AN: I hope you enjoy the chapter; I only edited it once so sorry for any mistakes. I was anxious to get it posted...Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own all original characters and the plot, but not the Heist Society characters. Those wonderful characters belong to Ally Carter.
Chapter Two
It had been years since Kat had returned to Uncle Eddy's home. She told herself many times before that she would never return. She didn't want to remember all the loss she had suffered. Her life as thief had not been a favorable one. She had lost her mother when she was just a small child and just recently she had lost Hale. He was the love of her life and even though she would never admit to anyone, she would have liked to spend the rest of her life with him.
Returning home didn't feel like the right thing to do. In fact it felt like a bad idea. Uncle Eddy had practically shunned Kat from the family after she graduated from a spy school. Once Kat had chosen to become an agent, she had left her family for good. It was the ultimate con. She'd managed to become something only few thieves managed to ever pull off. Only, Kat wasn't there to swindle the FBI and she wasn't there to pay off jail time and become a consultant. No one in the agency was fully sure if she was a thief like her father was suspected to be. Nick was the only one to know who Kat really was.
But she had left that behind, and was terrified to return to her uncle's home. Her hand shook and sweated. Her nerves were over powering her and this was not like her. She couldn't understand why she was so terrified. The last time she had left and returned; she wasn't afraid. In fact she was annoyed that she had been framed by her best friend, Hale. She managed to steal herself a new life and didn't want to return but had too. Her father was in danger…but now this time she wasn't sure if she was returning home. More-or-less she was just visiting her home to get advice on a case that was eating her from the inside out.
She knew that this case was nothing more than routine, but she had taken to offence when someone had used the black rose as their calling card. Copying a calling card can be taken as a serious offence especially when the previous owner of the calling card had just passed. It was outrageous! Kat was sure that if anyone were to know who these copycats were, it would be her Uncle Eddy. His long experience and history within the thief community kept him up to pace with the newer generations. Despite his age he never let the simple skills like picking pockets get sloppy.
Kat could hear her heart beat pounding in her ears. The sounds of the city street were drowned out by her own heart beat. Guilt rose up from the pit of her stomach as the taxi approached her uncle's home. She wanted the driver to turn back around and take her to her small apartment but her voice wasn't working. When the taxi cab stopped, she stared at the place she used to call home, in awe. Nothing had changed in the few years that she had been gone. Everything was still in the same place it was all those years ago. The small potted plant was still by the door, next to an old welcome mat.
The windows were dark and Kat wondered if anyone was home. It was still fairly early in the day, so she didn't expect anyone to be there. She couldn't even remember why she had asked to be brought there in the first place.
"Hey, Miss, pay up!" The taxi driver demanded.
Kat jumped, startled, "Oh, sorry." She pulled out some cash and paid the driver. She never carried more than she needed and she never carried around a credit card. She knew better than use electronic payment. It would be foolish of her to be tracked by her credit card; any thief would know better than that.
She took a deep breath as she stared at the building once more. The taxi cab was long gone; he left just as soon as Kat had stepped out of the car. In this second glance of Uncle Eddy's home, she noticed something was not the same even though on the surface it all seemed okay. She knew that something inside must be missing…and that was her. She sighed and mustered up all the courage she had and stepped up to the front door. She remembered that there was never a spare key outside of the house so she did what she always did. Kat pulled out a bobby pin from her hair and picked the lock. The intricate workings didn't feel familiar; even if she had once picked this lock a million times, it still didn't feel right. She frowned and managed to open the door in two minutes, which was much longer that she remembered.
She slowly opened door and stepped inside. The living room was dark but a warm glow coming from the kitchen lit her path. She was a stranger in her own home and felt almost like she wasn't supposed to be there. The living room looked a mess, as if someone left in a hurry. Kat remembered of a time when she would sneak back into her Uncle Eddy's home after a long walk to ponder a heist. Hale would be there, sitting on the couch, waiting for her to return. No matter the hour, he was always there. She missed that and had hoped he would sneak up behind her and ask her where she had been. But that wasn't going to happen. Hale wasn't going to appear in her uncle's home. He's dead, and she reminded herself.
