Chapter 1
"So, Lupin, tell me again why we're wasting our time and resources here, when we could be stealing something else of far more value." A man in a black suit, black fedora, and a black beard had been wondering this for days now, when Lupin had first come up with the plan. "I mean, it's not every day we come to America, and wasting our trip on this is just stupid. You sure there is anything worth it in there?"
"Jigen, I told you, in this house is the solid silver with satin lining box that contains the biggest pearl in the world, the Mother of Pearls. The house looks middle-class because that is the only thing of value they do have. So, yeah, I'd say it's worth it," Lupin reminded his friend.
"It's just not like you to rob a house that poses no challenge, has no beautiful women in it, and has only one thing you want to steal. It's almost creepy, Lupin."
Lupin wasn't exactly sure why he had chosen this house himself. He somehow felt draw to it, but he had to give his friend an answer, and Jigen didn't believe in fate, or being draw to something for no apparent reason, or much of anything for that mater. Lupin sighed.
"The truth is Fujiko has had her eye on the pearl for a while, but she has no friggen clue on where it is. I found out, and thought I might give her a Christmas present, OK?" He felt bad about lying to Jigen, but what else could he do?
"Thinking with your pants again, huh? You know how I know? Unless something messed up the calendar, Christmas is 5 months away." Jigen rolled his eyes.
Lupin grinned. "Wanna get my Christmas shopping done before the rush. OK, here we go. The box is in the kids room."
"So, when will Fujiko get here to pick us up?" Jigen slid silently into the open window. He knew his friend was lying, but Lupin was as stubborn as a mule, so he also knew that nothing he said or did would sway the mans mind.
Jigen stood next to the open window admiring his friend for a minute. Lupin had short black hair combed neatly into place with black sideburns. Over his blue button-up shirt and yellow tie he wore a red sports jacket. His shirt tucked into khaki trousers above black shoes. But Jigen wasn't admiring his stupid choice of attire, which made him stand out like a red fox in a pack of white dogs. Jigens' own clothing all had practical uses, the fedora to help him aim, the suit as not to stand out, and a white shirt with a black tie, which also made him blend in. No, he greatly admired Lupin's mind. They had pulled off some of the greatest robberies in the world, if not thanks to his plan, then his countless back up plans.
"Jigen, what the hell are you doing? Get over here and help me pick up this box, it's heavy." He had been too lost in thought to realize that they stood in the kids' room. Jigen stole a glance at the kid. She was about 15 years old, and fast asleep. He walked over to join his partner.
"No shit it's heavy, it's solid silver you moron." Just as the two had lifted the box, they heard a voice.
"Arsène Lupin III, how dare you steal from me!" The voice startled Lupin so much that he almost dropped the box. When he turned around he saw the girl that was previously asleep. She had shoulder length dark brown hair, and was wearing glasses and a long shirt with blue and white pajama pants.
"Do I know you?" he asked.
"What don't recognize me? I'm not surprised, it's been, what, like, nine years," she said in a thoughtful tone. "Maybe this will stir your memory." She took off her glasses and put a light green blanket over her shoulders.
"L-l-lealah!" Lupin stammered. The girl grinned in confermation.
"Huh? Lupin, what the hell is going on?" Jigen had known Lupin for years, 30 to be exact, and he never mentioned anything about a girl named Lealah.
"Hi! You must be Jigen. The name's Lealah Lupin III. Nice to meet you!" She held out her hand to be shook, and, dumbstruck as he was, he took it.
"Lu...pin...III? But that's Lupin's name!"
"You mean Arsène? Lupin is just our last name." She shot a quizzical look at Lupin. "Didn't you ever tell him about me?"
"Arsène?" Jigen raised his eyebrows at Lupin.
"It's my first name. Only her and I were supposed to know about that," he explained to Jigen. Then through gritted teeth he yelled at Lealah "The name is Lupin now! No one knows my first name but you, me and now Jigen!" He turned to Jigen. "Come on, let's go outside to wait for Fujiko."
