8A/N: And I have returned... from my five year hiatus. I was reading up on this and I couldn't help but cringe at how awkward my writing is, so I took the liberty to rewrite some of it. I didn't change too much but I had to cut out a lot of stuff.
Anyway, whether you're new or not, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter III: The Date and the Heist
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They set me up. What other reason could there be?
After school, Sornion told me that they were all gonna watch a movie tonight at the outlet. It was Laron's treat as compensation for missing out on our birthday yesterday. He really didn't have to go out of his way to do something like that though. A birthday card with some cash would have sufficed.
"Is Laron going to join us?" Victoria asked. We both worked part-time at a small bakery near our school and often tried to get the same shift. You'd think that being around the girl you like would make you a total buffoon but I seemed to work better when she was around.
"Hope not," I said, "He always talks during movies."
Once Victoria and I finished working for the day we both made our way to the mall but when we arrived Sornion and everyone else didn't show up. We waited in front of the theater for ten minutes before they messaged me. They each sent me a text with some half-baked excuse as to why they couldn't make it. If I wasn't so agitated I would have laughed at how transparent they were.
"Well, looks like they bailed on us," I told Vic.
"Umm, not really."
I stared at her in bemusement. "Uh, what?"
She brushed a strand of hair away from her face as she sheepishly glanced away. "You see, I kinda asked them not to come."
Forget what I said earlier. She set me up. I liked Vic; really, really liked her and even after knowing her for years she still continues to surprise me.
"Oh, uh, why?"
"Take it as my way of trying to go on a date with you."
My mind went blank. Shit, was this really happening? A date... with my dream girl? I had always been scared that she would never think of me as anything more than a friend, and I'm pretty sure she knew that I've liked her for a while now. Was she waiting for me to make the first move before she got tired and decided to take the first step? I often called Sornion a coward but hey, it takes one to know one.
After finding my voice, I said, "You could have just asked?"
"Maybe, but what if you had said no?"
Damn, she's right. Call it arrogance but I wanted to be the one to ask her, not have it the other way around. I definitely would have chickened out if she asked me outright. I was a little put off by her roundabout way of asking but maybe she was afraid I was going to reject her? But who in their right mind would refuse to go out with her?
I was quiet for a long time. Vic noticed and her long ears drooped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to force you into this or make you uncomfortable. If you don't want to, then it's okay."
I shook my head. "No, it's not that. It's just... I kinda don't want to watch a movie. Especially not a rom-com."
"Oh, thank god," she said, relieved. "I didn't want to either. I read some reviews online for that movie and it's not great."
"It would have been a total waste of time, basically."
"Yep." She then linked arms with me, catching me off guard. "How about we go to Corny Island? I always wanted to go there. What do you say?"
My shoulders relaxed as I smiled at her. Whether this date turned out to be the best or the worst, I don't think anything could ruin this night. "Yeah, sounds great."
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Around six pm, Victoria sent me a selfie of her and Ethan sitting on a bench in Corny Island, eating corndogs. I couldn't help but grin. It was about time they went out. Not only was it a distraction for Ethan before Victoria told him about our heist but I was pretty sure he would die before he ever gained enough courage to ask her out.
Him not knowing about our heist mostly stems from the fact that he probably would have stopped us. Out of everyone in our little family of friends, he would be the only one to disapprove and make sure that our plan never came to fruition. I'm sure he would tell me what an idiot I am and nag about how I was going to end up in jail for the rest of my life. To save myself from his incessant pestering, I wanted Vic to be the one to tell him and so I could prove him wrong if everything goes according to plan. Regardless, I still expect a long winded complaint the next time I see him.
I had to admit that part of me was saying this was a bad idea. The other part was trying to force this notion down and it wasn't winning.
"You've done this before," I murmured. After ten years of pickpocketing and petty stealing, it shouldn't have made me queasy but it did. Maybe it was because I was stealing from a museum. My eyes wondered to the binocucom clasped in my hand. Looking at the time, I frowned when I saw that a minute had passed since I last checked. Leyla had left half an hour ago. What was taking her so long?
My lips parted to let out another irritated sigh. "Any day now, Leyla."
Static noises filled my left ear before Leyla's distinct voice kicked in. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's not like it's raining cats and dogs and that I'm right in the middle of it. I should be the one complaining."
Under the bell tower, completely dry, I had a bird's eye view and I finally spotted Leyla's small black form jogging past a fire hydrant. I'd see why she'd be upset with this heavy downpour but judging from her tone she's not mad at me for being so pushy.
"If you're having trouble, just ask Cato." I said.
"Oh please," she growled, "I don't need his help."
