To Catch A Thief

MOTE Prompt Response

Maitland tensed. There. Movement in the shadows. Just a slight ripple, but it was there. She slowly shifted her stance, so she was facing the outside corner of the alleyway. The taint of black magic was buried beneath the smell of garbage, piss, and sweat. She breathed a quick prayer of gratitude for the olfactmesh weave of her scarf that allowed her to focus on the tainted magic underlying the stench of everyday filth. Bryain had asked her to beta-test it and now she could tell him with confidence that it well and truly worked. He’d be thrilled. And soon, he’d be rich because every mage and wraith-hunter in the city would want one or two.

The shadow rippled again, and Maitland eased the hand holding her wand up. She pushed herself back into the corner behind the dumpster until she could just make out the sheen of moonlight on the river. Her target drifted down the street with only the slight winking of the streetlights, as something passed beneath them, betraying the human behind the wraith glamour. Maitland had to give credit where credit was due. The glamour was extremely well done, and she was doubtful anyone not doubly trained in both light and shadow magic, as she was, would have noticed it.

“I owe you a drink, Arion,” Maitland breathed. She stepped out from behind the dumpster to follow the all-too-human thief. “You were right, there are more ways to catch a thief than there are thieves…”

As she eased down the street following the shadow, she tried to figure out which of three targets the thief might be hitting tonight. She and Arion, her mentor, teacher, and now employer, had spent many hours searching for patterns and connections between the victims, at least those who’d come forward, over the last three weeks. Hopefully all that work would pay off tonight and she could add another name in her own version of the Book of Thieves.

The shadow flitted from one side of the street to the other and back again, as if he or she were trying to discover any followers. Maitland slowed down and melted back into the shadow of a storefront. After a small hesitation, the shadow continued on, turning right down an alleyway that Maitland knew came out onto the riverwalk. Making a quick decision, she slipped down the next street instead of following the shadow and popped out onto the riverwalk about a hundred yards behind where the shadow should emerge.

Right on cue, she saw the darkness under the dim lamp on the walk shift as the shadow wraith, or she really should say wraith impersonator, stole out of the alleyway and continued up the river path.

Now she knew exactly where the thieving wraith was headed. She stepped back into the shadows herself and raised her wand to her lips.

“Arion, they’re headed for target number two,” she whispered.

The tip of her wand pulsed once as the message was sent and less than two seconds later pulsed again. Arion’s voice came out sounding small and slightly tinny.

“Good work. Meet you there.” The wand tip pulsed once more and went dark.

Maitland shoved it back into the side pocket on her pants and trotted quickly, but quietly, after her quarry.

******

This week, my prompt challenge was issued by nother Mike: There are more ways to catch a thief than there are thieves. To join in the fun, just find your way over the More Odds Than Ends where you’ll find a whole bunch of responses. If you’d like to play too, all the details are on the main page. See you there!