Me Llamo Tokio (My Name Is Tokyo) - A Money Heist Prequel

Chapter 46 - The Auction

They say love makes the world go round. But the truth is that hatred is not far behind. I'm not even sure if I hated Juan or not. The truth is that I was right in between love and hate which probably is the reason why my world simply stopped.
The night passed and I'm not sure if I slept or not. I might've, but the state I was in wasn't a dream or reality, it was just an numb existence, making me unable to tell what I did ever since Juan left.
A pair of hands touches me. This is the first thing I feel, but I don't have the power to turn and look to their possessor. Whoever might be, they can do whatever they want to me.
I bit on my lip waiting for something to happen. A hit, a swearing, to be raped again. But none of these seem to be on the list of my new visitor. Instead of all the violence that I was bracing myself for, I receive only a thin blanket that's being gently wrapped around my body.
"Thanks." I whisper.
Apparently, my voice sounds worse than I thought.
No answer is coming, only a short touch on my shoulder, ensuring me that's okay. I know who this is and I must admit that I never expected that Alonso, his friend, will come to check on me.
I sigh as I hear him leaving. They all leave one way or another.
Apparently, Juan was the only one who lasted more with me, but I should've been aware of the fact that his departure was pretty unavoidable. I'm not even sure what am I supposed to do next since this is his mission and his friends. But, I guess this is the lesson that I should learn, that sometimes it's wiser for me to leave too.
"Silene!" Rodrigo exclaims.
I'm shocked how comes he missed calling me babe. I'm not even upset on myself for not hearing him coming.
He lifts me up and takes me in his arms, hugging me tightly. Surprisingly, my body doesn't hurts as much as I expected.
"I'm so sorry." he whispers in my ear. "I'm really sorry for everything that happened to you. I just, I don't even know what to say."
"It's okay." I reply leaving my head on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Rodrigo."
"I beat the shit out of him." he says annoyed. "He was drunk as fuck and what he did to you it's just horrible. I ensured that he doesn't goes out without being beaten accordingly."
"You shouldn't have done it." I whisper and immediately feel the tears coming out of my eyes slowly. "He just overreacted."
"No, Silene, he didn't he just fucking..." Rodrigo can't pronounce the word that defines what happened last night. "And then he came too us, barely standing on his feet and told us what he did. That was the moment when I lost my shit."
This explains it all. Because only if he was really drunk, Rodrigo could've beaten Juan.
"It's fine." I whisper clinging onto Rodrigo's shirt. "Thank you."
"It's okay, babe." he says caressing my back. "I'm sorry I haven't been here to save you."
"I'm a grown up woman, Rodrigo, I don't need anyone to come and save me." I say. "But, thank you, for everything."

I take a deep breath as I'm stepping inside the auction house. As I told Rodrigo, I'm a grown up woman and I decided not to let anything affect me and my mission. Surely, Tatiana is right, sometimes we have to take what's ours and not expect anyone to come give it to us, or even worse, save us.
"Enjoy your night." the guard says after looking at my invitation.
"Thank you." I reply with a smile.
I am once again in the wolf's den. The place that witnessed how my life is being screwed up by a gross man, leaving me with nothing else than a body filled with pain.
"Good evening Miss López." my tortionnaire greets me. "I'm glad to see you here."
I hope this is the last time I'll have to hear this cursed name and wear this stupid blonde wig.
"Good evening Mr Rossi." I say trying to smile as natural as I could after everything that happened. "I couldn't have missed such a night."
"Thank for coming." he says, then he leans down and whispers in my ear. "I'll see you in the garden after dinner. We'll have some time."
"Yes, of course." I say trying really hard not to think of what he has planned with me. "I'll be there."
Then he ignores me to greet another guest.
Shit. That's the exact moment when the vault is open and I'll have to go with the guys and switch the paintings. I have no idea what I'm gonna do to avoid this pig and focus on the job.
I'm trying to calm down. The panic won't help me now and things will get even worse if I don't find a way out of this mess. So, for the start, I prefer to just follow the plan that was already discussed from before.
The room where the auction is taking place is huge, filled with tables with a large stage and a desk in a corner. In the first part of the night they'll have to sell sculptures and furniture, but after dinner, the art will start coming. In the moment when they'll bring our paintings, the originals have to be already on the way to Rodrigo's yacht.
A waiter looks on my invitation then he indicates my seat.
The room is almost full and I cannot believe that I was through the last guests to arrive. I wonder if people are such art enthusiasts and like to come early at these events or they're here just for the free drinks.
I take a seat on my table between two old ladies. Thanks God they don't say anything. The last thing I wanted is to make conversation with some strangers.
Now that the auction is about to start, I can start organizing the things in my head. But, as much as I'd like to focus on a new plan to avoid Giuseppe, my mind keeps flying to the most painful moment of the day — meeting Juan.
He was in so much pain I immediately dropped the entire angst and started crying. Yet Juan haven't even came closer to me. He ignored me and started talking to Rodrigo while Alonso was desperately trying to fetch me a napkin.
In a few hours, from the love of his life, I became like a ghost for Juan. I don't think there's something more painful than this, not even what happened last night.
