"Are you sure these bikes are for you? They're a lot of heavy metal!"
"No worries, we can handle it. My name's Tony Lewis. Can you set those aside? I'll be by in an hour or so to get them."
"Sure thing!" Of course he'd be accommodating. He'd just made a $5,000 sale.
Anton's conversations with two other bike shops yielded the required number of bikes—four black, one blue. He would take that one. Another shop had the gear he needed for all five, so he started making the rounds in his innocuous blue Ford F-150. A few hours later, he was done. He'd already told his crew about the bikes. After they stopped laughing, they agreed it was a good plan.
The day of the caper started with a soft, dreamy misting of rain. The weather was due to clear before they started, so Anton wasn't worried. He had no contact with his team all day. He trusted them to be in position. If, for any reason, they couldn't be, they knew to contact him. He had chosen a team of men who had worked together before. They knew each other, and there was a bond of trust, which was necessary for this job.
Everything was in position and it was time to get to work. Anton drove to the meeting spot in a caterer's van. His team, dressed as chefs and waiters, joined him. Their bikes were stowed in a special compartment inside. They really were preparing food, with a special ingredient, a knockout drug. It was a low dose which would, they hoped, disable everyone enough for them to do their job. They carried tranquilizer blow darts just in case. Anton prided himself on being a thief, not a killer. He knew how to handle weapons, but had seen bad things happen when criminals carried guns. The blow guns and darts were plastic, as there would be metal detectors at the event.
The target for the night was the famous Tangiers Ruby. The 10 carat stone had a flaw in the center, a shaft of gold which looked like lightning bolt. The stone was priceless, but Butler had offered him ten million to steal it. Two million a man was a tidy sum. They had been paid half up front, at Anton's insistence. If anything went wrong, his men were still left with enough cash to be happy. Anton had a secondary goal, to walk away with as much loot as they could safely gather, and conceal on their persons. Some of the most beautiful gems in the world would be there that night.
The food, prepared by the chef on the team, was ready for circulation. They would use this time to determine potions of the stones they wanted. Models, heavily guarded, were wearing the rubies, diamonds and pearls.
The model chosen to wear the rubies had waist length, sable colored hair and pale skin. Tall and willowy, she had a long, lean throat, perfect for showing off the necklace. Hers was a true black gown, covered in jet black beads. Glittering as she walked, she circulated in a specific, heavily guarded area. No one could get closer than three feet from her. Anton knew, though the crowd didn't, that she wasn't just beautiful, she was lethal. Ex-Israeli military, Tabitha Levi was trained in a variety of combat skills. She didn't need the armed guards, but the insurance company insisted.
The other models were just that, nothing special. But Tabitha, she was unique, incredible. Anton had to admit, he had a bit of a crush. Crazy, as he'd never met her, but he'd studied her extensively; every article, personnel file, audio byte, or video he could find. He watched surreptitiously, as he circulated with trays of food. She noticed, but her eyes flickered past him as if he were part of the furniture. He knew he wasn't, though. Her gaze passed over him often, lingering. It wasn't his imagination—at least he hoped not.
"She made you?" the chef asked quietly, as he took up another tray.
"No."
"She keeps looking at you."
"Yeah." He chuckled.
His next pass, he carried a tray of beverages, near Tabitha's perch. Three uniformed men stood between them. Anton stopped.
"Sorry, guys. I thought the lovely lady might be thirsty. Non-alcoholic, sparkling juice. Scout's honor, not booze." He grinned, winking at her. A slight blush pinked her cheeks when their eyes met.
One guard lifted a glass from the tray, sniffed it and handed it to Tabitha. Anton offered drinks to the men, expecting them to refuse. Tabitha sipped her drink and smiled.
"Have some, boys. He's telling the truth."
They all accepted graciously, if gruffly. Taking his empty tray to the kitchen, Anton counted down the seconds. Since timing was everything, their glasses had been treated on the rim with the odorless, tasteless drug. Even if they didn't finish their drinks, merely touching it to their lips was enough.
A surprised gasp escaped a few throats as the first guests fell. The exclamation grew louder when others began to drop. A few were left standing, these got the dart.
Anton and the chef, rushed to Tabitha to remove her necklace, to find it was fastened with a special catch. Rather than waiting to undo it, Anton carried her, to the catering van. The others made a fast sweep of the room, finding easy pickings between models and guests. Seven minutes later, they'd filled their packs and shed their uniforms. Each wore biking gear beneath. From the crate, they got goggles and helmets. Uniforms and other gear, went into the packs. Kickstands up, they were gone. Anton was left with Tabitha, and her tricky necklace. He gave her another dose of the drug, securing her in the van. His heart fluttered. He'd never kidnapped anyone before. He was a thief, and prided himself on never doing harm. Feeling he had no choice, he drove away from the museum with his glittering cargo.
©2021 Dellani Oakes
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