When the Day met the Night...

The sun.... Source of light, heat, and life on this place that they called home. It was beautiful and terrifying to witness, blinding should you stare at it for long periods of time. But to Aurora? It was as blinding as an eclipse. She had grown up in Darktown! Her trips out into the world had been few and far between in those days when she was a child and so the dark had been her friend. She burned easily without hardly ever tanning, and retained the pale skin that almost befit an albino. But did she really care? Now there was a good question. At this point, she had lived enough years outside of the place she had called home to adjust to how the rest of the world felt about the sun.

She was sporting some sunglasses and a wide-brimmed summer hat that was black with a white ribbon. For once she wasn't wearing a black dress with long gloves. Instead, she was wearing a white dress with see-through ethereal silk-like sleeves, the body and skirt of the dress far more solid. The skirt had faint patterns on the outer layer of fabric, winding flowers that wove together in bewitching fashions. There was a black ribbon about her waist, however, and a black velvet choker about her neck with a diamond set in the center of it. A couple of rings adorned her fingers, one containing a blue sapphire with opals, and the other a ruby with topaz's. Both bands were white gold and elegant. Her footwear for the day were a nice pair of black boots, quite complimentary to the clothes she was currently wearing.

As for where she was, she was about to enter one of the quaint cafe's along one of the city streets, the hat and sunglasses coming off to reveal her pretty features. Bright golden eyes scanned the room as she chose a seat by the window, fluffing out her short black hair since it was deciding to stick close to her head due to her wearing a hat. She couldn't have that. She had to appear presentable as always. What people didn't know, was that there were two knives hidden upon her body. One was strapped to her thigh as always and the other was hidden in her boot today. Sometimes it changed where it found itself. But there was possible business here, and Aurora was here to look. Then again, people had a tendency of finding her when it wasn't the other way around. A waitress came over with a friendly smile, curtsying to the obviously high class woman in front of her. "What can I get for you today?" Ah... yes. That speaking thing. She began to sign for 'coffee and a chocolate croissant,' at least until the waitress looked to her in distress. "Oh.. I'm sorry. Um... could you possibly write down what you would like?" Aurora offered her an easy smile and nodded once, taking the pen and paper that she usually took orders upon. There she wrote what she wanted, watching expectantly as the woman grinned and bowed her head before scurrying off. Charming.

She could have answered her via speaking but... that always required such effort now. She used to possess the power of speech, but no longer. So instead, she took a calming breath and let down the walls within her mind, listening to the chatter that instantly filled her head. It was like the ocean; thought after thought filled her head, cascading over each other to form a din. A trivial matter over at table 3, a hopeful young man with a lady at table 6 (though the woman was beginning to have her doubts)... One after another she could feel their strongest thoughts fill her, the ones that were pressing most in their mind and were thus the loudest. But nothing to the thought of business. Should this trip prove unfruitful, at least it had gotten her away from Aenis City for a while. Hell, she could even visit her family in Dusktown. The walls came back up as her waitress returned with coffee and croissant in hand, "Here you are. Thank you miss. Just... wave your hand if you need my attention." The smile she gave was both sincere and uneasy, she wasn't sure how to deal with her 'disabled' customer. So Aurora only nodded once in understanding, signing for 'thank you' to the young girl. She seemed to understand, and was soon gone, leaving Aurora to her food. Now what was today going to bring to her hm?

Removing tinted eyeglasses from the bridge of his nose, a curved smile rose to the pale man's pursed lips. For once, Opal appeared well-mannered, happy, and in good spirits. It was... odd, to say the very least. The steps of his heavy-set boots made dull, softened clunks with each new movement; steel-toed yet lightweight, all concealed between a layer of black rubber reinforced with leather. 'The very best', so the tailor had told him. And, thus far, they'd lived up to this reputation. The Ascendant had only curb-stomped a few people with them, and they'd worked absolutely perfectly. Of course, not many items of heavy footwear didn't when it came to... that department.

