"Eyes on the target." The voice came through loud and clear on the sub-voc mic, and the nerds in the van high five-ed.
"You are about to see why she's the best." Alan, the nerd who'd been with her the longest nodded, as they watched through their cameras, and hijacked traffic cameras.
Up ahead, a Catholic school let out for the day.
The target, a blonde man in his 40s, nice suit but cheap shoes, frowned as he navigated through the stream of exuberant youth grateful to be out of school at last. As they watched, the target clapped a hand to his side and sank to his knees. Children screamed. Some scattered, some lingered. Alan scanned the crowd.
"Someone call a doctor!" A nun shouted, dropping to her knees to try to help the target. It would be too late.
"I didn't even see her!" One of the newer nerds exclaimed. "We saw her get ready, and I couldn't pick her out of the crowd!"
They sat in the van, watching, as the EMTs arrived, and loaded the target into an ambulance. Children milled around, confused, some sobbing.
"I'll be at extraction in 10 minutes." The voice came over the sub voc mic, and the nerds nodded, before cutting their access to the traffic cams. The one who drew the short straw had spent the time buying snacks in a bodega nearby. He paid and came out, arms full of chips, and away they went.
They met up with her a few miles away, in a section of town with spotty traffic cam coverage. She wore a sports bra and running tights, sneakers, and had her long hair in a ponytail. She had her phone strapped to her arm. She waved when she saw the van and bounced up.
"Hi, Honey!" She kissed Alan on the lips, just a peck. "Give me a ride home?"
"Sure. You, get in back with the others." Alan nodded to the nerd with the snacks in the passenger seat, who shuffled back. She jogged around and got in, leaning in for a real kiss, before they pulled away.
"Nice." Alan drove, smiling.
"Don't get used to it." She rolled out her neck. "How'd it end up?"
"EMT's were trying, but the older one was shaking his head." One of the nerds in the back reported. "Pretty sure they're taking him to Mercy General. That's what their radio traffic said. Should I...?"
"Keep tuned to the local news. If they don't announce his death by tomorrow, then you can hack in. The fewer chances we give them to catch us, the better." She exhaled. "Good job, nerds. The receiver worked like a dream. I could hear you high-five-ing. Let's go relax until we hear one way or another."