By the time seven o'clock rolled by, everyone had been fed and Tanner was rallying his troops, sans Valerie's shadow Cole who was busy, as usual.
"Once again. Standard procedure-"
"-is get in, grab a few things, get out. We know, we know. But this is a special night! Let's just have some fun Tan." Robyn hefted her gun and pointed it at him, making shooting noises.
He made her point it safely at the ground with a frown.
"Rule 3 - no pointing a gun at an ally- even if its unloaded."
"when you ya think I'm ever going to finally shoot with one of these babies." Robyn flipped the safety on and off to irritate Tanner.
"You know the rules- only if you or your counterparts are in serious danger. Even then it's shoot to wound not kill. Capiche?"
Robyn managed a nod as she yawned widely.
Mabel climbed down from her perch on the brick wall, binoculars around her neck.
"It's all clear. You'd better take a route through the Pride sector-just in case. I'll stay behind and hold down the fort."
Robyn rolled her eyes. "Mabel you can't 'hold down' a fort- it's not inflatable. You can 'hold' the fort which I assume you meant. By all means go for it."
Mabel cast her blue eyes to the ground, toeing at the dirt with her sneaker.
Robyn didn't seem to notice her response.
"Val, you ready?"
Her friend looked up from where she was bent over, tying the laces of her black boots. Her red hair stood out amongst the black of her cat suit.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
The trio gathered their supplies and trudged off down the trail towards the Pride exit. Along the way Tanner fell into step with Valerie while Robyn lead the way, playing with her gun.
"How are we holding up? You know with the job disappointment and all."
Tanner wasn't very smooth with sensitive subjects.
"Eh- coping. I think I'm still in shock from it going to awry. But don't worry- ill be on the front line with you in no time." She bumped shoulders with his and gave him a half-smile.
"I can't wait to finally have a buddy. The only person I have is Morrison and he's not very talkative."
"Come to think about it we'll be spending a lot more time together. How horrid." Valerie said airily.
Tanner grinned. "I'm dreading it."
"Oh will you two hurry it up and keep the volume down? We're nearing the border.
They approached the wall that surrounded the property, ambling up to the heavy set gates that held engraved the name Pride in the massive slab of stone.
No one had know what the original names of the sectors had been- all that was left of the half-crumbling ruins were the first few letters of each. Some smart Alec had decided to name them after the seven deadly sins after it was converted into a holding grounds for criminals, the poor, the sickly and the other dredges of society. People argued that everyone in the sectors had adapted to their namesakes but there was no full proof or time to verify this. Everyone was always busy looking over their shoulder and surviving.
When the institute in the middle of the sectors had opened up years ago, people had scrambled to apply as mentors, tutors and supervisors while parents queued up for hours on end to enrol their children for a chance at a better life at no cost.
Being homeless meant that Valerie had no other option but to enrol - she wouldn't lose anything from it. On pure luck she got accepted in and was taken in, looked after and sheltered from the cruel society lying just on the other side of a wall.
Tanner's story was one of luck also. During the last day of the acceptance- crowds had gathered to watch the gates close to the outside world. Tanner's parents had shown up desperately at the last minute with a ten year old Tanner. With determination his father had hoisted him up above the crowds and passed him along towards the gate. The kind contributed, passing him forward- some tried to hold him back. Luckily he got handed to the guards at the last minute and the gates were shut to the outside. He never saw his parents again.
Valerie had to suspend her disbelief whenever she listened to the story- how could a parent be brave enough to do that? There were eyewitness accounts to back the story up but sometimes she was still sceptical. Sometimes Tanner just seemed to float from one cloud of good luck to another, reaping the rewards of life wherever he went.
"Sin-City here we come!" Robyn wooded as they bypassed security and made their way into town.
Sin-city, as it was affectionately named- was the ring of buildings that surrounded the sectors where the illicit upper class lived. Stuck between the savages and the proper- they were better off than the low but still not good enough for the high- caught between two cultures. Their city was notorious for many things that the sector people were punished for.
It was a limbo of sorts- a place to dapple in the dark side of society without getting caught.
Valerie kept her head down, making sure not to make eye e contact with anyone on the streets. Tanner did much the same but Robyn walked and talked without worry or decorum. They continued on their path with fear of being approached. People of the surrounding districts were known to be hostile to those from the institute- they resented them for living so well.
