The Look in Her Eyes, Chapter 16
The last encounter of the spotless… cucumber? Just a bit of fun. Thanks all for sticking with this story for all these years.
Scene 1
"CHEERS" CLINK. Glasses of champagne shimmed in the medieval rooms ambient.
"That was amazing." Esteban praised.
"Like none have ever seen." Anik said.
"I'll be always available to do more business with you, my red lady." Marilyn said as she took a big sip of her glass, admiring the papers Carmen had given them.
"Let Dustin rot in jail."
"We may be criminals but we have our standards, if not, we would all have killed each other long ago. And then what."
"When I'm No 1, I'll change this custom." Carmen said, and all the elites where confused. She smiled broadly and said, "I'm not a champagne person, I'm more a whisky type."
More cheers and congratulations where expressed that night. There was even time to address some business and trade. Peace had returned to a group of people that never liked it in the first place.
Scene 2
"That is an experience I never, ever, want to have again." Ivy collapsed in the seat.
"I kind of liked it, to be honest." Zack said.
"Ha, you were so down in the dumps all the time, I think not."
"What… you were the one all winey and stuff."
"Both of you should consider retirement." Kevin teased. "You guys… can't handle the truth!"
They all started to laugh as Chief's image came on to screen.
"Glad you all are in a good mood."
"We are Chief."
"Well, you will be in more than good mood when you hear that you will all be getting a payed vacation."
"How come Chief?" Ivy asked.
"Carmen didn't accept the payment."
The detective's jaws dropped.
"She insisted so much on the no free thing." Zack said confused.
"She said, and I quote, 'It has all been payed.' Whatever that means."
"If we know Carmen, it means more than she lets on." Ivy insisted. "What are we missing? She must have gotten something more out of this. She didn't deviate from that Blue God Project thing right?"
"Yup, and nothing seems out of bounds anywhere." Chief said, but was startled with an incoming email.
"What is it Chief?" Kevin said as he saw Chief's eyes widen.
"Impossible…. WHERE IS SHE? I can't believe she would do such a thing! If I ever get my hands on her, if I had hands of course, I'd cold here till the ends of the earth! FIND HER NOW!" Chief's angry voice was actually comical to the group.
Scene 3
"No fair." "We quit!" "That is too low." And many more cries like there were being said inside Carmen's hideout as she stepped out of the room into the center stage.
Even though they were all angry, as soon as she put her hand up there was a total silence. No one dared to move from formation, no one dared to even sneeze.
"It is to my understanding that you guys feel like I screwed you. I betrayed you. I used you and there is no pay in sight." She scanned her public, she found true discontent among her henchmen, but also among her close personnel, Hannah, Lars, Moe and Paige. She turned to Hugo and Sarah and signaled to go to the vault door.
"Let me as you guys something. When have I ever failed to bring home the goods?" She scanned again and found some confused looks. "When have I ever failed to compensate for a job well done?"
"All three jobs where done, and the only thing we have seen you do is play cop!" Shouted a henchman.
"True. Please come forward."
The henchman slowly but surely came up to her.
"There weren't three jobs." Carmen said close to him. Panic started to take him over and fear sweat started to form on his face.
"There was only ONE JOB!" She punched him on the stomach and as he bent down, she pummeled him to the ground. The rest of the henchmen where stunned, it was common this punished but not that brutal.
"One job, that consisted in five thefts." She said walking over the passed-out henchmen and past her higher goons.
"What do you mean five?" Moe reacted. "We stole three statues and you stole the mask. There was no other."
Carmen smiled at him and he steeled, it was a wicked smile. She signaled Sarah and Hugo to open the vault.
"There was a fifth theft, but it merely consisted in a swap." Carmen walked towards the vault door as it open and revealed what she meant. Inside the vault there were all the museum artefacts that were in displayed alongside the mask.
Every henchman was stunned. Sarah and Hugo were laughing at the expressions of Hannah, Paige, Moe and Lars.
"As you can see, while everyone was preoccupied about the mask, Sarah, Hugo and I took the liberty to painstakingly swap every other object in that museum as a bonus. One that no one would suspect for weeks on end." She turned around and saw delight among her goons. "We have totaled the earnings, everyone here will receive 1 million dollars." A massive cheer roared inside the headquarters. She smiled and called for silence. "Of course, my esteemed higher ups will receive 10 million each. Enjoy all."
The party was the biggest they have ever done, and unfortunately the only one of its kind they will ever make.
Scene 4
As Carmen stumbled down her isle towards here room, Sarah slowly caught up with her.
"Ome.. las kuestionz"
"Ah… yup, si… si, one question."
"Wat, was, in, zhe, planz fo zhe elitz?"
"Ah, that… si, just the, plans for the National, Treasury. Why you ask?"
"Zhey gonna, stealz zhe Nationa Treazury?"
"Ah, nah… Sometimes we just want, something just, for ourselves. To have, a vault with specifics of National Treasury is like a, Christmas present for us." She looked at Sarah and smiled. "We are all, just criminals you know."
Both women started laughing at this irony.
End of Chapter 16
Onto new adventures!