The city, it had no other name. Amongst it's narrow streets and twisting alleys walked our shadow. Garrett. Steam curled from sewer coverings, wreathing the thief in smoke and shadow. He strode with a confident pace down Wellington street. His dark hood obscuring his features. The few denizens of the city that were out this late gave him a wide berth, looking at him in fearful glances, lest his basilisk gaze fall upon them. He rounded a corner and came upon a rather large house, seperated from the rest by an iron fence. He pushed through the gate and strode up the path leading up to the house. Reaching the doors his gloved hand reached out and rapped three times on the solid oak. The sound echoed hollowly in the still night air. A moment later the door opened a crack and a guard poked his face out. "Yeah?" he said, looking Garrett up and down. "I need to see Dononvan." Garrett said, his voice omnious. "The master of the house is out this evening an-" "Don't lie to me." Garrett said his voice never changing tone. The guard stared at him trying to see his face through the hood. Garrett stared straight back, his eyes boring into the man's skull. "Aaaalright, hold on." The guard said, his voice shaking. His head pulled back and the sound of a bolt being drawn could be heard. The door opened fully and Garrett strode in, brushing past the guard as he entered.
The man shut the door behind him and directed Garrett to follow him. He lead the thief through several richly decorated halls and rooms, down a flight of stone steps, and through an antechamber to Donovan's office. As they entered he looked up from his desk. He had a strong, full face. His dark black hair lay thick on his head, slightly dropping in front of his forehead; his chin showed evidence of stubble. His watery gray eyes looked up at Garrett, a small, empty smile playing across his thin lips. "Ah Garrett, I knew when I commissioned your services I would not be disappointed. But, first, would you be so kind as to return Harold's coin purse." The guard's eyes widened in surprise as Garrett tossed his purple money pouch towards him. He missed the catch but didn't notice, his eyes riveted on Garrett. "Thank you, I'm sure Harold will appreciate that, won't you Harold?" The guard nodded dumbly. "Now please go and fetch miss Galen from the library." The guard picked up his pouch from the floor and stumbled out. "So, mister Garrett, I assume this visit was not to report failure, because I don't like failure mister Garrett." Donovan's eyes narrowed. "My money first Donovan." Garrett said as if he had not heard him. Donovan reached below his desk and brought out two very large bags, which jingled as he dropped them on the desk. Garrett reached into his cloak and pulled forth the leather case. He slid the cloth wrap out and unrolled it in his hands. The Vestrius glimmered as it caught the light of the desk lamp. "Donovan's face looked triumphant for the tiniest of moments, before he frowned. "…Well I suppose its better than nothing." He swept one bag off the desk towards himself. "What?" Garrett said, incredulous. "Better than nothing? This is what you wanted." "Actually it is only half of what I asked for, mister Garrett." Donovan replied, his voice tight. "You see the Vestrius has two parts, you hold but one, therefore you receive half the original payment." "Listen Donovan, you promised me 5000, I want my money, now." Garrett said, his voice rising. "I asked for the Vestrius mister Garrett! You have brought me half! I will not pay the full amount to receive only half the commision!" Donovan leapt from his chair, pounding his fist on the desk, his grey silk clothing rustling. "Then you shall receive nothing." Garrett said plainly. He rolled the Vestrius back in the cloth. "Wait!" Donovan's eyes looked panicked. He paused for a moment, his mind working quickly. "I shall make you a deal then mister Garrett." He said sighing. He sat back down and straightened his clothes. "You get me the other half of the Vestrius, and I will pay you the full amount plus 2000 more." There was silence for a moment as Garrett considered this. "I… agree, but until I get my money, the first half will be staying with me." Donovan looked about to protest but checked himself. "As you wish mister Garrett."