The only thing that he addressed me was a short question, to ensure that I understood the plan. And even that, he did it without looking at me.
My last desperate attempt to catch Juan's attention was before I was about to leave for the auction. I went straight to him, letting down my pride and simply asked him if he has a moment to talk. His answer came short and sharp, like a blade introduced directly through my heart:
"Silene, you don't have time."
And that was it. The only thing he told me ever since he took every drop of my dignity away.
I take a huge gulp of champagne, trying not to cry. Then, I start eating randomly the aperitifs on my plate that I haven't even noticed when they appeared.
The auction is on. People are placing their bids. Sometimes, they even scream to cover each other. It's like an entire shit show for the rich.
All I'm waiting for is to take that goddamn break and the dinner to be served, so that I can escape from here.
"What happened?" one of the two old ladies asks me in English. "Did he left you alone tonight?"
Judging by her accent they must've been American.
"No, I'm okay." I say still a bit surprised that she read me in a way.
"Doesn't matters!" the other one exclaims. "Fuck him!"
"Here, have something to drink." the first one says while putting a glass of liquor on my plate. "Whatever it is, the alcohol will take it away."
"Thanks." I reply a bit hesitant.
The ladies don't say anything, because a sculpture that interests them comes up and they're more interested to start bidding.
I take the glass and look at it. Part of me is trying to warn me that I shouldn't get drunk during a mission, but the other side says that also Juan shouldn't have raped me one night before. So, I let God choose who's fault it is and drink the glass till the bottom. And another one and another one.
By the time they announce the break, I can say that I'm a bit drunk. But this is not enough to alter my thoughts. I can go as far as admitting that I even have a plan now. So, in the moment when I get up and leave, I'm more confident than ever.
I don't have time for Giuseppe now, so I run fast through the garden, hoping that he hasn't seen me.
Now my new plan comes in action, as I'm entering the building where the vault is located. If someone will see me I'll just act innocent and say that I was just looking for the toilet and got lost. But I hope it won't be the case, because that means that I'll have to make a new strategy to get in.
A long corridor with doors on each side awaits me. I'm trying to remember which one is from the security room while I'm adjusting my walk to make it look as natural as possible.
In the moment when I reach it I hear some voices from behind. Shit. According to the guys who spied on him everyday, the guard was supposed to be out for a break.
I open my bag and start to search for the card that brought me so many problems. This gem wasn't just opening the vault, but since Giuseppe was such an idiot, he converted in a sort of universal key for the most important things around the gallery.
Thanks asshole. Is all I can think of in the moment when I reach the fake card and slide it through the door, making it open with a subtle click.
I enter in the security room and close the door after me. Now the only thing that I should pray for is for these guys not to enter here.
But I won't just sit here and wait to see if I'll get caught or not. No matter what happens to me, in order for them to finish the mission I have to go to the main computer and insert a small stick inside that will immediately grant access to the cameras to one of Rodrigo's IT guys.
I take a deep breath and put the stick in the computer. A loading sign appears, then a stupid tab that's showing me how many percent of the program has been installed.
When the lines are indicating that's a bit after half, I feel like I'm about to go crazy, as the guys stop right in front of the door.
Please just don't come in here. I beg God and the universe and anything that might be up there and listen to me.
The guys from the other side of the door are laughing. I don't get what they're saying because they speak Italian, but they seem really cheerful about a subject.
I take a look on the computer. Eighty percent. Even if they'll come in here, I hope that by the time they'll figure out what's going on the goddamn thing to reach a hundred percent and disappear from the screen.
But no one enters. They simply pass and go to the garden, probably to enjoy the break.
A loud sigh escapes from between my lips in the moment when the loading tab disappears. I can't believe I did it. Now, the guy will be able to erase all the recordings of me and also block the cameras for the next thirty minutes.
So I don't have time to lose.
I take out the stick and stash it back in my bag, then I open the door and run through the intricate row of corridors that I memorized these days.
Luckily for us, Giuseppe's constant need of women made him create an impressive number of secret doors that go into the street, so that his girls to be able to sneak in and out without being observed. According to our analysis, one of these doors wasn't even closing too well, and that's the point of entrance for the boys.
When I reach the meeting point, they're already inside waiting for me.
I can't hold my smile. Even if he hurt me like shit, this is the first time I'm seeing Juan dressed up in a suit. I know it was part of the blending in process, they're all wearing suits, but I want to believe that he choose this one for me. Dark green velvet, a tone that perfectly fits his eyes.
"Congrats babe!" Rodrigo laughs. "You did it!"
At least someone seems proud of my achievement.
"Thanks." I reply.
My eyes are still desperately looking at Juan. But he does nothing. He seems like he's looking through me.
"Okay, babe, let's get to work!" Rodrigo sounds as cheerful as always and in a way this gives me the power to move.
Alonso is carrying a black briefcase and I know what's in there — our forgeries. If everything will go well on the way back we'll have the originals.
"After you, babe." Rodrigo says making me a sign to lead the way.
Surprisingly, there's no one on our way to the vault. But this doesn't means that things can't get complicated in a few seconds.
The vault is located across Giuseppe's office and I don't like it, yet I can't do anything, but try to control myself as much as possible.
