I should have known better, but it was a fortunate mistake. 

What men were left that skulked through the brush had been dealt with except for the dumbfounded man, standing before Emmaline. The two brutes beside me were equally baffled, and it gave me some hope they had not expected to find a psyker, much less an Inquisitor. Perhaps this was some ill-fated attempt at trying to kill a Jovian-Clan representative. Then again, they were going to great lengths for such a simple matter. It didn't make sense. Due to my training, I compartmentalized that thought for later and moved before they had their wits about them. 

I turned and used a diestro-style cut at the bigger man, the fellow only having enough time to flinch as my power sword cut him from collarbone to waist in an arc that stained the eye with its light. A horrific steam made by the blood in his body boiling from the high temperature blade wafted into the air, and he fell in a heap of two pieces. I strode forward in time to meet the second man's attack, his face congealed into a mask of rage. The stun baton and the power sword met in a clash of sparks, but the power sword was by far the better weapon. I needn't have riposted, the stun baton's power coupling shattered and its integrity broken, but with a flick of my wrist I amputated the weapon arm. He was too shocked to even cry out, and I kicked him in the chest. Swiftly, feet on the ground, I turned and smoothly unholstered my autogun. I fired two bullets at the confused man who had just about made up his mind to continue his assault on Emmaline, blood spouting from his neck in spurts. 

Lazarus and I were of different minds on many things, but I had been told more than once that my dedication to my field gave me a mechanical ability to solve problems with little thought to anything else. I simply viewed it as pragmatic, but swift killing did have a certain coldness to it. On the ground, the one eyed and now one armed man grabbed at his stump of a shoulder and tried to catch his breath. Apparently his enhancements were truly just above the neck. 

"Emmaline!" I called brusquely, time being of the essence. She hopped off the fountain ledge and approached. I held out my hand for the staff, and she gave it to me with a look that made me regret ordering her over so harshly. I'm not sure if she was felt guilty over some view of breaking my trust or complicating the mission. We would speak of it, later. With my staff in my left and my power sword in my right, I confronted the man on the ground. The blood was finally starting to seep out of his wound, if gingerly. 

"Who sent you?" I asked him. At his spitting in my face, I used my will. "[i]Who sent you[/i]?" 

"Balal Ignatius!" He said without restraint, marveling at his own words. 

"[i]Who is Balal Ignatius[/i]?" 

"Of the Ignatius Family." 

"[i]Who of the Ignatius family[/i]?" 

"Of the Ignatius family!"

"[i]What was your mission?[/i]" 

"To kill a Jovian Elite and his Adeptus Bitch."

I took a full second to absorb the information and find a conclusion. It seemed we would have to take up Emmaline's offer to their estate, after all. With a look of contempt, I stabbed into the man's heart without a second thought. He bucked and attempted to breath, but was dead within seconds. The blood was purged from the blade as it thrummed with energy, the air steaming lightly around the sword. I deactivated it and sheathed the blade. 

"Let's go," I told my companion. We made our way through the maze of shrubbery as calls and questions began flying up into the night air. It seems our mystique was growing, if nothing else. I would need to come up with an explanation on what happened to myself and my date by the morning, but as it were, I could not trust any pursuers to not be assassins themselves. Two minutes later, we made it to the street. Ground cars were parked along the road, likely owned by people spending the night at a local dive. I walked over to a compact but aesthetically pleasing one, likely an expensive model. Using the force staff to concentrate, the locking mechanism lifted and I opened the door, tossing in my weapons save my autogun. Kneeling down, I hotwired the vehicle, sparks flying from between my fingers. 

"Where did you learn that?" Emmaline inquired with a catch to her voice. I could not tell if she was impressed or not. 

"Can you drive?" I asked Emmaline, checking my gun's magazine. 

"Now, if I said no..." She started. I looked at her and saw her smile. I looked away, hiding my own.