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With my targets in sight, I shrouded myself in darkness magic and climbed out the window. I slinked from shadow to shadow until I was in the darkness of the alley closest to the kissing couple. With the tall buildings on either side of me blocking the moonlight, I was one with the darkness.
I unsheathed a short wooden club that I would use to knock both of them out and was about to pounce on my targets when I saw a hooded person come out of another nearby alley near the couple.
The hooded person who just walked out of the alley came across the kissing couple and teased them about the vigor of youth. After some embarrassed chatting, the three of them made their way to the side.
This just made my job more troublesome. I could knock out all three of them, but I would prefer to do things cleanly and disappear them without anyone the wiser. So I will just have to grab them on the way out.
***
After a few hours of waiting, the first of the hooded cult members started streaming out to go home, but even after waiting close to an hour, I did not see my primary or secondary targets.
So, if they were not coming out, I was going in to get them.
I snuck up to the side door all the cultists were using and tried to open it, but it was locked. I knew that it could not be that easy.
I tried checking the main door of the tea house, but just like the side door, it was locked. That left me with one entrance that I observed from my inn, a balcony that the tea shop used for some outdoor seating.
I easily climbed up onto the balcony and walked toward the glass doors that led indoors. I peeped through the glass doors to make sure there was nobody around before I knelt down to study the lock for the glass door, and realized that there was no lock. It was just a latch to make sure the wind does not blow it open.
I guess this must be a really safe part of town to have such lax security.
Getting access was a piece of cake. I just slid the blade of a foldable pocket knife I made for fun between the glass doors, flipped open he latch, and I was in.
I snuck around the top floor, found nothing but customer seating, and moved on to the ground floor, where I found much of the same, all that was left to search was the kitchen.
After sneaking into the kitchen and the adjoining larder, there was only one last place to look, and it was the only door that I could see light seeping from the bottom of the door. The basement.
I peered through the keyhole and the gap below the door to ensure I wasn't about to open it right in front of anyone. I was relieved to discover it was just stairs with a bend. So, I released a bubble of instinctive air magic to enclose myself and the door before opening it, and I was glad I did because when I finally did, the hinges creaked loudly enough to alert anyone nearby.
After closing the door behind me, I crept down the stairs and came upon what could only be called a shrine room. It was decorated with Eclipsed Eye sculptures and artwork, featuring an altar at the front of the room that still had some smoldering incense burning.
Further in the back, there was another door, and when I came closer to it, I started hearing people talk.
"So, my father-in-law-to-be, how are the arrangements going for me and your daughter to get married?" I heard the voice of my target ask.
The voice of an older man replied, "Unfortunately, your father's influence spreads far and wide, so there are no officials in the nearby regions who will legally sanction the marriage of a Langston without confirmation without the fear of reprisal. But I have another idea in the works, I am waiting for a reply from my contacts in the western territories where your father does not hold sway. If we can get both of you there, you can be legally married."
"And I will become a noble lady!" a young woman squealed in excitement.
"Yes, you will, my sweet honey apple. Anything for you." my target said before I heard the sound of him pecking her on the cheek.
What in the fuck is going on? Is this some kind of honeypot scam to be elevated to nobility via marriage? Sounds like juicy stuff, my client is definitely going to like to hear about this.
Well, as the saying goes, I am not getting paid by the hour to get this job done. I unholstered my wooden club and flared my aura while busting down the door.
Inside, the couple and an older man were having a nightcap and did not even get the chance to stand up before I rattled their brains with a precise clock to the jaw. While the young couple were knocked out immediately, the older man was rattled and had jelly for legs, so I clocked him on the chin again, switching his light off.
I then unslung the rope I had on my shoulder and started tying and gagging my three packages, and just to make them easier for transport, I rolled them up in the carpet from the room. After that, I began ransacking the place to gather any info, but all I found were delivery orders and invoices. But what I found interesting was that some of the invoices were not addressed to the tea shop, but instead to the housing district, a street over.
Having a hunch, I un-burritoed my packages from the carpet and frisked all of them, and found what I was looking for, keys.
I took the keys, re-wrapped the three of them, and left the tea house, locking every door on my way out. I then went to the address in the housing district and found a rather big house, it was the kind of house that was usually split into four separate two-story homes, but was renovated into one big home.
Seeing that there were no lights in any window, I tried the keys I got from the older man until I found the right one and entered the house.
As I was exploring the house, I heard movement from upstairs, and a light appeared. "Mister Jameson, are you back from your night out? I got some leftover stew if you are peckish," I heard the voice of an older woman say as I heard shuffling footsteps.
I was not going to like doing this, but I can't have old ladies bothering me while I am on the job.
A few minutes later, I was tucking the old lady into bed after I sleeper holded her in the hallway. After that, I was free to search the rest of the house and eventually found the study. From there, I unlocked a few drawers and skimmed through the contents, and I hit the jackpot.
After stuffing my bag with all the evidence I needed, I went to retrieve my carpet-wrapped package and made my way to the fast carriage service to get a ride back to my client.
The reception staff on duty gave me a suspicious look due to the huge rolled-up carpet, but they know better than to ask questions they do not want answers to.