Chapter 6 - Galeno City
"Oh? Then what's your plan?"
"Why don't we act like ghosts?" Ray suggested with a stupid grin.
"Seeing that he killed you personally and received confirmation of my death, it definitely would scare him shitless. But, how? Although you spoke about creating illusions, I can't imagine you having such fine control that you'd be able to create images of us, since he would try to tell if we're real." Lilith questioned, curious how he would pull off such a feat.
"Remember, it's all about bending it. We will be there, but I can bend the light to make us look like we're a few feet away. I tried it last night, and as long as it's less than 4 feet, I can maintain it without using too much energy."
"I can also use darkness to slowly reduce the temperature in the room!" Lilith responded with bright eyes.
"This is the extent of what we can do though. As we learned yesterday, we can't use too much energy or we'll be vulnerable and exhausted." Ray lamented in disappointment.
"Just to clarify, you also use only your mind to use your powers right? I didn't feel myself using any kind of tangible energy. Just my "mental energy", by which I mean my mind." Lilith wanted to confirm. Their abilities may seem similar but they could end up being completely different. Just because their abilities seemed to be a part of a system, didn't mean it had to.
"Yup. Mind only." Ray said as he took out some quesadillas they had bought earlier and started eating, "So the ghost thing aside, what exactly is our plan? Knowing you, there is one without a doubt. Damn, this is good."
"Really? Let me have a taste." Lilith started explaining while Ray was taking out her share, "Well, first thing when we get to Galeno City, we have to confirm his location, then do a bit of surveillance to know the right time to attack. We just have to know if anyone will visit him the rest of the day, or night since that's when we'll be arrivin- This is amazing! I should've asked for the recipe." She sighed in disappointment.
"You can cook?" Ray questioned.
Lilith smiled in response, "Not very well, but you mentioned something about being a great cook before we went out to eat yesterday. I would have just asked you to teach me."
Before the speechless Ray could respond, she continued, "Back to the plan. He would probably be anxious due to having lost contact with the overseer. He has a lot of enemies in his 'legal' line of work, so he can't simply go check what happened in person. Even if he sends someone, we'll get to him before they make their way back. Not that they would know about us, but our encounters so far make it hard to rule out that they can make the dead speak. There's also a good chance that he won't have the energy or time to worry about going after our families. Even if he does, there is a low chance that he will have had an opportunity to hurt them."
"That's somewhat reassuring." Ray sighed.
"Since it is going to be nighttime, infiltration should be relatively easy. We just have to watch out for cameras. Unfortunately, we can't destroy them or it will put them on alert. We can only go for whatever camera would be in the room he will be in. I'd say we knock out the guards, but I'm not a martial artist or a special ops officer, so to prevent any accidental deaths or giving ourselves away, we'll just sneak past. We can't just commit genocide like back where we were held."
"We?" Ray raised an eyebrow
"Cough! Anyway, that place was an illegal human trafficking base in a remote area. This will be in the middle of a huge and active city. Not to mention that, although we knew that everyone who wasn't captives there were scumbags, some of these guards may just be people trying to earn a living."
"I'm fine with that. That bastard, Daniels, is my only target anyway."
"Oh, I may need to stop and buy some knives," Lilith added, which made Ray shiver.
...
After driving for hours and passing through a few towns and cities, they finally made it to Galeno City. The place looked reminiscent of New York, but it was much larger. It had already gotten dark yet the city's activity only seemed to increase. It seemed this place was a land where people roamed the night. Bustling streets, towering skyscrapers, and beautiful lights. The Southern Continent's City of Dreams.
"This is my first time being here. I always wanted to come over with my mom sometime. Unfortunately, I never got the chance," Lilith said, mesmerized by the beauty of the city before her.
Ray heard that and glanced at her from the side. He could hear the sadness disguised as reminiscence. He brushed his hair back as he said in an overconfident tone, "Well, you got an equally great deal. You're here with me after all."
"Unfortunately, yes, yes I am.
Ray held his heart with a painful expression after hearing Lilith's words, to which she gave a little chuckle.
After their little episode, they used the car's GPS to find the address that Lilith had gotten from the overseer.
"How much did you get out of him?" Ray questioned with a baffled look.
Lilith just smiled.
'Scary,' Ray thought as chills ran down his spine.
On the way they stopped so Lilith could buy some knives. The knives she picked were regular old kitchen knives, but preparing food was not on her agenda. Maybe if she fed the 'ingredient' she was about to prepare to some animals, it would be considered cooking?
