ARIDEN SARETHOL IS A LIAR. Upon witnessing a hostile organization try to take control of a family heirloom, he must enact a dangerous plan that may get him and his friends thrown to prison, or worse, killed. As the veils of false peace slowly fall a...
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2412 Crescin 31, Velpa
Tension strung the mood in the headquarters to a higher notch. Lufi crossed her arms and leaned back on her seat, trying to feign a stance of nonchalance. If she could project it, maybe her insides would follow. The rest of the Cutlasses filtered into the table, bearing all sorts of proof they did what they're ordered to do. Finally, Ariden trudged in, looking worse for wear than ever. What's going on?
Lufi watched him settle on his seat with an enormous sigh, his leg bouncing up and down the moment he did. Jittery. He's jittery. But why? This was his caper. Shouldn't he be confident they'd be able to pull it off? Think of the number of connections they had to their target. It'd be a piece of cake. Besides, she had guards walk in on her, and she made it out. What's to stop Ariden and their comrades from doing so?
Tria's bangles clinked when she brought up a hand to formally start them off. It's a signal to tell them to fix themselves and be ready for the briefing. "Alright," she cleared her throat. Her shoulders sagged as well, but she tried her best to stand tall and proud. "Let's start."
Even Ralei's energy was off. The soldier sat on his chair with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes drooping every now and then. Ariden's been working them off, wasn't he? That's the price of knowing too much.
Parchment crinkled as Tria stuck the wide sheet into their communal board. She adjusted the perspective, kicking the wheels with her closed sandals. When she was satisfied, she whacked the end of a stick into a spot which Lufi recognized as Otralo. "We're here, and the target is over here," Tria said, moving the stick eastward to a blob resembling the layout of Jehnasson. "To get there, we need to take individual routes that all have the same travel time. Theoretically."
Of course. As they have done during the previous capers, they should never be found together in more than one place to avoid people connecting the dots and building a backbone of details from there. Up until now, the officers in Otralo couldn't agree among themselves how many people operated under the Cutlasses, and it didn't help that other gangs and underground cartels started using the same name to get away with their crimes. Not that Lufi minded. It helped deflect the suspicions.
Of course, this method of transportation posed its own dangers. That's why Tria said "theoretically". Because like what happened in that case involving the Bond Bombers, these roads could get blocked or delays could happen. It'd be up to their own to recalculate the paths and somehow arrive at the agreed time. In their line of work, one minute off, or even a second off, could make all of the difference.
"You'll find your routes in the individual files I'll provide later," Tria flashed Ariden a look before meeting the rest of the gazes trained at her. "Including all of the possible substitute routes. As for the next part of the caper, I'll pass it to the twins."
Said twins shot up and headed to the map. They recounted how they dug tunnel systems beneath the Temple's vicinity and connected it to the servants' quarters as suggested by Lufi. They'd make their entry to the Temple as newly-hired servants. As long as they didn't encounter any overseers, they should be good.
