The bed was a mountain of crisp white sheets under the thick warmth of a snow white duvet cover. Beneath the mound his Aaliyah Cole, still sound asleep despite the late hour of the morning. He morning runs had become a thing of the past and had now been replaced by afternoon runs since she had started her new job. Working at the bar had somehow completed shifted her life and while normally the brunette would not have stood for such unapproved changes, this was something she had accepted when she took the job to try and finally live a normal...ish life.

The dogs had been fed and had since escaped outside to explore their land leaving the Diviner to sleep in. Her shift had run late the night before thanks to a stagette party. The group had insisted on staying until closing, singing karaoke until they had no voices left. At 3am, an hour after the lights had been turned on, Aaliyah and Todd finally got the group out the door and into cabs. Luckily by then, the pair had most of the cleaning done and finished up quickly before having a beer with each other. Aal had finally made it home closer to 430.

After an hour of dozing and then looking through the emails on her phone from the people that still worked for her, Aaliyah finally slipped out of bed and to her washroom to clean up and start her day. Checking the time on her phone, she growled at the late time of 1PM and shook her head. She hated it, half the day was gone! But luckily she didn't work that night so her night was her own for the first time in over a week. She brushed her teeth and quickly changed into her running gear before slipping out through the basement door to the fields behind her hours. 

She stuck to the forest and mountain paths that day, her lungs protesting the more difficult run as she moved. The sun was bright, the heat from it drawing a sheen of sweat over her skin as she ran. She had dressed for the weather wearing a tank top and spandex running shorts, her hair up on a high pony tail. The dogs caught up with her at some point and she smiled at the pair as they happily trotted beside her. She loved living outside the city with no close neighbors where her loyal pets could have free range safely.

Making her way home, she lost the furry pair beneath the shade of a large oak tree where they took a break, panting. Aaliyah continued on, knowing they would make their way home eventually. As she ran home her mind wandered to the information from the emails that morning. The dark diviner still causing issues and now a new species? Would this city ever truly rest? She turned her music up for her final sprint home.

The svelte brunette had no sooner poured herself a cup of orange juice and closed the fridge and brought the glass to her lips when the doorbell rang. She frowned, not expecting any visitors and took out her earbuds before heading to the front door. A coat of sweat still glistened over her and her cheeks still held a flush from her run. Opening the door, her bright eyes revealed a hint of surprise and a sarcastic smile crossed her lips as she leaned against the door frame. "Well this is a...surprise," she purred, eyes on her guest.

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Usually sleep came like the falling of an axe. A necassary evil, defencless hours oblivious to everything that could be lurking in the shadows. Wired until the penny drops and sleep invades every sense, instantaneous and unwelcome. However, over the past weeks in Evermore, sleep had become a sense a joy. Catching those hours here and there brought with it a sense of pur happiness, replenishing the dread the long days brought with it.


Eversons life had changed a lot since he had become a member of the organisation, and even more when he became head of the department within a day. Three night shifts in a row paired with a few hours here and there meant that the Human slept like a baby, his mind so tired it didn't even conjure a dream. Before he knew it, it was midday and he knew he was supposed to go see the infamous Diviner before she went to work.


His eyes popped open revealing a pair of steely blue orbs, his lips slowly parted to release a gush of air as he sighed. This was worse than an early morning...Hauling his frame out of the bed, Echo showered, shaved and dressed for the heat of the day. A pair of grey denim shorts that cut off at the knee, fraying slightly and a white tee that hugged his torso.
Making his way from his city central apartment towards the edge of town, he parked the car a little down the winding path that lead to Aaliyahs door. He slid a pair of dark sunglasses over his blue orbs and climbed out of the car. His eyes darted around her front yard and spotted her two dogs panting heavily under the shade of the oak which caused a smirk to tug the corners of his lips up. She'd just finished her run.


When the door swung open revealing her in her shorts and tank, Eversons eyes automaticalling drifted before returning to her features, safely hidden behind his shades. "Surprises are better than disappointments" He replied, his cockney hued with teasing tones. "Hello Aaliyah" He added then, his head cocking to the side slightly.


"I hadn't heard from you in a while, wondered if those contacts of yours had dug anything else up for you?"

