Chapter 3: Getting to know someone
Hotel Hermitage, 4th floor Penthouse Suite
Helena told everyone her story from the time she was inventing things and her brother getting her fame to her daughters death and her imprisonment. She then told them that she was released by an agent that went mad and rouge. He wanted to end the world just as much as her if not more so because, much like herself, thought the world was unfair and unjust. He wanted things to restart just like her, though at the time of her rehabilitation she wanted to see the world and how it was changed; she did not want to end the world yet. The agent that went mad was named James and he helped her get into a vault that kept her personal effects. Helena told everyone how she met Myka and Pete for the first time. She then revealed how she and James went about getting into the vault. Helena then described sadly how she killed him after she got back out and was going to reveal her plans that she has not decided to act on yet. She told the group how she met Myka again and a first time meeting with Claudia on another case. She told them another one that involved their boss, Pete and Myka and how she helped them out and after that got reinstated by the help of Myka's report. She went on and on with their adventures and of course leaving out big details on stuff that concerned the warehouse.
Everyone was quiet during this every intriguing story when Helena was done and up to present date there was silence. Everyone was taking in the story.
Stacie was the first to speak, "Ok let me get this straight you are saying you are The H.G. Wells and that your brother, Charles, was the man that was believed to be H.G Wells in order for you to get published."
"Yes that is correct, darling" Helena replied back calmly.
"You really expect us to believe that do, ya? I mean you would have to have a time machine or at least been in some suspended animation state where you could be preserved for 150 years give or take, which was impossible during that time." Ash said in disbelief.
"Well actually I built a time machine, but it is not a vehicle like in my novel. It works on your consciousness and lets you inhabit a person from other time. Actually, Pete and Myka used it once in a retrieving an artifact that was lost in time as it were. You can't change the past, I should know, I tried it too many times to count." H.G. rambled and then stopped and paused for a minute and said, "As for me being here in the present, it is a secret way in which they incarcerated me so that I have not aged a day since when I was first imprisoned."
"Well that's all fine and dandy but what's this got to do with Stace?" Danny asked impatiently.
"Well all I was thinking was that we are related and since my daughter was... murdered... and I was imprisoned..." Helena got out and took a pause holding her locket. She took a breath and continued. "That only left my brother to have further offspring so she more than likely is from his lineage somewhere down the line. I don't know if she is a direct descendent or one of the side branches."
"Ah, well that doesn't seem to be all that hard to understand." Danny said.
Everyone looked at him like he was crazy and Stacie looked at him sideways and said, "Not that hard to understand...not that hard! Haven't you been listening Danny; this woman is 150 years old and looks about just as old as you and I and it is not that hard to understand." Stacie said very emotionally. Everything was happening too fast for her. She was talking to one of her ancestors from the 1800's and Danny was acting like its all normal.
"Sorry Stace, I was just saying that the related tree thing made sense is all. I didn't mean to make you all upset. Just trying to grasp all this as much as you are, darling." Danny apologized.
Stacie looked at him and she nodded her head and muttered an apology to him.
"I know this is hard for you guys to grasp. It took us a bit to get used to it too," Myka said softly. "I was ordered to the 'agency' along with Pete when we were part of the President's detail at the time. I was not happy being there at first. It felt like a demotion though Pete thought it was cool at the time and still does." Myka said with a smile. "I thought I was too good to be wasted there and then later I came to find by the end of my first case that I liked it there. There was always excitement and well, just endless wonder. Meeting Helena for the first time was rather a shock I must say." She said with a laugh. "I had to process the information that my favorite author was in fact a woman. Though when she had my partner at gunpoint with a Tesla, I had to trick her with my ringtone." She laughed harder now thinking back. "Miss Wells and I are forever to meet at gunpoint."
Helena smiled at that little story Myka shared as reassurance. She just learned now how Myka first took the job and shared the moment they first met. At the time it was rather not funny but now that it was further in the past, it was. Myka even shared the phrase that Helena mentioned to her. That in itself made Helena smile at how they always seem to indeed meet at gunpoint.
