24(S3E2)-The Hurt

 

24

(Season 3, Episode 2)

The Hurt

Sidney was in the kitchen, half out of her dress having just gotten home from the wedding, when she got the call from Tobias.

“Spaghetti.”  It was their secret code word for danger.  When they had worked together in the past, it meant the job was blown and they had to drop everything and run.

That was exactly what Sidney did.

Panic filled her as she heard the background commotion, from what could only be a life and death struggle.  She did not bother with shoes, pulling the top half of the dress back up over her bra and sprinting out the front door, keys in hand.

This was the day she had feared.  The day Tobias would be gone, really gone, and she would be on her own.  He had always been her conscience, her life line to the good part of her soul that she so often ignored.  She started the car and squealed backward out of her driveway before slamming it into drive, and peeled away.   

Tobias and Linda’s condo was in Stow, her house was in Ravenna, thirty minutes in traffic going the speed limit.  She would make it in fifteen, as long as she did get pulled over.  She took a hard right off Route 59 onto Brady Lake Road.  The back road was winding but she would have less chance of meeting a police officer this way.  She hit a straight away and opened up the throttle, pushing her little car to its limits.

It was in this moment of peace that she had a moment of levity.  What was she going to do when she got there?  Sidney couldn’t fight, not really, and she didn’t have a gun or a weapon of any sort.  Even if she did, she wouldn’t know what to do with it.

What am I going to do, talk the problem to death?

 She pushed the thought out of her head, she couldn’t just do nothing.  Just sitting at home and hoping everything worked out wasn’t an option.

She finally hit the condo’s parking lot after what seemed like an eternity.  The parking lot was crawling with cops, at least four cruisers and two unmarked.  The dark half screamed at her to put the car in reverse and get out, a natural instinct for a con artist.

The Life Flight helicopter changed her mind.

She brought the car to a stop as the helicopter lifted off into the air.  She was seven feet past the police line before the blue and whites realized it.  She saw Linda standing there in her white dress, covered in blood, watching the helicopter fly away in some kind of trance.

She looked like the ghost of a dead wife, haunting the place where she died.

“Hey, get back here!”  One of the cops yelled, realizing she had crossed the line.

The cop’s shout somehow snapped Linda out of her trance and her wide eyes shifted into that direction, catching Sidney running toward her.

“Linda, what happ-” Sidney was cut off as Linda took two steps to meet her and hit her with a right cross.

Maybe it was the surprise, or just Linda’s pure rage-driven madness, but Sidney had never been hit harder in in her life.  The blow turned her half around and put her on the asphalt.  She saw stares and it took a second to get her barring’s.

“You just don’t get it, do you?!” Linda was screaming down at Sidney and all the cops had stopped moving, confused by the scene they were watching.  “He listens to you!  For some reason, you have some terrible effect on him, and you don’t even see the damage you do!”

Sidney shook her head desperately.  “No, no Linda, this has nothing to do with me!”

Linda shook her head.  “It’s you.  It’s always you!  This only happens when it has something to do with you.  Why can’t you just let him be a good man?!  Why do you keep dragging him down with you?!  Why, God damn it, tell me why?!”

Linda had broken, her face had become a ball of uncontrollable rage and sadness and desperation and Sidney had no answers for her.  A detective stepped in, tall and lean with a tan complexion and short curly hair that made him look younger then he was.

“Come on now Mrs. Snyder.” His voice was low and soothing, made for the task at hand.  “I will take you to see your husband.”

The detective turned to a uniform.  “Put her in my car, Harry.”

The uniform came over and helped lead Linda to the detective’s car.  The smooth detective turned back toward Sidney who had pulled herself to her feet.  “How did you know the victim?”

Sidney decided to take it slow with the cop.  “What happened here?”

“A professional hit man broke in and put two in Mr. Snyder.  He would have killed Mrs. Snyder and her brother if he hadn’t charged in to the rescue.” The cop gave a quick summary.

Sidney turned.  “Oh, God.  Hank.  Is he okay?”

The detective eyed him and Sidney cursed herself.  The emotion of the situation had clouded her judgment.  This police officer would never have just given her the story if he didn’t think she had some kind of information.  He had baited the trap and she had taken it.

“The brother-in-law is in the ambulance.  He’s banged up, but stable.”  The cop said, then stepped in.  “I’m Detective Eugene Sellers of the Kent P.D.  I have to go right now, but if you think of anything that might help, gimme a call.”

Eugene handed Sidney his card.  “Also, you might want to not go anywhere for a couple of days.  I’m going to want to interview you.”

Sidney took the card and gave him another look and decided the best way to go was silence.  She nodded and began to walk toward the ambulance.  She had to figure out what was going on.  She couldn’t shake the feeling that this had something to do with her.  They had made a lot of enemies.  Could it be one of them?

Savannah?

Tyrone Johnson?

“They don’t let anyone on the ambulance other than family and police!” Eugene called to her, then turned to walk away.

Sidney turned to make sure he wasn’t looking at her anymore, then changed direction, slipping over to one of the cruisers and grabbing a hanging police jacket then a police cap she found on a dash.  She turned back and watched as one of the two paramedics got in the driver’s side.  The other, a small, unthreatening, white guy, finished talking to another couple about something and began over to the ambulance.

