- We won't be long, said Nathan after Rafe parked.
He cut the engin before replied :
- I'm coming with you.
He didn't trust them enough to let the three of them alone just before such an operation. And of course it was the only reason why he didn't stay in the car. He wasn't curious where Aiden had spent the afternoon. Not at all.
They stepped out of the car and headed toward a small alley stucked between two buildings. It led them into a cobbled courtyard gratified by a purple flowerbed. The club's sign above the entrance was unpretentious, but freshly renovated. Rafe tossed his head back in surprise.
- A karate club ?
- She tried her hand at dance, but uh... it wasn't her thing, scoffed Sam.
- For her defense, she's very good at it, remarked his brother.
His agressiveness was thinly disguised. Cute. Rafe waved his hand in a pacific gesture and retorted :
- I didn't say anything.
Two girls walked through the door, prevented the brothers from adding anything. The first one was unknown to him, but the second one, cheeks rosy from the effort, twinkle in her eyes, clammy skin and dishevelled wet hair, was none other than Aiden. They stopped talking when they saw them all dressed in suits. The random girl became beet-red and stammered something that sounded like "see you later" then dashed into the alley. Straightening her bag's strap over her shoulder, Aiden exclamed :
- Don't tell me I'm late. I didn't even take a shower !
- No, you're just in time, reassured her Nate.
Then Rafe and Sam apparently noticied as the same time that the red blotch on her left cheek wasn't just a blood flow. Her older's hand came up to her head.
- What's... ?
She stepped back.
- That's fine. We were training to fight two to one. It's always a little bit more inten... hey !
She grabbed Sam's arm to hold him back while he was trying to enter the club.
- What are you doing ?
- Is he still here ? This bastard gonna regret this.
- Wow, wow, Sammy ! I told you it's totally fine. It doesn't hurt and it won't even leave a bruise, okay ? Besides, he has already paid for that.
Her older relaxed slighty and Nate smiled with amusement :
- Did he ?
- I unvoluntary strained his fingers.
Rafe sigh and reminded them :
- C'mon guys, we don't have time for this. Let's go !
They went back to the car and, this time, Nate rode up front, letting his older sat in the back with Aiden. Rafe retained a sigh and started with a great rush. Simply hear the roar of the engine had much more effect on him than he would acknowledge it. Suddenly he became far less preoccupied by the three circus freak in his car, as his black Ferrari raced fluidly on the asphalt. Once the town left behind, the road soon became nothing more than a long deep blue strip meandering through a black and golden palette. Casting a glance at his passagers in the rear-view mirror, he saw that Aiden had half-opened the side window so that the air was blowing on her forehead. The dusk gilded her little hair and bronzed her skin. Her eyes sparkled. She had the look of someone enjoying the speed.
And it was definitly not why he accelerated.
When the manor appeared on the horizon, the nightfall had come down. Rafe stopped on the side of the road to let her get out of the car.
- Okay, be careful A, said Nate leaning out at the window.
- I'll be fine. See you in a bit.
Aiden gave them a two-fingers salute then turned around and stepped into the woods. She heard the car start again behind her, and the engine's roaring grew weakier as the Ferrari drew away. She was alone under a myriad of bright stars.
It took her about ten minutes to get the manor. The night was dark and chilly under the cover of foliage, smelling humus and resin. She was progressing at the light of her flashlight, her senses alert even if she doubted the wood sheltered any danger.
She finally reached the surrounding wall. It was an old wall, all made of stones and covered with red tiles. More aesthetics than protective. She climbed it easily and paused once she attained the top. Only the spacious garden terraces was lighted, wich left a vast area plunged into total darkness. Plus, the security guards only watched the entrances. No dogs, no patrols. A piece of cake.
Aiden dropped herself in the garden, then walked towards the manor. She was all dressed in black, progressing furtively, a silent shadow in the night. She walked from flowered bushes to fountains to trees and eventually get the frontage. Using the gutter, she climbed up to the third floor and crouched on the window sill. Her arms seemed filled with hard, cold lead.
- Hope it's the right window, she murmured, feeling unable to scale anything else.
Fortunatly, she didn't have to wait long before shadows enter the room. A few seconds later, Sam opened the window.
- Good evening, Lady. How can I help you ? He joked.
- I think I got lost, she minced, entering the room. Could you please help me find my way ?
- Speak louder, hissed Rafe, we can't hear you well in the other end of the hall.
The older sigh.
- No one can hear us here, Rafe.
Nate took place back against the wall, right under the air vent.
- All right A, come here.
He lifted her up so that she could grasp the railings blocking the entry and she teared it off with a small metallic clang . Aiden slipped into the dusty conduit.
- Uuugh, had they ever clean this thing ? She muttered.
Scrunching her nose, she crawled as quietly as she could to the next exit. Once again, she kicked down the railings then dropped herself into the room. The whole place looked pretty much like an antique shop illuminated by silver slanting beams. She had reached the private wind of the house where the doors could only be unbolted from the inside, unless one has a key - which they don't.
Dusted her cloths, Aiden made her way through the trickets pilling up and went to open the door to the boys. They started searching the room, looking for any relevant book, paper or letter.
As to be expected, Sam was the first to be distracting.
- Guys, check it out !
He turned to them, a pirate hat on his head and a hook in his fist.
- Yohoho ! Hoist the colors high ! He grinned.
His sister let out a "pfff" wrongly condescending and he put the hat on her head.
- Hey, there's another room, noticied Nathan.
He moved into the adjoining room, quickly joined by Sam. Aiden staid behind to put the hat back in its place when her attention got caught by a little wooden box with a golden lock.
- What are you doing ? Asked Rafe, waiting for her next to the door.
- I'll join you in a minute, she ansewered absent-mindedly.
He crossed the room while she lifted the lid.
- Jesus, can't any of you just stay focus ? He muttered.
But before she could replied anything, voices and footsteps was heard in the hallway. Rafe grabbed her arm and dragged her in a corner, backing her against some kind of antique statue.
The door opened and an old woman exclaimed :
- Oh, Basil ! How many times did I tell him to lock this door ? Come in Mr Hobb, I keep it here, I'll show you.
As the mistress of the house and her guest stepped into the room, Aiden tensed, heart pounding frenetically. Did her brothers heard them ? Were they able to hide ?
She was about to cast a glance at the newcomers but Rafe's grip tightened on her soulders, holding her in place. He was too close to her anyway, she couldn't have move even if she had wanted to.
Fortunatly Mr Hobb and the old woman didn't went in the other room, and didn't come nearer their hideout either. Aiden released slowly the breath she wasn't aware to be holding. A blast of thick air hit her in the face, combination of musty smell, old wooden furnitures, dusty carpets and aftershave. Though the latter wasn't unpleasant. It was familiar, close to the sent that filled the bathroom every morning after Sam or Nate had used it, and foreign at the same time, and heady, and...
And she should better start focus again, because the old woman and her guest were leaving the room.
Rafe and her heaved a sigh of relief as the footsteps and voices walked off. Realizing he was still holding her, he released her before turning towards Sam and Nate, who had just joined them. Nate exhaled a heavy breath.
- Well, that was closed.
- Find anything ? Asked Rafe.
- Yup, confirmed Sam raising a file before his eyes.
He gave it to Aiden, then they let her go back to the car while they returned to the party. Now they could only hope that these document will bring them closer to Avery's treasure.