The Last Heist(Discontinued)

Chapter 3

By the time Gerald had rescued Stephanie from his wife's overeager clutches, the pair had planned two new window displays for the shop centred around the mountainous Diphelleia Grayi(Skeleton Flowers)for Halloween and the winter season, and the sky was painted in the brief colours of twilight. Stephanie left the shop with a small planter pot containing some skeleton flowers for herself, the 3 tiny white flowers nestled in the centre of the plant's large umbrella leaves. She walked slowly and deliberately through the streets, revelling in the clacking of her boots on the cobbled streets echoing through the empty half-light as she twirled her cane in her hands. Below her feet, the cobbles glowed with a pearly sheen like the moon on water while the morning mist sunk into the gaps between the earth and above her head, the day's dense cloud cover was settling to become the next day's fog guaranteeing a morning of confusion with a beautiful sparkling sky.

The ambience radiating from her residence could be felt long before the building itself; especially in the failing light. The colours coming from the bar that often denote the day's end just as much as they do caution and danger bring vibrancy to the city air and draws many strays within the walls of the 10 Wishes. It is a place for the elite and the outcast, the rich and the poor, all those who feel the pull in the air, patrons and customers alike. If one survives their first night(or any night really), they are bound to return, and above all clients rules the barmaid and owner. She who played the roles of princess and pauper perfectly, slipping from queen to servant flawlessly, seducing all who enter her establishment with the same aura of the bar itself. The only one immune to the ambience is Stephanie, who knows more of the Wishes secrets than any ten men could dream of extracting from its owner and has made the aura a part of her own being.

Besides that, she is quite used to the range of clientele the bar receives, from crooks to crusaders, to the walking dead and people of colour. While others would let their eyes linger and others were quick to look away, and many made queer expressions, Stephanie never reacted. And the people who knew of the cryptid who lived within the 10 Wishes knew this. So when Stephanie saunters into her home and immediately falters, her eyes drawn to the man directly in front of her, many knew they needed to get out of the way. The regulars who had seen Steph falter made to move to the booths without their drinks in hand, dragging the newer clients with them; even the barmaid made an effort to get away by taking a sudden interest in her glassware.Finally noticing the sudden lack of people around him the man in question turns around on his stool. For Stephanie time slowed as she felt her limbs lock into place with fear, her entire body tense. The man wore a loose white shirt, brown pants and worn leather shoes. His once tan skin had turned a sickly pale, and his lanky limbs were even skinnier. His once barley-coloured hair that had curled childishly around and under his ears had been cut to a close fuzzy shave around his head; it's shade resembling his old hair when it was covered in gel. His mouth was held in a tight smile, there was a greyish scar resting above his left eyebrow, and his blue eyes had become sunken and hollow. Yet, despite it all, he was still her partner Alan.

"Hey Steph, been a while. Five years, right?"

Stephanie took a moment to recompose herself before taking the seat on her part- former partner's right. She shot a glare at the people in the booths until white chatter refilled the bar. Meanwhile, the barmaid had placed a glass of red wine on a coaster in front of Stephanie. Alan fiddled with his shot watching the sloshing liquid intently, trying to keep the nervousness off his face as he indiscreetly side-eyed Steph.

Stephanie internally rolled her eyes,' still as inexperienced as ever.'

She took a long drawn out sip of her wine glass, her expression impossible to read as she stared ahead blankly. She slowly eyed Alan as she lowered her drink, then she turned back to the wall.

"What do you want Alan?" Steph sighed, taking another drink.

"Why do you think I'm here for you?" Alan asked, shrugging one shoulder and nodding his head to the left; his drink tilted left violently, nearly knocking some of the liquid out. Stephanie raised an eyebrow at Alan incredulously.

"Ok look. There is a warrant out for your arrest and a bounty to boot for anyone who can turn you in or provide accurate info about where you are," Alan hissed in a hushed voice leaning sloppily towards Steph and dropping his head heavily on her shoulder.

'At least his acting has gotten better,' Steph mused, staring straight and taking another sip of her wine. Her heartbeat had started picking up at the notion of being detained, especially considering the abundance of charges and evidence against her.

"So, what? You gonna turn me in for the cash and a positive mark on your rap sheet. News flash, I live here, and you have a rap sheet."

"No, no, that would be boring-" Alan started nonchalantly waving a hand as he finished his shot.

"As in, you'd spend the bounty money in a week." Alan winced, tensing against Stephanie before shooting up sharply.

"Yes, God fine, yes!" Alan scowled into his drink, "And, well, you know," Alan rolled his hand at her as he finished, "-So you know what you're gonna do? You're gonna plan a heist with me, then we're gonna pull off that plan, then your gonna give me your split and mine, and then you'll keep doing it whenever I want. Or, I'll turn you in."

Stephanie choked on her wine, glaring at Alan as she coughed a few times. The barmaid came over at the sound to collect their empty glasses, her eyes flickered to Alan before resting questioningly on Steph. Stephanie subtly shook her head, the barmaid nodded returning to her work.

"No chance of you deciding to do this the normal way?" Stephanie joked, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. Alan narrowed his eyes at her, "OK, so we're doing this."

"Give me a week."