Faint whispers slowly filled the living room. She walked slowly toward the kitchen light and wondered who was there. She tensed when she didn't recognize the voices. She placed her hand on the gun that was holstered onto her side. She slowly stepped closer towards the kitchen. A warm light glowed and a soft sent of soup filled Kat's lungs. She sighed as she remembered how her uncle's soup tasted. Once she approached the opening of the kitchen she leaned against the wall, still out of sight; in the living room. She closed her eyes and listened carefully. "We don't have enough help." A voice said.
"We can always find more." Someone answered; Kat couldn't put the voices to their owner but she was sure it was her family.
"That didn't work out well the last time we tried it, remember?" A girl answered this time and Kat knew instantly that it was her cousin Gabrielle.
"Well that all depends on what type of job you're doing." Kat said as she stepped into the light. They all instantly turned in her direction and stared. It was a strange sensation, to have her own family look at her as if she was an intruder. Kat smiled and stepped into the kitchen as if she had never left.
"Kat?" Gabrielle asked, "Is that you?"
"Of course it is." Kat spread out her arms, "I haven't that changed much."
"Well…you're dressed like a…"
"Fed?" Angus added.
"Careful she might try and arrest us. Hide the evidence!" Hamish exclaimed.
Ouch, Kat thought as her insides coiled with anxiety and fear. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears again and it was making it difficult to keep up her cool and calm persona.
"Well what are you doing here, Katarina?" Gabs asked. It had been the first time in ages since she had been called as such. The only person who used her full name was her uncle or…Taccone. Gabrielle had never really used her name unless she was upset.
Kat leaned up against the doorway as she kept her cool, "Now, why would I turn in my own family?"
"Well it should be easy since you left us to become an FBI agent."
"I didn't come for that, I came for something else." Kat frowned and she pushed herself off the wall. "I'll leave when I've gotten what I came for, if that's what you all want."
"I'd rather you leave now."
"If you can kick me out then go for it." Kat stood up straight and even though she was shorter than her cousin, she had an advantage. Kat had studied self defense and learned to fight during her time at the Gallagher Academy.
"And get my hair messed up? I don't think so, Miss Pantsuit." Gabrielle scoffed.
"Good, now I have something important to tell you all…something I think you'd all like to know." Kat stepped up to the kitchen table. She could smell the warmth of her Uncle's famous soup. She noted all the empty plates on the table and was a bit envious that she wasn't able to enjoy her Uncle Eddy's soup. She missed eating at the table with all her family. She missed the sweat warm scents that escaped the kitchen. She even tried to replicate her uncle's soup once but was unable to get the taste just right. She could never figure out what was missing and she realized that perhaps it wasn't a missing spice, but missing family members. Now more than ever she wished her family could follow her to her new life as an FBI agent.
"So what is it that you want to tell us?" Gab's tone was harsh and biting. It was clear she was still angry at Kat for leaving the family.
Kat took a deep breath; she knew that if she didn't tell them in just the right way they would think she's crazy. "I need help finding something out."
"That doesn't sound important to me." Gabrielle crossed her arms, "What do you really want?"
Kat sighed, she knew she couldn't tell them everything but it was vital for them to know. They were family…but her job was also important. "I think…Hale and Stacy are still alive." Of course her accusation was slim and only based on the fact that there was a black rose left behind but something in her core told her that it was in fact connected to Stacy. However there was always the chance that it was a copy cat crew who decided to use the black rose. To Kat it didn't make sense as to why they would only use the black rose and not the white one. It all seemed too strange and it ate away at her.
Kat sat down on one of the free chairs and looked down at her shaking hands. She wasn't sure how to make them stop and was fairly sure that the rest of her body would shake if she didn't calm down. She had to compose herself, she had to be strong. Her crew needed her…or at least that was what she told herself. The crew was silent and this only made Kat more nervous and more anxious. Her hands went cold and sweat crept between her fingers.
BANG! Gabrielle's hand slammed against the table, breaking the cold silence. "Why would you say something like that?!" She exclaimed as she stood, "They died a long time ago, Kat!"
A rush of anger surfaced to the top as Kat stood, holding her ground, "Do you think I would be joking about something so important?!"