Shaking my head, I bought the binocucom up to my eyes and did a once-over. The Museum of Modern Art was a sight to behold. The entrance had towering white columns and pillars and was divided into two areas. The front certainly had a lot of embellishment but the back entrance was less exciting. It was only three stories high and each window had horizontal bars, except for the third floor, which was meant to prevent any robbers from breaking in.
The museum hadn't been robbed until ten or some years ago. Nothing like a good Friday to break that record. Cato informed me that the classified artifacts were recently displayed, though it was hidden to the public eye so modern artists and tourists were buzzing to see these new pieces. There was even going to be a exhibition tomorrow to celebrate it.
I, too, was hyped to see what made these artifacts so special. Cato said that it was rumored to do something with my father and that gave me enough reason to see it and determine whether it was worth stealing. I know Dad said that our family only stole from criminals but I feel like that couldn't always be true.
Pressing the red button on the binocucom, it wasn't long until Cato's austere face appeared on the bottom left screen. Behind the lenses of his goggles, his gray eyes assessed me with indifference. The outlines in his face was a result of frustration and impatience but he was composed enough not to express his anger in times like these. His yellow ears were brushed back like his blond hair. He might have been short for his age and, dare I say, adorable, but many people found him intimidating. Including me.
"Any luck?" I asked.
Cato's forehead creased. "No," he said miserably. "The recon drone isn't exactly water proof so I'm trying on find a way to work around that but I have no desire to risk a malfunction." He shook his head. "Then again, if it wasn't raining, it would be up and running but someone had to hit it with a basketball."
"I know," I said. "I was there, remember? Jack didn't mean to." Last week, one of our classmates accidentally broke Cato's recon drone, prompting him to send death glares to the perpetrator. Their classmate had even walked up to me and asked me to apologize for him.
This failed to soothe Cato. His thin lips twisted into a deep scowl. "Remind me to exchange a few words with him."
"I think you tormented him enough." I said. In the background, a hoarse voice was singing. I decided to change the subject. "Is Landon singing?"
"When isn't he singing?" Cato quipped.
I chuckled. "Must be torture in there."
"You have no idea." He let out an exasperated sigh and left me to my thoughts.
The sick feeling in my stomach didn't disperse not even when I was with someone. So far, I have never been caught. Imprisonment was like a death sentence, or maybe a disgrace to my lineage. How sad would it be if I were to get arrested and not snag the artifact on my first official heist? And I'm certain Ethan would only visit me in prison everyday just to torment me with insults.
Dad was caught once. He told me about a tigress named Neyla who betrayed his gang but other than that, nothing else. That's most likely why I'm feeling like this. It's the adrenaline. The possibility of being caught was a boost and a downside.
"Success!" Leyla squealed.
I held a hand to my ear. "You planted them?"
"Yep." I could already imagine her smiling. "Everything's in order."
The edges of my lips curled up. "Light it up."
"Give me the chance to get away first, jeez."
Thirty seconds... ten... five... and...
Boom!
Near the harbor, a tiny red bricked building exploded. Debris fell into the water and scattered on the pier. Wood caught on fire and sizzled out from the rain as billows of dark smoke drifted across the grey sky.
"The cameras are bugged." Cato informed me. "Hurry. You only have five minutes before someone notices."
I wasted no time and climbed down the bell tower. Once I was safely on level ground, I made a beeline for the museum and joined Leyla near the back entrance.
"Was anyone nearby?" I asked.
Leyla raised an eyebrow at me. "You're gonna ask me that after I blew it up? Really, Sornion? Don't get your panties in a bind. It's not like anyone hangs around there. I even made sure that no one was inside."
"Good girl."
"Whatever. Are you ready?"
"No."
"Too bad."
Leyla banged on the door of the staff entrance and hugged her shoulders. I hid behind the corner of the building, my heart thundering as a security guard opened the door.
"P-please, help!" Leyla sobbed. She pointed to the building she just blew up and grabbed a fistful of the pig's shirt. "My sister's in there! Help her, please!"
He said something to her that I couldn't hear and grabbed his walkie-talkie from his belt. He didn't notice when Leyla snatched his set of keys and threw it in my direction. I easily caught it and waited for Leyla to lead the guard away before I moved. I almost tripped as I ran and my hands shook either from the rain or anxiety as I opened the door and locked it behind me.
Cato, as usual, was right. The surveillance room was next to the back entrance. I stuffed my raincoat in a plastic bag and packed it away in my backpack before I poked my head in the room. A row of screens lined up one side of the wall along with a computer and an empty desk chair. I quickly checked the room to see if anyone else was around before I headed to the monitors.
