, chemistry, biomechanics, security, psychometrics, and satellite design. She walked past the building, slowing to a stop in front of the blue mirror windows. Leaning to the window, and raising a hand to shade her eyes, she acted like a tourist trying to see inside. The guards on duty were quick. The door, which was only identifiable by the gold handle mounted on the glass, opened as two guards i dark brown shirts and black pants, stepped out. Each guard had a black tie on, and both were massive through the shoulders and waist. Both were bald and wore sunglasses. Blade was certain both were on some kind of steroid to build the extra muscle. Muscle grafts were more blocky than chemical enhancements.

„Fraulein, please step back from the glass. It is pressure sensitive. Accidentally leaning on the glass can set the security alarms off. Alarms and the laser pod on the roof, she mused. I wonder how the government made pistols and rifles illegal, yet allows shotguns, compressed air arrow launchers, and things like lasers to be legal, when those are more lethal than most of the banned weapons. She shrugged her shoulders and gave the two men a timid smile as she aimed her glance down at their shoes. „I didn’t know. The glass is so distinctive that I thought it might be a boutique.“ She slowly raised her eyes to gaze between them, knowing each would think it was him she was looking at. She saw the one on the left shift slightly. He reacted to her coy actions. The other remained professional. She memorized the names in case she needed to approach ‘Dietrich’ later. She would avoid ‘Mueller’, he was too professional. Seduction had a place in her arsenal just as did her metal arm and pistol.

„It’s all understandable, Fraulein, the building does stand out“, Mueller stated in a no-nonsense voice. She nodded, lowering her eyes again slowly. „Thank you. I would have been terribly embarrassed if I had caused a scene.“ The two men nodded, then Dietrich opened the door, and he and Mueller entered the building. Her hearing caught, „Put your tongue back Deitrich, she’s cybered. She’d gut you like a pig.“ She heard Dietrich’s surprise mumble, then the door closed on them, cutting the conversation like a guillotine.

I had better stay away from here. If Mueller is closer to the standard guard, then they’ll be very good. TJ will want to know this. She checked her pocket watch. It was an old mechanical antique, with no memory chips or GPS tracking to locate the user like a cellphone. It’s time to go look at the concert venue. Cannibal Lighthouse has three concerts over the next three nights. I need to check the stadthalle.

Just like him. Asking an open-ended question so I can choose the subject. „No.“ She turned over in the seat to gaze out the passenger window. „I’m going to go take a look at the site. We need ideas for ingress and egress. Especially the latter, since we’ll be three leaving instead of two.“ She heard TJ sigh heavily behind her. Her right hand came up to rub her metal left shoulder as she considered things. That priestess played us. Not that we could do anything about it, it’s still being played. So, let him stew.

„Blade, we’re going to talk, or you’re going to walk. If you want to act like a spoiled Clucker, then you shouldn’t have wasted your money on your ears. This is a job. We’re in, or we’re dead. Our, Patron,“ TJ growled sourly, „wants a bell. We have to get said bell. We can’t do it without teamwork. I team with you because you have my back, and I got yours.“ She heard a chuckle come from him as she contiued to lie on her side and stare out the window.

„I’m going to wait here for the landlord, and get our room key. You’re idea’s a good one. We’ll want to know everything we can. There’s bound to be one or two other exits that aren’t on the floor plans. They might be our best way out after we grab Edge.“ There was a pause, and then TJ said, „We better find someone clued into the Black Market. I don’t want the locals feeling like we didn’t pay our respects first. This could bring big heat down on some very important folks, and cluing them in would be a smart move.“

„What if they don’t approve, TJ? Then all we did was tell them what they need to know to szett us over. We ought to be fast in and out, and a fast trip to the ‘bahn and back to Oranienburg. Staying put in here would be a spud move.“ TJ was quiet for a half-minute. Blade could see him in her mind mulling the idea over. „I was thinking the same way. But home is where the Clucker’s waiting. We should either hide out in a small town, or some place like Münich or Fankfurt. It’s off our beaten path, so if anyone who does know us and links us to the job, they could look all they wanted in the wrong places.“