There was silence in the room after that. Everyone was still trying to get their heads around the fact the H.G Wells was in fact a woman and secondly here in the present.
"Ok, say that I believe that you are who you say you are, where does that put us." Stacie asked.
''Well, I was hoping for friends, but if you would like me to not come back after this, that is fine too. I have a place and a family...just when this happened I thought I might...I don't know." Helena carried off.
Stacie looked at her a long time, "You wanted something that can never be given, you wanted your daughter back, I remind you of her and yourself. You imagine me as your daughter grown up and how she would be. Is that right? You do not understand why you feel that way but you do." she stated out of observation.
Helena looked at the floor and held onto her locket when this was being said. She slowly nodded her head for confirmation that Stacie was right.
"It's alright. I just wanted to be certain. I would be grateful to be a friend of yours and maybe get to know you better. I still have that accord with you to fulfill, so you can't just up and leave." Stacie said with a smile.
Helena looked up at Stacie and looked her in the eye for a minute. She then complied and nodded her head and muttered a thank you. Stacie just smiled wider at her and nodded back and replied back, "You're welcome."
Danny broke the mood between the two and said, "Alright now that is settled how about we get better acquainted with the lovely agents, eh."
"Danny do behave. You are not getting better acquainted with anyone here you understand." Stacie said with a laugh.
"Says the bird that is related to 'The H.G. Wells'" Danny shot back with a smirk making quotation makes with his hands. "If you can get better acquainted with her then I can get better acquainted with the two lovelies over here," he said pointing to Myka and Claudia.
Myka and Claudia looked at each other with weird looks then back at Danny not knowing if they should be flattered or worried.
''Yes, you can if you behave Danny Boy." Stacie teased Danny while smiling.
Emma and Mickey observed the two and it seemed like they were teasing one another in more ways then one, but Mickey was not going to give in and say they were dating. No, there had to be hard evidence to say that. Danny and Stacie always did this type of thing when they were in his crew. Emma looked over at Mickey with a look that said 'Told you so.' Mickey shook his head at her saying he was not convinced.
Pete wasn't sure what was going on, but he wanted to know them better. He was still suspicious of them, so he observed them even though that's normally not his thing, its Myka's, but Myka is out of it a bit so he might as well try to pay attention or things could go bad. So he observed all 7 of them and wanted to know: A. why they were here and B. looked high class when non of them acted like that at all. He cleared his throat and waited a moment till he had everyone's attention. "Alight now, we kept our end of the bargain now you do yours. I want to know why you are here and why you guys dress high class if you are not."
"How do you know if we are high class or not. For all you know, we could be," Sean said.
Pete looked over to the guy that looked like he was in his 20's and replied back, "I know cause I had to deal with a lot of them in the secret service. They talk all proper and quite a few only care about their finances and getting richer. You guys seem to be all about each other and you seem to play cards a lot and drink. My best guess is that you guys are professional gamblers."
"Well that is half right Agent Lattimer." Albert announced "I am the only professional gambler here," he chuckled.
Claudia looked over to the old man and asked, "Then what do you guys all do then exactly."
Mickey replied to that question before anyone could say it, "We are grifters."
"What's a grifter?" asked Claudia.
Myka answered before Mickey could reply back, "They are con artists" she said in a tone that was not trusting.
"We aren't going to con you, nor do we plan to Agent Bering." Stacie said reassuringly. "We have an agreement with you and we honor that. We are not your typical run of the mill con artists that get caught. We have a code; we only con people that deserve it or that can afford it. We try to not con innocent people."
Myka was unsure of the situation but nodded.
"Ok, but you never answered my first question; why are you guys here?" Pete asked once again.
"We are here because of Mickey and his scheming" Stacie accused and smiled innocently at Mickey.
"Hey! I was only getting you guys together for old times sake." Mickey said in defense.
"Yeah, you could just call like a normal person you know. Ash and Albe call, even Sean and Emma call. Or is it because you are to distracted to call?" Stacie teased.