He enjoyed meeting with Aurora. There was only ever a ridiculously minuscule - not quite negligible, considering Opal's cautious nature - chance of any unscrupulous individuals eavesdropping, due to the... unique method of their communication, and it allowed the front of his mind to concentrate absolutely and completely on the silence and ambience around him, whilst the more advanced canals of his brain focused on interacting with her. They were both rather similar, too, in all honesty; though one really didn't get to the top of such an organisation as theirs without a degree of adherence to the preset template: hesitation got you killed in this business.

A brief nod as he drew up to the table - she obviously knew he was coming. The pair had met more than enough times, and combined with their analytical skills, they were more than able to isolate and commit sounds to memory. What with Aurora's disability, too, she had more headway than Opal down the path of the listener. They were levelled, one and the same, in rank, but the emotional, sentimental, and even physical balances between them were clear, and, in most respects, surprisingly equal. This spoke worlds of the pair: they both knew, understood, and respected each other. Opal had even been permitted entrance to some things in Aurora's mind beyond simple conversation and business. They weren't accomplices. For lack of a better word, they were friends.

He felt it disrespectful to speak about her, often choosing to retain silence humbly as he felt he should - once more a sign of respect. As he eased himself into the empty, tucked seat opposite, and made a slow, gyrating survey, snapping a gradually-swivelling video of the room in its entirety, identifying and disregarding possible threats and even the slightest of facial movements of people he didn't know and probably wouldn't ever, the man drummed his fingers once on the table. No sudden movements with Aurora - he knew that as best as any Acolyte, Neophyte, or Heretic beneath her command.

Presuming she'd established some form of conduit already, whether he knew it or not, Opal blindly established a beacon, of sorts, within the deep, intricate caverns of his mind. Much as the pair had conditioned themselves to communicate, even with Aurora's level of respect - mutual indeed - Opal had asked for some counter-measure, should things ever go wrong, or should her sorcery ever be forged or copied. It showed, really, the depth of their relationship - nothing more than business-based, initially, but it had... developed. Around the deepest, dankest, and darkest parts of his mind, realistically, to protect plans, ideas, and spur-of-the-moment thoughts that went better unsaid, Aurora and he had worked carefully on building an iron wall, a true barrier. And it worked - beautifully well. Aurora had, in a few short training sessions, gone from a potential threat to a real asset. Having someone know their way around your mind entirely is a huge risk, even more so to the ever-cautious and ever-scheming Opal. This world was a network of loyalties, acquaintances, and betrayals.

"Good morning, Aurora," The message broadcast was simple - he tried to push it out as far as he could, filling his mind, flooding the parts that she was able to access with just those three words, pause inclusive. His voice was smooth, and the message sounded as it would in real life. These broadcasts took a few tries to really get the knack of; otherwise, it was like... speaking, without ever having heard your voice before. Sure, it was still you, but there was no... identity to it.

Opal mused but for a moment. Surely the human mind was a very dark, dank, and rather twisted place to enter? Those corrupted as they were in this world that was far more complex than it appeared at first glance often had thoughts they made very present - pre-meditation, murder, scheming, plotting, thievery... in reality, there wasn't really any way she couldn't have joined the Syndicate with this gift - the best way to deal with such an awareness, truly, would be to embrace it, eh?

Movement at the door, the soft thudding of boots against the tiled floor. Her eyes remained downcast into the cup of her coffee, quietly sipping the hot liquid while listening to this newcomer. Clunk. Clunk. If she was correct, then she knew those footfalls well, and she would certainly gain something from this visit to the land of the sun indeed. The cup made the soft clink of china upon china, golden orbs raising slowly to observe the man that was striding towards her table. Heh, it appeared he was in high spirits this day judging from the smirk and lilt of his walk, though perhaps it was an act? Somehow she believed that wasn't the case considering the relationship that they held. There were only a few men that she actually called, or considered, friends. Opal Hutchinson was amongst them. It wasn't just because they were associates in the same organizations, nor the fact that she had done work within his mind. He had proven to be worthy of her trust, worthy of some facts about her life that she didn't normally tell people. To her, he was... interesting.

