Alister
Ken's eyes narrow, his gaze shifting from the goblet to me. "You..." he says, his voice trailing off as he tries to connect the dots. His brows knit into a frown, and I can see the suspicion growing in his eyes. Thankfully Clara is still invisible.
I glance at Steph, signaling her with my eyes. She nods, and I know she understands what needs to be done. I take out a knife from my pocket and hurl it at Ken, aiming for a spot just above his head.
At the same time, Steph pushes him to the ground, making it look like she's trying to protect him. The knife whizzes past his ear, and he looks up, startled. The others gasp in shock, their eyes fixed on the blade now lodged in the wall.
I hold my breath, hoping that Ken won't suspect Steph's involvement. Her actions need to appear genuine.
"What is that?" She gasps, looking at the goblet, acting oblivious.
"THIEF!" Ken yells at the top of his lungs. Alerting all staff and guards below.
"Steph. The goblet." I whisper into the earpiece as I suddenly feel someone pull my arm and drag me deeper into the third floor.
"Time for plan C!" Clara says as she pulls me down the hallway. I look back, and I can hear Ken shouting for more security guards as some are already stomping up the stairs.
"There was never a plan C!" I yell back as my nails glow silver.
"Why do you think we brought weapons!?" She yells back as we round the corner and reach the end of the hallway before she lets go of her invisibility, stopping to catch her breath.
"Guys! What the heck!? What do we do!?" Simon's panicked cry pierces through the earpiece.
"Focus on deleting everything." I say as I wait for the oncoming guards.
I pat Lev on his wing, who's still perched on my shoulder, talons digging into my skin even though I clipped them to remove their sharpness. "Get your friends. Make sure no one goes to check the security room. Also, try anything troublesome and I won't hesitate to blow you to bits. Simon will keep track of you. Go."
The bird flies off into the air and high into the ceiling before disappearing around the corner.
"Steph?" I ask.
"I secured the goblet in the commotion. I'll move out when I get the chance" She replys, and I sigh in relief.
"Zach?"
"Create a distraction in the ballroom? Already on it. I won't be sleeping well tonight, I can tell you that." He answers with a disappointed sigh.
I turn to face the oncoming guards, their shadows stretching across the floor like dark specters. My heart is racing, as the knives hidden under my uniform begin to levitate out and up above my head. They form a circular pattern. Base inward, blades outwards.
Clara's voice whispers in my ear through the earpiece and beside me. "A halo. How ironic."
I glance sideways, sensing her presence though she remains invisible again. I see the glint of two guns in her hands. It's odd how making objects on her body invisible takes more energy. I'm not sure her power might be invisibility, but light manipulation or disrupting visual perception.
"Get away from here and head to the car." I tell her, trying to sound calm. "I'll handle this."
But as I take a step forward, two guards round the corner, guns drawn. I raise my hands, ready to launch the knives. But before I can, two darts strike each of their necks. I levitate the guns away from their grip as they fall to the ground.
I spin around and see Clara's guns still trained on the guards. "Don't...tell me what to do when you're about to spit out your insides," she remarks, already sounding breathless.
"Oh, this is perfect." Leora comments, and I see her smirking. "She's really pushing herself to the brink."
"Shut up!" I yell out as four more stern-faced guards round the corner, their guns slowly raising at us. I hurl the guns out of their hands, sending the them flying towards the wall behind us. In a flash, I launch four knives, and they sink into the guards' stomachs and legs with precision. They crumple to the ground, their bodies contorting in agony. I cough up blood, which spills onto my hands, but I press on.
As I advance, I notice Clara's guns moving past me, indicating she's pushing forward. I hear the sound of shots being fired, and I click my tongue in frustration, rushing after her. Rounding the corner, I see she's taken out two more guards. Their bodies are slumped on the ground but her guns lie discarded nearby. Now I don't know where she is.
I hide behind the wall for cover as a guard fires a shot in my direction. I peer around the corner to see him yelling in pain, a dart protruding from his neck. Clara's handiwork.
Through the earpiece, I can hear her labored breathing, her exertion evident. "Listen to me and just run away!" I shout, my voice hoarse from the blood in my throat.
As more guards reach the top of the stairs at the end of the hallway, I raise my hand, and their guns are torn from their grasp. I use the guns to push the guards downstairs. The sound of their bodies thudding against the steps reassures me they won't be getting up for now. I cough again, more blood spilling onto my hand. A sharp pain stabs through my chest.
Suddenly we hear yelling and shouts coming from the first floor. Probably in the ballroom.
"What's going on?" Clara's voice echoes through the earpiece as I see her guns rise from the ground before she starts to reload them.
"I started a fire." Zach replies.
I blink. "What?"
"I said I started a small fire. Now I'm on my way out with Steph." He replies.
"Are you crazy!?" Simon yells. "They're gonna call the freaking fire brigade!"
"They won't. Stanley's telling everyone not to panic and calling more people and staff to take care of it. I started it near the entrance door so no one will be going out or coming in through there. So you guys can escape without being seen. Plus, this noise will mask any gunshot noises." He replies. Everyone's using a silencer, though.
