As the craft levelled out, Neicha unstrapped herself and moved to stand in front of Tyson. "Focus on my voice and my words," she started to say. She spoke quickly and evenly and it was only because of a prod from Boo that Zoe was able to avoid being drawn into Neicha's Talent of hypnosis. "Whenever anyone tells you that you aren't air sick, you will believe them, your stomach will settle and you will relax, you will even potentially begin to enjoy the journey. On the count of three, you will wake and forget we ever had this conversation. One, two, three." Neicha clicked her fingers and Tyson lost the dazed look on his face.
"Isn't it safer to sit while flying?" he asked Neicha.
"Probably, but I was just making sure that you aren't air sick," she said, a hint of a smile tugging at the edge of her lips.
Tyson patted his stomach. "I don't seem to be, which is nice. Neicha was it? You three are family? That's cool, what are your Talents?"
"Nathaniel can distract, Veronika can make people believe her and I can hypnotize, and, when we're all together, our Talents harmonize and get stronger, and, to a degree, we can use each others Talents while in close proximity."
"Cool. I can read thoughts and send thoughts to people and can share images and memories if I have contact. Maddison can see possible close future events."
"Ah, now I get why Gregori picked them," Nathaniel said. "You two would be excellent for a stealth mission. Nice to meet you."
The rest of the trip passed with idle chatter, everyone involved trying to not let their nerves get to them.
~
The craft landed with a soft bump and the door popped open, blasting them all with the cool evening air.
Zoe's team gathered their gear and exited, the second team to be deployed. As they moved away from the vehicle, the door closed and it rose swiftly, buzzing off into the darkening sky.
The drone on Zoe's suit detached and rose slowly, turning and scanning the landscape. "We need to find a place to set up camp, a place where we can leave our gear while we're scouting. It's going to be a long walk for us to get to Vienna, so we may as well get started."
~
Even though they had been dropped within a few kilometers of the city, they had still been dropped a long way off by foot, the aircraft having orders to stay far enough away from the city to avoid detection.
The group passed suburbs of empty houses, avoiding those that had any light or signs of life. Well after the sun had set, they decided to try and make camp in an area that Tyson confirmed he couldn’t hear any thoughts. Airing on the side of caution anyway, they made their way into the attic of a larger house, covered the windows with boxes and blankets and settled down for the night, only using the low light from Zoe’s suit to light up their area.
~
Kally prodded Tyson awake with her foot as she sat by the window. He rolled over, grumbling at her.
“Shush your grumbles, I see people, what are they thinking.”
Tyson closed his eyes and lay back again, concentration etching his face. “Just hunger and boredom, they haven’t seen or sensed us. I think they’re tracking an animal.”
“Okay, thank you,” Kally said, remaining still while watching from her position. “I’ll wake you if they get closer.”
“Mhmm,” Tyson grumbled again, rolling over and away from Kally.
The youngest in the group, Kally took her responsibilities as seriously as she could. Others were trusting her with important tasks and decisions and she didn’t want to let them down. As she realised her concentration had lapsed a little, she pinched herself sharply. Making sure that she was actively tracking the people outside, she quickly retrieved a notepad and pen from her bag and started writing down what she could see, often glancing up to keep track of the people moving nearby in the early morning.
~
The morning broke with overcast skies, the weak sunlight filtered through the clouds, no warmth making its way to the ground. The window pane the group watched through had frosted up around the edges, but not enough to block their vision through it.
The group spread out, Maddison and Boo taking the flanks a street over while Zoe, Tyson and Kally brought up the middle, Kally a few buildings ahead of the other two. They moved slowly and carefully, using the covers of buildings, fences and bushes. Tyson relayed whenever he heard anyone close by, but it wasn't until mid morning before they needed to change their actions.
As they neared what was clearly a business area, Tyson warned of a large group on the side where Boo was. Quickly relaying through the comms, Boo acknowledged, saying that she had just spotted them too.
"It looks like a military patrol," she said in a whisper into their ears. "I count ten total, all armed with rifles. They must have some manufacturing facility for bullets if they've armed everyone with guns."
"Noted," Zoe replied, mentally lodging the note with Nix. "Stay clear of them, we need to get closer to the city."
"Roger," Boo replied as Zoe, Tyson and Kally took cover.
It wasn't long before Zoe spotted the patrol herself, walking along a road that crossed in front of them. She unintentionally held her breath as they passed within meters of Kally's hiding place. Zoe could see Kally, crouched low on a verandah, hidden behind a screen of overgrown bushes.
The patrol barely looked down the road towards where they were hiding, moving on at a sedate pace. Zoe took a moment to get a good look at the group, using her visor to zoom in to get as much detail as possible.
They looked like the pictures of typical soldiers, protective helmets and vests, various pieces of gear poking out of pockets, each with their rifles in their hands. Zoe caught sight of the Bloodless Pact armbands on all of them and insignia on clothing.
Tyson grumbled to Zoe as they stood from their spot of laying in the grass behind bushes. "Wish it was warmer."
