Breathless

Nero observed the building from a distance, quickly memorizing the layout from the outside in case he needed to make an emergency exit. He wouldn't, obviously, but it never hurt to have a back up plan, and the more he was aware of, the easier it made his job. He had already memorized the internal layout, and particularly where the defense systems were. The biggest concerns were cameras - most other security systems were hardly even an obstacle, but cameras were what could give him away. It wasn't like the movies. It wasn't that easy to create a video loop. Especially not one that wouldn't be quickly caught.

Fortunately, most of the security in this particular building would be infrared and fingerprint scanners, both of which were easy to get around. For him, at least. He had already begun his preparations some time earlier - his skin was frigid cold to the touch, thanks to the lack of blood flow, which would make him invisible to the infrared. The fingerprints scanners had a consistent fail safe installed - if they sensed a finger pressed to the interface but could not get a proper scan, after three failed attempts would go into a lockdown. The lockdown could be overridden with a passcode, which Nero just so happened to know. Any failure overridden that quickly was overlooked as technical failure for the time being, for all users whose fingerprints were in the database also knew the passcode. It would be looked into at a later date - long after Nero was gone.

He strolled through the main doors very casually, waving at the receptionist as he passed. That was a talent anyone could learn - if you looked confident enough in what you were doing, no one would question you. As far as anyone in the building was concerned, he was a client who had come in more than once, and entering the public elevator in the rear was nothing to glance twice at. And the moment he was alone, he could begin taking alternate paths through the building.

The sensors didn't so much as blink as he walked by them. No blood meant no body temperature - no body temperature made him invisible. The failsafes on the fingerprint scanners worked flawlessly, and no one came to check on him. Each obstacle was but a pause in his step as he pushed further into the building.

The body wouldn't be found for hours. His murder wouldn't be a question - who had done it on the other hand would be impossible to find out. No fingerprints. No DNA. No footage. No blips on the radar.

It was like Nero had never even been there.