Chapter 17

He got up and headed to the living room. He wanted to teleport but doubted he could do it. Instead, he decided on an easier method that had worked before. He shut his eyes and imagined his cousin's aura. He managed to lock on to Frank's aura and had a bird's eye view of the duo.

They two were walking down the dual carriageway, cars going past in the opposite way, trucks hooting and lights blinding them. Winjoy put a barrier to block out the headlights as well as the smoke from the engines. They were headed to an abandoned factory where according to Aian's information two artefacts were located. 

Howard watched as the two crept along a chain-link fence before vaulting over it to the desolated building. He did a quick sweep of the area and was satisfied that no danger lurked before opening his eyes. He looked around the room accustoming his disoriented body.

He was mildly surprised that it had worked. However, he didn't want to use the omniscient's view point again because though it felt like astral projection the scope was bigger in magnitude and that giddy feeling he was experiencing just wasn't his cup of tea.

Howard took a deep breath first then reached out and grabbed a glass of water that he downed in two gulps. Once he felt grounded he decided to follow Kuronike and Violette but using a different technique.

He had tried to lock onto Juma but the man was very mysterious and had never used his PSI; so Howard didn't know how to lock onto him. He got up and unfastened a window, swinging it open. The cold night air refreshed him, removing any trace of giddiness and confusion.

He sighed closing his eyes and imagined where Violette was. It was ironic that she being the assassin, she was the easiest to lock on. He found her signature and locked onto it. He then started to imagine himself as a crow. Within a few seconds he had shrunk himself down to the crow's height and feathers sprouted over his small body. 

He headed for the open window and flew out into the night sky. 

Aian stirred in her sleep and she woke up. She sat up listened for a second then dropped back to sleep.

Juma on the other hand walked confidently into the busy corporate offices of Honey and Dough. Dressed in a black tuxedo he looked the part as one of the employees. His target was the twenty-third floor of the bullet-shaped glass building.

On the uppermost floor, in the CEO's office was the tiny golden key attached to a golden baby cherub. He was also to find a small portrait of a young smiling child with silver hair. The portrait was a palm-sized object most likely kept on the desk or in a drawer. Unlike the others, his objects would resonate with him as he approached them because of their sizes.

The elevator door dinged and opened up, pouring out ten people before he stepped into it. Three other ladies joined him, staring at him warily for a few seconds before continuing with their conversations. They all got off at the eleventh floor, leaving him alone in the spacious elevator.

He looked up to his right and saw a CCTV camera in the corner, he smiled at it and adjusted his tie. The elevator shot up to the twenty-second floor where he then got off on the floor and looked around the well-lit corridor before heading to his right where the staircase was. 

Juma slowly walked up the flight of stairs, smiling at the cameras that were watching him. He finally got to the top and pushed open the fire exit. A young woman looked at him as he approached her desk. She smiled at him and he nodded and pointed at her computer. She looked at it and stood up, leading him to the huge wooden doors that she opened using her key card around her neck.

On the dark mahogany desk directly in front of him, he spotted a golden glowing picture frame on it. He approached it and the frame started vibrating faster with each step he took.

The door behind him shut and he picked up the frame. A picture of a young dark-skinned boy smiled back at him. The boy's hands ruffling through his silver hair, a silver pendant visible around his neck.

He pulled out the picture and put it carefully in his pocket returning the empty frame back on the desk. He started to leave when the door was opened and he came face to face with an enemy.

His heart jumped to his throat but the newcomer didn't bother throwing a glance at him. He just walked into the office followed by his secretary. 

"That's strange," he heard her say as he slowly made his way out of the room. "I swear you had a seven pm appointment with Mr. Reeves and he was just inside here a few minutes ago."

Juma took his last step out of the room and quickly ducked behind a pillar knowing what was going to happen next. He looked at the CCTV cameras again and smiled at it then dashed down the stairs.

He wasn't a frontline fighter and even if he was, he couldn't take down a demigod all alone. As he landed on the eighteenth-floor staircase he could feel Nyota Kusni's PSI waves searching for him and he stopped instantly.

It was not known to anyone else but he knew how Winjoy's powers worked. As long as he remained still, the barrier she had placed on him would conceal his presence to any spirit being. 