Blade watched a small flock of pigeons fly between the buildings. They dipped and lifted with the wind as they flew out of sight over a building. „We get paid more the faster that sorceress gets her precious bell. Hiding out doesn’t get us the bonus.“ She turned over to lie on her left side and face TJ. „Hiding out does keep us from being played, however. No bonus and a last minute delivery makes certain there’s little enough time to screw us over.“ „If we’re early,“ TJ countered, „there’s less chance of a cooordinated ambush.“ „True,“ Blade replied. „But again, if she’s offering the bonus, who’s to say that the sorceress hasn’t already got a plan.“

TJ again mulled things over quietly. „I’d say you’re probably right that if that Clucker’s got a plan, it’d be one that she set up ahead of time. That means there’s a set of circumstances she’s factoring in. Which means we can play her by changing the drop location, if she gives us one.“ „Of course“, TJ continued, „If she gives us the choice, we ought to be in place from the call, so we can make certain there’s no spud trying to jump us by setting up early.“ Blade stared at TJ as he started to launch into another ‘what might happen’. TJ noticed the steady gaze, and whatever he had planned on saying, lapsed into silence. Blade stared at him a moment longer, then said in a deadpan voice, „Parnoid much?“ TJ lost it. The rumble launched from his chest to his lips in a roar of laughter that caught Blade up and had her grinning with him. Got around that one.

After a half-minute of hard laughter, TJ wiped his eyes and his voice dropped back to a rolling chuckle. „Blade, don’t think we’re done. We need to cover that ground eventually.“ Blade felt herself tense, and it must have showed in her face as TJ sighed. „It can wait until you’re ready, after the job’s done.“ She nodded slowly, as she thought about Irelle again, and the job in front of them. „The place over there has great pizza, according to the local papers. It got number five out of the top twelve in Nürnberg“ TJ rolled his eyes. „Don’t you ever get tired of that stuff? It’s like you’re addicted to it.“ „It’s the one human contribution to grand cuisine“, Blade sighed. „Why shouldn’t I like it?“

TJ had dropped her off downtown, then had driven away after giving instructions on where to meet. She had most of the day to take care of her few small purchases, and do some sightseeing. Working into contact with the local gangs would be better handled together after sundown. The streets were busy as locals walked briskly to or from jobs. Cars drove by in a constant stream, many o the new self drivers were garishly colored to proclaim their status, and to warn human drivers that the vehicle next to them was computer controlled. Blade disliked the driverless vehicles immensely.

She’d been asked to hack one, and found that each was acting like a black box, only recording all information on their passenger. The system was set to hack a person’s cellphone, tablet, and any other electronic device. The one she had worked on also collected credit card and license information for transmission to a central processing room. All in all, she’d decided never to ride in one.

It was still pitch dark, when he awoke. Stumbling blindly to the window and cursing under his breath as he stubbed his toe against his desk, he noted that the faint indigo hue of false dawn was creeping up from the east. He checked his watch and sighed. It was just a little after 04:00. Can’t be helped; he thought, and quietly headed to the shower. Blade was still asleep, and on the couch of all places. He idly wondered if she’d fallen asleep waiting for him. At any other time he might’ve done the gentlemanly thing and draped a blanket over her but, they had an early -and likely long- day ahead of them, so he just smiled and shook his head as he closed the bathroom door behind him.

His morning showers always started hot and ended cold, so roughly fifteen minutes later found him standing infront of the couch -and its sleeping occupant- fresh and invigorated, if shivering, despite the large towel draped around his waist. He nudged Blade’s side with his foot and grinned as he cried out „Rise and shine!“ His grin only widening as her response was to merely groan and turn around. Of course, he only saw that as an invitation, and followed up by nudging her again, only this time there was a little more power behind it, and the target wasn’t her side but her tush. „C’mon, Blade, get up! If you really need more beauty sleep, you can sleep in the car.“ With that he turned and headed towards his room to get dressed. Behind him, he heard Blade mutter something into the pillow that, given her extensive repertoire of expletives, he was glad he missed.

Another fifteen minutes later saw him dressed and all but ready, and from the random thumps and thuds coming from the other room, Blade was getting ready as well. He was surprised to see two rather large slices of salami pizza sitting on the counter and, given the coffee pot was full and the divine liquid within lukewarm, he realised Blade really had fallen asleep waiting for him. Well, he’d make it up to her after this job was done. There might be enough money left over after bills and debt to take her to one of those fancy ‘Fusion’ restaurants. But fancy was not for today. He poured himself some coffee and rummaged around one of the cabinets for a can of tuna, dumping its contents on the pizza and adding a few bits of canned pineaple before nuking his savoury breakfast for a minute.

