Ali readied himself as both Tian and Mika were with him. Deciding that he needed everyone present, his two summonees were both recalled to assist him on the infiltration. He was disappointed with the briefing with Aok as the man simply told him to memorize the layout of the building. Aok mentioned that, except for the layout, they knew little else. The infiltration was meant for intel collecting as preparation for the future. He said that, if convenient, they might help themselves with a few items that needed retrieving. Ali asked who their client was but the man’s mouth was sealed.

  “Some things are best left unknown,” replied the man.

  Thus, Ali spent the rest of the day staring at the building layout. He included Tian and Mika so they too could get up to speed. Once they were inside, they would have to be reactive to whatever awaited them inside. The teenager was frustrated that he didn’t even know what the building was for. It was massive as it took up the same land area as the entire Rashedi residence, at least based on his estimation. He never saw the entirety of Miniya’s home so he couldn’t be certain. With three levels including a basement, Ali wondered how long their infiltration was going to be.

  “Let’s head out!” Aok said as he waited at the building doorway. He had a small backpack with no signs of weapons on him. Many might mistaken him for just another denizen getting off work. “We don’t want to take our sweet time with this matter. Our client hinted at the urgency of completing this mission.”

  The duo both covered their heads with their hoods and headed into the streets. Night was around the corner and the streets were packed with people who were all getting ready for supper. One wouldn't get the sense that something happened to the slums based on how the people walked the streets. The two of them easily fit into the crowd, heading towards their destination. Soon, they arrived onto a street where there was a lot less traffic. This section of the faction territory was reserved for the wealthy so most denizens had no reason to be there unless they had the fortune of getting a job there. Without a large crowd, Ali felt rather exposed so he looked to Aok.

  “Don’t worry! Act natural and follow me!”

  The teenager did as he was told, following Aok into an alleyway. They arrived to the one of the many backdoors to the building that resembled the one they were planning on infiltration.

  “What are we doing here?” asked Ali.

  He could hear the noise from a nearby window. If they wanted to infiltrate, then entering through a door with people on the other side seemed like a terrible idea. To his horror, Aok went up to the door and knocked. Moments later, a man opened the door a sliver.

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  “Ah, you two are the ones hired? Can’t say I’m impressed but orders are orders.”

  As soon as Ali and Aok stepped inside, they were surrounded by darkness for a few seconds. As the teenager thought he would suffocate, the darkness disappeared and they were in a different room.

  “This is as far as I can go,” said the person hiding in the shadows. “If you are caught, I’ll personally be your executor. As agreed, goods not mentioned on the list is yours to keep.”

  The shadow vanished without a trace, leaving the duo in a small room with only a single door and no windows. A few scrap metal was in the corner but the room was otherwise bare. For Ali, he had to wonder if Aok had a similar ability.

  Maybe that’s why he told us to close our eyes. It’s terrifying when all of your senses are locked out.

  “Since we have Tian with us, send him out to scout out this floor and notify us of enemy patrols. We won’t make any moves until the coast is clear.”

  As soon as he was summoned, Tian went through the nearest air duct and went exploring. Because Aok’s map was very detailed, they knew where the air ducts went, giving the air serpent a big advantage in this mission.

  “Aok, do you have an ability to scout out the floor?”

  Ali didn’t think that the man would come unprepared. Aok also had no way of knowing who would come on the mission. Even if someone else was here instead of him, Aok would come prepared.

  “I do but it’s best we keep a low profile. Certain abilities might get the attention of others. Tian is a convenient way of keeping us better hidden.”

  While the duo waited, Aok reached into his backpack and grabbed two sandwiches. He handed one to Ali, saying that they shouldn’t work on an empty stomach. Once the two of them finished eating, Tian returned with news of the patrols. Aok marked the map he brought with him, giving them a good idea of the patrol routes.

  “Tian will go to the level downstairs to scout out the patrols. We will use the meantime to sneak past the guards. The fewer abilities we use, the better.”

  Once the air serpent confirmed the coast was clear, the duo exited their room. In the well lit sections, they quickly dashed through it . In areas with shadows, they could take a breather and wait for Tian's signal to proceed. Aok took the lead and moved with purpose.

  Could he have already memorized the patrolling patterns of the guards?

  Ali had no time to ponder on the matter as he had to focus on keeping up with the man. In a matter of a few minutes, they got to the main level without seeing a single guard. On the main level, they hid inside the storage room as discussed with Tian and waited for the air serpent to return.

  “Once we reach the basement, I’ll give you a more detailed briefing on why we are here. Let’s just say that you won’t believe a word from my mouth unless you see it yourself.”