She had cast the barrier on him silently as he'd walked out of the house earlier. It was like she had known. He felt the pulsating waves of Kusni's powers wash over him for a few seconds before they stopped.

He then rushed down the stairwell not bothered by the cameras on every landing. He felt a warm feeling emanate from his chest followed by a slight vibration. He stopped on the thirteenth floor and slowly pushed open the fire exit. 

The door creaked open to reveal a dimly lit floor occupied by ducts, vents and countless wires. Like many buildings, the thirteenth floor was the maintenance floor as the number was associated with bad luck.

He cautiously made his way down the hall, noting the obvious lack of surveillance cameras. The portrait in his pocket had started giving off a slightly low pitch and he knew the next artefact was close.

Up ahead on a metallic box was his next artefact. It was a golden key attached to a cherub dangling from the keyhole. He pulled it out of the keyhole and pocketed it.

He turned around and froze. Standing at the doorway looking directly at him was Nyota Kusni. Winjoy's barrier still protected him, because he noticed the demigod looking through him. 

Behind Nyota were three security guards and he gave them some orders. One of them mentioned that no cameras had caught any intruder entering the building. 

"I know he is nearby, check the 12th and 14th floors too."

They all left leaving Nyota and Juma who was still immobile.

"I know you are here, the fact that you have evaded all my surveillance cameras means you aren't a normal thief. However, I don't keep anything of interest in this building. So why don't we make it easy for both of us and reveal yourself?"

Nyota Kusni took a step closer and peered into the empty room. He had a faint feeling there was a being in the room but he couldn't see or sense it. 

Without activating his powers and harming the workers in his building it would be a challenge. Also unlike the sun, he and the moon didn't get along so well.

He stared into the room intently and finally saw it. A slight ripple in the airwaves. His hunch was right, there was something standing there. Well, he could risk using a small percentage of his power, he thought. 

Juma cursed silently as Kusni looked directly at him. He felt the demigod tapping into his power and he knew he had to act very quickly. The last encounter had almost killed him. 

He looked around noting how useless his environment was. He couldn't fight, and then a thought struck him. He lowered his head and dropped the barrier. 

Nike looked up as a crow passed overhead. He was on high alert as usual. Violette on the other hand was carefree. She also noticed the crow and a small smile played on her lips.

She and Nike were headed for the first two items that were secured in a rich lord's manor. Thanks to Winjoy, she had put up a remote barrier on the two that would hide their presence from anyone as long as they remained relatively silent.

The two made their way through the plantation avoiding any sentries on the lookout for thieves. Violette was tempted to pick one of the fruits but Nike slapped her hand.

She shrugged and kept on walking. They finally reached the edge of the farm. There was a hundred-metre area that left them exposed to the open before they could get to the trees ringing the Hacienda.

There were three men looking in their direction. As long as they were quiet and slow the barrier would hold. The two crept along the open edge for a few metres before Violette cursed.

Her eyes glowed purple and green. Nike equipped his hammer and struck the ground. A shrill alarm sounded and the men on the sentry raised their guns and fired at the two.

Nike about to activate his hammer to enter defensive mode, stopped. The men weren't firing at them but rather in their general direction. Violette held Kuronike back as she could see something he couldn't.

Up ahead a rift had opened and five figures stepped out. It was at these figures that the men were firing. The sound of heavy machine guns blasted through the air. Nike noted that Winjoy's barrier was still in place. The five figures advanced not affected by the bullets.

Someone must have noticed because there was a still silence that was followed by a shrill scream as a rocket-propelled grenade headed straight for the group.

It exploded on impact and the two Hunters felt not only the shock waves but the heat as well, however, Winjoy's barrier protected them from most of the damage.

As the smoke settled, the five hooded figures stood unharmed and no change except for the forefront one who had put up his hand. Violette could clearly see that they had conjured up a shield that protected them from harm.

"What's going on?" Nike whispered.

"Stay still, don't move a muscle and pray earnestly," she replied, fear in her voice. Nike sensed the fear and he was worried. He'd known Violette for a while and she was practically fearless. If something could scare her then they were in a quagmire