Page 9 of Broken

Nova

Tonight was the night. For days I had stretched my body and worked out at the gym not too far from the motel. Determination was pulsing through my veins. Nothing was going to keep me from my pay day. I was going to change Des and Yara's life because the days of living in poverty were over.

No more wondering where money was going to come from.

In my research of casing theSafaryanmansion, I had learned that there was going to be a benefit gala there. It was like the God of Luck was single-handedly arranging the chess board. This was going to be like taking candy from a baby.

"Do you think this will take a long time?" Des asked.

He had watched me pack a small black backpack that contained clothing, black gloves, a lock picking kit, and stethoscope. Sometimes I needed these items and other times, it was just as simple as figuring out the safe code. Because people were creatures of habit, they would leave clues to the safes lying around. One time, they'd even marked the numbers in red pen, and I'd stolen a gold coin.

"I'm hoping it won't kiddo" I looked at him and then dropped a kiss on his head.

"Whatever it takes to get out of this dump," Yara said enthusiastically while watching the tv. She gave a thumbs up from where she lay, the remote across her lap.

It was a Friday night and most teenagers were out watching a movie or hanging with friends. Hell, they could invite their friends over to the hangout. Not my twin siblings, though. No, fate had been cruel and had given them a dead mother and thief for a sister.

Pushing the thoughts out of my mind, I gave out my usual instructions and advised them to keep the door locked and to make sandwiches for dinner. I skipped out the side door of the motel and into the twilight. I caught the bus across town and walked the block to the mansion. For a moment I stood in awe of the building. People were milling all around and beginning to go inside.

I stopped my admiring and went to find a place to change. I slipped into a server’s outfit and stashed my bag for later. Then I joined in with the wait staff. I was handed a tray of champagne and started working one of the rooms. The house looked just as it had online, only there was slightly more furniture filling up the space.

"Hey what event is this for again?" I asked another waiter as they passed by.

He was young, probably a college student. He had a tray of mini shrimp cocktails and my stomach began to grumble as I looked at them. One rule of thieving was to never do it on an empty stomach. It cut down on your ability to focus.

"Oh, this is the Holly's Heart Gala. They work with police to help runaways." the young guy stopped to chit chat.

Damn it,I thought.

I was in a room full of police. I scanned the area and noticed just about every single man and woman had that air about them. I didn’t do police. In fact, I avoided them at all cost.

"I can't remember how long they said this was going to go to," I stated. "I have a shift at my other job in morning."

"Oh, this event is going till at least midnight," he replied before zipping off with the tray of food.

I had made up my mind on the bus that I wouldn't be out half the night trying to rob this place, but it looked like I was going to have to wait till things quieted down a bit. I kept on serving drinks and giving polite smiles. Eventually, the hunger began to overwhelm me, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I snatched a cup of mini cheesecakes and hid myself in a corner.

The silver spoon dipped slightly into the dessert before hitting the graham cracker crust bottom. From my hiding place, I was free to read the room. People were laughing and drinking as the minutes ticked on by. Finally, a woman dressed in red and dripping in diamonds went to the podium to make an announcement.

"Can I have your attention, please," she spoke into the microphone.

She gave a slight tap on her champagne glass and the crowd began to grow quiet. Before she spoke again, she gave a big smile and took a deep breath. Using the podium before her, she steadied herself and began to speak.

"Holly's Heart was started back in the 90’s to help runaway teens and to give the police the extra resources in helping to find them. The late founder of this wonderful foundation had a deep need to service her community. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to the eighteenth year of the gala. Now, while my boss Mr.Safaryanis unavailable this evening, as he is out of the country, he sends his best wishes..."

I didn't hear much after that. I had tuned her out after hearing the words that my mark wasn't even in the country.

"Just like taking candy from a baby," I whispered as I ate the last of the cheesecake and then tossed the tiny cup.

Getting back into the mix of things, I continued with serving champagne, even sneaking a few sips of my own here and there. After all, I was going to be in this mansion by myself once they packed everything up.

There was a large clock on one of the far walls. It seemed to be made out of marble and looked expensive, but the time told me that the hours had been rolling by. Des and Yara entered my mind and I hoped they were okay while I was securing this pay day for them.

At around eleven-forty, the guest started to dwindle and by twenty minutes past midnight there was hardly anyone there that wasn't waitstaff. It was time to make my moves, so I went back to where I had stashed my bag.

I found an empty room and changed in the dark. The risk of turning on a light was too great. The point of thieving was to do it in the most ninja like way possible. Once I had shed the waiter's uniform, I slipped on a black bodysuit and a pair of leggings. Everything conformed to my body; my C cup breast had no room for movement. Snapping the hairband I kept on my wrist around my hair, I pulled my long stretched strands up into a ballerina bun.

And then I simply waited.

I waited for the house to grow quiet, for every single living thing that did not belong to depart.