rich girl.

“ugh, i’m so glad i don’t have to go talk to another burglar. i think seeing a younger, cooler version of myself might kill me. do you think this safe engineer is really all they are cracked up to be?” 

“Am I jet-lagged? Yes. Hungover? A little bit. In prime shape ready to con some fat-cat tourists. . . you tell me.” 

“You think being the damsel in distress is bad, I’ve been relegated to box mover. That’s a real fine use of my skills that have been latent for so long.” 

-

“Maybe we should’ve seen it coming.” Maybe Ash should’ve done their research better. Zena’s words awoke something in Ash - the freedom to go to wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted completely gone in a moment by being in the same four walls made Ash freeze. No. They needed to be free, they couldn’t see themselves surviving being in one place with no where to run, no where to disappear. “Well, I guess we’re going to have to make sure it won’t happen so none of the us will have to suffer through what Rick did.”

She frowns, “I don’t like to think that way. Looking back and suggesting we should have distrusted each other means that we weren’t deserving of that trust. Giving or receiving.” If they shouldn’t have trusted Archie, then they shouldn’t have trusted anyone. Archie hadn’t given any major indicators that he was less-deserving. Zena feared a past where no one in the group had gone all in the the way she had. That’s the reason they were still together now: they took a risk, they paid for it, but they paid together. “That’s the attitude I’m looking for. Second time is the charm.” 

The trust between Zena and Fi was non-existent, and Fiona knew it was mostly her own fault by whatever she felt was the problem with Zena. She couldn’t place it, but she found it hard to trust the other woman from the jump of everything and yet she’d always been willing to work with her because she was, for better or worse, the very best at what she does.

A slow exhale marks her first response, letting her eyes fall closed as if she were counting to ten, or maybe just trying to think of exactly how to broach the subject, “If that is what it takes I will let Rick know that he has to show up and ask you himself. I didn’t show up because I wanted to, or because either of us have any deep love for the other. You are who he wants and I know that you are the best, regardless of how I FEEL about you. We cannot afford to… have these sorts of disagreements the entire length of the job, however…”

It must have been one wrong first impression that ruined their relationship. One word or glance out of place, that wasn’t supposed to do any harm, but that ruined everything. It was highly likely that Zena perceived some non-existent slight and got defensive and resentful from the beginning. But since neither of them could remember what started this feud, there was no way to apologize and forgive each other for it. And there was no way Zena could concede out loud that she may have been the one to poison the water at the start. 

“Maybe if we had more time, maybe if someone of us had done our job correctly,” Ash were talking about themselves. “none of this would’ve happened. Rick wouldn’t be in jail.” Of course they appreciated Rick taking the fall, spending time in prison so all of them could be free but still, it could’ve been avoided. Ash should’ve been better. “Fiona?” Then there has to be something she wants. “What do you think he has to lose? Except for more jail time?”

“Maybe if Archie hadn’t screwed us over,” hissed Zena. She’d never liked Archie, he seemed to good to be true and he was. She pinned all of the group’s misfortune on him. Presumably because, although it was naive and she wouldn’t admit it, this group was her family. And there was no higher offense than someone betraying that bond. “As far as I know. Fiona got the intel and then passed it on to Rick. And if they catch Rick again this time, it’ll be jail for life. I-I can’t even imagine how scary that is. The prospect of freedom totally crushed.” 

It sounded like domestic life she really did need a getaway and to get interested in something again. That’s why they’d jumped back in, right? To get hooked in and live life instead of enduring it. He might have made a comment about his brother, imagining him in that dull life in a small house. But instead he just smiled, “Well it’s good to have you back.”

She entertainned his question, though it wasn’t anything specific. He did like the idea of her causing some sort of scandal or drama around something stolen. It made him wonder how often she instigated one of those fusses just to squeeze something out of the peace that she was escaping from. “That must be quite enthralling. Playing games with your neighbours.” He grinned as he imagined it all.

“I try to avoid in person scams these days; most of them are over the internet. Amazing where that went in the last 25 years. But it’s rather impersonal, and I do get an itch every now and then. Once, I decided to collect a bit of census information. Not as exciting as your neighborhood drama, but you got to love certain people’s trust in their government.” It was peanuts in comparison to what they could have achieved all those years ago, and peanuts in comparison to what they were about to do, if they could pull it off. “What was the craziest theory you heard from your neighbours?”

