Fairly Normal People

-Chapter Twelve-

The rain pounded on and around them as they power walked through the wet streets. The wind blew around him, enough to whip at their hems and tighten the grip on their umbrellas but not enough to stifle their stride.

"Hell of a night for a stealth mission." Lucy said, barely audible over the weather.

"Reduced visibility, masked footsteps and fewer potential witnesses. The rain might 'suck' but can't say it isn't in our favour." Andy retorted.

"Still shitty." Lucy said as a strong gust of wind caught her umbrella and threatened to take them both with it though she managed to quickly regain her balance.

They had been walking for at least an hour and a half and the night had turned pitch black around them but Lucy was confident she knew where she was going. Andy struggled to keep up with her despite his long strides as the girl was all but running ahead.

"Not long now." She called out to him.

The houses around them were enormous, especially compared to Andy's dingy little apartment, and their multiple stories loomed over them. The faces of the houses were brightly lit by the street lights overhead, the size intimidating as they were awe inspiring. The large houses meant they just entered Leifsdale at least so they were in the right suburb though if Lucy had harboured any doubt about where she was going she's wasn't showing it in the least. Her surefooted stride had turned what could have easily been a three hour walk in a trek half that time. Andy of course had suggested a bus to quicken their pace but Lucy had admitted she would only know this way to get there, before she suggested Andy simply turn into a pixie and match her speed.

"Around the corner." Lucy said as her pace quickened once more.

Andy all but jogged to catch up to her.

"Pardon?" Andy asked.

They rounded the corner and Lucy pointed towards a seemingly innocuous house that mimicked the houses around it in size and scale with the one exception of a large black door at the front of the house.

"That one." Lucy said as she leaned towards him. "The black door."

"Got it." Andy said.

They stood beside each other in silence for a few moments.

"Well?" Lucy asked.

"Security systems, Lucy." Andy replied.

"Oh right, sorry." Lucy said, her voice shrank and turned squeaky as she turn pixie mid sentence.

She zipped off into the night as Andy slowly walked towards the house as he scanned the neighbourhood. As discreetly as possible he spun and imitated cracking his back and taking a chance to catch his breath as an excuse to fully survey his surroundings. The streets were bare but that was likely because of the rain. Most of the windows in most of the houses were illuminated by their internal lights with the occasional black silhouette of a figure passing by the window. It was quiet, very quiet but that wasn't uncommon for streets like these. Andy felt a small weight land on his shoulder.

"The side gate is open and the security cameras are all offline." Lucy whispered into his ear.

"That was quick." Andy remarked.

"I scouted them all out last time so I just shoved them so they all pointed away from where we'll be going in." Lucy said with more than a hint of pride at her resourcefulness and efficiency.

"Great job." Andy whispered to her.

He stretched his neck in his hands to do a final quick check around him and then confidently but quietly strode down the side of the house. Lucy whispered directions into his ear and guided him past the rather small front garden, past the tool shed and towards a door at the side of the house. She zipped into the lock faster than Andy could grab her and she swung the suddenly unlocked door from the other side.