"You remember what to do?" Cato asked.
I couldn't help but jump. It was so quiet up until he spoke. "Y-yeah. I'm on it." I took out the flashdrive he gave me and plugged it into the computer. A loading bar appeared on the screen along with a percentage number.
"Good. Once it's done overriding the system, you can go but don't leave the drive behind. We don't want any of this getting traced back to us. And make sure to unplug it properly this time. I can't stress that enough."
"I will."
I watched the numerous tv screens as I paced back and forth, and I was overwhelmed by how many cameras were scattered across the museum. A minute or two passed before the download finished. I sent the information to Cato, removed the flashdrive, and quickly left.
"Did you get it?" I asked.
"I've got everything." He confirmed. "So far so good. You're on the ground floor and we know that tomorrow's exhibition for the artifact is on the third, next to the paintings section."
"Does it say anything about it? Like what it is?"
"Hold on, I'm still assessing the data you've just acquired. Focus on getting there and find out for yourself before the suspense kills you."
According to Cato, the virus that he had implanted onto the surveillance monitors would temporarily disable all security. Considering that it was a prototype and the first one he's ever created, he couldn't tell how long it would last so I needed to haul ass before the cameras went back online.
I raced to the third floor, taking two steps at a time. Cato and I had visited the museum a few weeks earlier for reconnaissance so I knew exactly where to go. My footsteps echoed and the heavy rain from outside beat against the windows but I could only hear the constant pounding of my heart.
The section with the new artifact was sealed off by a single red rope and I quickly jumped over it. I was nervous but also giddy as I twirled in unexpected glee as I stood in front of the artifact. it was large; about twice my size and covered with a white drape that was placed on what looked like an easel. There was a sign next to it, listing the title and the artist name and a description.
"Huh, so it was a painting, after all." Cato said. From the background I heard Landon exclaim, "Called it!" Cato sighed. "I'm looking at the size dimensions of the painting, Sornion. There's no way you could carry that outside without getting noticed. Not to mention it's raining. It's gonna get ruined."
I felt my heart sink as I realized that he was right. "True, but I might as well get a first look and take some pictures. Maybe we can sell the photos to an article or something before the exhibition starts."
I grabbed the white sheet by the end and pulled. My eyebrows furrowed as I assessed the painting before I felt my jaw drop. "Oh my god...
Alarmed, Cato asked, "What's wrong?"
"The-the painting, it's–"
"What? The image for it is still loading on my computer. Is it really that good that you're left speechless?" he joked.
Before I could tell him, I felt the furs on the back of my neck rise. I turned around and spotted a beam of light coming from the hallway.
"Guards... crap."
"Security must have noticed something wrong with the cameras." Cato hissed. "Leyla, have you already set up the next distraction?"
"Of course." Leyla answered.
"Set it off. Sornion's gotta get out of there undetected."
My brain must've went on auto pilot. I didn't think as I quickly took down the painting and began removing it from the frame. Once it was freed, I rolled it up and tied it with one of my hairbands. I placed the empty frame back on the easel and covered it. From outside, I could barely hear the explosion that Leyla had set up.
"I got it." I told Eric. "But I gotta head down to the ground floor to pick something up."
"What?! What do you mean you–"
"The plan is still on. Just gotta get something from the gift shop."
"Your escape route is on the roof," he reminded me, "Whatever you're retrieving, make it quick."
I wanted to say that I was quiet as I raced down to the souvenir shop but my footsteps attracted several guards. I slid on the banister and did my best to avoid them. Now that I was legally an adult, I wasn't going to be treated like a minor if I was caught. Breaking and entering would probably send me to jail for a few years, and if I was on good behavior I could be on parole and then I'd be free but how long would that take? The consequences of getting caught only pushed me further to be careful. I couldn't get sloppy now.
When I reached the souvenir shop I almost gave up in defeat once I saw that it was barred, until I remembered I had the keys that I snagged from the guard. I fished it out of my pocket and tried every key until I finally unlocked the door. I ignored all the superficial merchandise and made my way to the poster boards filled with copies of paintings. I emptied one of the poster cases and stuffed the painting inside and slung it over my shoulder.
Going up the stairs once again, I could feel my legs begin to ache as I made my way to the roof. In my haste, I forgot to put on my raincoat and I was immediately dowsed in rain once I stepped out onto the roof. Making my way to the other wing, I tried not to run too fast in case I slipped. I jumped off the roof and landed on an electrical wire. The rendezvous point was under a bridge near the bell tower and as I grew closer I noticed Leyla in the far distance heading there as well. It was only when I jumped onto the back of Landon's pickup truck that I breathed a sigh of relief.
