Thieves Stealing from Thieves: Chapter 1 – A Posse of Virtuous Thieves

Chapter 1 – A Posse of Virtuous Thieves

Four of us sit quietly in a room with our masks on, rules of the shadowy organization printed on papers in front of the circular table in front of us, and a widescreen touch TV listing all the possible jobs for us to take, some of which are disappearing and slowly being replaced by new ones. I’m wearing a basic black-and-white suit, tie, and shoes, and a clown mask with the blue and red flag of the United Chimaera States on it with its golden cross and red X. A muscle man with a golden cross wears a similar suit to mine and wears an orange tiger mask. The only woman in the room wears a colorful, pink suit with golden tassels on it, a red tie, and an orange shirt underneath, a black skirt, and pink boots. She wears a clown mask like mine, except she has red hair in pigtails and a pink flower on it. Lastly, the other man in the room wears a frilly butler-type suit, and his mask has weird black strips near each eye and his mouth.

Not wanting to waste any time, I say, “We were all paired together for some reason. I assume you all said you wanted to be in a four-man group?”

They all nod their heads.

“I’m assuming they told you to wear a mask here. You spoke to a masked individual for your interview for this organization, and they told you not to stop wearing your mask or reveal your name until you met your group, so since no one else wants to move things along, I’ll go first.”  I take off my mask. “My name is Ace Argentum, and my codename is Cowboy.”

The well-dressed man with a creepy mask takes his off. He has long black hair and green eyes. His appearance reminds me a lot of myself when I didn’t have a goatee and graying black hair as I do now.

“My name is Al Jarrett, code name Cappuccino,” he says.

“Pfft. What a funny codename,” the girl says as she takes off her clown mask, revealing a young adult female’s face with half dark blue, half black hair, dark blue eyeshadow, dark blue eyes, and black lipstick. “You gave yourself a code name after your favorite coffee?”

“Yes,” Al says with a straight face.

Surprised by his unhumorous honesty, the girl shrugs her shoulders and then says, “The name’s Kelly McGhee. Code name is Rosebud. What’s yours, tiger?”

The man with a tiger mask takes it off, revealing a man with stubby facial hair, long black hair, and soft brown slanted eyes.

“Suzuki Koyama. You can call me Byakko in the field,” Suzuki says.

“Well, that’s what the codenames and masks are for. No one can know who is robbing or killing for this strange organization of thieves and mercenaries that we’ve joined, and if someone does find out, the organization cuts off all contact with us,” Kelly says.

“It’s called the Hydra Roundtable, and it’s not just another shadowy organization,” I say, pointing at the papers. “They don’t recruit just anyone off the streets. They’re looking for men and women of honor who want to do more than make money in less-than-legal ways. They want people with a good reason to risk their lives for a cause greater than themselves. Since we’re all supposed to get to know and trust each other, do you mind telling me your motives for joining?”

“I’m from the Slav Federation, and I’m just here to cause some good trouble. I don’t even care if we make a difference. All I want to do is make sure corrupt people in all areas of society get what they deserve,” Kelly says.

“The Slav Federation? Tch. Of course someone from there just wants to cause senseless chaos,” Suzuki scoffs.

“I know the reputation of my homeland, its people, and the primary ideology they worship, but I am not one of them. That’s why I’m here. If anything, I prefer we take the contracts that hurt the adherents of the Slavic political ideology.”

“Heh, sure. I just find it hard to believe because the Slavs say they overthrew their governments to help the people, particularly the poor and middle class, and distribute the riches of the wealthy to those who need it, but when they got into power, they only helped themselves, and either killed, jailed, or exiled everyone else.”

“If we’re talking about the hypocrisies of our countries, what about those that embrace the Von Menschen und Vorfahren? The two founding countries, Adler and Lupa, did much the same thing, saying they were using force and the powers of the state to return their countries to their former glory and bring them to greater heights. I’m assuming you’re from Tatsu, Suzuki?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then let’s not fail to mention how they put many of the people from the Loog Dynasty into camps like Adler did and committed unspeakable acts of rape, murder, and inhuman experimentation on an Asiatic people that they considered less than them.”