Sidney knew the jacket would only hold over for a second, the dress and bare feet would be dead give a ways, so timing was everything on the next play.  She kept five or so steps from the paramedic as he approached the back of the truck.  When he was about to get in, Sidney pushed forward and leapt up in front of him.

“Police business, you stay here for the coroner, I’ll ride with him!”  She slammed the back door shut, the entire exchange was a second long, giving the paramedic only time to notice the coat and hat.  She banged on the front cabin quickly being sure to keep herself only visible in the rear view in a way that would only show the coat and hat.

“Let’s go!  He’s going to stay for the coroner!”  Sidney yelled to the front and they were on their way.

Sidney watched the frustrated face of the other paramedic fade away in the window.  Hank saw her and a grin creased his weary face.  Banged up wasn’t the word.  His arm had a blood soaked bandage around it and so did his chin.  His face was swollen.  He looked worse than Sidney had ever seen him.

“Let’s go, siren all the way!”  She shouted to the driver.

“You got it!” He keyed the sirens and they started to wale.

The loud things would mask her and Hank’s conversation from the driver.  “Hank, what the hell is going on?”

Hank shook his head.  “You are gonna be pissed, but we stole something a couple of weeks ago.”

Sidney looked confused.  “Without me?  Why would you do that?”

“You wouldn’t have gone for it,” Hank explained.  “Anyway, it was supposed to be a present, a little revenge job for you.  We had no idea he would come back this hard.”

Sidney suddenly realized what Hank was talking about.  “Tell me you didn’t rob who I think you robbed?”

“It was your dad Sid.  We robbed your dad.” Hank said.

Sidney’s eyes narrowed.  “Tell me everything.”

****

Eugene walked to his car and opened the door, looking back as the ambulance passed, then over to the paramedic standing in the parking lot looking upset and that was all he needed to see to know what happened.

He turned to Harry.  “Hey, make sure he gets a ride back to the hospital, will you Harry.”

Harry followed Eugene’s look to the paramedic and frowned.  “Why the hell did they leave him here? They’re supposed to stay with the ambulance, aren’t they?”

Eugene shrugged. “He got conned out of it.”

Harry looked confused then shrugged and went to gather up the medic.  Eugene knew he was in for some action know.  He knew this because he knew Sidney Thomas, at least by reputation.

Eugene had to admit, he was looking forward to what came next.

END EPISODE 24

23(S3E1)-The Hit

23

(Season 3, Episode 1)

The Hit

Tobias opened the door to his and Linda’s condo, still laughing from the night’s festivities. Linda was right behind him. Tobias was in a pin striped tux, which was disheveled and undone from the reception.  A fedora pushed back on his head made him look like a drunk lounge singer.  Linda was still in her flowing wedding dress. It was elegant but conservative, and somehow she seemed to shine.

She was his wife as of two hours ago.

“Hank should be here any minute, and then our flight leaves in two hours.  I’m going to change and check our bags one more time.” Linda said with a smile but as she moved, Tobias grabbed her arm and swung her back to him.

“One more look of how beautiful you are in this.” He said with a grin and the two kissed deeply.

When they broke, Linda smiled.  “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Tobias responded instantly and truthfully.  His life was finally coming together.  It had been two months since they had helped Sidney with Savannah, his restaurant was taking off, and now he had married his dream woman.

He had only one more phone call to make.

“You should change too.  Get some comfy clothes on for the flight.”  Linda said, playfully hitting his chest then breaking the embrace to head upstairs.

“I will, I have one call to make.  I still can’t believe you got me to agree to fly!” Tobias called to her as she climbed the stairs.  He pulled out his cell phone, trying not to think of his fear of flying.

“Don’t worry, you’re more likely to get shot!” She called back from their room upstairs.

Tobias shook his head and smiled, dialing the number for Sidney Thompson.  It rang once then her smooth voice picked up the phone playful as always.  “Shouldn’t you be getting on a plane right now, or doing your wife?”

“We’re getting our stuff together now.  Hank is taking us to the airport.”  Tobias answered.

“You sure that’s a good idea?  Hank had quite a few himself.”  Sidney joked.

Tobias snorted.  “He’ll be fine, hell of a party.”

Tobias could hear Sidney nod.  “Easily the best wedding I have ever been to.”

“Your speech it surprised me.  I figured you’d hang me out to dry like a normal best man, but that was…” Tobias struggled to find the word.

“Don’t get weepy on me Bias.” Sidney answered.

Tobias switched gears.  “Look, I got you a present.  You can do what you will with it.”

Sidney’s voice became confused.  “A present?  Aren’t we supposed to give you something on your wedding day, not the other way around?”

Tobias shrugged even though she couldn’t see him.  “This is different.  It’s-”

The front door was suddenly kicked in with one hard decisive blow, loud like thunder.  “What the fuck?”

Tobias took a couple of steps to look down the hall and that’s when he saw him.  The hitter was dressed all in black, was bald and wore black driving gloves.  As he raised the mean-looking, silenced pistol, Tobias couldn’t help but think he looked exactly like the hit man in that stupid video game.

“Spaghetti.” He managed to speak the one word into the phone before he saw a muzzle flash and a wisp of air.

He was then falling backwards now, over a cliff and into a seemly endless void…

****

Linda heard the crash and thought something had fallen, she hurried out of their room and down the stairs and watched as the third bullet hit her new husband’s chest.  Three small holes, blood poured into his blue undershirt at an alarming rate.  He was covered with the stuff before he hit the floor.

