JIMIN.
Technology has come a very long way for humankind, our generation has transitioned into a new era that allows us to get away with a lot of things, but they don't come without their restrictions. Electric cars, DNA altering, AI's slowly learning to co-exist with humans and so many other things. But things like these make our jobs difficult for people like me but they're also quite interesting and we love the thrill.
Tonight, I'm playing Erik Slovak; a long-time anonymous multimillionaire bidder at the Imitation Fair. Tonight's job is simple, on paper at least, but every moment, every step, every conversation, and every second is critical. One wrong move and we all end up behind bars; unfortunately jail tail is something mankind has failed to improve on.
It's a shame really because jail time would have been the perfect retirement plan if only it were the perfect location.
"We're here." Felicity announces and we both look out the window at the flashing lights waiting for us. Erik Slovak's appearance had been announced and every news channel is out here tonight eager to put a name to the green dollar bills that sponsor their ridiculous hobbies.
"I don't understand it." I say tilting my head a little as I continue to stare at the crowd. The windows on the car were tinted so even though they knew that we had arrived they couldn't see what we were doing from outside.
"What?" Felicity asks giving me a quick one over.
"How they do it, I haven't even stepped foot in there and I already hate it. How do they live like this every day?" I ask truly curious.
Growing up my family wasn't exactly poor, but we weren't exactly rich either, we just managed to get by with what we needed. Still, I wouldn't have asked for a different life even as I gazed at the rich and powerful from the outside. I was just confused and wanted to understand but till now I still don't.
"You can't." Kenna's voice comes through from the Bluetooth speakers in our ears. "You'd have to be like them to understand and you aren't. I'm sure Felicity on the other hand would fit in just right." Kenna continued unable to stop herself from taking a jab at Felicity.
"The clock's on, you should get a move on." Daemon spoke up cutting through the conversation and ending the fight before it could get out of hand.
"You ready?" I ask and Felicity takes in one last deep breath before giving a nod. I step out first and the flashing lights seem to intensify as I round the car and open Felicity's side. Taking her hand in mind Fel poses the perfect smile as we both turn and look out at the cameras for a couple of pictures before making our walk down the red carpet and into the function.
Before the sun comes up tomorrow morning all of those pictures would have disappeared like they never even existed.
The door opens and we're escorted into the building by security on each of our side. We get to security check-in, and I don't miss the many cameras zooming in on our every move.
"Name?" The guard behind the desk asks as he stands with a clipboard in hand; I answer confidently and Fel does the same.
"Erik Slovak."
"Ayla Slovak."
Once our names are confirmed on the list the real test begins; one wrong move on this side and we're out. Felicity goes first; her clutch goes through the scanner and passes with no issues. Then she's escorted to the full body scanner and once she steps in, the screen next to her lights up as it scans every single one of her features to the strand of her hair.
The next thirty seconds are tense; thirty seconds that's all it takes and when that ding echoes with the green checkmark next to her face confirming her identity as Ayla Slovak, I release the breath I was holding. Fel is escorted out of the machine, and I go in next, another thirty seconds, and that ding echoes again.
We made it.
The security hands Fel back her clutch and I take her hand once more as the double doors open.
"Mr. and Mrs. Slovak, welcome to Imitation."
****
"We're in." I inform the others through the speaker once the door opens and we're greeted to the sight of the wealthiest among the wealthiest gathered in one room.
"Clean up and I are on standby." Daemon responds.
"Kenna and I are on stand-by, fifteen minutes until the bidding starts." Kendrick announces as well.
"Mr. Slovak." I look up as my name is called and an older man dressed in a similar attire as mine, a suit and tie, approaches me with a huge smile on his face. "It is such an honor to finally meet you, welcome to Imitation." He says and I immediately know who he is.
"The honor is all mine Mr. Evans." I respond sticking out my hand for a shake which he eagerly takes.
"Please call me Thomas." He says and I hear Kenna's chuckle in my ear.
"Ass-kisser." She mumbles and I have to stop my smile from growing.
"This is my wife, Ayla." I introduce and Felicity draws out a hand skin forward which Thomas promptly kisses before releasing her.
"Please this way." Thomas pulls us into the throng of people in the room and begins making introductions. Only people of importance have the luxury of having one-on-one time with Eric Slovak, just because you're rich doesn't necessarily mean you're important. So that's how the next few minutes go by, making meaningless conversations with lawyers, businessmen, and politicians alike.
"Five minutes to clock in on phase one." Daemon informs us after some time has passed. "I have eyes on you, get him to move now." He says and I don't bother looking around the room trying to spot him. Instead, I give Thomas another smile as I break away from the group we were talking to into a private space.
"Thomas, I hate to break up the party, but I think it's time that you and I talk a little business before the bidding starts." I tell him and his eyes widen with understanding as he nods.
"Of course, come with me." He says and I pull Fel with me as we follow behind him.
When word had gotten out that we were pulling a heist on Imitation, someone had reached out with a job. Imitation was the one organization that always had its hands on the rarest and most expensive artifacts and this particular client was desperate to get his hands on a particular set of treasures.
As a long-time client of Imitation, Eric Slovak had reached out with a deal to buy said artifacts, and Imitation had agreed. But what they didn't know was that Eric Slovak wasn't buying anything, but we would certainly be stealing something tonight.
It was a good deal, and we had no reason to refuse, even though the code said not to conduct a job inside a job. I considered this project as one, not two.
Thomas led us out of the party and into a more quieter part of the house, as part of the plan Daemon was following close behind. None of us had ever been inside one of Imitation's functions before and we certainly had no idea where they kept their artifacts. That's why Kenna and Kendrick's roles were crucial tonight.