“The glory of the Tatsu Empire is restored. It’s a shame what happened to its detractors, but I’m glad that other nations take us seriously again and foreigners will no longer take advantage of us.”

“So, you’re saying your country is justified in the same atrocities that mine are guilty of?”

“No.”

“How about we agree to disagree?” I interject. “I said in my interview that I wanted to work with people of the same belief. Don’t we all worship the same suffering God?”

“I am part of the suffering Church, the Patiens Ecclesia,” Suzuki says, and the rest agree.

“Then let’s agree to disagree. I myself can attest to the evils of both sides. I used to work for a bank to help people with their finances, but I worked for some greedy Israeli bankers and was screwing over more people than anything. It’s why I’ve been mostly a bank robber ever since. As for the Slavs, I’ve been taking from their underground businesses and using it to actually help the poor.”

“It sounds like you might like the Vorfahren more than Slavs, given their hatred of Israelis,” Kelly says.

“Just because I might like one enemy more than the other doesn’t mean I’ll ever consider working for them. They’re both sides of the same wretched coin as far as I’m concerned.”

Al says, “I agree with Ace. Both sides are hunted by my family, and we’re trying to influence our country’s leaders to classify their beliefs as hateful and illegal.”

“Your family? The terminology is familiar to me. You must mean you’re part of a crime family,” Suzuki says.

“Do I?”

“Yes. I recognize it because I’m part of my own family in Tatsu, doing our own thing to influence the government and keeping it in our pocket.”

“That’s the only way to control the government: make sure it does the will of the right people.”

Suzuki and Al smile at one another as if instantly forming a brotherhood over shared experiences in crime families. I look over to Kelly, and she looks at me.

“I don’t care if I’m the odd one out. I know what it’s like in my own home,” she says.

“We’re all odd in our own way. You’re among like-minded people, whether you know it or not,” I say.

“Since introductions are out of the way, how about we get to work? I keep seeing jobs disappear from the TV screen.”

“Right. Which would you all like to take?”

“Since you mentioned banks, I think we can get the best payday and boost in reputation with the Hydra Roundtable if we hit one of those. No one is really taking any of them either,” Al says.

“It’s high risk, high reward,” I say.

“Just the way I like it,” Kelly says.

“Suzuki?”

“I agree with Kelly. Nothing easy is worth doing. May I pick the particular bank?” Suzuki says.

“Go ahead.”

Suzuki goes up to the TV and taps the bank job to accept it for us. The details spread out and tell us that the bank is held by members of the Israeli mafia to launder and keep their money in, and give needy people loans with high interest. It’s not the same place I worked at, but I recognize the names of the special targets who run the organization.

“Looks like we got some targets who we can get a bonus from if we take them out and confirm the kill. I’m surprised to see them, given that the Hydra Roundtable is strict on its killing rule,” I say.

“We can only kill criminals and special targets. Everyone else, from civilians to cops, greatly reduces our pay and reputation,” Al says.

“The Hydra Roundtable is also offering to provide us with more information and ways into the bank at the cost of a percentage of our score. What do you think we should take, if anything at all?”

“Hmm. Keycard, interference with the police to allow us more time to get out if things get hairy, insider assistance, special weapons and tools to get into the bank. It’s all very tempting,” Kelly says. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t take what we think is necessary. I’m not in this for the money. Just the fun and virtue of it.”

“I say we should,” Al says.

“Again, I have to agree with Kelly,” Suzuki says.

“I guess we do have more things in common than we think,” Kelly says.

“Yes. If you are truly a noble, then we should never seriously disagree on anything and work together well,” Suzuki says.