And from what she could tell, the feeling was mutual to some degree. Aurora nodded slowly to him as he now stood before her table, her gaze following him as he sat down across from her. Now to be safe... The walls came down ever so slightly, listening for key words amongst the crowd about them since there was no shortage to their enemies, or spies who wished to learn their secrets. Lowering her gaze for a brief moment, she took a bite into her croissant, dabbing away the crumbs with a napkin as the thoughts began to flood in. Did you see him? ... Ancestors was he cute... Are they dating? ...What if they are VIP's in the government! Don't be stupid... Did you see the latest news on Amelié?... Aw man, is she gonna date... Nothing. Good. That's the way that she liked it. Although... A smirk began to form upon her lips at the comments about her companion, her shoulders shaking as if she were chuckling but no sounds accompanied the motions. People would never change, would they?

Perhaps it was best that they didn't change, however, considering then it meant that the underworld would always exist. People would always have their vices, the sins that they wanted committed without dirtying their own hands, or gamble away their lives. It kept the Syndicate in business, and business was certainly booming as of late. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen so many contracts on her desk for review in a while. Yet it still wasn't enough, not nearly enough. Was Opal doing any better in his department? Well, she'd find out soon enough. Soon enough she formed a conduit for the two of them, allowing her mind to open for communication. "Good morning, Aurora," came the familiar voice within her mind, gold locking onto green as she straightened up in her chair. It was rather... intimate speaking this way to anyone, demanding a level of familiarity that she never allotted to her subordinates. Only he received such an honor. "And to you as well, Opal." Her voice resounded quiet yet strong as it would aloud, the inflection calm and easy. She had taken note of how he had moved before and appreciated his understanding of her... habits. It didn't matter if someone held her trust (though that increased their chances of NOT getting a knife to the throat), if there was a sudden movement she usually reacted with some form of deadly force. "I trust business is treating you well, hm? I saw the latest reports that passed my way." It was now that she clasped her hands in her lap, crossing her legs so she appeared to be in a rather relaxed position as she observed her associate with the faintest hint of a smile. But he knew better than anyone that she never truly relaxed. Not even around him.

"I trust business is treating you well, hm? I saw the latest reports that passed my way." Opal arched an eyebrow and smirked. Business... business was never bad. Business was always good, as a standard. The bar was never set lower than that. Business always treated him well. Aurora knew this; seemed as if she were a fan of the rhetoric today.

Opal loved what he did. Absolutely adored it. He was born to scheme, plot, plan, hustle, swindle, and confuse. Spreading the poisonous plague-like word of doubt through crowds, snapping the neck of one who opposed them for intimidation: predicting the human reaction to just whatever his latest endeavour was, and getting a bulls-eye every single time. He was just as much a sorcerer as she was, except one of fortune and predictions. Petty thievery and master criminality wasn't his business. Manipulation was.

"When isn't it, Aurora?" That smirk on his face simmered down and vanished in an instant. "And yourself?" Aurora was another Ascendant. They'd both been integrated into the Syndicate around the same time; Aurora was a year or two his junior, but that didn't matter. In their organisation, you were promoted based not on experience, but prowess and visible skill. If you were good at what you did, and if it collided perfectly with the Syndicate's interests, you'd go places - fast.

Opal and Aurora worked closely. His speciality was any form of espionage and hers assassination. In reality, the two crossed into each others' territory almost too frequently, but luckily enough, they got along and used each other as allies and assets in conjunction. They were as close as friends could be, yet there was still a void between them, a gaping hole which left them estranged to a certain extent. Mixing business with pleasure was a bad idea, and although each had acted upon many of those during their time at the Syndicate, neither one of them seemed ready to take the first step into getting to know each other on a more... interpersonal level.