She had never thought she was one of those woman that would scream when something like this happened, but now in the moment she felt it rise and escape her throat, almost on instinct.  The hit man now noticed her and turned the gun toward her.

What could she expect?  This is what happens when you marry a man who was a professional thief.  They never really get away and you just end up being collateral damage.

That’s when Hank hit the man.  Having seen the carnage from the doorway, he had sprinted the few steps and hit the man high like some kind of mad linebacker.  The two men went down.

The hitter tucked in and rolled low, his training kicking in, sending Hank toppling over his head.  The hitter popped up to his feet, and Hank scrambled to get up, but the trained killer was faster.  He stepped in with an elbow strike to Hank’s face.  Hank stumbled and the hitter moved in, stepping up and driving a knee into Hank’s stomach.  The blows were fast and side-by-side and they sent Hank crashing through the coffee table to his back, gasping for air.

Linda watched and worried.  The situation was hopeless.  No one brawled like her brother but this man was a killer.  He was trained, balanced, and prepared.  Hank was tough and strong, but it wasn’t going to be enough.

The hitter turned and started to walk back toward her and she wondered why, for a second.  With that thought, her brain began to break the hold that shock had over it and she realized that the hitter had dropped the gun at the foot of the stairs when Hank hit him.

The gun…

The gun…

The gun!

Her brain kicked on and the man saw the understanding in her eyes and rushed for the weapon.  Linda leapt down the flight of stairs, catching the man’s arms as He pulled the gun from the floor.

Two more shots were sent into the wall with a mechanical hiss and the man cursed her under his breath. She didn’t have the strength to pull the gun away but she had to hold on to keep it from being pointed at her or her brother and hope for a miracle.

The hitter fought at her, desperately punching at her face with his free arm and elbowing with her other, doing anything and everything to get her to let go.  One blow caught her on the nose and her eyes watered but she held on.

Hank suddenly wrapped the man around the waist and yanked him backward.  Linda held on for dear life, not knowing what else to do.  Hank dragged the hitter back through the threshold to the kitchen. Linda slammed, head first, into the door arch and fell to the floor, stunned.

The sudden shift of weight threw Hank off balance and he fell, both men crashing into the dishwasher with such force the door broke off the hinges and the machine showered the kitchen with water.  Hank scrambled to get the upper hand on the hitter, getting to his knees first and began to rain down right hands.

“You like that?!  Huh?!  That’s my brother, my sister!  I’m gonna beat your fucking-”  He was cut off as the killer managed to get to a small combat knife and bring it up into Hank’s left shoulder.

Hank yowled in shock and pain.  The momentary opening was all the hitter needed.  He planted his feet and stood at the same time he pulled the dagger from Hank’s arm and took another swing, this time for Hank’s neck.

It was all Hank could do to step back enough to avoid the kill blow.  The blade still caught his lower lip and sliced it open.  Hank was dripping wet, blood poured out of his right arm and from his chin, staining the button up shirt he had worn to the wedding.  The fight was draining out of him with the precious life fluid.  The hitter stood in front of him, blood trickled from his nose.  He was also soaked, but other than that, he was alright.

He also still had the knife.

Hank baited him anyway.  “Come on…  Dick…  I’m not done yet…”

In the distance, sirens could be heard.  Someone had called the cops.  The hitter heard the sirens, then cracked his neck.  “Not bad for some back woods hick.  Too bad the cops are coming and I have to make this quick.  We could have had fun.”

“I’m a lot of things, but quick ain’t one of ‘em.” Hank said, his breathing ragged.

Linda watched through stunned and pained eyes, at first only half understanding.  The blow to her head had done some damage.  It had stunned her so much, in fact, that only now did she feel the cold heavy weight of the pistol.  It was in her hand, she had held on and come away with the weapon in the struggle.  Her fingers closed around it and rage flowed through her.

She hated guns, never fired them, never used them and had no interest in changing that, until of course, that very moment.  She raised the gun and began pulling the trigger, the air popping sound happened again and again and the hitter yelped in pain.  She kept firing until the gun’s slide locked back.  Bullets had pelted the kitchen and she had managed to put only one into the hitter’s leg.  A passing thought that it was harder to shoot these things then people thought entered her pain addled mind.  This was quickly replaced by the desperation that the man was still standing, and still prepared to kill them all.

Hank saw the opening, called forth all his remaining power and lounged forward, throwing himself into the hitter.  The man’s now wounded leg buckled and he fell backward.  As he did, Hank grabbed the knife and turned it, falling with his weight onto the hilt sending the blade into the hitter as Hank came down on top of him.

The knife went deep into the hitter’s right lung and he began to gasp for air like a fish out of water. Hank’s face was two inches away from the hitter’s.  He smiled and whispered.  “We having fun now?”

Hank rolled off the hitter who continued to gag and gasp and laid in the water.  Linda had pulled herself up, throwing the gun away and crawling to her husband.  Her white dress now covered with blood, she tore at it and put a wad over her husband’s wounds before lying on top of him.  His eyes looked lost and lifeless as they stared at the ceiling, but she refused to give up on him.  She depressed herself onto of him harder, trying to hold the blood in.  She had seen it on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy and hoped, more than anything, that it was an actual lifesaving fact, and not just show flare.