“Thanks,” the word rang with genuine warm. A rare, fully earnest moment. But then it was right back to the performance, not one that was wholly ingenuine. But a sort of dance with other criminals to make sure that there was never too much information revealed. Again, she shrugs and laughs, “Not as fun as playing with national governments or highly trained security guards, but it gets me through the day.” 

“That makes sense. How very forward-thinking of you to move into the digital space. I imagine your reach is far wider, and much more lucrative. I’m ashamed to say I never got into cyber-crimes. It takes the fun out of for me. The face to face is the best part, right? Looking in someone’s eyes and knowing that you have them hook, line, and sinker. It’s cruel, of course, but so satisfying.” she finds herself rambling and is only drawn back by his question , “Most of them were . . . basic stuff. But one of them tried to pin it on the neighborhood cockatiel. Saying tat birds are drawn to shiny objects. I got a good laugh out of that one.” 

“Are you worried, though, that we’re out of practice? I mean, with the in person stuff? This mission might involve a lot of it. God, listen to me, I said mission.” 

“you don’t have to back-track. you meant what you said - at least i know i can trust you to be honest,” rick said, though, he did not care in the slightest how much his physical image had deteriorated this past couple of years. subsequently, he didn’t take offense at zena’s bluntness. in fact, he appreciated that she hadn’t changed, or developed some habit of sugarcoating things. “well, what were you expecting?” 

the man sighed, nodding. “fi called, right?” they’d known each other long enough to know he wasn’t genuinely wondering; by asking, rick was hoping for a different kind of confirmation. “i wouldn’t say ‘ruin’. zena, how come you’re not sold?” 

“i did. . . a little,” she laughed, “but 25 years does that to everyone, including me. we’re not our younger selves.” it was nice to talk to him, since she had adopted the habit of sugarcoating things since she started living in an affluent neighborhood in upstate new york. she hated having to talk all the time like everything was perfect, especially other people. but with the team she didn’t have to be anyone but herself. 

He was on his lunch break, having his usual lunch at a small cafe around the corner from the university. He thought he had noticed Zena, but he didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t want to get his hopes up that someone… anyone… had come back for him. Granted, Max chose to stay here but he couldn’t help but feel left out when no one bothered to call. “I… no.” He shook his head. He already knew his answer was going to be yes. But he couldn’t help but feel weird with everyone only wanting to speak to him again since they had a new job coming. “I mean, I know what they want. They’re not going to let me say no.”

The tension between the two of them had existed since what seemed like the dawn of time, and though Fiona was fully aware of her part in it — her distrust of Zena was no secret — but the job needed her and that’s what mattered. There was a short beat of silence before she exhaled softly and responded, “It does ring a bell and I don’t remember that being anything to do with Richard — he’s the one asking more than I am. You know how he is.”

To appeal to Zena she’d apply the person she probably didn’t hate after everything who had any actual sway. The word please died on Fiona’s lips before it could be spoken and instead she waited in silence.

Zena didn’t like being told what to do. Especially not by someone who acted like they knew better than her. and while it was highly likely that Fiona was far more intelligent and correct in almost every situation, that only made Zena resent her more. The only reason Zena liked Rick is that he reminded her of the men she grew up around.  She would never admit that bias, though. 

-

There was a very short list of people that knows where Ash is at all times, they didn’t have the right to tell Zena without their permission but they had to, considering that the team wanted to get back together again, as if they haven’t learned their lesson last time they screwed up. That Ash screwed up. “It’s been more than twenty years, why now? Rick could’ve called us at any point, so why now? Doesn’t that make you think a little?” Ash always over-analyzed stuff but that’s how they kept themselves alive by being cautious - on the verge of being paranoid.

