2 Earlier Plans for a Heist

Zephyr had come to her and Marya with a job earlier that week. There was news that the store attendant in Fieff's was selling knockoffs to its rich customers who paid the large sums, unknowing. Of course, by 'news', Zephyr meant that he had stolen the jade ring from one of these customers and discovered it was fake when he tried to pawn it off. But where most saw defeat, Zephyr saw opportunity. In fact, where most saw anything else, Zephyr always only saw opportunity.

With some 'research', he found out although the store sold one-off signature pieces, it made doubles of its own jewelry to occupy the shelves and displays, while the real pieces were stored safely in an inner room. It was the way the store insured itself against theft.

"Smart. Makes sense," Marya had said, cradling her morning cup.

"Yes, but what's even smarter is the beautiful little man they put in charge of the store," Zephyr said leaning in.

Apparently, Zu, the store attendant, had started selling some of the fakes directly to the customers rather than substituting them with the genuine pieces as he was supposed to do when a purchase was confirmed. Zephyr estimated that he had done it with at least thirty customers, probably mostly with those who bought the smaller samples.

"Do you know how much he's made?" he had asked them, eyes glowing against his brown skin. Clearly, Zephyr had both jealousy and admiration for the man.

"A lot of money?" Marya asked, covering a yawn. "I'm going to guess a lot of money." she nodded. "Nobody else say that, that's my answer."

"Two million, six thousand and thirty-seven lande," Ingrid guessed randomly, rubbing her temple.

They had been sitting at a table outside a small cafe. It was very early in the day and there were faint touches of orange and pink in the grey-blue color of the sky. There was barely anyone outside except for the city's early birds and those whose jobs made them wake at dawn, like the street sweepers. Then of course there were the party-goers that were now just getting back to their apartments, drunk and exhausted.

It was much earlier than either of them usually woke up, but Zephyr had offered to buy them morning cups if they came out to listen to his plan and they took him up on his offer, because, well Zephry never offered anything.

He raised his eyebrows.

"Does that mean I am right?" Ingrid asked.

"No, but you are very specific."

Marya patted her knee. "Well done."

"Listen," Zephyr said, his face turning serious. "We could stand to make a lot from this."

"We?" Ingrid asked, raising an eyebrow. "So we're cutting it equal?"

Zephyr looked to the sky with a groan. "Don't miss the point of this Ingrid, and turn it into drama."

"So that's a 'no' then," Ingrid said, looking at Marya.

"Listen, I will be open to renegotiating the terms after the job is done."

Ingrid widened her eyes dramatically and raised her hand importantly. "'Renegotiating the terms?' I believe you are in the wrong occupation, Zephyr. You should become a lawman."

"Oh, for your first case, take our landlord," Marya said. "He peeps on the women in our building when we are bathing."

Zephyr sighed. "Are you two in or not?"

"It's not like we have a choice." Ingrid had not meant for it to sound bitter, but there was a slight hint of resentment in her voice.

The sun was starting to peek more than its first rays over the still sheets of cloud.

The cafe was located on one of the city's cliffs, so the lower city was spread below them like a labyrinth. The rising sun brightened the flat roofs of housing buildings and the shingles of shops. It glinted off the zinc interspersed at the far end, the poorest of the poor.

Zephyr got up, pulled sunglasses from his pocket. "Well, it looks like it's time for the bloodsuckers to run. I'll be in touch."

Before he left the table, he put his hand on Ingrid's shoulder in a rare display of warmth between the two of them. "We always have a choice, Ingrid."

"And Marya," he said, "just knife your landlord next time. Better yet, remind me and I'll do it for you."

"You'll do that for me?" Marya gasped, holding her hand to her chest.

"For you Marya, I'd do anything." He had winked at them and with hands in his pocket, disappeared around the side of the cafe.