by Ben Swallow
„Oh.”
I look down in embarrassment. Even though I couldn’t have known, making jokes about it feels wrong in hindsight.
The guy who apparently is called ‘one-armed’ looks up from his glass as we sit down across from him. To my surprise, he seems to have two perfectly fine arms.
„And who might you two be?”
„The Banker sends us. He said you’d have a job for us?”
The guy looks back and forth between us, just barely holding back a laugh. „You two? Oh no, I said I needed someone capable, not two pretty faces.”
As he lifts his beer again, already done talking to us, I snap. I grab his hand with the beer and slam it back on the table.
„I’ve had a shitty day, got poisoned and now I’m in this hellhole looking for a job, so you better have one for us or I’ll show you what I’m capable of!”
I may have raised my voice a tad too much in my anger, I realize as everyone turns their heads to look at us.
„Uhm… I would drag him outside first, of course,” I quickly add, looking at the barkeeper.
He looks at me for a second longer, then continues cleaning the counter with a dirty rag. To my relief, the others turn back to their own conversations, too. This is certainly not the kind of place where I want to draw attention to myself. Especially not in this rather revealing outfit.
I turn back to the ‘one-armed’, staring at him intensely. He can only look me in the eyes for a second before he leans back and raises his hands.
„Okay, you got it. It’s a simple job, so I guess you two are capable enough.”
„What’s the job?”
„I have a client who needs certain items I would like you to procure. Specifically, a…”
„You mean ‘steal’?”
He looks at me with annoyance for a moment. „That’s up to you. Anyway, the items you need to procure are a golden compass, an onyx amulet, and a jade dragon statue. I don’t care how you get them. You bring me those items and you will get your reward.”
„Just to be clear, that reward is $50,000?”
„Hm.” He looks at us, calculating. „If you can bring me those goods by tomorrow, I can do $50,000.”
„And where do we find these items?”
I look to Bryan in surprise, embarrassed that I did not think of that myself. I was just too angry to think that far ahead.
„Here’s the address,” the ‘one-armed’ says as he writes something down on a napkin. „It’s an antiquities shop, not much security, just a locked door.”
„Why don’t you ‘procure’ them yourself, then? That sounds an awful lot like a trap.”
I don’t trust him one bit, and after everything that happened today, I’m not in the mood for just another guy trying to take advantage of us.
„Do you know why I’m called the ‘one-armed’?”
„I was wondering already. Why?”
„The police used to call me the ‘one-armed bandit’ because like a slot machine, whatever I took never came back. However, they could never prove anything. That’s why I took the name for myself. The ‘one-armed’, but not a bandit until proven otherwise.”
„Oh, so paying someone to steal it is not a crime?”
„No, I asked you to procure it, aren’t you listening? If you do so criminally, that is your problem.” He smiles at us slyly, then writes one more address on the napkin. „Deliver it tomorrow, 11 pm, at this address. Until then.”
I look after him as he leaves, not sure if he’s mad or a genius. But as long as he gets us our money, I don’t really care.
We leave the bar just a minute later, stepping out into the cool, dark night. There aren’t many working streetlamps down here, so it really is quite dark. I’m already looking forward to going home, laying down in my bed and finally getting some sleep. Maybe none of it all happened if I wake tomorrow, maybe it was all just a bad dream.
But just as Bryan unlocks the car, someone shouts for help in the dark side alley next to us.
I ignore it, knowing better than to get into the middle of a mugging. Fun fact, down here in the Pit, the chance to die are about six times higher for the one that helps than the one being mugged. And the one time I got involved in one? I get poisoned and will die in a week if I can’t come up with fifty grand. Point proven. But of course, while I want to get in the car, Bryan hurries right into the dark alley.
I consider just leaving him there for a moment. It’s everyone for themselves, after all. But until we are cured of this black poison, I guess I have better chances if he’s with me. With an angry grunt, I slam the car door closed again and follow him.
There’s a single streetlight next to our car, shining just enough light into the alley to see outlines. Like the man standing there, his hand clutched to his stomach.
As I catch up to Bryan, he says in a calming voice „Hey, it’s okay. What happened?”
But just as we approach the man, he straightens up and pulls a gun out of his jacket, pointing it at us.
Of course. This day really can’t get any worse, can it?
While Bryan immediately raises his hands, palms facing the man, I can’t help but laugh.
„Oh, you got to be kidding me! Seriously? Do you have any idea how shitty my day was already? You really don’t want to get in my way today.”
The man looks at me dumbstruck for a moment, then fires his gun at the wall next to us, the gunshot echoing through the dark. I instinctively pull my head in as the bullet ricochets of the wall, sending a shower of brick chips and dirt towards us.
„All your money, now!”
I can’t help but laugh again, the irony simply too strong. But before I can respond, the man is suddenly thrown against the wall.
Bryan and I stare at him with open mouths as he collapses on a pile of trash bags. Our surprise grows even more when a man suddenly appears, standing next to the collapsed mugger.
