For most of the cab ride, Shadow stared in deep thought out of the window and watched the familiarity of the scenery roll by, it was only once they reached the edge of the town that she seemed to jolt from some inward reflection and actually register an awareness of her surroundings.  She turned to her partner and caught the depth of her gaze, a look that conveyed everything she needed to know… a practised art that had grown between them…at her gentle nod, and she turned her gaze towards the stairwell as the cab passed by and fixed the sight of the young woman from the concealment of the back seat.  Her gaze cast across her, watching every subtle movement, every minor nuance with the accomplished eye of a predator, a skill which they both seemed to excel at.  Shadow didn’t relinquish her gaze as Thorn played through her faultless act with the cab driver and he took them towards the café…<br/><br/>Shadow nodded softly<em>..all hers…</em>, she mused and slid a chair across the cobbles with a scrape and sat deeply into it, her eyes drawn across the square as they had been so many times before… though this time she was not seeking out a victim, this time one had already been drawn unwittingly into their web and even now she approached them with unsuspecting innocence… she continued to watch her, occasionally allowing her eyes to stray across the square, drawn by its mundane bustle before her gaze would flick back towards the young woman..<br/><br/>She felt the familiar presence of Thorn once more at her side and with it her mind was returned from the depths of consideration and she felt a smile crease her face a little.  She watched as she sat down and then pulled to the side a touch, giving her, once more, a clear view as she watched Sam’s girl walk unwittingly towards them, the dapple of sunlight playing across her as she passed beneath the canopy of leaves.<br/><br/>With a slight delay, Shadow pulled her gaze from the sight of her and turned towards Thorn, the news that Valerie would soon be within their grasp distracted her for a moment.  In her mind she relived the memories of nights in which they had plotted all manner of grim fates for her over a bottle of expensive wine and the very notion that this would soon be a reality served to broaden the grin that played on her face.<br/><br/>“Today just keeps getting better my love…” she smiled and returned her gaze towards the figure as she came to the café…<br/>