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While she was surprised at the visit, Aaliyah had been expecting one at some point as much as she would have liked to close the chapter that was Everson and the Organization. That would have been easy and easy wasn’t how Evermore worked for most of its citizens. The brunette was very used to the way things worked in this city and never left much to chance or luck as that tended to rarely work.

Since their first meeting, Aal had made sure to do her research and had found out all she could about the infamous Everson Echo. She wasn’t surprised at the number of false trails and false leads she found that had successfully wasted her time, she had expected no less. What she had found surprised her a little as she thought about the man she had met several days ago. Playboy, not surprising, she had gotten that read from him nearly immediately. His family past though was interesting. A very rough and cold upbringing, Echo had gotten a strong education in an effort to impress a cold father.

Success had followed Echo but so had trouble through the choices he had made. His adventures had drawn a cool smile to Aaliyah’s lips. Everyone had their story in life and somehow she always found people with especially interesting ones finding their ways into the Diviners life whether she wanted them there or not. Finished with her research on Everson, she also looked into those he had crossed in his time making note.

As she leaned against the doorframe of her front door looking at Everson, thoughts of her findings came back to her and she smiled ever so slightly. Crossing her arms, she raised her brows at his words and smirked. “I was being polite by using the word surprise,” she grumbled, waving a hand in hello as she pushed off from the wall and walked back into her house. Looking over her shoulder she tilted her head, indicating he should just come in.

Strolling back to the kitchen she finally sipped from the OJ she had poured herself, her eyes falling on Everson as he followed. She smiled as his question, setting down her drink and leaning against the counter. “Of course you didn’t hear from me,” she chuckled. “And my contacts dug up plenty. It made for some very interesting bedtime reading,” she teased before her smirk faded. “Nothing on the necromancer though,” she said quietly, her gaze falling back to her glass before she drank the last of the OJ.

A smile crossed his features, almost involuntarily, as she opened the door up. The two hadn't spoken much, but after their first abrupt meeting, he made sure to lay back on the surveilance around her. He'd dropped the garden drones and took his alerts from the cities security camera's around.


"Polite, you?" He purred, cocking his head to the side slightly before grinning from ear to ear "I doubt that entirely." His response was jokey, teasing more than he had previously.


As she walked into the home, Everson hesitated before she looked back and waved him in. Nodding, he took a few steps and glanced at his shoes, he'd walked through the woods to get there so quickly slipped them off and moved to follow her towards the kitchen. His hands delved into his pockets and he watched her pouring her Orange.
His features however fell just a little when she mentioned about her contacts digging up information. His bright eyes washed over her, she looked at him differently than before. Her smirk faded yet a teasing tone remained. Her information wasn't about the necromancer.


A frown tugged down his features and he was taken aback slightly "Your information..." He said and narrowed his eyes. "You read about me didn't you?"


The penny dropped. Everson kept his past a secret because he didn't want the pity or the sorrow for his terrible childhood. A sigh whistled through his lips and hi stony front slipped just a touch.


"Okay. I didn't do this -" He gestured between then "- For you to delve into my past, thats my job. How you even got the information is beyond me, however thats not why im here." Taking a breath, the stony exterior rolled back over his features and his spine straightened a little. "I want to take you for recon...Out into the city to see if there is any information on the necromancer."


He lent against the counter and pointed to her. "I'll be able to go further with you, I can only hack so far."
With that, he pulled out his phone and began typing. "There are some underground places that may have more information about Diviners, theyre off the grid so...You get me in and I can get their information."

Aaliayh’s smile matched his as he smiled. She could only imagine what was crossing his mind as they reunited. His drones had disappeared after a few short days, luckily for him. She had been planning on removing them herself  had he not removed them and she knew he wouldn’t have appreciated her method. It would have left his drones quite useless to him and she was sure they weren’t cheap pieces of machinery. She knew he would still be following her as she moved around the city and attended work at the bar so rather than entertain him she had taken more to trail running than jogs through the city. She did it simply just to irk the human man.

She blinked at his teasing, her smile growing slightly. “I’ll have you know I can be quite charming when I want to Echo,” she answered, her sharp eyes never leaving his. “Of course how often you are on the receiving end of my politeness remains to be seen,” she purred. Biting her lip she shook her head and walked away, indicating he should follow. As she sipped her orange juice, she watched his features as she was honest and told him she had, of course, had some digging done.

