Start Cutting
Slowly start to carve out a hole in it. You couldn’t damage the painting so you had to be incredibly careful. By some miracle you manage to get it out before the guards break down the door, and you snatch the painting out of its case. You took note of a fire escape on the second floor as an exit point, and you’re able to climb down it without any trouble. That is, until you got outside.
There were teams of guards with flashlights and dogs hunting down the grounds and monitoring every exit. Lucky for you, only a couple feet away was a garage. You walk towards it confidently, shining the flashlight you found in the uniform you stole. As it turns out, that uniform also held the key to a motorcycle, and before anyone could call you out, you took off down the road.
There were a few minutes of celebrating before you heard the whirring of helicopter blades, and tires screeching down the road. Bullets whipped past as the giant searchlight from the copter focused directly on you. After drifting across corners and trying desperately to shake your tail, you take a wrong turn and are forced to pull up at the edge of an unfinished bridge. You’re stuck. With nowhere left to run, you slowly step off the bike and raise your hands in surrender. Flashlights and rifle scopes focus on you, as a figure steps out of the car, a joyful smile on their face.
“You put up a good fight, kid, yes you did. I haven’t had anyone actually manage to steal from me in a few years. It’s almost a shame I have to kill you now. Still going to do though.”
They gesture behind them and you hear a gunshot crack. A piercing pain shoots through your shoulder, and you fall to your knees, dropping the painting. You feel more bullets hit your body, and as your vision starts to fade that voice speaks up again.
“Actually, you know what, I could use talent like yours. Taking out that guard, slipping away unnoticed, you’ve got skill. And everyone deserves a second chance, right? Tell ya what. I’ll let you keep that silly little painting if you agree to join up with me. Besides, the way I see it you’re in pretty urgent need of medical help, and I don’t think jumping off this bridge is going to do you any favors. Hmm I sure hope we haven’t caused too much lasting damage. I am a little trigger happy after all. So. What do you say kid? Want to join a criminal organization?”
You use the last of your strength to nod slightly. What other option did you have? Besides, all you really wanted was the painting.
It took you a while to fully recover. A few of the bullets tore through some important muscles, and you had a fair bit of internal bleeding. Eventually, you were back to full strength and when you were, you put your skills to good use. However, through your entire career you never stole from ordinary people. Organizations or other gangs, sure. But nothing beyond that.
You couldn’t stop it from happening completely, the boss had other thieves of course, but you made a point to learn where every item came from. And if one or two of them happened to reappear in the hands of their rightful owners, no one would ever be the wiser.
Ending 6/16