He spent a long time on the preparations. Stake-outs, observing schedules, making sure everything would go right. It was a tricky and risky scheme, but to Trace, it was like stealing a lollipop from a child.
Natalie Bennet was a darling. Friendly, polite, charming, dutiful. She was a good and innocent girl and lucky for her, Trace didn't intend to harm her. She was only a tool in the plan and ideally would not notice anything until it's all over.
She would notice her phone to be missing though after her short stop in the bakery. There, Trace would wait in the line right behind her, in inconspicuous disguise with a simple grey coat, hat and makeup to hide the green. No one would recognize him unless they looked close enough and everyone in this city was too busy with their own problems to do so.
With skilled sleight of hand, he slipped her phone out of her pocket and let it disappear in his own. It has been a while since he needed to rely on pickpocketing to make a living, but he didn't unlearn a thing.
Natalie, still unsuspecting, left the bakery and returned to her usual schedule. Trace had bigger plans though. He absconded into an empty back alley to dig through her contacts. It didn't take long for him to find the desired one. Ah yes, 'Henry'.
Without a doubt, that's the one. The Crew's Big ol brute and for some weird reason Natalie's sweetheart. He called the number, waiting for the other side to pick up. Trace was equally excited and anxious. His heart was racing and even skipped a beat when he heard the call getting answered. Hopefully, Boxcars took his time to take a good look at the number.
The grin on Trace's face was certainly audible when he spoke.
