AHHH!
The bum shouted, kicking in the air like a maggot in a burning iron. "My legs— I can't feel my legs!"
A breath crawled him to the wall, and again his legs moved. Instead, he scrambled up on his feet with his eyes going between Jasper and Vince.
"L-leave me alo—"
CRACK!
Jasper moved in an instant. He caught the man and crushed his skull with both hands. The sound snapped in the cold night air. Vince froze, stomach dropping.
"W-why did you do that?" he managed.
Jasper glanced at him, flat and cold. "He could report us to the SGC. If they find us, that man would get a huge payout, and we'd be dead. Now tell me: what does your artifact do?"
Vince stayed rooted to the spot, his throat tight.
"U-um… from what I've seen, it gives me information about the person I'm looking at. When I rip the paper, I can cancel out what they can do, like disable limbs."
Jasper hid his thumbs under his chin and looked at Vince.
"Depending on the circumstance, so could be useful. We do not know the negatives yet though."
He waved Vince to follow. "Move."
"Where are we going?" The question of Vince was one of curiosity and fear.
We are going back to hotel. There is something that Adam has to tell you.
An hour later, Vince and Jasper stood waiting outside the door. Sweat pricked at Vince's temple the whole hotel smelled of stale smoke and too much nervous energy. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach he didn't want to see Adam. He didn't want to listen. He wanted to kill him.
The door opened. The room, indoors, was the four-bed cell: Adam was lying on one of the beds Ara and Sydney were sitting on another, both already in fighting equipment. Adam had long purple shoes, heavy trousers and a coat of great bulk. At his elbow on a chair was a curious mask as the beak of a plague doctor but with a great many little bumps on it, each bearing a green, glassy eye and mist. The others wore similar gear. By comparison, Jasper and Vincent were still in normal clothing.
Adam had a smooth voice of false cordiality. "Welcome, Salomon. Don't sleep yet' we have got something. A mission."
A mission.
The word twisted Vince's gut. He swallowed. He hated how powerless he felt, how trapped he was. Yet the book burned at his side. He'd made a choice. There was no backing out now.
"Now, I know you might already be surprised by the task we've got for the next few days, but yes," Adam said, voice smooth. He let the pause settle, then dropped into a firmer tone.
"Listen up, Vince. It is now five in the afternoon. We are going to Whiteband, city to the east, near the border of the Egrazia Kingdom. With a carriage it will require a few hours. It is a gigantic celebration by a man called Estill Quispe. He's well-connected. He possesses some things that can destroy individuals. He is aware of our too many plans."
Vince swallowed. The room seemed to tilt.
"Your job,"
Adam continued, "is to get into that party. It's open to the public, but the security is tight. Once you're inside, blend in. Make friends. Get comfortable. Then, at the right moment, take your revolver and kill Estill. After that, we'll release an infectious disease that targets specific people ,the ones we choose ,and then spreads to their associates. We won't try to harm anyone outside our targets."
Vince's chest felt hollow. Kill again. He looked at his hands searching as though they were not his.
"Um… Why then do I have to do it, Adam, why do I?
Adam laughed, a short cold laugh. "Two reasons. First, you're weak. That's the point. Nobody will believe the person like you, nobody will think that a ragged basic man is going to draw a trigger. Second, Estill is aware of our intentions. He knows too much. He must be removed."
Vince resorted to a jittery laugh which did not seem to be a reply.
"And why, do you think, I have the will to kill him even" he said.
Adam bent over and gazed him full in the face. "Your hands are already dirty. You owe us. I spared your life, now you repay the debt.
Vince shivered with the cold. The lines were like the banging of a door. He was in a trap that he had built himself.
"A–alright…" he whispered.