They were our eyes and ears, they were supposed to delete us from the world once this was all over. There was nothing those two couldn't get into we just needed to find out what kind of system they had in place for Kenna and Kendrick to hack into it and then Daemon would be able to swipe it.
Easy peasy.
The walk was long and gradually getting darker, when we finally stopped it felt as if we were under the building. Thomas paused in front of a metal door and next to me I watch as Fel blinks twice activating the camera in her contact lens which gave Kenna and Kendrick a front-row view of what was happening right now.
We were a good distance away so we couldn't see a thing when Thomas punched in the password but that was what the camera was for, then there was a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner, and a voice recognition system before the doors finally opened.
"Did you get that?" Fel asked in a whisper as Thomas turned to us with a smile and gestured us inside the secret room.
"Every single piece." Kenna answered and I could hear the grin in her voice.
It was dark when we first walked in but then motion censors detected our movements and the room immediately lit up. When the lights came up we all looked in one direction where the artifacts lay in a glass box open for display and the taking, they were the only things in the room and they looked spectacular.
"They're gorgeous." Fel whispered in astonishment as we drew closer to get a better look at the items.
The first was the Faberge Hot Egg; a Russian artifact which were designed for the Russian Royal Family to symbolize their imperial grandeur. Then there was the Diamond Panther Bracelet a beauty of its own but what caught my eye was the stunning Cullinan Diamonds that hung perfectly like a lone star waiting to capture any woman's heart.
I knew just the person that would love to get her hands on those Diamonds but unfortunately, she wasn't here with me.
"Are you feeling lucky Thomas?" I ask while scrutinizing every piece of artifact behind that glass, there was no doubt in my mind that they were real. When you work in a field like mine you learn to pick up the habit of identifying what's real and fake at first glance or else you don't have a chance of surviving a single day.
"Because I'm about to make you a very happy man." I tell him finally looking up at him with a grin which he reciprocates with a smile of his own. An object vibrates in his pocket and after looking down at its contents Thomas redirects his attention to us once more.
"Why don't we head back to the main floor, the bidding game is about to start. Once the night is over you and I can discuss the final details of all your winnings for the night." Thomas says the greed on his face is undeniable.
"I would like that very much." I tell him and then once more he escorts us out of the room making sure that all the security systems are in place as we head back up. As we walk Kenna and Kendrick speak to us through the Bluetooth.
"I ran the artifacts through the imaging system, they're a hundred and ten percent authentic." Kenna says confirming what I already know. "Once you're out of there Daemon will head up with the replacements and switch the real with the fake."
"We already have the code from the camera along with a sample of Thomas's fingerprint from one of the glasses from tonight." Kendrick informs us. "The voice recording that we have of him will help us with the voice recognition system and once those three have been confirmed breaking through the iris scanner will be a piece of cake. There's an alarm system in place though that alerts him every time someone enters the room, we'll take care of it."
Fel and I give nothing away as we listen to Kenna and Kendrick while they work. Thomas leads us to the bidding room where everyone is already seated and waiting. Once we've been given our chips which will be used to make our bids for the night and are shown to our seats, the lights are dimmed, and the bidding war finally begins.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Imitation's fortieth bidding war ceremony." The MC announces from his corner of the stage as two women stroll in the first item of the night.
For the next thirty minutes, Fel and I play our roles, we bid and we raise our prices to the most ridiculous amount but only make final bids on a few things.
"The artifacts have been confirmed and are on the way to the client. Payment has also been confirmed." Daemon speaks up with only five minutes left of the event. "I'm out of here, clean up is on stand by." He says and then disconnects himself from the rest of us.
"You're all that's left chessman, time to hit checkmate." Kenna says referring to me by my nickname as we wait for the last minutes of the event to end. Once all chips have been closed only then can they get their hands on the money.
"Ladies and Gentlemen that was the final item for the night, the bidding war has come to an end." The MC calls out and a murmur of conversation picks up in the room. Fel and I stand up from our seats and with a nod from me Thomas is rushing toward me.
"Shall we?" We're once again escorted out of the room and halfway through to Thomas's office Fel brings us all to a stop.
"Excuse me Thomas but I would like to use the facilities." Felicity says in a tender voice making Thomas blush as he looks her over.
"Of course, ma'am, how inconsiderate of me. It's right this way." He says pointing to the left of the room.
"I'll come with you darling." I say not letting go of her hand and Fel manages a blush as she looks over at Thomas.
"My apologies but this one can't leave my side not even for a few minutes." She says with a chuckle and of course, Thomas laughs along with her.
"Not a problem, Raymond here will wait and bring you back to the office. Take your time." Thomas says and then leaves heading in the other direction. Raymond, the security stays behind while we take a left and head down the hallway. The simplest lies are always the best for impromptu situations like these, why complicate things when you can always just go to the bathroom?
"Nice out Fel." Kendrick compliments.
"Why thank you, great sir." Fel answers with a grin as she rips the fake wig off her head and promptly switches into her other attire while I also do the same.
"You have the money?" I ask as I loosen my tie while we head out the back door that Daemon had used to come in and out of the building.
"In 5,4,3,2,1 and checkmate." Kenna announces and I grin.
"Let's get the hell out of here." I say as Fel and I make our exit through the back after having stolen precious artifacts and robbing Imitation of its bidding money all the while the world remains none the wiser.
Shall I still tell you who I am, or have you already figured it out?
*****
I'm not feeling so great today but I've got an exam coming up so I have to study. What are you guys up to?
❤️