The night was still, the air thick with anticipation as I stood on the rooftop with Jacob. He appeared by my side, startling me once again. "Are you done?" he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice.
"Stop popping up by my side!" I exclaimed, my heart racing. "I don't like surprises. Can you at least give me a little sign before you appear?"
He smirked, laughter dancing in his eyes. The cheeky prick. As we stood there, the city sprawled beneath us, we began to talk about our lives. I learned that Jacob had no family left; he had been taken by the agency for his powers. They called him "The Shadow."
Without thinking, I hugged him. It was a spontaneous gesture, and as soon as I realized what I had done, embarrassment washed over me. I quickly pulled back, my cheeks flushing.
When it was my turn to share, I kept it simple. "I dreamt of becoming an agent, which is why I joined. But honestly, I've grown bored of it." I hesitated, knowing I couldn't reveal that I was the heir to my father's legacy.
Jacob laughed, his smile bright. "Well, that's a short dream!"
To my surprise, I laughed too. It felt good, and I was stunned by how easily it came. Our eyes locked, and in that moment, I felt a warmth spread through me. It was as if my smile had sparked something in him, a flicker of hope.
As our conversation wound down, I took a moment to appreciate the view before we made our way down from the rooftop. I confirmed to myself that the curse wasn't real. If I had known sooner, I would have smiled at my father when he took care of me.
We rested for a few hours, waiting for the mission to unfold.
At 2 AM, we geared up for our job. Jacob had a plan to get closer to the building we were scouting to gather intel on our target. By 3 AM, I had all my surveillance tools ready while Jacob disguised himself as an old man.
As the clock struck 4 AM, a large vehicle approached the building. Jacob stepped in front of it, meeting the target's gaze before they walked away. I quickly recorded the vehicle's license plate, took note of the building codes, and scanned the target's fingerprint and face. The plan was working flawlessly.
But then I noticed a shift in the target's behavior. He spoke to his guards and seemed to sense something was off. Panic surged through me as I reported it to Jacob, packed my gear, and slipped away without leaving a trace.
Jacob informed our employer of our status, and we quickly moved to another location. As I glanced back at the warehouse we had just surveyed, I noticed a vehicle and several armed forces. Relief washed over me; we had escaped without leaving tracks for them to follow.
Jacob approached, worry etched on his face. "We have a problem," he said, his tone serious. "The target has abilities similar to yours. He can view our memories for ten milliseconds."
"That's how he sniffed us out," I remarked, realizing the danger we were in. But we had no proof of his illegal activities. I had never seen Jacob so serious before, and it unnerved me.
To calm his nerves, I devised a new plan. I told him about the biometric data and codes I had collected, suggesting we use them to enter the building next to us. Our target had access to multiple buildings, and we could use them to escape. One building had an emergency exit that led to the public, which could be our way out.
We agreed to make a "stop" at the building, but security was tight. I had previously plugged in a hack to gain access, but we still had to deal with the guards. Killing or using my powers were not options, so I suggested we call in a specialist, as Jacob had advised.
"More intel is needed," I said, and Jacob agreed to call a friend. Alex would arrive by midnight and would be glad to assist us.
Three days later, we were ready. I led the crew via a communication device, instructing their movements as they entered the main building. I ran the hack program and granted them access to the basement. Everything was going smoothly until I heard footsteps approaching my door.
Panic surged through me as I packed my gear. A group of armed men discovered me, and I leaped out the window, carefully using my powers to escape. I made it to a vehicle and drove to a hideaway, but they were in hot pursuit.
Thanks to a secret passage provided by the agency, I managed to evade them. I resumed communications with my team and secured them in the basement, ensuring no one could enter or exit without my say-so.
But as I sent out instructions, I heard it again—the unmistakable sound of footsteps outside my domain. Panic gripped me. How had they found me? My heart raced as I realized I was surrounded by hired guns, their silhouettes dark against the dim light of the corridor. I was encircled, with nowhere to hide.
With no other choice, I prepared to use my powers. Just as I was about to act, my comm link crackled to life. "LENA, DUCK!!!"
Instinctively, I dropped to the ground, and in that split second, Alex's weapon came flying through the air, striking the enemies with precision. The surprise attack caught them off guard, and chaos erupted as they scrambled to regain control.
"Move, move, move!" I shouted, scrambling to my feet. The team quickly regrouped, and we fought back against the intruders. The adrenaline surged through me, heightening my senses as I dodged bullets and returned fire.