By the time Blade came out of her room, he was all but finished eating. With his mouth full, he wasn’t going to say anything so he just waved the hand holding the nearly devoured treat in her direction in a combination of good morning and thank you. She just glared, then rolled her sleepy eyes at him; slinging her dufflebag over her shoulder before heading down to the car. Shrugging, he finished his breakfast and, when Blade didn’t return, grabbed his own bag and left the apartment, locking the door behind him.

When he got to the car, Blade had already made her nest, as it were. Tilting the passenger seat all the way back and using her bag as a pillow, she was stretched out comfortably and, judging by the lack of reaction as he got in and started the engine, already fast asleep again. He sighed softly. It would be a long drive, and brainstorming with his partner would’ve helped the prepare more for the job, and also help pass the time but, oh well. He discarded the first tape he’d thought of playing and instead opted for one of his classical mix tapes. At least ‘Hall of the Mountain King’ wouldn’t have Blade jolt wide awake as the ‘Ride of Valkyries’ would have.

There was no need to get pulled over, and so despite all but having the streets to himself this early in the morning, he didn’t exceed the speed limit by too much. I took about forty minutes to get onto the A9. Behind them, the first golden rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, and he grinned as he gazed into his rearview. He knew he couldn’t win but, as he pushed down on the gas pedal and turned up the volume on his anachronistic Alpine stereo system, he sure as hell tried to outrace the sun as he sped southward at roughly 250 km/h.

It was fun while it lasted. Once they reached Bayreuth, semis had started becoming more frequent, and forced him to slow down considerably and, while he was still able to make good time, once they pulled on to the A73, it was over. The last 20 to 30 kilometers towards Nürnberg were more of a slow crawl, and ultimately complete gridlock, before they reached their destination. By the time he pulled up infront of the old sandstone building their rented apartment was in, it was exactly 10:00. Nearly six hours of driving, in what could’ve been done in under five.

Blade had slept the entire time, or at least remained quiet if she did stir awake at some point

Now that they’d arrived however, she fluttered her eyes open as he shut off the engine, and asked sleepily „Are we there yet?“ He nodded in response. „Yeah, we’re here. Still got another hour before we meet the landlord.“ With that said, he reclined his seat slightly and opened the window, then lit up a smoke and puffed the smoke out into the street before looking at his partner. He’d had several hours to think about everything once again. From the what they were about to do, to how he’d deliberately goaded the elf the night before, and the revelation that his partner was a half-breed. He trusted her. He knew she’d always have his back, and with all of the secrets he had, he didn’t begrudge her any of her own. But it was a big elephant in the room -or the car, as it were- and they needed to clear the air if this job was to succeed. He gazed up at the sunroof and asked almost nonchalantly „So, wanna talk about it?“, giving her the option to decide which it she wanted to address first.

Getting the tour, she cross-indexed Irelle’s timetable with the appearances, and found one two days out in Fürth, next to Nüremburg. Cannibal Lighthouse would be playing at the Stadthalle. She quickly got two tickets for the show, then went to public records, which included the building permits, and files showing the layout of the constructed building and any legal modifications. Illegal could be inferred by things like power routing, but until you were in the building, you had guesses, not facts. The building had been erected in 1982, and used as concert hall, and any activity requiring a lot of floor space such as electronic’s shows or once, two years ago, the world championships for a first-person shooter game. The winner had walked away with a million and a half in prize money, and three million in sponsorships.

After downloading the floor plans, she hunted for the contractors, then the list of other companies, continuing through them, gathering any and all data on the building she could. Then it was to the local city hall, to get a list of licenses applied for including security. She felt herself fall into the hunt. The familiar excitement of pulling the puzzle togehter had her working long past when TJ returned. She took breaks long enough to find food, use the restroom, and brew more coffee. The next forty hours were pieces of the puzzle being pulled together and downloaded. Satisfied, and wired from twenty three cups of espresso grind coffee, she lay down on the hard floor, taking deep breaths. She reached up and slid the helmet off, shutting down the link.

The disorientation from cyber-holo to full reality always made her naseous. She lay very still concentrating on breathing and focusing her eyes to see in the real world rather than VR. It took a few minutes before she felt comfortable enough to sit up, then grab the last half cup of coffee, and move to the one window in the apartment and gaze down at the narrow alley between the apartment and the neighboring building. Looking Northeast, she could see ‘Max’s Pizza’ across the street.

