Raven

Hardison

Chapter 7 Part 1 - Luxury Champagne
7:00 PM

"Hardison, what's going on at your end?" I adjusted my ear bud so I can hear the team.

"Well, let's see, I've got my costume on, I'm trying to blend in with the crowd, and I'm by the west wing cheese table." I sigh because I know this night is probably going to get complicated.

"Great." Alpha always has a plan, "Now listen up, if everyone just sticks to the plan this night should blow over nicely."

Right. I head over to the east side of the grand hall to find a young man dressed in a fancy suit laughing and talking to some ladies dressed in over-the-top cocktail dresses. "Excuse me, I'll have a spot of Cabernet Sauvignon, please."

Ugh. Why does everyone always think I'm a waiter?

English accent. Not bad. Selection of wine, limited. "Get it yourself." I spit out. "It's not like I'm your waiter."

"Damn it, Hardison! You ARE a waiter! Look at yourself, play the part!" Oops, Alpha is totally right.

"I er, show my, uh greatest apologies" I hastily say, "sir" Just to be sure. I take the red wine and dramatically pour it into a glistening glass, hand it to the poor guy and walk briskly away. Don't look back. I tell myself. Never look back on mistakes.

I grab the wallet I stole out of my pocket. I may make mistakes but I'm no rookie at thievery. "Guys, this guy I just bumped into, over by the east wing with all the women, well that's Alexander Williams. He's one of the sons, age 19." I flip over his ID card to find about 17 others ones. "And looks like he's a bit of a rebel, he likes to go out and be someone he's not-"

"So like us, that may be a problem." Wisty jumps in.

"Why?" I see he has a ton of cash and about 7 different credit cards.

"If he's like us, he'll see through us, right, for now, we steer clear of Alexander." Alpha is right.

If this Alex guy has a ton of stuff in his wallet he's gonna miss it when it's gone. I walk past the little gathering of flirting and slip the thing back into his pocket. Quick and easy. Not a problem.

The problem came when I saw a fancy suit waving me down and I just stood their gaping like a baboon. I rush over and see Lola sitting at the table next to a pretty similar version of Alexander, must be James or Matthew. The look Lola gives me makes me think it's Matthew. Well done, my look says back. She nods ever so slightly, thanks. This is the first time we've communicated and it wasn't about our intelligence or seductiveness.

"A bottle of our finest." Says Matthew. I nod. Then he whispers some cheesy stuff about stars and crap. What a hopeless romantic!

I head over to the selection of wines and champagnes. Mmmm. What a glorious selection. There's some Moët and Chandon Dom Perigon, a variety of 1928 Krug, and the 1925 Pernier-jouët , which I believe would be what Matthew was talking about. Wait a minute! That shouldn't be here! It should be locked in the Pernier-jouët's cellar in the south of France! How should I know this? Well I stole it a year ago and returned it for fun because I was bored. The Williams either bought it or stole it and I'm guessing the later under these fishy circumstances.

I look at the label on the table describing this crystal champagne. 'Taste the stars which shine so bright like the ones which glimmer in your eyes' so that's where Matthew got it from, he's no romantic! He's a lie!

I return to their table after what seemed like a decade yet it was only about 30 seconds. I brought with me two bubbling champagne flutes. Lola is so lucky she gets to drink on the job, especially since this is no ordinary alcohol. Matthew gives me a nod and I'm permitted to leave.

"Matthew's dangerous!" I had to blurt it out. Lola wouldn't hear me because she always takes her ear comm out when she has to 'really get into a job'.

"What do you mean?" Give it to Alpha for trusting me.

As soon as I explained how Matthew knew about the setup and must be conning our conn, I was given clear instructions to search the mansion. "You must be aware of the security cameras and mics we have in there." Warns Wisty.

I make a clear dart for the entrance barely missing a real penguin waiter who practically drops his sparkling wines and what-nots over some duchess-or-other who screams and-

"Hardison, don't tell me that was you!"

"Well, I needed a diversion for the guards at the entrance, didn't think it would be so big though." I grin because secretly, the bigger the diversion the better the getaway.

I slip out with a single flick of my red hair. Searching the corridors is not fun, especially when you haven't mapped out the mansion. Good thing I have.

Before long I'm on the third floor of the second corridor and I'm closing in on what we know as Matthew's chambers. Reaching out, I twist the golden doorknob, didn't think it would be unlocked, it was! The door creeks as I peel it open. I step inside closing the door swiftly behind me. The room is messy, not surprising, seeing the man downstairs. I look through draws and cabinets, under books and blankets. Finally I look under his bed. Yes, I know. Never look under a man's bed, but I did anyways. I found a small leather box amongst many other miscellaneous items. Obviously I tried to open it and obviously it's like the only thing that's locked. I pull out my equipment for pick-locking and it clicks open. 4.2 seconds! High score is 2.01 seconds. Damn it! Inside is red velvet linings and what appears to be a gun.

"What do you think you're doing in here?"

~To be continued~

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