Conrad sat down across from Anisa and Adarte as they were waiting for him in the bar.
Adarte and Anisa both watched him closely, as if trying to read his thoughts from his face.
Of course, it would not be possible, as Conrad was a pretty poker-faced guy.
Anisa was the first to speak.
"You came quick."
Adarte opened his mouth, clearly about to add something light, some offhand joke to break the tension, but the moment he caught Conrad's eyes, he stopped.
There was no space for humor there.
Conrad wasn't tense, but he was focused in a way that made joking feel wrong.
Conrad leaned back slightly and folded his arms.
"There's not much to say,"
"The Strepo Apartment is crawling with armed men. They're not hiding it."
Anisa frowned. "Meaning?"
"They're expecting trouble," Conrad continued.
"A frontal assault, to be precise."
Adarte nodded slowly.
"Makes sense. They want to look untouchable."
"I heard that in their world, showing off through manpower and financials is pretty important for gaining standing in their circle."
Conrad glanced at him.
"Exactly. And that mindset tells me something else."
Anisa leaned forward.
"The Nen user?"
"Yes," Conrad said.
"He'll be close to Maxwell. Either on the same floor or one floor above or below. He guards him."
"Maxwell, through this new user that I am thinking of, knows that only a nen user can defend his life for real against an enemy nen user."
"So."
"We are against at least one Nen user and hundreds of armed mafia members."
Both of them nodded.
They had expected as much.
"So," Adarte asked,
"What's the move?"
Conrad smiled and put his hands on the table as he spoke.
"I already made a plan."
That caught their full attention.
"We'll use a double distraction and a one-hitter."
Anisa and Adarte exchanged a look, then turned back to him, waiting.
Conrad continued.
"One of us starts first openly.
"Enough to draw eyes, guns, and orders. That's the first chaos."
Adarte raised an eyebrow.
"So they think that's the attack."
"They'll assume it's either the main force or bait," Conrad replied.
"Which is fine. Because then comes the second chaos."
Anisa tilted her head.
"The real attack, in their eyes."
"Exactly," Conrad said.
"The second Nen user hits from a different angle. More pressure. Enough to convince them that this is the real push."
"And while they're committing to that which these are shifting positions, calling orders,the third person moves."
Adarte nodded and added.
"Straight for the leader."
Conrad nodded once.
"Straight for Maxwell. And by extension, the Nen user guarding him."
"Preferably, the Nen user guarding Maxwell would move and think that the second Nen user is the real deal and confront it."
"While the Nen user is separated from the leader, the third one will have a high chance and an easier time to kill the leader."
Anisa closed her eyes for a moment, a slow smile forming on her face.
"So they'll be busy trying to crush what they think is the main threat… while the real danger slips past."
"Yes," Conrad said.
"They'll overreact. They always do. Mafia groups are used to overwhelming force."
Conrad was not a mafia expert but he thought about the things he read back in the Earth and saw how Yorknew Mafia moved.
So, he guessed it would be not much different from those things he saw and read about.
Adarte exhaled.
"I like it. Messy on the outside, clean on the inside."
Anisa opened her eyes again.
"Then we need to decide roles."
Conrad didn't hesitate.
"Adarte," he said, turning to him, "you're the first distraction."
Adarte blinked, then grinned.
"Figures."
"You're strong, straightforward."
Conrad continued.
"You can hit hard without committing too deep. Break their line; make them think you're reckless or confident enough not to care."
Adarte cracked his knuckles.
"I can do loud."
Conrad shifted his gaze to Anisa.
"You're the second chaos."
She nodded slowly.
"Hit-and-run. Fast angles. I am also great at dueling against Nen users, especially if they want to kill me while they fight."
"Exactly," Conrad said.
"You pressure them just enough to make mistakes and separate the Nen user from yourself.
"You don't aim to kill everyone just to force their hand."
"And you?" Anisa asked, already knowing the answer.
"I move during the confusion," Conrad replied.
"I locate Maxwell and end it before he realizes what's happening."
Adarte leaned back in his chair.
"And if the Nen user notices you?"
Conrad's eyes hardened.
"Then that means he's good," he said. "And I'll deal with him first."
"If there is only one nen user, one of you can come to help me to make quick work of the nen user."
"If there are two, then I will get one, one of you gets the other one, and the third one will deal with Maxwell and his armed mafia members."
"That is my idea."
"A great and big thing you got there..."
Adarte glanced at her, a familiar smirk returning.
Anisa noticed the look on Adarte, and she added, "a little bit ashamed."
"I mean the idea."
"A great and big idea."
Conrad stood up slowly and did not care much about their behavior, as he was already in the zone and focused on the mission.
He looked at both of them in turn.
"We move in three hours," he added.
They both nodded.