"Oh, and what exactly are you implying Stace" Mickey asked.
"Oh, I have a feeling you know exactly what I mean." Stacie said with a teasing smile.
There was a sound of a clearing throat once again in the living room of the penthouse suite. "I get that you guys have fun teasing each other, but could you guys please try to stay focused. I would like to know who everyone is first and then can someone explain how all of you know each other. I always thought con artists worked smaller so that you wouldn't notice them."
"Right, well I will start off; I am Stacie Monroe" Stacie said
Next to her was Danny, "The name is Danny Blue"
Then came the guy named Mickey, "Michael Stone or known as Mickey Bricks"
"Ash Morgan also known as Three Socks or Three Socks Morgan," came the man that was in his 40's or 50's.
The old man was next, "Albert Stroller nice to make you acquaintance."
"The name's Emma Kennedy." the woman with blond hair said next.
Last was the man around his 20's that had brown hair, "Sean Kennedy, Emma is my sister."
"Ok, now that is settled. You wanted to know how we all know each other correct?" Stacie asked.
Before anyone could respond to her, Danny and Sean interrupted, "Hold on, we don't know your name mate." Danny said. Sean was with Danny and said "Yeah, we don't."
"Oh, right. I'm Agent Steve Jinks ATF," Steve replied.
"You guys aren't all secret service?" Mickey asked.
Claudia cut in and replied, "No we aren't. Actually only Pete and Myka are. H.G. has a badge that says she is, but she was never with them. I am not a true agent of the government besides our 'agency' so I have no training in that sort of thing besides what Myka has taught me under her as a junior agent 'once upon a time.' I am just a super genius that hacked their way into the 'agency' and kinda stole Artie, our boss to help me bring back my brother that was trapped in an inter-dimension and I am rambling again. Shutting up now."
Steve smiled at her and patted her on the arm to let her know that it's fine. Stacie was looking at Claudia and was smiling at her too. She knew the kid was nervous for some reason and didn't know why.
Stacie just jumped right back on track to answer Agent Jinks's question. "Right, back to answering your previous question. We all know each other in different times." Stacie took a pause to figure out where to start. "Let's see here, Albert picked up Mickey when he was a kid. Mickey learned off him. Ash came in sometime later when they were looking for a fixer. Mickey and Ash became good friends and now work the con together. I came in later on with my ex-husband though at the time he was my boyfriend only. I was learning off him and later met Mickey on some con. We became good friends and he helped me out when my ex-husband ran out on me with my life savings and everything."
Danny looked at Stacie to make sure she was alright; he knows that topic bugs her. He noticed that she was just trying to get through that part as to not dwell on it. He moved his hand to one of hers and made small circles on the back of her hand as to help calm her. She smiled at him and continued with her explanation.
"Danny came in a couple years later. He was looking for someone to give him a leg up to do the long con. He was the best of the short con at the time, though I must admit there probably hasn't been anyone better than him in the short con before or since. Emma and Sean were picked up by Albert some time after me and Danny were in the States doing cons together. Albert conned Mickey, Ash, Emma and Sean against each other as marks. Mickey and Ash against Emma and Sean. That is how Emma and Sean got picked up by Mickey and they were in his new crew and learning off Ash and Mickey. A couple years later Mickey's new crew and I ran into each other on a con. We both picked the same mark." Stacie laughed remembering "Mickey's and Ash's faces were a picture. I helped them out with the con and eventually pulled Danny in it to save their asses." Stacie said with a smile. "That is pretty much the short Cliff's version on how we all met."
"That sounds horrible and exciting at the same time." Claudia mentioned out loud. "I almost wish I could see you guys in action, though I know that will never fly."
"That's for damn sure" came Myka's voice. She had a stern look on her as she was looking at Claudia that read 'Don't even think about it.'
Stacie laughed at that. She wished that she had someone like Myka during that age; maybe she wouldn't have gotten all caught up in this life. Not that she doesn't like it, but maybe she would have chosen at least a better husband or at the very least someone to tell her that it was a bad mix. Even just for her to have someone that wanted to be there like what she has now with her family of grifters.