Kelly nods and smiles. With that set, we choose what the Hydra Roundtable can help us with and are given three days to prepare as our assets are gathered for us. During that time, my group and I take stock of what we need, study the blueprints of the bank, make a plan to get the requested amount of cash and to fulfill the secondary objectives, and take walks around the bank to become familiar with it and what happens in it. The day of the robbery arrives, and we all begin to play our parts.

Over the radio, I say, “How’s the floor look, Rosebud?”

“Busy and smelling of desperation and greed as always, Cowboy,” Kelly says. “Cappuccino. Is the coffee brewing?”

“Yes. We’re about to have a nice, rich drink soon,” Al says as he hacks into the bank doors thanks to the codes provided by the Hydra Roundtable. “How are our VIPs, Byakko?”

“Some are strapped, and others are none the wiser that they’re about to have their pictures taken with their new crowns,” Suzuki says, referring to the charges planted in the bank and the members of the Israeli mafia we’re meant to kill and take pictures of to confirm the kill. “I think it’s about time to act, Ace.”

“I think so too,” I say. “Is everyone ready?”

Everyone agrees, so I say, “Mask up. Let’s get this done.”

Putting on my mask and drawing my pistols, both long and capable of firing rifle rounds, and currently loaded with non-lethal rounds. We’re aided by five disgruntled workers and civilians who have been taken advantage of by the people who ran this bank, each of whom has their own mask and rifle loaded with non-lethal rubber bullets. We shout at everyone to get down, shoot the guards with the non-lethal rounds to knock them out, and make sure no one leaves the bank yet or hits any of the alarms. From below, we can see Suzuki kick in the doors of the office and gun down all our targets. Another group of five masked helpers comes in and goes down to the vault to help Al with a specialized drill to open parts of the vault we don’t have a key for.

While all this is happening, I’m saying to the crowds, “Stay down and stay calm! We want the bank’s money, not yours. Yours is insured by the government, so you’ll lose nothing. Don’t be a hero because it’d be wasted on the scum that runs this bank.”

None of the civilians move for the duration that it takes Al and our helpers to get the money. Suzuki comes down to help with the money, and before we set off the explosives, we yell at the civilians to leave and let them know what we’re doing. They all sprint out of the bank, screaming, not even stopping to carry out the unconscious guards as we tell them to, forcing us to carry the guards to a safe location on our way out. Once we’re far enough, Suzuki activates the explosives, leveling the bank and destroying everything else we didn’t take. Our ten helpers take the money in an armored car, while Suzuki, Kelly, Al, and I take a separate, unassuming four-door car.

Thanks to the Hydra Roundtable’s help, the police don’t arrive until after we start driving away, and by then, they don’t see us get into our separate cars, and don’t know that the people they’re looking for have already driven past them. We don’t celebrate until we’re back at the Hydra Roundtable’s hideout, where we’re paid a meager five thousand each for our work. None of us look bothered by our paycheck, but I still ask them if they are.

“Pfft. No. Why? How much did you usually make during bank robberies, Ace?” Kelly asks.

“Eh. About the same. I don’t like keeping dirty money with me, so I donate most of it either to Church or people in need,” I say.

“That’s what I’m planning to do with this,” Al says while waving the packet of money around.

“Agreed. I have plenty of money from my work with my family to get by for the next few years,” Suzuki says.

“I guess that means you’ll be the one buying for tonight’s celebration,” Kelly says.

Suzuki shrugs his shoulders and says, “I don’t see why not, especially after making some new friends.”

The four of us go out, changed into different suits, and go to a bar that’s outside the city where the bank was. We recommend each other our favorite drinks, some of which aren’t palatable to some of us, like Suzuki, who spits out a lot of what he drinks, and sticks to Sakae and Mediterranean red wine. News of what we did shows up on the bar’s TV, and we make a toast to it.

“To our future success,” I say.

The four of us clink our glasses and enjoy the fruits of our work, hoping that it continues for many jobs to come.