Opal was, yes, attracted to her. Aurora knew exactly what Opal was like, and their interests could happily coexist - why shouldn't they enjoy themselves on the side? So long as she didn't tamper with or hinder his agenda, it seemed like there was no reason not to. What with her... ability, Opal wouldn't be surprised if the pair of them were both already aware of this. It had just gone unsaid... so to speak.

But, alas, that was a matter for another time. "There's a mark not too far from here that there's a bounty on," Opal began to explain. "Small-time crook, as low as lowlifes get..." Opal had no respect for petty criminality. It required no... real thought, or organisation. There was intelligence and deep scheming behind their operations. Robbing a bank with an Enston and a mask was something different entirely - and usually a short-lived end to a crime spree that was never going anywhere in the first place.

Their arts and methods were far more subtle. Direct intervention like that... never happened. And if it did, nobody questioned it. The Syndicate was the top dog in the Thibudian underworld. Ask too many questions, and you find yourself at the very pit of hell: the place that most don't want to be, really. Crossing the underworld's event horizon is a very, very dangerous thing to do, and few returned from the brink and acclimatised to Syndicate life totally unscathed. "You wouldn't perchance be interested in stretching your legs, no?" He smiled, and gestured to her meal. "Of course, by all means, finish indulging other vices first."

Twisted romance at its absolute apex.

{{ OOC: I'm playing around with her speaking text color. >.>;; }}

Aurora sipped her coffee quietly, staring at her compatriot over the rim of the porcelain with a polite interest. She already knew the answer to her question posed upon him, but she still liked confirmation regardless. She didn't even need to read his mind to know it, the facts were simply already laid out. While it was true he loved to manipulate a situation, she too, liked to have some control as well at times. At times she knew he wouldn't engage in a conversation unless he knew exactly where it was going. That's just simply how he was. But that wasn't the sort of situation they were in right now, no.. that was hardly the case. She wanted to see just how he would answer her. After all, when it came to her, he was... different. This she knew quite well. This strangeness was mutual between them for the other was an enigma of sorts in their lives. He was a man she trusted and called a friend, an almost impossibly rare occurrence in the world. She was someone he let truly know him, someone he wouldn't necessarily try to manipulate like any of their other associates. Who knew her life could change so when she joined the Syndicate?

"When isn't it, Aurora?" She merely smirked herself, her body shaking a little in what was a silent chuckle. The only way you could tell that's what it was, was via her facial expression which remained in a smirk of her own despite his vanishing. It didn't bother her to see that happen, finally placing her cup back down with a soft clink, her hands remaining around the warm cup. Tilting her head slightly, she sat forward more in her chair, turning her golden eyes out the windows and towards the world that was outside. Her business.... "Excellent as always, though it is busier than normal. Probably has something to do with the increased political tension in the world." She mused with a light sigh, her gaze returning to Opal. War was good for business, especially their particular brand of business.

While he loved to manipulate people to his will, Aurora was fond of the shadows, of being... undetected. She liked the thrill of the hunt, pursuing your prey in the confines of comfort with their guard lowered and terror high. She liked the quiet little thump their bodies made when they hit the floor from a long distance kill. The up close adrenaline pull as you creep up behind your target and it isn't until the last minute that they even realize what is happening. Besides, the shadows had always been her friend, the darkness... Growing up in Dusktown allowed for one to learn how to live best in the night. You weren't afraid of things that went bump in that darkness. It was home to her. As for the reading of minds... It made her job so much easier, and made her indispensable to their organization of crime. Who better to act as an early warning system? To twist their enemies into submission via their mind? Oh yes, it was good to be a telepath in their business.