"I'll tell you what. We can show you some light handed tricks in exchange for what you can do on a computer, though you might have to dumb it down for some of us. The only one that might get all the terms you use is Ash; we all know a little something for what we would need to, to do our job." Stacie said with a tender, playful smile.
"That sounds cool, as long as I don't get swindled" Claudia said with a smile.
Claudia looked over to Myka for permission. Myka looked worried and didn't know what to say.
H.G. answered for Myka instead, "That will be fine as long as there is no foul play and I must say that I and everyone here can tell if you do."
Stacie nodded and replied, "There won't be, I can promise you that, well, from me anyway." Stacie looked over to Albert and said "Albe you won't be cheating this young lady will you?"
"Wouldn't dream of it my dear." He said as innocently as possible like he never cheated anyone.
"Oh, you won't cheat her, but you can cheat us." Danny said in disbelief. "Why is she any different then us, huh Albert?"
"She is a lady and a guest, my dear boy." Albert said like it was no big deal.
"Heh," was all that came out of Danny's mouth.
"Oh, do stop sulking Danny boy or you will not have the pleasure of being more acquainted with dear Claudia," Stacie said in a baby tone voice to him while pinching his cheeks and laughing at him.
Danny swatted her hands away, "Yeah, yeah and I was not sulking. I was just stating an observation," he said in denial.
"You guys cheat each other...I thought you guys were, you know...solid" Claudia asked out of disbelief.
"Well my dear, the best con of all is to con another grifter that should know better," Albert explained.
"And it is done in all good fun anyway." Mickey said explaining what they did it for in the first place. "We make bets and con each other in a friendly manner. We only take maybe 50 or 60 Quid off each other in good fun."
"Ahhh...I see," was all Claudia said.
"So you ready to amazed by the Great Danny Blue" Danny said with excitement.
Stacie just laughed at his antics while the others in her group all shook their heads. Everyone got together at the table and each one of the hustlers showed the warehouse agents a few tricks for a while and had fun hanging out with one another. The hustle group eventually played a little more serious with this group after they explained what they do. They had a hard time playing with Pete and Steve. Pete had the ability of vibes, which meant he had a feeling on which card was the right one while playing Three Card Monty. Steve could tell if anyone of them were lying. Myka and H.G. were hard to hustle as well they were rather smart and paid attention to close detail. Claudia was maybe the easiest out of the group, but she was very smart and learned rather quickly.
"If you guys were like us we might actually team up on and off, you know. It would be fun and more birds to be around is a bonus." Danny exclaimed.
"Yeah, that would be sick, man." Claudia excitedly said. "It would be even cooler if you guys worked with us. I can imagine all the fun we could have, though Artie might die before his time with you guys." she laughed out.
"Oh yeah, specially since he already has a hard time with you and H.G. You guys cause the most trouble." said Pete.
"Says the guy that doesn't know how to not touch things and causes problems for his partners." Claudia shot back with a victory smirk.
"You know she does have a point." Steve said.
"Yeah, yeah whatever." was all Pete was going to say to that. He didn't care to continue with the current conversation.
"So, what can you do on a computer." Ash asked Claudia after sometime of silence in the room.
"Well quite a few things actually, if you like I can demonstrate for you." Claudia replied back as tamed as she could. She was really excited to show them what she could do.
"Yeah that would be nice" was all Ash said to that. He wanted to see what the kid has got. If she is as good as she was saying, that would mean that she could be even better then him.
Claudia showed them what she was capable of. All of them were impressed, even her coworkers although they have seen her in action before.
Eventually, they all called it a night and headed to their rightful rooms and they said they will meet up some time tomorrow. Myka and H.G. mentioned that they could help them figure out what they were looking for since they gambled a lot more than they do and played at the casinos. The hustlers said that they were interested and were willing to help and would meet them tomorrow so that they could have a meeting.