Glancing at the sky, Zoe couldn't help but agree with him, even though her suit kept her warm enough. Frost still edged the grass and laying in it couldn't have been pleasant for him. The sun peeked through the clouds in some spots, but not enough to make a significant difference.
"The cloud cover is to our advantage though," she replied as they started slinking through cover towards Kally. "Gives us better cover."
Tyson grumbled an agreement as they continued their careful journey.
~
Maddison watched from inside a house as the patrol passed. The blinds she hid behind provided her with nearly perfect cover.
The patrol passed quickly enough and she relaxed her grip on her rifle. Sure, she probably could have taken out all ten of them without issue, but that was not the mission right now. She would be able to sate her bloodlust soon enough.
She mused over the fact that she was craving combat. Training was all well and good, but it was safe. Growing up where she had, she had adapted and grown, learning to push her capabilities, learning to enjoy challenges and growth.
Watching as a couple of soldiers at the back of the group spotted something, she gripped her rifle again. They shouted something she didn't catch before breaking off.
Tyson, what are they doing?
They've spotted prey, pretty sure they're about to fire. As Tyson finished his message, a pair of rifle shots rang out. They got a wild dog.
Neither of the twins would shy away from eating what they needed to survive, so a wild dog was, while not overly pleasant, was nothing to lose sleep over.
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"Looks like we'll have to start being more careful," Zoe said through the comms. "They might not be expecting armed strangers to sneak in, but, it only takes one person to see us to blow our cover."
"Roger," came a chorus of replies. Maddison stepped away from the window and continued her scouting.
~
By mid morning it became harder to move around as are areas the group moved into had more people, most just doing day to day labours with the odd patrol passing through.
At midday, Zoe gathered her team in a third storey office which had a view of the city. They could easily see a few small vehicles moving around while people went about their day.
"There's easily a few thousand people here, and most of them don't seem to be sporting Pact armbands," Zoe stated as she leant on the window frame. "We might be better trying to blend in."
"Which would mean leaving Nix behind," Boo stated.
"Mmm," Zoe replied wordlessly, unconsciously placing her hand over the control panel that she was linked to. "We haven't seen any Kinetic suits, have we?" she asked, hopefully.
"No," Boo replied. "The most we've seen has been tactical vests and a powerlifter."
"And the lifter was guarded," Maddison added, as she had been the one to see it.
"Okay, here's my plan. Boo, head into a populated area, steal some clothes and bring them to us, we'll dress down, like Locky's team did and try our luck that way."
"We'll also need to try and find weapons that fit in with the general population," Boo added. Maddison reflexively put her hands on her sword hilts.
"Yes, we are going to have to leave those till we're certain they won't stand out," Zoe said. "Just like I have to leave Nix."
"If we get enough clothing, we can probably hide some of the weapons and Nix's control panel," Tyson said. "Would it be better if Mads goes with Boo for clothing?"
"I can carry stuff that her Talent wouldn't cover," Maddison added.
"Good idea." Zoe looked over at Kally. "You've been really quiet."
"I was born here," she muttered her reply.
Silence met her statement for a moment before Boo hugged her shoulders with one arm. "How long were you here for?"
"I fled when I was about nine, well before the Pact moved in. There wasn't this many people here before."
"Are you going to be okay?" Boo asked, glancing at Tyson.
"Yeah," Kally replied as Tyson gave her a telepathic confirmation. "I reckon I might even be able to guess at where the Pact have set up."
The youngest in the group straightened herself with resolve, hugging Boo back. Sending Boo and Maddison off, the three others hunkered down in their watch post.
~
Maddison found Boo almost frustrating to follow as she relaxed her control on her Talent. Boo's shadows vanished almost completely, which in turn made it very hard for Maddison to keep a track of her. She regularly found her attention being drawn to what was happening around her, which was fine for the majority of the time, but it meant she lost Boo often.
Thinking about becoming visible was all it took for Boo to control her Talent, though fleeting thoughts always had the potential to distract her. She had a few mental exercises to help keep control and sometimes struggled to not use them, as they'd become second nature to her.
Slipping into a house that looked habitated, but empty, she glanced around before waving to Maddison to join her. The two women quickly made their way through the house, finding only a single, baggy, long sleeved top, which Boo put on before they left as quickly as they arrived.
It took a few more houses for them to find enough old, decaying clothing for their entire group.
"It feels almost wrong to be taking these," Maddison muttered to Boo.
"I know what you mean, but consider this. If this is the average of clothing that civilians wear while the Pact can wear new clothing, why are the Pact not sharing?"
Maddison paused in her piling clothes into a backpack they'd found. "That still doesn't make what we're doing right."
"Think of it this way. We are temporarily borrowing clothing so that we can blend in and attempt to remove the Pact's presence. Once we do that, the Community will be able to bring supplies, including new clothing, into the area to replace what we're borrowing. We won't leave these people in a worse condition."
Maddison nodded as they finished up and made their way back to the others.
~
Zoe returned from exploring and sifting through the debris of the upper levels of this building. She had found signs of previous occupation, but nothing recent, and nothing useful to herself, her team or her home. Stepping softly down the stairs, she saw the other two leaning on the glass, watching below.