"Hang on, Arsène, how does she know so much about you and why does she have your last name?"
"He didn't tell you? I'm Ar...Lupins' sister." She smiled at Jigen.
"Why the hell are you in Augusta, Georgia, I left you in New York City!" Lupin demanded.
"Long story...." She began.
"I don't have time, Fujiko should be here any minute. Let's go, Jigen." Lupin began to walk out, tailed closely by his friend.
"Wait, Lupin, I have a favor to ask of you." She watched Lupins' reaction closely. He turned to her.
"Look, if you want me to steal something for you you're out of luck..." he didn't get to finish.
"No, no, no, no, no, no. Lupin...." She dropped to her knees and folded her hands together. "PLEASE take me with you!"
"WHAT?!" Luckily, Jigen saw the warning signs and clamped his hand over Lupins' mouth just in time.
"You promised Lupin! Remember, 'I'll come back as soon as I can?' Now that you are back, I want to live with you again! Please! I miss you." The last part really got to him. Lealah saw his face begin to soften. Unfortunately, so did Jigen.
"You can't be serious! She's a friggen teenager! NO WAY, LUPIN!"
"Well, I did promise....." Lupin shook his head. "No, it would put you in to much danger. Let's go, Jigen." For the third time they were stopped walking out.
"WAIT! Lupin, I knew you were coming. Someone tipped off the Cojers', the family I live with now, and they called the police. Now, some guy with a beige hat and overcoat from Interpol is outside just waiting to catch you! I know a way you can get past them, but I'll only tell if you let me come."
"D-did you say beige overcoat?" He looked at Jigen. "Pops," they said in unison. Lupin sighed. "Do you have any skills that would help us?" Suddenly they heard a voice coming from his pants.
"Come-KER-Lupin. Lupin, -KER-you-KER?" He pulled a radio from his back pocket. "Damned thing! Never did work right!" Lupin said, hitting it.
"Lemee see it." Lealah took the radio and opened it to the wires. "Here's the problem!" After a few seconds of tinkering with it, she handed it back. "Try it now."
"Come in Lupin! I'm outside waiting for you, where are you?"
They both stared at her. "Answer it," she urged.
"Oh, coming in a second, over! Lealah, can you shoot a gun, pick a lock, or get out of handcuffs?" he asked her.
She hung her head. "No."
"Well, we can teach you all that, let's leave." Lupin looked a little uncomfortable as he said it, but he was sure they needed her. "How do we get around the cops?"
She snapped her head up. "Tell whoever is driving to park in the parking lot behind the house. They're not over there. Now, just leave out of the screen porch downstairs." She bounced off downstairs, after grabbing some clothes, her shoes, and the green blanket.
On the way out, Jigen stopped Lupin. "You can't be serious."
Lupin had a pained look on his face. "I am. After we train her, we'll give her a trial mission to go on with us. If she passes, she's in. If not," Lupins' expression got worse, "We'll kill her. We'll have to."
"Are you willing to make that sacrifice, if need be?" Jigen asked softly. Lupin closed his eyes and nodded. "Then you're a friggen fool. But, I'll trust you."
Outside the night air was hot and humid. Lealah led them to a fence with a gate, opened it, and stepped in. "Here we are." Once they had gotten in the car, Lupin turned to her.
"Look, you can't know where our hideout is so we'll have to knock you out for the trip over there. I left a note for the Cojers'," he said as he pulled out a needle and syringe from his pocket. "Hold out your arm."
"You obviously have no idea how to do this the safest way, so I'll do it. Tie something to my upper left arm tight," she instructed. Lupin and Jigen looked suspiciously at her, but finally gave in. She took the shot, tapped the crook of her arm, and gave herself the shot where she had tapped. She immediately began getting drowsy, so she untied the handkerchief from her arm and sat down. The last thing she knew was someone saying, "Dammit, Lupin, you forgot the pearl!" and seeing Lupins' Walther P-38 hanging from a holster at his side. He finally got a holster, she thought sleepily. Then, she fell into deep darkness.
