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xp_logsEven the best-laid plans go awry. London Time: 11:30 p.m.
All was quiet. The house before them was dark, its occupants having either gone to bed or gone out for the night. Either way, there was no one left awake in there.
It was the perfect time to go in.
Topaz was doing her best to be the picture of calm as she knelt in the bushes across the street from the house, turning her head slightly to look at the man next to her. "Are we going, then?" She asked quietly, pulling her jacket a little more securely around her - a nervous habit she'd never quite been able to kick.
"Yes." The response was flat and brooked no argument. "Remember, stay quiet. Our only chance is in stealth."
"Right." Topaz turned back to the house, reaching her senses out one more time. Emotions were so flat when people were asleep, and the house was barely within range. It made her feel better to feel that flatness, though. Reassurance that no one was awake. They'd already searched the perimeter for wards and shields, and found none. These people were rather lax about their security.
Topaz stood up, safely hidden in the dark of night as she quickly checked the long, empty street. No one there - the house in front of them was the only one for miles. In all their time watching this place, they'd never seen anyone but the Destines come this far down. Assured that there was no one to see her, she moved quickly and quietly out of the bushes. She would be the first in, they'd decided. Small enough to hide and harder to spot in darkness, it made sense to send her into the house first. He would be right behind her.
Taboo watched as Topaz crept towards the house, making her way towards the path down the side of the building and the back door. For a brief moment his face twisted with regret, but the expression was gone as quickly as it had appeared. The stony mask back in place, he followed the girl, until they were both crouched in the shadows cast by the rubbish bins near the kitchen door. "I'll take the lock," he whispered in her ear, barely audible. "Then you go in."
As focused as Topaz was, she missed the momentary regret that flashed through the man. She'd purposely reinforced her shields, not wanting to get distracted. When he whispered to her, she nodded once in response, her eyes focused on the door. Don't think, don't think. The time for thinking was over.
It was time for action.
Taboo easily took care of the lock, and Topaz slipped inside, silent as a shadow. She let her shields slip for a brief moment to feel the flatness again. It was disconcerting, not being able to feel anyone's emotions - but reassuring, too. No emotions meant they were asleep.
Through the kitchen. Into the living room. Down a small hallway. Their destination was halfway through, the first door on the right. Topaz had recited these facts as a small child would a nursery rhyme.
Taboo watched from the doorway as the girl he considered his daughter crept into the kitchen. It was perhaps cowardly, letting her go first, but she had advantages he didn't. He counted silently - one, two, three - and stepped forward.
It hadn't been premeditated, of course; Grace had felt thirsty in the middle of the night, and while she would usually just ignore the feeling and keep sleeping, apparently her body had other plans. She had gotten out of bed not without a silent complaint due to the change of temperature, and headed down to the kitchen. Now she was quickly drinking a glass of water, eager to return to her bed. The talisman was loosely hanging from her neck as she stared at nowhere in particular.
A sound. Did the door just open? Head wiping to the general direction of the door, she kept quiet. Maybe someone had been out until now.
As focused on as Topaz was on keeping her shields up, she only felt the barest bit of surprise, and it wasn't enough to stop her as she slowly progressed inside - realizing just a moment too late that there was a shadow moving in the kitchen.
It was hard to tell, but she didn't need to double check. That was not a Destine. "Shit," murmured and she sent the alarm to the rest of the clan. They wanted to bring it to their own house, at night?
Then bring it.
All was quiet. The house before them was dark, its occupants having either gone to bed or gone out for the night. Either way, there was no one left awake in there.
It was the perfect time to go in.
Topaz was doing her best to be the picture of calm as she knelt in the bushes across the street from the house, turning her head slightly to look at the man next to her. "Are we going, then?" She asked quietly, pulling her jacket a little more securely around her - a nervous habit she'd never quite been able to kick.
"Yes." The response was flat and brooked no argument. "Remember, stay quiet. Our only chance is in stealth."
"Right." Topaz turned back to the house, reaching her senses out one more time. Emotions were so flat when people were asleep, and the house was barely within range. It made her feel better to feel that flatness, though. Reassurance that no one was awake. They'd already searched the perimeter for wards and shields, and found none. These people were rather lax about their security.
Topaz stood up, safely hidden in the dark of night as she quickly checked the long, empty street. No one there - the house in front of them was the only one for miles. In all their time watching this place, they'd never seen anyone but the Destines come this far down. Assured that there was no one to see her, she moved quickly and quietly out of the bushes. She would be the first in, they'd decided. Small enough to hide and harder to spot in darkness, it made sense to send her into the house first. He would be right behind her.
Taboo watched as Topaz crept towards the house, making her way towards the path down the side of the building and the back door. For a brief moment his face twisted with regret, but the expression was gone as quickly as it had appeared. The stony mask back in place, he followed the girl, until they were both crouched in the shadows cast by the rubbish bins near the kitchen door. "I'll take the lock," he whispered in her ear, barely audible. "Then you go in."
As focused as Topaz was, she missed the momentary regret that flashed through the man. She'd purposely reinforced her shields, not wanting to get distracted. When he whispered to her, she nodded once in response, her eyes focused on the door. Don't think, don't think. The time for thinking was over.
It was time for action.
Taboo easily took care of the lock, and Topaz slipped inside, silent as a shadow. She let her shields slip for a brief moment to feel the flatness again. It was disconcerting, not being able to feel anyone's emotions - but reassuring, too. No emotions meant they were asleep.
Through the kitchen. Into the living room. Down a small hallway. Their destination was halfway through, the first door on the right. Topaz had recited these facts as a small child would a nursery rhyme.
Taboo watched from the doorway as the girl he considered his daughter crept into the kitchen. It was perhaps cowardly, letting her go first, but she had advantages he didn't. He counted silently - one, two, three - and stepped forward.
It hadn't been premeditated, of course; Grace had felt thirsty in the middle of the night, and while she would usually just ignore the feeling and keep sleeping, apparently her body had other plans. She had gotten out of bed not without a silent complaint due to the change of temperature, and headed down to the kitchen. Now she was quickly drinking a glass of water, eager to return to her bed. The talisman was loosely hanging from her neck as she stared at nowhere in particular.
A sound. Did the door just open? Head wiping to the general direction of the door, she kept quiet. Maybe someone had been out until now.
As focused on as Topaz was on keeping her shields up, she only felt the barest bit of surprise, and it wasn't enough to stop her as she slowly progressed inside - realizing just a moment too late that there was a shadow moving in the kitchen.
It was hard to tell, but she didn't need to double check. That was not a Destine. "Shit," murmured and she sent the alarm to the rest of the clan. They wanted to bring it to their own house, at night?
Then bring it.
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