So Close To Drowning

[Talia Bracken]

The pursuit was on. That much was certain from how she had acted. there was determination involved. A will to find where the assassin stayed. It wouldn't be easy, that much would've been clear. Picking a place to lay her head was a very careful process. It had to be a place no one would suspect. Where she wouldn't have to worry about being found. Unless of course, she wanted to be.

The Drench. Somewhere no one liked to go. It was the perfect spot, considering most avoided it. All she had to do was find a home still intact and claim it as her own. Then deal with anyone who accidentally stumbled upon it. A secret was meant to be kept, after all. Even if she had to eliminate those who discovered it.

But this time, she wanted to be found. So she made it a little easier. Dropped clues. Subtle hints that hopefully she would pick up on. Maybe it was wishful thinking. However the brunette had proven herself able before. She could do it again, of that Talia was certain. Still, she didn't hold her breath as she went about her evening tasks. Until, of course, she heard something. Or rather, someone.

[Lucy Serrano]

True to her own belief, there was no simplicity in finding where someone so dangerous and so wanted chose to sleep at night. It was unfortunate that she needed such vulnerable times at all; if she slept, how could she do so without any sense of worry? Cut off the head and a new one doesn't exactly grow. There would be an order in disarray, she expected. That was a lot of pressure. Tracks and trails had her mind wandering as quickly as her feet did to try and find it.

Sounds would always give her away. Learning that it'd take years for her to progress to something better was frustrating with in itself, like she'd gone from the best in one field to mediocre by proximity. The final frontier of such complexities was to break into the place where she found herself most comfortable, but in the end, she opted not to. A few idle taps at the door. An eye through the keyhole. A thief was never stupid enough to go anywhere near a place remotely lit like someone was actually there. She herself could be anyone, so before she bothered with one of the most difficult locks she'd likely ever encounter, she wondered if she'd be known by what little sounds she'd already given.

[Talia Bracken]

The fact it was taps on a door she heard and not footsteps inside was enough to give her away. Either that, or it was one of her widows. Either way she doubted a threat. That didn't mean she was unprepared though. Still, her feet soon enough silently carried her towards the door. She took one look through the keyhole, and felt a grin split her face. Then it was only a matter of undoing the lock and opening the entrance.

There she was. "Well well." Amusement was in those words. Yet there was also a small hint of satisfaction. She'd kept her word and found the assassin's home. Even if she had to have some help along the way, that was still an impressive enough feat. There was an idle flicker over the form she'd hoped to find at her doorstep. "Looks like you found me after all."

[Lucy Serrano]

At first Lucy couldn't tell if anyone was actually home. There was no life sounds behind the door, and so she exhaled in an almost frustrated sigh. She didn't really want to break in, or even attempt it. Who knew what'd be waiting on the other side of that door for a thief dumb enough to try it?

What if it wasn't even the right house? She could have been mistaken, and she could have just been practically knocking on the door of a total stranger. Not exactly her style by any means.

The door unlocked, and it was open. On the other side of that barrier stood a familiar face. This time there was no ringing in her ears or attention to detail for her heart. Humans were always something to pay attention to on some obvious level, but control was in high regard without a fresh taste of someone previously living. "Don't act like you didn't help." She pointed out as the corner of her mouth dragged upwards, "That's the closest I'll get to admitting that I needed the assist."

[Talia Bracken]

Don't act like she hadn't helped. It didn't sounds much like an accusation. Much less so when the corner of her mouth dragged up. Instead, that was the closest she would get to addmission for the needed assist. Talia smirked in response. "I'll take what I can get then." Getting anything from her was a small accomplishment in itself anyways.

"Come in?" The offer finally came. Even with the lack of people around the Drench, Talia didn't want to risk being spotted. That would mean moving everything. Too tedious. She stood to the side to offer entrance to where she stayed. For now. It was as clean as could get outside the Inner City, but clearly lived in. Everything had order to it, but not stiflingly so. A safe haven of sorts. Or at least as "safe" as it could get.

[Lucy Serrano]

There was an invitation to pass the threshold of this doorway into such a hidden home. To everyone else it must have seemed like nothing. Even to Lucy, it was a strange enough place to choose to lay her head. Maybe that's why it was so perfect.

And when she stepped inside, she realised how it looked. Small enough to be comfortable and incredibly inconspicuous. There was pride to be had just for simply standing here now.

"How good a secret is this place?"