As someone who had a pretty shitty past herself, the Diviner knew sympathy was the last thing he would want. She sure as hell had never wanted anything from anyone, especially their pity. Add his male ego into the equation and he’s probably get royally pissed. While she didn’t think she had showed any form of pity, something in her must have softened ever so slightly because Everson’s face fell and his eyes were sharp as they met hers.

She didn’t let whatever he was feeling change her stance on the situation. As he frowned and questioned her she raised her brows as if to say ‘really? You’re surprised?’ before she finished off her orange juice. She turned away from him as he spoke, walking to the sink and cleaning out her glass. He was upset, angry even and she let out a sigh that was both frustration and patience, letting him finish speaking before she turned around. Leaning against the counter she crossed her arms under her chest and let the silence between them strain a moment before she spoke.

“I didn’t ask for you to step into my life at all Everson,” she said, her voice quiet and neutral as her pale orbs found his. “You could have left well enough alone and I would never have even known you existed but you did your job and you made it mine to find who exactly who the hell you were,” her voice hardened slightly as she continued. “You knew who I am, you knew my past, and you did all that snooping without my approval. This is the world we live in, you should know that better than anyone so deal with it,” she said firmly, although not completely unkindly. Pushing off from the counter she smirked at him, “Don’t think this changes how I think of you at all. I will also consider you an asshole stalker, I promise you that.”

Aaliyah had always been honest, sometimes to a blunt fault but she wouldn’t ever change that. She had no regrets on find out exactly who this human was who had so annoying inserted himself into her life and she had never had any intentions of hiding her knowledge from him or judging him on his past. She saw his usual façade return to Everson’s features with a bit of extra coldness or perhaps secrecy that hadn’t been there before. She shrugged, he would get over it when he was ready to.

As she stepped around the island and towards the hallway she nodded. “I’ve nothing else to do but if you want a recon buddy first I need to shower. I am sweaty as hell and stink,” she said bluntly but with a sultry smirk. “Not sure your gadgets and computers are enough for this?” she teased. “I’m always happy to play the body guard and get you in. Haven’t had much action since I came back to Evermore. My knives are getting rusty,” she purred before her gaze hardened. “Let me make one thing clear though, this had better not be my old faction. I will not betray them or get you in with them,” she said sharply before relaxing again.

“I’m showering, make yourself at home while I clean up. Coffees in the pantry if you want to make a fresh batch,” she said before heading down the hall to her room. The main door she left open before closing herself in the bathroom and turning on the radio. She showered quickly, before brushing her teeth and putting on basic makeup before walking out the bathroom to her closet. She dressed quickly, slipping into a pair of black jeans, white tank top and she grabbed one of her leather jackets before heading back down the hallway to the kitchen. “Ready Echo?”

Her kitchen was that perfect mix of modern, with a homey kind of...Ranch like charm. The appliances matched, but the mugs did not, which was something that was both annoying and endearing to Everson. Her kitchen was also cluttered, dog food, bowls, water filters and the mornings mug still dirty on the side. THAT was endearing too, because it was the opposite of Eversons apartment. He had two of everything, the ones he used every day and a spare set in case he smashed the first, or he had company, the latter very uncommon.


Her tone split his focus on her kitchen and his steely blue orbs snapped up to hers, a sharp look piercing him like knives. She was teasing him again, something she seemed to take joy in, the purr of her tone was a tease, but laced with venom. Aaliyah was an intriguing person. His head cocked to the side as she spoke and a laugh bubbled through his lips. "Lets see if I can hold any sort of politeness for longer than 5 seconds...Hm?" He teased back.
It seemed, however, that the teasing, almost happy moment that Everson spent with Aaliyah never lasted. The venom they both spat always came back eventually...This time was due to her digging, however she snapped. Almost shouting at him. Her points were well made, but not valid at all...His jaw clenched as she went on, teeth grinding together slightly.


"The difference is I did that for my job. THAT was my job! I didn't take pleasure in poking holes in your personal life Cole, I didn't take pleasure in sitting for hours upon hours staring at screens covered with your face. That didn't make me happy Cole." His temper bubbled over the surface and he almost growled his response. "You, however, took pleasure in discovering that information. Because I buried, I personally buried it, so the people that found it...The things you read, you worked hard to discover. That was a hobby, not work. That is the difference." Everson took a breath to settle himself and then shook his head. "That information never left my lips. I did that digging myself, Okay?" He said, pointing to her. "The information did not leave my desk. No one elses eyes saw it...I hope you'll extend the same courtesy."


