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Nytefall
The Heist
Part 1
Featuring… @VATROU
Featuring… @VATROU
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Time: Present Day - Afternoon
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
“We have landed at North Las Vegas Airport, remember to pick up your luggage and I hope you enjoyed your flight!”
A short but completely avoidable journey at its end, a Polish man picked up his noticeably scant luggage in the form of a single backpack and stepped out into the blazing heat. A prompt ride in a bus with laughing tourists, his head aching from lack of proper sleep, and finally he was alone again. With a feeling of relief, the criminal allowed his aura to expel itself into his surroundings, the tension of keeping it locked tight for over seven hours having really grated on his nerves. Still, needs must, and at least he’d arrived in Vegas. He’d always wanted to see Vegas before he died, so much sin and theft on such a grand scale, how could he resist?
The problem was this was hostile territory for Silence. His contacts in the area were scant, just a couple of people to be honest, enough to get his hands on a firearm within an hour and a rental car that had been lent out on an untraceable fake name. Driving around in a pale blue family car wasn’t likely to attract much attention out here, but if needs be, it could be used for a speedy get-away. At least for him. The other two could find their own way out of trouble, he was sure.
Pulling in for some refreshments, the Pole sat in a McDonalds car-park and texted the Ambassador.
Ms F,
I am in town, want to meet up for coffee?
-L
Suspicious to the point of paranoia, as per usual, Silence didn’t trust the unsecured line enough to ask for his ally’s direct location. They could meet somewhere and discuss details like that in person.
Short hours had passed quickly for Mandate, Odette and Bach. Her fey partner had grown rather wary since their arrival to Las Vegas, he commented how he felt an overwhelmingly large presence of a witch coven. Bach was more sensitive to high concentrations of magic.
While The Ambassador ate, rested and scouted out the warehouse locations. A few she discovered were distribution centres. The centres were mainly set for shipping and receiving. Whatever arrived was later shipped off into storage or another location. The warehouse she was looking for was a rather large one set up for long term storage. It took her some time to observe, but she found success.
A text from Lekh, she quickly replied with.
Oh! ¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫
I feel like I’ve been waiting f-o-r-e-v-e-r for you to visit me.
Coffee would be great! (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑
-`ღ´- I’m on the East end,
this cute little restaurant on the edge of the industrial area -`ღ´-
See you soon~ <3
She sent the text along with their current address a few blocks away from the warehouse, following his lead in obscurity. It had irritated her initially that he still decided to take a silly plane over the much more convenient portal door. It did, arguably, give her some time to catch her breath and rest for the next part of their plan. The mess they left in Lost Haven splashed across the news headlines, police puzzled over the scene. Who could have possibly been to responsible for the multiple murders? Who could be capable of crushing bones and desiccation...etc. Such a scene would keep Barron’s attention on Lost Haven while they slipped past his defences and pilfer valuable magical items.
Odette, Bach and Mandate sat outside at a patio table, idly fanning herself with the drink menu. “Lekh texted me. He is finally here. We’ll be moving soon.” She said sipping her iced tea. It was insufferably dry and hot, the neon lights, tourists… this city of sin held no class, no history; just excess. Perfect for the likes of Barron to take root in.
Silence stared at his phone for a few moments. That, is an excessive amount of emoticons. He decided finally, after summarising that it probably wasn’t a code but rather the Ambassador being flippant. With a sigh, he pulled out a map he’d borrowed from his associate in town and looked across it for the restaurant the Ambassador was talking about. It took him a little while, but knowing where they were hitting helped. Obviously, the Ambassador had settled close to the warehouse, and from there he could find the street she had referred him to.
Putting the map to one side, already familiar with his route, Silence reversed out of the bay in his people carrier and drove into the hubbub of Las Vegas. Albeit, a little outside of the usual touristy areas, and therefore not into a complete standstill at every street corner. It took him the better part of an hour still, travel in Las Vegas was a pain in the ass, he discovered. Like most big cities the world over.
