"What's up boss?"
"What do you think of Wesley?"
"He's a good kid, smart, and seems to want to experience adventures. He is also clever, quick thinker, and would be loyal. He definitely needs some more training and his curiosity would need to be more controllable by him. He could be useful with some more work."
"The question now is should he be further trained with us or the training program?"
"Both, but I think he should go back to the training program and I know you need to go do a check on the program sometime this week."
"Tuesday, I was planning to."
"Ok-- by the way congrats boss."
A smile emerged on Andrew's face, "Thank you, but we did it as always, as a team. Now go to sleep. See you tomorrow, maybe."
Tim walked back in and quickly found a spot to sleep. Andrew walked in a little later. His crew asleep. He went into his secret room.
"B, sound proof please." Andrew quietly said.
A quiet buzzing for a couple of seconds.
"Ok, sir the room is in sound proof mode."
"Did you wire the money to those three charities two days ago?"
"Yes I did."
"Good! Can you get the money bags left in here please."
A minute later the duffle bags with the rest of the money appeared as the floorboards moved and slid the bags onto the floor boards in front of the opening. Andrew spent the next hour sorting and dividing. By 2:10 am, the money going to charities was back under the floorboards. Another set of blue backpacks were set on the kitchen counter with the crew's initials on the backpacks. Those backpacks contained each cut of the crew's money. The crew knew to only take their backpack. The Opportunity had a rule of "honor among thieves" after a heist. If it was broken, they knew the consequences, so it never happened. When Andrew had become leader, he made sure of it, he had used some people who tested him, as examples. That had scared everyone enough, so now they knew better.
The wall closed quietly and Andrew fell asleep in a chair in the living with Rufus on him also sleeping and his crew sleeping on the couches.
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Tim woke up first. He didn't want to wake everyone, so he quietly crept around the obstacle course of sleeping bodies and eventually reached the counter. He grabbed his backpack and read the note Andrew had written, that was in front of the backpacks. Then he quietly snuck out, making the least amount of noise he could. Rufus raised his head when Tim left, but didn't move. Throughout the morning JD, Jamal, and Nick did the same as Tim had. Andrew woke up around 11:30 am and showered, after feeding Rufus.
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Meanwhile at the bank, they had opened at 10:30 am and were unhappy when they discovered their vault had no money. They had been robbed. The manager first called his boss and then called the guards that had had the night shift. Lastly, she called the police.
Alix arrived around noon, half an hour after they had been called.
"Run me through what happened when you arrived this morning." Alix said to the manager.
The bank was closed and crawling with police and Alix was talking to the bank manager. A tall, tan, well dressed, brown haired man. His name was Sam Cross.
"I got here. The guards had changed shifts already. I greeted them." Mr. Cross told Alix.
"When did you arrive?" Alix questioned.
"Around 9:45 am."
"When do the guards change shifts?"
"At 7:00 am."
"Ok, continue, what happened after you greeted the guards."
"I went into my office and set my bag down. By 10:00 am employees were arriving. I conversed with a couple. Then like every Monday at 10:30 am, I open the vault, expecting to see all the money, only to my surprise nothing was in the vault. I asked some employees if it had been emptied that I didn't know about it. They said no. So I called my boss at 10:45. I talked to him and looked at the security footage. Nothing, I ended the call with my boss at 11:05. Then I called the guards from last night's shift. At 11:30, I called you guys."
Alix was quickly scribbling down Mr. Cross's actions on her notepad. She met his gaze after finishing her note taking, "Where are the guards now?"
"As I said, I called them, so they are coming back in."
"What did you do after you called us?"
"Closed the bank, per my boss's request and waited in my office for the police... er for you to show up."
"Ok, thank you Mr. Cross. Stick around incase I have any other questions. If you do need to go just leave contact some contact information with me or an officer please."
"My boss told me not to leave for a little while anyway. Are you sure you just want my contact info to ask more questions or is there another reason?" Mr. Cross said winking at Alix.
"Mr. Cross if I wanted your contact information for another reason, I would have already gotten it. Now if you'll excuse me I need to look at the rest of the crime scene."
Alix turned rolling her eyes and left Mr. Cross standing behind her, admiring the fire she could produce when she wanted to. She preceded and walked under the usual yellow tape. She examined the hallways, camera footage, and the vault. This was definitely the heist crew she had been chasing.
"I'm not sure what to say Detective," an officer who was standing outside the vault, said to Alix.
"That's fine I know someone who might have an idea." Alix took out her phone. She called Rockin' Top Side, who patched her through to Andrew, who was watching the news reporting on the latest heist.
