GFD: High Jinx - 2. Chapter 2 - The Deal

It wasn’t like either one of them to suddenly let down their guard. In the business of being a vampire raider...letting your guard down could get you staked through the heart in the blink of an eye. Dangerous people surround the kind of treasures they go looking to steal, and this ‘Soren’ character looked to be one of the slyest foxes to ever enter the henhouse.

Nathan and Caleb stood ready. Waiting for Joey to silently send them the signal to strike out at any target he decided to bleed first. But Joey knew that Soren didn’t turn on all of these warehouse lights by himself. Nor would he spend the small fortunet that it would take to hire all of these guards and security officials, just to have them get beaten up and not leave any behind to protect himself...just in case the team didn’t like hearing whatever it was he had to say. Joey quickly scanned the room with his eyes, wondering where his soldiers would be hiding...but didn’t catch on to any movement.

Caleb asked, “How do you know about us?”

Soren’s goblin-like grin spread wide across his face. “Ohhh, you know...a few whispers here...a few whispers there. In my business, I have access to a decent amount of hidden information. Secrets wash up on my shore more often than any of you would think.” He then walked over to grab a chair and sit down in the center of the room in front of them. “Besides, your reputation for getting things done is impeccable to say the least. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.”

Nathan, still not relaxing his defensive stance, asked, “You brought us here? On some bullshit? You mean to tell me that there’s no score in this job?”

“Guilty as charged.” Soren told him. “Far be it from me to want to deceive a talented group of individuals such as yourselves...but I had to leak certain bits of info and shuffle them in your direction so I could test your mettle and see what you were made of.”

“Like I said...total bullshit.” Nathan scowled.

Joey couldn’t hide his frustration over being duped like this, putting himself and his friends in harm’s way like this. People in the world of raiders have been killed for less! And Caleb simply grabbed himself a chair and sat down as well, pulling a small handheld game out of his pocket and turning it on, as if to tune everything else out from that moment on.

Joey took another quick look around the room, but still couldn’t locate any of Soren’s little bodyguards lurking around. The room fell quiet, and he attempted to read Soren’s thoughts. He had become pretty well trained to sneak a peek at a vampire’s thoughts without pushing hard enough for them to really notice what was happening. However, his secondary extra couldn’t seem to penetrate.

Soren grinned, “If you’re attempting to get in my head, ‘Soundclip’...it won’t work.” He unhooked a small, circular, device from his hip, and showed it to them. “Latest achievement in vampire tech. It’s a mini anti frequency device. It keeps the ‘mind thieves’ from retrieving any spoilers that I might have going on behind the eyes, if you know what I mean.” He said. “I own one of the largest underground fighting arenas in the Chicago area. The gambling numbers are astronomical. The Elders can’t have anybody with rare gifts coming into my casinos trying to cheat, now can they? That wouldn’t be good for business.”

Nathan spoke up, “Is it me, fellas...or does this whole situation reek of a set up?”

Still playing his handheld game, eyes forcused on the screen, Caleb answered, “Bingo!”

Joey used sign language, and nathan translated. “You expect us to trust you? Our first impression of you was a complete and total lie. And now you want to ask us for a favor?”

“A favor? Oh no no no...gentlemen, I’m a businessman just like you are. I want to hire you.” Soren said. “There is an extremely important piece of cargo that I need to get my hands on. Time is short, and I need a small team that can be both a surgical tool and a sledgehammer, simultaneously. I need the ‘Falcon 3’.”

Nathan asked, “You said you run one of the biggest fighting arenas in town, right? Why not get one of your big bad bruisers to pull the job for you?”

He replied, “They have strength...but no finesse. This task is a very ‘sensitive’ issue. Not just for me, but for the vampire Elders themselves. I need stealth. Strategy. Precision. I need virtual phantoms that can get me what I need and not ask questions. Asking questions is a no no. Do you understand?”

Joey made a silent gesture, and Nathan smiled in response.

Soren said, “I don’t speak...this. I don’t know...what is that a sign for?”

Caleb peeked up from his game, and he smirked, “That’s not sign language. He’s just giving you the finger.” Both Caleb and Nathan giggled to themselves, sharing a fist bump between them. Soren didn’t look pleased. “Look, Nathan’s got a point. I find it hard to believe that you don’t have anybody that already works for you that can rush in and get you whatever it is that you think you need so badly. Why us?”

Soren told them, “I have one vampire in my employ that could easily pull off such a task. One that could possibly outdo all of your efforts combined.”

Nathan said, “Good. Great. Go ask him. Or her. Or whoever. We’ve got better shit to do.”