With that, he leaned against the countertop making it clear the conversation was done. He was glad when she changed the subject and he found once again, a smirk tugging the corner of his lip. "My gadgets and computers can protect me if I want to maim or seriously injure...But my job doesnt protect against GBH so..." He shrugged, toying with her and held his hands in surrender as she mentioned about her faction. "Im not asking you to go behind anyones back. No one is getting hurt, this is purely for information."


With that, he nodded as she agreed she was going to the shower. As soon as she rounded the corner, out of sight, he moved to open a few of the cupboard doors, finding the dishwasher and putting the dirty mugs inside. He took a breath and nodded.

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When she came back down, he glanced up and took her in. Her jeans, white top and leather jacket. He smiled a little, she looked badass. Shaking his head once more, he cleared his throat and nodded. "Of course."
Making his way to the front door, he slipped his feet back into his shoes and let himself out. Pulling out his cell, he began talking, pulling up different pages of information on the screen.


"The Diviners are sneaky. You know that, they had roots everywhere. Literally everywhere." His feet were taking him towards where he'd parked his car, a little off the path from her door. "However, Since you left, these roots have grown. The reason?" He said, stopping to open the passenger door for her with a grin. "Murder rates." He said.
Climbing into the drivers seat, he slid the phone into his pocket before he started up the engine, going on with what he was saying. "The violence in the city has gone up. Whether it be bar fights, ABH, GBH, Murder...All of it. SO your faction, thinking they're smart, went underground. Their clubs have no computers to hack, no security systems...No technology to interfere with." He muttered and scratched the back of his neck a little.

"Thats why I need you. To get in. You can hide the human to get me through the door and I can plant some microphones."

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Aaliyah’s voice was calm and quiet as she spoke, the anger in her tone was unmistakeable though. How dare he try to make her feel guilty for what she had done. Aaliyah felt no guilt. She had done what she had needed to keep herself safe as she always had. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and her jaw clenched as she listened to Everson speak. Hard to believe that someone with such kind and almost youthful features could shift like he was right now.

She held her tongue until he was finished, letting  him say his piece before taking a deep breath. Again, she kept her voice calm although it was laced with nothing but pure venom as it had been on that day when they first met. “Don’t assume to know me at all, Everson,” she said coldly, the use of his first name now normal when she was furious with him. “I didn’t say you took pleasure in your snooping so do not assume that I took pleasure in mine,” she growled quietly, her pale eyes never leaving his.

She watched him as he leaned against the counter, clearly wanting this dispute to be done. “I do what I have to keep myself safe. I was helpless once in my life. It’ll never happen to me again,” she said, anger leaving her and her quiet voice going even more quiet. “I would never share what I know. Whether or not I trust you to do the same since your job is literally to find out what you know and share it with your employer, is unimportant. You will do what you will with what you know about me but my life is hardly a secret and I have nothing to hide anyway,” she said before turning away.

They finally turned the discussion back to why he was here today and she turned back, some confusion on her features. “GBH?” she asked before nodding. “Good, because I’m not here to help you infiltrate one of the city’s factions ,” she said. “Been there, done that,” she added under her breath as she turned away to go shower, telling him to make himself at home. She showered quickly, not taking her time to enjoy the scalding hot water as she normally would. She spent only a few moments in front of the mirror before getting dressed and returning to the kitchen and Everson.

His once over of her and his smile did not go unnoticed by the brunette as she rejoined him in the kitchen. He quickly passed her as he walked over to the front door and the Diviner smiled as she followed him. She slipped on  her converse runners and followed him out to his car. “Diviners sneaky? Never,” she smirked teasingly. She nodded as she continued to listen. She agreed with Everson as much as she hated it. She had noticed the growing underground that seemed to have roots with Diviners. While many of them weren’t part of the faction, it was still had her cautious.

She took her place beside him in the passenger seat, immediately looking at the inside of the car and noting the cleanliness. She smiled wryly, his cleanliness reminded of her someone from her past. Aal was a very clean person herself, liking a clean and uncluttered home and always tidying up her house. She tuned in to Everson again as he continued. She had also seen the higher statistics for violence and even murder in the city and it was starting to get concerning since the increase was over such a short period. She frowned as he brought up the Diviner faction she had previously led. “I told you, I won’t help you do your snooping on the faction,” she said, looking at him. “Where exactly are we going?” she asked curiously. “If it’s a faction club you’re on your own, Echo.”

