| Running Out Of Time | 172732014

Chasing Foxes

In the meantime, you casually walked across the room with a small device in your hand producing this ringing noise until you reached the display case, the device fizzling and burning out in your gloves. You knew it was a once-off. No time to locate the security system in the place, and above all, the lasers would return leaving you trapped. You heard the hum of the lasers again as soon as the device was destroyed.

You shrugged off the dilemma, eyeing the tiny jewel in the display case while you made work into the glass, carving into it carefully with delicate precision. It just felt too easy, you thought, while you reached in and grabbed the jewel with your fingers before placing it in a small box to stow away.

Until the lights switched on, and the lasers were in view.

"Hate to break it to you, but you seem to be stuck," spoke a voice in the room, grabbing your attention from your work, pocketing the tiny box in your utility belt.

Turning around, you eyed all of the lasers that trapped you inside, only working with a small space that surrounded the display cabinet, but your eyes drifted to another standing outside of the lasers, his fingers hovering over the lightbox switch by the room's large entrance.

"You're making this way too easy," he continued, his helmet hiding his face from view. You eyed the costume, the colours, the arrangement, the elbows.

"Ah, Cellophane?" you asked, a smirk appearing on your lips while you leaned against the display cabinet. "What are you doing in this neck of the woods, this late at night?"

Sero inspected the room noticing that the lasers were projected from the ground, and not from the walls. Unconventional for security, but the museum had a reputation for such things. Even so, there was enough room for a walkway around the circumference of the room, allowing him to walk inside while keeping an eye on you - the intruder in question.

"You've heard of me?" he asked, curious.

"Well, yeah, the Taping Hero. I just didn't expect to find you on the graveyard shift."

Sero stared at you, taken back by the words you chose, terms that the heroes used often.

"Relax, this isn't my first dig," you reassured, noticing how his body reacted to your responses. His helmet covered his face, making it difficult for you to notice the minute changes in expression, however, Sero was quick to recompose himself.

"I wouldn't be concerned about me," he answered. "I'd be more worried about yourself."

"Please, do I look worried?"

"Breaking-and-entering, theft, doesn't look good on a rap sheet," Sero continued. "But, by the looks of you, you probably have a few notches already." He inspected the outfit, black and orange with a fur-trim, a utility belt with small tools, and your face in full view. No mask at all. It was odd. Every other break-and-enter culprit had a mask, at least the cheap and nasty stocking or beanie over their head, but staring at you, your face was in full view, except for the heavily-designed eye makeup you donned.

"Like what you see?" you teased, arms crossed while you still rested against the display case. "I get that a lot, well, when I get caught."

"So you're not a good thief then."

"No, I am a good thief," you corrected before another thought crossed your mind. "You know, it's so hard to find riveting and stimulating conversation with my captors. I hope you don't disappoint."

"So you wanna talk?"

"If it's to pass the time, sure. Ask me anything, I'm an open book."

Sero stopped in his tracks, eyeing you suspiciously. Were you buying time? Was this a trick? The lasers were in full view, crossing each other haphazardly, which made it hard for anyone to enter in and out. Aside from the electronic device you donned, it seemed you deliberately trapped yourself inside.