Gabrielle glared back at her cousin as if daring for her to try and fight her. She wasn't much of a fighter, it would ruin her look, but she was furious that Kat would say such… blasphemous things to the crew. If Kat wanted to guilt-trip the crew, it wasn't going to work on her. Gabrielle wasn't going to allow it, not now that she had become the leader in Kat's absence. She was going to defend the crew to the ends of the earth; even if it meant going against her own cousin.
Kat met her cousin's glare with one of her own. She had been trained to keep a straight face, not at the prestigious Gallagher Academy, but by her very own father. She couldn't back down, for she truly believed that Hale was still alive. She wanted that more than anything in the world. She wanted it to be real and she was going to prove it. All Kat needed was a crew to back her up. "I received a case today, a car explosion…there where two roses left at the scene." She took a deep breath, "Have you heard from Sapphire?"
"What does she have to do with that so called case?" Gabrielle asked.
"One of the roses that were left behind…" Kat hesitated, "it was black." She pondered if she should say that the other rose was red in color. She wasn't sure if that fact would even make a difference to the crew.
"Someone used a black rose as part of their calling card?" Hamish asked.
Kat nodded and sighed, "I suspect that someone could be trying to piggy back on Stacy's record."
"Could it be Sapphire, who's trying to cope with the loss of her twin? I hear it's especially hard for twins when one dies." Simon added.
"No Sapphire was on a long term vacation, last I heard." Angus stated, "Well at least that's what she told us when she left."
Kat pondered this. If Sapphire wasn't stealing and was still trying to cope with the loss of her sister, she wouldn't be in the loop. There would be a slim chance that she even knows that there was a black rose out there being used. However, if Sapphire did know about the rose she should be outraged and possibly be tracking this person down. I didn't makes sense, there had to have been something or someone out there that could make sense of all of it. "So Sapphire hasn't been around?" Kat asked.
"No, she hasn't. Not since she left. You remember that don't you?" Gabrielle quipped.
Kat nodded, she did remember. Shortly after the investigations had stopped, Sapphire left, determined to find an answer. Sapphire hadn't taken it well and raged when she learned her sister had passed away. She left the crew claiming she'd take a vacation. She'd been so broken that she lost interest in stealing. Sapphire claimed she wasn't retired but it had been more than a year since anyone has heard from her. She could be considered MIA in the thief community.
"I know what you're thinking, Kat." Gabrielle said, "You think Stacy is alive. Well she's not. If she was, Sapphire would have told us and Stacy herself would have come to us." She was right, and Kat knew it deep inside. Such important information…Sapphire wouldn't have kept it from her. It wasn't like her to have a mean nature. Stacy might but even Kat didn't think Stacy would keep any information about Hale a secret.
Kat sighed, knowing that she completely hadn't gotten over Hale, but how could she? He was always there for her. He was her best friend. They understood each other more than anyone else in the world. Kat had spent so much time with Hale; he had become more than a friend. He was family no matter what happened between them. She loved him and would travel the world a million times over if it meant being able to spend time with him again.
"There was a second rose." Kat managed to say. Her mouth felt dry and her hands were cold with sweat. She rubbed her hands on her pants in attempts to keep them warm. "The only strange thing about it was…it was red and not white."
"Then it must be a copy cat." Hamish pointed out.
"Someone must be trying to use the black rose to get infamous." Angus added.
Kat nodded, they were right. There was a chance that it was a copy cat, but it didn't seem like a solid truth. She felt there was more. Something, or someone out there had a reason to use that black rose and Kat needed their help on figuring out who these persons were.
"They've done a number of dangerous things and they seem to have the same violent style of Stacy's." Kat added.
"That doesn't mean its Stacy." Gabrielle said, "It could just mean it's a copy cat who really liked Stacy." She looked up from filing her nails, "It's probably a rookie trying to piggyback on the Black and White Roses' fame."
"But there's that chance it could be Stacy…or Hale. Please, you have to help me figure out who they are." It took all of Kat's strength to keep herself from crying and begging her family to help her. She didn't want to seem crazy, but by the looks of her family, they saw her desperation. Kat took a deep breath and looked at her hands. Her body had been shaking and she didn't even realize it. "If he really is out there…I don't want to lose him again." Her voice shook, just as her body did. Kat didn't dare look at anyone. She was much too afraid she would break down and cry.