She chewed her lip as she thought. “Even getting you into one of the underground bars that isn’t faction owned won’t be easy. They have workers there to cover all the factions. Any illusion I put over you will be noticed if they can’t tell what I’ve done another Diviner will  be able to sense my magic on you and know something is up,” she said looking at him. “So what’s your grand plan El Cap-I-Tan,” she teased with a smile.

The guiltless woman bit back.
He could see as he spoke, her eyes narrowing and her jaw clenching, yet his mouth carried on moving, spouting his peace because he was pissed. His private life had been locked away in a vault he created...And someone had cracked the code. Of course, he was annoyed she knew the things to begin with, but he was more annoyed that someone had broke his code. He'd put himself on the level of genius with his hacking and coding, with no one on parr...Maybe his arrogance made him slip up.

As she spoke again, his own blue orbs narrowed and his head tilted ever so slightly. He did know her...Well, the paper form of her. He knew everything, her parents, her siblings, her past relationships, her past, her magic-level...Everything. But he was beginning to learn there was a lot more to a person that whats on paper.image


Eversons features twisted then, her lack of trust in him for some reason took him back, why? He couldn't quite figure out. "My employed leaves me to my work. Im given a task and I do it, Im the head of the department. That information stays with me, some of it was...sensitive -" He paused before going on "-Only I read it. My employer wants to know if you know anything about todays climate, not about your past affairs." The truth was, Everson did keep the information to himself, because it wasn't his information to share. The questions his higher ups asked were if she was involved, when the answer was a clear no, he could have dropped the case all together. But the Diviner intrigued him...


His lips curled into a smile however, when she asked about GBH, as if she should automatically know. "Grevious Bodily Harm. Thats the legal definition for your Diviner friends would kick the shit out of me." He chuckled.
He knew convincing her to sneak him into the faction would be difficult. He also knew that the tricks he had up his sleeve would only get him half way. As much as he hated admitting it, he needed her.


As they pulled up, Everson shifted in the seat and grumbled a little. "Look. If it makes you feel more comfortable, I will let you access the information I find." He said and then rolled his hand in the air "Then, you know what I know."
When she asked what his plan was, he grinned brightly.
"This club gets checked by the cops pretty much once a week. I appropriated -" He lent back and reached for a black bag sat on the back seats, pulling out two detective badges "- These so we can act the part. I just need you to be my eyes...Well, my magic eyes." Everson ran his tongue over his lower lip as he tried to phrase his words carefully. "Im putting bugs all over that place, they're tiny and unnoticable. They won't know theyre there at all...I need you to make sure they dont see. Taking someone of their own kind in makes that easier."

He grinned once more and cocked his head to the side "I also need you to stop them from killing me, if they work out what Im doing."


"This is a needs must Aaliyah. If the people of your faction know whats going on with the city, that helps everyone. You know theyre not always the easiest the get information from. Im trying to stop the Organization taking more drastic measures to get information...If these bugs work, thats your people and everyone else in the city that little bit safer."
"Help me...Please?"

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They were so similar in the way they spoke and their actions that Aaliyah almost smiled as his frustration bubbled over. They were both such composed individuals that their anger was cold and cutting rather than explosive. She could understand where he was coming from but she still needed to think of and protect herself over anyone else and she knew that might burn some people the wrong way but she didn’t care. She saw some shock cross his features for not even a split second before it disappeared from his face. Aaliyah’s eyes never left his as he spoke, her expression polite and cool.

Pale eyes blinked as he gave his speech about his task and his employer and while Aaliyah appreciated the effort she didn’t know how much of it she trusted. She might trust Everson more than the Organization but that trust was still minimal as she did barely know if him at all despite what her snooping told her about the human. She simply nodded at his words, accepting them for what they were. “Very well then,” she said before turning and heading to the door while asking him the meaning of his ‘code words.’

