18 - Getting In//Nora

"Aren't you supposed to be watching the security sequences?" Paxton asked worriedly, as he often did.

"They aren't varying them; it's just the one, I've confirmed five times," Nora explained, reliving her boredom at completing the mental checklist again and again. "It makes sense, this is just the Local Artists Market."

"But we stole the collector's other Noiz," Paxton said, spotting a new guard and writing down a description as they talked. "Shouldn't they be more concerned?"

"These pop-ups are always last minute," Nora said. "You saw it online yourself; there was no time to set up a really good security system. It's basically touch and go in there."

"The 'mysterious thieves' haven't stolen anything from Paradox City in four months," she reminded him, making air quotes. "The collector might just be over it. It was just a rock to them, after all. They even got the name wrong."

"Technically, 'clagh' is the correct word for stone in quite a few Gaelic languages," Paxton said, launching into another one of his detailed descriptions of noun-formation and grammar.

Still, he'd shaken her, and she couldn't blame him. They might have gotten sloppy in their time on break. Nora had done little but sit around the house and watch the news, looking for clues. Paxton had returned to his semi-normal life.

The last time they'd pulled off a real heist, they'd both been knocked out by lightning and a teenage girl had ended up violently bonded to a Noiz.

As Paxton spoke, practically arguing with himself at this point, she went over the safety protocol that she'd studied for situations like this. Her parents had always taught her to work hard, and Nora had done nothing but since becoming a Phantom.

Though they were both just archaeologists, a lot of what they had taught her about carefully entering and exiting hostile spaces had come in handy in her new role as a thief. Paxton had never once doubted that she had done this before, even though they were both learning on the job.

By the time Paxton had tuckered himself out and she'd finished reciting her rules for a successful break in the tenth time, it was starting to get dark out. They called Lea to relay a meeting place. Fewer and fewer people were coming in and out of the exhibit and the sun was just low enough to give them some natural cover.

One thing her parents hadn't taught her was that no matter how brightly artificial lights could shine, they could never match the sun. Stealing in broad daylight always meant giving your pursuers a better shot at catching a glimpse of you.

It wasn't a problem if they caught a bit of cape or mask, but their exact heights would surely give away their age. At the very least, it would put it into question. There was also their hair colors and facial structures, which weren't hidden by their magical masks. It was best not to be seen at all.

After they called Lea, Paxton and Nora paid their tab and sneaked into the alley between the coffee shop and an office building. Across the street was their target; the Barium Exhibition Hall. There were four security guards outside and two inside, along with two police officers.

Nora grabbed on to her Noiz and envisioned a large concert hall filled with performers. Soon enough, a soothing and reverberating oratorio was playing throughout her mind.

Even though the sight twinge of strange electronic sounds that Paxton considered music was coming from her right, nothing could annoy her as she was overcome by a bright green light. She'd noticed it that morning, but the power that surged over her as she transformed was much stronger now; she could actually feel the increase in Volume.

Usually they had to transform in shifts because Paxton's EDM broke her concentration, but as her Volume went up, the connection had gotten more stable.

And a bit overbearing, she thought as her legs involuntarily moved to the right.

"What are you doing?" Paxton said. "You almost got caught in the street-light."

"Sorry, kind of overwhelmed," she said honestly. "My Volume must have really shot up when we saved Lea."

"Meet up now, humblebrag later," Paxton said before leaping onto the fire escape and making his way onto the roof. Nora jumped and found herself much higher than usual. It only took her two jumps compared to Paxton's three.

A few seconds later, Lea was shooting over them.