Perfect Heist

Chapter Eleven

Two days later, back in her Battersea flat, Serena busied herself with cleaning up all the dust and cobwebs that had accumulated while she'd been away. The chore helped keep herself from dwelling on what had just happened. One moment she'd been living her new life with nothing to worry about other than work and household bills. Now she'd been thrust back into her old life with all its problems, tensions and dangers. She could not believe this sudden change of fortune, but she knew not to show it. Her only hope was to go along with the situation and make the best of it until an opportunity arose to escape again. After all, she mused, it was only thanks to joining the gang in London that I was able re-locate to Vienna. So I can't really complain...except that I feel so fucking furious!

The meeting with Percy the previous day had gone better than expected. She and Joey made it in time, but only just. The last flight from Vienna was one of the few flights allowed to land at Heathrow in the middle of the night, but it was diverted to Stansted at the last minute due to an emergency on Heathrow Runway 2. This meant they didn't disembark until four in the morning and, after waiting ages for their luggage to reach the Baggage Claim and queuing for a taxi, it was well after five before they were heading towards London. The M11 and the M25 soon became busy with traffic during the early morning rush-hour and, although it was only a journey of about forty miles, it took well over two hours to reach the Shard and they only had moments to spare as they scrambled into the building. Smartening themselves up in the lift as best they could, they had just sat down on the chairs outside Percy's office when he appeared looking smart and vigorous, smelling strongly of an expensive rose-scented aftershave. "We made it, boss," Joey said proudly, making Serena realise what a little boy he really was at heart.

"Only just!" Percy replied, glancing at his Omega wristwatch, and then jerked his head sharply to indicate they should follow him into the office. He sat down behind his desk and gave Serena a brief smile. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, Percy."

Having said that, his face suddenly changed and he glared at her with undisguised fury. "What exactly were you playing at, you sneaky little tart?" he growled.

Serena didn't know how to answer. "I...um...I..." she stuttered.

"Serena needed a break. Time out. She's not used to our life in the fast lane..." Joey put in.

"QUIET!" Percy roared, glaring fiercely at him. "Nobody asked you, Pearson, so shut the fuck up!" He looked directly at Serena. "Well, come on then. You've had time to think up some excuse. Why did you desert us in the way that you did?"

"I was terribly, Percy," Serena said calmly, looking directly back at him. "I've always longed to return to Vienna and work at the Kunsthistorishes Museum. Thanks to the Heist Meisters and your generosity, I was able to do that."

Percy said nothing for a while. Then he got up and started pacing around the room as if considering what to do. Eventually he stopped beside Serena. "I'm not going to kill you," he muttered slowly. "I'm going to spare you - but please don't think I'm doing you any favours. The reason is I still have a use for you."

"What use?"

"Don't be so forward, bitch!" Percy spat, glaring at her. "I'll tell you when I'm good and ready, is that clear?" He paused for a long time, swallowing his anger. "You'll have to wait until the end of next week when we hold another briefing. Now get out of my sight, the pair of you, and don't show your ugly faces in here again until you're called."

"Yes, boss." Joey said obediently.

"Yes, boss," repeated Serena, but with fear and intimidation.

***

Serena found the coming days, with nothing to do and nowhere to go, extremely tiresome. She spent a considerable amount of time lying on her old Victorian bed staring at the cracks in the ceiling and going over everything in her mind again and again. Two things were bothering her. Why hadn't her parents come to see her when they knew she was back? She had rung them shortly after her return and left a message on the answerphone, but they had not returned her call. She could only imagine her father was so angry with her for disappearing the way she did that he was refusing to speak to her now he knew she was back in London. She had no doubt Joyce would be dying to see her, but this was obviously not allowed. Suits me fine. I don't really want to see either of them at the moment. They don't understand my line of work and whatever we talk about will only end up in a row about doing what Vati says, so it's best left as it is. What I don't understand is Joey's attitude...