The com-phone made a chirping sound as it went silent.
Angel checked the funds transfer again, and reflected on what might of have been. Making the cuts, she transferred the loot to various accounts and made a withdrawal of cash for the troll. 20k would cover her expenses for this month, and the cost of a new suit, and still leave some cred for her investments.
20k.
Should have been more. The images of the run flashed in her minds eye.
The red Eurowind 2000 pulling out of the targets offices, the spirit clogging engine filters and fuel injectors and the car grinding to a halt.
The principle climbing out of his car, and standing looking at it. Probably wondering why his coms links and alarms weren’t working.
Angel remembered walking across the road, with some purpose. Some instinct must have alarmed him because his eyes made contact with hers, and the race was on. Spell vs gun. Technologically enhanced reflexes vs magical acceleration. Cold hard professionalism vs overconfidence… Damn Cat and his desire to strut, and damn herself for giving in to that part of his nature! Small wonder, that technology won! Angel dimly remembered Cat demanding the offending individual be ‘taken down’, fortunately the others were still thinking clearly and moderated their actions… particularly the troll whose nature was to inflict actual harm. Though she still couldn't remember where the drain cover had come into it all... probably because she was concentrating on her spirit and attempting to confuse the courier. She remembered clearly being the van, and casting another spell... she had no recollection of the explosion as the courier suffered a number of misfortunes, notably the shotgun to the back of the head, and the ensuing detonation of the cortex bomb.
Despite the magical healing the sanguine fluid still lingered. Incarnadine blossoms covered her light coloured Yvent Braun suit, only some of them as a result of the bullet, the rest from haemorrhage caused by spell miscasting.
Angel shook her head. The ringing pain was still there despite the 8 hours since her dramatically poor miscast of her powerful Puppet spell. Never had she encountered such a strong will. His resistance to her magic was almost a direct affront to her powers. She reflected that the spell had nearly rendered her unconscious in the street, and had definitely done so the second time.
Anger mounted in her. Such a pity that the courier was dead, by the sacred paws of Bast she would have made him pay. He would have suffered at his own hands for hours, before she killed him for his affront! Her anger cooled instantly… if she had managed that the first time, the suit wouldn’t be ruined, her team would have had a bonus and their cache with Natalie would be higher!
That said, she still seemed interested in the group recovering the statuette.
Angel reflected, we now have a location. All that as needed was intel, and the plan. We also need to organise for Jack to run matrix cover.
Despite her headache plans started to whirl round.
The com unit went. A morning photoshoot at short notice. Apparently, her portfolio was back in favour. Reviewing the instructions, dark hair, a rugged outdoor look, and some requirements to operate, or at least look good in the latest automated demolitions equipment. It probably meant her being draped over the cab in a swimsuit again! It all paid the rent!
Busying herself, her thought turned to hair, dye, conditioner, and an early morning appointment with her stylist. Runs in the shadows would just have to wait…
