“This is no Darkside,” he lamented, referring to the disproportionate gap in the quality of life between the two neighborhoods of the same city-state.
Caiden switched the NOVO Lenses back to thermal mode, on the lookout for any hidden security guards. Better to sniff these guys out and know where they are and avoid any unnecessary conflicts, he thought to himself as he quietly dropped to ground level inside Plush Grove. With very little time to react, Caiden made a quiet dash to some nearby bushes as he saw a thermal signature heading in his direction. He summoned his gunblade and had it locked and loaded just in case he was discovered.
The signature, most likely a special government agent, moved slowly; as if they were looking for something. They stopped, standing just beyond the thicket where Caiden was hidden. He tensed, anticipating a fight. But the secret agent moved onward. Caiden waited until he was in the clear and made his way to Shino’s place. Shino’s mansion was huge. There was a row of palm trees on each side of the elaborate white brick driveway where two luxurious cars were parked. On the island in the middle of the circular driveway was the statue of the shiny golden lion. Ground lights were strategically placed on the outer edges of the driveway and walkway that led to the house. Caiden located the large double doors of the massive two-story mansion.
Thermal readings only picking up two signatures in the front, and still just one in the back. Hmm, they must’ve rotated shifts, he surmised.
Skillfully avoiding the two agents in the front, he scaled the trimmed bushes in the front yard and jumped over the fence into the backyard. The backyard was full of lush greenery, a well-cared for lawn, a polished granite party deck, an illustrious pool, and a small rock garden, giving way to a man-made stream and waterfall that was attached to the pool.
Several feet away and to Caiden’s left, stood the thermal signature. Caiden got lucky, as his NOVO Lenses identified that the agent was facing the other way. Caiden stealthily dashed toward the agent, wrapping his right arm around the agent’s neck, twisting his torso, and slamming him face first toward the ground! He muffled his mouth as he wrapped the agent in a powerful grip, cutting off his air supply just long enough to make him pass out. His chameleo-ware cloak came off.
Caiden searched him for any weapons, communication devices, datashades, and other technology. He only found a DNA assigned pistol and a cell phone, which he took. He disarmed the gun by taking it apart and throwing away the bullets. Caiden put the agent’s hands behind his back and put a pair of magnetic cuffs on him. He also took the agent’s tie and tied it around his ankles, then dragged him into a nearby bush to conceal him. The NOVO Lenses began scanning the height of the second story window of Shino’s mansion. The OS also began crafting a proper climb path by calculating Caiden’s weight, with the density of the mansion’s protruding bricks, ledges, and decor.
Perfect, he thought. He followed the path the OS laid out for him, nimbly scaling the wall to get to the large window on the second floor. Caiden looked over the ledge and into the study. There was PM Shino Honda, studiously reviewing stacks of documents. Caiden pulled up his terminal and initiated the security override code. He had complete control of Prime Minister Shino Honda’s entire home security system and the building’s power. Caiden smirked to himself and initiated a quick shutdown of power inside the home. All electronic devices and lights were rendered useless for all of ten seconds. Caiden powered the lights on again, which caused a bewildered Shino to look up briefly. Caiden initiated another quick blackout.
“Honey! Can you check the power panel in the basement?” Shino’s wife, Rinn, called out.
“Okay, I’m on it,” Shino replied.
Caiden tapped into the home’s security cameras to determine if anyone else was home. No sign of their kids; they must be away, Caiden thought. No other people were in the house, and there were only agents outside. Caiden continued to watch through the window as the door to the study reopened.
“Looks like I’m gonna have to call Neon Utility to come and check out the issue tomorrow,” Shino said.
“Okay,” Rinn was heard saying from another room. As soon as Shino closed the door behind him, the lights went off. But this time, the blackout was isolated to Shino’s study.
“Damnit!” A frustrated Shino said as he got up angrily to leave the study. Before his hand could touch the doorknob, he heard a voice.
“I wouldn’t twist that doorknob if I were you,” the voice called out to Shino.
Shino was frightened. He slowly turned around to see a dark figure with glowing turquoise eyes relaxed in a crouched position on the large window sill of the study.
“W-who are you? What are you doing in my house!?”
Shino was overwhelmed by fear. He turned back around and fumbled with the door knob, but before he could turn it he felt it lock on him.
“You see? I told you not to do that. We have some stuff to discuss, Mr. Honda, or should I say Che le Che,” Caiden said.
“What? I d-don’t know what you’re talking about!” Shino said nervously.
“Oh, I think you do. Sit!” Caiden commanded. Shino sat behind his wooden desk as ordered, hands open and forward, to indicate that he wasn’t a threat to his new intruder. “Good. Now, I’ll say this again, we have some stuff to discuss. You can play dumb all you want, Mr. Honda, but I already know a lot about you. Certainly, you are sharp enough to know what kind of situation you’re in,” Caiden said calmly.
“You called me Che le Che. You couldn’t be!” Shino said.
“Ahh, yes,
