Chapter Fourteen: Planning for the Pale Horseman

The apartment was quiet and dim when Murphy and Eve had hobbled in, and it didn't look like Connor had been home. They exchanged worried glances as they cautiously entered the living room, careful to step quietly. The last they knew was that he had called Smecker in an attempt to save them from jail-time. Instinctively, their hands dropped to their hips, but felt nothing there; they'd left them in the apartment when Eve carried Murphy to the lobby.

Murphy called to his brother through a whisper. "Connor, are you here?" Eve looked to him in disbelief. He caught the disillusioned expression, and shrugged.

"Well, now that everyone knows we're here, ya don't have to whisper. If Connor could hear you, why couldn't anybody else?" Eve shook her head. At that moment, Connor came through the door, letting it slam behind him. The heavy door falling into its frame startled them; they jumped towards the door, almost careening in to Connor.

"Oi, the fuck is this, then?" Murphy caught himself from stumbling into his brothers knees, while Eve landed hard against his shoulder, knocking him back a few steps. "Well hello there, happy to see ya too, Eve." Amused, Connor chuckled until Eve pounded a closed fist on his chest.

"Connor, that was not funny! The hell are you thinkin' doin' this shit, man?" Connor rubbed the area mockingly. She could hear Murphy trying to stifle laughter behind her as Connor's smile only got bigger until they were both cracking up. "You assholes really have a sick sense of humor, ya know that?" The brothers looked at each other, still laughing.

"Oh, Eve, what's the matter with a lil fun every now and then? Why so serious?" Murphy cracked, chasing after her as she stormed off. He stopped in mid-stride and looked to Connor, trying not to laugh. "It must be that time of the month."

"Fuck you, Murphy." Eve called from the kitchen. The boys looked at each other trying to stifle a snicker. "Get in here; we've got a plan to make." She called again. They exchanged protesting glances and trudged through the door. Eve was leaning over a few pieces of yellow lined paper with a pen, a faraway look in her eye as she chewed at the cap. She began to draw on a piece of the paper, outlining her father's property. It was a decently sized property, and easy to navigate, but navigation wouldn't be the real issue. Getting in, doing the deed, and getting the hell out would be. "Alright…" She said capping the pen, and breathing out a sigh. "This is the general set-up." She pointed to a corner of the property. "We should be able to make a hole big enough in the fence for all three of us to crawl through. There will be cover on the other side in the hedges, so we can try to avoid being seen. Silencers are a big thing in this, and I know you guys like to put on a show, but don't…"

"What's wrong with bravado? Go big, or go home." Connor mused. Eve ignored him and traced her finger up the side of the 2D property.

"The area along the fence isn't lit, so we can crawl by the fence. We're ninjas, or we're dead, boys." She shot a warning gaze at both boys, making sure that point stuck. "From there, there's cover at the back of the house." Her finger followed her vocal directions. "There are armed guards circling the halls, so keep focus and no cracking jokes. Ninjas." She pointed to the back of the house parameter: "We'll head up the back porch stairs and pick the lock, take out the flunkies, and make our way to my father's office. Just remember, armed guards, keep focus." She looked up from the page, waiting for Connor and Murphy to agree."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "By any chance… Did you get this from a movie?" Eve's eyes fell to the ground, sheepishly.

"Kinda, but it sounds like it'll work…" She glanced around the room, smirks forming on their faces. "It's nothing you've never done. Like Connor said: 'Go big, or go home.' At least mine is quiet." She shuffled her feet a little nervously, and after a moment, the boys nodded their heads.

"This is true…" He nodded, accepting that fact. "We'll give it a shot, but plans have a tendency to backfire around us." Murphy mused, grimly. "We should give ourselves a day to heal up, and then go in guns blazon." Eve nodded to Murphy, holding his nervous gaze briefly. "Let's get to sleep; we've got a painful day ahead of us, full of aspirin and ice packs." Eve smirked and let a tense breath escape.