Chapter Five: The Waiter

"Agh man I almost got it! C'mon!"

Isabella opens her eyes to a female voice yelling just feet away from Sly's bedroom door.

"Just one-hundred and forty-three points to beating the high score! Gah! I am still not giving up!"

Isabella lies on the bed; her brown eyes still covered by eyelids and inhales deeply. The air seems to be more dry and cold than normal. The raccoon's head rolls the right and opens her eyes to the bright window near her. Her pupils dilate as she feels a slight headache from the amount of brightness. She covers her eyes with her palms and yawns softly. Not much birds are heard this morning.

Her legs slide of the right side of the bed making her feet flop onto the floor. She cracks her toes and reaches her hands up in the air to stretch her upper body. Her knees slowly push her from off the bed and blood rushes down in her body, making it difficult for her to keep balance. Both the feet and legs of the master thief's sister incrementally work together off towards the door.

Isabella opens the door to see no one but Penelope beveled over the arcade game, her eyes looking through her glasses as they are glued to the screen, and her hands gripping the controllers.

Most of the mouse's attention is towards the video game but she does notice Isabella. Her eyes are still staring at the screen as she speaks in a fast pace manner. "Good morning Isabella, Murray is still sleeping in his room and Bentley went to talk to Dimitri, he should be in his lab by now. He did say he had to do some thinking alone."

Isabella examined the hideout and looked back at the mouse. "Okay, and good morning Penelope... Did Sly come back from Carmelita's yet?"

It was dead silent for a while before Penelope replied. "Oh sorry! No he didn't..."

"Okay..." Isabella finished the conversation. She sluggishly walked towards the main desk and tempted to sit down. Although she grew a little curious to what Bentley is up to. "Maybe Bentley is making up a new plan!" She thought. "I kinda want to see that!"

She ditched the table and walked out of the hideout. The more steps that she walks close to the lab entrance, the more her excitement accrues. Now she was only a foot away, but heard nothing from the other side. Puzzled from hearing no plans spoken aloud (as always) or technology being made, Isabella pressed her right ear against the door. Nothing.

The raccoon's first instinct after that was to simply knock-knock-knock away. The response from the other side was a little delayed. "Yes?"

Isabella noticed the voice was more croaky and dull than normal. "Bentley, it's Iz. Can I come in?" She waited but no response. "Can I? Ple-"

"Fine."

Isabella entered the room which was the bedroom of Penelope and Bentley. This was her first time seeing this place. "Woah, it's huge!"

Bentley looked like he was daydreaming. He seemed to be in his own world. "You should see the lab... It's through that keycard door."

The raccoon looks over at Bentley sitting on his bed, motionless. "Wait, so the guys who own this whole building let you have a lab in here?"

"No one owns the building, it's an abandoned apartment. We thought that would be a good place for us to stay..."

"Oh..." Suddenly the area got quiet. She examined Bentley's blank face and still body; she felt something was wrong in him. "Hey, you okay there turtle friend?"

Again, he gave another delayed response. His eyes ventured up to meet hers. "I... don't know."

The turtle gave an exhausted sigh and removed eye contact. "I'm just thinking by myself..."

"What are you thinking about? Could it be our next heist?" the raccoon finished her sentence off with a joking smirk.

Bentley slothfully slid off the bed into his wheelchair and faced the exit door. He spoke with another despondent voice. "That's a good idea... I should get to that now." Isabella watched the spiritless turtle open the door and head down to the hideout. "Bentley, are you sure you are okay?"

He did not pause but responds, "It's just something I have to talk to Sly about."

Isabella had a slight feeling of perturb for Bentley but followed him in the hideout. Immediately, her eyes met with her brother's, who was standing by the patio. He lets out a great big smile. "Good morning Iz! Are you in the mood to rob a restaurant?"

Isabella gave him a smirk. "Sure I guess."

"I mean I know it's nothing huge, it's all I got for now until we plan for a new heist. I saw... well Carmelita seen this European Robin steal ingredients from local stores for his own food making. That makes him a thief," Sly smiles as he continues, "So we can steal from him!"

"So, do he and his chefs make good food?" Isabella spoke with sarcasm.

"I don't know but I do know he has to have some loot stashed somewhere in that restaurant. If you want to come I recommend you should dress in normal clothing. We might get a bite to eat on our way out. You will get to see if the food tastes good then."

The little raccoon giggles back. "Okay! I'm in!"

"So why are we going through the front door?" Isabella asked her brother in a revolting way as they are a couple blocks from the destination. "Well earlier this morning" Sly replies, "I tried coming in through the roof and a handful of alarms went off. It ended up us being face to face, which is kinda why I wanted to dress in normal clothing today. For two reasons, one that he doesn't recognize me and two, we would look like casual customers!"

The other raccoon nodded. "Well planned bro." She giggled right before she read a sign by a nearby building that stated, "Brice's Breakfast!"

Isabella gave Sly a half-hearted expression. "A breakfast restaurant...?"

"Well..." Sly let out a nervous laugh. "It's morning! It makes sense."

"Okay then."

The raccoons open the door to a tranquil waiting area with only two thieves in disguise in it. "Wow!" Isabella remarked. "Seems popular!"

"That doesn't matter. You know why we are here." Sly said with convergence. The older raccoon treads toward the manager as Isabella took a look around.

