The night was still. The wind rustled softly but all else was still. The leaves from the autumn weather blew gently and swayed slightly. There was nary a sound as they swept through the English countryside.
No one heard as they rolled in like the fog with just as much mystery and mystique. No one saw as they advanced like shadows in a fire. It was as dreams shifting through a child's subconscious.
An unassuming building stood no chance against their raid. Its door was no barrier and they slipped in like a snake through branches, sight unseen.
With quick, silent footsteps, they rushed through the suite of rooms until they happened upon what they were searching for. Quiet as dormice, they withdrew as if they'd never been there.
As with the mist rolling upon the shore, they retreated with a whisper.
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There was a knock on the old, heavy wooden door. The room's occupants looked at each other before the one in charge barked, "Enter!"
Six women clad in black and leather entered silently.
"Did you retrieve it?"
One was elected to speak, a blonde with light green eyes. The first mate smirked. "Yes."
The boss, Captain Susan Sylvester, known as Capt. Sly to her crew, grinned evilly. "What are you waiting for?! Hand it over!"
The blonde, known as Q retrieved the object from another member and presented it with a flourish. "It wasn't even all that hard to find."
"They just left it locked in a desk." Another member known as T giggled.
"It's a good thing you had the key." Sly snickered. She took the rolled up parchment and ripped off the ribbon binding it before unfurling the scroll. "Yes! Yes! Now we know exactly where in the castle to find the map."
"It shouldn't be too hard to get in." MA's dark green eyes glittered in the night in anticipation of the event.
"It's not getting in that's the problem." Sly reminded her. "It's retrieving the map and getting back out."
"If anyone can do it, it's us." Satan folded her arms across her chest.
"I know. Gather up however many girls you think you'll need and start planning how to get in to the castle. We'll set sail for Buckingham's Palace at once. Becks!" Sly barked.
Becks stood at attention at her side. "Yes, Captain?"
"Tell that good for nothing Z to set sail south."
"Yes, Captain." The short blonde raced out.
"You six. I want you to get me that map. That treasure will be mine." Sly leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers together.
"Aye, aye, Captain." Her elite saluted before leaving.
Sly grinned to herself in the light of the lantern on her desk. It was all coming together.
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Q pointed to the rough blueprints of Buckingham's Palace. "This is where they're storing the map. We need to get to it, get it and get out."
"The problem is that it's being kept deep underground." MA said. "Slipping past all those guards to get down there will require stealth beyond measure. Getting out will be twice as hard."
MC spoke up. "We should survey the palace beforehand to see how many guards are around with stations at all times."
"What do we do if someone gets in our way?" White asked.
MA grinned. "Kill them."
"Or tie them up." MC rolled her brown eyes.
"It'll take too much time." Satan shook her dark head.
"It'll take time to hide the body anyway." MC argued.
"Not if we don't hide it." Bratt pointed out.
"We're trying to sneak in. We'll have to hide the body."
"How much time would it take to make sure they stay put?" MA challenged. "What are you going to tie them up with? Dreams?"
MC huffed. "Fine. You do it your way and I'll do it mine."
"We need to be united." Q told her sisters. "We need to know where each other is at all times."
MA's lips twisted. "It's neither here nor there until we can see how many guards there are in the first place."
"So we spend the week surveilling the palace and its insides. See what places are off limits and what aren't."
Flip crossed her arms. "How many of us will be going?"
"We'll go in groups. That way no one will be able to place our faces. We'll also have to be in disguise." Q made eye contact with each girl in the cabin.
T groaned. "I hate wearing dresses!"
"I know. We all do. Just think, if all goes to plan, we'll have the map and be one step closer to the treasure."
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"Only four dead." MC said to herself as she lifted the torch above her head. "That's good."
"You've got to stop being so squeamish about killing people." MA rolled her eyes. "They're just men."
"I know." MC blew out a breath. "I know. I still feel bad."
"Your bleeding heart is going to make a mess one day." Satan vowed.
"Leave me alone."
Q smirked. "Let's leave talk for later. According to the map, we're almost there."
"I think it's behind that door!" T pointed up ahead.
The girls rushed forward and pulled open the heavy, creaking door. Cobwebs clung to it and the walls in thick, heavy ropes.
"Gross!" They sneered as they traveled deeper into the cavern.
Q's top lip curled but she pushed her disgust away to order, "Spread out and search! It has to be here!"
The girls each took a wall and started patting them down for secret panels.
Bratt's hand slipped and a section of wall moved. It responded with a soft click and the floor vibrating.
The center of the room seemed to disentangle and sink down. Q strode forward and put her hand down inside the hole. She lifted out a rolled transcript. "The map!"
"We did it!" Bratt and T celebrated.
Satan and MA slapped hands. "Yes!"
"Now let's go!" MC was nervous.
Q nodded. "Yes. Let's."
They ran from the room and retraced their steps out. They climbed from the dregs of the palace to the upper part and checked to make sure the coast was clear.
They shook out their dresses and walked from the room to try to blend in.
"Hey!" A voice yelled. "You there! Women! Stop!"
They turned back to see a guard racing towards them. They broke out in a run as more guards spilled out into the entryway.
The girls ran down a different hall but more guards were up ahead.
"Up!" Q shouted.
The girls raced upstairs and were cornered at a balcony.
"Nowhere to go now!" A guard unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Q. "Now just hand over that map before you get yourselves hurt."
"This map?" Q held it up. "I think not."
Another guard rushed her and she jumped back, dropping the map.
MC pulled her arm. "Leave it! We have to go!"
"There's nowhere for you to go!" Another guard ran at them.
The girls climbed on the railing of the balcony and jumped. The guards ran to the edge but couldn't see where they went. "Foolish wretches! Get down there! Search for them!"
Down below, six women blended into the crowd and disappeared.