"They're returning," Tyson said without looking back. "Couple of minutes out."
Zoe looked outside at the dark, overcast sky. "I hope the weather holds."
"Might snow here too," Kally added. "But, I agree, this weather is better for us, people pay less attention for some reason."
"It's similar to something I read once, called 'being under the weather'. You just don't feel as good or alert as when it's sunny."
Silence filled the floor as Zoe made her way over to stand between Kally and Tyson. She spotted Maddison and Boo easily with her visor, watching as they walked confidently, a backpack on Maddison's shoulders.
~
Zoe stored the last of her suit parts in the cupboards of the third floor office they had camped in. Placing the drone on top and as far back as possible, she linked her mind to the camera, making sure that it covered as much of the room as possible. She really didn't want to lose Nix after all the work she'd put into it.
"What if the arm piece is in the backpack and you carry the bag?" Kally asked.
Zoe took a deep breath and unstrapped the piece. There wasn't the usual feeling of disconnection, but it still wasn't pleasant. "Yeah, I'm okay with that."
Looking over her group, she nodded, pleased by their scruffy look. Boo had gathered some mud from outside and had smeared it strategically, making them all look dirtier than they really were.
"You're an artist," Kally remarked to Boo. "We will fit in perfectly now."
"We only have a few hours before we have to return to our camp," Zoe said as she finished burying the suit control in the backpack. "Let's get moving."
~
The group travelled easier, even so far as being able to relax a little. As they passed other civilians, they were barely glanced at and the two military patrols they encountered paid them no mind at all. It didn't take them much longer to reach the city proper, where Kally guided them towards a radio station.
Before it was even in view, Zoe was certain this was the center of the Bloodless Pact activity. Increased patrols and vehicle activity stopped further progress into the Pact's compound. They watched from a distance as people occasionally passed through a very visible gate, only some being stopped by the guards.
"Boo, you've got the best chance of overhearing them," Zoe said. Before she'd even finished talking, the woman was off, tucking her hands in the pockets and vanishing from their sight moments later.
Breathing out, Boo chanted under her breath to herself, reversing the effect her control. Even though she knew that her Talent would likely make others turn a blind eye to her, she was still nervous, not wanting to let her team down. There were very few circumstances that let people see her, most of those being based around ambient distractions. Thankfully, the area was busy and noisy enough to provide her cover.
Making her way along the road to the fence, she walked slowly and calmly along it toward the gate, taking care with her footing to not create noise near her. As she approached, she saw a car, a big, sturdy van, approach from the opposite direction, directly at her. She watched as the drivers eyes glazed over her and focussed on the guards at the gate, passing over her. Moving in behind the small guard post, she leant against a wall, just out of sight, and listened.
"Delivery of meat," the van driver said. Boo moved slightly into view, taking the scene in.
The driver produced a small identity card as two guards moved to the back of the van, opening it and searching its contents. Satisfied after less than thirty seconds of searching, the gates were opened, allowing the van to pass through.
"Fuck, this has been a boring shift," one of the guards muttered in German.
"Would you rather be on a long patrol?" another asked.
"What's worse, standing in one spot or walking all day?" the third asked. "At least we don't have to carry our food with us."
"Mmmm," the second replied as the first nodded. They paused in their banter as a well groomed woman flanked by two soldiers approached. The gate guards snapped to attention before swinging the gate open for the woman, who sneered at them before walking past.
As she passed, Boo sized her up. She moved with the grace of a killer, sure in every movement. Boo spotted a pair of swords and a pistol, but no other weapons, while her guards were armed with rifles with bayonets. Realizing she hadn't inventoried the gate guards, Boo noted several pistols and well kept swords between them with what looked to be a pair of grenades just inside the door to the hut.
Breathing out slowly, she mentally checked herself to make sure she was relaxing her control while her body was tending for a fight. It was not the easiest thing for her to do, and as a guard looked her way, she froze before his gaze moved on and they began their idle chatter again.
It wasn't till Boo was going to return almost an hour later before their conversation peaked her interest.
"Got any bets on the coming fights?" guard one asked the others.
"Odds are still on the champ, she's a fucking killer when provoked."
"You wouldn't bet against Sofie," the guard replied matter of factly. "They would need to clear the entire arena of everything before she couldn't win, then where would be the fun in that?"
"Who knows what Ivan will do," guard one replied. "He's done stranger things, though he seems to have a soft spot for Sofie."
The conversation lapsed again and, as they started talking again, Boo slunk away, certain she had been successful.
~
A satellite ping reached Nix, tucked away in the bag. Avi had finally broken through the defences that it had been working on for so long. Nix linked into the network and read the satellite.
Orbital targeting satellite. Alpha strike canon #12.
~ Hostile programming detected attempting to retake satellite control. ~
Nix mused over the message received from Avi. ~ Defensive programming engaged? ~
~ Affirmative. ~
~ Maintain defensive stance. The creator will be informed. ~
Nix disconnected from Avi before a reply could be received. Nix would inform Zoe, when it was the ideal time.