The night was uneventful, aside from tossing and turning uncomfortably on the hard, ashen floor. Unsurprisingly, their new situation paired with sleep deprivation did not help them make up in the morning. Bellamy continued pouting from their argument, and Vesper stayed annoyed with her behavior.
If they survived, there was a lot of animosity to work through. She watched while Bellamy tugged on her boots and listened to her standard bitching about the fruit bars. Vesper chuckled, and Bellamy threw the bar at her head and called her “an even greater cunt than before.” For some reason, that made everything feel less tense, a bit of normalcy returned.
Vesper kissed Bellamy’s head when she stood up to join her, pulling her into a hug that just felt right. Shortly after the sun started cresting, illuminating their hiding spot and leaving them vulnerable, they made their way toward the meeting spot.
Vesper had been able to scrounge up some meager face coverings. They were typically used for Dewa Illusori practitioners. Seeing as this was the Atenung district, they might look a bit suspicious. Better than having their full faces on display though.
They needed to set up somewhere with a good view of the hotel. Vesper wanted to get there well before they were supposed to meet their client. Bellamy wasn’t convinced this would helpanything, but Vesper wanted to know if the assignment was legit or if they were truly being set up for a hit.
She figured if the assignment was legit, then only one person would be sent to meet them. If it was a hit, then there might be a team—at the very least, there would be two. And Vesper and Bellamy would be just another contract.
Now, they just needed to find a good hiding spot. Vesper dragged Bellamy down every back alleyway, scouring the nooks and crannies for somewhere they wouldn’t be spotted. Bellamy was ready to call it quits, complaining the whole fucking time and driving Vesper mad. Then, Vesper spotted an old, rusted fire escape on one of the dilapidated buildings near the hotel.
Raising an eyebrow, Vesper nodded silently toward it. Bellamy followed her gaze, eyes widening.
“Absolutely not,” Bellamy answered Vesper’s silent question in a harsh whisper, as if they weren’t the only people in the vicinity.
“Tactical advantage,” Vesper argued, matching Bel’s whisper.
“Fuck no.”
“Come on, Bel. Why not? It’s the best we’re gonna find. You know they wouldn’t check the roof. They will check the alleys.”
Bellamy tugged at the end of the ladder and then wiped the crumbling rust now stuck to her hand on her pants. “That thing is not stable. Why bother trying to get a leg up if the fucking ladder is gonna take us out anyway?”
Vesper snorted, then quickly tried to recover before insulting Bellamy further. “It’ll be fine. I’ll go first.”
Without waiting for a reply, Vesper pulled the ladder down as far as it would go and started climbing. She knew Bellamy would wait until she was all the way up, but she also knew Bel would follow, probably cursing her out the entire time. But a win was a win.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Vesper
Exactly half an hour before they were set to meet the client, Vesper and Bellamy crouched behind the short brick wall surrounding the flat, empty roof. With dropped jaws, they watched as a shockingly familiar red-head, wrapped in a heavy black travel cloak, strode to the doors of the hotel. She paused before entering, peering around cautiously. She didn’t look up.
“What the fuck…” Bellamy whispered in disbelief, turning to look at Vesper. “How is she alive?”
Vesper shook her head. “It’s gotta be another illusionist. This wasn’t an Embunuh trap…”
“What do we do?”
Vesper stood up and looked around the roof. It was empty and barren. She didn’t see any signs that an illusionist was up here. Bellamy mirrored her, eyes wide and searching. Vesper let her magic crackle to her hands, sparking in a threatening display.
“We know you’re here,” she called out, her voice cold. “Drop the illusion.”
Vesper and Bellamy stared at the roof surrounding them, primed and ready to fight, but nothing happened. No one appeared, and Cedar didn’t magically pop into view.
“She didn’t see us,” Bellamy hedged, peering back over hershoulder at the hotel door. After a few minutes of staring stunned at the hotel doors, Cedar re-emerged, looking pissed. She glared around the street, checked her communications bracelet, then slowly looked up, an evil smile spreading across her face.
“She definitely saw us that time,” Vesper murmured.
“Should we wait?”
“I’m sure as shit not going down there. Make her come to us.” Vesper laughed at the idea of Cedar climbing up that rickety ladder. Then, she watched as Cedar marched right up to the front of the building, disappeared inside, and reappeared minutes later from a door that neither Vesper or Bellamy had noticed on the other side of the roof. Well, then.
Cedar was accompanied this time by two large guards, one of whom looked shockingly familiar. Vesper squinted, staring at him as he glared back at her until she placed him. For fuck’s sake, did she killanyoneat that fucking assignment?
“Thought you were dead.” Vesper greeted them casually, taking a step forward to put herself in front of Bellamy. “Guess you lied about me killing the illusionist too.”
