The Thief and Magic

                                                         Thief in the Night

Matthew was on a job, his last job he had hoped.  He peered thought an air grate looking down in the museum, he scanned the area looking for the object he was hired for, a small amulet of silver and bronze with an emerald center stone the size of a half-dollar.  Watching the guard go by he waited five minutes before opening the grate and lowered himself down.  Stepping silently to the floor he moved to the shadows of the wall making his way down the hallway, the amulet was on display in the grand hallway. Checking his watch he had 30 seconds till the guards came around on their patrol on their way back to the guard’s desk.  Watching as the light from the guards coming his way he hid even more in the shadows, reaching in to his pocket he pulled out a small pouch of powder, he waited till the guards were near then blew the fine dust and watched the guards walk through the faint cloud.

The two guards walked through the dust without worry talking about some sporting event they were missing while on patrol. “I can’t believe we have to walk around this place at this time, I mean I don’t mind but why does it have to be in the middle of the last quarter?” one said. “I know it’s not right but what are to do orders are orders and this is our job” the other guard said.  As they turned the corner one started to sneeze and kept sneezing as their footsteps echoed down the hallway. “great now I am getting sick”,”well don’t get me sick as well, come one you can lay down when we get back” could be heard from down the hall.

Smiling in the shadow and wiping his hand on the bottom of his pants leg. Moving out from the shadows he comes to the pedestal where the amulet is being displayed “hmm, let’s see laser field and a pressure plate…. Why waste so much security on such a tiny object that looks like cheap costume jewelry” he muttered under his breath as he examined the piece he was hired to steal. Moving his hand slowly he found the control panel at the bottom right hand of the pedestal, opening it carefully the words enter code was flashing in red “huh a sixteen point numeric code eh? Well Sirs I salute you” he said with a chuckle. Reaching into his back pocket he took out a small blue book and started flipping through its pages “alright this is an Alvin mark 83 security system and pad. so the default code should be, aww yes” he started entering the code while thinking to himself nothing like cheat codes for when you are in a hurry. With a slight click he heard the glass release. Standing he lifting the case then carefully he pocked the piece in his inner breast pocket and gently replaced the glass back. Now on any other heist he would leave his standard calling card of a packet of red chili flakes from the locale pizza place in its place but he need to make sure not to be stupid on this last job. Retracing his steps he made his way back out, once he was on the roof top he pulled a small two way boost phone and click the talk button “Aaron, you there?” a second later a voice responded “yes” clicking the button again “ alright Aaron where did you go I don’t see you at the lookout post” a few seconds late the voice responded “ sorry about that but I had to move a car kept circling and I didn’t want to attract attention, I am down the road at the hold court house steps” letting out sigh he responded “ alright see you in a bit”.

Moving down the sidewalk Matthew came to a small black car, unlocking the door he sat inside and started the engine. Roaring to life with a steady purr of the motor he pulled out on to the road and drove down to the old court house a quick eight minute drive. Pulling up in front he stepped out of the car, the old court house was a huge three story building of old brick and pillars. Standing there in looking at the building covered in darkness and shadows he realize just what a creepy and yet ironic place this was for a meeting for a thief in the night. Walking up the steps was giving Matthew an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach and he was not liking it at all but he needed to meet up with Aaron and then the client and collect their payment. Upon reaching the door he found a small note attached informing him that the door to down the right hand side was open and that Aaron and the client would meet him in the old judge’s study down the hall and to the right. Following the instructions he found the room a soft yellow orange glow came from the slightly open door, opening the door he called out for his friend “ Aaron you here?” but no answer came but there was someone in the chair behind the old desk “Aaron you twit did you fall asleep again? How many times do I have to tell you sleep on your own time” as he walked around the desk hoping to catch his old friend fast asleep. Nothing but shock, sadness and anger came to face him, his friend; his partner in crime was in the chair dead. Deep slashes across his chest and neck, he wanted to help his friend but he knew he had to get the hell out of there. Turn quickly to the door but it was already too late a man was already standing just inside the door with his arm up and something in his hand pointed right at his chest, was it a gun he wondered but it looked off, then the man spoke “the Item now, hand it to me or I can take your life then the item” he said in a low voice full of ice. Crap Matthew thought to himself, not knowing how long the strangers temper would last, he calmly said “okay. Don’t hurt me, here you go” reaching slowly into his inside chest pocket he took out the amulet, then tossed arching high into the air. The mysterious man flicked the wrist he was point at Matthew casually at the amulet and it seemed to stop in mid air, just floating there, with another flick he floated it slowly to him. With all his concentration on his prize he didn’t see the other object coming at him.