While walking to the counter, Lilith bumped into someone. It was a woman with long black hair that was tied up into a ponytail. She had beautiful, blue, phoenix eyes, but below that could not be seen as she was wearing a black face mask. She was wearing a long trench coat in what seemed like an attempt to hide her curves. The coat just barely served its purpose but it was obvious that her proportions were quite large. Lilith and the woman made eye contact for a split second, "Sorry I wasn't watching where I was going." Lilith apologized, but the person only gave a nod and a slight bow in response before turning to walk away.
'That person was kind of weird,' Lilith thought as she walked away, but soon, she came to a stop out of shock, 'My premonition didn't go off!'
When Lilith turned around, the woman was gone. The store was not big by any means, but the woman had vanished into thin air as if she weren't there in the first place.
Lilith quickly paid and went back to the car. She explained what happened in the store to Ray.
---
On top of a building, not far from Ray and Lilith, a woman wearing kunoichi attire stood. It was the woman Lilith had met in the store. Half her face was still covered, but her outfit was much less conservative, though it seemed to emphasize practicality over exposure to make it better fit for combat and free movement. However, it was still quite revealing. It could be seen that even Lilith would have to take off her crown for this woman in terms of sexiness.
"So there really are others with such abilities. I expected as much, but for ordinary people to have them...was all my training a lie? She wasn't even hiding her aura," The woman said, her expression complicated as she faded into the shadows.
---
"That might have been another person with powers. She probably noticed you as well which is why she disappeared." Back in the car, Ray was trying to analyze the situation, "I don't think we'll have to worry about them though. Although there's not much I can infer, I don't sense danger from them. I think we should just get this entire thing over with so we can go back to our homes."
"I agree. Although I got these powers, I don't want to be involved in its community. I rather have a peaceful life." Lilith seconded before starting the car and driving off. Their destination was George's mansion, a place more on the outskirts of the city.
---
Inside a skyscraper near the center of the city, a middle-aged man with blond hair, blue eyes, a well-maintained beard, and a charming face with strong features, sat on a sofa, in an office, opposite another, younger man with similar features. The young man was the picture of youth. Underneath his dark blue suit, it was evident that he hid an impressive build.
"What is it, son?" The middle-aged man spoke as he rested his hands on his lap with his fingers interlocked. He had an air of supremacy to him.
"Father, we're finally ready to make a move against that bastard, Daniels. In the business world, bad deeds follow you everywhere, but that guy's a monster. My preparations are finally complete, so I'll be making a move tomorrow. I was originally just trying to take him down as a competitor, but the world is better off without such trash." The young man explained.
"I know how you are kid. You've already made a move, haven't you? You're just telling me this because you're almost done. I'm guessing you'll go pay him a visit?" The father responded with a grin.
The young man choked on his words for a second. His father had completely seen through him. He had been pressuring George for quite some time but in the past few days, he had revealed numerous faults of his, from corruption and blackmailing to embezzlement. Tomorrow he would drive the last nail in his coffin with the proof of his involvement in human trafficking. He was going to visit him tonight to see what state he is in.
"My righteous and responsible son, don't do anything reckless. That man is dangerous. You will go regardless of my request, but please Robert, be safe."
"Yes, Father." He got up and walked out of the office with his secretary, a beautiful woman with light blond hair, brown eyes, and a sharp face. She had a mature charm and a stern look. She was quite tall with a large frame for a woman which gave her long and beautiful legs. She could easily make it as a top-class model, yet she was working as a secretary.
"Is everything ready, Mel?" Robert asked.
"Yes. There are no problems, and we can begin whenever." The secretary, Mel, replied.
"Good," he said before he, followed by Mel, got in a black Rolls-Royce which soon drove off followed by multiple black sedans.
Back in the office, the middle-aged man sat back in his chair as his supreme aura dissipated. All that was left was a worried father, "My love. If only you could see what a fine young man he's become." The father sighed as he looked out of the window at the bustling city.
...
Ray and Lilith finally arrived at George's mansion. It was easily over 10000 square feet and it was a white, modern-styled mansion. It was a shame since it would soon become unoccupied. Ray and Lilith observed the mansion from afar, they were thankful that George decided to use many hedges to decorate his yard. The level of security would make it pretty much airtight, but not against someone that cannot be seen as long as there are shadows. After observing for a while, the two, especially Lilith, got a grasp on their patrol routes and patterns.
They decided to get out of the car and make their move. Tonight, George Daniels would die. However, none of the parties involved would have been able to predict the change that this single, eventful night, would bring to their lives and the fate of everything they hold dear.