It was their distinct strengths and passions that had gotten them placed where they were today, as Ascendants ruling over their peons. They complimented each other. Probably.... in more ways than just work. That thought caused her smirk to grow ever so slightly and she knew he would notice, but would he know the cause? That would be the real question. So leaning back once more in her chair, she finished off her coffee and brushed her hair from her eyes. "There's a mark not too far from here that there's a bounty on." Oh? Her eyebrow raised ever so slightly, her interest piqued. "Small-time crook, as low as lowlifes get..." Ah, so small fry. Interesting.... She could already tell where this was leading, picking up her croissant to bite into it, chewing as he spoke again, "You wouldn't perchance be interested in stretching your legs, no?" Her body shook again in another silent chuckle, dabbing away crumbs with her napkin whilst straightening up. "Of course, by all means, finish indulging other vices first."

"I would love to." For people in their world of shadow, it may as well have been a date. A small smile rose to her lips as she swallowed, shaking her head slightly as her eyes rested upon him. "Don't be silly. Let us hunt, I can finish this along the way." Raising a hand, she caught the lovely girls attention from before, miming for her check since she couldn't use sign language. "Ah! Of course miss." But before she could go and get the actual check, Aurora was beckoning her to come to her while her free hand picked up her sun hat. Perplexed, the waitress did indeed approach the pair, albeit hesitantly at first. The mute Ascendant smiled up to the girl and motioned for her to hold out a hand, placing a few bills into her hand. A coy smirk lit her lips as she rose up and slipped on her sunglasses, using one of the paper napkins to carry her unfinished chocolate croissant. The girl gasped at the amount and was about to speak when Aurora touched a single finger to the girls lips, giving her a warm smile.

And with that, she nodded to the girl and waved, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked outside with Opal. "Th-thank you and have a good day!" It did feel good at times to throw out such random acts of kindness. Her expression had been so delightful as well. Heh, but onto darker things hm? Looking to her associate, the smirk returned as her voice spoke in his mind, "Shall we?"

"Shall we?" Opal nodded once, slowly, before broadcasting a message in response. Working as they did really had its advantages. The silence was... alleviating, calming. Speech was silver, and silence golden. Spending as much time with Aurora as he did really allowed one to absorb it, truly understand and meld with it. Appreciating silence was a true priority in their line of business, too - especially for the heads of espionage and assassination.

"Let's." Opal spoke briefly, aligning himself with Aurora and smirking as she gave the girl a slightly more generous tip than she was usually used to. Aurora was odd, like that. Just as likely to hand you a 100-sarin bill as she was slit your throat. Either apathy at its absolute apex, or she just had an excellent affinity for judgement. Or an odd one.

He dropped back momentarily and flexed his mechanical fingers, smiling to himself as he watched the coils, nuts, rivets, and bolts all strain and stir seamlessly below the gloves. Having a prosthetic was... odd. Because of the way the nervous system functioned, sure, the device was still effectively hooked up to your stump, and, by extension, your body, but it never felt... natural. Too quick, too responsive. And it didn't feel pain. Machines were immortal; no matter how much Opal's body withered, bruised, or deteriorated, the arm would never fade, in all its glory.

The black-haired man tried out a few more complex finger movements, listening to pistons fire and wires slide before allowing both arms to fall at his side, swaying, as he shrugged his white pinstripe coat back on, buttoning it up with a single hand. The prosthetic was not only a tool, but the most useful addition to his arsenal. Deadly and efficient; the best any combatant could wish for, and perfect for hidden strikes considering the tapered points of the claws. Efficiency and versatility epitomised.

He watched from the rear as Aurora advanced and left the restaurant, emerging into the luminous golden shower of sunlight that seemed to be all but eternal for Dawntown, smiling that quirky smile of his. His eyes flicked to her posterior; analysis indicated that, as it had done dozens of times before, she had a supple, flexible frame. Muscular, but slender; attractive. Black dress; those cherry lips of hers, those cold eyes.

