The Wild Side of Us

Prolouge

The puddle splashed everywhere as I stepped on it. The back alleyways always had potholes and puddles, so I was used to uneven footsteps and wet feet. After all, this was nothing to a criminal. Criminals face bigger challenges than a little bit of water.

After sprinting for who knows how long, I came to a mansion, tucked in the middle of the city. It had the appearance and size of an ancient Roman temple, with lights flashing all over the place underneath the night sky. Surrounding the building was a tall, iron fence. As expected, security guards were in every corner, prowling the area like hungry scavengers.

I sneered. This will be easy.

I pressed my back up against a nearby building, and fixed the mini earplug in my ear and microphone by my mouth. I dropped the bag I was carrying onto the ground.

"BB, this is CF," I whispered into the microphone. "I arrived at the mansion; guards and lights are everywhere. You can stall them long enough, right? Over."

"Seems like they're waiting for us," said a voice on the other end, chuckling. "Yeah, I can hack into the system and stall them long enough for you to get inside. Let me know when you're ready. Over."

I chuckled, slowly walking toward the front of the mansion with my bag in hand. Rich people think they're so fancy showing off their wasted money, but all they're doing is making enemies and attracting thieves. Specifically, thieves like me and my buddies.

Two security guards, who were both breeds of a giant dog, noticed me and began speaking into a walkie talkie. Next thing I knew, they were approaching me, guns drawn, warning me to leave or they'll shoot.

Oh, you poor mutts. Working for someone that puts all of your fear into a small handheld weapon. Don't you know cats are your arch enemies?

"BB, do it," I said, trying not to burst out laughing. "Over."

Within a second, all of the bright lights shut off, and the security guards were sent into a panic. As the guards scrambled like little ants, I climbed the fence and quickly ran up to the front doors. Jangling the doorknob, I found it to be locked.

No problem.

I took the hairpin out of my hair, adjusted it a little, and lock picked the door. The door heaved open not even a moment after fumbling with it. I walked inside and closed the door, checking my surroundings. I was completely alone, shrouded in darkness.

Too easy.

My shoes silently squeaked against the shiny checkered floor. Inside the room I entered held two giant stairways leading to an upstairs in front of me. Along the walls and underneath the stairways were doors and small statues and antiques. None of them what I was here for.

"BB, I'm inside," I whispered, holding the microphone close to my mouth. "I don't see the artifact anywhere. I'm going to have to go exploring a little bit. Over."

"Okay. Be careful."

You don't have to tell me twice.

I started with checking the doors on the first floor, most of them containing arcade games or table games like pool. Others were expensive bathrooms or empty rooms held for special events. Either way, none of them contained anything important. Well, I swiped a few neccessary items like toilet paper, but I found nothing like the artifact I'm searching for.

By the time I was halfway up the stairs, I heard the outside lights flicker back on. The lights indoors remained off. However, that means security guards will be storming the inside and not just the outside.

Now I have to be careful.

I started with the rooms on my left, then went across to the rooms on the right. Most of the rooms were bedrooms or guest rooms, a few bathrooms every now and then.

But, inside a bedroom, was a miniature safe tucked underneath a king sized bed. The safe contained a combination lock I had to spin to unlock.

Seriously, with all of this money, you couldn't have bought yourself a better lock?

I pressed my ear against the lock, listening carefully to odd clicks. Within a minute, I had the safe wide open. Please, I've been doing this for years. Go ahead and hand me the most secure safe in the world and watch me open it without your permission.

I grinned when I saw the artifact was sitting inside the safe. An artifact no rich filth should ever handle. This artifact was meant to be left undiscovered, or in the hands of historians. Not bought out by someone who wanted an unique item among their useless products.

Closing the safe door and locking it, I pushed it back underneath the bed. The artifact was neat, not going to lie, so it'll be fancy catching me a few extra dollars. Maybe I'll return it to the historians and be marked as a hero instead of a criminal scum. Maybe-

"Stop right there, theif!" A light fixed onto me, from three security guards standing at the doorway. All of them were different breeds of dogs.

Typical.

I dropped the artifact into my bag and raised my hands into the air, pretending to act like it was all over for me. What they don't know is that I was slowly backing up toward the window behind me, dragging my bag with me.

"Come with us and face your charges," growled the guard holding the flashlight. The other two held guns in their hands, taking their time walking toward me.

My back pressed against the windowsill. After waving my hands all over the window, I found the lock, and began fumbling with it.

"Man, this is a shame," I said to the guards. The window behind me flew open, and I grabbed the bag. "A shame that you couldn't catch someone right in front of you."

I jumped out of the window, the guards shouting behind me.

With my luck, I landed on my feet, and started sprinting like a bat out of hell. Shots rang out, but every bullet missed me. One of the guards called for help, but that won't be necessary.

I've already won this game, mutts.

"BB, I have the artifact," I spoke. "I'm running toward the gate; all of the guards are hot on my tail. Over."

"A car is on its way. It is almost there. Over."

I threw the bag over the gate and climbed over it myself. By then, nearly the entire front lawn of the mansion was covered in security guards.

"Stop what you're doing and stay there," shouted one of the guards. "Authorities are on their way. We are instructed to shoot if necessary."

A car drove right beside the gate, loudly growling for a race.

Yeah, I don't think so.

Suddenly, the car's roof popped up and flashed a light as bright as the sun at the security guards. While the guards were withering in pain, I closed my eyes, jumped down, and grabbed the bag, entering the passenger side of the door. Same old, same old getaway.

The car I entered lowered the roof and sped off, leaving no time for the guards to follow us.

"Long time, no see, Frost" said the female driver, dressed in all black.

"The codename is CF," I said sarcastically. "We don't do real names on missions. Just in case."

"Well, we're alone. And you know me better than to be working with assholes such as the government. I enjoy being a driver more than anything else in the world."

While my driver was rambling on about her life and driving with the crowd, I took the artifact back out of the bag.

This will fetch me more than a month's worth of living.