Black or White

Chapter 11 )( Still Nervewracking but We're Prepared

   During the two hours of searching up jewel heists and jewel curators gone rogue and just the basic runnings of the jewel world market Dan found no one specific to partner with him. He texted Lee and asked to be linked to the Dark Web, which he opened on an internet café computer. That ended up a bust too.

It took about two days, and a trip to Hunny Bunny, for Dan to come to a starling realization. Half the jewel world would buy unmarked jewels and precious metals without much suspicion. So all Dan needed from Lee was a way to link all the possible curators he came across, like a business email.

"I am not a tech guy," came as Lee's response to the request, to which Dan claimed he was just an underachiever with low self-esteem. He got kicked out faster than last time.

Lee was out the picture but Dan told himself it was fine while binging a bag of Damien's treats and a new drama that Marcus recommended. So Dan went on the hunt again, for people who were skilled in jewel related duties, but the longer he searched he came to his second realization.

Their country was not small, but it was not huge and when half (a generous assumption) of the population was poor, the jewel business in the country was almost non-existent, only there for show so that the rich held a false idea that their wealth was not limited by the economy. This made Dan slow his roll, no one in the jewel business would risk their income on a weak scheme. He could set up a small business to sell jewels abroad but it would draw unwanted attention and – the overarching fact was that there wasn't that many jewels in their country to steal.

No wonder Plum Girl was so adamant about leaving everyone else out of it – including Dan apparently – because her whole agenda had an expiration date.

Well Dan would be damned. She sent him on a wild goose chase.

Maybe he should have been upset, but it was honestly kind of funny. How much he liked her as a person really seemed to fluctuate with her actions.

His search for a jewel curator ended but he couldn't go back to her empty handed. Time for plan B.

The door opened slowly and the first thing Dan saw was Plum Girl's bitter but polite expression.

"Well, you came back fast. So eager to be a criminal."

"The allure is in the pay; ignore the price." Dan stood still as he waited to be invited inside. Plum Girl seemed to not get the memo, she walked back into the apartment and left him on her doorstep. He followed her inside and closed the door behind him. He found himself a chair to sit in, the wait for an offer foregone the second time.

Plum Girl stood on the other side of the room, leaned against the wall while her hands toyed with a long black scarf. She showed no signs of initiating conversation, so Dan decided to.

He opened his mouth to speak but instead let out a scream as the chair caved in with him in it. Dan knew once he was back on his feet some part of him would be sore from being bent like a taco shell. He felt himself unbend shortly after the event with Plum Girl's footsteps as a background rhythm. His legs fell to the floor as the rest of the seat collapsed.

He sat up, Plum Girl sat on the couch opposite. Her eyes sparkled like wet tar.

"Your chair is broken." She smiled.

"I didn't invite you to sit and I expected it to 'break'," she put air quotes around 'break'.

Dan bit his lip and stood, "Which chairs are safe for me to sit on apart from yours?" Plum Girl leaned back in her seat, smile smaller but more cheeky.

"Everyone except that one. I will say I got that one just for you though, kind of unfortunate you want to sit somewhere else." A little pout at the end to sell the statement.

Dan bit down harder and remained standing with his hand rested against the prank chair.

"I got some guys to help you steal money from the banks in the area. They're willing to start anytime after next week."

Her expression soured faster than milk left out, she looked more disgruntled than upset though.

"I told you no one else. Tell them I won't work with them." Dan had imagined himself smiling during the ensuing conversation and even felt like doing just that at her refusal; he ended up glaring instead.

"Well, since the jewels in the city are a closed business when money is involved, the cash grab would just have to work."

"I said no. Do what I told you to do or I'm tying you to a light post with an apple in your mouth." Dan still thought her threats were bluffs, her eyes worked hard to change his mind.

Dan began to walk around the room and took deep breaths as he went. He would not persuade her while in a bad mood, it had not worked before. She sat uncharacteristically patient until he had calmed.

"What you told me to do is impossible," Dan took a deep breath, "Your agenda will end as soon as all the gems in the city have been stolen. It's limited and dangerous to convert to cash. It's much more fulfilling to just take money, and safer, the guys I recruited are proof of that. They been banking cash for years and nothing has happened to them. So-" She scoffed.

"So you recruited selfish criminals to help the poor. They steal from the economy which just makes it worse-"

"-for the poor people. I know that." Dan closed his eyes, the sudden sharp tone was not helping him. Plum Girl's lips pursed in annoyance but she did not rebut. "It's what I can do. The jewel thing is impossible. You know that, that's why you set me on that job." Her eye twitched, Dan's nostril flared in response. He continued. "It's literally the only thing I can do, I want to help." He licked his lips and dropped to his knees as an afterthought. "Please. Please, if the plan is to fund projects the money has to come from the source. Please, let me know you're doing this for the people, not just your own agenda."

Plum Girl drew in a breath, she looked away. Then she rose and kneeled before Dan; his turn to inhale. She stretched the scarf still in her hands and proceeded to tie his hands together. The fear set in again.

"Don't- don't tie me to a lamp post." She glanced up into his eyes, her own darker than a dark room.

"If I had decided to, you telling me not to wouldn't have stopped me. I won't but," she stood and pulled which caused him to follow suit then be lead to a bar at the side of the room which she tied him to, "I will tie you here. I'm too lazy to go to your apartment." Then she left the room, with Dan tied up.

Realistically speaking, if Plum Girl was not a fast decision maker Dan would have passed out from lack of a meal before he had turned up at her place. Fortunately, she returned within the hour, he assumed.

She stopped in front of him, looking the same as ever but her expression appeared more relaxed than before. As if she could smile without a moment's notice.

"You're going to have to come by again so we can talk this through. For now though, I can see that you have a point," she untied him, "one that I like, anyway."

He rubbed at his wrist lightly and his only response came as a breathy 'Ok', the relief a welcome feeling.

Plum Girl walked to the door and opened it; Dan walked to her then out into the hallway. The door clicked shut behind him.

He could see his vision through, his throat let out a breath and his shoulders slumped. He began his descent down the stairs, ready to go home and have some chips and an early rest. His day had taken a very good turn. Then he tripped on the last few steps from the bottom floor, doing the diagonal splits and he just wanted to go home.