The Second Layer

Chapter 11: Lily

Chapter 11: Lily

The five of them were set up on rooftops, with Lily furthest away. Her job was to intercept the target if he attempted to escape, and to come in and provide support only if the target showed no intentions of escaping and proved a danger even to the other four combined. They all had small transceiver headsets on, so they could keep in contact with each other. They'd had the headsets for some time, but they only used them for jobs like this one, where they would not only be temporarily separated, but that were difficult or dangerous enough that being able to quickly communicate could be vital.

At the moment they were all far enough away that the target wouldn't be able to sense them, which was necessary since they wanted the element of surprise on their side. The problem though was that they couldn't sense him either. And that was where Lily came in. "Alright Lily, you're up. Find our target," Evan's voice spoke into her ear.

Taking a deep breath, Lily opened herself to her vision. Immediately the effects of Lord Talen's earlier healing became apparent, because while before the vision always brought with it a slow-building pain at the base of her skull, now there wasn't even the faintest hint of discomfort. She was actually able to truly enjoy the vision again. Immediately scanning her eyes up and down along the apartment building in the distance, it didn't take her long to detect the shadowy aura surrounding one person in particular. That was yet another advantage to the vision. It allowed her to sense a freak at any distance, so long as she could locate them with the ability. This freak was laying in a bed in what was clearly a bedroom.

"Sixth floor, east side of the building. The third and fourth windows from the southeast corner are his apartment. The third window leads into his living room, the fourth into his bedroom. The target has already gone to sleep for the night in that bedroom. No one else in the apartment, and no pets," Lily replied.

"What about the larikin? Can you see the knife?" Evan asked.

"I'm sure I could find it if you gave me time to search, but from a cursory glance around the apartment, I haven't spotted it yet," Lily told him. Larikins unfortunately were one thing she couldn't sense through the vision.

"It's alright, we'll take care of him first, and then we'll find it afterwards. What's the best entry point for Silver?" Evan queried.

"No lights on in the apartment, so there are shadows all over the place. Silver could come out right beside the guy's bed if he wanted to," Lily answered.

"That's actually not such a bad idea. How far from the window is the bed?" Silver's voice suddenly broke in.

"About ten feet in and five feet to the right. It's a king size," Lily told him.

"Got it," Silver stated.

"Alright, here's how we'll do this. On my mark you'll shadowstep in, Silver. While you keep him busy I'll come in through the bedroom window. Alaine, I want you right on my heels. Kade, you'll leap for the living room window at the same time I go for the bedroom, and you can rush in from there. Lily, if we need your help I'll give you a signal and you can come in then. If not, you'll come in once he's dead. For now, we get into position. Silver, get yourself ready. Alaine and Kade, follow me," Evan instructed.

Lily could see the three figures jumping from rooftop to rooftop, staying just out of sensing range but moving to a roof where they'd have a better angle to jump towards the apartment's windows. Only once all three had gathered there, one slightly apart from the other two, did Evan's voice speak again. "Alright, we're in position. Silver, Lily, you two ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Silver answered.

"Me too. I'll be watching you," Lily replied.

"Alright, Lily, the instant Silver shows up in the target's room, tell us and we go. Silver, the mark for you to shadowstep in is in five. Four. Three. Two. One. Mark!" Evan exclaimed.