He didn’t just come from anywhere, he literally faded in, like from invisibility. The mysterious man looks down at the mugger, then straight at me.
„Your welcome, Alice.”
With that, he turns around, walks away and disappears into thin air.
Chapter 4
After eight hours of mostly uninterrupted sleep, some good ham & eggs, and a strong coffee in the morning, I feel a lot better already. Well, „morning”. When you work at night, my morning is whenever you get up. Which is usually afternoon.
Bryan brought me home yesterday, and I went straight to bed after a quick shower. I can’t remember any details, but I was being hunted by disappearing people with black eyes and black veins in my dreams.
I shiver a little as I push those images away. My reality is troubling enough already without nightmares.
Especially if these nightmares are now actually real.
With a sigh, I lock the apartment door behind me as I leave. Since we decided to rob the place at night, I used the few hours to clean up my apartment a bit. It desperately needed it.
It’s been nice to just have a normal breakfast and focus on normal problems like everything is okay. But now it’s time to face reality again. Like me robbing an antiquities store together with a hot stranger who has supernatural abilities like me. It sounds like a fun movie to watch, but it’s not as fun when you are trapped in it.
As I leave the building, Bryan is already waiting for me with his car. Since I don’t want to wallow in self-pity, I put on my happy face. I can’t change my situation, but I can at least make the best of it.
„Good morning, handsome,” I greet him cheerfully.
He looks at me in confusion for a second but then chuckles, „Good evening to you, too.”
It’s already dark, the store should be close by now. Hopefully, the shop owner is gone already, too. We wanted to wait until night, so we wouldn’t run into any complications.
The drive to the store is not too long. Bryan seems to be in a brooding mood, so we don’t talk much on the way.
As we get out of the car, parking next to the antiquities store, Bryan pulls something out of his duffel bag. It looks like a black t-shirt, or maybe some rags.
„What’s that?”
„Put it on,” he throws one of them at me.
As I inspected, I laugh out loud. „A ski mask? Seriously? What is this, a bad movie or something?”
„Just in case. If anyone sees us, at least they won’t see our faces.”
I hate to admit it, but he’s right. Without further complaints, I put it on. I’m sure I look like the worst robber of all time with it, especially with my hair peeking out.
„How do I look?”
„As hot as always,” Bryan grins before he puts on his mask as well.
I roll my eyes and laugh. But as we walk toward the shop, we both turn serious again. Only now that we are actually doing this, especially with the ski mask on my head, I realize how serious this is. We weren’t especially careful, someone could’ve already called the police. If they caught us breaking in, we would probably go to jail. And unless Cross, the crime lord, breaks us out of there so we can pay the debt, we will die there.
Not quite the future I imagined for myself.
„Shit.”
„What is it, Bryan?”
He rattles at the door again. „It’s locked. Obviously. I don’t suppose you know how to pick a lock?”
„You brought ski masks but nothing to break the lock?” I laugh. „And I thought I was the worst robber of all time.”
Ignoring his unamused look, I push him aside and step in front of the door. „Let me try.”
After what happened to my brother, I have been hiding my abilities, keeping them buried deep inside of me. But now, I guess, it’s time to make use of them.
After focusing for a moment, I send a small shockwave against the lock. The door vibrates, the glass panel in it clattering a little.
With a frown, I send a second, stronger shockwave against it. I wish I could do more, but I have never really learned to control my abilities. I never thought I could use them openly, so I never really found a use for them.
The second attempt still doesn’t break the lock, but the big glass panel in the door shatters as the door vibrates even more.
„Well, not quite my plan but that works, too.”
I step through and into the shop, Bryan following close behind me. I look around me in the dark, trying to make out the items we are looking for, when suddenly the light turns on.
I freeze in surprise, expecting to hear the shop owner come out with a gun aimed at us.
„That was me. Sorry.”
I shoot Bryan an angry glare over my shoulder before I continue searching. The shop is a catastrophic mess. There are things lying on shelves, well arranged, and then apparently someone kept filling the shelves with so many more items that most of the wooden boards are bending under their weight.
Together, it takes us almost fifteen minutes until we finally found all three items. The golden compass was the hardest to find, but the intricate case looks marvelous. The jade dragon statue and the onyx amulet look surprisingly unremarkable, though.
While Bryan carefully puts them in the duffel bag, wrapped in towels he brought, I look around me. One ring on a small shelf next to me catches my eye, the gem on it sparkling in the light. It looks like a really old ring, weathered over centuries. The ruby in it is quite big though, so I’m sure it would fetch quite a nice price.
I quickly pocket it, hoping that Bryan won’t notice. I know he would disapprove, and even though I don’t really understand why, I don’t want that.
As I turn around to him again, watches me with a frown. „What was that?”
Shit. He noticed.
„What was what?”
„You just put something in your pocket.”
I stare at him for a second, until I eventually sigh. „Fine, you caught me. But if I get fired for not showing up to work, that’s your fault. And I need the money.”
„So you just steal stuff? I thought you were better than that.”