"We'll help." Simon spoke. "Kat's right, if he's out there then we should at least try."
"But if he's not out there then what?" Gabrielle protested.
"We put a few criminals away. Hasn't that been what we've been doing?"
"We're just setting ourselves up for heartbreak all over again." Gabrielle stood from her seat and frowned, "Are you really willing to put yourself through that? Because I don't want to feel broken again."
"We can do this." Simon reached for Gabrielle's hand, "We've gone through so much already one more risk can only make us stronger." His voice was calm and soothing; even Kath was fully convinced.
"Fine…what can you find out about these people?"
Simon smiled, "Well I'll get working on that." He typed away on his computer; searching for any information on the Red and Black Roses. His brow furrowed and little lines marked his forehead. Times had been rough on the crew with the loss of Hale, Kat and Alex. Although the focus has seemed to be Hale and Kat, Alex was still missed. Gabrielle cried nights on end for him. Hamish, Angus, and Simon tried all they could to comfort her but it wasn't the same without Kat in the house.
Eventually the crew disbanded and went their separate ways. Simon returned home to work alongside his father's company. The Bagshaw brothers spent a good portion of their time travelling and picking pockets. Gabrielle drowned her sorrows by shopping and using her stepfather's money. Only just recently had they all tried to join together to bring Kat to their attention. And here she was desperately asking for their help but Gabrielle wanted Kat to leave. There was enough pain caused and would rather have Kat return on different terms. The only problem was that deep inside…they all wanted her to stay.
They had planned to steal the very painting they planned to steal when Hale had died. They hoped it would lure Kat, but not once did they suspect her to come to them first. It was as if Fate had brought them all together once more to fix what was broken. It was an unexpected event on both parts. Kat never thought her crew would be there to take her in on her crazy offer. She had heard that they had all separated but to her surprised, they were all together in her uncle's home. The crew never thought Kat would return, especially after she became an FBI agent. Now Kat was home, it felt good to have the entire family together since they parted ways after Hale's funeral.
Kat watched as Simon typed away at his computer. It felt as if she has traveled back in time to the old days before there was Hale. It made Kat smile, her shoulders dropped and she leaned against the table as she waited for Simon to finish. Everyone anxiously waited for the diagnostic. If anything was needed, Simon could find it.
Simon looked up from his laptop. He was silent for a moment but spoke a few words, "They're good."
"How Good?" Angus asked.
"Very good." Simon's frown reappeared, "There's not a single trace of them besides those roses they leave behind. They've also risen up on Interpol's radar in just a few months."
"How high up?" Kat asked.
"Top ten, but they also have a lot of the same techniques as the Black and White Roses." Simon said as he typed, "It's just the way they arrange the sites. They're way too similar to just be copy cats. I think…and I know this sound crazy but I think it could be Hale and Stacy. Maybe Kat is right…maybe they are alive?"
"Just because they're good doesn't mean they're Hale and Stacy. I still think it's a copy cat." Gabrielle insisted.
Kat pondered this, what could be of more use? Simple files aren't always enough. No one knows what these people looked like. "There is one more place we can look." Kat said, as she remembered a vital piece of information, "The warehouses in the area are bound to have cameras that could spot them."
"But if they're as good as they sound, then maybe they got all the cameras blocked." Hamish pointed out.
"It won't hurt to check." Kat said as she looked over at Simon, "You think you can search the West Shore warehouses?"
Simon nodded, "On it." In a matter of minutes Simon found a camera feed that hadn't been interrupted. It had one of the best views and the images were as clear as day. The only problem was that the Red and Black Roses where too far. "I found something but they're out of focus…I could look for another feed to see if there's a better chance at seeing a face."
It was strange that such pros or copy cats would leave a camera un-tampered. It was a risk that only a rookie made. They were careless and cocky. It didn't fit the profile of a professional. The only time a professional ever created large scenes was because there was a solid reason behind it. It suddenly made sense. They wanted to be seen. They were teasing the authorities by giving them hints of who they are, but why would they do such a thing? It didn't seem to make any sense to Kat.
"Did you find any other feeds?" Kat asked Simon.