The area was in an older section of the city, but not completely run down. The area they’d holed up in was a maze of old buildings, aswere the blocks surrounding. Anyone with a knowledge of the area could find a half dozen easy, unnoticable routes in and out. Any warning at all and a person could lose themselves in the maze and foil any pursuit. In short, it was a perfect place for them to stay, until the next job moved them to another town. Blade winced mentally. Crap, I got so into the hunt, I forgot to get us a place to stay.

Blade pulled out her cellphone, and looked for apartmenst for rent in Nürnberg and Furst. She found that she liked near a rail yard. She smiled as she saw there was a pizza place across the street from it. Talk about deja vu. Hmm, ‘Pizza for you’. Perhaps that’s a good sign about the mission. She rented the small two bedroom via her cell, and put down a month’s rent plus a second month’s rent as a deposit to cover any damage. She sighed and looked back over at Max’s. I haven’t had pizza for two weeks, I think that’s long enough. „TJ, I’m off to Max’s for a pizza, I’m taking the room key. I’ll be back in a half hour.“ „Get some coffee Blade, you drank what we had left.“ Oops, forgot that too. Adding that to her mental list, the grabbed the key off the wall hook by the door and walked out.

TJ heard the door shut and let out a weary sigh. He couldn’t really blame Blade for being angry. Hell, he was angry. However, he had also been right to press the elf’s buttons, despite the very real possibility of it all blowing up in their faces. Of course, realizing that, meant admitting that Blade was right as well. He drew in a deep breath only to sigh again. Circular logic wouldn’t solve any problems. Least of all the one at hand. He lit up a cigarette and, while he would’ve really loved some coffee with it, that would have to wait until Blade got back, so he just grabbed a beer instead and flopped onto his recliner to smoke and think.

There’s just too much that doesn’t add up; he thought to himself. From the fiasco at Dayner, which had to have been a set up; to the unexpected but surprisingly timely appearance of the vampire; the visit by Irelle and her wand waving cronies and this new, curious job. Fuck! But Darkos Edge? Seriously? He wasn’t a fan of that band he was in but, the man was like a genespliced lovechild of Ritchie Blackmore and Joe Satriani! The ghost of a grin played across his lips as he pondered several non-violent approaches. Perhaps the threat of broken fingers would make the guy tag along willing, as opposed to being dragged. I guess we’ll find out soon enough…; he mused, before crushing out his smoke.

As he sat staring up at the ceiling, his thoughts kept going back to what Irelle had said about the Phylactery. Something was decidedly wrong about the whole thing. It had nagged at the back of his mind since leaving Dayner but, at the time, he’d had more pressing concerns. Like getting the hell out of that place before getting shot again. Still, he had stolen it from the vault, had held it in his hands until they were caught, and when they escaped and it just lay there for the taking along with their weapons, it had seemed too…convenient. Now he knew why. Someone substituded the fake and, if his guess was correct, it was that fucking bloodsucker. But why? And Irelle? She’d mentioned a connection between that damned cube and the job she’d hired them for. But the dicussion she planned to have with them never happened. Another loose end, as it were.

All in all, he couldn’t shake the feeling someone was playing a game with them. A game he didn’t plan to lose. The more he pondered, the more confusing things seemed to get, the more his stubborness took over and he tried to look at every little detail from as many angles as possible. As he did so, the white ceiling slowly started to look like grid of 64 squares to his tired eyes and his lips peeled back in an eager, almost vicious grin. Challenge accepted; he muttered under his breath, and even as sleep began crawling up on him, he formulated his response. Nf6. His eyes were already closed when he saw a black clad knight leap over a row of pawns on his destrier to take up a defensive albeit challenging position. He never even heard Blade’s return to the flat.

“TJ, I could strangle you right now. What kind of eszett dermho spud move was that? If she didn’t need that bell so badly, we’d be meat parts for the dicers.” Blade glared at him. TJ stood up, then walked to his bedroom. “It didn’t, and she did need us, though I can’t figure why she chose us specifically. A kidnapping like this, a guy who’s a big public figure, and has a security team of at least four all the time, needs at least a six man team to do it right. She picked us two, nethead.”