Ouch, that hurts.
„It’s only one small ring! It’s not like I’m robbing the place. Okay,” I chuckle, „I guess we are robbing the place. But I only took what I needed. What were you doing over at his desk before, anyway?”
He raises one eyebrow and steps over to the desk, holding up a note with ‘sorry’ written on it.
So while he was apologizing, I was stealing even more. Great.
„What’s your excuse, Alice? You need a new jacket, or maybe a new watch?”
„You don’t understand, it’s not like that!”
„Like what? Like you are stealing from someone just because you can?”
„It’s not for me, it’s…”
I take a deep breath, hesitating. After a moment, I continue in a quieter voice.
„It’s for my mother. She got sick a few months ago and we can barely afford her treatment. Certainly not if I lose my job. But without it, she may have only a few more weeks to live. I already lost my brother, and I’m not losing her, too. If I have to steal this ring to save her, so be it.”
The anger in Bryan’s face is swept away, replaced by embarrassment and guilt.
„I’m sorry. I didn’t know. What about your father? Why can’t he help?”
„Hah. He left us a long time ago. It’s always been us against the world since then.”
„Fine,” he sighs after a moment. „I’ll look away, but you better add your own ‘sorry’ on that note.”
„Thanks, Bryan.”
I swallow hard as I add my apology on the note, but the lump in my throat won’t go away. I feel bad for stealing like that, but I simply don’t have a choice.
Since the shop is very close to the Pit, the owner is probably just buying stolen goods himself. Maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better about it, maybe it’s a fair observation. Either way, it’s not helping much.
After I lay down the pen again, I quickly stride back to the door that Bryan is holding open for me. Without saying another word, we get into the car, the duffel bag on the backseat, secured with a seat belt.
While Bryan is driving to the designated drop-off point, I look at the ring again. It’s quite pretty, actually. As I put it on my finger, I notice that it even fits quite well.
Since this may be the only opportunity I have to wear fancy jewelry, I decide to keep it on. I couldn’t possibly afford to buy a ring with an actual gemstone for myself, and even if, I wouldn’t. My mother needs the money more than I do. But there’s no harm in enjoying this simple luxury while I can, right?
A few minutes later, we arrive at the destination, a few minutes before the time we’ve been told. It’s an old gas station, long out of service by the looks of it. It’s dark, and there’s no one around at this time of night.
„Alice.”
„Hm?”
„You should put that away for now,” Bryan points at the ring on my finger. „We probably shouldn’t draw any more attention than necessary.”
I look at the ring with a hint of disappointment, then put it back into my pocket.
Bringing the duffel bag, we walk to the gas station, waiting right in front of the door. There’s no one inside, so we must be early. We wait outside, where I sit down on an empty bucket I turned around.
He better not makes us wait here long.
My annoyance only grew as we wait for almost half an hour until we hear footsteps coming closer.
„Finally. Took him long enough,” I whisper as I get up and stretch my legs.
Bryan grabs the duffel bag from the floor, taking a step forward as the man approaches.
„There you are. We were already worried.”
„We got what you asked for,” I add as I step next to him. „I hope you got…”
But as the man reaches us, I realize we were mistaken. The man isn’t the ‘one-armed’, but someone else.
„Oh. I’m sorry, we mistook…”
Befo
re I can finish, the man pulls out a gun and points it at me.
Seriously? Again?
I realize how within less than 24 hours, my reaction to a gun pointed at me went from „oh my god I’m going to die” to „ugh, not again”.
„Look, man, I really don’t have time for this, so please just get lost before…”
„Give me the ring!”
„…what?” I stare at him in confusion.
„The ring! I know you have it, give it to me!”
He doesn’t look like the kind of guy who would kill, I see that much in his eyes. But I also see desperation and determination, like he would do anything to get what he needs. But I can’t simply give up the ring, not when my mother’s life might depend on it.
„How do you even…”
Before I can finish my question, the man’s gun is knocked from his hand, and a moment later his is thrown to the ground.
Seriously? Can’t I finish even a single of my sentences here?
As the man tries to get up from the ground, another figure appears next to him. With a quite forceful punch in the face, the figure sends him back to the ground, where he stays without moving again.
As the figure turns to us, I see that it is the same man as yesterday.
„Who are you? What do you…”
„We can’t keep meeting like this, Alice.” He smiles as he shakes his head, then walks away and fades into the night again.
„…want from me. Damn you.”
I look over to Bryan and see the same puzzled look on his face. As he looks down to the weirdly specific robber and back up to me, he can only muster a confused shrug.
I throw my arms up in agitation. „What the hell is happening? Who is that? What does he want from me? And why do we keep getting attacked? And where is this mad bandit, he was supposed to be here a half hour ago!”
„I don’t think he’s coming, Alice. Maybe he got spooked. Let’s check at the Black Moon, maybe someone knows something.”
I look at him with pursed lips, not very happy about yet another setback. This whole debt thing was supposed to be taken care of about two attempts ago, now we spend another night chasing down leads.