They made it through Pride relatively safe - only one old man stopped to talk to them but he just asked if they had any spare food. Tanner declined but promised him that they would on their way back.
"Tanner." Valerie whispered angrily when they were out of earshot of the old man. "What are you doing? You can't go around promising people food. Soon everyone will want some."
Tanner shrugged nonchalantly. "As I see it, they need the food more than we do."
At the border of Pride they were met with the looming brick wall that marked the end of the criminal territory. Beyond was a vast wilderness expanse that went on for miles. If someone with a high enough permit were to want to cross to the outside (no one ever did) they would have to report to the checkpoint near Greed or Lust but they were here to do it the easy way- they were going to jump the blockade. They'd have to walk quite a bit to get to their destination but that was fine, they were use to it.
"Dibs going first." Robyn chimed. Everybody got into position.
"Can you feel that? Adrenaline rush. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it. Tan, throw me over?"
Tanner backed himself against the wall, his hands in a brace position. "Go ahead."
Robyn smiled wryly at Valerie, dark eyes gleaming. "See you on the other side."
She jumped on the spot a few times before taking a running start at Tanner. She leapt into his waiting hands at the last minute and he boosted her up. Robyn gained purchase with a few grunts and pulled herself up so that she was perched on the top. She jumped down and could be heard to land with a soft thud.
Tanner winked at Valerie, signalling for her to go. "Ladies first."
She too took a running start and leapt up with less finesse, accidently kicking Tanner in the head. As she climbed down she heard him swear softly.
"Way to go- charming him by hitting him in the head." Robyn whispered as she helped her down. Valerie didn't even bother retorting.
Tanner did a wall up and his heavy breathing could be heard as he pulled himself over and landed next to the two. He pulled his gun out of its holder. "Let's get to work then."
They travelled miles to the city without making much sound through the early night. They treaded over broken branches, foliage and rocks on the way, ever now and then encountering a dangerously sloping hillside that they had to go down carefully, flashlights held in front of them. They reached their goal not long after - it's spectacular steeples coming into view as they stepped out of the trees.
Sin-city was gaudiness, vulgarity and greediness at its finest. All the houses were at least three stories high and occupied vast expanses of land. Lucky for the trio there seemed to be some sort of festival or celebration. Everyone was out for a night where they could take everything in excess, leaving everything to the mercy of the criminals, the anarchists and the rebels without even knowing it.
"Do we feel confident enough to each take a street?" Tanner asked. Both nodded in reply. "Awesome. We've got around two hours. The wall is our rendezvous point. If you get in trouble then shoot and hightail it out of there. If you hear shots then make it back to the wall as fast as you can. All clear? Awesome lets go."
Valerie took off at a short sprint, aiming for the first house on the block. She scaled the wall easily, letting herself through the first unlocked window that she found of the second floor. The rich were so careless with their houses - it was as it they were almost asking for it. She tucked and roll, landing smoothly on the shag carpet and looked around, pulling out a flashlight.
All she could see were clothes. Clothes strewn everything carelessly. Extravagant gowns, fluffy robes, shirts made out of what looked like real silk. Pure decadence - wasted on a person that didn't deserve it. Greed like this is what made her hate these pigs. While there were children starving on the streets just miles away these people threw cash at whatever moved and discarded their goods just days after. Such recklessness- such wastage. The woman that lived here must have had to wade through all her clothing just to get to her bed - why would someone need that much? She grabbed the nearest dress off a pile - a flowing black ensemble and the pearl necklace that had been left on it. It was beautiful. She ran her fingers over the fabric reverently - careful not to subject it to any more creasing.
What she would give to own one.
They were taught to only take valuable things - jewellery, food, money - anything of worth, but Valerie was a sucker for pretty things - especially ones that looked to be in her size.
Surely the woman wouldn't miss it? She had just lain in here to be crushed under a bundle of clothing.
Take it. She doesn't deserve it.
She listened to the voice in her head and folded it up, placing it in her hefty bag alongside the pearl necklace. She scourged the room for valuables and came away with a handful of accessories - gem encrusted rings and gold necklaces. She moved out into the dark hallway quietly, listening for any sounds of life. When none were heard she flipped on the hall lights and made her way to the kitchen - to stuff her bag with non-perishable foods.
