The mission was on.

The German sisters, aka Myra and Annie, pulled their well-traveled suitcases behind them as they made their way down the hall that would lead them to their newly acquired apartment on the eighth floor of the Watergate. Annie opened the door and gasped at the nicely decorated, comfortable apartment Charles had managed on such short notice. “For however long we’re going to be here, Myra, I think we’ll be quite comfortable. I like that the eighth floor isn’t that high up.”

Myra nodded as she walked around, looking at things. While she wouldn’t want to live in a place like this, she could and would adjust for the short-term.

Within minutes, they were unpacked and checking to be sure the computer, the printer, and the fax machine were up and running. Suddenly beeps and whistles could be heard throughout the three-bedroom, three-bath apartment.

Annie smiled. “Avery’s people playing with the electric breakers. They were obviously keeping track of our arrival and gave us some time to get ready. That was number one. Four more, and we hit the hall and do our thing. I think we should be waiting by the door for the fourth surge. That’s when we hit the stairs and walk up to the twelfth floor, so we can do our power walk. The cameras in the stairwells will pick us up, but Avery’s people will erase or adjust the film. When the power goes off completely, we scoot right into Bonnie and Clyde’s empty apartment. Charles said we’ll have ten seconds before the power comes back on for five minutes, time for us to do what we need to do inside and get back out to resume our power walk. That’s the way you see it, right, Myra?”

Myra nodded. “That was three, Annie.” She opened the door and stepped out into the hall just as the fourth power surge caused the hall lights to flicker.

Both women went directly to the stairwell, where they huffed and puffed their way to the twelfth floor and immediately went into their power walk, arms pumping.

“There it is, 1206, and Charles was right, the door is slightly ajar. Slow down, Annie, we don’t want to get too far down the hall.” She looked down at her watch. “Two seconds, turn around,” she hissed. “Now!”

Annie and Myra barreled back down the hall and were inside Bonnie and Clyde’s apartment the moment the windowless hallway went black. Myra counted to ten. The power came back on, and the apartment came to life. Whoever had entered first and left the door open for them must have been the one to turn the lamps on. Undoubtedly they would return and put things back the way they were after Myra and Annie left. The overhead light in the foyer gave off enough light to illuminate the dining area, the kitchen, and the living room.

The apartment was sparsely furnished.

“I don’t know for sure what rental furniture looks like, but I think we’re looking at it,” Annie said, indicating the dark, bland furniture that looked neither comfortable nor fashionable. The women separated, Annie taking the bathroom and bedroom, Myra the kitchen, living room, and dining area. It took only four minutes before the women met up in a short hallway that separated the living area from the bedroom.