Zena sighs and falls into the chair nearest Ash. “I don’t like to make excuses for anyone, y’know? But I’m glad I never heard a word from Rick until now. I didn’t want the world, especially the police, to see that I had any connection to him whatsoever. I think he did us a favor.” she has to resist the urge to get up a start pacing. Defending others wasn’t her strong suit, but she was fond of Rick, and wanted to get Ash on board. The team would be helpless without them. “It was Fiona that initiated the heist and that called me. But the only reason I’m on board is because Rick is. He has the most to lose. . . I think.”

Zena’s reaction is no less than expected  -  one Angie had fully prepared to, and responds by simply wrinkling up her nose on the woman’s direction. Gladly, her friend is quick on joining her by the sofa, and she promptly offers her a little popcorn, eyes fixed on the television as if watching the movie for the first time. Zena’s eyes on her don’t go unnoticed, but don’t get much thought either. It’s only when the woman speaks that Angie finds herself swallowing dry, slightly fixing her posture in an anxious instinct.

Cheek still a bump thanks to her candy, Angelina gives her friend a pair of big eyes. “Got a few of those, actually.” finally does she take the lollipop out of her mouth, moving around the couch to properly face Zena. “And a visit at the salon. Gossip for later. ” that part she emotes rather dramatically,  already riled up with the possibility of a little tattler later on. “They were- pretty convincing, right? I mean, I’m not about to do any of that, you know how I’m doing just fine now.” the sudden end to her sentence implies she’s been more than haunted by the idea of going back, but even without it Angie knows better than to think Zena could be fooled. She gives the woman a nearly pleading look, well aware of how completely unable to resist temptation she herself was. “Are you… considering it?”

It wasn’t a question Zena wanted to bring up. She wanted movie night to be normal and boring and wonderful just like it always was. Saturday was always the best night of her week. If she didn’t think that the guilt of being a burden would consume her, Zena would have asked Angie to move in a long time ago. But Angie had a life and a salon, and Zena wouldn’t take that away. But every day just felt like time spent waiting for the next Saturday. So she wanted to keep movie night perfect and pristine, but she couldn’t. The question rang too loud in her head, ‘Are you in?’.

-

“As did I,” Fen admits, “As much as I wish I could say I planted myself there to get drunk and flirt with the bartender, it may or may not have turned a business mission to pick up a few trade secrets from the pretty lady. If I recall correctly, I actually managed to pull a few recipes from her by the end of night.”

Fen scans the top shelf before reaching for a bottle of Burgundy, pouring Zena a healthy glass. “I’ve been alright– work and family have been keeping me busy these days. What about you, Z? I think your wedding may have the last time we saw each other…”

What Fen doesn’t mention is the dull throb her heart feels, when she thinks about how far she had trailed away from the team over the years. The harsh truth was that in many ways, Fen had let it happen. Weeks with without the occasional phone call had somehow turned to years and before she knew it, her adventures with the team had become all but bedtime stories for her niece and nephews. 

“Jesus, maybe I spent more time with you that night than I did with him,” she laughed, trying to muster up any figments of memory from that evening. She laughs at Fen’s words, the sound turning into a sigh of relief, “Oh good, I’m glad you have some recollection from that evening. For a second there I thought you and I had. . .”

She doesn’t finish the thought, and instead fixes her eyes on the bottle of wine. Zena was no snob, she’d reach for the eight dollar bottles when shopping for herself. So she couldn’t appreciate the generosity as much as Fen may have hoped. Still she whispered a genuine ‘Thank you,’ as she accepted the glass. “I’m glad you are busy and with family, no less, I might pop by and see mine while I’m in town. It’s been too long since I’ve visited anyone I care about. Except Angie, of course.” 

“God, was that really the last time we saw each other?” she exclaims, taking a long sip from the glass, “Seems like a whole other lifetime.” 

“I’m fine, I’m fine, I suppose,” this was clearly not true, “I thought being rich would be nice. And it is. I do a lot of puzzles, and reorganize my closet, I even did some charity work. But, god, it’s boring. I think there’s a secret no one told me, I just had to figure it out for myself: there’s no point in having money if you don’t have anyone to spend it with. There’s only so many times I can buy a $100 gem pack on Bejeweled and still feel the rush.” 

With a shrug his shoulder, he replies casually, “Not for lack of trying.” Of the bridges he didn’t burn either by choice or fate, it didn’t leave many people who were all that friendly with him. Actually, most of them would be part of the crew that he hadn’t seen in a long time.