She moved on in this fashion from house to house. As she moved further into the suburb, the mansions grew larger and more extravagant. She avoided any estates that she heard barks coming from- often sprinting by in an attempt to shake off the fear that she felt. Valerie was not overly fond of dogs of any kind. When she had been around fourteen - a bit older than Mabel - she had being confronted with a very angry dog on a usual thieving spree. She had panicked and tried to scale the fence in the backyard but hadn't made it over in time. She still had the scars on the back of her calf to prove it.
An hour and a half had passed without anything interesting and the backpack on Valerie's back was straining at the edges. She was about to start heading back to the wall when suddenly a door flew open and a woman emerged from one of the larger mansions followed by a man- in the middle of an argument. Valerie sprang away from the street and into the shadows, pressing herself flat against the cool bricks of a nearby house. The duo hadn't seemed to notice her.
"He's coming whether he likes it or not. This is the ball of the year and he must partake- he must be presented with me at every social event. We have to set an example." The woman said, an undertone of annoyance to her voice. She took a puff from the cigarette on the end of the holder. She seemed as if she had stepped out of another century. She was glamorous - her blonde hair a chic bob and adorned with a peacock feather and a stunning white dress that flowed in the evening wind. She had to keep one hand on it at all times to keep it from rising above her ankles. Her features were striking and she carried an air of regal importance.
The man stumbled through a short-lived argument that Valerie couldn't hear and in response the woman threw up her hands.
"Charles I trust you to get him there no later than nine- and in costume. We're already late as it is. I'll be the last flapper to walk through those doors if I don't hurry up. Don't disappoint me, Charles."
She brought the cigarette to her lips and took off, swinging her white purse.
"Madam Duval- do you want me to call for transport?" Said the man, wringing his hands.
"That's silly, Charles. I'm perfectly able to walk." She replied over her shoulder, already disappearing around the corner.
Once she was gone the man cursed a few times, looking worried and returned inside, shutting the front door with a bang.
Once she was sure no-one war around, Valerie stepped out from her hiding place and took off quickly towards where she had come from. For some reason she couldn't shake off the idea that she was being watched even though she checked over her shoulder multiple times. It had been a bad idea to stray far from the wall - she should have kept to the lower-scale houses downtown.
Calm down dear Valerie. Everything's fine.
"Oh shut up, don't patronise me." Valerie whispered aloud.
Recently the voice in her head had gotten more and more persistent, piping up whenever she least expected it. It had been with her since she could remember but she couldn't pinpoint where or when it had invaded her life. She had noticed that it got worse whenever she was distressed or in pain. Just a few months ago when she had cut herself badly on shards of glass her head had exploded with pain and noise and it had taken three people to hold her down to take her to a medic. It was like an in-built safety device - complete with a security alarm and an instinctive knack to make good decisions.
She made it back to their meeting place with five minutes to spare. She found Robyn there already, sitting against the wall with a full pack beside her. She was playing with her lighter - a cigarette dangling from her lips. She smiled when she saw Valerie.
"Put that out. Tanner's going to be back any second and he'll be furious if he finds out about your habit." Valerie looked around subconsciously, half expecting him to jump out from the bushes screaming 'gotcha!' Robyn wrinkled her nose and stubbed it out in the dirt and burying it. "Bless these people and their chain-smoking ways. I scored myself another three packs." Valerie shuddered as she suddenly remembered the woman that had nearly seen her.
Tanner arrived not long after, munching on bread. He dumped his pack ceremoniously on the floor and joined the girls on the floor, resting his arm on his knee as he ate.
"I think we did good." Robyn kicked the nearest of the packs. "All full. I think we deserve a good pat on the back and maybe a small reward."
Tanner gave her a frown. 'We give this all to Preacher. That was the deal.
"Yes but if a few things went missing no one would know." Robyn smiled innocently.
Valerie suddenly remembered the black dress sitting at the bottom of her bag with alarm. "Just one or two things wouldn't hurt, Ro's right. Come on Tanner." She tried for a indifferent tone but it came out more gruff than expected.
He looked from one to the other, chewing slowly and looking dubious. Finally he caved in with a sigh. "Just a few once we get over the wall. Speaking of, we better get moving.
They threw their packs over first and then followed in the same order as before. Valerie could have sworn that Tanner's hands hand lingered on her waist for a few seconds more than necessary when he helped her up but she was usually wrong about these things. Her mind made her see what she wanted to half of the time. Sometimes she truly realised how petty she acted whenever he was around.
She made a conscious decision to stop it from that point onwards.
Let's see how long that one will last, hon.