Blade straightened as the implication of his words sank in. Two, not six, two. “Point”, she grudgingly admitted. “We’re committed because of you. So now we’re in the bear pit. Got any other brilliant revelations?” TJ smirked, and Blade started a slow burn. She could feel her frustration beginning to roll over to anger. “Easy, Blade. Stow the attitude.” He moved over to the doorway, and leaned on the door. “Think it through. They’d be expecting a full-on crew for a kidnapping. We can take advantage of how they think.” TJ started ticking off points, slapping his hand against his chest and extending a finger each time.

Slap! “One, we need floor plans of his next residence. Hotel, motel, tube, whatever. Every floor.” Slap! Two fingers extended. “Two, we need to know the background of the security. Are these guys former military, moonlighting cops, thugs, or homie boys from the ‘hood.” Slap! Three fingers. “Do they use local security systems, or do they have their own setup for the room / floor.” Slap! Four fingers. “Most important, who’s paid whom for the performance. Who do we have to kiss their ring, or bribe to get our shot without having an unhappy eszett godfather decide we embarrassed them somehow.”

His gaze locked on Blade’s scowl. “So, nethead, gonna get to work or go all clucker pouty?” Blade glared at TJ. “Are you gonna act all meth-head or are you gonna go do some setup?” she snarled back. She felt stung by the ‘clucker’ slang. Elves had clicks in their native tongue, and to human ears it vaguely resembled a chicken’s cluck. Her ears burned with shame and anger as she went back to her room to grab an old plug-in laptop and interface helmet. She moved back into the small central living room, then sat down on the floor next to the low coffee table.

The laptop was set on the table, the connecting cables and power supply laid out neatly next to the near-antique. She connected the power supply to the laptop and plugged it into the floor socket. She rose and moved to the small kitchen as the laptop powered up. TJ watched her go to the kitchen, then turned and departed the small apartment, slamming the door, in Blade’s mind, a little harder than necessary.

Blade savored the few minutes needed to brew and pour a cup of coffee, then returned and sat back down. TJ had his job to do, renting vehicles, making weapons and equipment purchases, studying the buildings in the area, visualizing approaches and exits, timing any security patrols, and monitoring radio traffic. She grabbed a cable, then shifted her shoulder for a direct brain-interface link. She settled the helmet in place. The small shoulder cable snaked into a side port, a second cable linking to the helmet. The connection flashed as the holographic view of the infoweb flipped open on the screen.

She thought about running, and the images flashed past her, creating a three-dimensional cityscape, using IP address locations as building addresses and type. Public buildings showed the names, with each floor being given the name of the business, or individual listed as a resident. A quick thought and most of the public information was suppressed, leaving her the locations she needed to visit. The first location was the public website for Cannibal Lighthouse.

They’re of no consequence for what you’re being hired for.” She paused to make sure TJ and Blade were paying attention. “Your job will be to kidnap one Damero Edkos, better know as Darkos Edge. He’s a ..” TJ cut her off. “Darkos Edge?! The guitarist for Cannibal Lighthouse?!” Blade watched TJ’s face. His features had taken on almost a reverence, if such a word could ever be used in a sentence about TJ.

“He has possession a particular item that does not belong to him. I am asking you to kidnap him, retrieve the article from it’s hiding place, and return the item to me. I will pay your normal fee, plus a bonus, incremental to the number of days before next Sunday that you present me with the item.” “So the faster you get it the more we get as a bonus. Nice incentive.” TJ entwined his fingers and rested them on a knee. “What’s the item?”

Irelle glanced at Blade again, who tried to make herself look small. The sorceress smiled then turned back to TJ. “A bell, about the size of your two hands together.” She raised her right hand languidly. “A small straight rod about as long as a index finger, should also be with the bell. And before you say that’s two pieces, it is not. That is the clapper for the bell.” She reached to her waist, and pulled out a small pouch. She dropped a series of data sticks on the table. “Your fee, plus ten percent for travel expenses. Prove to me you’re as good as your arrogance attempts to imply. Bring me the bell, in total, by Sunday next.”

Irelle smiled, then looked over at Blade. “Be careful, he’s a Humanity First sympathizer. His security team is made up of their members.” TJ gave a curt nod to Blade as the sorceress glided out of the room, the missile mages following her. The door floated off the ground, then settled in the doorway, the doorknob, locks, and hinges still lying on the wood floor. Blade got up from the couch, and stalked into her small room. She stepped to the tool kit, and shifted her shoulder. The cables flicked forward grabbing a flat blade screwdriver and a Phillip’s head.