But it was the mindset above all else which appealed to Opal the most. Miss Shir was almost a reflection of himself in that aspect. If someone is of use, they're worth keeping alive - but priority and hierarchy state that some have to be killed regardless of potential use. That's just the way of the world. And she had no qualms about murder; she was cold, brutal, and ruthless, should the situation call for it, and charismatic and lukewarm at best, again, should the situation call for it. Much as he was. Malleable, and flexible - not only in body, but in every department, situational and all.

"I'll isolate the dossier for you," Aurora's being mute did have its benefits. Communicating without eavesdropping, an ability to remain as silent as was humanly possible, and then, there was this. Quick and easy sharing of comprehensive information in a manner both of them could understand. In this specific question, a dossier - all the compiled information about their target. Name, age, affiliations, locations, weapons, family, history, even reasoning... and above all else, the price. Money, money, money. The fat Sarin bounty on each particular mark's head. The reasoning for it all.

Collecting the cluster of information in his head, fairly learned at this specific practise - he'd worked with Aurora a lot, but, even then, he was a fast enough learner that it came second-nature to him, now, with the ridiculous flexibility of Opal's mind - the black-haired Ascendant then forced it out to the front of his mind, eyelids fluttering shut so it was the most prominent relay of facts that currently resided in his head. No distractions - he shut himself off completely, disconnected, until he heard the message from Aurora that the transfer was complete. Textbook.

((Outline who our little target is, you can have freedom for this'un ;P))

Peeling the napkin away from the small remnant of her croissant, she bit into that breaded, chocolaty goodness as the pair walked out of the modest little cafe. "Let's." She couldn't help but smirk at the simple, concise response that echoed in her mind. She turned her head briefly to look from behind her sunglasses at a pair that were thinking rather loudly, not that they probably meant to, about her and Opal. Oh she was so tempted to whisper something in their mind, raise a question and startle the living hell out of them. But that was never wise, no not at all. It was frippery, it was bragging, it was showing off what she could do. And given how the world wasn't always very accepting of sorcerer's like her? Best not to push her luck. Especially not with an ability like hers. People would be downright twitchity.

Speaking of twitchity.... She slowed as she stepped out into the bright world of Dawntown, her upper body twisting to she could look at him dead on. She had sensed exactly where he had been looking moments before, and that always put her on edge. Just because they were associates, and friends, did not mean she was necessarily comfortable with the thought of him examining her so. She wasn't ever comfortable with such things. She couldn't help it, it wasn't like she had exactly had pleasant experiences with such area's of life. And it was a shame really, he had been so careful until then. But.... Her whole body turned to face him now, her tension lessening to its normal level. This was Opal. And... She couldn't really understand it, but it didn't bug her as much as if it were someone else performing the same thing. She didn't feel the intense rage that flared up and usually merited a knife in the throat. Opal, on the other hand, only would receive a look that meant he should know better. She didn't hate his admiring, long story short. After all, she supposed that she did the same for him but in her own way.

That was enough of that though, lest she end up in some sort of distracting tizzy. Now was the time for work, not pleasantries or what if's. They were the solution, the inevitable solution that everyone faced in their lives. Being the herald of Death was rather fun. Aurora fell into step with him as they strolled at an easy pace down the street away from their meeting place, soon completely finishing off what little had been left of her croissant. Dabbing the crumbs off of her lips, she threw the napkins out in a nearby trash can as his voice rang in her mind, "I'll isolate the dossier for you." Ah, excellent. A soft breeze rustled her brown locks about her face, tilting her head ever so slightly as she focused on the information on their target. It was like experiencing his reading of the file without being there, the data flooding into her mind. Now.... what did they have here....

His name was James Decker. 23 years old, only child, parents were normal enough. Only oddity on that end seemed to be a certain fetish that his mother had. But he never seemed to find out about that. Anyways, he worked at a pawn shop and had connections to some other equally pathetic ring of idiots (she made a mental note of their names so she could take care of them later). They managed to make some very clumsy robberies, get some hookers pissed at them, and, ooo, they managed to kill two people. How quaint. They clearly wanted to make a name for themselves in the underworld, but had no idea how to. Nor did they seem to have a clue at just who the underworld was. They would soon find out. "Lovely, shall we pay this gentleman a visit?"

