The Last to Break

Paid for your Worth

Jay looked at Tam, Azea and Luca.

"Luca, give us your plan, please."

Tam interrupted. "Who is Luca? Why is he here, anyway?"

"What is it with you and The Warden? You never asked why there was another team member, but with Luca, you both seem to have an issue. Is this twelve-year-old boy a threat to you and The Warden somehow?"

Tam looked uncomfortable, then said, "No, it's just that he's too young."

"Age doesn't matter if you have the brains of a twenty-year-old. I have also arranged for Luca to have a room here. He will be part of the team as we advance."

Luca looked at Jay in surprise but didn't say a word.

Jay knew that statement would rub Tam the wrong way. He was well aware of the change in Tam's attitude over the past four years. Tam must realise that no one, at least here at The Annex, will ever be better than him.

"Are you saying he has more brains than me?" Tam shouted.

With an exasperated sigh, Jay sat down and winked at Luca. "Give us your strategy, Luca."

"Sure. Everyone expects whoever is stealing the object to make a run for it during the blackout.

"The security team will expect exactly that.

"So while everyone else will be reacting to the darkness, Jay will already be where he needs to be.

"Tam and Azea, you have your own jobs.

"Tam will create the distraction. A security door will suddenly refuse to open. Several guards will rush towards it because somebody appears to be trapped on the wrong side.

"Another alarm will sound somewhere else.

"The guards will have to decide which problem is real.

"Tam's job is to make them look in the wrong direction.

"Azea is the perfect person to get close to the display because nobody would expect her to be the dangerous one.

"She's fast, incredibly agile, and has gymnast-level body control.

"She will get into position during the confusion and create the opening Jay needs.

"Jay will have already prepared a perfect replica. He doesn't replace the item during the blackout.

"He will replace it during the few seconds immediately after the emergency lighting comes back on.

"Why?

"Because that's when everyone will relax.

"The generator will kick in.

"The lights will return.

"The security system will report that everything is functioning.

"The guards, auctioneer, and guests will look at the display.

"And... the item will still be there.

"Jay will take the person through the back to the janitor's room, where he will get a new face and clothes.

"Tam will collect the person from Jay and return to The Annex, where he will hand him over to The Warden.

"Jay and Azea will take their seats and wait for the auction to commence."

Jay looked at Tam and Azea.

"So, what do you think of Luca's plan?"

Tam was dumbstruck. This little guy sure had a brain far too advanced for his age.

Both Tam and Azea agreed.

"Good. We still have three full days before the auction. If you think of anything else, please let me know."

"What is the purpose of Luca? Is it for planning, or does he serve another purpose?" Azea asked.

"Glad you asked," Jay said. "Luca's other purpose will be to run in just when the hammer falls on the highest bidder. He will do his part and convince the auctioneer that the man on display is his grandfather and not whoever they think he might be.

"He will act all brave and tell them that his grandfather was stolen. He witnessed men k********g him and dressing him up. He followed his grandfather's phone location, which brought him to the auction."

"Of course, with closer scrutiny, the auctioneer will realise that the 'object' is indeed fake. The grandfather will confirm Luca's story. The police will be called. Luca and his grandfather will be led to a room to wait, where they will disappear. All this commotion will either cause the auction to commence, or it will end up being rescheduled for another time and place."

"Why do you want to do that?" Azea asked.

"Because I am not going to let an innocent man die at the hands of one of those people. We all know that if they find out it is not the painter, his life is meaningless."

Azea just nodded.

One day before the auction .....

"Master, Master!" Luca shouted as he ran towards Jay.

"Slow down, Luca. What's wrong?"

"We need to talk now!"

Jay took Luca by the arm and led him away from the training hall.

"Master, the venue of the auction has changed!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Master. I was bored last night and went through our plan," he said, looking a bit guilty. "I searched the dark web and noticed something about the auction. When I looked into it more closely, I noticed that the venue is not where we thought it would be."

Before Jay could say anything, Luca added proudly.

"Not to worry, Master. I have already checked security, surveillance, alarms, and everything else necessary. There shouldn't be any major changes to our plans except for the venue."

"Thank you, Luca. I need to inform the double. Come with me. I am going to need you for more than anyone thought. It will stay between you and me only. No one, not Tam nor Azea, must know. Can you do that?"

"Of course, Master."

Jay instructed the children and left with Luca. When they reached his room, he locked the door. He quickly opened his laptop and started entering codes, sending two encrypted emails, and surfing different websites.

After thirty minutes, he said, "You need to come to my room at 22:00 tonight. We are going to acquire the object tonight and replace it with a replica. I have set up everything already.

"I will need you to control the surveillance and alarms and update me on security and guard movements once I'm inside the building. Wear your training gear. The rest of the plan will continue as discussed."

"Ahhhh," Luca said. "I understand. What are you going to do with the original object, if I may ask, Master?"

"I am letting him free. I already bought his plane ticket and arranged for a getaway car. Security will be tight, but because everyone expects something to happen tomorrow night, we have a better chance tonight."

"So, we are not going to steal anything tomorrow. The object Tam will bring to The Warden will be waiting in the janitor's room long before the auction commences.

"Your part stays the same to make it believable to everyone. The Warden will be none the wiser, as it is a professional artist. If and when they find out one day, well, how must we know? We stole what was in the glass cage, right?" Jay said with a smile.

Luca smiled.

"You think of everything, Master."

"Please ask Tam and Azea to come and see me urgently."

"Yes, Master."

In a matter of minutes, Tam and Azea walked into his room.

"What's up?" Tam said.

"The auction venue has changed. It is not a train smash. All plans will stay as is. I need you two to familiarise yourselves with the new layout of the venue and prepare accordingly."

Tam and Azea both looked at the floor plan and discussed various strategies. When they all agreed, they left.

Jay was up early the next morning, still smiling about The Warden's shock when he named the amount needed to pull off this mission. Apart from the money The Warden pays them for successful missions or fights won, Jay makes sure he adds 50% to every fee charged by external entities. He can easily disappear from The Annex and live in luxury for the rest of his life without being found, but he is not done here.

Jay opened his laptop and set up an empty offshore shell bank account for Luca. The boy has potential, is extremely intelligent, and should be rewarded, no matter his age. He transferred 15% to the account. When he was done, he sent an encrypted email to Luca.