"Hey do you know where G-Home Finance is?" Alix quickly asked as soon as she heard Andrew pick up.
"In a hurry are we. Why hello to you to detective, I have had a wonderful day and yourself." Andrew sarcastically said, but realized why Alix was calling so he dropped the sarcasm. "Yes, I do know where G-Home Finance is, why detective?"
"My day is a seesaw right now. I need your input. Come as quickly as possible."
"Be there in an hour."
Andrew hung up and got dressed. He had gotten grey socks, blue jeans, and a black belt on when he realized he needed to call Monica.
"Hey, Monica, I might not be in until way later today."
"I figured it's already noon anyway."
"Right, I'm sorry, I have a business meeting and it's taking forever."
"You're just lucky you have no appointments today. Oh, by the way, the President emailed you. He is really thankful and loves the design."
"That's good. I'll see you later."
Andrew continued getting dressed. A grey tank top and a blue and dark grey light long sleeve shirt with a pocket over his belly button and a hood. He knew he had a shirt and tie in his office and dressing casual was his style when he was called to help the police.
Andrew arrived at 12:55 pm.
Alis was outside. Andrew tried to come in, but the officer wouldn't allow him. Alix walked over.
"It's ok officer, he's with me."
"Yes detective." The officer said and then lifted the tape and Andrew walked under it.
"What happened?" Andrew asked.
Alix handed him her small notepad, "read fast."
Andrew didn't need to, but he did anyway.
They walked in and Andrew took in his surroundings. He walked the hallways. Looked at the camera positions. The previous guards had arrived and were talking with the now on duty guards. Some officers were heading in their direction, ready with questions to ask them. Andrew walked over the panel they had escaped from to make sure it had been glued, it had. He turned back towards Alix.
"This crew got past the guards, cameras, and motion sensors without being seen, impressive."
"Agreed," Alix said.
But something was off. Andrew saw a small piece of paper under the vault wheel, used to open the vault.
"Alix has anyone been in the vault?"
"One of my officers and me. The bank manager never came in, he just opened it."
"Are you sure it was an officer?"
"Why do you ask?"
Andrew didn't answer, but slowly opened the vault. Inside a medium sized man stood. He had grey short hair and his back was to them. He was wearing a police jacket. Alix looked confused. Andrew knew who it was and his senses went into overdrive.
"You're not supposed to be here." Alix said knowing she had told all officers not to enter the vault until she had expected the area.
The man didn't turn around.
"I wasn't sure we would ever meet face to face." Andrew said.
Now Alix was really confused.
"Don't worry there are no trap or bombs in here." Mystery Man said.
Alix felt a chill roll over her. The voice, this man's voice seemed so familiar, but when he turned around, she didn't recognize him.
Andrew saw the look on Alix's face.
"Alix meet your father....."
"George Castillo." Her father finished.
Andrew had had B listen in just in case something useful appeared. Now he had the name, B could finish the search.
"My what?" A shocked Alix asked.
"Alix you have grown up." George said.
"I had to, you left." She said angrily, snapping out if her shocked state.
"I came back and am here now."
"I thought you were dead."
"I had to disappear."
"Why are you here?"
"I have to protect you."
"From what?"
"From him. He is not what you think."
"Same goes for you," Andrew said.
"WHAT? How do you know each other?" Alix frustratedly questioned.
"We don't really. Well, I know your father, more than he wants me too. Which is why he is here. Your father contacted me through a pay phone and a game of chess has been going on."
"This man, is not who you think he is." George said.
"Why do you keep saying that?"
"I must protect you." George turned around, holding two guns, one in each hand.
He had a beard and looked aged. Andrew stayed calm.
"Gun!" Ali said and drew her own gun.
"Alix call off all officers and get them out of here." Andrew told her.
The vault was open a little. As officers came to see what was happening, she looked at Andrew and told them to clear everyone out. She would handle it. They did as told. She then walked and stood next to Andrew.
"Why do you keep saying Antonio is not who he is?" and vice versa about my father Antonio?"
"You better answer her. She won't stop asking." Andrew said. Andrew could see the determination in George's eyes. This was about to become an even more interesting situation. Andrew stood calmly. Alix relaxed, but kept her gun pointed at George. George was also calm, holding two guns, one pointing at Andrew, the other at Alix.
"This man is highly skilled in a lot of ways and things, as I have come to find out." Alix looked confused and Andrew was sorry about what she was about to find out. "You know him as Antonio Stone. That's not his real name. He has served in the military. He has also been in hiding."