“Current unforseen events have taken my number one choice and rendered him...’indisposable’ for the time being. My best man, Natpea, is undergoing a great transformation right now, and when he returns...he will be on a whole other level. I can guarantee you that. But...as I said before...time is a serious factor in this case. I need this taken care of quickly.”

The boys looked at one another, and Joey signed something with his hands. Nathan relayed the message. “Joey wants to know how much you’re offering...before we get into any details.”

Soren said, “An easy take of fifty thousand dollars a piece. No questions asked.”

They exchanged another look, and Nathan said, “You know, for someone who went through all of this trouble to find the ‘best’…you certainly came with a weak offering. Fifty thousand is not much of a bargaining chip. We can get that on our own.” Joey narrowed his eyes slightly, and came up with a different price. Nathan told him, “Joey says he wants one hundred fifty thousand for each of us. No negotiations. You make the full payout or we walk.”

“I’m certain we can work that out...” Soren replied. This time, Caleb looked over at Nathan with a suspicious lift of his eyebrow. Joey, in turn, nodded his head to have Soren give them all his pitch. “I will be sending you to a large factory warehouse on the West side of the city. Trains will be coming in to deliver a series of important materials to serve a variety of vampire interests. The Elders of the Circle Nocturnis are looking for one container, and one container alone. You find it, retrieve whatever is inside, and you bring it back to me without so much as a scratch on it.”

“And then what?” Caleb asked.

“Then you get paid. And you boys kick back and relax until the thrill of the heist comes calling to you again.”

“That’s it?” Nathan asked.

“That’s it.”

Joey signed to his partners, and Caleb asked, “What’s in the shipping container?”

Soren paused for a moment, and he responded with, “A part of the deal is that you ask no questions. Do I have that wrong?”

“You’re sending us to pull a smash and grab on something valuable, not just to you, but to the Elders of the Circle Nocturnus...and yu’re not even going to tell us what it is?”

“You’ll know it when you see it.”

Nathan spoke up, “Not good enough.” Then he stepped closer to look Soren in the eye, “What’s in the box, doc?”

As the Falcon 3 stared him down, Soren gave them a satisfied smirk, and vaguely answered their question. “You boys may not realize this, but our kind is facing a threat that vampires have not come up against since before the Elders themselves were born into darkness. This is a threat that needs to be taken care of. However, there are some in darkness that have chosen to ‘assist’ this threat against the Elder’s wishes. This will not stand. Actions must be put into motion. Examples must be made…”

Caleb said, “I’m missing the part where this answers our question.”

Soren nodded. “What you are searching for is a weapon. It’s called ‘Limelight’, and it is going to help vampire kind put this madness to rest.” He said, stepping over to a nearby table and grabbing a series of folders to place in front of them. “By assisting me in finding this powerful weapon, you will not only be paid handsomely for your efforts, but you will be helping the Elders bring a traitor and known vampire terrorist to justice before he can do any more damage than he already has.”

Joey didn’t seem to be buying it, and as he signed with his hands, Nathan said, “Joey asks why the Elders don’t take care of this themselves? Don’t they have vampire mafia elements out there for jobs like this?”

“The Elders can not be attached to these actions. Not even by assosciation. This rising threat is causing the Circle to clean house concerning their usual contacts for situations like this. They’re looking to tie up loose ends...not create more.”

Caleb asked, “How much money goes through this place? How much merchandise, on average?” Soren didn’t answer at first, and Caleb rolled his eyes. “The more product flows through this train, trucker, warehouse, thingy...the tighter the security is going to be. We don’t want to rush in blind and end up running into a couple of heavy hitters, unexpectedly.”

“He’s got a point.” Nathan replied.

Soren was still attempting to be as tight lipped as possible about this whole operation. Again...Joey took that to be another bad sign.

Soren said, “There may be a Hunter or two in the facility’s employ. Yes. The items that pass in and out through these gates have been valued a great deal by those who arranged to have them delivered. But, for this mission, I only need you to bring back a single piece. Everything else is off limits. Even I don’t know the contents of some of those containers, nor do I know which rich and powerful vampires those materials belong to. I would highly suggest that you stay on task...and leave the other materials to reach their destinations without any interference on your part. Any breaks in that part of our contract...and I won’t be able to guarantee your safety. The vampires who even know of this warehouse’s existence are NOT the kind of people that you want to come looking for you.” Soren opened a few of the folders in front of the boys, and they were full of maps, documents, surveillance photos of the area...he had it all. “This is all I can tell you for now, but you three won’t be going in blind. I want this mission to go as swiftly and as smoothly as you do. Trust me on this. If you look at the materials in the folders before you, you will find blueprints and detailed layouts of the area. Security cameras are clearly marked, security guard rotation schedules will be included. The train you are looking for will make its delivery at 3 AM, three days from now. These deliveries are never late. You would be hard pressed to find a service more mathematically precise. So don’t miss your window.” He said, then pointed to a series of 18-wheeler trucks on the northern side of the building. “You will be looking for Container 619. The Limelight will be locked within. That’s where it should stay. I need you to take the entire truck, cargo in tact, and bring it to me.”

