"21st and Central...11." Five words Nunu spoke.
Gizz nodded, as she was walking out the door of Nunu's office. As H was walking into the building from the street, she slapped Gizz's hand goodbye. During the slap, H had passed small leather wallet. It was a maneuver they'd performed so many times at this point, it had become their actual way of greeting each other...wallet or not.
Gizz slipped the wallet into the front pocket of her loose-fitting men's cotton pants, and walked 7 blocks east. There was an all night, cash, dilapidated cash parking lot. There were always the same 4 cars. Her's, the owner's, the resident homeless man named George's old Ford, and new model large cargo van in which George lived. Sometimes, there was the odd shady customer that would wander in for cheap parking, in order to sleep off their bender. Today it was just the four.
She walked over to the cash booth, and paid the random kid of the week. The owner would throw kids from the neighborhood a bone if they needed to make a quick buck after school. There is a constant 24 hour surveillance on the teller, so they wouldn't dare palm any cash on the side. Not that there were many people in and out. But damned if that owner ever saw anybody filming towards the lot. Camera on the teller, and the teller ONLY. Gizz reached into her bra, and pulled out $4000 cash.
"For me, George, and my van. April." She said succinctly.
The kid stood dumbfounded. He looked like he'd never even seen a $100 bill, let alone that many all at once.
"Kid? You got it?!" Gizz snapped him out of his shock. "Do I need to write it down?"
"OH, naw naw, I got it! I'll put it right in the box. See?" He did what he said.
"Good boy." She started to walk over to the car, but only got a couple of steps before shaking her head and turning back. "How much your Pops make a month?"
"Um...No Pops. Ma works at a doctor' office. I don't know, like $400 a week I guess?"
She took of her hat, and popped him over a grand cash, and a hotel room key with a sharpie written room number on it.
"The Forcier Hotel two blocks that way. Nobody there needs to know your business. Charge any room service to the room. There's a number taped to the phone if yuz need anything else. You've got 2 months. Make the most of it. Call the number when you leave. And kid, if I ever see you workin' these streets, you're gonna pay all that shit back. Plus interest. You hear me?"
He just stared at her. Gizz raised her eyebrows expecting a response.
"Umm..yeah, YEAH! Thanks lady! I'll call. Thank you!" He stammered. He looked scared, ecstatic, and trying to play as cool as he could.
"Kid?"
"Yeah"
"I'm no lady."
With that, Gizz got in her car, got changed, and went on her way. She rode to the edge of their territory, about 12 blocks up. She parked on the busy street, and walked over another 3 blocks over to 21st and Central. She wore her self-imposed uniform. It consisted of her pirate bandanna, a very expensive, authentic black eye patch over her right eye, and a brand new piece of black linen that tightly covered everything else from the neck up. All of which she put on 2 blocks after she left the car. The rest was simple. Her red UnderArmor shirt, and her beloved tight black leather sleeveless vest. Her basic black jeans covered up countless stains. Her old black work boots were shaved on the soles, smooth as a baby ass, completely untraceable. It was completely different than anything else she ever wore in her normal life. This was always her chance to play the part of her alter ego. No restrictions, never worried about what someone would think of what she'd say or do. Completely untamed. No one she interacted with on a daily basis would really know who she was when she let this side out.
"Captain Black, you gonna speak this time?" Bane waited a beat. "No?" She put her Bluetooth earbuds in, and handed him the wallet. They were under the cover of the dumpster in the alley next to the building in question. Bane removed the 8 Visa gift cards, with $1000 each. He handed the wallet, along with the 4 remaining cards, back over to "Captain Black".
"Alright, play time." Bane said with a smile and a raise of the eyebrow. Bane easily popped off the hinges of the side fire escape door, and slid it to the side against the wall. They were perfectly in sync as they glided into the apartment complex. They were strangely graceful in their movements, like raptors in unison. On the hunt.
This was the most exciting part for Captain Black, on the way in. So close to what they were about to do. Excited to see the person's face when they silently overpowered their way in. Everyone was unique in their reactions. Neither of them really had a preference of how the subjects acted. They were like tattoos. Each a snapshot, a fingerprint. No one hit was the same. That's what made it so special.
Apartment 3E.
Bane stopped at the door, and glanced over at Black. He handed over a simple, safety orange, dead blow hammer. Then, Black's favorite weapon of choice, a gun metal steel, tactical talon knife. Razor sharp. Bane would sharpen the blade, and retape the handles of both weapons with polymer tape. He knew Black wasn't a fan of callouses.
Bane took his bag in one hand, and a standard 3" straight blade in the other. He glanced at his cheap waterproof watch, and nodded over at Black to knock on the door. It was exactly 11:00 pm.