"Yeah and this one is closer in range." He frowned, "This can't be right. Why would they leave these cameras running?"
"I'm not sure but I think they wanted to be seen by someone…someone willing to search the surrounding cameras." Kat frowned, "Bring the feed into focus."
Simon did as she asked and brought up the camera feed with the closest view. The crew all gathered around to look. Simon played the video feed it was out of focus but it clearly showed a female and a male approach a car. It was the exact car that had been blown only a few hours ago. The female in the video had been wearing a skin tight cat suit and a sliver mask. It shimmered under the street lamps and made it almost difficult to clearly see her face. The male in the video wore a nice suit and dark sunglasses. The pair seemed out of place in the warehouse district. She appeared to be out of James Bond movie and he appeared to come out of a fashion magazine for men.
As the video continued, the crew watched as the pair in the video feed approach the car calmly. The pair stopped by the car's driver side window. Only for a few moments did it appear that they were talking to the man in the car. Suddenly, there was a flash by the car. The female had her arm out stretched; it was clear what she had done. She had killed the driver. Such actions threw Kat through a loop. Although she knew that there had been a man killed in the car explosion, she didn't realize that seeing the act would make her stomach churn. Especially after seeing the female kiss the guy she was with. It wasn't a simple peck, no, it was a passionate kiss.
This pair, the Red and Black Roses, were unlike anyone she knew. Even Stacy wasn't that twisted. The girl in the video glanced back as if she was staring straight into the camera. It sent chills down Kat's spine which caused her to shiver. Kat watched as the pair walked away from the car; tossing the roses behind them as the car exploded. These two were ones for theatrics. They knew they were being watched, and they wanted everyone to enjoy the show.
It made Kat sick to see someone so willing to kill without feeling any remorse. How could this pair, make out after they killed someone? Sure Kat had been trained to kill someone 100 different ways just using a bobby pin but it didn't mean she'd feel good about doing so. She wanted to find these criminals, not because she felt they were important to finding Hale, but because they were dangerous. They were much too dangerous to leave them out on the streets committing crimes. They had to be stopped.
Kat had become aware of the silence of the room. It was obvious that they were all disturbed by what they saw. "Simon, can you fix the feed so we can see their faces better?" Kat asked as she got up out of her seat. She paced the room as she wondered who these persons could be. It was an easy task, fixing the pixilation of a video feed was novice, but Simon did as he was asked. He fixed the feed and cleared up the images. The images were still too far so Simon worked his magic. He used face recognition software that he had "borrowed" from the police station.
"I need to access to a better database." Simon said to himself.
"What for?" Kat asked.
"I'm running face recognition software but I don't have a large enough database."
Kat thought about it for a moment; suddenly realized that she had that kind of access, "But I do." She smirked and walked over to Simon. She showed him how to get to the FBI database and logged him in.
"Are you sure this is…safe?" He asked.
"You're safe and this is legal, so no one will be trying to find out who used the system."
Simon frowned but nodded, he didn't like the idea that he'd be so open to the FBI accessing his computer. He knew he could trust Kat but she was after all on the good side now and that was risky. He ran the search on the Red and Black Roses' faces. It took him much longer since the system had several thousand of faces to compare. Simon didn't want to limit the system to just the area but he expanded it the entire database, which included international faces. The system ran well known criminals first and then the general public. It was going to take a while.
A rush coursed through Kat's body. She missed being able to work with a large group of people that she could trust. Her life as an FBI agent had become routine and frankly it was boring. There were so many rules that she was getting tired of them. She wasn't allowed to do anything without approval, which was far from what she was accustomed.
Working for the FBI was a bit of a challenge. Kat had to follow the rules but she also had the chance to help others. That's why she joined. She wanted to help others but all these rules and protocols were too much to handle. She was tired of being trapped somewhere in the middle. She wanted to protect those that she loved… her family…Hale. Her training made it possible for her to stand up and fight back. No one else would be harmed under her watch. She'd make sure of that.
As the night continued, the facial recognition software ran; searching through millions of faces throughout the world. The crew spent the evening talking about what they had done in those three years that Kat had disappeared. A lot had happened in those few years, more than Kat had anticipated. She realized how much her family had changed…how much she had changed.