The entire transaction took all of two minutes, and the pair were moving again. His home was closest, some nondescript apartment complex that was just too perfect for an idiot like him to live in. A pleasant stretch of the legs indeed.

"Lovely, shall we pay this gentleman a visit?" A universal gesture - Opal inclined his head, nodding it, and let a small spurt of what would be silent laughter escape. He responded in kind with an approval; of course, the very process was just a façade of bullshit. No one Ascendant controlled the other; in fact, they were some of the most powerful people the world had ever seen. There was no higher order or dominance. It was just two cohorts being playful.

The stroll through Dawntown was pleasant. Rays of natural sunlight pierced what would have otherwise been a shroud of clouds sitting above them, and Opal and Aurora appeared to be just another couple going about their business in an otherwise busy settlement. They were the snakes in the grass, in reality; the two bad seeds throughout a town of otherwise-good intentions. But, to them? It wasn't evil. It was just... clearing house. Tidying up. Keeping the tree of society prim and proper - someone had to do the pruning every now and then.

They turned the corner towards the apartment complex, and Opal took note of the fact that as they'd neared it, the numbers on the roads had diminished significantly. The building itself was nice enough, but located on the fringes of a nastier part of town. The only sign of life for a good few metres was a stumpy vagabond slumped against a wall with an empty bottle of whiskey to his right and a grimy blanket pulled over him. Even if he was awake, in his drunken stupor - Opal could smell the alcohol on his breath from yards away, and, even then, analysis of the image itself indicated the man was probably drunk - he wouldn't believe what he was about to see.

The man inched open the double doors to the concept and slowly began to move down the hall. Click. Click. Click. The heels of black walking boots struck the stone flooring time and time again. A row of coat pegs lined the wall on the right; the Ascendant shed his, and hung it up, revealing a pinstripe white shirt beneath, and a few inches of red-golden metal visible of his prosthetic between the right cuff of the shirt and his gloved hand. Tapered points flexed once more beneath the metal, and Opal grinned, gesturing silently for Aurora to follow and instructing her to shut the door - once more, not a command, a request. The pair were comrades.

Undoing his cuffs and near-silently rolling up his sleeves, Opal pulled the glove from his left, organic hand in a simple movement, and set them atop a nearby row of letterboxes. He flexed the fleshy fingers before moving them to his right, to remove the black glove sitting on that hand, significantly more strained. When he did, the hand itself seemed to be eager to break free of its leathery constraints, moving and flexing like never before, a look of relief and satisfaction on Opal's face as he vigorously stretched his fingers and ensured his nerves were all attached.

Thrusting his hand out downwards, and flipping it so the underside of the wrist faced upwards, with a single fluid movement, Opal pulled open a discreetly-hidden panel on his wrist and slotted in three small, copper-jacketed revolver rounds, flashing a cold smile at Aurora. She knew his game. Clicking the panel shut once the rounds had found their place, giving the arm a quick, swift shake, he smiled back at her, and tilted his head, sending her one more message as he eased towards the corner, up at the stairs.

"Apartment's on the first floor. He won't know we're coming until we're there. Ladies first, so the honour's all yours..." A grin widened across Opal's face. "Showtime."

A silent chuckle... It brought a small, slow smirk to her lips as her golden eyes looked to her literal partner in crime. Yes... time to do some crime. Oh but crime did give such a negative connotation. They were just clearing the world of idiots who gave proper gangsters such as them a bad name. A bad... how did they say it? Oh yes, a bad "rep." Such quaint phrases these lowlifes came up with. They simply had no idea. Her features remained neutral for the rest of the walk, adjusting her sunglasses or hat when the need arose. As much as she loved finally getting out into the sun, it was still so damned blinding. She supposed that she would never truly come out of the shadows that she had grown up in.

