8. Ocean's Two.

MANDY MAHARI.

Mandy and George still hadn't decided on a plan on how to get in the library after hours. Mandy had been skimpy on the details. She told George that it was just some important book that she needed to get. He, on the other hand, didn't need much convincing for a night of "adventure" as he dramatically called it.

"Are you gonna change, or…?" George asked with raised eyebrow. She studied herself. A red and white top and black jeans with vans on. "You can't break in like that. Didn't you carry something black?"

"George, for the last time, we're not breaking in."

Just as she finished her utterings of protest, a flashlight beamed into the car. She ducked down and pulled George with her. His tall frame struggling to bend and fold out of sight.

"We'll just walk in and I'll talk to them. Tell them the boss sent me or something." she hushed.

"You know he hates it when you call him that." George reminded for the seventh time that day. That's right, she was counting.

"Point is, they'll let us in, he built the damn thing anyway." Mandy reasoned.

His face contorted in a sly smile. She suddenly noticed that the light had passed. He tilted his head, still bent uncomfortably.

"Then why are we hiding?"  he asked smugly.

"So what do you propose?" she rose up.

"It's simple really."

"Oh, is it?" she asked sarcastically.

"If you want to get something without people knowing, it's best to not leave a trace." George sang proudly in his slight Irish lilt. She suspected he must've been both Irish and English.

"You really want to break in. Don't you?" 

He didn't answer, so she turned her attention to the building on her right. It was a state of the art building. It wasn't going to be easy and she couldn't say she had ever broken into anything except an egg. George on the other hand, was too excited.

"I brought our burglary gloves." his voice called her back into the car.

"I won't even ask." she said putting them on.

They got out and George locked the car as silently as he could. Thankfully for them, all around, the library was well lit. Which as everyone knows, is what a burglar needs. She waited by the shrub for George to arrive.

"Where to?" he asked.

"Don't ask me. I'm not the one acting like Ocean's eight." she whispered back.

"Follow me."

He went on to follow the shrub line till where it came to a stop. Through the dense leaves, she couldn't see a guard so she tapped George's back. He jerked up, a shocked look in his eye. She couldn't help but chuckle. Her joy was short-lived when light cut through their shrubbery.

"He spotted you!" she whispered.

"Because you alarmed me."

"Alarmed you? Who else did you think it could be?" 

"Maybe…" 

"Excuse me." a voice cut George off. The night guard stood with the flashlight blazing into their narrow pupils.

"Do you mind?" Mandy asked, shielding her eyes.

The guard apologized and turned off his eye killer. In full view, he was a tall lanky man with peach fuzz. His trousers, in particular, looked like disco pants. The only thing missing from his image was a talking great dane. She and George rose up. 

 "I'm Trevor and I know karate." Trevor the guard warned, holding his flashlight holster.

"Just don't turn on the light." George teased.

"Wait, I know you." Trevor turned to her. "You're Damien Mahari's daughter!"

"Umm, yeah." She hated when that happened.

"I'm a big fan of your father's." Trevor continued. 

"Of course you are." she lulled.

"That man is my idol. I create apps and I have some ideas he'd really love!" 

"Well how fortunate for you." George called, pushing Mandy into the shrubbery. "Why don't you show Mandy?" 

"What?" Mandy turned vengefully.

"Oh no! My phone is inside." Trevor whined.

"That shouldn't be a problem. You can just take us inside and show us." she mused.

"Yeah I guess," he wasn't truly sure but clearly that wasn't going to stop him. "But it's you! Let's go."

Once they were inside, Trevor readily took them to the main desk. He took out his phone so fast that she got second hand whiplash. She knew that she had to get out of the situation and go find out if the book was still there. It should have been, after all, she had jammed the lock.

"You boys have fun. I gotta go to the ladies' room." 

She didn't wait for a response, walking away as quickly as looked less like she was about to shit her pants. She came up to the door and turned the knob. It was still locked. Now she just had to figure out how to open it. She tried tinkering with a credit card but it was exactly what you'd expect if you repeatedly stabbed a door with a plastic card.

"I guess money really doesn't solve everything." she thought. 

She was running out of time so she resorted to one last ditch effort. She aimed for where the lock met the frame and she kicked. Something definitely did break and it wasn't her. She kicked once more and opened the yielding door.