He gave a nod, “You must be quite good at domestic life if it’s too peaceful for you. Lot of the talk I hear is about how it’s far from quiet. But nonetheless, it’s nice to have you on the team again.”

“I’ll have you know that the poor schmucks pay very well for all sorts of crap. But I sell quality and genuine goods. So long as they don’t ask where it comes from,” he winked. “Now surely, you didn’t hang up your gloves when we all left. People like us don’t go long living an ordinary life. I’ll tell you one of mine if you tell me one of yours.” He liked hearing about schemes or more in her case, things she swiped.

Zena frowns, that strange pity she’d been feeling a lot lately welling back up in her chest. Reunions were supposed to be happy, right? So why did seeing all of them again make her so sad? Maybe it was the fact that they’d gotten so much older or maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t put in the effort to grow old with them. 

“Or maybe I’m doing it very wrong. There was a lot of the drama at the start, but that’s calmed down now. I guess I just stopped trying, which is a fairly surefire way to make it uninteresting. So I’m glad to be back,” the reply was more candid than she expected, so she shrugged. 

“Ah I see,” she says, smiling and nodding knowingly. That was so Jack. She twirled, as she walked circles around him, letting her long hair sweep behind her. “Oh you know, I live in a very nice neighborhood, go to fancy parties, and sometimes art or jewelry goes missing. Just little things here and there. The neighborhood is all in a fuss about it and they love to tell me their theories. Their completely wrong theories. Just hav eto keep my edge, you know?”

“Your turn.” 

“My at-the-moment cave,” Ash shrugged but smiled at Zena’s suggestion, should they tell her that they mostly eat chips and drink champagne and forget to eat like a normal person? Probably not. “How did you find me?”

“I’m happy to say that I haven’t had to move in, gosh, more than ten years now. It’s actually kind of nice to settle down, if that’s your style,” she shrugs, she didn’t want to make it sound like she was bragging. It was just uncharacteristic for someone like her to be able to stay in one place. It was a testament to how careful she’d been since the big break. “Oh I didn’t find you. That’s what the smarter people on the team are for. But I figured another friendly face couldn’t hurt in convincing you to sign back on. Unless. . .is life good for you here in the at-the-moment cave?” 

Jack tilted his head and smirked, “A unicorn. That might be the nicest thing someone’s said to me in a while.” Eyes tracked her as she moved; a habit he had to read the room. He held up his hands briefly, gesturing that he’d step away from talking about ghosts. Maybe it was too soon, but 25 years was long enough, wasn’t it?

Her answer was brief for all the time that had passed, but he let it go. “It’s sounds like you’ve been busy. Me? Yep, never left,” he grinned. “Reopened my shop. Different name and place of course.” He paused for a moment then added, “Didn’t quite settle into a domestic life. How is it?”

“Jesus Jack, you’ve got to get better friends,” she says, chuckling softly under her breath. But she knew how hard it was to make good friends in this line of work. Even though the team was like a family to her, she kpet looking for connection and kept being disappointed. She thought maybe this crew were the only bunch of decently kind criminals out there. 

Zena didn’t like to talk about the dead or the missing. The subject was rather taboo for her, after her father’s passing. She only thought about the people that were right in front of her. The only exception to that was the crew, and how she thought about them over the past twenty five years. 

“Sooooo busy,” she sighs, her voice laden with sarcasm. She was too proud to admit she was bored out of her mind, but the truth had a way of floating to the surface. “domestic life is . . . peaceful. But sometimes I need a vacation from peaceful. Which is why I’m here.” 

Zena laughs, “Still selling snake oil? Poor schmucks.” 

“I hope it’s more like seeing a mythical creature, and not a ghost. I think we’ve got enough ghosts as it is, don’t you think? But anyways, what’ve you been up to all this time, hmm?”

“Yeah, you’re a real . .. unicorn,” she says, walking past him and squeezing his shoulder. Zena tended to walk in circles around people when she wasn’t comfortable in a situation. She waggles her fingers at him playfully, “Ooooh, don’t get all spooky on me now Jack. Too soon for that.”