Parking up outside the restaurant, Silence paused for a moment to check himself over. He’d changed since the ambush at the trainyard, and again after leaving the plane. Now he was just an average joe tourist, in loose beige cargo pants and a light blue polo, sunglasses over his eyes because the sun was just so damn bright out here. Deserts, what can you do?
Walking in, the criminal folded up his glasses and hung them in the v of his collar, looking around for his associates. He assumed the Golem wouldn’t be inside though, not unless the Ambassador could disguise her somehow.
Odette removed her straw wide brimmed hat peering across the tables noticing Lekh, the chameleon of a man had changed again. She waved him over, since their arrival to Vegas she had changed outfits as well. Picking from clothing stored away in her purse, avidly prepared wherever she ended up. She wore a loose white cotton blouse unbuttoned, with sleeves rolled up, beneath it she wore a black crop top, high waisted blue jean shorts, and white gladiator sandals.
Bach was taking his restlessness out on the poor unsuspecting waitresses and their customers. Making them trip, switching food, pranking the customers. It was silly and Odette didn't possess the need nor want to stop him.
Mandate sat across from her having resumed her glamoured disguise as a large yet plainly dressed human. To any roaming eyes, they were tourists relaxing after a day of sightseeing. A glass of water sat in front of Mandate, untouched. In sharp contrast to the pleasant humming escaping her ‘lips’, Mandate’s glamour presented the same dead, emotionless eyes as ever, peering around listlessly as her fingers gently drummed the table. It only took a few moments for her eyes to snap to the man to whom Miss Ambassador waved, of course, and the drumming and humming ceased.
Lekh’s eyes roamed the room until he spotted the Ambassador, just as she took off her large floppy hat. Raising a hand in greeting, he bypassed some overly helpful staff and made his way to their table, seemingly at ease in his surroundings. He paused in front of their table just long enough to pull out a chair, and then sat down, a smile briefly flickering across his face.
“How ya’ll doin?” He asked, settling into an American accent for their current surroundings were far from private, and his natural accent might draw the wrong sort of attention. It would be unwise to underestimate the Barron in his own territory. As he awaited their replies, his finger rose up to the waiter and he flagged him down for a drink. “I’ll have a glass a Tennessee whiskey if ya got it waiter, anything but Jack Daniels’ll be fine, thankya.”
Odette stared at Lekh and his new accent, arching one of her eyebrows at him. She wasn’t far off the mark thinking of him as a chameleon. Instead of laughing she said, “Lovely, thank you for asking. You’re later than I expected.” She leaned a little closer, “Regardless, I’ve kept myself busy. Visited a few tourist traps today, but there’s one more souvenir shop I want to shop around in, if you would like to join me. It has a few trinkets I think you’d be interested in.”
She smiled herself playing along. In a city of this size, three people could be easily unrecognized as the next. The Barron is looking for faceless goons in Lost Haven, he has no reason to suspect the culprits would be sitting right under his nose only a few hours after the deed. She sipped her iced tea, a basket of french fries sat in front of her, half of it eaten.
At least he wasn’t wearing jeans again, but still no cufflinks.
“Oh yeah? How’s the place lookin, busy at all?”
“At the moment? No, not busy surprisingly. I was expecting more sales associates on duty but could only account for seeing a good handful across the store.” She said, “I’m sure they must be of the more senior staff members. More capable.” She popped a cold fry in her mouth.
“I’m full, do you want some?” Nudging the basket his way the waiter arrived with Lekh’s drink.
“Cold fries? Think’ll pass miss. Glad to hear the place ain’t too busy, when d’ya reckon we should go?”
She shrugged replacing her hat shifting back in her seat again to allow the waiter to place the drink on the cardboard coaster, “Finish your drink, there’s no hurry.” She meant that, from her observations she counted for some vampires strolling through the shadowy areas of the warehouse while she had spotted a mage radiating energy from the arcane stream.
To avoid security would be preferable, stealth would be imperative.
“So, how was your flight?”