"No stealing." Rodrigo announces in the moment when I slide our fake card and open the door. "This will draw some unwanted attention to us and it's not really the case now that we lost our man in Spain."
He's right. Losing that guy costed us millions of euros that we could've gained after emptying this stupid vault.
"In ten minutes they'll come to get the paintings, so move fast." Juan says.
I realize it's the first time he says something ever since they entered. But I can't start analyzing this now.
We're in a vault full of art and no one has even the slightest idea where are our paintings. So, without thinking at Juan, I put on my gloves and start looking through the endless rows of golden framed art.
Alonso finds our Gallego pretty fast, making me wonder how much experience he has with art. But, there's still Tatiana's El Greco, and we can't really leave without that.
Juan's hand accidentally touches mine in the moment when I open the case to put the forgery back into the place of the original painting.
"Sorry." he says.
I don't reply. I just lift up my eyes and stare into his.
"I found it!" Rodrigo exclaims.
But the happiness in his voice, is quickly covered by the most horrible sound that my mind can perceive. Giuseppe's laugh. Coming from a lateral hallway.
"Stay in here." I whisper panicked. "Don't make any sound, I'll try to get rid of him."
"Silene..." this is Juan addressing me for the first time.
"No." I say sharply. "This is our only chance."
So I ignore my only real occasion to have a conversation with Juan and quickly get out of the vault closing the door after me.
In the moment when Giuseppe sees me, I'm stashing my gloves inside the bag.
"Oh my, Miss López!" he exclaims surprised.
He turns to the guy that he came with and in a few seconds he quickly disappears.
"Haven't I told you to wait for me in the garden?" Giuseppe says a bit confused.
"No, Mr Rossi, you said your office." I reply innocently. "But we can go there if you want."
"No, no, the office is just fine." the greed is back in his eyes.
Why the fuck you don't want in the garden you stupid scum?
"Alright, Mr Rossi." I say playful. "Then, how about we play a game."
"Oh, I'd love to Miss López, but first I'd love to invite you to see the art, more up close." he says indicating me to the vault's door.
You stupid shit. I'm currently stealing it and, trust me I've seen it all.
"I'd be delighted to, only I'm more interested in seeing something else." I coo getting closer to him and gently tracing a line from his disgusting belly down to his cock. "More up close..."
"Miss López..." his voice is trying to sound threatening, but he lost it when I touched his dick through his pants. "How about that little game of yours?"
"First you'll have to follow what I say, in order for it to work." I wink.
"Yes, sure, tell me what to do." Giuseppe says submissive like he'll give me everything that's in that vault willingly if I'll ask him.
"You'll go to your office and put on your favorite song, because I'm dying to know more about your music tastes and I'd love to make you happy while listening to something that you love. Then, you'll go and fill the tub with water and..."
"Miss López." he interrupts me. "I don't think we have that much time."
"Trust me, we do." I'm more confident than ever. "Believe me when I tell you Mr Rossi, you'll go back to your auction in time."
"Alright, then what's next?" he asks curiously.
"Then you'll go to your desk and start working while the music is playing louder in the background and you'll wait for me." I stop and look at him with a smile.
"And then?" he's more impatient than I thought.
"Then you'll find out."
He wants to lean down and kiss me, but my finger stops his lips to get in contact with mine.
"Not now, Mr Rossi." I whisper.
He's acting like in a trance, disappearing into his office.
I smile as I realize how much power we women have over men, yet we never use it. We can make them be our little pets from a few words, yet somehow they end up dominating us, which is the strangest thing that happens. I guess it's our fault, because we offer them something that they never do to us, equality.
I hear the loud music coming out of his office. By now he should go to the bathroom, so I know this is our moment.
My hand is shaking as I open the vault's door.
"It's clear." I say.
But they already heard that. They were waiting at the door, ready to leave as soon as Giuseppe would've went in his office.
I'm trying not to look at Juan as he's closing the door after Rodrigo, but I can't help it. I'm admiring him from the distance, staring at his back with that curly hair that started to grow and almost touching the green velvet line of his suit.
"Go with the guys." he tells me.
I guess Juan knew I was staring at him.
"No." I say.
"Silene, I have to wait the IT guy to give me the code and lock the door so that it seems like the vault wasn't touched." he says fast. "Please go with the guys, we'll meet at the car."
"I can't, Juan what if he'll catch you." I'm suddenly scared for him. "I just..."
"Hey." he turns and takes my hands in his. "I'll be okay, I'll come back."
"Juan..." I feel my eyes stinging.
"We'll talk when we reach the yacht." he says and for the first time he looks me right in the eyes. "I promise."
"Fine." my legs are shaking in the moment when I raise on my toes and kiss him quickly.
He smiles and I see how there's so much pain in his eyes, like a battle is being taken between his sides.
"For luck." I say.
Then I turn around and leave, running to catch Rodrigo and Alonso, but also to hide my tears from him.
I love Juan, no matter what. Call it toxic, romantic, deranged or whatever, but this is my truth. A truth that I don't think I'll be able to wipe away from my soul, as it's too deeply carved in there, marking my and existence forever.