Apoidea

And So It Begins

Chapter 1

Melanie Black paced around the living room for what seemed to be the thousandth time that night. She had a cell phone pressed to her ear and it was going straight to voicemail. Just as it had the last dozen times she had tried calling the number.

          “Hey Rowan, it’s Mel…again. Where the hell are you?! You were supposed to give me an update twelve hours ago! Just hurry the hell up and call!” She hit end and threw the phone across the room. It smashed against the wall and fell in pieces.

          “This is the last time she does a thieves work.” Mel walked through the glass doors that led out to the balcony of the penthouse apartment and looked down as the London streets.

There was no way that Rowan would have taken so long to let her know the mission was complete, unless of course she had somehow managed to get caught. Mel shook her head at the thought. Rowan was good at what she did. There was no way she had gotten caught… was there?

There was a chance, a small one, but it was still possible that Rowan had indeed gotten caught. As unlikely as it seemed, in hers and Rowan’s line of work, one minor mistake could wind up with you getting caught. Mel leaned on the balcony railing and started thinking again. What had Rowan mentioned about the job…?

***

“I have a job in the States tomorrow. I’m flying out tonight.” Rowan told her roommate as she packed a suitcase. “I should be back in a week, maybe a little longer. I’ll call when I start and when I’m done. After all I might need advise on breaking into the lab.”

“Can’t figure it out on your own?” Mel asked as she leaned against the doorframe.

“This place is high security and you’re better at breaking and entering than I am. I can’t afford to set off the alarm.” Rowan spoke as she turned towards Mel.

“I could just go with you and get whatever you need for you.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Rowan’s eyes immediately narrowed.

“This is my job, Mel. Not yours.”

“I was only joking, but you really should leave the stealing to the thief. You sure you don’t want me to go with you?”

“I’ll be fine on my own, and just because I’m a thief doesn’t mean I can’t handle a little theft. I appreciate the offer, but I have a plane to catch.” Rowan grabbed her bag and pushed past Mel, heading for the main door.

“At least tell me what the job involves.”

“I was asked to obtain information on some of Walter Goodman’s new research. He’s developing some sort of new serum and my client wants to know what it does.”

“You’ll need my help breaking into the lab then. Goodman has the best security system money can buy. Though I’d like to know why they aren’t asking a professional thief to do this. It seems a bit suspicious don’t you think?”

“Why, because they didn’t ask you? I’ll be fine. Now I really need to go or I’ll miss my flight. I’ll call when I land!” Rowan started making her way down the hallway. “See you in a week!”

***

The last thing that Mel had seen of Rowan was her retreating back. Mel stood and walked to the bathroom. Splashing water in her face, she looked in the mirror. The same short brown hair cut in a boyish style and the same blue eyes reflected back at her.

Why couldn’t she have let me go with her? She thought to herself. At least then I’d know what happened.

Mel headed to her room and sat down at her desk, opening her laptop. She clicked open one of her files and looked at the contents. On the screen was a list of names. All were names that could be found on the wanted lists of nearly every police force and every crime organization on the planet. Mel scrolled through the list wondering who might be able to help.

Practically everyone on this list has a grudge against Rowan… Mel stared at the list in disbelief. Why couldn’t my partner have the ability to work with other civily? As her eyes slid down the list they stopped on the last one. Les Vaughn. Without a second though Mel clicked the name and went into the file.

“You just had to go someplace freezing cold this time of year! Asshole…” Mel shut the laptop down and stood up. Within an hour she had her bags packed and a ticket booked. Within the following twenty minutes, she was sitting on a plane bound for Moscow, Russia.