The Venturesome Race

Chapter One:

It was another boring day of meeting with potential clients today and I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The offers over the past few weeks have been so dull. I was sat in my office wallowing in self-pity when the phone on my desk started ringing. After contemplating letting it ring, I decided against it. Answering the phone and bringing it to my ear I heard a voice I recognised.

“Hello, Mrs Jones I am calling on behalf of The White Family. My name is Nathanial Glass, you may remember me from our dealing a few years ago.” He greeted in a chipper tone.

“Hi, yes I remember you Mr Glass. Please call me Brynn, how can I help you today?” I responded in what I hoped was a confident voice.

“I know it is short notice, but I was hoping to pop in and discuss an opportunity. The White Family would like you to obtain something for them.” He said, his posh London accent dripping from every word.

After agreeing, Nathanial showed up almost immediately. He was escorted into my office by my Homebase security Kira. An hour after he arrived, he had left, and I had 24 hours to talk to the team and tell them about the offer.

I had worked with The White Family before. They boast an impressive portfolio in the private sector including but not limited to Independent Prep and Grammar Schools as well as a few Elite Colleges and Private Universities, Healthcare Establishments and World-Renowned Museums and Theatres. Their reach and influence were truly astonishing.

I located one of their now famously known Artifacts just over three years ago. Overnight I became a highly respected name in my field, one that left an evidently lasting impression that transformed my little hobby of acquiring the worlds lost and forgotten treasures into what was now a Multi-Billion Pound Enterprise.

I sat in my office for another hour thinking about the offer before I called in for lunch from our favourite take-out. 

When food was 10 minutes away, I called everyone back to home base. Best to let them eat before I dropped this bomb on them.

Home base was half the ground floor and all the first floor of a 4 floor Wearhouse on the edge of an airfield with a hanger bay attached onto the side of the ground floor. On the side of ground level that was ours was what Camille would call her happy place. It was essentially one massive garage. Tools, cars, bikes and various bits scattered all around the space, with two ramps on the left side and under one of those ramps is where you would normally find our mechanic, Camille was the Second person to become a part of this little mis matched family after patching up my jet in Puerto Rico about 3 years ago. 

The first floor was split up into various rooms. The entrance opened into a lobby, facing the doors was a single desk with a computer on top and our security guard Kira sat on a wonderfully comfortable chair. There was a door on the left side that led to Kira’s Office, but she usually preferred to sit at the desk out front. I met Kira 2 years ago while trying to track down something In Moscow.

I had been trying to get information from an old friend, but he was leaving the day after I arrived and would only talk if we could do it while he attended a cage fight. I had never seen a woman as muscular or violent as Kira. My friend insisted on meeting her afterwards and when we did, she was so unbelievably nice and calm I was speechless. I saw her fight 3 more times while I was in Moscow and she noticed. After I saw her for the 4th time, she sent someone out to invite me backstage. We had a long talk that ended in me telling her if she were ever looking for work or in England that I would love to welcome her to the family, and 2 months later she showed up. She has been Security for home base ever since.

Following the hallway to the left of the room led to the Office side of the floor. 3 rooms on each side of the hallway with one right at the end. The first 2 rooms on each side were meeting rooms.

The next was Vince’s office my personal security for home and travel, Vincent has been with me since I decided to turn my hobby into a job. Just before I got the first offer from The white family a little over 3 years ago, I had a few run ins with agents that work for what we call “The Company” I decided it would be for the best if I hired someone as back up, to watch over and protect me once I had the valuables in my possession. Vincent is an Ex – Navy Seal from Texas and he had moved to the UK because his wife was born here and wanted their twin boys to grow up here. He was looking for work and it seemed too good to be true. We quickly bonded and he welcomed me into not only his life but his beautiful family too. He was the one who gave me the idea of putting together a team in the first place I mean where is the fun in doing it all alone?

Facing Vince was Luka’s office, Luka was a sweet and shy boy, I bumped into on a previous research trip in Ireland and he blew me and Vince away with his tech skills. This 25-year-old could hack into almost anything, he could find anyone, see anything, recover things in places I wouldn’t have ever though to check. Talent like that was being wasted in a homeless shelter. Unforgiveable, so only naturally I asked him to be a part of this odd ball family and he reluctantly agreed. He has been with us about 8 months now.

Next to his office was Ruby’s and facing her was Roland’s, Ruby is the goods authenticator and her twin brother Roland is our pilot.

Ruby joined us almost 3 years ago, after dealing with her exclusively for almost 5 months it just made sense to offer her a place on the team and she brought an amazing sense of flair and fashion with her.

Roland came not long after his sister and he was a soothing presence with his calming effect.

My office was the room at the end of hall, the biggest of them all. I needed to extra bit of room for all my books otherwise it would be a free for all with them pilled as high as the ceiling or gravity would allow.

To the right side of Kira’s security desk in the lobby was the personal side of the building. A similar lay out to the left side only with twice the amount of rooms. 6 doors on each side of the hallway with one at the end.

The first door on the left was the Living room facing it is the kitchen. The second door is the planning and research room, with a bathroom facing that, the third a room with 2 twin beds and some draws full of extra clothes both male and female, in sizes from 6 – 20 (For unexpected visitors.) The remaining is 8 Bedrooms, 3 on the left, 4 on the right with mine being the one at the end. Not big but not small and each had a private bathroom attached. Mine was slightly bigger than all the other bedrooms and it looked out onto the river behind us. This was Home for my team. Vincent was the only one with a House, maybe because he was the only one with a family outside of us.

After everyone had made it back home and lunch had been delivered, we did the same as every day. We set it all up on the large dining table at the far end of the living room and ate, spoke, laughed and our little group bonded. That’s why we did this daily, to make sure we stayed connected, in sync.

“Okay everyone.” I announced, clapping my hands together once to make sure I had everyone’s attention. Once all 6 pairs of eyes were on me, I suddenly felt a little nervous.

“We got a big offer today.” I said hands still clasped together, I could barely contain my excitement.

“What kind of offer?” Asked Ruby, clearly intrigued by my interest.

“A really, really good one. Like 20 times each what we got from The Novice Book.” I answer in clear admiration.

“Hmm, and what kind of artifact is worth that.” Spoke Vincent, he was smart enough to know what kind, he probably already did and judging from the flat tone of his voice he wasn’t sharing mine or ruby’s enthusiasm.