“Stay with me…” She whispered it as she ran her hand through his hair.  “Stay with me…”

End Episode 23

21(S2E11)-The Last Hand

Episode 22

(Season 2 Episode 11)

The Last Hand

Markov was done.

He stared as Savannah dragged the chips across the table to her pool.  Sidney had opened the door with her all-in play and, since then, Markov had slowly been pulled apart by the two women.

Markov stared for a long time as the audience clapped and cheered for the final two.  He seemed to quietly boil for some time when he finally pulled himself together.  He ran his hand through his hair and with a heavy accent, said three words.

“Good game, ladies.” He then stood and quietly walked out.

Sidney’s eyes then went to the casino owner, Harrison Foote stood in a hot blooded rage and walked away.

Just like that it was all about Sidney and Savannah again.  For the most part, Savannah’s goals had been realized.  Markov had been broken, and with him Foote’s hype scam.  The only thing left was to preserve her good name and finish the job by losing it all to Sidney while she pretended to be Savannah.

They shuffled through a couple of hands trying to find the right hand, reading each other and looking for the signs that it was time to make the final play.

Then it came.  The last hand.

Savannah gave no real hint, not that anyone in the crowd would have seen, but Sidney picked up on it and fed the vibe back to her like an unconscious bond to finish the con.

Sidney called Savannah’s first bluff and turned her attention to Tobias who watched from the crowd intently.  Their eyes met and Tobias nodded once, slowly and subtly to let her know she could play this any way she wanted.

Sidney grinned.

“Funny thing about poker,” Sidney began in the high chirpy southern accent twang as she called Savannah’s sizable bet.  “It’s all about information.”

A hush fell over the crowd as they were on the edge of their seats.  None of them had seen such an eventful game of poker and weren’t likely to see it ever again.  Sidney continued to monologue and with the room as quiet as it was, the words seemed to echo.

The flop was a two of clubs, a four of clubs, and a five of clubs.

The crowd gasped at the obvious hand on the board.  None of them were privy to the information that Sidney and Savannah shared.

 Sidney, still doing her best impression of Savannah, continued un-phased by the cards on the table.  “You try to gather as much information on what the other person has in their hand.  You look at their motivations, their actions, and if you’re truly perceptive, their intentions.”

Savannah, doing her best impression of Sidney, bet high again making the crowd think she had the straight, telling Sidney that she had nothing.  “Well, you have a lot to say, don’t you?”

Savannah’s question was rhetorical and snide while still maintaining a fake air of mannerly.  Sidney just smiled back.  “Most southerners do, dear.”

Sidney called the bet and continued.  “Once you have all the information you can gather, you make a decision and hope that you have made the right call.”

The turn was an eight of diamonds.

Savannah bet high again and Sidney called without batting an eye.

Sidney smiled and dropped the accent for just a second.  “So did you?”

Savannah looked up, frustrated while maintaining her own accent.  “Did I, what?”

The river was a nine of hearts.

“Make the right call?” Sidney asked with a grin.

Savannah Burton as Sidney Thomas went all in.

Sidney Thomas as Savannah Burton called.

Savannah flipped her cards.  “Well, damn it all.  I was bluffing.”

Savannah’s cards were a two of spades, and a jack of diamonds.

“Pair of twos.”  The dealer called out her hand.

Sidney had to just flip a hand better then a pair of twos and the game was over.  Savannah would beat the hype scam and look like a poker God.

Sidney grinned and flipped her cards.  A six and seven of diamonds.

The crowd was speechless.

“Nine of spades, high card.”  The dealer said, “Winner is Sidney Thomas with a pair of twos.”

Savannah’s eyes went to the cards, then to the dealer, then to Sidney.

Sidney was smiling, the crowd had yet to react, confused as to what had just happened.

“Well, that’s just too bad,” Sidney broke the silence.  “I guess today, Sidney Thomas is just too good for Savannah Burton.”

The crowd began to react.  Claps and hollers went up as they cheered the no-named winner.

Savannah knew better.

Instead of helping Savannah beat the hype scam, Sidney had hijacked it.  Savannah Burton had just won the game as Sidney Thomas.

Sidney stood and Savannah stood grabbing Sidney’s collar and dragging her close, her voice disguised by the noise.  “You fuckin’ bitch!”

Savannah’s voice had reverted back to homicidal redneck.  “You will never have the information about your father now!”

Sidney slapped her hand away.  “Fenton Sanoma is dead to me and I want to keep him that way.”

Sidney then pointed to the crowd and Savannah followed her finger to see Tobias, Linda and Hank standing in the crowd.  Tobias waved.  “If you really did your research, then you know what they do.  Particularly, the man with the slicked back hair in the middle.”

Savannah’s nostrils flared.  “They followed you, but what does the thief have to do with it?”

“I want you do think of all the sensitive materials you have hidden in your life, because at least one of them, a big one, is now missing.  I die and the wrong people will get the sensitive items.  Understand?”  Sidney finished her explanation.  She and Tobias had worked together too long for her to not know what he had been up to the last couple of days.

“You fucking bitch!” Savannah yelled, realizing that Sidney had beaten her.

Sidney had beaten her by losing.

“Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go celebrate.  I just beat Savannah Burton at poker.” Sidney turned and walked through the crowd toward her friends…

…toward her family.