Andrew was glad George didn't know his real name.
"Careful there George, you have some secrets too."
"I am protecting her. You are dangerous."
Andrew gave a funny face, "You are more crazy dangerous. I'm more skilled dangerous."
Alix kept her gun on George, "Antonio, or whatever, you watch what you say. I want to hear this."
Andrew could hear the unsure and serious tone in her voice. She turned her attention back to George.
"Question George, how did you find me?" Andrew asked.
"Besides my friend who visited you, I watched the news and caught on to who and what you were doing. You are very clever."
"I have to be."
"Yes you do. It was a very clever idea. I have to admit I would have loved to work with you. Six heists one crew, or six heists four crews?"
"What do you think? You've been in the business longer than I have." Andrew commented.
"The latter." George answered.
"You would know."
Alix looked hurt and turned her gun on Andrew. But he wasn't paying attention, B had found some evidence that George had been in contact with Andrew's father in the week he died. The video was what scared Andrew. He had never seen his father's murder, but now he had. The video was playing in his contacts and when it was over he refocused on the situation at hand.
"That's how you know about the other heist. You had robbed the place." Alix said.
Andrew faced her, but took a step back, her gun was very close to him now.
"Ya thats true."
"So this whole time it has been four crews, not one?"
"Yep."
"Explain!" She demanded.
"Well six heists, three weeks. My crew leads the heists."
"Except this one, you ended." Alix commented.
"Finished the show, yes." Andrew finished.
"Wait you said your team."
"Yes, I did."
"You lead, this was your idea. Clever definitely." Alix admitted.
"Now you see why I must protect you, Alix." George declared again.
"She doesn't know about you." Andrew interjected.
"Don't tell her. I told you not to."
"Lucky for you I haven't, but now I will, cause I know you won't and she deserves to know who her father really is. You think I'm bad, wait till you hear about him."
"Don't!" George raised the guns he was holding and raised his voice. Both guns were now pointed solely on Andrew.
"Why don't you tell your daughter about the places you have robbed, how you have kept the money, and gave some to your family, but only her mother knows about the money. Oh, ya, I can't forget to mention, in the midst of all that, you also killed my father." The words came out of Andrew's mouth and the room stood still as the information processed in all their brains. Alix now switching her gun between George and Andrew, unsure which of the two men infront of her was the most important person to protect herself from.
"Money, and heists?" Alix asked.
"Correct, your father robbed banks and kept it all. Right before he disappeared he created accounts for your whole family. A lot of money went into those accounts. By the way your mom knew of his heists and the bank accounts."
"She never said anything." Alix mentioned.
"She had to keep quiet. People were looking for George here," Andrew said calmly, "but one person found you, right?." Andrew said looking at George.
"Bloody bastard, you father wasn't supposed to be looking or find me."
"But he did."
"Yes, he did."
"So you dealt with him. You killed a man. Which caused you to quickly and unexpectedly fall off the grid." Andrew mentioned.
"Your people wanted me, not my head, just wanted me alive. I couldn't risk it. I left and disappeared. Until you started looking. Don't harp on my killing. You've killed people too."
That statement angered Andrew, "not the same thing. You killed a man in cold blood because he found you. I killed because I was ordered to. Never ever consider you and I the same."
Alix was unsure of what to do.
"Well you found me now boy, now you will join your father."
"Wait!" Alix exclaimed.
"Alix I have to protect you. He is bad and dangerous."
"So let me arrest him."
"That won't do anything. Arresting him is not how this ends."
Andrew knowing Alix was debating what do to interjected, "Alix look at me," Andrew said, " your father left and is more dangerous, don't trust him."
"Shut up! I am her father and I must protect her."
Andrew knew what was coming next.
George raised his guns, both pointing at Andrew, and fired. Andrew closed his eyes and heard three guns fire. He felt three bullets rip into his skin. He opened his eyes. George kneeling on the floor, head hanging. Two bullets imbedded into his heart.
"I can protect myself." Alix said calmly, lowering her gun.
Andrew showed no pain, he wasn't sure what Alix was going to do.
"Antonio, whatever your name is, I have to arrest you. You confessed."
"Andrew."
"What?"
"My name is Andrew. There are no cameras in here."
"I heard it. Please come with me." She looked hurt.
Andrew gave up and turned around. Alix handcuffed him. They walked out and police ran in. Andrew kept his head down. Alix put him in the back of her car. She then went to talk to another detective. Andrew examined his wounds. He needed to get patched up soon and he knew it.