She walked back into the main room, her feet moving in tense, measured steps until she reached the door. Her right hand reached out, grabbing the hole that the doorknob assembly fit, and yanked. The door shifted, then fell flat with a loud bang. Blade savagely grabbed the hinges, her metal limbs working to straighten the bent plates and screw them back onto the door. Her metal appendage stretched out, cables writhing like the heads on a hydra, grabbing the doorknob, disassembling it then threading the two pieces back onto the door, and screwing it in place. Her left arm grabbed the dead-bolt, steel tentacles scrabbling on the metal and the screwdriver removing the screws. It was slammed into position and screwed into place. TJ watched all of this with silence, letting Blade work out her fear and anger on the door.

Blade worked fast and viciously, and the door was soon back in place, with a few new gouges in the wood from flailing screwdrivers and cybernetic cables. She rounded on TJ, then stomped back over to the far end of the couch, and sat down. A shaking hand pulled out a cigarette pack. She tore the foil open and shook the pack, a cable with a small grasper snagged the paper and tobacco tube, and held it to her lips. A small pocket lighter appeared from her pocket. She clicked the electric striker, and a green flame stretched an inch upwards. Blade leaned back and drew deeply. Her head tilted back as twin clouds of smoke issued from her nostrils.

The little apartment was quiet, but for the sounds of five people breathing and, he thought, he could almost hear everybody thinking. The silence seemed to drag on for several seconds. He risked a quick glance towards his partner who looked at him as if he had lost his mind, but who was also covertly preparing herself in case their guests chose option one. His eyes snapped back to the pale, slender elf. Irelle rose to her feet. Slowly. Gracefully. She didn’t even look at him, as she crossed towards the shelf on the far side of the room. Her thin, alabaster-like fingers wrapped around the cube they’d ‘acquired’ from the Dayner vault and she nodded, as if to herself. Only then did she turn to face Blade and himself. She hefted the cube as if to gauge its weight, even as she continued speaking „But if you ever insult me again, I will not leave enough of you to fill something as small as this!“

Irelle drew back her arm before throwing the cube at him rather forcefully. Despite his reflexes he only barely managed to snatch it out of the air before it hit his head. He glared at her and she flashed him a cold smile. „Coincidentally, the contents of that folder and the real Phylactery are related in ways even I do not fully understand…yet. So you see, we do have quite a bit to discuss.“

Blade let the breath she had been holding out slowly. She noticed the mages did also. We dodged a bullet. They don’t want to throw down, but there were ready to. I really don’t want to do that again. She shook her head, flipping her long hair back like a black fan. TJ smirked as if to say, was there any doubt, kid? Her hands clenched into fists as she visualized punching him in the mouth. She blinked as Irelle began to talk. Irelle had regained her poise, though Blade knew that TJ’s little power play had lessened her in the eyes of the mages. There’d be a very dangerous reckoning for that stunt after they were no longer useful.

Irelle strode back to the table, the cube still in hand. She stood there, a gash of white contrasted by the brown wood, the green mages, and the dark grey of the walls. She set the cube on the table. She started to lift her hand away from the cube when she stopped. Turning her full attention to the cube, and ignoring the puzzled looks of the other four in the room, she picked it up again, and concentrated. She turned to TJ. “Where did you find this.” It was obviously not a question.

Blade looked down as TJ answered the sorceress. “At Dayner Heavy Industries.” He didn’t try to bait or goad Irelle, for which Blade was thankful. Now that both sides had postured, they both agreed to at least be respectful, if not civil. “Dayner”, Irelle whispered to herself. She raised her head, and smiled. “They tend to have things others pay money for”, TJ smirked. “Indeed, and if this was the prize, I would expect you may have been in a race to procure it.”

Blade’s head snapped to stare at Irelle. TJ’s face became guarded. “I wouldn’t have been surprised by it either” he said in a careful tone. “When people want things, they tend to have rivals that want the same thing.” Irelle nodded, her eyes watching every twitch and movement of TJ’s face. TJ returned the stare. “It says how much stock a person puts in things, is represented by the people that they hire.” “Indeed it does” Irelle agreed. She stared a moment longer, then yawned, moving a hand in front of her mouth. She lowered it then shifted topics.