“Not bad, not bad.” He took a sip of his whiskey in-between, the only sign of his distaste a slight furrowing of his brow. This wasn’t what Poles drink nor how they drink it. His eyes wandered over to Mandate sitting at the table. “I see you brought your cousin along, that’s mighty nice of you, doubt they get out much after getting kicked in the head by that horse all those years back.”
Mandate did not particularly see how a horse kicking her could be dangerous, but did not comment. Instead, she stared blankly into her glass of water.
Odette squinted at him then Mandate. Sure it was a quickly thrown together glamour but disguising an eight foot tall, cyclops golem was easier said than done. “My dear cousin loves to meet with all my friends. Even the ones that keep me waiting, did you get lost on your way from the airport or was it just bad traffic? I thought you had stood us up.” She laughed lightly, giving him an impish smile.
“Kept you waitin? Why if I’d known you were hankering so badly for my company Miss I’d have got here all the sooner.”
She rolled her eyes, chuckling behind her hand, “Charming. What a gentleman, hard to find in the city known for its sin.”
“Well, you know what they say, the Southern gentleman brings his hospitality wherever he goes, ‘specially in the company of a fine young lady such as yourself.” Silence gave her an ironic wink and sipped on his drink.
“While a frenchwoman knows her cheese.” She said. “It looks like you might need something to chase that with.” She noted his distaste, every little thing contributing to his disguise right down to the drink. Although she was sure she wouldn’t be able to stomach a glass of sour mash whiskey. It was admittedly amusing to watch.
“Come on now Miss, you wound me.” He laughed, legitimately. “I reckoned I was up for a glass, guess maybe I had a little too much last night for its tasting a trifle sour goin down.” With a determination to fulfil his role to the last, the Pole drank down the last of the whiskey with held breath, gritting his teeth for just a moment. “Well then, drinkins’ done, shall we be headin off?”
She laughed with him, genuinely amused by his accent and charm. Nodding she said, “Please, after you. I’ll buy your drink, I still owe you for that coffee.”
“Why thank you kindly Miss.”
She dug her wallet out and waved over the waiter. He quickly scribbled out the bill for her small meal and the drink. She handed him cash and a decent tip. Bach returned to her side again, looking pleased after harassing the restaurant staff.
“You drive, I’ll direct you.”
Silence stood and led the group out of the restaurant, judging the sun in the sky as he stepped out into open air. Shrugging, he flicked out his sunglasses and put them back on to shade his eyes before pointing to the less than stylish people carrier in the car park.
“How’d ya like my wheels Miss?” He said, walking over and pulling out his keys to hit the fob. He hopped into the driver’s seat and gave the other’s time to get in.
“Right, where to?” All traces of Southern accent gone now, all business.
They settled in easily, Odette’s expression defaulted back to neutral. She gave simple directions, they were only about five minutes away by car. They drove past the warehouse, looking for a discrete spot to park the van. Close but not out of reach. “Vampires, mage, and possibly metahumans are patrolling the warehouse.” She said turning to Lekh, she dug through her purse pulling free some bottles of holy water and short but sharpened wooden stakes. “I hope we have no use for these tonight.”
Lekh took a stake a little uncertainly, looking at the slender wooden point, before tucking it into his waist-band beside his gun. Then, he took a bottle of holy water.
“So these things kill these Vampires, and the heart is the key, correct?” He wanted to see if he remembered what she had taught him about killing the undead creatures Barron had at his beck and call.
“The heart, yes. Don’t miss.” She warned him.
“We’ll have to find where the healing based artefacts are being kept. I can imagine it won’t be difficult considering they hold such high value.” She said, removing her hat setting it on the dash.
“With such a sophisticated operation I would suspect that someone must know what is in each container, perhaps they are marked or coded? We shall have to grab someone and ask them to be sure, it would be best not to spend too long here.”
She nodded pulling off her white blouse, stuffing it away in her purse then pulling out a dark blue long sleeved shirt. “I think that would be best. Some desk jockey could find what we’re looking for much faster.”
