Triple Point

Chapter 99: Breaking and Entering

Elsie

September 16, 34 AE, 4:28 AM

The rest of the neighborhood was still fast asleep by the time Blaire drove her luxury car out of her pristine garage. There was no indication that she knew there was a van parked right across the street, full of metas watching her every move and waiting to break in and steal stuff. Phrasing it that way, Elsie did feel a little guilty, but what choice did they have? Besides, Blaire was a jerk.

"Alright, everyone, it's time," Abby said, sounding surprisingly calm given the situation. "Remember: low profiles. If something happens, remember your training. Keep calm, and follow my lead. Understood?" Once everyone nodded, she continued. "Good. Now, watches on."

At once, everyone activated the watches on their wrists: the anti-eavesdropping devices Hitomi developed.

"Excuse me, but they are called Watch-Outs," Hitomi corrected, slightly offended. She turned to Camilla, who was squeezed between her and Elsie in the backseat. "Get it? They are like lookouts, but they are watches."

"Hilarious," Camilla mumbled back, unamused and tenser than normal.

Elsie couldn't blame her, not when they were right across the street from the place that held so many of her painful memories. There wasn't much Elsie could do, especially since Camilla was already tightly gripping one of Elsie's hands just from the sight of Blaire.

Several minutes later, Abby sent the first group out to secure the area. Immediately, Hitomi, Miles, and one guardian of the recon pair rushed from their van parked across the street and towards the house, their dark clothes blending in with the road but contrasting vividly with the bright-colored houses. Thankfully, it didn't take them long to slip into the narrow alley between the proportionally narrow houses, and the quiet neighborhood remained as such.

Several minutes later, three short flashes of light showed from the interior of the house: the first group had successfully made it inside, and Miles's illusions were in place.

"Second group, you're up," Abby said, not taking her eyes from the house.

This time, Nakia left, along with the other half of the recon team and the two other guardians that Elsie didn't know. They too quickly disappeared between the houses, and another three flashes of light followed soon after.

But Abby didn't send them out right away, and instead, took the chance to scan the neighborhood around them. While there were a few lights on in a couple houses, there was no indication anyone was watching them.

"Alright," Abby said, finally turning to Camilla and Elsie, the only ones left. "Let's do this."

As soon as they hit the sidewalk, Camilla and Elsie went ahead to follow the same route as everybody else, leaving Abby behind to lock up the van. As soon as they slipped into the alley, they were greeted by a tall set of stairs, and they rushed up as quietly and quickly as possible.

Up close, the alley was much more narrow than Elsie had originally anticipated, and she had to move carefully to keep her shoulders from hitting the houses on either side of her. It didn't help that the tall houses made their path almost completely dark, illuminated only by the faint moonlight. At least Camilla had no problem in navigating the familiar terrain, and Elsie simply stuck close to her.

They stopped once they reached the rock wall surrounding the backyard, and Elsie eyed the tall barrier skeptically. Camilla was already poised to give her a boost, but Elsie still wasn't confident that her pitiful upper body strength could complete the rest of the task. Plus, the short set of stairs they just ran up hadn't done her stamina any favors.