Cato opened the window on the back of the truck and handed me a towel. "Good job. Not exactly what I had in mind, but all things considered it was a success."
I shivered. "If only it weren't raining." I gave him the painting and began wiping myself. Leyla soon arrived and tossed her jacket in the back.
"Let's get the hell out of here," she said. "We've been here long enough."
"We have to wait." Cato said. "At least until the authorities come in. If we leave now, the police will suspect us and give chase."
"That doesn't make any sense. We should get out now before the cops show up."
"No, look around us." Cato argued. "This place is practically a ghost town at night. If someone notices us leaving during the same time of the theft, there's a high chance we'll be reported."
Leyla threw up her hands. "Whatever. If we get arrested, we'll know who to blame."
Cato sighed. "Of course someone as narrow-minded as you wouldn't understand."
"Say that again, you four-eyed freak! I dare ya!"
"Both of you, that's enough." Landon barked. "Leyla, we discussed this in the debriefing and it's just as Cato said. We wait."
Leyla huffed and slammed the car door as she got in the passenger seat. Cato didn't say anything but I could see the triumph in his eyes as he turned to me.
"You still got the keys from that security guard?"
I nodded.
"Give it to me." I tossed it to him and after inspecting it, he removed a black box from the circle of keys. "Well, no doubt that he probably noticed that his keys went missing. But this right here is a tracker. Mostly used in case the keys get lost... or stolen. It's probably even linked to the guard's phone."
"I got one of those, too!" Landon commented. "Pretty handy."
"Sure, but we need to get rid of this one."
"Well obviously," I replied. "Kinda wish you could have told me that. So what do you want to do with it? You gonna rewire it or something?"
"No, we could use it to throw the cops off our trail. Put it on a moving vehicle and they'd follow it like bait."
I smiled as he handed the tracker back to me. "Good thinking. I saw a subway station nearby and those trains operate all night."
"Get to it, then."
I wasn't excited at the idea of getting rained on especially after I just dried off but I really had no choice. The subway had a few civilians shuffling about and the cat at the ticket booth was too absorbed in her magazine to notice me. I jumped over the ticket gate, avoiding the line of sight of the cameras and went to one of the train stops. It didn't matter which one I put the tracker in. They were all traveling away from here and that was good enough. One of the trains arrived and thankfully one car was empty so I threw the tracker in it. I whipped my hands and immediately felt the tension in my shoulders ease as I watched the train take off.
"Miss Cooper."
I felt my whole body grow stiff but somehow I managed to turn around.
There he was. The police officer. The one who's name I couldn't remember... but seeing him again suddenly filled the gapes in my memory. He was Roberto Wolfe. Just a beat cop who was stationed around my neighborhood. It must be some twist of fate to see him again, especially today...
The wolf stood before me, wearing black slacks and a white dress shirt with his badge dangling around his neck. He looked as prim and proper as the day I met him. He assessed me carefully with his green eyes. "Whoa, you're soaking wet. You forget to bring an umbrella?"
"Something like that." I began to shake and drooped my ears and tail. "I... just had a bad date, and the jerk left me to walk home alone."
"That's awful. I'm sorry to hear that."
I laughed nervously. "Yeah, chivalry really is dead if there are jerks like that running around."
He tilted his head and observed me. My face must've looked so guilty. I wasn't expecting to run into him or any cop for that matter, and just when I was beginning to relax, he had to come and screw it up. And then it occurred to me; what if he was here because he heard about the museum robbery? I didn't think that a report of a stolen painting would be be prioritized so much. I was kinda hoping that no one would find out until the exhibition. Yet another thing I should worry about next time.
If he was really here because of that, then I needed to book it. It would probably put me under his suspicion but better that than getting arrested. It didn't matter if he was nice to me; he's still a cop.
I feigned a smile and started to awkwardly shuffle away. "Well, uh, I gotta go. See you around, officer!"
"Hold on–"
I jogged past him before he could finish. I probably shouldn't have been so hasty but I didn't want hang around him any longer than I had to. I managed to elude him by hiding in a trash bin so not only was I wet but I was also going to stink.
I stayed in my hiding spot for a few minutes before I left the station. It was still raining but not as hard as before. When I returned to the truck, Landon sniffed and gave me a side eye. "I thought you went to the train station, not the dumpster."
"Long story," was all I said.
It wasn't long before a patrol car arrived at the museum and thus we escaped right under their noses. As we made it out onto the highway, I received a text from Victoria that said,
I told him. He wants to talk with u.
A/N: I'm not sure when/if I'll update. It's honestly depends if anyone is interested in reading this. Either way, leave a review and tell me what you think, and see in next time!