”I can grab someone.” Mandate offered, fiddling with her glamoured necklace. Her curiosity was not conveyed in her false eyes. ”Miss Ambassador, what makes a vampire different from a metahuman?”
“Vampires are generally faster, stronger and quieter. They’re also undead. For you Mandate, their speed will be your main concern.” Pulling the shirt over her head, she tucked some wooden stakes into her belt along her lower back for easy access.
“Right. So we know they have metahumans in there, or Vampires, or both. With people like this I do not think I will be able to infiltrate them brazenly, stealth and execution will be the key. Mandate seems hardy enough, I say we move in from the sides and send Mandate in directly through the front as a distraction while we pick off stragglers and get what we need. Do you have any other ideas? You have been here longer than myself.”
Unstrapping her sandals while she thought. “I don’t think splitting up will be wise but it seems we need to cover some more ground. The warehouse grounds are on the large side. Mandate, are you alright with taking the brunt of the distraction?” Dropping the sandals into her purse and switching out for running shoes.
Mandate, unperturbed by the imminent danger, responded quite chipperly. ”Of course, Miss Ambassador!” She continued to play with her necklace. ”Should I remove this? I’d like for it to stay safe.”
“Yes, I can keep it safe for you.” She opened her hand. “The west side of the building has it’s shipping and receiving centre. Two large doors, with side entrances. When I checked they were deserted. On the east side is the employee entrance and parking lot, essentially the front doors. On the roof, there are some large windows but most of them have been boarded up, I can imagine in consideration for their undead co-workers. Where would you like to start, Silence?”
“I will sneak in through the west entrance, through their loading bay. I would rather have the sun at my back for as long as possible as I am the most vulnerable to those Vampires in there.”
Mandate tilted her head at the mention of the sun, her necklace having been slipped off of her neck and into the Ambassador’s hand. ”Do you think there’s still enough light to be hurtful if those windows are broken, Miss Ambassador? I’m good at breaking.” It was a niggling memory, brought on by the conversation at hand. The sun was the enemy of dead things, right?
Odette nodded storing the necklace away, “I believe so. I can portal you to the rooftop and the distraction will begin when you break through the window. I’ll cover the east side, discreetly remove any opposition, set some traps in case there is reinforcements. Then meet Silence, to help search for our prizes.”
“It sounds as if we have a plan then. I will get equipped and meet you both inside this warehouse. Good luck.” And with that, he opened the door and hopped outside, moving around to the boot and popping it. Inside was his apparel for the afternoon’s work, a bulletproof vest, ballistic gloves and mask, and some falconer’s bracers he’d had the foresight to ask for while on waiting in the airport. It was lucky his meagre contacts in the area had easy access to this sort of equipment in Las Vegas. After equipping himself thusly, he tailed out of the parking spot, hastily sprinting across the quiet street while no one was in view and disappearing behind a fence lining the perimeter.
Odette watched Lekh’s back as he departed before stepping out of the van, beckoning Mandate away from the vehicle. She began crafting a new portal, quickly forming its door a minute or so later. “This will take you to the roof. Countdown from one hundred before you step through the window. Please try not to cause too much property damage, feel free to tear the opposition apart, there is no one we need to save for questioning this time.” Odette instructed looking up into Mandate’s singular red ‘eye’. She smiled, thoughtfully adding, “Try not to have too much fun without me, my dear.”
”Of course, Miss Ambassador! I could never have enough fun without you.” Mandate chirped in response, poking and prodding curiously at the portal. She paused as a thought struck her, twisting to face the Ambassador. Her hand hit her head in a crude salute. ”I’ll get it done, Miss Ambassador.” The rather serious and solemn statement was interrupted by a series of short-lived giggles.
Odette gave her a wink, clicked her heels and jogged off across the street heading for the opposite direction of Lekh, hopping up and over the fence. She kept close to the building, casting her warding spells as she went. Bach followed closely behind her, full sized and keeping a wary eye out. Counting down the seconds.