{Abdias - [Harry Peterson]}
The clock is sat across from me. It is seemingly ticking slow but I've checked, several times. These tasks are never easy. If I slip up at any point people will die, I'm not scared of killing or death they are my purpose but to die on this mission will set us back inordinately. My people in Helios will be kicked out if not arrested, my basement will be found and its likely someone will connect me to the legion. That is what I fear. It's odd you would think dieing would be the worst thing you could ever endure but no! There are worse things in the grips of torture you beg for death, when you fail at a certain level death is the easy way out. I was taught these things in the brutal fire of training all of my kind have to be a frumentari is to dance with death and my tutor taught me the dance with heat, water and metal. I wished for death each day until I realised that it wasn't worth it. Death wasn't worth the dishonour of failing. It's the easy way out no Frumentari would take the easy way out. If captured we must return to kaiser to apologies for failure to die is to fail and a legionary must succeed. I will succeed in this I will retrieve what Kaiser wishes and I will send it to him. He may never know my part but I will know I served him in this glorious way.
The clock ticks on, 12:45 15 minutes
I wonder if when this is over when the legions banner waves over the Mojave Lieutenant Wells will flee or stay, I - I think I'd prefer her to stay.
I close my eyes waiting, counting the ticks, I open them to the slight clunk of the hour hand and stand.
"Ave, true to Kaiser, may Mars watch this act and may Kaisers will be done."
My prayers are said and I am ready. I slip out of the hotel and begin walking some might think that I should wear some black outfit like those spy's from the pre war comics but that is pointless with my coat no one can tell my clothes are strapped and wearing a mask is not uncommon I look like a normal man and people expect to see a normal man. They don't expect to see a person dressed all in black trying to not be noticed. I reach the KSI and walk down the alley besides it. There is a door to the back stage area down here. It is where I expect. I run my fingers across its smooth surface and the frame. A fire door meaning it should have a push bar. Time has led to there being a gap at the bottom I remove the long length of stiff wire I had prepared and measure it agains the door. I attach a hook to the end and bend it to shape then slip it under the door I hear the snap as it hits against the door with some jiggling I feel it catch the push bar and pull, the wire straightens under the force and the hook pulls the bar down, with a jerk of the wire the door releases and I prepare my knife. It's a good legion Frumentari knife I wrapped in the style of a combat knife. I pull the door open keeping myself behind it then peak round. No one emerges from the darkness. Good. I drop my wire into the alley and carefully close the door behind me. I am in the back stage area and see one of their outfits hung up. I carefully walk over to it and hang my coat and hat up. I remove the jumpsuit and pull it on over my clothes. It fits in the legs but is clearly meant to be open at the chest so I grab a leather jacket and pull it on. I rememove my mask and grab the large black wig pulling it on and a pair of glasses. I saw how they walked during the performance and try to imitate it. After a minute I think I have a good approximation. I need to find the bedrooms and then I will be able to find the kids room. I notice a makeup kit near a mirror and carefully apply a goatee to my upper lip. I stroll through the backstage grabbing a fluffy scarf and wrapping it round myself. I soon pick up the sound of snoring and stroll into that corridor. I press myself against the first door. There is silence for a moment then a snore, I doubt that a child will snore and I doubt that they will put a child in a room with an adult if I can't find him in the non snore rooms I will have to take the risk of checking each room.
On the third room there is no noise and I ease the door open. It is empty. Moving on.
Four rooms later there is no noise, I ease the door open and see two adult sized forms in the bed. Moving on.
The rest of the rooms all have snoring, dam. I pause and focus after a few seconds I can make out a snore from above, I make my way to the stairs and pad up the edge of them on the second floor I pause listening. I can't hear anything but snoring so I pad up to the first door and listen. I continue my pattern until I reach a silent door, I ease it open and look in. It's definitely a child's room, I slip inside silently closing the latch. I pad to the shelf over the bed where there is a gun shaped object. I reach out and pick it up turning it over in my hands. It's metal, I reach into my breast pocket and pull out a sketch of my target and hold them both close to my face it's a match. I return the sketch to my pocket and carefully reach into my shoulder holster removing the toy gun from it and carefully placing it on the shelf then placing the firing mechanism into the shoulder holster. I gently step back and make my way to the door and slip out. No time to wait or rush. I slip back to the staircase when I hear a voice.
"Pacer what is it?" "Someone tripped the alarm for the fire exit." "See anything?" "No. Might be faulty." "I'll have a look around."
Hmm I have an idea. I step onto the staircase and walk noisily down it. I focus on their accent and speak.
"What's the commotion?" "Go back to bed." "I was just on my way back to bed." "From where?" "Having a smoke." "Did you go out the fire exit?" "Yes."
I can feel them trying to see me through the dark trying to work out who I am.
"You do it often." "Often enough. If this is my fault I can do the check." "No go to bed, we will talk in the morning."
I return up the staircase and down the corridor then crouch against the far corner. Soon a man comes up and goes into a room. I wait and wait and wait until finally I stand and walk down the corridor down the staircase by its edges and to the changing room. I wash off my goatee and use makeup to dirty my face. I get out of the costume and release my straps, then I grab my coat and turn it inside out pulling it on I grab my hat and beat it against my knee then pull it down low. I exit via the fire exit and leave it ajar then grab my wire and stuff it into my coat. I grab some dirt from a drainpipe and rub it on my coat, trousers, shirt, hat and face then walk down the alley and huddle myself into a ball.
Some time later someone bursts out the door he looks left and right then takes off down the alley away from me. I close my eyes gently knife in hand and wait. He returns walking almost past me before he starts. He gives me a prod, I assume a rough accent and open my eyes with a start waving my knife.
"I I'll be having you balls if you think you can have me without no fight ey."
He leaps backwards.
"Calm down man. I mean no harm." "I they do be saying that ey but I knows better eh they be being after my caps and I be taking a price for their attempts I do be." "Calm down man I am a member of the kings." "You don't be talking like one man, I be sleeping here because I knows they will defend me from scum like you eh so be off before I be raising them ey."
He leans closer letting me get a look at him.
"Oh ey you do be one of them kings. What's you want?" "How long have you been sleeping here." "Since light fell eh." "Has anyone entered this door." "Oh ey. I man jimmied that door he looked like a dangerous man I thought better than to confront him." "And exited." "I heard it burst open a little ago I chose to sleep it be later now." "Thank you. Why don't you come sleep inside tonight." "Really, you be doing such for the likes of me?" "Yes, this alley is about to get busy I'll set you up in a spare room." "Oh I'll be out before breakfast, I be not imposing on yous."
He leads me to a room and I climb onto the bed. I don't sleep I can hear people rushing around all night and when I hear the sounds of wakefulness I climb off the bed smooth the covers take off my hat and shuffle out the door. One of them approaches.
"Are you the man from the alley?" "Oh ey sirs, I'll be going not to empose on yous hospitality."
I ring my hat in my hands. He smiles and leads me to the kitchen. He dishes out a bowl of porridge and sets it down.
"Eat this first." "Oh no I couldnst." "I insist."
I sit and quickly eat. He takes the bowl pushes some caps into my hand then leads me to the front door. I quickly shuffle off as I pass the alley I can see NCR soldiers blocking it off. I rush back away. Then smooth my hat turning it the right way round. I turn my coat right and use some water from a drain pipe to wipe my face. I slow to a stroll and stroll back to my hotel retiring to my room. I lock the door and carefully take the firing mechanism from my holster. It is so unassuming yet so important. My hands are shaking as I carefully wrap it in cloth and place it in my bag. I will contact my brother here and get a scout to take it to the Stacks.