The Undoing Of Heroes | ✓

two

two

PAWNING valuable emerald necklaces was kind of hard when you were one of the country's most famous supervillains. Normally, I would've gone to the slums in hopes of finding someone who'd pay a pretty penny for the necklace. But I had something better. Much, much better. 

I knocked on the rusty door in front of my face twice. Then took a pause, and knocked twice again. 

From inside, I heard multiple locks clicking open. Then the door swung open. 

"Nightspark? What lovely visit."  A Spanish accent drawled, and saucy brown eyes scanned my attire before drifting up to my face. 

I watched as Paindealer grinned at me, then opened his door further. 

"Step in, step in. Why don't you?"

Sure, he was a bit quirky in his vivid red cape and boots, paired with his usual white spandex suit. But he was the closest thing I had to a friend. And the fattest spider in Crown Heights with a gigantic web of contacts. Although, he wasn't a literal spider. It's just a metaphor. 

As soon as the door closed behind us, he clapped his hands.

"Okay, so what've you got for me this evening, signorina?" 

But he already knew what it was. It hung around my neck, big and fat and expensive. And his eyes were plastered to it, greedily. 

"This is a fine piece. Where'd you get it from?"

"Blaze." I replied, not able to hide the sneer. 

Now, Paindealer laughed heartily. "Now that's something I'd pay to see, yes." 

Then he reached around my slender neck, and unclasped the heavy necklace. His equipment already lay on the table, a large box filled to the brim with various utensils he'd use to measure, evaluate and finally, set a price he'd be able to sell the necklace for. 

"This is a very fine piece. Exclusive collection, designed by Marie Veloux. It says here, carved on the emerald." He was muttering to himself yet again, although I didn't mind as I leaned over his shoulder, watching him work. 

The curtains were drawn and he'd locked the door, so there was no way for anyone to peer into what we were doing. Not that anyone would care, Paindealer did live around my area, not that he'd ever know where I lived. That'd be the fatal for my ''career'' as Nightspark, and fatal for my own life. 

Sure, we were friends. To an extent. There'd always be bigger fish in the pond, and if he knew where my house was and sold me out. 

I shuddered.

But he didn't notice, and continued tinkering with the necklace, mumbling numbers under his breath. As more zeroes were added to the numbers he was thinking about, my heart started to race and I wiped my damp palms off on my suit. 

"I'll sell it for 800 thousand." He said, at long last, gently placing his tools in the box again. He glanced at me. "We split 50/50 right?" 

"60/40." I said, and he hesitated for a second. "I did the dirty work." And at that, he nodded. He'd always pushed for 50/50, but I'd never relented. 

"I'll find a buyer within a week. Should I put in the 560 thousand you get in the usual account?"

I froze. "No. I've set up a new one. Suiss bank, untraceable. Thanks to your contact."

"The Mindcracker?" He inquired, then grinned. I nodded quietly, my eyes still trained on the necklace clutched in his hands. "She's really something, isn't she?"