Thief's Honour

Chapter One- The Jewel

She sauntered casually through the airport, in no rush. Her target wasn't due to arrive yet, and there were so many unsuspecting people who didn't really need their worldly goods. Her suitcase was full of money and wallets that she'd managed to steal so far, and the mocking cards that she left in their places. Each card read, 'Thank you for donating to the Madeleine Hart charity fund.'

Her name wasn't actually Madeleine Hart, but she liked the sound of it. And she got a good laugh imagining the looks on the faces of anyone who went looking for their wallet and found only the card, and thought the cops and feds would be able to use them to find her.

Such fools. She was no ordinary human. No one would ever find her.

She was one of a small superhuman race, known by few outside their own secret circles. They looked human, but were mortal, and had no alternate form like demons and angels. They were faster, smarter and stronger than normal mortals, but had no special magic except for heightened senses. They could tell, for example, when someone had a ton of cash on them, and when they were a demon who's best left alone.

Like that guy, by the luggage carousel. He had an almost unnaturally pale face and yellow eyes, and was a ghoul on business for Hell. She left him alone.

She worked for a group known as Enigma, by the few who knew they existed. Knowledge of who they were or what they did was even more rare, even among those within the organization. The entire system was compartmentalized, with a select group of trusted middlemen who arranged most of the deals. Only the best of the best even ever met the Boss face to face. And she was the best.

The best, on a high-risk job with a huge payload for her, if she could pull it off; even better, as she scanned the crowd, she saw that her target was right on time.

Madeleine subtly closed the distance between herself and the young-looking man with bright green eyes, perfectly groomed brown hair and an important yet compassionate air... he was an angel who was just passing through, trying not to be noticed, not very high up in Heaven's hierarchy. Carrying a huge jewel. Her senses weren't good enough to tell exactly what kind of jewel it was, but it would probably sell for a lot.

Which was why, probably, the Boss wanted it. And was willing to pay half a million dollars, for it.

She purposely bumped into the angel. "Omigosh, I'm so sorry!" She gasped, faking a blush and embarrassment.

"That's all right. Are you okay?" He smiled kindly.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Did I hurt you?" She asked, faking concern.

"No, I'm fine," The angel replied, "but I really need to catch my flight." He hurried off, glancing around nervously.

She watched him leave, smirking, and slipped the jewel into her suitcase. Piece of cake. She didn't leave the card, because she didn't leave identification for immortals who would be very offended, and would and could hunt her down for all eternity.

She left the airport, because she didn't want to get caught with such an expensive prize. The Boss was going to be very pleased.

The Boss's private airstrip was a half-hour outside New York City, well-hidden and used only by people working for Enigma. It was in a field that the Boss had bought for this purpose, with no other buildings for miles and trees surrounding the distant perimeter. Security was nonexistent, because the Boss didn't want records of all the goods that were moved through it. All Madeleine had to do before boarding the private jet, reserved for people like her who needed to travel fast, was show the security guard her special Enigma ID card, undetectable by outsiders. Then, she settled into a beige leather seat with a glass of champagne, ready to deliver the jewel and get paid.