WHY

1

Stella's seventeenth birthday had started on a high note. Her mother had given Stella her food rations for breakfast, her stepbrother Jax had gifted her with a new jacket and Kane even let her have a day off from Guard training. Then her partner in crime Miller had found a new client who wanted them to steal everything from someone named Kyle Wick and was willing to pay them with two books, a hefty amount of moonshine and a week's worth of food ration.

She immediately agreed to do the job. Jax could use the books, the kid loved to read. Some of the rations could go to her mother and her and Miller would keep the moonshine. Today was going to be a good day.

"Miller, help me down", Stella demands and not even a second later two arms wrap around the girl and bring her down from the vents.

The boy lets out a small chuckle, " Who would've thought, the great Ghost would be scared of a little height"

Miller was quickly met with a slap to the arm and a sharp glare, "Focus. We only have twenty minutes before the next shift starts"

Stella goes to grab a flask left carelessly on the table as Miller gets to work on going through all the drawers. Taking a sniff from the flask Stella grins at the smell of Moonshine.

"Don't mind if I do," she whispers, taking a swig of the stuff. Miller rolls his eyes at this and starts stuffing his bag with clothes

"Focus, we only have twenty minutes, " Miller imitates, using a shrill high pitched voice. Stella slams a pillow to his head before Miller could even figure out what she was doing.

The two worked well with each other. When they first started doing this, Stella would simply tell Miller what she needed and he would get it for her, but over time they had learned how to work with each other.

"Okay, let's go," Miller says, handing her a small bag identical to his own. This was the drill, the two friends would each grab a bag of whatever they stole and go their separate ways, then they would meet up with their client, give the loot, take whatever the client was offering them and go separate ways again.

Stella gave Miller a two-finger salute and walked in the opposite direction from him. She was still sipping her moonshine when she heard footsteps ahead of her. She quickly threw her moonshine in the bag and hid the bag under her shirt and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Hey! stop right there" Stella threw her head back and let out a quiet groan. Turning on her heel she put on the sweetest smile and waved at the guard.

"what are you doing, you know it's past curfew Stella" the guard chastised. Stella Marcellus had quite the reputation with the Guard. They knew she was the illegal dealer but they could never come up with any evidence to prove that she was the Ghost, thanks to Miller. It also didn't help that Stella didn't at all look like someone who would take part in illegal activities.

"Oh I was just taking a walk sir" she explains as innocently as she could.

"It's past curfew" he reminds her, watching her every move, hoping to catch her in the act.

Stella let out a loud sigh," I know but my tummy was hurting, so I thought a walk would help me" she clutches her stomach with both her hands to add some dramatics.

The guard started her in the eyes for a few seconds but Stella had stared right back with an intensity only she could muster up.

The guard nodded at her, " I'll leave you with a warning for now but I don't want to see you hanging around this late again. Is that clear?"

She nodded her head vigorously and thanked him before walking past him, only for him to stop her a second later.

"Alpha station's the other way kid," he calls out, his eyes narrowed. Stella winces at that and begins power walking in the other direction.

just as she was about to turn into another hallway a gasp leaves her lips as her face is met with the floor. A loud clang ran throughout the place as she tripped. She looked back and groaned when she saw her foot had gotten caught up in the space between the tiles.

The guard had immediately rushed towards her with wide eyes and a pair of handcuffs, the smallest hint of a grin on his face because he had just caught The Ghost.

"well, fuck"