Angels: Act Two

[twiststheblade]

from here


Yokohama.

Japan's biggest port city.

Hub of trade, export, and import.

Modern, classical, new and ancient. If a thing is new 'it was done first in Yokohama'.

It is late by the time the two bikes purr through the suburbs, heading for the heart of the financial district. Late, and the rain has stopped. The surfaces are slick with water, lights reflecting off anything and everything, a shifting kaleidoscope.

The buildings are an odd mix. Darkened office buildings, except for the odd window where a worker is up late into the night. Bars, restaurants, the odd shop, spill light and sound and smell out into the streets.

Eventually, Miho waves an arm, slows, and pulls over to the side of the road. She hops off, braces the bike, and smoothly uses her entire body-weight to lift it onto the stand. She pushes her visor up, and smiles.

"Well, this is it."

There are two buildings that stand out. One is rounded, almost like a tower, stabbing up into the night. Next to it, seperated by only a narrow alleyway, is a mirrored tower-block, curved frontage, glass elevators running up the outside of the building. It has an enourmous lobby, brightly lit, edged by small shops, and a few restaurants.

"That's the one we want," she says, pointing to the rounded building. "And this is the one I thought we could go across from."

She grins.

"Anyone for sushi?"

Comments

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy is glad they have reached their destination. She spends a few moments surveying the two buildings as she waits for Alanna to dismount, then she hops off and stands her bike next to Miho's. The helmet comes off next and a straggled mop of gold is shaken out.

"Ugh."

The hair disarray is not her only grievance. Regardless of the let up in the weather, her pants are soaked through from the ride. She steps onto the kerb and waggles each leg uncomfortably.

"Yuk. Yes. Let's dry out a bit."

[the_lioness]

Wide-eyed, Alanna slowly removes her own helmet, ignoring the way her hair has gone flat on top and seems to defy gravity on the sides. She turns in a small circle and lets out a whistle.

"It's as if the entire city is made of crystal," she notes. "What is sushi?"

[twiststheblade]

"Dry would be good," she nods.

"It's pretty," she agrees, pulling off her lid and shaking out her hair.

"And sushi is. . well, simply, raw fish, and rice. Sometimes cooked or seared fish, and meat and vegetables happen too, but what most people remember is the fish."

She grins.

"I might even let you off fugu and uni."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy's contribution is mockingly puerile.

"Can we have sake too, mom?"

She moves stiffly to Miho's side. It was a long ride.

Nevertheless, a smile finally curls across her lips. She sweeps a few stray tangles of black away from the girl's face and strokes an affectionately crooked finger down her cheek.

"Regretting any of your team choices yet?"

[twiststheblade]

"Well, if you want blowfish and sea urchin, love, you can have them. And I. . . don't drink sake, but you can do what you like."

She returns the smile, briefly turning her face into the caress before covering Goldy's hand with her own thinner fingers.

"Not at all. I'm glad to have you along."

She grins at Alanna.

"Both of you."

[the_lioness]

"Raw fish?"

Wrinkling her nose, Alanna looks away from the other two and kicks at a puddle. She concentrates on not turning green. To distract herself, and possibly to show off a little, she smooths her hand along her shirt, leaving it mostly dry.

"I suppose roasted chicken is out of the question."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy smiles at the knight.

"It sounds disgusting but it's really very tasty. You should try it. And if you don't like it, there's probably a Kentucky Fried around here somewhere."

Then she smiles a little more puppy-like and sidles over.

"Got some of that good drying magic for your very careful driver, who absolutely didn't mean to dump you off the back?"

[twiststheblade]

The lift doesn't go quite the way to the roof, terminating instead on the second to last floor. They took the stairs up the last floor, and are now on a dark, cramped landing, denied access to the roof by a locked door.

"Lockpicks? Anyone?"

[the_lioness]

The lift had been quite an experience. If Alanna had been at all worried that her fear of heights would slow her down, the fact that she hadn't sink to the floor of the elevator and whimper assuaged such concerns.

Tilting her head, she eyes the door with a pleased smile.

"I've got it."

Reaching under her shirt, she pulls forth a small leather envelope and gently unfolds the edges. Inside are three lock picks George had given her recently to replenish her supply.

She crouches down before the door, biting her lip as she inserts a pick.

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy is still engaged in reclothing herself properly after her distraction work in the foyer below. It wasn't easy to look seductive in leather jacket, t-shirt and cargo pants, but she managed it.

...Or maybe the security guard was just a sucker for blondes.

When she's done, she snakes an arm around Miho's waist and focuses on Alanna's work.

[twiststheblade]

Miho returns the favour, leaning her head on Goldy's shoulder for a moment. She has one eye on Alanna, and one ear on the stairs, which leaves the remainder for Goldy.

She's pretty certain the guard will wake up from his pressure-point-induced slumber with no memories of them, but it's always as well to remain vigilant.

Doesn't mean that she doesn't twist her head to press a light kiss to Goldy's neck while they wait.

[the_lioness]

It doesn't take long; Alanna learned how to pick locks from the best. This lock is more advanced than the ones she's used to, but at least it isn't doubly protected by spells. The tumblers fall into place with a soft click.

"Good boy," she croons, opening the door a crack.

Standing, she tucks the envelope away again and smiles. "All set."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy murmurs at the touch of the lips on her neck. She rolls her head away a little, allowing Miho better access and inviting a more prolonged follow up.

