It took a few minutes for Korvac to find the city plans, buried under the mess that had overtaken his office.

“Mind if I use your desk?” Connor asked.

“Sure, just let me move a few thing—” Korvac began.

Connor swept one arm over the desk, sending expensive tomes and stacks of paper tumbling to the ground. He laid out the city plans across the newly empty desk.

Korvac sighed. “Or you could just do that,” he said.

“Adelia told me that she kept losing the trails in the Northeastern part of the city, and we found crystal dust on the papers from Bvorn’s safe,” Connor said.

“Crystal dust?” Korvac asked.

“Yes,” Connor said, “almost impossible to see too. I doubt Bvorn even knew it was there. My guess is that he came in contact with it at some point while dealing with The Syndicate.”

“So, we should look at all the enchanters in the Northeastern section of the city?” Korvac asked.

“That might be a good idea, but most enchanters don’t have the space to hold all these slaves. There are three factories in the northeast that produce magical goods, and have enough space to hide slaves,” Connor said

“Should we assemble a team to hit them all?” Korvac asked.

“No,” Connor said, “not yet anyway… let's find out if we’re right first. I think Adelia, Vadik, and I can investigate each of the factories tonight.

“I know we could use your thieves, but we still don’t know who we can trust, and the last thing we need is to tip them off. Once we’ve identified which, if any, of them is being used as a front we can move in with a larger force.”

“I don’t know about this,” Korvac said, “Victor wouldn’t want me to allow you to step into harm's way. You’ve nearly died once as it is.”

“Then he can complain about it after we finish rescuing him,” Connor said, “like it or not, I’m going to do this.”

Korvac sighed. “Is there no way I can convince you to let one of my thieves take your place?” Korvac asked.

“This is my uncle we’re talking about. He’s the last family I have left. I’m getting him back. In the meantime, I need you to assemble a list of all your most loyal and skilled men. Illyian, the same goes for you.

“If I’m right, and The Syndicate is, at the very least, tied to one of these factories then I want to hit them as soon as possible. I don’t want to give them a chance to change anything,” Connor said.

“And if you’re wrong, or you get caught?” Korvac asked.

“If I don’t make it back, then you’ll know to check out the factory I investigate, which will be…” Connor said as he looked at the three factories and picked one at random, “Zauberer. Adelia can take Magimax, and Vadik you can take Enchantoria if that’s fine with everyone?”

They nodded.

“If any of us don’t make it back, we’ll know exactly where to look. Just remember, this is a scouting mission, and you’re my friends so you damn well better make it back.

“If we can’t break through the security without being detected then we’ll head back here, and make another plan. Regardless of what we find, we’ll still need those lists,” Connor said.

“You’re just as stubborn as Victor,” Korvac said with a tired sigh, “I’ll get started on those names for you. But, you’d better make it back alive.”

***

Everyone had their tasks, and the three left Korvac’s office. The common room was even more packed than when they’d arrived, and makeshift beds littered the floor.

“To do this to an entire guild of thieves…” Adelia said, “who are these people?”

“Hopefully, we’ll find out soon enough,” Connor said.

They left the guild, and Connor took a deep breath. The cool night air was invigorating. Thanks to Lyra’s divine magic, he was already healed, and now they had a lead to follow.

For so many years he’d felt forced down this path… but now as his blood thundered through his veins, and his supernaturally enhanced senses took in everything around them… he’d never felt more alive.

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They’d find The Syndicate, get Victor back, and make them pay. Then, he could use his alchemy to grow in power and track down the ones who’d taken his parents from him.

He would never be helpless again. This he vowed.

The three of them walked together to the northeastern part of the city. Once there, it was time to split up.

“We’ll meet back in this alley when we’re done. If any of us aren’t back by sunrise, then we’ll meet at The Stars of Night. Remember this is just a reconnaissance mission, so be careful,” Connor said.

Vadik chuckled. “He’s like a mother hen isn’t he?” he said, “see you lot later.” With that, he walked off.

“Be careful, Connor,” Adelia said, and she too slipped away into the long shadows of the night, leaving Connor alone in the damp alleyway.

He pushed his worries for them aside. They could handle themselves, and he had his own task to see to. He made for Zauberer.

He’d never been there before, and he made a few wrong turns, on top of the ones he always took to make sure he wasn’t being followed.

