A Thief and Her Lackey

Chapter One: Ivy

Carmen was a thief. She was good at it, too. Leaving no trace where she went. Ivy sat on her bed in the luxury suite they were staying in, preparing for Carmen's next thief. Good thing V.I.L.E was footing the bill.

Ivy stared at a wall, a smile plastered on her face. She was thinking of Carmen, who took her and Zack in even after they almost ruined her first caper. V.I.L.E had a chance of winning and that could never happen.

As she stared and thought, someone was banging on her door. Ivy didn't hear it though, too zoned out and focused on her crush.

The door burst open. Carmen. "Ivy, Player has more information about our next caper, come to the main room."

Ivy nodded as Carmen left. Carmen was the one to come to her, tell her that about a meeting, not Zack, Carmen.

Maybe she did feel something for her.

Carmen left upon seeing Ivy nod. Ivy's face fell, depressed that Carmen thought of her as a friend and nothing more.

She found Carmen's Duchess wig lying on the floor. She picked it up and placed it on her head, smiling. She opened the door and saw her brother Zack with the Duchess eye patch. "Is this a good look for me?" She tossed the white? Blonde? whatever colour the wig was behind her.

"Those aren't toys, people. They're my disguise." Carmen said, a small grin on her face. "Now, pay attention."

Carmen ran over the plan with them. "Here's what we know. Player's decryption of the V.I.L.E hard drive revealed details of an intricate ongoing operation. V.I.L.E operatives have been quietly stealing paintings by the artist Vermeer from museums all over the world. And replacing the originals with amazingly accurate forgeries." 

Ivy was confused. "What? Why would they bother leaving fakes behind?" She hoped that Carmen would answer.

"To ensure museum security would never realize the originals had been stolen, to begin with, which would allow the entirety of Vermeer's collected works to slowly and steadily be amassed by V.I.L.E mastermind Countess Cleo."

"What's the big whoop about these paintings anyways? No cars, no clowns, no dogs playing poker." Zack asked.

"Yeah, and she's reading. Snore." Ivy added, hoping to somehow impress Carmen.

A voice from the computer. "You weren't the only ones who thought that." Player went on with facts about Amsterdam, leaving Ivy bored.

"So when we discovered that there was only one left in the entire world left for Carmen to steal, we freaked." At the mention of Carmen, Ivy was listening. Anything about Carmen was interesting.

"Which is why, in an hour when Countess Cleo sends someone to collect the painting, The Duchess will be waiting for her."

There was a knock on the door.

Carmen looked at Player through the screen. "That can't be him! He's an hour early!"

Zack, however, jumped out of the chair he was in. "Room service is wicked fast here."

Ivy, realizing what was going on as Zack placed his hands on the handles, hid in the closet, hoping not to be seen.

Why was her brother always so stupid?

After what felt like an eternity, thoughts of Carmen keeping her calm, Ivy knew that the problem had been resolved. With the wig she had picked up during the confusion, Ivy threw it at Zack. "Is your brain made of Swiss cheese?"

Zack looked at her, trying to figure out which one was Swiss cheese.

"Yes, the kind with the holes," Ivy responded.

"Good news is, we're invited to a party," Carmen said, computer in hand.

"And the bad news?" Player asked through the computer.

"We only have 24 hours to transform Zack into a convincing duke."

Carmen and Ivy looked at Zack.

It was hopeless. They would never succeed.