The Darkness Before Dawn

Arrival

The sports cars raced each other on the highway, weaving in and out of traffic, causing the other motorists to slam on their brakes to avoid becoming an accident casualty.

The red Bugatti revved it's engine and it's nose edged out the blue Ferrari that was beside it. The Ferrari's driver flipped off the Bugatti and floored the engine, the roar of the throttle sounding like music to her ears. The Ferrari drove into the oncoming lane and dodged several cars and grazed a motorcyclist as the exit approached. That fucking bitch! the driver thought as she watched the red car's tail end obstruct her view.

The Bugatti toyed with the Ferrari by stopping her from merging into the exit lane and knowing the driver wouldn't want to scratch the luxurious car, she rode the lane to the exit thus forcing the Ferrari to linger behind.

"Your destination is on your left" the sat-nav spoke. The Bugatti pulled into a wide curving driveway with the Ferrari following. The drive way circled in front of a columned red and black brick mansion that would not have looked out of place in Victorian England. Ivy climbed up the columns and the brickwork, giving the mansion a quaint look. The black trim accented the black, heavy, wooden double doors and the black storm shutters that flanked either side of the large windows. A worn footpath of roughly hewn stone and brick lead people along the hedges and to the front door.

The Bugatti's doors opened and two women stepped out. The passenger had wavy brown hair and large brown eyes and was short at 5'3" and was dressed in jeans, combat boots, a dark hoodie over a white t shirt and had a very unimpressed look on her face. "I could probably get used to this" Umiko said.

The driver had long red haired and green eyes with tattoo sleeves on her arms and across her chest. A scar ran under her left eye. At 5'8" she was the giant of the group. She was dressed casually in jeans with the cuffs rolled up, black Converse sneakers that had seen better days and a vintage "Jaws" t shirt.

The Ferrari's drivers side door opened and a short woman with purple hair angrily got out of the car. Her ankle boots made a sound that echoed as she approached the red head. Black and ripped skinny jeans hugged her figure and a black crop and a bomber jacket completed her look. As she approached the other driver, she whipped off her oversized designer sunglasses.

"You cheated Kay!" The Ferrari's driver spoke. She shook her purple mane and her brown eyes glared at the red haired woman. "I did no such thing! You made a poor decision and it cost you" she said while leaning down slightly and smirking. "I hate you sometimes" Shinju snapped as she reached into the car to grab her designer handbag.

"A mansion? Really, Shinju? We're supposed to blend in, not announce our arrival" Yukiko said. "Blending in is no excuse for living like paupers" Shinju said as the light reflected off the large diamond and sapphire ring on her finger nearly blinding the others. "A thief complaining about being a pauper...now I've heard everything" Umiko said sarcastically. "Mother approves of it so we have it" Shinju said dismissively.

"Let's go!" Yukiko said while jogging up to the door, her lavender dress swinging around her legs, her brown and blonde ombré hair swaying gracefully with her movements, her white flats making a quiet slapping sound with each of her footfalls.

Shinju took out the key and unlocked the front door. Pushing mightily on it, the girls managed to get the door open after much cursing at the squeaky and rusted door hinges. Brushing her hands off Yukiko remarked "we should get someone to look after this place. Maintenance, really". "Oh! Let's get a sexy girl butler" Kay suggested, wiggling her eyebrows. Umiko rolled her eyes as she walked past Kay, "you know that's all up to Mother. What are the specs?"

"There are four bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, a spacious basement that should be more than enough room for you two, Umiko and Yukiko. An office that I'm going to take over as my command center, a top of the line gourmet kitchen, swimming pool and hot tub out back with an outdoor dining area and a five car garage".

"Goddamn!" Kay muttered as she took in the fine furnishings and upholstery and the art on the walls. "Don't you think it's a little too...glitzy?" She asked. Shinju scoffed and walked under the exquisite crystal chandelier in the foyer to the great room and said "even if it is, so what? Don't you agree that it's time to live again after Amegakure?" "Yeah, that fucking sucked" Umiko muttered, laying down on the cream chaise lounge. "Mmmm" Yukiko replied noncommittally while examining a sculpture. "Eh, fuck it" Kay said, shrugging.

The machines hummed and whirred as their lights glowed and flickered. Umiko turned to the others. "Alright, you know the drill. Yukiko will inject her DNA altering serum into us and then I will give you new finger and palm prints". The women nodded and one by one, they submitted themselves to the procedure.

First, a clear serum was injected into their bicep. The serum altered their DNA slightly so that each time they moved locations and did their work, the crimes couldn't be linked or prosecuted because each DNA profile would be different from the others.

Second, they walked up to a screen that lay on the table. It was about the size of a hard cover book and the neon green glow from its screen gave the device an otherworldly look. Each woman would lay each of her hands on the screen and have them scanned. Once Umiko inputted the correct finger and palm profile for the correct woman, the screen glowed a white-green and a scanning laser burned new finger and palm prints into their skin.

In order to preserve their original identities and protect Mother, their palms and fingers had been scrubbed with a caustic substance until the original markings were gone. Now, each time they moved and set up shop, new finger and palm prints were created by Umiko and branded onto the women.

Once the procedures were over, they all stood and looked at each other. "Well, here's to a new town to fuck up!" Kay said laughing as they went upstairs to prepare for bed after an exhausting day. The movers were showing up the next day and no one was looking forward to that.