Matteo discretely backed away, but Ludovica's keen eyes didn't miss his retreat. "Are you doing it now?" she whispered, her tone laced with urgency and irritation.

"Yes. Most of the guards are distracted by Alessio's arrival. This is our best chance We've got only one shot at this. We have to act quickly" he whispered back as they moved through the room, swiftly and discreetly, Ludovica's arm entwined with his.

Ludovica was not too thrilled with how Matteo was 'throwing around orders' but she decided to go along with his plan to test him if he really was a 'dud'.

Matteo surveyed the area once more, making a mental note, 'Three jammers, no cameras.'

As they arrived near the first jammer, they saw a guard and a few guests in the area. "Show me what you've got, time to shine babe," Matteo murmured to Ludovica, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

"Trust me, I'm a professional," Ludovica responded with equal amusement, and they unlocked their arms to move in two different directions.

As Ludovica approached the guard, Matteo slipped behind a sculpture, keeping a keen eye on their surroundings. Ludovica flashed a charming smile as she approached the well-dressed guard nearby.

"Excuse me, darling, but you simply must help me settle a debate," Ludovica purred, her voice dripping with honeyed tones. "I couldn't help but notice your impeccable taste in suits. Do you mind if I inquire about the designer?"

The guard, taken aback by Ludovica's sudden attention, blushed slightly. "Oh, uh, well, thank you. It's a Valentino," he stammered, visibly flustered by her approach.

Ludovica feigned surprise, her eyes widening in mock innocence. "Valentino? Oh, my apologies! I mistook you for someone else," she exclaimed, putting a hand delicately to her lips. "I must have confused you with the artist showcasing his work tonight."

The guard, relieved to have been mistaken for a renowned artist, chuckled nervously. "Ah, yes, of course. No problem at all," he replied, still a bit bewildered by the encounter.

With a graceful nod, Ludovica left the guard, who watched her retreat with a mixture of confusion and admiration. Unbeknownst to him, Matteo seized the opportunity created by Ludovica's distraction.

With a swift and precise movement, he drew the cordless stun gun concealed in his sleeve and aimed the nearest jammer. A small burst of energy crackled through the air as the stun gun discharged, effectively disabling the device.

A crackle went unheard over the din of the gala. The jammer emitted a soft sizzle before falling silent, its blue glow fading into darkness.

Meanwhile, Ludovica rejoined Matteo, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips. "You are diabolical. Enticing him and leaving him hanging like that," Matteo remarked, shaking his head in amusement.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"I prefer irresistible," Ludovica replied coyly, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Matteo and Ludovica then together pulled off some similar stunts, effectively disabling all the jammers within minutes.

As they moved to the next jammer, Matteo told her that the guard was the waiter carrying a tray of champagne flutes. With a subtle tilt of her head, she acknowledged it and nodded towards the waiter. Understanding her silent cue, Matteo smoothly moved out of the waiter's path. Meanwhile, Ludovica engaged him in a brief conversation about the origin of the champagne.

While the guard was momentarily preoccupied, Matteo deftly shot the stun gun directly through his sleeve, acting as if he was fixing his cufflinks.

Their next target was situated near a group of chattering guests. Matteo thought this would be a problem as one of the guests could spot him, but Ludovica spotted an opportunity. Moving towards one of the guests, she 'accidentally' spilled their drink, creating a momentary distraction.

Seizing the opportunity, Matteo disabled the jammer while Ludovica smoothly diverted the attention of the nearby guests and the guard.

With all the jammers disabled, they stepped back, blending seamlessly into the crowd. Matteo couldn't help but admire Ludovica's quick thinking and resourcefulness.

Meanwhile, Ludovica was forced to admit that Matteo might not be a 'dud'. Yes, 'He is rather uncouth and lacks the refinement to comport appropriately.' But he was good at what he did.

Ludovica couldn't help but acknowledge Matteo's unexpected competence. "How did you identify the guards? You don't exactly blend in, and you are clearly not a Viable." she couldn't help but ask him.

Matteo flashed her a smug grin. "It's all part of the game, babe," he replied, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Now, let's see what else this gala has in store for us," he said as he deftly put on the earpiece.

Then he discreetly tapped his earpiece, signaling Angelina "Hey, Angelina, it's me, can you hear me?". As the line connected, Angelina's voice came through, calm but tinged with concern. "Matteo, finally! What took you so long? I've been trying to reach you for ages!"

Matteo leaned against a nearby pillar "Yeah, we're fine. Just a few minor hiccups - signal jammers. Ludovica and I managed to disable the jammers, and we're blending in with the crowd."

"Minor hiccups? Matteo, you just disabled signal jammers at a high-profile art gala. This is serious," Angelina interjected, her voice tinged with frustration at his apparent lack of urgency "How did you do it?" she asked after a slight pause.

Just as Matteo was about to relay more details, Ludovica interjected, her annoyance evident. "He used a stun gun to disable the jammers," she blurted out, her frustration with Matteo's nonchalance apparent.

Angelina's voice sharpened with concern. "You did what?!" she shouted in her earpiece.

Matteo shot Ludovica a glare and held his ear as he heard the feedback from the earpiece due to Angelina's shout. Ludovica brushed off his glare with a smirk. "Chill out, Angelina, everything is under control." Matteo continued.

Angelina's tone remained stern. "Matteo, you are not a Disciple of the Abyss. If anything happens, I can't protect you. Be more careful."

'What?! He's not from the abyss?' If Ludovica was surprised and slightly panicking she didn't let it show.

Sighing, Angelina then took charge, her voice steady as she issued instructions. "Now, keep an eye on Leandro and investigate his purpose. You need to stay focused on the mission."

Matteo and Ludovica exchanged a glance, acknowledging Angelina's directive. With a nod, they seamlessly resumed their roles, trying to find Leandro once more.

When they finally found him, Matteo scanned him. He too was an Adept Viable but that was not what surprised Matteo. What surprised him was - one of the buttons on Leandro's tux was glowing blue and his sleeve was glowing green!