****

The Tease

One week later.

Hank entered the bar and found Tobias sitting at a table.  He already had a beer waiting for him.  Hank smiled and walked over before sitting at the table and taking the beer.

“Thanks for coming.” Tobias said as he raised his own half-empty glass to his mouth.

“No problem.”  Hank said, “How’s Sidney?”

Tobias shrugged.  “Trouble as usual, but she’s alright.  No backlash from Savannah so it looks like our blackmail is working.”

“That’s good.” Hank replied without emotion.

“That’s not why I called you out here, brother.”  Tobias said, fixing his eyes on him.

Hank raised an eyebrow and took a swig of the cold beer.  “You’re retired now, so this better not be about a job.”

Tobias shook his head.  “One more, I know the wedding is coming but this has to happen.”

Hank shook his head.  “No, I’m putting a stop to this.  Linda loves you.  You are tempting fate with this and I can’t be part of anything that ends in her being alone.”

Tobias frowned hard at the potential betrayal of his future wife.  He seemed to take a long time to think about it long and hard.  “We have to.”

“What’s worth that?!”  Hank asked, starting to get angry.

Tobias pulled a packet of papers out of his inner coat pocket and tossed it on the table.

Hank looked at it confused.  “What’s this?”

“Fenton Sanoma, “Tobias answered without looking at him.

“Sid’s dad?” Hank asked.

Tobias nodded and Hank looked at the top sheet then back to Tobias.  “Sidney wants to go after him?”

Tobias shook his head.  “She wants nothing to do with him.  She wants to forget about him.”

“After what he did, I don’t get it?” Hank asked.

“She doesn’t want to lose to him again, that’s why we have to.”  Tobias said and looked hard at Hank.

“We have to bring him down.  For Sidney.”

END SEASON 2

21(S2E10)-The Support

21

The Support

(Season 2, Episode 10)

“Are you ready for this?” Savannah asked with more than a little hostility, her accent less southern bell and more angry hillbilly.

“Are you?” Sidney shot back as she put on her wig.  She had just about had enough of Savannah.

The fact however, was that both women were on edge.  Both of them prided themselves on playing a simple card game and neither was sure they could beat the man they came here to beat.

It was the final day.  They had one task left, defeat Markov.  Savannah wanted to do it in order to beat the hype scam and make her years worthwhile.  Sidney wanted to do it to beat Savannah but she was starting to worry.

At the end of the day, there was no evidence that Sidney’s friends were out there helping her.  The dealer the night before could have been a byproduct of one of the other players.  She had no sign and she was feeling alone.  Her final play required back-up.

Back-up she wasn’t sure she had.

“Listen,” Savannah’s voice suddenly snapped her back to reality.  “Your stunts and shenanigans have been very entertaining but that ends now.”

Sidney slowly turned toward her with an irritated face and Savannah continued.  “You have a job to do.  Your life and the information on your dear dad are on the line, so the rest of this goes according to plan.  You go out there.  You stay in the game and I will drop Markov.  Then I will lose to you.  You give me the money and you go home.  Is this getting through that yankee brain of yours?”

Sidney could read Savannah like an open book for the first time in their brief history. Savannah was scared and was taking it out on Sidney.  “Lock it up.”

Savannah eyed her furiously.  “Excuse me?”

“Lock it up.  Don’t go into this playing on tilt.  You’ll lose, which means we lose.”  Sidney stood to come eye to eye with a fuming Savannah.

“You just worry about yourself.”  Savannah almost growled.

“I never do.”  Sidney smirked and Savannah gave up, having her guards come in to escort the two of them to the car.”

 ****

“I’m going.” He said forcefully without a hint of give on the subject.

Tobias shook his head as they all sat in the hotel room just off the island.  “You can’t go.  You have just spent the night dismantling Harrison Foote’s operation with your bare hands.  You have been made by half his dealers.  If you’re spotted in the club, the deal’s off.

Linda handed her brother a bag of ice to put on his swollen face; a small price to pay after the war with Silas.

Hank shook his head.  “I’m going.”

“Are you not listening?” Tobias said, frustrated.

“You’re the one not listening.”  Hank said standing and clenching his fists.

“Are you threatening me?” Tobias said with wide eyes.

“Put them back in your pants guys.” Linda spoke with an air of irritation as she lit a cigarette.  “You’re not five year olds.”

Both men stopped and were instantly brought back to Earth by the words, and both felt bad for going to anger so quickly.  “Alright.  You’ll have to try to fit into my clothes.”

Hank scowled at Tobias’s words.  “Why in the hell would I do that?”

Tobias’ eyes narrowed.  “Because, they will be looking for a tobacco chewing, redneck, jack ass in greasy jeans and a faded t-shirt.”

Linda raised an eyebrow looking back and forth between the two.  “Do you think the clothes will fit?”

Tobias shrugged.  “They’ll work as long as he doesn’t make any big moves, and it’s way too late to take him to a store.  If he comes, this is the way it has to be.”

Hank eyed his sister for support but found none.  He finally shrugged.  “Alright.”

“And no tobacco tonight.”  Tobias said this with a pointed finger.

Hank started to protest but Tobias squashed it.  “Look, it’s your trademark.”

Hank took a deep sigh then nodded. Tobias smiled.  “Alright then, let’s get you dressed… and if you damage my clothes, you pay for it.”

