Ahsoka looked around discreetly as the people at the Sun Fair bustled through the streets. She was right across from the building where the pickup would be taking place in less than half an hour, which meant she was right across from the last place she had kissed Lux...
Shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts, she raised her hidden wrist communicator closer to her face.
"All clear here, Master."
"Good, Sasha. Keep an eye out," she heard back.
Reaching out with the Force, she glanced off around the block to the next street where Obi-Wan stood in a shadowed doorway, scanning the area as well. She could sense that Anakin and Padmé were making their rounds circling the building and slowly strolling through the vendor stalls that were selling some high quality folk art, apparel, and various trinkets.
Finally, Ahsoka's eyes landed on the small carrier and blanket that sat at her feet.
It was unfortunate that Anakin and Padmé would have to go in alone, but Obi-Wan and Ahsoka would have to be keeping an eye on every entrance and exit to the building for when they would be leaving.
Anakin and Padmé were not supposed to disrupt the mission at all, but rather just gather intel and take away the child. However, they were skeptical of the events of their last few days, and it would be impossible to know if they had blown their cover until they met the contact, especially if the contact could recognize them by their real identities.
For now, all they could do was bide their time and hold out hope, then take off immediately. All their belongings had already been taken from the apartment to their ship, and so, they would be ready to leave as soon as possible once they had the child.
As Obi-Wan turned the corner of the building and scoped out the next side, he slowly looked at each person he passed, trying to discern if anyone stood out or seemed suspicious, but he couldn't sense anything unusual.
"All clear here as well," Obi-Wan said under his breath.
"Got it. We'll be heading in the entrance on your side soon."
And so, Obi-Wan kept up his pacing around the vendors.
A few minutes later, Anakin and Padmé passed him on the street, ducking into a low entrance of the tall building and disappearing inside.
*****
As Anakin's eyes adjusted to the darkness, Padmé tightened her hold on his arm, allowing him to lead them over to a stairwell that would take them to the third floor where the contact should be waiting for them. It was actually likely that the contact had eyes on them now since they had entered the building.
As they continued up in silence, Anakin turned on his own hidden communicator once more, which would feed everything they heard or said to Obi-Wan and Ahsoka so they could be ready for whatever was about to come.
On the third floor, it was still relatively dark with the exception of a few streams of light filtering in from cracks in the boarded up viewports.
They stopped in the middle of the room, and the two of them glanced at each other before they heard footsteps.
Then, the shadows shifted in front of them and a figure stepped forward until they were just a few arm lengths away. A bundle of blankets was cradled in their arms, and yet, they gripped a blaster with one scaly hand.
"You're just on time," the figure said, though from where they were standing, they couldn't make out the being's face.
"Of course," Anakin answered with a nod of his head.
"Show me your pass key code, and we can get this over with."
Anakin carefully reached into a pocket in the front of his robes, trying not to make any sudden movements.
He pulled out the small device that the Jedi had confiscated from the original couple, then turned on a switch to display the code in the air.
They were silent for a brief moment, but it was long enough for Padmé to question if they were being conned.
However, the being lowered their blaster, and held out the bundle, causing Padmé to exhale quietly in relief.
Anakin slowly reached out, and lifted the bundle into his own arms, and Padmé peered over to see a tiny human face showing signs that they were in a deep sleep.
"You best get going now, but remember to stay in contact as planned. We'll be watching you."
Anakin nodded and shared a glance with Padmé, and they began to turn around, retracing their steps on the way in.
Unfortunately, just as they approached the stairwell, they heard another comlink go off, meaning that their contact had an incoming call.
Slowing their pace, Anakin handed the baby to Padmé and let her walk ahead of him as he tried to listen in.
Immediately, he heard a voice he was familiar with: Doll.
"Have they come for the child yet?" she asked in heightened voice.
"Yes," their contact answered. "They're on their way out."
"Stop them!" Doll shouted. "I've just received information from an old friend. They're with the Republic! They're impostors!"
Anakin inhaled sharply and told Padmé to run, but as they reached the bottom of that flight of stairs, another being was already waiting for them, blaster aimed and ready.
Anakin realized it was Adder, and he pulled Padmé behind him, only for her to face their contact who had chased them down as well.
He looked in either direction with a bit of anger. His lightsaber was still with R2, and though he had a blaster hidden on him, he wouldn't be able to do anything without risking Padmé or the baby's safety.
So, he glanced over at his frightened wife as the being took the baby back from her, and Adder nudged them back up the steps with his blaster.
With hands raised, Anakin and Padmé reascended each step back towards the third floor... until their contact and Padmé passed through the doorway again, which was when Anakin turned on Adder, knocking the blaster straight out of his hands and punching him in the stomach.
The man stumbled down a few steps, but came back at him. Only, Anakin was way more experienced in combat and sent him right over the railing, to which he fell to the next flight down.
Figuring that would give him a minute, Anakin ran back into the room just as he heard a loud noise and the sudden shatter of glass.
The room was filled with more light, and he was relieved when he caught sight of Padmé still standing there, but her expression was one of great distraught.
"She got away! Ani, she took the baby!"
Cursing silently, Anakin looked towards the window, but ran back to the stairwell, only to discover that Adder was gone too.
*****
Ahsoka and Obi-Wan reached the other side of the building just in time to see the being shooting off in a jetpack while fragments of glass rained down on the street below, causing a few fair-goers to scream. Thankfully, everyone was safely protected by the vendor stall canopies.
Obi-Wan glanced up at the window, but then followed Ahsoka around to the other side of the building where Anakin and Padmé were making their way outside again.
When Anakin and Padmé emerged, they spotted the two of them immediately and rushed over to them.
"Any sign of Adder?"
"No, he must have made it out a side exit. Did you plant the tracker?" Obi-Wan asked.
Anakin nodded. "Yes, it's wrapped into the baby blanket, and it's activated. I have to say, that was definitely a good plan you came up with."
Obi-Wan looked at him. "Just doing my job. Now, we need to get to the ship and have the troops continue tracking them."
"Is Bonteri ready?"
"Yes, Master," Ahsoka replied. "He should be ready, as with the Duchess. I alerted them seconds ago."
"Good, let's get going."
And the four of them took off towards their ship.