Twisted Obsession

32 - Blood Diamonds

Athena Luciana Bicnchi

Riccardo popped open a beer with a hiss, tipping the can back as he chugged it.

"Cause you're hot then you're cold, you're yes then you're no, you're in then you're out, you're up then you're down..." Elliot's voice rang out, high-pitched and off-key, as he immersed himself in a round of Just Dance, completely absorbed in the song.

"This is seriously fucking unsettling," Riccardo muttered, eyeing Elliot like he was watching a horror show unfold.

"Let him be, he's just a kid," I said with a shrug, smirking at Riccardo's discomfort.

"Kid? Behind that innocent act is a full-blown psychopath." He shook his head, taking another swig of his beer before plopping down beside me. I shifted, crossing my legs as I turned to face him.

"So, about the Delacroix Manor in France. What did you dig up?" I asked, leaning in slightly. "I need every single detail if we're going to get in and out of there without leaving a trace—or witnesses."

Riccardo ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "It's a nightmare. That place is locked down tighter than a fortress. I've gone over every inch of those walls, every camera angle, every patrol route. Security's airtight. There's no clean way in or out without getting spotted."

He paused, letting the weight of the information sink in. "Our only window is November 27. They're switching out the security team that day—bringing in new guys for extra protection, something to do with a high-profile blood diamond collection they're launching. The diamonds will be transported in an armored truck, minimal escort. That's our shot. We'll have to intercept the truck, get inside before they know what hit 'em."

His tone turned gravely. "We have to time it perfectly. The second they're delayed, that's it. No diamond, no job, and we're back to square one. We've got one chance—screw it up, and we won't get another."

I leaned back, absorbing Riccardo's words. His tone left no room for error. One chance. "So, how do we stop the truck? The second they suspect anything's off, they'll call in backup, and we'll be swarmed."

Riccardo cracked his knuckles, his eyes narrowing in thought. "We need to keep it clean—no gunfire, no explosions. Anything too loud, and we'll be dealing with a full-scale lockdown."

I nodded, "Alright, so we take the subtle approach. What's the convoy like? How many guards are we talking?"

"Three cars. The lead vehicle is just standard security, four guys armed. The truck carrying the diamonds has two guards inside, one driving, the other watching the cargo. The tail car is the real problem—five men, all ex-military, fully armed, with comms directly to headquarters."

I frowned. "That's more firepower than I expected."

"Yeah," Riccardo said grimly, "we'll have to neutralize them before they can radio for help."

"Alright, so how do we do that? Roadblock? Intercept?"

He shook his head. "Too risky. Roadblocks get noticed, and intercepts need precision timing. But what if we went a different route?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

Riccardo leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "We don't stop the truck—we 

distract them. We'll have Elliot take out their communications. He can intercept their signal and loop their feed, make it look like everything's fine."

I glanced at Elliot, still dancing like a maniac in the corner. "Him? You trust him with that?"

Riccardo smirked. "As crazy as he is, he's brilliant with tech. He'll have their entire system fooled before they even know they're blind."