****

Sidney watched in utter despair as the pattern continued.

She had stayed mostly out of the game, like Savannah had requested, more for herself than her kidnapper, though.  She had wanted to watch, focus on the unshakable Markov, and find out his secret.

No such luck.

She felt close, like understanding his style was just out of her reach.  Like a carrot on a stick dangled in front of her, it only served to frustrate.  She continued to watch as Savannah lost hand after hand against the unstoppable Russian.  The hands she had managed to win the Russian had always folded early, minimizing damage to maintain the lead.

This concerned Sidney even more since, although the two women were very different personally, they had the same style of play.  They read their opponent, found tells and used their considerable ability to lie to find victory.  To them, ninety percent of the game was the person.  The cards were almost a non factor.

Markov, however, was a different monster.

Sidney let out a small sigh and leaned back in her chair.  She needed to stop watching the game for a second and collect herself.  She looked to the audience and had a twinge of fear wash over her.  She just wished she wasn’t alone…

Hank?

Her eyes steadied on a man in a casual suit that looked way to small for him, sitting uncomfortably in a chair, watching.  Because of the suit she had to do a double take, thinking Hank must care to have put it on.  Her eyes scanned and she found Tobias and a lovely woman with short blonde hair framing a cute but mature face.  Her eyes had a no nonsense look to them and Sidney realized that it must be Linda.

 Sidney was shocked.  Linda had come with Tobias?  That meant he had completely come clean about everything.  Tobias had been positive the truth and the breaking of his vow to swear off crime would be the end of his future marriage, but yet there she was.

That was that.  She had Sidney’s blessing.

Although she knew Tobias could have never kept that kind of secret from Linda.  He may have been a thief but with his friends, he was the most honest man she had ever known.

It hit her like a ton of bricks and she swung her head back to the table.  Realization slipped over her as she blinked, staring at the Russian as he played.  She had it, she had his system.

He was playing honest.

He was playing the cards he had with a mathematic system in his head, weighing the chances of winning with such a hand, then betting or folding depending on the opponents bet.  Sidney couldn’t read his tells because he wasn’t bluffing.

While they were playing the people, he was playing the money.  He was watching the bets and he could tell what they had by the bets they put down and when they bet.

A smile creased Sidney’s face from ear to ear as she came up with a plan, a risky plan, but a plan nonetheless.

The dealer dealt a new hand and Sidney didn’t even look at her cards.  She made sure he saw that she hadn’t looked, then waited for the bet to come to her.

“All in.” She said, staring at the Russian.

His eyebrow raised, which was the first hint of emotion she had seen out of him.  The crowd gasped at the bold move and Savannah gave her a look hard enough to bore through the back of Sidney’s head.

The Russian quietly folded, his eyes never leaving Sidney.

Sidney smiled and played up the southern twang.  “Come now sweetie, you know what’s going to happen, don’t you?”

The dealer dealt another hand and Sidney promptly said.  “All in.”

The crowd gasped again and Markov gritted his teeth.  “Fold.”

Savannah folded and shook her head in anger.

“Look Ivan, you’re going have to take a risk.  It’s why they call it gambling.” She said.

The dealer dealt another had and Sidney wasted no time.  “All in.”

“Chertovski suka!” Markov said and Sidney could only guess the words were not flattering.

She had him off his game, frazzled and angry.  If she managed to get some luck and win this hand she would put him on tilt and then… it was a whole new card game.

“Call,” He said, his anger showing now.  He put in enough to match her but he was still high stacked.  If he lost, he would still be in the game but losing for the first time.

He flipped over his cards, a nine and ten of spades.

Sidney flipped her cards, a two of diamonds and a seven of clubs.  She had the worst starting hand.

The crowd made a sympathetic moan.  They had already decided she had lost.  Savannah balled her fist using all her control in order to not punch Sidney.

Sidney however, maintained her smile.  Hank, Tobias and even Linda were out there watching.  They had laid the ground work, set up the scam and had her back.

Tonight she was invincible.

The turn flipped a three of diamonds, a seven of hearts, and a nine of clubs.

Sidney had paired the hand Markov’s was better.  He smiled smugly, obviously no longer able to control his emotions.

The turn was flipped, a six of hearts.  The hands stayed the same.

Sidney slowly shut her eyes as the dealer drew the river, her final chance to stay alive.

A seven of spades.

Markov hit the table with an enraged fist and the crowd exploded.  Savannah stared wide-eyed.

Sidney just smiled.  “That’s why they call it gambling.”

End Episode 21

20(S2E9)-The Heist

20

(Season 2, Episode 9)

The Heist

12:30 PM Sunday

“This seems flimsy,” Linda said, going over the plan again in her head.

Tobias fought back the urge to agree.  “It’s the best one I have.”

Tobias pulled the long sleeve waffle knit shirt over his head and Linda raised an eyebrow.  “You realize we’re in North Carolina?  Isn’t that shirt a little much?”

Tobias grinned at her.  “Ever since I saw an episode of CSI: NY when they caught a guy from an arm hair I try to have as little flesh showing as possible.”

“I see.  You realize that since you have never been arrested they would have nothing to match it to?”  Linda said knowingly.

Tobias frowned at her.  “Hey, let’s leave the thievery to me, alright?”

Linda let it go.  “I just think this is too risky.”