"What about Ken?" I ask as I walk forward, stepping over the unconscious bodies on the ground as Clara's invisibility wears off and I see her now disheveled form. Sweat drips down her forehead, and she looks like she's about to fall from exhaustion as she leans against the wall and takes deep breaths. As if her ability caused her to stop breathing.
"I pricked him with one of my needles. He got knocked out after 3 minutes of yelling and ordering." Steph says. I can hear the faint sound of the crowd in the back. They must still be in the ballroom.
"Stanley heard a commotion upstairs. He's calling people and guards to check up." Simon says. He probably hijacked their communication. "By the way, Lev has gone to the ballroom instead of being with other birds outside the security room. Should we be worried?"
I grunt and resist the urge to punch a wall. That scumbag is definitely trying to get someone to take off his restraints. "Shock him if he interacts with anyone."
"This...is chaos." Clara gasps with a tired smile on her face before she chuckles.
I hear more men coming upstairs and turn towards her, grabbing her arm and making her face me. "Why won't you ever listen!?" I hiss, my glare sharp enough to slice. "Use your ability and join the others."
She doesn't flinch. Of course she doesn't. She meets my fury with her own, raising her gun until the barrel presses against the side of my neck. Her eyes burn into mine, but her voice is frustratingly calm.
"That blood on your lip is really not helping. What if you faint again? Who's going to come back again and carry you out?" She tilts her head slightly. "I can attack better being invisible and can take care of things more quickly. Let me handle this. I'll join you later."
My grip on her arm tightens as the footsteps grow closer. I can feel the rush of time slipping through my teeth.
"Come on." She insists. "Trust me." She knows it's not about that. Why is she bringing it up?
Her pupils drift right, and without hesitation, she swiftly aims the gun away from me towards someone on the stairs before shooting him. I hear the heavy fall of a body tumbling backward down the steps.
She exhales and lowers her weapon, eyes on mine. Then she reaches to her earpiece and clicks it off with a small smirk.
"Besides, I just know you're gonna start killing people the second I'm gone. No way I'm letting you escalate things." She whispers and then turns her earpiece on.
Before I can retort, her pupils flash the piercing silver like lightning through a storm cloud. Her nails shimmer with the same glow, and then she vanishes.
"Awww, but you love killing." Leora chimes in. "Are you really going to let her tell you what to do? She's worried about you, though. You seem physically weaker now and slower than her. She does have a point actually. You're dragging her down." She whispers.
I close my eyes as I try to control my frustration. I won't give her the reaction she wants. I won't.
"Meet me down at the entrance." I say as she slips away from my grasp and runs towards the guards, guns blazing.
I click my tongue. "Are you guys in the car?"
"Almost." Zach replies.
"I'm on my way." Simon says. "I turned off the security system so we can get out safely now."
"Steph, bring the car upto the entrance." I call out as I run ahead. "Simon, if Lev tries to get away, shock him until he's unconscious."
I see guards chase after the 'mysterious floating guns' into the left hallway. I sprint towards the staircase, my footsteps echoing off the walls.
Meanwhile, the guards climbing the stairs spot me and raise their guns in my direction. I lift my hand instead, and the guns are ripped from their grasp. With a swift motion, I bash the guards' heads with their own guns, sending them tumbling down the stairs. Along with the other guards who I had already pushed down. They are starting to get up.
I let the knives hovering above my head swivel, aiming at the guards. With a flick of my wrist, the blades rain down, stabbing into the guard's hands and feet. The sound of screams erupts as they clutch at their wounds while more blood spills from mine.
Suddenly my nails stop glowing. This is new.
"Why?" I glare at Leora.
Is it because I've overused the ability? Is it my body's response to it? Hitting the brakes to keep me upright?
"Why ask me anything when you know I won't tell you." She smirks.
I grunt and continue my frantic dash downstairs, past the withering bodies. I shout to Clara into the device, "Where the heck are you going!?" I'm met with the sound of gunfire and Clara's strained voice, "Ugh, just go!" Two more gunshots ring out.
I reach the first floor, and my eyes widen as I'm met with the barrels of three guns, already trained on me. My heart almost stops as I freeze, trying to activate my ability, but instead, I choke. A mouthful of blood spills past my lips and onto the sleeve as I cover my mouth. I cough hard, stumbling a step back as pain lances through my chest.
Just then the ballroom doors swing open, and Stanley walks out with a wide stiff smile. But the expression on his wrinkled face darkens in an instant when he closes the doors and takes in the scene before him. His gaze flicks from the guards to me.
"What the hell is going on?" He bellows, "What's all the ruckus? I already had a fire to deal with. I told you to take care of it quietly. Do you have any idea how important this party is to me?" He turns to the guards, his face red with rage.
One of them talks without aiming away from me. "Mr. Ken said there was a thief upstairs who stole something." Stanley's gaze snaps to me, and I raise my hands, trying to look as innocent and fearful as possible.
"You again? Where is Ken?" Stanley growls, his eyes boring into mine. "Is this the guy who did it?" I swallow hard, trying to keep my cool.