A smile crossed her lips as he updated her on the meaning. “Ahh yes,” she purred as she walked towards his vehicle. “And kick your ass they would, no magic necessary,” she taunted, looking at him over the roof of the car with a smirk before slipping into her seat and closing the door. Twirling her hair around her finger, the brunettes fidgeting paused as Everson shifted in his seat and offered to share the information. Her expression remained cool as she nodded and returned her gaze forward. “I assumed that would be the arrangement anyways providing you aren’t hiding anything from me that might piss me off and make me have to end our little comradery we have going. I’m quite enjoying myself so far,” she said with a cold smirk.

“Besides,” she added, dropping the lock of mocha locks and looking at him as he drove, “You won’t be getting any information at all if I change my mind so sharing what you get is the least you can do,” she grinned, flashing white teeth. As he explained his plan Aaliyah watched the trees pass by, her mind going through all the possibilities. She smirked to herself and looked at her hands in her lap. He really did need her since, as far as she knew, no one else in the faction had experience to sense when someone was casting spells without speaking the spells. This was also something Aal hadn’t heard of other Evermore faction members doing yet either as she had only recently discovered the research revealing the possibility of unspoken magic.

“So basically you need me to magic your bugs so someone skilled enough won’t find them even in they use magic to find them and play your protector if needed?” she said dryly, her eyes finding his.  If this club was made for the supernatural they would 100% scan for bugs regularly and if they weren’t masked they’d get found and destroyed quickly. She rolled her eyes as he again, tried to press on her the importance of what they were doing and how important the information that they might get was.

“Yeah yeah, I get it,” she growled, looking out the window again and biting her lip as she thought. “I’m here aren’t I? You know I’m in but like I said, if you’ve got another angle on this for any reason and I find out I’ll make sure you regret it,” she said, her voice was quiet and serious but her gaze didn’t return to his. Instead she fell quiet until they reached the club. It was early but the place had lots of loyal regulars so was already decently busy with the early evening crowd. Aal, grabbed the badge from the centre console and looked at her name and smirked. “Grant? What a blah name. Officer Grant,” she shook her head, clipping the badge to the waist of her jeans before looking at Everson. “Ready?”

As they pulled up to the bar, her jab at his strength made him laugh. It was easy, laughing with her...He hadn't had that in a while. Glancing from the corner of his eye, Everson grinned back at her "Hidden strength Miss. Cole, Hidden strength." With that, he pulled the duffel bag onto his lap and began routing through it. He faltered slightly when she mentioned the sharing of information, knowing how much trouble he'd be in for even involving her in the first place, But Everson didn't have a death wish...Anymore. 

"And here I thought you just liked my company. Always an agenda." He teased lightly, sliding two shock plated onto his palms. As she broke down her role in this endeavour, Everson smirked and nodded "See, I knew you were intelligent." 

When she said she understood, her tone made him pause for a moment. "You understand, that if I wasn't here to put these bugs in place, someone from a different department would be...And they might not come with tech..." He sighed and gestured to her. "Look, I didn't want to like you. But you're kind of growing on me, which means Im gonna do everything in my power not to get your faction massacred." He tilted his head and presented a lopsided smile to her "Im doing what I can here. So keep the growling to a minimum?" 

As she read the name on the badge, he laughed out loud and shook his head. "You're Grant, I got Officer Speight." Scoffing, The human held the badge and nodded to her. "Ready Officer..."

Taking a deep breath, Everson banged a fist on the door four time, waited a beat and then shouted through "Police, Open up!" A tall muscular man opened the heavy steel door and glared at the pair of them, Everson tried to give a confident smirk and said "You know the routine, Im Officer Speight, this is Officer Grant. We've got a warrant to look around the premises." With that, the Diviner grumbled but took a step aside. 

Everson entered, his hand holding the door frame and placing a tiny microphone onto the frame, glancing at Aaliyah to make her aware. As he walked further down the corridor, Everson made sure to check in every bookshelf, every cubby, every crack and nook scattered around the bar, leaving in his wake a path of miniscule camera's and microphones for Aaliyah to cover with her magic. He was being watched like a hawk from the Diviners already in the space, glaring. The human faction hadn't been the nicest over the past few weeks, especially to the diviners, so it was already dangerous of Everson to be there, let alone be there and placing bugs. 

"I need to check the offices too? Staff room, any room leading off." He said, his arrogance standing him tall in the face of what could be serious injury. 

