How does a person enter the home of a master thief and get out undetected? That was the very question we were asking ourselves when we woke up that morning and found a sealed envelope on the dining room table. In place of any name, there was simply a stamp depicting my calling card, and there was no return address. The envelope itself had some weight to it, telling us that there wasn't just paper inside. Ever cautious, Bently took it and scanned it for any "harmful elements." Even after the clear read off, we were cautious in opening it. We had no idea what to expect from an anonymous sender.
The three of us were surprised to see the contents of the envelope. It looked like a sheet of glass with a metal bar on the side and a few buttons. Bently was pretty impressed. Said it was some pretty high tech. For a long while, he just looked it over, Murray and I watching over his shoulders. It took some guesswork, but eventually, Bently got it turned on. It worked just like a tablet from there as it showed a note.
"To thieves of utmost prestige," the note started. I had to wonder why they didn't just address us as the Cooper Gang, as we were mostly known as throughout the years. From there, it went on to briefly congratulate us on our feats to date, and finally ask for our services as master thieves. Continuing on through the letter, the sender called himself our "benefactor" if we were to agree to steal the items he requested. He also agreed to pay upfront with half of the cost before a heist, then the rest after the job was done as well as providing transportation to the general locations of the items. He explained that the first item was an easy theft, more of a test than a necessity, and that the rest of the items would be progressively more difficult to steal.
We all paused to think about it, glancing at one another as if uncertain of the course we should take. This mysterious benefactor wasn't exactly expected, for obvious reasons. The gang and I hadn't actually done a job in months, and yet now this guy comes here with an offer? And quite the offer it was. The three of us agreed that the pay was a very substantial amount, but we were still hesitant to sign by the X at the bottom of the note. We had been given a week to respond.
In the days following, we mostly left the subject alone, putting it off until it had to be dealt with. The tablet was left on the dining table, a silent but foreboding harbinger. On the last day, with only a few hours left before the deadline, we sat around the table and discussed our options. There was a lot to gain from accepting, but we also put into consideration how dangerous things might be. Was it possible that our lives would be on the line if we agreed?
In the end, the pros outweighed the cons, and we all signed the note, accepting whatever was coming.
I just finished the Sly Collection today. I'm in love with the narration and style for the entire thing. So much to a point that I wrote this. No, this is not a pointless one-shot. Yes, it will end up a crossover. This is just a bit of a teaser type thing for a bunch of things I've got on my mind for it. I won't be working on it for a while, of course. I've got a whole bunch of other stuff on my plate. This is up, though. Thank you for reading and being so patient with me on everything else.
See you guys later!
-FN