While the stranger was distracted Matthew picked up the heavy office lamp from the edge of the table and threw it straight at the man.  He watch it hit the man square in the face with bone cracking thud, wasting no time he ran for it though not without catching the amulet out of the air as he passed the collapsed man. Running through the darkness as fast as he could through the empty court house as bad enough but he didn’t care he had to get out and there was no telling how long the stranger would stay down. Bursting through the door he felt the cool night air rush his face, he ran down the steps pulling the keys to the car from his pocket. Running is such a rush he slammed into the side of the car, coming to such an abrupt stop was bad enough. He cursed to himself for his carelessness but he quickly got around to the other side and got in. starting the car and throwing it into gear hard, he smashed his foot down on the gas. Not even half way down the street, came the BOOM! The shock wave from the explosion caused Matthew to jerk the wheel and send the car swerving and sliding to a stop. As he looked out the window he couldn’t believe his eyes, half the court house was rubble and blown away, the rest was on fire. “Holy DAMN! I don’t know what just happened but I am not staying around to find out” he said out loud to himself. Kicking the car in to gear again he tore down the road racing away from the burning building “shit, shit, shit” driving hard, turn left here and a hard right there. Sweating hard he cracked the window as he drove on, now down a highway that ran alongside the forest “just what happened back there? And who was that guy?! And why the hell was there an explosion!!” he said yelling into the air. Breathing hard but slowly calming down, he mused to himself “at least I got away”.  As he rounded the corner a man stepped into the head lights and then BOOM once again as the road in front of his car burst into flames. Jerking the wheel hard to the right he drove off the side of the road into the forest, the speeding car slipping and sliding in the grass and underbrush. Driving hard into the forest he was bouncing up and down weaving in and out of trees for dear life he cursed himself again “next time buy a car that can go off road” he said through jarring teeth. BOOM again from behind him but that was it, the reckless driving in the forest plus the explosion was all he needed to lose control. Holding on for dear life as the car flipped and rolled through the dark silent forest with only the crunching of metal echoing in the night till the car slowly slide. Upside down, body aching and blood dripping down his face, he painfully made his way out of the totaled car. Bracing himself again the nearest tree he looked at the car wondering how he survived but he couldn’t dwell on it he knew the mysterious stranger would be coming for him and his prize.  Turning in to the shadow of the tree he moved away. It wasn’t long before he heard a slight popping sound and someone checking the destroyed car. He moved silently in the dark as best he could then came the voice “I know you are still here boy. Thought you were clever did you? Well I hope you realize you are going to die”. A cold shivers rushed down his spine and he knew what the voice was saying was true. “I want my property and you will not keep me away from it and no tricks will save you this time” the voice rang out. He hurt so badly but he kept moving in the darkness, one practiced step at a time. The voice taunted him from the shadows and the silence of the night added to the danger. From all around him the stranger’s voice and laughter seemed to come. Matthew didn’t know which way to go and he was getting weaker and weaker with each step. Then he heard a crunch from in front of him he stood silently, a soft glowing light appeared in front of him and the stranger appeared. “Well, well “he said “look at the mess you caused”. The stranger raise the light and pointed at Matthew and said a word he didn’t understand, followed by a rush of red light and the most intense pain he had ever felt even more so then the pain he was in moments before. Then just as suddenly the pain ended, breathing hard, sweat and blood dropping across his body he tried getting to his knees and just out of sure desperation managed to do so. The strangers’ voice filled the air again “that was for all the trouble you caused me”. Dimly awake Matthew looked up into the soft light coming from the stranger; his mind was in a fog, his eyes full of blood, sweat and tears. But he could see something was behind the stranger. A silvery light was speeding towards them but Matthew knew it wouldn’t get to them in time, whatever it was that light was. He watched as the stranger raised his arm again, he didn’t hear the words this time; he just watched as a jet of purple light rushed to him and slammed into his chest. He didn’t feel pain this time just cold unprotected truth, he knew he was dead, the darkness around him grew darker and then he knew no more.