At that moment the door to the study opened and both men looked to the door; a woman entered. She was clothed in a rich red satin dress which fell about her figure alluringly. Her features were delicate yet strong, her eyes blazed with an inner fire, and her coppery red hair complemented it. "Ah miss Galen, so nice of you to join us. I trust my library was up to your standards." Donovan said, smiling his empty smile once again. "I found several interesting tomes amongst the shelves." She replied, her voice intense. "Good, good. I'd like you to meet mister Garrett. This is my associate Galen Sisendow." Donovan said motioning towards the woman. Garrett nodded to her and turned back to Donovan. "Does the lady have anything to do with my appropriating the second piece?" he asked. "Indeed she does mister Garrett." Donovan said. Galen moved up to the desk and glared at Garrett. "I can speak for myself gentlemen." She said angrily. "But of course miss, I didn't mean to offend." Galen ignored his apology and turned to Garrett. "Mister Donovan and I are collaborating on our endeavour to aquire the Vestrius, mister Garrett. By your statement about the second piece I can assume that you only have one, yes? Well, we are prepared t-" "I have already arranged something with mister Garrett here Galen." Donovan interjected. She paused. "I see and that would be?" "Mister Garrett has agreed to aquire the second piece for us in exchange for the entire payment plus an extra 2000." Donovan said smoothly. "I see, well I'm sure that's a reasonable exchange. So how is mister Garrett going to aquire the 2nd piece for us, considering we don't know where it is. At this Garrett interrupted. "Did she say you don't know where the second piece is Donovan? I don't like it when people don't tell me the whole story Donovan." Garrett said coldly. "I was just getting to that matter mister Garrett. Though we don't know where the 2nd piece is, we do know where we can find out."… "I'm listening." Garrett said. "You see mister Garrett, many people in this city have a desire for that which others own. I'm not the least of them. There is a man by the name of Richard van Wyker. He is also one such person. A local collector and purveyor of various items of value. I have information from trusted sources which tell me that Wyker recently attempted to purchase the Vestrius. Who from we have no idea. But we are confident that information as to who he attempted to buy it from is somewhere inside his mansion." "So, I break in, steal the papers, find where the 2nd piece is, and steal it to, correct?" Garrett said. "Not exactly." Donovan replied. "You see Richard's estate is heavily gaurded, even for one such as yourself." Donovan added this last part quickly as he sensed Garrett about to retort. "It would be difficult for you to gain entrance by simple infiltration." "But you have a better way in right? It seems you have a lot of access to this information Donovan, just who are your sources?" Donovan glared at Garrett and seemed about to say something, but Galen interjected before he could do so. "Regardless of who they are, we have a better way for you in, will you take it?" "Just what is this way in?" Garrett asked. "Richard is having a ball a week from now. He will be inviting guests from many of the noble houses and various other respectable citizens. Galen is one of them. You will go in as her escort. Once your inside, slip away from the party and find out where he keeps his papers. Retrieve the location of his contacts and then get back to Galen." Donovan finished looking intently at Garrett. "Escort? I don't think so. I work alone." "Of course, of course mister Garrett. I wasn't implying that miss Galen accompany you in your work, no no. Far from it mister Garrett. Galen will be covering your absence at the party while you carry out your search." Garrett thought about this for a moment. "Very well, but she had better not get in my way, I already dislike going to this party in the first place." At this Galen grabbed Garrett's shoulder and spun him around. It took all of his control to suppress the instinct inside him to lash out at her, years of living on the wrong end of the law made Garrett very sensitive to being touched. Galen's eyes burned intensly so that even Garrett could barely stand her gaze. "Get in your way?! I am not some lacky of Donovan's, or yours! You will accord me some respect you insolent pig!" Galen raged. "Enough!" Donovan yelled. Galen turned to him her eyes losing none of their intensity. Donovan spoke before she could continue. "This bickering is pointless. If we are to achieve our goals you must both put aside your pride and your arrogance, the quicker you do, the quicker we each get what we want and separate ourselves." Galen calmed slightly. She looked about to say something but changed her mind and instead sat herself in one of the chairs in front of the desk, still glaring at Garrett, who's cloaked features betrayed none of the irritation he held for this woman in red. "I'll do this job, but I will need 500 in advance to prepare adequately." Garrett said, turning to Donovan. "Done." Donovan replied, tossing Garrett and pouch from behind the desk. He caught it and slipped it into the folds of his cloak. "Then it is done, Garrett, you will have a carriage sent to you at your apartment the night of the party. You will collect miss Galen from her tower, and both of you will proceed to Richard's house. I hope you don't mind paying for the carriage mister Garrett." Though it was impreceptible to them, Garrett scowled under his hood at the free spending of his money by this pretentious noble. He opted to remain silent. "You will go under the guise of a wealthy merchant from Dayport. I sincerely hope you have the skill to play the part." Garrett scowled again. "Get yourself some presentable clothes, preferably something that doesn't involve a cloak and hood." At this Galen smirked slightly. "Garrett turned to face her glaring from the reccesses of his hood. She glared defiantly back. After a moment their gazes broke and each turned away sullenly. "Use the name Xavier, it is the name of a recently deceased nobleman, the rest of the inner circle will have forgotten him, as is their way." "To take the name of the dead is to become dead." Garrett whispered, almost to himself. Donovan took no notice. "Get whatever equipment or information you may need to find Richard's study. We have no maps of his house at the moment so you will need to procure your own should you feel it necessary…I believe that is all?" Nobody spoke. "Well then, it is late and I shall retire to bed, I bid you both goodnight, Harold will show you out." At this the guard appeared at the door, almost as if he had heard Donovan say his name. Donovan exited through a door at the back of the study. Harold motioned tenatively for the two to follow him. They did so, silently. He led them back to the front door which he quickly shut behind them to keep out the chill wind which had sprung up. Garrett looked up. The sun would be rising in a few hours, he should get back to his apartments. Galen wrapped the red fur coat tightly around her shoulders, shuddering inspite of her garments. Garrett walked beside her to the front gate and out into the street in front of the house. He was about to walk towards his apartments when Galen tapped him on the shoulder. "Donovan may think highly of your abilities, but I do not, you will do as I say when we are there, your lack of proper etiquette could get us both discovered and I will not have my undertaking ruined by someone of inferior intelligence such as yourself. Is that clear?" Garrett was infuriated by this. He wanted to rage at her and her impudence. Talking to him like a child as though he was inferior to her. He held back his anger and changed it into a cold fury. "Crystal clear." Was all he said before striding off into the shadows of the street. Galen stood staring after him for several moments. Then with a final grimace she strode off in the opposite direction.