I'm trying to animate "direction" from an lighting effect and add this "direction" animation to another layers position but the expression keeps breaking.

Imagine a lighting bolt from your hand, shooting out and locking to a moving target.  I've got the target track position, but I can't seem to write the expression correctly to add the target position AND add my hand key animation together.

I've just tried to use a simple "+" but that's not working.

effect("Advanced Lightning")("Direction") + thisComp.layer("TRACK 6").transform.position

Lastly,  how would one write the expression so I could access a world position from a layer?

for example, I have a layer with a still using puppet tool I want the connect too.  but this still is also parented to another layer for a track.

effect("Advanced Lightning")("Origin") + thisComp.layer("ELEMENT.png").effect("Puppet").arap.mesh("Mesh 1").deform("Puppet Pin 2").position

Thanks,

John