Tobias handed her the pack of Chinese firecrackers to put in her purse.  “This is the best I can come up with on such short notice.”

Linda tried to come up with an argument but she couldn’t.  It didn’t change the fact that she was worried about this job.  She was distracted from these thoughts as she watched Tobias unfold a paperclip then worked it around the buckle of his belt.  “What is that for?”

Tobias smiled at her.

****

1:53 PM Sunday

 Tobias strode through the front door and walked into the lobby.  The security guards all perked up as he entered. Some of the businesses in the building were open even on Sundays, so the building was open but there were very few workers.

The security detail was also smaller on Sundays.  Only four heavily trained, very alert security guards monitored the building.  It was a good day to steal from them.

“Attention, workers and guards!” Tobias suddenly raised his voice, garnishing the attention of the three security guards and the one woman who was rushing out of the building to get to the last remaining shred of weekend she had left.

Tobias couldn’t help but smile at the attention.  “I have an announcement…”

The security guards were already advancing on him.  This forced him to widen his smile.  God help him, but he loved this. This had never been his style.  He preferred to be quiet, sneak in sneak out.  The situation had forced Tobias to get creative.  The last round of Sidney’s tournament was that night and she would need leverage against Savannah.

Leverage that Tobias had to get.

“In the next sixty minutes, I am going to rob this building blind.” Tobias finished his statement and the security guards were on him.

****

1:54 PM Sunday

 Linda watched from her car across the street, and felt the butterflies in her stomach begin to move.  Nervous, excited anticipation came over her as she realized there was no turning back.  The plan was in motion and this was it.

Her part was small in the heist itself but very important, at least that was what Tobias had told her.  She wasn’t sure if he was being honest or placating her but either way there was no chance she was going to fail at the task.

She took a series of deep breathes in an attempt to calm herself, then she stepped out of the car and walked across the street holding nothing but her purse.  She reached the side walk and checked her watch.

2:00 PM Sunday

She nodded to herself.  It was time.  She calmly walked down the street placing her hand into her purse as if she was looking for something, when in all actuality, she was protecting her face from the exterior security cameras on the building and lighting the line of fire crackers hidden in the otherwise empty bag.

The bag started to make a low hissing noise signifying the explosives where lit.  With that, Linda arrived in front of the main entrance and in one swift motion opened the door and hurled the bag inside.

It sailed through the air and landed dead center in the middle of the floor.  The thwap noise in the quiet, nearly empty lobby caught the security guards’ attention.  They saw the bag but before they could do anything, the loud bangs of the bag began to explode and crackle throughout the lobby.  The succession made the room sound like Beirut.

“SHOTS FIRED!” One of the security guards screamed

“DOWN!”  Another screamed as the men dropped behind the counter to avoid the phantom gunfire.

In the commotion, Linda calmly but quickly, walked away and circled the block before coming back to her car.  Once inside, she grabbed her cell phone and called Tobias.

If he didn’t answer they were in serious trouble.

****

2:00 PM Sunday

The men grabbed Tobias, cuffed his arms in front of him and two of the men then dragged him past the main security station and down a hall branching off the to the right of the lobby.

They opened a secure door with a swipe of a key card then shoved Tobias into the small room.  The room was without windows or exits with the exception of the air vent in the ceiling that was out of range.

The room was made for holding people.

Tobias turned quickly and ran at the man who shoved him, slamming into him.  The guard was taken off balance and stumbled before catching his feet and delivering a hard fore arm shot to the side of Tobias’ head.  Tobias stumbled and fell to one knee.

The blow was more of a deterrent then a real attack and Tobias shook it off easily.

“Try that shit again and you’ll be eating through a tube.” The guard said angrily as he shut the door behind him.

Tobias frowned.  “Not very original.”

The guard’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t respond.  Instead, he turned to his partner. “Go call the cops and tell them we have a prisoner in custody.  Let them sort this whack job out.”

Tobias smiled at the remark and looked at his watch.

3…2…1…

Gunfire sounded from the lobby and the guards spun toward it as if they could see through walls.  Their radios buzzed and a panicked voiced screamed that shots were fired in the main lobby and they had no idea where it had come from.

The two guards rushed out of the room making sure to shut the electronically sealed door behind them with a click.

Tobias wasted no time pulling the electronic key card out of his sleeve.  He had lifted it off the guard when he had charged him and jammed it up is cuff when he fell to the floor.

He then put his hands to his waist and quickly un-bent the paperclip he had wrapped around the buckle till he had a long piece of metal.  With a quick couple of movements he unlocked the hand cuffs and dropped them to the floor.

****

2:06 PM Sunday

Mitch Clark had been a Special Forces Delta Squad member.  He was highly trained and in great shape, even though he was forty.  He had been honorably discharged from the military at age thirty-five and since then, had been doing this relatively boring job.

It suited him, however, and the pay was good.  He wasn’t one of those Rambo types who couldn’t let it go.  Instead, he never minded settling down, now married with three kids and a grandchild on the way.

In all the time he had been here nothing like this had ever happened.

His normal everyday job had turned into the gulf war in a matter of seconds and he couldn’t help but worry as he crouched low and moved in behind the security desk as the shooting continued.

He couldn’t help but think that something was off about the gunfire as he instinctively reached for a gun he didn’t have.  He cursed himself, remembering what he did for a living.  No longer the soldier.