A tinge of sadness pulled at Kat's heart when she realized how well off her family was off without her. They weren't stealing on a grand scale anymore but they all seemed happy. The only thing that Kat didn't see was that the crew wasn't doing well without her. They all needed her. They had separated because there was nothing to keep them together anymore. Kat had been their glue. She was the basis to which kept the crew together, but they would never let her know.
The crew had decided to play it safe now that Kat was an agent. Gabrielle was still angry at her cousin. She would never forgive such a reaction. They all needed something to keep them from remembering their losses. Even Kat, who left to become stronger but in the end left her entire past behind. No matter what she did or who she became, she couldn't hide her past. It would always be there as would her family. They were always going to be there for her.
To Kat they were all new and changed. The Bagshaw brothers had gotten taller and were quite handsome. They had discovered the world hair products, possibly due to Gabrielle, Kat thought. Simon had also gotten taller and looked less nerdy. His clothes had become that of a business man. It fit him quite well. Gabrielle hadn't changed much. She was still thin, tall and beautiful. She had all the curves that Kat would like on herself. She learned that her aunt had remarried but that was no surprise. Kat's aunt had remarried several times throughout the years.
"I've got a match!" Simon interrupted.
"Well? Who is it?" Gabrielle asked. Simon pulled up the software and paused, staring at the screen. The first one to be matched was the female. From the video footage they were able to find two that fit the face. The first image that appeared was one of a light tanned skin tone. Her hair was maroon and long. Her eyes were brown and she wore and gentle smile. The other pictured that had been matched was of a girl with jet black hair and pricing brown eyes. She glared at the camera as if she wanted harm whoever was behind the camera. They were the same person only different appearances and attitude.
The crew knew these twins well.
"That can't be right." Gabrielle said as she intently stared at the computer screen, "There's no way that it's them."
"Sapphire wouldn't blow up a car!" Hamish defended, "That's not her style."
"Well it's not Stacy." Gabrielle pointed out, "She'd dead remember?"
"Could Sapphire have dyed her hair black?" Simon asked.
"I don't think so." Kat answered, her voice trailing off. "What about the other person?"
"It's coming up now… give it a bit." Simon said as he fiddled with the computer. The crew all watched as the matching image appeared. The crew all but gasped as the image of the matching male appeared. He was handsome to say the least. His hair was nicely combed and he work brand-name clothing. He had a mischievous smirk that said he knew he was good looking. Any girl could easily fall for him and that smirk proved he knew it.
Kat was one of those girls that had fallen for his charm and good looks. She knew him all too well. When she realized who she had been staring at for the past minute she nearly fell forward onto Simon. "That can't be right." Kat muttered, "He's dead."
"But that's him." Angus said, "It really is him."
"The system must be wrong." Gabrielle added.
"No." Kat stood and held herself together, "They're alive…both of them. Hale and Stacy are alive!"
"That doesn't make any sense. How is it that they survived the explosion?"
"Not only that, Gabs, but why would they be killing people?" Simon asked.
"We have to find them." Kat demanded. If it really was them, she wasn't going to lose that chance of getting back together with Hale. She wasn't sure how she was going to find them or what she would do when she did, but she knew that she needed to find them. She would have to call Nick and tell him the news about their discovery. Then she'd have to search for more, FBI approved, information about them. She knew she had to act before the Red and Black Roses struck again. They didn't need more dead bodies and Kat didn't want Hale to go to prison for killing a man.
Prison… She hadn't realized that Hale could be charged for his crimes if he was caught. She wouldn't be able to turn him in, but she couldn't fail her job. Hale must have had a good reason for his actions, Kat was sure of it. Perhaps being an agent wasn't for her, or so Kat thought. Maybe being a thief was more her style. After all she was born and raised as a thief. She couldn't just deny her upbringing. It was deeply encoded in her DNA.
She was going save Hale whether he wanted to or not. She was going to be the hero; that she was sure of. If all else failed she knew she wasn't alone. She wouldn't give up on Hale, ever. She lost him once but this time she was prepared. This time she wasn't going down with fight. She was going to get her Hale back no matter what.
AN: Review please! Reviews make for a happy author.