"So, Lupin, tell me again why we're wasting our time and resources here, when we could be stealing something else of far more value." A man in a black suit, black fedora, and a black beard had been wondering this for days now, when Lupin had first come up with the plan. "I mean, it's not every day we come to America, and wasting our trip on this is just stupid. You sure there is anything worth it in there?"
"Jigen, I told you, in this house is the solid silver with satin lining box that contains the biggest pearl in the world, the Mother of Pearls. The house looks middle-class because that is the only thing of value they do have. So, yeah, I'd say it's worth it," Lupin reminded his friend.
"It's just not like you to rob a house that poses no challenge, has no beautiful women in it, and has only one thing you want to steal. It's almost creepy, Lupin."
Lupin wasn't exactly sure why he had chosen this house himself. He somehow felt draw to it, but he had to give his friend an answer, and Jigen didn't believe in fate, or being draw to something for no apparent reason, or much of anything for that mater. Lupin sighed.
"The truth is Fujiko has had her eye on the pearl for a while, but she has no friggen clue on where it is. I found out, and thought I might give her a Christmas present, OK?" He felt bad about lying to Jigen, but what else could he do?
"Thinking with your pants again, huh? You know how I know? Unless something messed up the calendar, Christmas is 5 months away." Jigen rolled his eyes.
Lupin grinned. "Wanna get my Christmas shopping done before the rush. OK, here we go. The box is in the kids room."
"So, when will Fujiko get here to pick us up?" Jigen slid silently into the open window. He knew his friend was lying, but Lupin was as stubborn as a mule, so he also knew that nothing he said or did would sway the mans mind.
Jigen stood next to the open window admiring his friend for a minute. Lupin had short black hair combed neatly into place with black sideburns. Over his blue button-up shirt and yellow tie he wore a red sports jacket. His shirt tucked into khaki trousers above black shoes. But Jigen wasn't admiring his stupid choice of attire, which made him stand out like a red fox in a pack of white dogs. Jigens' own clothing all had practical uses, the fedora to help him aim, the suit as not to stand out, and a white shirt with a black tie, which also made him blend in. No, he greatly admired Lupin's mind. They had pulled off some of the greatest robberies in the world, if not thanks to his plan, then his countless back up plans.
"Jigen, what the hell are you doing? Get over here and help me pick up this box, it's heavy." He had been too lost in thought to realize that they stood in the kids' room. Jigen stole a glance at the kid. She was about 15 years old, and fast asleep. He walked over to join his partner.
"No shit it's heavy, it's solid silver you moron." Just as the two had lifted the box, they heard a voice.
"Arsène Lupin III, how dare you steal from me!" The voice startled Lupin so much that he almost dropped the box. When he turned around he saw the girl that was previously asleep. She had shoulder length dark brown hair, and was wearing glasses and a long shirt with blue and white pajama pants.
"Do I know you?" he asked.
"What don't recognize me? I'm not surprised, it's been, what, like, nine years," she said in a thoughtful tone. "Maybe this will stir your memory." She took off her glasses and put a light green blanket over her shoulders.
"L-l-lealah!" Lupin stammered. The girl grinned in confermation.
"Huh? Lupin, what the hell is going on?" Jigen had known Lupin for years, 30 to be exact, and he never mentioned anything about a girl named Lealah.
"Hi! You must be Jigen. The name's Lealah Lupin III. Nice to meet you!" She held out her hand to be shook, and, dumbstruck as he was, he took it.
"Lu...pin...III? But that's Lupin's name!"
"You mean Arsène? Lupin is just our last name." She shot a quizzical look at Lupin. "Didn't you ever tell him about me?"
"Arsène?" Jigen raised his eyebrows at Lupin.
"It's my first name. Only her and I were supposed to know about that," he explained to Jigen. Then through gritted teeth he yelled at Lealah "The name is Lupin now! No one knows my first name but you, me and now Jigen!" He turned to Jigen. "Come on, let's go outside to wait for Fujiko."