“You want us to steal an entire truck?” Nathan asked. “Ummm...do either of us look old enough to be driving a big rig on the back streets of Chicago?”

“I’m certain you gentlemen will find a way to avoid detection long enough to bring me the goods. I have faith in you.” He smirked. “You have only got one shot at this. The rewards will be great, the impact will be legendary, and I could think of worse things than being in the Elders’ good favor.” Soren closed the folders and handed them to Joey. “So...do we have a deal?”

Joey signed, “We want half up front.”

But Soren refused. “You’re thieves. It’s what you do. Not just to survive...but for the exhilaration of getting away with it. I’m afraid that I’m not that stupid.” Adding, “Half of what I’m offering you for this job is more than enough for you to take the money and run. That...would be a mistake. One you won’t get a second chance to think about once I come looking for you. But...as I said before...we’re all businessmen here. You pull the job...I’ll deliver the reward. We both walk away from this, happy. It all depends on whether or not you’re willing to play the game my way.” The Falcon three looked at one another, weighing the situation. “Gambling is my business, boys. It’s in my blood. It has been for a great many years now. I can tell you...the odds are heavily in your favor. I doubt you’d find a better bet in the days to come. I believe that this could be an elevation for all three of you. Unless, of course...you want to continue snatching up scraps from vampires and human security officers that barely warrant your level of skill.” Soren said. “But...you let me know your decision by tomorrow evening. Contact me on this hidden frequency. Sector V.” He gave them small business cards, leading back to his Stronghold fighting arena…and he slowly walked off...practically dissolving into the shadows on his way out.

Things were quiet between them for a moment, and that’s when Nathan said, “You know we’re not getting paid for this job, don’t you? This whole heist has got dirt and deception written all over it.”

Joey nodded, and Caleb added, “Did you notice how quick he was to pay us the asking price? No ‘businessman’, even a crooked one, offers to triple the paying salary on the first go-round.” He looked over at Joey. “I’m thinking he’s gonna stab us in the back the first chance he gets.”

Joey signed, “Obviously. But...I have to admit that I’m a bit curious.”

Nathan was surprised at his answer. “Really? So, what’s the play here, Boss?”

Joey thought it over, took a look at the plans and the layout in the folders, and he told them, “We do our homework. We check the placce out and we look for the double cross. Then, maybe we take a peek at some of these ‘other’ shipments coming into that place. Perhaps we find a way to get paid on our own. Without Soren’s fake promises. But we keep our eyes open. We all know a snake when we see one.”

The boys shrugged their shoulders and gathered up all of the info that their potential ‘partner’ left behind for them. Naturally, they wouldn’t be trusting him to tell the truth, and would have to check the warehouse out for themselves before putting a plan of attack together. Whatever this ‘Limelight’ device was, Soren seemed pretty anxious to get his hands on it. Although, it seems risky that he would trust something so secret and so valuable to a trio of thieves that he already suspects are some of the best that he’s ever seen. It would be silly for him to leave the delivery of the product up to chance like that. Still...Joey was the one running the show. And if there was money to be made and a serious thrill to be had...why not see what all the fuss is about? Right?

Joey turned to make an exit from the old place, but not before looking back over his shoulder. He signed, “You guys know those diamonds are fake, right? Completely worthless.”

Joey hadn’t even seen them swipe them from the center of the room. They were much too quick handed to be caught that easily. But he knew his team, his two ‘talons’, and he knew them well.

Nathan and Caleb both sighed in frustration. Simultaneously saying, “Ahhh, shit...” They turned their pockets inside out and let the cheap glass replicas fall to the floor at their feet. Better luck on the next take, boys.

Joey decided that he might want to do a little research on this Soren, guy. Figure out what his deal is before dancing with someone who may turn out to be the devil himself. Especially if he claims to be working as an agent of the vampire Elders in the area. That’s not a claim that anybody would make on a whim. Nor would the Elders have any real reason to hide their shady actions from much of anybody, much less the V population of Chicago. What could have them so spooked so as to keep their involvement a secret? The idea behind the mysterious Circle was that they could get anyone touched, any time, anywhere. Now they need to send a hidden agent to hire a team to steal a weapon that they supposedly need, but can’t talk about?

Yes...there were too many questions for either one of them to feel comfortable about throwing their hat in the ring for this one. But...if this shipment has as many dangerously valuable artifacts and products as Soren suggested...

...The added risk may just turn out to be worth it.