There was a slight thud against the rooftop as footsteps tapped across the empty concrete-- a ghost of a whisper upon the night--coming to a halt just by the building’s rim. 

Ryusei leaned over the ledge, eyes studying a silver playing card nestled in his palm. It was an elegant piece, silver tendrils interwoven across the back and a half moon upon the center in gold leaf. He let his gloved fingers run over the finish.  The emblem—and its target—pressed against his palm.

The Ace of Spades—The King’s Alexandrite.

The gem’s original theft had been legendary, its execution flawless. Every clue led, infallibly, to dead ends, until the statute of limitations had at last run out.

It was then that the web began to quiver, the murmur of loosened lips and wandering eyes revealing a trail that laid the jewel to rest just 15 stories below.

Ryusei slipped the card into his pocket and stepped onto the ledge, the heft of his equipment drawing him back slightly. The roar of the city below was faint, echoing at his feet as if underwater. He listened, heartbeat racing to the tempo of his thoughts, and stepped off the ledge.