I sat at a bench beneath the shade of a tree situated right in front of the Expansive 180 building. I watched as Soho had just entered through its front doors.
"There's at least 16 security guards posted up in this lobby alone, Klyson." She spoke to me through the mic of a hidden ear piece we both had set-up to communicate with one another. We also both wore matching navy clothing to give off the impression as delivery people. It was all a disguise.
"Let's first gauge if we can even be let-in as delivery people. And don't use Alex's full name." Is what I'd told Soho. The plan right now was to have Soho attempt at the most simplest form of entry: through the front doors.
"How may I help you?" I heard the receptionist greet Soho.
"Is there an Alex among one of your employees? I've been told to make a direct delivery."
"Hmm… I don't know of an Alex here at Expansive 180 that's expecting a delivery. Do you have a surname associated?"
Soho stuttered for a moment. "I wasn't provided one. Only my supervisor would know. Do you have a name-list I could use to verify by any chance?"
The receptionist was quiet for a moment. "This doesn't exactly follow company protocol, but I would hate to be the reason an employee doesn't receive their delivery." She quickly printed out a sheet with a list of all the Alex-named employees that worked in the building."
"Mind if I take a picture to check with my supervisor real quick?" Soho pulled out her phone.
"Sure." The receptionist slid her the sheet.
Suddenly, a received a notification on my phone. It was a photo of the name list from Soho, and although the name Alex was everywhere, the two-letter surname Li stuck out clearly to me. I quickly replied to her with a text of my own.
[ Alex Li is on the list. ]
"Oh, I'm so sorry to waste your time like this," Soho suddenly said to the receptionist. "My supervisor says the Alex we're looking for isn't here. The address was vague, so it must be another building in the area."
"That's okay. I hope you can find who you're looking for."
Soho waved to her as she left. "Sorry for bothering you!"
I watched as she came out of the front doors and join me on the bench.
"So Alex Li is here after all?" She asked.
I nodded. "His name was on the list. Though I figured we wouldn't be let through unless they were actually expecting a delivery…"
"So how are we going to get to him?"
I thought about it for a moment. "According to the list, he's situated on the 11th floor. There's no possible way we could get to him without taking the elevator."
"And that would mean getting past at least 16 guards in the main lobby without being noticed." Soho sighed. "Makes me wish I had a Fractal like Rosemary's…"
I was suddenly struck with an idea. An absolutely absurd one, but an idea nonetheless.
"How strong exactly is Static?" I asked Soho.
She looked at me with slight concern. "Why…?"
"Is it strong enough to walk on a surface that's perpendicular to the ground?"
"Are you really suggesting—?"
"We walk up the sides of the building until we reach the 11th floor."
Soho couldn't believe what she was hearing. She looked at me like I was insane.
"You're batshit crazy!"
"How else are we going to get to him?"
Soho pondered. "Maybe we do the same thing we did with Rosemary? Wait until the end of his shift and follow him after he's left the building?"
"With what leads?" I asked. "No photo was provided this time. We don't know exactly what he looks like. Draz did he say he was tall, toned, and Asian, but what if there're multiple employees who look like that when exiting the building? What if we accidentally pursue the wrong person?"
She was stumped. "Shit…"
"It'll be easier to find him with a name tag in that building than out here with hundreds in the streets."
"I know, I know." Soho sighed. "But you're making it sound like this is the only way when I'm sure there're better ways to do this."
"Better ways? Such as putting ourselves at risk for exposure by going through the building itself? How are we gonna sneak past all those guards without being caught?"
"I know, but…"
"Listen, Soho. I'm only providing this option because you've made it available. Without a Fractal as applicable as yours, we'd only be allowed the hardest way in. But because I've seen what you can do with your Fractal, you've proven to me that you have what it takes to go even further. I'm trying to rely on you as my accomplice. All I need to know right now is whether or not Static is strong enough to keep us glued to the sides of the building."
My words had finally gotten through to her. I could tell by her facial response.
"I-I… Yes, it's strong enough."
I patted her on the shoulder. "Then, shall we?"
Her look of concern grew into a nervous, yet excited smile. "You're crazy for this, but I'm down for it."
We got up and made our way around the back of the building where we weren't in view of any witnesses, security guards, or security cameras. We then began by laying down on the ground, facing up towards the sky, with our feet already planted along the building's wall.
"Static, 100%," Soho said.
I quickly felt immense forces glue my feet to the building.
"Kinetic, 5%," she now said.
I felt the pressure on my feet loosen ever so slightly.
"Static and Kinetic are now at a 95 to 5 divide, respectively. This'll allow us to stay attached to the walls with enough looseness to still move our feet."
I decided to take my first step, and although it was a struggle with Static's strength, I remained perpendicular to the ground.
"It works!"
We'd officially began our walk up the outside walls of Expansive 180, straight to the 11th floor where my second target awaited.