All windows were open; the sunshine was the lighting of the restaurant. The floors were dotted with hardwood tables topped with plastic colored covers. Table covers had various yet plain colors of red, blue, and yellow and others with purple, orange, and green. Three sides of the building were outlined with restaurant booths. Walls were filled with pictures when the restaurant first opened, floors were made of teal carpet and the heating was just right. You can smell the sweetness of syrup with the mouth-watering bacon. The conversations of a little over forty people were very faint. Calm instrumental music gives the mood a serene feeling to Isabella; but a constant stomach rumble interrupting.

"Good morning! Welcome to 'Brice's Breakfast' where morning are made your way!" exclaimed the female manager. Sly replied, "Oh really? We're gonna have to test that out." The peacock giggled as Sly continued. "A table for two please."

"Right this way!" The peacock grabbed two menus and trotted towards a table booth; waving her big feathery yet very decorated behind back and forth. The thieves followed her and then sat down. "Your waiter will arrive in a minute." she said as she handed out the menus. "Happy eating!" was her last words said before she left. Isabella picked up her menu and looked through the pancake section. Sly tapped her arm to get her attention and then leans over the table. "Okay here's the plan..."

A tall badger comes out of the "STAFF ONLY" door dressed in the restaurant dress code for waiters. A cell phone is pinned to his left ear. "Yes father, I got it. They're here, I have to go now." He paused for a moment as he listened to his father's response. "Okay. Au revoir!" the waiter says in a mocking way. The badger ended the call and looked up to see two raccoons; one he pays attention to more. "Well I'll be..." he whispered to himself.

Sly got up and surreptitiously moved toward the "STAFF ONLY" door, passing the daydreaming badger. His big-pupiled brown eyes remain on Isabella, gaining a small grin. He walks closer to her table, eventually making the raccoon look up. Suddenly she felt her heart jumped out of her body, a shock, a spark she feels in her chest. The unusual feeling spreads throughout all the nerves in her body, leaving her speechless. Her thoughts are pooled with raging emotions. It's like his presence was a key to opening a cage full of wild wolves, and the wolves are tearing her muscles; making her unable to move. All her senses but sight was shut off.

The badger with all his white and black hair moved to one side now stands beside the table. The both are like statues for a full thirty seconds staring deep into each other's eyes, as if the eyes are galaxies full of brightly colored stars. The badger cleared his throat and smiled.

"Good morning!" He spoke in a poor french accent. His voice was low but unsteady as he continued. "Thank you for choosing to eat at 'Brice's Breakfast'. My name is Aaron, I'll be your waiter." His eyes finally cut of the longest stare ever made as he fumbles out his notepad and pen. "Be charming, be normal..." he reminded himself.

"So, what can I get you to drink Miss...?"

Isabella's nerves started to calm down. She spoke in a lower voice. "Marta. My brother went to the bathroom, but I'm pretty sure he wants water. I can have milk... please." Isabella finished with a smile.

Her smile made his emotions jump everywhere in his body. "S-Sure thing... Marta." The badger dashed away to get the drinks, making time for Isabella to check the time. "Nine twenty..." she said to herself. "Ten more minutes until Sly should be ready with disguises..."

The badger came back with two cold beverages. "Here you go! One for you and the other for your brother." The raccoon giggled. "Thank you Aaron!" He smiled and thinks for a minute. He looks at her. "A little lonely, huh?"

"Yeah..."

He sits down in Sly's seat and smiles. "Well not anymore!"

Isabella rolls her eyes. "Oh please! Don't you have a job to do?"

"Yes, this is my assigned table. Well this side of the restaurant, but not much people come here on weekdays... you can guess why."

"Yeah." Isabella agreed.

The badger sighs. "After this I have a piano lesson to attend to."

All Isabella's attention was hooked and reeled up by him. "Piano lessons?"

Aaron smiled. "Yep, I've been practicing since I was just a cub. Twenty-two years later here I am. Almost but wannabe Mozart." He finishes with a wink, profoundly attracting Isabella. "Oh really? I've always wanted to play piano for my whole life. I just started actually."

"Nice!" Aaron commented. "Maybe someday I could teach you a few chords and songs!"

Isabella blushes. "Really? I would love that!"

The badger pulls out his notepad and writes in it. Isabella checks the time, the clock on the wall says nine thirty-five. "Crap!" She yells in her thoughts. She anxiously looks at Aaron. He rips the sheet off and hands it to her. "Here's my number, call me sometime!"

Isabella takes it and feels flattered. "Thank you Aaron!"

He gets up the same time Sly returns to the table. His face was a little agitated as he stares down the waiter. "Sl- err bro, this is my new friend Aaron. He's our waiter."

"Oh really?" his tone of voice now matches his expression. Aaron nervously laughs. "Yeah. I will give you a moment to decide on the food." Then the badger glances to Isabella. "I'll talk to you later, Marta."

*Hello fellow earthlings! I'm back yet again. I had a whole week off of school so I thought, why not catch up on my story? For you guys! :D The next chapter should be done within three days from now. If not I give you permission to yell at me. :P Thank you guys so much, please continue to stay with me! You guys are awesome! So... how will Sly react with this "Aaron"? Will he be the cool bro or the protective big brother? We'll see in the upcoming chapter! Happy reading!*