Chapter 2

"James, you forgot to tell me what suite they were in." Leah began pacing around in her hotel room while on her cell phone.

"You need the suite number?"

"Yes, I'm going to go talk with them sometime soon."

"Okay. Hang on a sec." The young woman heard paper rustling and a keyboard clicking in the background. "143."

"143?" Leah checked the front of her own door, "Did you purposely get me a room down the hall."

"Yes."

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll talk to you later."

"Bye." He hung up the phone, as did Leah. She tossed her phone into her purse, picked the bag up, along with her I.D. and walked down the hall. She approached room 143 and knocked.

"Who is it?" A male voice came from inside.

"Amsterdam police service." She replied to the door. A sudden noise of moving people came from inside, Leah laughed to herself. The door then flew open.

"Jesus, I thought you were someone else." Rusty spoke, turning back into the hotel room. "What can I help you with?"

"Nothing related to police work, that's for sure." She tossed her I.D. into her bag, and dropped it inside the door as she closed it behind her. Leah looked around, "Where are the other ten?"

"What other ten?"

"Nine guys, one woman."

"What do you want?"

"To join you."

"Join us in what?"

"What're you stealing this time?"

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Have you heard of the thief Shadowfax?"

"Yes. First female thief to steal something bigger than eleven men."

"Yeah I know, I stole it."

"Wha . . . ? You're Shadowfax?"

"Also known as Leah Marc, nice to meet you." She held out her hand, Rusty shook it.

"Guys, its okay she's . . . not going cop on our asses." Slowly, a few more people from the group emerged, up until everyone was out around the room. "This is Yen, Tess, Frank, Ruben, Virgil, Basher, Linus, Saul and Livingston."

"Hi." She smiled, "So I hear you guys have some history with Terry Benidict?"

"Yeah. He threatened us all after robbing the Belajio."

"So, you want to get him back for that, yet, he's going to want the money back if you rob him again?"

"Exactly." Rusty dropped down into one of the kitchen chairs.

"So you came back here to rob one of the clubs?"

"Even though we have no idea how to do it." Ruben threw in.

"Yes, but that's where I come in."

"How so?" Tess, sitting in the corner beside Frank, spoke up.

"I work at the major club of Benedict's. The one that he's always at, and the one with all the vaults."

"How much security?"

"One bouncer, at the door, and doors with access codes."

"Why so little?" Linus asked.

"One of the other clubs has security swarming all over it, so that thieves such as ourselves think the vaults are there."

"How far away is the club?" Frank asked.

"Two blocks from here, ten minute walk max."

"Have you been in the vaults?" Rusty looked blankly at her.

"Yes, I've been in them, and as a detective, Benidict thinks I'm some sort of security person, so I have all the codes."

"That's very unlike him."

"I know, but he's also very weird, and trusts his workers more."

"So how do we get in, we can't just waltz in can we?"

"No. You're going to need disguises. With the exception of Rusty and Tess, the club has everyone else's photos for security reasons."

"So is that our only problem?"

"No. We need to get Benidict out of the club."

"Well that's easy," Tess stated, "He should follow you anywhere in a low neck-lined shirt."

"I'll take that as I compliment." Leah nodded.

"Where'd you learn your tricks? Like, who're your parents?" Rusty seemed to be interested now.

"Never met 'em, I grew up with a friend of theirs. My grandfather-master thief-taught me everything."'

"Huh." At that very moment, hard knocking came on the door, and a stern female voice spoke.

"Amsterdam police service, open up."

"Shit!" Rusty stood up, waving his arms to get the rest of the gang to hide. At the last second, Leah ducked behind a shelf directly beside the door. Rusty checked the room once quickly before opening the door.

"Hey." He greeted at Isabelle, just who he had expected.

"Fancy meeting you here Robert. What are you doing back?"

"Visiting." Rusty shifted uncomfortably.

"All right, where's the egg?"

"Gave it to Le Marc when I introduced you." Isabelle laughed.

"Now tell me, why would my father need something like that just given to him?"

"It was a gift." The man shifted again, "What do you want Is?"

"I want to make sure you aren't going to steal something else that has great importance."

"Isn't that Miss Marc's job?"

"What?"

"I had a younger detective visit me earlier. Leah Marc, you should know her, she already warned me."

"Oh." Isabelle took a step back, more into the hallway.

"And shouldn't you be working on Shadowfax's case?"

"Robert, you need to close your smart ass mouth. And I'll have you know that fi I see you again, I'm going to arrest you, even if it is Leah's job." With that, the woman turned and left, Rusty closed the door behind her as Leah, Tess and Frank came back out of their hiding places, the others sat still.

"You know her?"

"Yeah." Leah replied, "When I was doing my intern work last year, she gave me hell, major bitch. Now I'm doing the same to her."

"You know she arrested all twelve of us last time we were here?" Frank asked.

"I know. Luckily, I've got your case this time."

"Did you hear her saying she'd arrest us no matter what?" Rusty sighed from the kitchen table.

"Then she better not see yo while you're here." Leah walked over to the door. "And . . . did she say that Le Marc was her father?" She asked the last question slowly, more awkward than normally.

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh . . . uh . . . no reason. I just . . . thought it was odd, her, having a master thief father." When she turned to leave, the twenty-year-old saw Tess giving her an odd, yet concerned look. "Well . . . I'm going to head off now." With a quick smile, she hurried off.