Eridanus ~ A Collection Of Short Stories

Some Things Never Change

(Written for a prompt contest by crime  antiheroesgalore   WattpadFriendsandFamily 
Word count – 1997 words)

Myra peered intently at the screen. She scrolled through the museum's thematic map, carefully comparing the layout with her notes.

"The newly-installed security cameras would be here...and here," Nigella stated, pointing on the laptop to the edge of the art gallery, and then at the ceiling beside a large canvas.

"Note that the third security shift begins when the museum closes for the day, at precisely seven o'clock," she added with a strong emphasis, owing to Myra's perpetual disregard for punctuality.

The girl nodded absentmindedly and continued making notes while reading through the blueprint. Late as she might be for family gatherings or friendly outings, she certainly had an eye on the clock when it came to the precision of a heist. She scrawled down the timings of the security guards' daily shifts.

"It's a classic Missing Mona Lisa," Myra replied after a lengthy pause. She leaned back in her chair, sneaking back a glance at Nigella.

"I've slipped into some of the most guarded museums in the country. Without being caught," she added pointedly. "I'm not about to break my record now."

Nigella smirked and stepped away from the computer, all too familiar with the thief's bravado. However, owing to her notable haul over the past three years, perhaps she was entitled to it.

As Myra scribbled away in her notepad, her friend gazed around at the warehouse, realising that she had never paid too much attention to the former's lair. Regardless of the lack of aesthetics, the place exuded functionality, rather like Myra's very plans.

Every wall was plastered with some thematic map or diagram of a random artefact from the city's museums. The places that girl had struck in the past year had been circled in red ink, and the marked targets, Nigella had to admit, had formed an impressive grid of red. Among the numerous dots, one museum stuck out as the only one that hadn't been marked yet.

The Gallery of Modern Art.

Nigella turned back to Myra, who was busy flipping over a checklist on her desk.

"Did Carl deliver the equipment yet?" she enquired, walking up to the littered table. Myra rummaged through her drawer for a pencil.

"Not yet," she responded distractedly. "He's supposed to have it delivered by this evening."

Right on cue, the ladies heard a vehicle screech to a halt outside the warehouse. Carl wasn't known for his discrete entrances. In less than a minute, the patter of heavy footsteps descending the stairs echoed through the basement. A brunette sauntered in, an enormous backpack in tow.

"The dealer has arrived!" the man announced dramatically as he dumped his supplies on the nearby work table. He flashed a grin at Nigella, who returned the smile and waved back at him. Acknowledging his arrival with a mere nod, Myra promptly began inspecting the goods.

"Did you get everything on the list?" she questioned, examining a a grappling hook. Carl fished out a crumpled sheet of paper from his jacket pocket.

"They're all there," he replied. "Except for the last item. Not sure why you'd need a dragon to steal the world's most expensive painting."

Myra stopped rummaging through the bag. "A dragon? I most certainly did not write that in my list."

Nigella walked up to Carl. "Let me see that."