Chapter 33

Vlondril waits at the top of the wall, hidden from view. Waiting for Kara's signal. Suddenly, a guard falls from the wall and she watches the body fall into the foliage below. "Is that her signal?" Vlondril blinks slowly. "Well then. Here we go!" she climbs the wall and grabs the guard in the tower, running her blade across his neck then through his heart before discarding him over the ledge into the foliage below.

Vlondril looks around before silently making her way to the back of the building. Kara will have no visual on her while she makes her entry into the main house. After a moment she manages to open an unlocked window. Amateurs, they never change. The Vasivich couple must feel rather confident in their safety behind the walls and guards.

However, the Vasivichs' are not home. They left an hour ago. Their objective here was not killing the Vasivich couple, no.. it was gathering what dirt they can on their activities so that Kara can blackmail them later.

While Vlondril had her own thoughts about blackmail, she dared not bring it up with her new friend and superior. She supposes blackmail is a routine for Kara, which is not something she'd ever doubt considering the woman's often-spotty history. Which was fine, because she did what she had to do.

Vlondril rounded a corner while grappling with these thoughts, trying a door into what should be a study. She tsks after finding it locked. After looking around a bit, she comes across a loose panel with which may hide a way in. After a bit of effort to remove the panel which strained her thinner fibers in her muscles, she is able to see the wiring beneath. Door wires, it was red and blue, right?

After some clever hotwiring, Vlondril was able to short the door so it opens by crossing two wires. While not exactly stupid, the criminal elements in Midnight City were not that knowledgable on things as niche as doors and electronic security. After she put the wires back in their rightful configuration it will be like she was never there.

With some looking around, Vlondril came across an odd bust statue. It displays Karrina Vasivich's likeness. The woman of the house. It seems Makarovo was very fond of her indeed. Vlondril smiles faintly and removes the top part of the bust, revealing a secret compartment within which has a data chit inside.

Vlondril examines the small object. It is a worm drive, Barely larger than her thumbnail and wafer-thin. She slips it between her cleavage for safe keeping until she can make her exit and walks out of the room after putting the statue back together. Just as she found it. Making her way past the exposed panel, she takes a moment to undo the wire trick and the door swishes shut next to her. She puts the wall panel back into place with some effort, Iridians were never built for this kind of exertion, after all. Her people's strength lies in Agility.

As she makes her way out of the building through the window and to the wall, she thinks about this. Kara negates the one strength iridians have physically, she is exceptionally strong and quite nimble for her weight. Genetic manipulation? Was she a Chimera? It was indeed possible, as humanity did create the Chimera, after all.

***

Back with Kara, Atop the 4th floor of a nearby building…

I spent the past ten minutes watching for Vlondril. She entered a blind spot where I can not cover her six, so I spent that time watching patrols and cataloging guards and who leaves and enters the compound. My crosshairs linger where she is due to emerge any moment, when I see her head pop into view, then after a clamor up on the roof, her whole body. She waves in my direction and makes her way to the wall and begins her descent down the outside of the bricks.

I put down my rifle and finally transmit over our comms, Pressing a button on the small communicator strapped to the left strap of my combat vest. "What did you find?" It takes her a moment to reply. "I found one worm drive inside of a statue. Likely full of data."

After allowing myself a smirk, I transmit back. "Good work. Make your way back to the ship and we will discuss our findings there." After a moment of delay, I hear Vlondril over the net. "Aye, captain. See you then!" I begin breaking down my shooting position and sanitizing it of any evidence I was here, then Disappear into the city to make my way to the ship.

***

After a time, I returned to the ship, immediately entering CIC to find Galinae and Vlondril arguing.

"You want to help her -blackmail- the Vasiviches?? Are you kidding me?" Galinae was glaring at Vlondril, who was not letting her own temper get to her, so she simply smiles at Gali. "honey, you wouldnt understand the predicament we are in right now. We have no allies, no resources or contacts to count on out here. Kara is trying to fix that."

"Ugh You're impossible, Vlondril!" Galinae storms out past me, making eye contact with me on her way out. "What is she so angry about?" I lift a brow, looking at Vlondril, who answers with a shrug "oh, she's just angry that we're blackmailing people."

"Is that it?" I tilt my head at Vlondril inquisitively. "If she's angry about that she's in for quite a wakeup call. We are in the woods now - if we do not, our enemies will." I smile candidly.

Vlondril furrows a brow and smirks smugly "seems my snark is rubbing off on you already, that's good!" she prods me in the side. "Ouch!" I swat at her offending hand "dont touch me!" Vlondril giggles playfully and sashays off the CIC. "You'll learn to love it, Kara. I know you will" I am not able to reply as the elevator doors shut.

I sigh and go to the fore part of CIC to review the data on the TOD table. "I have to do something about that cheeky woman." I muse aloud to myself before glancing to Midea, the new Communications officer. She blinks at me slowly. "What?" I deadpan at her and she quickly turns her head to look back at her station, I sigh. 'I have to keep an eye on Vlondril.' I think to myself as I swipe through the menus of the TOD and begin reviewing the data.