So how did Opal fair? What was it like for him growing up in the light and warmth? Sure, she had helped him rearrange his mind so it was better protected but that didn't mean she memorized details about him or.. well.. Ah... it was such a slippery slope she always found herself in. The bottom line was that she always preferred people to still say their own descriptions rather than telling her to read their mind and know that way. Hers was an intrusive power, a blessing from the Ancestors to be nosy if she so chose to. Or... to shatter a persons entire being with a single pinprick of pressure. Heh.. maybe thats what she should do to this particular target hm? Yes.... thats what she would do. She could not abide idiocy from such people as Mr. Decker. Do what she did, seek out the Syndicate and you will find your way then. Now look where she was!

The streets suddenly expanded into nothing, leaving them in front of the apartment complex that almost seemed to be the very marker between the good and the bad. It may as well have been some kind of place from a movie. She opened up her mind a little more to get a bead on just how many minds were in the area and was quite pleased to find there were little to none. Ooo, it even seemed like there was a lovely gathering of them in an apartment on the first floor. It must be their target with his friends. Excellent. They would really get to clean house then. Otherwise his buddies would be loose ends that she'd have to send people after and waste their time.... *sigh* No, it was most excellent they would get to pluck out all the bad seeds now in one go.

The door shut quietly behind them, her boots thudded softly alongside the click of his shoes, removing her sunhat and sunglasses as they strode further into the building. Mmm... Yes, much better. It must be at least a couple of degrees cooler in here and without that horrid glare. Her hat found its home on a peg alongside Opal's jacket, her sunglasses getting tucked away in the ribbon that wound itself around it. She slid her skirt up to grip at her knives, pointedly making sure she blocked any thoughts from Opal out. Yes, she was aware he was possibly attracted to her but... She inwardly shuddered at the series of thoughts that could have come from him at seeing her legs. Her skirt swished as it was lowered back down, spinning the combat knife in preparation. Her fingers slid into the holes of her karambit knife, lowering the walls she had erected towards Opal as they both stood ready now. He had loaded up his prosthetic arm, a smirk of her own matching that cold smile he had shown her. Oh she knew. Cracking her neck, she stretched her arms a bit, adjusting how she held her combat knife in her hand.

"Apartment's on the first floor. He won't know we're coming until we're there. Ladies first, so the honour's all yours..." She walked up alongside him before pausing at the base of the stairs. She was so ready to go. For once, she actually gave him a bright and warm smile, darting up the stairs as his words echoed in her mind, "Showtime." Her instincts were beginning to take over as her eyes glanced to the other apartments that were on this floor. One or two in each. Damn. She would just have to hope that the boys were normally rowdy. She slowed and pressed against the wall next to the targets door, listening carefully for what they were doing. Lowering the walls of her mind, she focused it inward and almost recoiled in disgust. Ugh. Drugs of some kind... God how dumb were these kids? Her mind slammed closed almost like one would slam the trunk of a car and she whirled about, kicking in the door. It caved like paper.

The bodies inside startled at the sudden sound, but they could hardly react in time for her as she became a blur of black, her combat knife sliding through one of their throats as she spun and brought her other knife into the next persons neck. "Evening boys and girls. You've been rather naughty." She projected into their minds, noticing there were the four here that were his friends... They clumsily grasped at their guns that were lying elsewhere, but they didn't, no, couldn't react in time to miss her blades. One last streak of red and his friends were dead, her head darting up as she could hear in the quiet the sounds that came from the bedroom. Instantly goosebumps crawled up her body and she tensed up to the point of immobility. "Opal, bedroom. Don't kill the hooker. Knock her out." She called out through their mind link, forcing her body to move and at least wipe the blood off of her weapons. She snuck over to the bedroom door, perched and waiting while trying to control the trembling that had taken over her body.