"Hang on, Arsène, how does she know so much about you and why does she have your last name?"
"He didn't tell you? I'm Ar...Lupins' sister." She smiled at Jigen.
"Why the hell are you in Augusta, Georgia, I left you in New York City!" Lupin demanded.
"Long story...." She began.
"I don't have time, Fujiko should be here any minute. Let's go, Jigen." Lupin began to walk out, tailed closely by his friend.
"Wait, Lupin, I have a favor to ask of you." She watched Lupins' reaction closely. He turned to her.
"Look, if you want me to steal something for you you're out of luck..." he didn't get to finish.
"No, no, no, no, no, no. Lupin...." She dropped to her knees and folded her hands together. "PLEASE take me with you!"
"WHAT?!" Luckily, Jigen saw the warning signs and clamped his hand over Lupins' mouth just in time.
"You promised Lupin! Remember, 'I'll come back as soon as I can?' Now that you are back, I want to live with you again! Please! I miss you." The last part really got to him. Lealah saw his face begin to soften. Unfortunately, so did Jigen.
"You can't be serious! She's a friggen teenager! NO WAY, LUPIN!"
"Well, I did promise....." Lupin shook his head. "No, it would put you in to much danger. Let's go, Jigen." For the third time they were stopped walking out.
"WAIT! Lupin, I knew you were coming. Someone tipped off the Cojers', the family I live with now, and they called the police. Now, some guy with a beige hat and overcoat from Interpol is outside just waiting to catch you! I know a way you can get past them, but I'll only tell if you let me come."
"D-did you say beige overcoat?" He looked at Jigen. "Pops," they said in unison. Lupin sighed. "Do you have any skills that would help us?" Suddenly they heard a voice coming from his pants.
"Come-KER-Lupin. Lupin, -KER-you-KER?" He pulled a radio from his back pocket. "Damned thing! Never did work right!" Lupin said, hitting it.
"Lemee see it." Lealah took the radio and opened it to the wires. "Here's the problem!" After a few seconds of tinkering with it, she handed it back. "Try it now."
"Come in Lupin! I'm outside waiting for you, where are you?"
They both stared at her. "Answer it," she urged.
"Oh, coming in a second, over! Lealah, can you shoot a gun, pick a lock, or get out of handcuffs?" he asked her.
She hung her head. "No."
"Well, we can teach you all that, let's leave." Lupin looked a little uncomfortable as he said it, but he was sure they needed her. "How do we get around the cops?"
She snapped her head up. "Tell whoever is driving to park in the parking lot behind the house. They're not over there. Now, just leave out of the screen porch downstairs." She bounced off downstairs, after grabbing some clothes, her shoes, and the green blanket.
On the way out, Jigen stopped Lupin. "You can't be serious."
Lupin had a pained look on his face. "I am. After we train her, we'll give her a trial mission to go on with us. If she passes, she's in. If not," Lupins' expression got worse, "We'll kill her. We'll have to."
"Are you willing to make that sacrifice, if need be?" Jigen asked softly. Lupin closed his eyes and nodded. "Then you're a friggen fool. But, I'll trust you."
Outside the night air was hot and humid. Lealah led them to a fence with a gate, opened it, and stepped in. "Here we are." Once they had gotten in the car, Lupin turned to her.
"Look, you can't know where our hideout is so we'll have to knock you out for the trip over there. I left a note for the Cojers'," he said as he pulled out a needle and syringe from his pocket. "Hold out your arm."
"You obviously have no idea how to do this the safest way, so I'll do it. Tie something to my upper left arm tight," she instructed. Lupin and Jigen looked suspiciously at her, but finally gave in. She took the shot, tapped the crook of her arm, and gave herself the shot where she had tapped. She immediately began getting drowsy, so she untied the handkerchief from her arm and sat down. The last thing she knew was someone saying, "Dammit, Lupin, you forgot the pearl!" and seeing Lupins' Walther P-38 hanging from a holster at his side. He finally got a holster, she thought sleepily. Then, she fell into deep darkness.