Just then, a faint gunshot echoes from upstairs, and I take advantage of the distraction. "That person is still up there," I say, trying to sound convincing, as I inch further down the stairs with careful, hesitant steps, feigning anxiousness. I try again to tap into the gem's power—just a spark—but nothing happens.
Stanley's eyes narrow, and for a moment, I think he sees right through my lie.
But then he breaks eye contact and turns to the guards. "Go up. Now."
Stanley watches them go, as I keep walking until I'm right behind him, his back to me. He shakes his head. "What a mess," he mutters. "I hope they take care of it as quietly as-"
But before he can say another word, and before I could hurl my knife at the man, a light shot rings out, and I see a dart embedded in Stanley's neck.
His hand reaches up, touching the dart, and his eyes go round in surprise. Then, his legs give out, and he crashes to the ground, unconscious.
A shrill CAW! pierces the stillness.
I whip toward the grand entrance just in time to see the great double doors of the mansion letting in a gust of night air—and a writhing tide of black feathers.
Crows. A whole flock of them pours into the mansion like a wave.
They scatter—some shooting upstairs, towards where the guards went, talons outstretched and wings wide. Others circle the chandelier, perching in clusters, beady eyes glittering as they stare toward the ballroom doors like sentinels awaiting command.
Lev. What game is he playing now?
"Hey!"
Clara's voice rings out from above. I whip my head up and spot her at the third-floor banister, now fully visible.
"What are you—"
Before I can finish the sentence, she vaults over the railing. I watch, paralyzed for half a second, as her body slices through the air, plummeting straight down.
I instinctively rush under her, flailing my arms wildly, trying to position myself to break her fall. Time seems to slow down as I wait for the impact.
She slams into my arms, knocking the air out of me. I stagger backward with the force, heels skidding across the polished floor. One foot catches against Stanley's unconscious body, and I barely manage to keep us both from toppling over.
She's heavier than she looks. Or maybe I'm just weaker than I should be.
Chest heaving, I glare at her, teeth clenched. "What is wrong with you!?"
But instead of explaining herself, the corners of her lips curl upward and she reaches up, looping her arms around my neck and pulling me into a tight, sudden hug that almost makes my legs give up.
"You did promise to catch me when I fall," she whispers. I don't recall ever agreeing to anything of the sort.
I narrow my eyes and let go of her, letting her fall to the ground. To which she, after wincing at the impact, just chuckles.
"I take it back if this is what you meant." I look up at the chandelier to see if I can spot Lev. That freak managed to get someone to take off his gag.
Too many problems to deal with right now.
A gunshot is fired, and it slams into the marble floor inches from my foot. Clara and I both glance up. Three guards lean over the railing on the first floor, their rifles aimed directly at us. More are flooding down the stairs, weapons drawn.
Her eyes flicker with concern as she tries to activate her power. Nothing. Not even a spark. Her breath catches, and I realize—it's not just me. She's drained too. That, I suppose, explains why she jumped off instead of facing the men. They would have seen her face closely.
I quickly bend down, scoop her back into my arms, and make a run towards the mansion doors.
As we dash through the foyer, a figure emerges from the party hall, takes one look at the chaos unfolding before them, and lets out a blood-curdling scream. The crows perched on the chandelier swoop down like black daggers.
They swarm her, scaring her inside, landing in a ring by the doorway. Their wings spread wide, their obsidian eyes gleaming as they caw in unison—a screeching warning.
No one leaves until we're gone.
Clara buries half her face into my shoulder, hiding her identity, as she fires two shots. The sound of gunfire is deafening, with bullets whizzing past my ear and embedding into the walls around us.
I let out a sharp whistle, and one of the birds peels off from the group and glides ahead of us, wings slicing through the air.
Lev.
We're almost at the door.
As we near the entrance, her demeanor changes, and she lets out a curse under her breath.
I sense her tension. "What's wrong?"
"I don't have time to reload right now," she says, and upon looking down, I see her pull out a pistol.
"How many guns are you carrying?" I ask as the big doors inch closer. I sigh in relief as I spot my car waiting outside.
"Just three." She shrugs with a smile as her arm goes around my neck again, and she seems to be aiming at something...quite high.
As soon as she fires the pistol, the loud bang leaves my ears ringing. I glance back, and my eyes widen in shock.
She's crazy. She's definitely...crazy.
The mechanism holding up the massive crystal monstrosity—centerpiece of the mansion's entrance hall—has been blasted clean off. Probably at a weak point. The groan of strained metal fills the room, followed by the unmistakable creak of something giving way.
Then, the chandelier falls.
The guards behind us halt—eyes wide, instincts kicking in a moment too late. They scramble backward, diving out of the way. We step out of the mansion door just in time, and the sound of shattering glass echoes through the air as the enormous fixture crashes to the marble floor with an explosion of glass and steel.
"You're insane." I breathe, holding her abit closer as we emerge into the night air. I can see my car waiting for us, the back door opened wide. I spot Lev already slipping into the back seat, and I quicken my pace, Clara still wrapped around my neck like a very smug scarf.
"Hurry!" Simon yells as I reach it. We quickly collapse inside, slamming the door shut. Stephanie's foot slams on the pedal, and the car surges forward, speeding away from the mansion.