He moved up behind the desk next to Charlie Jenson, a good kid who worked under him but often had delusions about this job being bigger than it was.  He clutched his night stick nervously.  “Sir!  Gunfire!”

Mitch nodded.  “Did you see the shooter before it started?”

Charlie shook his head.  “No, sir.  Didn’t see anyone, just a purse.”

The gun fire seemed to slow and Mitch was starting to be very suspicious of the sounds, “A purse?”

Charlie nodded.  “Some woman just hurled a purse into the middle of the room, and then all hell broke loose.”

Mitch exhaled and looked at the floor realizing what was wrong with the gunfire.  It wasn’t gunfire at all, “Firecrackers.”

Charlie looked confused.  “Excuse me?”

Mitch stood up and all three of his men screamed “No!” at the top of their lungs but nothing happened.  Mitch saw, in the middle of the floor, the remains of a purse and a few Chinese fire crackers, the last remaining charges popping off.

When Mitch’s head didn’t explode in a puff of pink mist, the other three slowly stood to see the same sight.

“Fucking firecrackers!” Mitch yelled.

Mitch then reached for his card to turn off the alarm that someone had set off in panic and realized that his card was gone.

“That mother fucker!” Mitch almost growled as he turned into a sprint, running back the way he came and down the hall to the holding room which now stood open.

The thief was gone.  He had breached security and used them to do it.

****

2:15 PM Sunday

The real estate office was closed and the only man there was the janitor who waved to Tobias as he walked past, then went back to buffing the tile floors while listing to his head phones.

Tobias knew that even with the distraction, he had very little time to waste.  Even with only four guards it wouldn’t be long before they searched the floor and he needed to be gone by then.

He moved to the far end of the floor and entered Savannah’s office when his phone rang.  It was Linda checking in.  He answered.  “I’m in.”

Tobias had used his paper clip to pick the lock to Savannah’s office.  It had taken him a minute which was longer than it should have and he wondered if he was getting rusty with age.

“They were all at the front but the sirens are going off.  Cops will be there soon.” she said.  “How long will this take?” She asked through the jitters that came with a first time crime.

“Not long,” he said switching on her computer.  “I plug this device into the USB port and it transfers the entire hard drive to Skeever.  He then finds some leverage and we have what we want.”

Tobias kept his head on a swivel as the computer took what seemed like an hour to boot up.  Finally, he jabbed the device into the drive and it began to transfer when the elevator at the end of the hall dinged.

“Shit!” Tobias whispered as he dropped behind the desk.

“What?!” Linda asked anxiously.

“They’re here.” He whispered into the receiver as he could hear the guard leader giving orders.

“Get out of there!” Linda whispered now back to him even though she wasn’t the one hiding.

Tobias knew the computer needed more time so he had to somehow get the guards away from this room.  He didn’t really care if he left the device behind since it would be useless after the transfer.  “Plan B.”

“What is Plan B?!” Linda asked franticly.

Tobias hung up the phone as the guards entered the room.

Tobias was all about the details when it came to Plan A.  Plan B however, had one simple step.

Run.

Tobias moved in one fluid motion, vaulting over the desk on a straight shot at the door. One guard stood in his way but he was small and judging from the look in his eye, he was completely taken by surprise.

Tobias hit him low and sent him backward onto the slippery, freshly polished tile floor. Tobias struggled to keep his footing and tried to sprint past as he could already hear the guards screaming to grab him.

The one who he had knocked over got his hand out and caught Tobias’s leg sending him pitching forward but Tobias had enough presence to use the momentum throwing himself forward and hitting the floor like a baseball player trying to slide into a base.

He slid across the floor and out of the reach of the second guard who turned fast to chase but slipped and crashed head first to the ground.  Tobias stood as he stopped and swiped the card to the door that lead to the stairs.

As he jumped through the doorway, a guard caught the back of his shirt collar but he didn’t get enough and this only served to rip Tobias’ shirt.  Tobias spun and slammed the door in the guards face and hurried up the stairs.

The guards went through after him but thinking the logical move was to go down, they flew in that direction.

Tobias moved to the roof access door and swiped his card opening the door.  Once on the roof he moved fast, pulling off his ripped waffle knit shirt to reveal a cut off flannel shirt under it.  He then slipped out of his Dockers to reveal denim shorts, and then pulled off his gloves and pulled a ball cap he had taped to his chest out of the front of his shirt and put it on.

****

2:26 PM Sunday

The cop eyed Mitch with suspicion when he finished his story.  Mitch had informed the police it had just been a child’s prank and completely left out the thief part.  If he had told the truth he would have lost his job, and Mitch had no intention of going broke because some asshole wanted a peek at some real estate files.

“Just a prank then?” The cop asked, still suspicious.

Mitch opened his mouth to answer when he saw a red neck walk out of the far alley between the buildings and calmly walk across the street to a car with a good looking blonde in the driver’s seat.  The car then slowly pulled into traffic.

“Sir?” The cop again asked Mitch, who had been watching the car go in a daze.

“Mother fucker.” Mitch mumbled.

“Excuse me?” The cop asked with more than a little agitation in his voice.

Mitch couldn’t help but smile.  “Yeah, it was just a prank.”

Mitch shook his head and thought to himself how that was the most honest thief he had ever met.

END EPISODE 20