Blood Red Tape
The corridor was eerily dark, despite the half moon and nearby streetlights providing some lighting. Partially to the intruder's liking, as she preferred having some cover around as she snuck from doorway to doorway through City Hall, making sure she stayed out of sight of the rotating cameras. But there was something to it that made her skin crawl tonight.
Her concentration was broken when a voice chirped in her ear, and it took all she had to not freak out. "Wiggles, you good? I literally can't see you, so I have no idea what's up." Wiggles cursed under her breath, her subvocal mike still picking up the entire rant, laced with Dutch diseases and English sexual acts. She could hear the other side occasionally wanting to speak but thinking better of it.
"How many times, Data, must I tell you. No talking while I'm sneaking. I almost died of fright just now. Use the damn colour signals!" She cursed a few more times as she continued towards the emergency staircase. A green light flashed in the corner of her AR display, signalling OK. Then two orange and a yellow, to apologize. She nodded gently to accept it, then continued. When she came to the door, a yellow, then seconds later a green as she heard the click of the door unlocking.
There was that chill again, she noted absently as she went through the door. Strange with how well-insulated the place should be. She dropped a spydrone off on top of the fire extinguisher, before making her way down to the basement. Her footsteps quiet enough that her heartbeat and silent breathing were the only thing she heard.
The basement door also unlocked in mere seconds, the Decker earning her paycheck on this B&E job. The mage, well he was still bored out of his mind on Astral Overwatch. But Wiggles would rather Acid get an undeserved paycheck, than miss out on a deserved one. Before going through, she listened carefully while glancing at the mission parameters.
The cabinet's description was included, as well as its file number. Their J. had seen it before, but his contact had gone off the grid so he no longer could get what he needed. He still needed the blueprints and original deed, fast, hence the rush job that paid surprisingly well. Too well, as much as he seemed on the level. So here they were, acting with great care.
Just ten more meters to the right archive room, then a quick lockpicking and off she could be. As she got near the door, she noticed a strange shadow in the corner of her eye. She froze, very carefully looking while mentally activating one of the many microcams inside her suit. There was no heat or anything visible, but her ultrasound seemed to pick something up.
As her sensors were trying to decipher the signals she received, the chill came upon her again, as she realised that finally she was actually hearing something herself. Not the occasional sound of random vermin wandering around, but a more rhythmic noise. Almost as if something was breathing.
She commanded one of her spydrones to drop out of her clothing and get closer. As she kept quiet herself, sending just a quick warning signal with her mind, she ignored the worried blinking in the corner of her eye. With the signals coming in from her drone, the background sound disappeared as her rising heartbeat overcame it. Now she was connecting the dots.
City Hall had become more rigid recently, folks said. Less bribes accepted, no more friendly favours, a harsher attitude. Now their J's contact had dropped off the grid, like some had before him, but they had come back. Altered, perhaps. Of course this was why. Of course of course of course. She cursed in her mind as she saw the man-sized cocoon and remnants of previous ones.
Very carefully she spoke so softly that even her subvocal might not pick all of it up. "Acid. If I drop, burn the building down. Then run. Green thrice if you hear me." A moment of nothing, then three green, then concerned yellows. She ignored them, gripping a knife and slowly sneaking forward. She would never forgive herself if she didn't try to help. But she knew well this might be her final act of defiance.
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