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Chapter 5: Thursday Evening
The team assembled in the train
station-turned-safehouse. Dr. Montebanque had rigged alarm systems around the
entrances, both from the street and the tunnels. The devices had sensors that
would trigger if the barricaded entrances were breached. Those triggers would
set off a chain of chemical reactions culminating in a sharp explosion in the
station itself. It wasn’t much warning, but they would have time to scramble if
the signals were tripped. The team didn’t expect to need it.
After this
evening’s theft of the airship, the operation would be underway. They would not
return here until tomorrow after the heist was finished. Once the loot was
dropped at the airport, they would load the boxcar with the goods and move them
down to the safehouse. They would re-convene to divide up the take and each go
their separate ways, richer than they’d ever imagined.
“Alright
team.” Higgs began, “This is the night. I trust you have all made your
preparations. In a few minutes, Phineas and Anabelle will enter the Victorian
Bank building. They will make their way to the roof and hijack the airship.
Meanwhile, the rest of us will be waiting for them at the airport. They will
pilot the ship to the airport to pick us up. After dark, we will go to the
track to replace our helium with hydrogen, then we head south to get in
position for the train that will be arriving in the city tomorrow around noon.
“This is
normally the point where a leader would give an inspirational speech, but I am
not the type. The fact that as of tomorrow, we will all be rich should be
motivation enough. Phineas, Anabelle, Godspeed. We will see you in a few
hours.”
Higgs and
Kostas helped Dr. Montebanque and Charlotte load several boxes of gadgets onto
the waiting train car. Then they set off down the dark subway tunnel toward the
airport. Meanwhile, Anabelle and Phineas headed up the stairs to the street
above. They were careful to disarm the warning system as they exited.
Together,
they walked the mile to the new financial district where the Victorian Bank
building stood. The building was 15 stories tall. It was built in the early
years after the Traditionalist revolution. The style was a throwback to the 19th
century. The exterior was primarily carved stone and decorative concrete. At
the top, each of the 4 corners were accented by a copper dome, and in the
center was the airship platform. As they approached, they could see the massive
airship resting at the platform.
Phineas
was wearing a one-piece maintenance jumpsuit and matching newsboy hat. Anabelle
wore a fine gown that showed a bit more skin than was typically the fashion.
She didn’t want to leave anything to chance. A block away, they parted company
and Anabelle headed straight for the bank while Phineas waited back for a few
minutes.
Anabelle
walked into the front door of the building and looked around the lobby. She
wandered over to a directory posted on the wall and ran a gloved hand down the
list of names on the directory. She shook her head and did another search of
the list. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the guard desk near the
front door. She could tell that the guard was looking her way. She wasn’t sure
if he wanted to help her or devour her, but either way, the effect would be the
same. She turned away from the wall to directly face the guard station.
The guard
immediately looked away, a slight rose color rising in his cheeks. He knew he’d
been caught staring. Now the woman he was staring at was walking toward him.
Anabelle knew that at this point, his heart would be racing. He would be
nervous about why this beautiful woman was approaching him; would he have to
explain his bad behavior? Anabelle smiled coyly at him and walked up to his
desk. She put a hand on the corner of the desk and leaned against it, still
smiling and making eye contact with the guard. His eyes jumped around,
apparently unsure where he should look.
“Hello
sir, I was wondering if you could help me find somebody.”
The
guard’s relief was almost visible as he exhaled in a sigh. “Absolutely, madam.”
“Mademoiselle.”
Anabelle corrected him.
“Oh. I’m
very sorry, Mademoiselle. Who are you looking for?” The guard smiled a
friendly, if awkward, smile. Anabelle could tell that he was a bit lonely; no
doubt he spent most of his day sitting at this desk without many people to talk
with.
She smiled
broadly. “Oh, thank you sir. I am looking for a Mr. Timothy Tweedie.”
The guard
sat for a moment in thought. “You know, Mademoi…”
“Please,
call me Rose. It’s easier.” She winked at the guard.
“Yes, of
course, Rose. I was going to say that I don’t believe I had heard that name
before. Are you certain he works in this building?”
“Well, I
think so. This is the Albert Trust building, is it not?” She feigned a confused
look.
“No, Rose.
I’m sorry. This is the Victorian Bank.” The guard helpfully pointed to a logo
inlaid in the lobby floor that clearly stated the name of the bank.
“Ahh!”
Anabelle exclaimed playfully. “I am such a fool.” She flipped her head back and
laughed liltingly.
“Nonsense,
Rose. It was a perfectly honest mistake.” The guard tried to reassure her.
Anabelle
brushed a lock of hair away from her face, again making eye contact with the
guard. “I am very sorry to have taken your time…” she looked at the name card
on his desk, “John. Thank you for your patience.”
“Do you
know how to find the Albert Trust?”
“Apparently
not.” Annabelle giggled, waiting for the inevitable.
“Let me
give you some directions.”
Anabelle
reached out and grabbed his arm. “You kind soul. You would do that for me?”
The guard
smiled sheepishly and winked, “Don’t tell anyone.” He pulled out a map of the
city, and laid it out on the desk. Anabelle leaned over with her elbows on the
desk, and rested her chin on her hands. She caught the guards wandering eyes as
she did so.
“So we’re
right here.” The guard pointed a pencil at the map.
“mmmhmm.”
Anabelle responded. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Phineas enter through
the front door. He tipped his hat at the guard naturally, and kept walking
toward the stairwell.
Meanwhile,
the guard continued to explain the way to get to the Albert trust building.
Anabelle continued to nod and acknowledge him, though her mind was not on the
present conversation, but rather on her efforts to keep the guards eyes away
from the lobby for another minute.
“So there
you have it. It’s a short walk.” The guard looked up and smiled. Then a concerned
look fell on his face. “Excuse me, Rose.” He stood up and started to walk
briskly toward the stairs to head off Phineas.
“John?”
Anabelle tried to get him to turn back.
The guard
stopped impatiently. “Sorry Rose, I have to go.”
“Could you
just point me to the Ladies’ Room?”
“Yes,
right over there.” He pointed at a clearly marked door near the stairwell, and
broke into a jog. “WAIT!” he shouted at Phineas.
***
Phineas
stopped dead in his tracks. He made eye contact with Anabelle and smiled. He
could tell by the look on her face that she was not happy that he acknowledged
her. She rushed past him to the restroom without returning his look. The guard
arrived at the same time.
“Sorry, I
didn’t check your credentials. I can’t let you go past the lobby without credentials.”
He looked at the logo on the jumpsuit, AirVentures. “Here for the airship?”
“Yes sir.
Just routine maintenance.”
“Huh. I
thought Mark was just here last week to do maintenance.”
“Yeah.
There’s a lot of maintenance on an airship. You just wouldn’t believe it.”
“Actually,
I would. You know—Mark’s never mentioned you before. What’s your name?”
“Ted. Ted
Johnston. Mark’s out sick today.”
The guard
got a suspicious look on his face. “Strange that. Mark looked fine this morning
when he left the house. Mark’s my brother, and my roommate.”
The guard
started walking toward Phineas, and reached for the handcuffs on his belt.
Phineas saw the entire operation failing here if he didn’t think fast. “Ok. I
lied.”
“I know you lied. That’s why I’m about to arrest you.”
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