Even so, he found it quickly.

The factory looked out of place amid the more modern buildings. It was a towering structure made from tightly packed, dark bricks with small windows at the top.

A high wall topped with an intimidating iron fence surrounded the entire factory, and a massive metal arch, covered with a thick layer of rust stood above the main entrance. It read simply: Zauberer.

The whole place was swarming with private guards.

It would be the perfect place to conduct discreet operations, but he was fully aware that this didn’t mean anything yet.

Magical goods were prohibitively expensive, and a prime target for thieves. It only made sense for a factory like this one to have all the security they could get.

He took his time and circled the factory while making sure to stay out of sight. He took careful note of all the entrances and exits, all of which were heavily guarded.

Thanks to his enhanced senses, he saw almost as well as if it were daylight while the factory guards were slouched next to torches.

Fools.

The light from the torches would ruin their night-vision, and make them stand out clear for all to see.

It made them mostly useless as guards.

He scoffed at such sloppy work, even if it made his job easier.

He was slow and methodical. He had all night to get inside and scout the place.

He circled the factory again. This time, he stopped outside each exit and entrance and looked through into the courtyard from the shadows, invisible to the guards.

He made a mental note of the guards, their numbers, and their patrol patterns.

The patrols carried torches, which only made it easier for him to spot them.

He worked out how long it took for them to complete each patrol, and how long he’d have to make it to the main factory building from the different points of entry.

A wagon pulled by a team of horses with a huge crate on the back rolled up to the factory. The guards spoke with the coachman briefly and let it pass. It turned a corner on the factory grounds and disappeared.

A nighttime delivery seemed odd, but it still didn’t mean much.

If this factory was being used as a front, then he’d have to get inside and look around to find out. If it wasn’t, then he could only hope that either Vadik or Adelia would find something.

He wondered how they were doing.

He identified the best place to enter from. A stretch of wall close to the main factory building. It had the fewest guards and the most cover along the way.

He stood at the base of the wall, closed his eyes, and listened.

He picked up the approaching patrol in the quiet night with ease.

He waited patiently for them to pass by on the other side of the wall and move further on.

Once he made it to the other side, he wouldn’t have long to find cover before another patrol would come by. If he was too slow, or if they were early, they would see him.

He climbed up the wall, and over the iron fence. Once on the other side, he slid down the bars, leapt off the wall and landed with a roll on the hard, cobblestones below.

He suppressed a grunt from the impact and sprang to his feet. He sprinted across the courtyard toward the stack of crates he’d seen earlier.

He could already hear the guards getting closer.

He made it halfway across the courtyard and crouched down beside the crates in the shadows they created, out of the moonlight.

He wrapped his cloak around him to hide any glimmer from his weapons, and his lighter skin from showing up against the crate.

There were patrols on either side of him, but as long as he didn’t move there was a good chance that they wouldn’t see him.

The heavy footsteps of the two patrols drew closer.

His heart pounded in his chest like the beating of a drum. It felt like they would surely hear it and find him.

He kept his cloak over his face and remained absolutely still.

The guards passed by only a few feet away from him. All it would take was a stray glance with a set of sharp eyes.

The guards continued on, and he slowly let out the breath he’d been holding.

He crept out from behind the crate and ran across the final stretch of the courtyard. The soft leather of his shoes helped soften what little noise he made, and in moments he was at the wall of the factory.

He’d spotted an open window from his earlier scouting. The only problem was, it was several stories up. Thankfully, the bricks gave him plenty of places to get a good grip.

He grabbed the first handhold in the old brick and hefted himself up.

The fluttering torchlight of another patrol was already on its way.

He climbed up the side of the building, swiftly and silently. He reminded himself that the guards were nearly blind in the darkness compared to him. That they shouldn’t be able to see him.

But, the thought was of little comfort. No matter how many times he repeated it.

The guards spoke among themselves, their voices loud and boisterous despite the late hour.

They drew closer every second, and he pressed his body as tight against the factory wall as he could, trying not to silhouette himself against the night sky.

If Vadik saw him now, he’d no doubt have some witty remark about windows and climbing the sides of buildings.

The guards walked beneath him, and he froze. Even weak human eyes were adept at detecting movement. He held his breath and tried to ignore the bricks digging into his skin through the gaps in his armor.