The pair were lead down a small corridor towards what Everson could only presume was the main office. In there a large desk, chairs either side, filing cabinets against one wall and a bookshelf against the other stacked with old, worn books some of which looked homemade, others looked older than Everson. Again, The human sifted through leaving a trail of bugs so he could see every angle of the room and hear every word of what might go on in the privacy of the back room. 

The sleek vehicle pulled up close to the front of the club, the door dark, and the building windowless. Aaliyah smiled slightly before returning her attention to Everson. She had already called on her magic, her eyes shifting to their pale amber so the bouncer would think this was her regular eye color and not be able to use the shift in eye colour to tell when she was using her magic. She watched him dig through his bag and laughed gently at his teasing. “I think we are barely at the stage of tolerating each other’s company,” she replied coyly.

However, without even noticing it, Aaliyah had actually started to enjoy the presence of the tech spy. While he still easily annoyed her, she supposed that was because of the current situation and her lingering annoyance at being spied on. Steadily though, that annoyance was wearing off. After breaking down what she would do, the brunette rolled her eyes at Everson before sobering up as he continued.

It was true, there were other groups out there trying to get answers in a less subtle way. In ways that might draw the attention of those who don’t know about the supernatural or what was happening in their city at all. She just pursed her lips and nodded silently. She didn’t need him to tell her. She knew all about the more extreme supernaturals that were out there. She had been kidnapped and held prisoner her whole life after all simply in retaliation for something her bastard father had done.

Her golden eyes finally met his as he played the ‘saving the faction from massacre card’. She tilted her head a little and smiled cooly. “You’re assuming the Diviners want or need help, Echo. Even if the city’s faction was in danger, you underestimate them,” she said before chuckling over the name on her badge. Her brows raised as his name. “Speight? Sounds like your chocking when you say that one,” she chuckled, offering him a smirk before nodding. “Ready,” she said, amber eyes serious.

She looked casual enough as she followed Everson to the door. Tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket she let her expression settle on firm indifference as the door opened abruptly by a large man. Aaliyah’s eyes found his before his gaze shifted to Everson. He was human, she could read that off him in a second. His eyes shifted colour as he also took a read of her and Everson. She gave a slight node as she felt his magic read her before returning his attention to Everson who was waving their fake warrant in front of the bouncer.

As the Diviner let them in with a scowl Aaliyah offered him a smile and a shrug as if to say ‘sorry, you know how it is’. The bouncer relaxed slightly. Walking through, Aaliyah made her own way through the club, not following Everson but working a complex spell over each camera and mic he hid. If anyone came across them, they would see only a screw or bolt. A second layer of spelling had the person suddenly distracted by something else.

Eyes were on the pair as they casually explored the main area and the washrooms, kitchen, and storage rooms. As the pair naturally merged together again after all Everson’s gadgets were laid the brunettes eyes met Everson’s as they met back up with the door man. Aaliyah remained silent, hands still relaxed in her pockets as Everson spoke. They were led through another hallway and shown a few remaining rooms.

As Aaliyah opened the door to the last room and entered, her amber gaze met the bright blue eyes of a handsome man sitting behind a desk, hard at work on a laptop. He didn’t even look up at the pair entered but waved a hand for them to come in. “Make it quick, I’m busy.” He said, still without looking up. Aal didn’t miss a beat, her expression showing no recognition, but her hand, still hidden in her pocket, twitched with the desire to reach for one of the knives she had hidden on her.

“Funny seeing you here Byrne. I didn’t know you were running a club in town now,” she purred, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe as she smirked at the man that had been a part of the faction while she had been leader. She wasn’t sure if he still recognized the faction and the leadership. The Irishman had been a pain in the ass while she led and had always had questionable activities outside of the faction. With him at the helm, she now was curious as to what information they would learn from the hidden bugs.

The male finally looked up, his bright eyes meeting his and a cold smirk crossed his lips. “Aaliyah love! I had no idea you were back!” he purred, reclining in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest as his gazed shifted and watched Everson for a moment. “Career change?” he asked, his voice filled with humour but his eyes were cold with suspicion. Aaliyah silently cursed their luck as she smiled and shrugged. “I need something to occupy my time. I’m sure you of all folks understand that,” she said not missing the chance to add in a dig at the end. She knew their luck wouldn’t hold much longer. They would find out about her fake badge name and while a long shot, there was always the chance that Byrne might remember her eye colour while using magic. “Almost done, Speight?” she asked over her shoulder to Everson….