But Alanna is very efficient. Her quick work saves her the trouble of witnessing something more amorous, and Goldy lets out a light sigh of disappointment.

Putting her 'game face' back on, she pats Alanna's shoulder praisefully.

"Nice work."

Her tone is only the slightest bit flat.

[comm-npc.livejournal.com]

The room is darkened, although not completely pitch black - a faint glow comes in from the hallway, and occasionally a black silhouette can be seen passing the open door. Workstation line the walls, computer screens powered down, desks empty. The odd enormous potted plant looms out of the gloom.

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Outside the window, three more dark silhouettes hang spider-like from thin lines. They belong to three females garbed entirely in black, only their eyes and relative builds giving away their identities. Three pairs of boot soles rest at the base of the smoky glass.

One of the three women is slightly turned, allowing another to delve around in the knapsack on her back.

[twiststheblade]

Miho slides out the small pry bar, and turns to the window, setting it neatly into the lower edge of the upper window, working it under the seal. A slight jerk, and the window rises a little in its frame, and the pry bar goes in a little further.

Again.

Again.

Eventually, she grits her teeth slightly, and gives a hard downard smack on the bar, and the window pops outward a few inches.

[the_lioness]

A few inches, but not enough to gain them entrance. Not wanting to use her Gift lest the light be seen, Alanna braces her feet against the window and places her hands on either side of Miho's, pushing down with all her strength. It does the trick. The window opens out, and Alanna ducks to the side so they can pull it up all the way.

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy gives a thumbs up. She takes the prybar back and allows the other two to scramble through before she follows.

Harnesses are unclipped, released and restowed.

While she's packing eveyrthing away, she also pulls out three sets of slimline night vision goggles and silently hands out two of them.

[twiststheblade]

Miho takes the goggles puts them on, resting them on her forehead. Enough light to see by for now. She steals towards the doorway, keeping to the sides of the room, and ends up against the wall, waiting for the others to join her.

[twiststheblade]

Miho pauses just before a corner in the corridor, keeping her voice very low.

"Okay, unless I'm wrong, the vault is just around the corner. There ought to be a pair of guards outside, which shouldn't be a problem. And we can blow the doors, right Goldy? And then it's just the inner doors."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy nods, moves to the corner, and leans back against the wall. Once in place, she pulls out a compact from her jacket pocket and flips the lid open. She then spends the next thirty seconds checking her make-up and touching up her eyeshadow.

She catches Miho and Alanna's disapproving looks in the mirror and turns to them.

"What? I can't go on a raid and still look good?" she whispers, smirking at each of them in turn. An eye roll follows. "You two are the limit. Have a little faith!"

She holds the set away from her face and angles the mirror slightly, so she can see around the corner and down the next corridor. "Yep. One vault. And two nervy guards ready and waiting for us."

"I've got no shot," she comments next. "Oh well."

She presses one of color squares in the palette, clicks the lid back down and casually lobs the whole compact around the corner. There's an immediate cry of alarm, but it's drowned out by a thunderous blast—a huge explosion that rocks the floor and walls. In fact, the whole building seems to shake for a few seconds.

Everything settles eventually, and the roaring dies away. A cloud of dust billows past the corner where the girls are. At this point, Goldy peeks up from her duck-and-cover crouch, hands still over her ears.

"Oh. Sorry, girls," she says, biting her lip guiltily. "Did I forget to say 'fire in the hole'?"

[the_lioness]

"-fire in the bowl?"

Alanna's ears are roaring. Palms pressed up against the wall as if trying to hold it up, she slowly turns her head and gives Goldy an incredulous look.

"WHAT BOWL?"

Grumbling under her breath, she looks around the corner. Huge chunks of twisted metal litter the hallway, and the outer vault doors are mangled and blown in, dangling uselessly.

"ALL CLEAR. YOU AND YOUR TOYS!"

[twiststheblade]

Miho is torn.

On the one hand, bloody great explosion.

And on the other. . . bloody great explosion!

She settles for giving Goldy an arch look, and heading around the corner, shaking her head slightly in a totally vain attempt to clear the ringing in her ears. She twists the look over her shoulder, lips quirking.

No-one could expect her to resist, could they?

"You were only supposed," she points out, "to blow the bloody doors off."

A giggle.

"But that's two guards we won't have to worry about again. Come on, time to air our criminal talents."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Laughing softly, Goldy gets to her feet and heads around the corner to view the destruction for herself.

"Ooooh! Yeah," she notes impressedly. "It is possible that a smaller charge would have done the job."

Remorse is definitely lacking. Instead, there's a wicked grin and a gleeful brightness in her eyes.

She turns to Alanna as they all trot down the hallway towards the vault. "You don't like my toys? I think you ought to get acquainted with some of my less destructive, and more...," she sends an amused glance to Miho, "pleasurable ones. You're sure to change your mind."

[twiststheblade]

She can keep a straight face. Honest.

Miho picks her way around the debris, making a face at the remains of the guards - they're not very pretty. Not that she minds the gore, particularly, but these are new shoes.

She makes her way through the gaping hole, edged by twisted shards of metal, that is all now left of the vault doors her father had been so rpoud of, smirking slightly. The inner doors are still intact, and she gives them a curious look.