Halfway down the stairs, Owen realized he had forgotten the box of matches, and, telling the others that he would catch up, he ran back to his apartment room. Was there anything else that he forgot too? Owen doubted it. There wasn't much to bring to start with - as daunting as the heist was, there was still a balance between convenience and how conspicuous everything was.

Running back down and out of the apartment, Owen was hardly surprised to see a hulking SUV waiting there beside the curb, with the others already inside. 

"I was tempted to leave without you," James said, grinning as Owen stepped inside and took the remaining front seat. "Y'know, 'I'll catch up with you soon'." Looking at Owen's distasteful expression, he laughed and added, "Hey, don't take it too seriously! I wouldn't have actually done that! At least, I probably wouldn't have."

Owen nodded and looked around, surprised how spacious the vehicle was.

"Make yourself comfy. We'll be driving for quite a while, according to your friend. Er, Hob." Typing something into the car GPS, he paused and took a deep breath, watching a route unfold on the screen. "That is... a rather long drive, actually. I thought he was exaggerating." James turned around, looking at Hob, who was alone in the back seats. "Are you fine back there?"

Hob shrugged. "I think Owen would be better in the front anyway, if he's going to explain everything to you. It's fine."

"Right, then." Taking a quick stretch, James began the GPS route and put his hands on the wheel. "To GRAILCORP we go. Like I said before, make yourself comfy. There's a WiFi hotspot if you need it." He looked around. "Do we have everything we need?"

Owen nodded, and without further delaying a moment, they were off.

*     *     *

It was one of the few nights when Alexis couldn't actually fall asleep, though she couldn't deny that she was anxious, too. And she knew by now that when there was something that troubled her, she would never move on without solving the problem.

Only, there was no problem this time. Tomorrow would be a different story - Owen said he would come by then, and she didn't doubt it - but for now, there was nothing she could do. Nothing she could do but agonize over the possibilities.

It wasn't supposed to be like that. Her plan had been to watch Owen's heist unfold, but to stay out of the fray. And then, with her hardly having to do anything, Owen would tell her the information that she always wanted to know afterwards. Information about the sounds, finally being able to assure herself that she wasn't going mad, and that there was a very concrete reason why the sounds were there.

But now, that had changed. I should've known not to agree to Owen's deal. Him and his bloody antics! Why did I ever think it was a good idea to find out the PIN for him? And now she knew it. Goodness help her, she knew it, and she knew that she wouldn't forget it. What bloody thing drove her to find it out in the first place? Obligation? Her own curiosity? Or was Owen's idiocy beginning to rub off on her, goodness forbid?

Either way, it didn't matter. She had done it already - pretending to bump into someone, knocking both of them over, and then glancing at the person's keycard as she tried to help the other person get up. Did I look too obvious? Did they see me glancing? Did they even suspect? Even the slightest suspicion could point towards her in the end. 

She shook her head. No, she had to stop thinking about this! It was all tomorrow's business, anyway. And at the moment, she needed sleep.

Owen bloody Milano. If she made it through this, she would make sure to burn the man's phone number out of her contact list. And burn every other connection she had with him, along with it.

*     *     *

James was never a fan of public bathrooms. Agarlan's public bathrooms, no less, filled with mold and other strange things. Not that James really cared, but they were a nuisance. And his clothes were far too tailored and kept in shape to be blemished with such unclean things.

Then again, how else could he deliver a message to somebody in secret, while being stranded in the middle of nowhere? Telling the others that he needed to quickly go, James skidded the car to the stop on the side of the road and walked in.

Making sure that nobody else was inside, James took out his phone, dialing a number. It took the other side several rings before picking up, but when it finally did, there was a tone of surprise which threw James off guard. Were they unhappy with him? Hopefully not, everything was to go well.

He took a deep breath as the person on the other side asked, "James? What are you doing, awake at this hour?"

He laughed. "It was your idea, Anne. I'm joining Owen and his little... brigade to bring down the big, bad GRAILCORP. You have everything backed up, right?"

Anne paused. "I'll try my best. I did everything that we agreed on - as far as anybody knows, you were supposed to meet me at eight in the evening yesterday. But you never came, which then supports your story when you say that the others... abducted you. To keep you as insurance. At least, that's the story we agreed on, right?"

James shrugged. "I guess. But don't say the story unless I'm in trouble, okay? If everything goes right, it goes right. If everything goes right, I'll bring back extra souls for both of us, and there's no need to get the police involved."

"If everything does go right. Does Owen's plan actually sound plausible?"

"Eh, he told me it a while ago, but I forgot a bit of it. It's possible, I guess. Maybe still a bit far-fetched."

Anne sighed. "I'll keep a lookout, then. Call me if you need... help."

James nodded. "Right."

"It's pretty late. Good luck with the break-in."

"Thanks." James paused. "Goodnight, then." Ending the call, he smiled to himself. That settled the last of his doubts. Now what could go wrong?

He strolled back to the SUV.

*     *     *

The rest of the trip consisted of James driving, James dozing off, and James driving again. Owen and Hob didn't seem to mind the gaps where they weren't moving at all - they were asleep too. Or at least one of them was, at a time.

It was nearly nine when they finally reached Malille, a jungle of highways, monuments, and skyscrapers that hardly left room for anything else.

"It's so..." Owen frowned. "It feels like a bit much, doesn't it?"

James shrugged. "Looks fine to me."

Hob paused, staring at the sights for a moment before asking, "Where's the GRAILCORP building?"

"It's right at the center of the entire city. Well, roughly." James glanced at Owen. "You told me to park nearby though, right? But not in the actual building parking lot."

Owen nodded. "Not too far away, either."

James took a sharp breath. "We're getting close, then. Here be the hellfire."