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Arsene was very surprised at how Lady Crorie arrived. As she was here, Arsene could assume that Rook was onboard as well. The gentleman thief would need to be careful. He had come up with a backup plan, but he didn’t want Crorie to be in the way of his dramatic exit.

“Talk about what, Milady?” Arsene said with all the calmness he could muster.

As usual, Lady Crorie maintained an emotionless aura. She was never always like this. Saga and Lady Crorie met a long time ago, when they still lived with their parents. Lady Crorie, Rook, Sage, and Saga sometimes hung out back home. Back then, Lady Crorie was less blunt, and life was far simpler.

“Even if I were to join you, what then?” Lady Crorie inquired.

Arsene observed how there were crates in the room. Perhaps the proper term for the location was cargo hold and not safe room. The safe was surrounded by crates, which were at least a few yards away in each direction. When trouble arrived, Arsene could exploit them.

“To tell the truth Milady,” Arsene answered, “I don’t know. I just don’t feel comfortable leaving you with your father.”

Lady Crorie had not reacted at any point in the conversation. It was quite clear how very much she had changed. “You’re a thief, who has already made several enemies. How is going with you a better situation?”

“I simply don’t trust your father.” Which was true. “He frequently beats you and I’m worried it’s not going to stop there.”

Again, true. Arsene didn’t like how Lady Crorie’s father seemed to favor Rook, but abused his daughter. The thief had little patience for child abusers, mainly because most never seemed to possess any remorse for their actions.

With the same apathetic expression, Lady Crorie commented. “So what if he continues to beat me? Why would it matter?”

Seriously! “Because it is wrong for him to beat you to this extent.”

“Right and wrong doesn’t seem to stop you.” Lady Crorie countered.

“Freeze!”

Oh, no. Arsene looked beyond the laser security, discovering the men from before, who were now accompanied by four other people. Suddenly, Arsene acquired the urge to escape. But first, he wanted to toy around with his opponents.

Wearing a confident smirk, which often annoyed everyone, Arsene spoke. “Hi, boys.”

This was followed by the sound of guns cocking. There was going to be total chaos and Arsene was going to enjoy it.

“I don’t think you want to do that.” Arsene commented.

“Maybe we won’t,” one of them declared, “if you open the safe.”

Arsene looked at Lady Crorie, who continued to wear a blank face. While Lady Crorie was an expert in combat, perhaps even better than Arsene, he didn’t want to test her skill like this.

“Before you shoot me, I should let you know I don’t have all the keys. On top of that, I’ve got a magic trick.”

At the beginning of this adventure, Arsene didn’t plan on being accompanied by Lady Crorie. However, as things became more chaotic, the more of a thrill it would be. Being a thrill seeker, Arsene strongly desired competition.

Holding up an Ace of Diamonds, Arsene announced. “I’m going to vanish with the safe.”

Throwing the card, Arsene shouted. “Surprise!”

Due to Arsene’s reputation of being unpredictable at times, everyone (except Lady Crorie) cringed, until nothing happened. Letting out a semi-insane laughter, Arsene said. “Just a joke.”

Everyone sighed with relief.

It was a joke. Simply throwing a card would mean nothing in this situation. How stupid were people? That a suspense builder, climbing up to the climax.

But this one isn’t.

Pushing the detonator, Arsene donned a sinister smile. The floor around Arsene, Lady Crorie, and the safe had now exploded. Long before he entered the room, Arsene inputted bombs to create a controlled detonation. He calculated where the safe was and came with a preplanned exit strategy. Lady Crorie and potentially Rook arriving had been an unpredicted factor in the equation, which could have ruined Arsene’s plans. As of now, however, Arsene’s plan was succeeding.

While Arsene evaded detection, the alarms were initiated. After all, Arsene was putting on a performance. What was a performance, without an audience? He wanted everyone to be on the lookout for him. Now that he thought about it, the diamond shaped hole in the floor was a better signature, compared to an old fasion playing card.