Eversons plan was working. His bugs were being placed, here there and everywhere and every inch of the club now with either a camera, a microphone or both. Her jests before they entered only made him chuckle. Aaliyah Cole was endearing when she joked and she managed to make him laugh, even at the face of what could be his last mission.

As they entered the back room, he hesitated a little when she identified the man hunched over his laptop. His cold steely eyes nestling onto Everson before rocking back to his mousy haired accomplice. At her words, He straightened after placing the last bug and nodded. "Clean sweep." He muttered, cocking his head to the side a little. "Best finish the paperwork back at the office, That'll be worse than if we'd found something." He said with a mock grunt.

Making his way out towards the entrance again, he hovered, his eyes scanning the room for the final time before making his way back outside towards his car. His eyes scanned over the tall Diviner before frowning. "You know the owner?" He accused. She'd never mentioned knowing anyone in there of any power before, this was big news.

"Get in." He said simply before climbing into the drivers seat. He didn't wait for her as he pulled out two thin laptops, placing one on the dashboard and one in his lap, each with different codes flooding the screens. " The bugs are live." Echo muttered. His blue orbs scanned every word that scrolled speedily passed the screens, filling up file after file. They were already discussing the visit, soon they might discuss their secrets.

"Its time you start telling me everything Cole." Everson added then, turning his attention to her. "Everyone in that room knows who you are. They're all talking about how you're 'bent' now working with the police?"

Aaliyah held her eye contact with Byrne but continued to watch Everson from her peripherals. He was incredibly sly about hiding the bugs through the office. “Yes, I suppose you are right. We need to stay busy or else we get ourselves in trouble with boredom, don’t we,” the Irish Diviner answered her coldly, his smile calculating and never reaching his piercing eyes. The brunette’s features never wavered to reveal any emotion but she allowed the fake smile to fall from her lips as Everson rejoined her, finishing his sweet of the Diviners office.

Bright orbs found Everson’s gaze as he finally said he was done. She nodded silently and turned to follow him. “Pleasant to run into your Byrne. I hope to not repeat it anytime soon,” she said over her shoulder with a wave as she walked down the dark club hallway, following Everson towards the club exit. She let out a sigh, weight falling off her shoulders as they got closer and closer to the exit. Maybe they were going to get lucky and get away clean. Her lips pursed in disdain as she knew that wasn’t 100% the case. Byrne would be having someone look into her now and what she was doing. He would also be incredibly suspicious of Everson as well. It probably wouldn’t be long before they found out it was a fake inspection. Luckily, Aal trusted her magical skills and knew her hiding of the bugs would be nearly impossible to detect.

In the dim lighting of the club interior, Aaliyah allowed the magic to fade from her gaze and her eyes shift back to their natural oceanic blue. Everson opened the door and the pair finally stepped into the light and she let out a sigh, running a hand through her rich mocha locks. Making her way over to the passenger side of her human counter-parts car, her eyes flashed up to meet his at the accusatory tone of his voice. Seeing his frown, her hackles were immediately up and her gaze narrowed. “I’m sorry, would you like a list of every single goddamn person I know, Echo?” she answered curtly before shooting him one last look of venom and dropping into her seat.

The brunette didn’t even blink as Everson settled beside her and immediately unveiled two laptops and began typing away at an unhuman pace. She rolled her eyes and, leaning her arm against the window armrest, rested her chin in her hand and watched the busy city around them. “Hmmm that’s good,” she answered, not fully caring that he already had his bugs up and running and was collecting information while parked literal feet away from the main entrance. She let out a deep audible breath as Everson’s typing slowed and she waited for him to resume his squawking at her that he had begun on their approach to the car.

Turning ever so slightly in her seat she narrowed her seething gaze at the human, her eyes flashing with anger. “Are you trying to accuse me of something Everson? I lead the bloody faction here. When new supernaturals arrive in Evermore it’s custom that they meet the faction leader regardless of whether or not they intend to join the faction. They still have to follow our laws that are laid out if they want to stay in the city. I met every damn Diviner that stepped foot in this place up until I stepped down. Of course they know me,” she hissed. “My working for the city human cops now would look like going rogue especially with the Organization having their claws everywhere now,” she added with accusation. “Now either start the car and drive or I’m getting out and making my own way home,” she growled, turning away and returning her gaze to the streets around them.

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