A Matter of Urgency [for Amelia]

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön has come to the Fox and Crosier with something odd, today, a sizable piece of luggage with a handle at one end and little wheels at the other, a briefcase hanging from his other hand. His cane is hanging on the luggage, for the moment.

He leaves his name with the front desk, asking Amelia to be told he's here whenever she wakes. That done, he makes his way to the dining room to wait.

Comments

[rogueinladysclothing]

It would be customary for people to come in through the front door when they return to their home, but not Amelia. No, this young rogue prefers the comfort and familiarity of climbing into her room from the branches of the yew tree outside her window, and today is no different. Today, however, she finds a note on a small piece of parchment slipped under her door when she arrives. After reading it, she runs down to the dining room, all of her weapons strapped firmly around her waist.

Upon seeing Schön, she approaches him, giving a nod as a way of greeting when he looks her way. She doesn't sit. "I was going to call on you tomorrow, once I had finalized the agreement for the warehouse that you wanted, but I suppose that will have to wait." Even if she doesn't know exactly what he's got with him, she can guess well enough that most of it's luggage of some sort. "What can I do for you today?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"You seemed anxious for a challenge, and now I have one for you. I have become aware of a world that, in a little less than a month, will die burning. In its last days, its guardians of law and order will have their hands full simply dealing with people, and that will be our window for operation. You will have until then to study the security arrangements at a number of locations in preparation for neutralizing the alarms and making off with as much of the art as possible."

He opens the briefcase, drawing out several folders, placing them on the table. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Mori Museum, the Oxford Library, the Tower of London, the De Beers warehouse, the Louvre.

[rogueinladysclothing]

She knows what this is. She may not have been involved in the conversations about it, but she's heard the whispers while she practices mingling with the crowds along the Forum while still remaining unseen. Verity's world. The corners of her lips twitch downward into a frown for a moment before she settles into the seat next to Schön.

"Do you have an exact day that I should be ready by?" She slowly picks up the folder on The Met and begins leafing through it. There's a lot of information and the included tourist pamphlet shows both a lot of people and a lot of technology she doesn't know or understand. "And given the large number of targets and my unfamiliarity with this world and its technology, will I be going in alone or with help?"

So many questions. Those are a start, but there will most certainly be a lot more before this conversation is over.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I don't have an exact date, no. Three weeks, perhaps three and a half are as much as I am willing to call likely."

"Hiring help would probably be prudent, but I am placing the matter of selecting personnel in your hands. This will be your operation, to accomplish as you see fit." Putting a hand on the wheeled suitcase, he scoots it into her reach. "To that end, your operating budget. And this."

He takes a slim siver ring from his pocket, placing it on the table. "Wear that, and you will be able to understand any language you see or hear. When you speak, the people around you will hear the language with which they are most familiar."

[rogueinladysclothing]

Three weeks isn't a lot of time, and she's certain Schön knows it as well as she does. It means a conversation with Verity is in order. Soon. She sets aside the file on The Met as he begins explaining more details about the job.

The ring is carefully examined from afar before she picks it up. It seems like a simple silver ban, even though she knows there's something magical about it. She slowly tries it on multiple fingers until finding it fits best on her left index finger. She shakes her hand lightly to test the weight, making a mental note to remember the feeling. More things to worry about, but worth it for the ease it would provide in this job.

The matter of the ring settled in her mind, she looks back at Schön. "What's available in the operation budget?" She carefully picks up the case, testing its weight, before setting it back down. "I take it I should be prudent when possible, even though I'm guessing I have a fairly large budget." It's her hope she can convince anyone she gets to go in on the job with her from the Nexus to take favors in exchange for their efforts, otherwise she might run out of money long before she stepped foot into the other world.

There's a small pause as Amelia takes a look at the names on each of the files Schön placed on the table. "Do these files contain names and pictures, or at least descriptions, of particular pieces you want to get out for sure?" It's not an unfair question. A man with his taste is likely to have a few things he'd like to own more than anything else.

As she waits for an answer, another thought occurs to her. "Are you going to need a larger warehouse space for all of this? If so, I should know now before I finish my negotiations tomorrow. If not, then I need to know what you want for another warehouse as soon as possible." Repeat customers often get better deals, after all.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

The case is somewhere in the neighborhood of sixty pounds--tightly-bundled paper is heavy, after all. "Your budget is roughly thirty million dollars, in a combination of dollars, bearer bonds, Euros, and yen. There are also four dummied Amex Black cards--they'll be good for two or three transactions, each, before the bank realizes the accounts they draw on don't actually exist." It's a big number, sure, but she already knows to be prudent with it, she doesn't need more than a nod from him on that subject. She doesn't even really need the nod.

"Names and descriptions, yes." The files are fairly thorough, for the time he had to throw them together. But then, he's had wish-lists of art sorted by museum for years.

"More space, certainly. If you have a good offer lined up, then by all means take it and we'll pick up the rest as we go. I would like your focus on this as much as possible until it's done."

[rogueinladysclothing]

Amelia pulls the small notebook Schön gave her for directions and makes a few notes about what's in the suitcase. It doesn't mean much to her, but hopefully it'll mean something to those she gets to help her with the plan.

"I'll see what I can do. When that's settled, I'll get straight to work on this." She motions to the files in front of her. There's a lot there. It's quite daunting, even for a thief as practiced as she is. On top of that, it's all in another world. But not just any world - a dying one. The task would be daunting for anyone.

"Is there anything else you'd like me to obtain for you that isn't in one of these places? Any special items a private citizen may have procured?" If he's going to ask that much of her, there's no reason she shouldn't ask about any other things he may be looking for.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Thank you." She did say she wanted a challenge. He, for his part, wants her to create a masterpiece in her favored medium. The creativity and effort needed to pull off such a heist are things he would find very refreshing, indeed.

He chuckles. "Six museums and that world's largest stockpile of diamonds aren't challenge enough? Alright. Give me time to print out that list, and I'll have it brought here."

[rogueinladysclothing]

"I'm asking for everything I can, because if something has already been stolen or is impossible to get to in the time frame allotted, I'll want fallback options." She's definitely thought this through already, which shouldn't surprise Schön in the least.

"Are there any other details I should know about this job? People to look out for - both for getting their help and avoiding at all possible. Areas in the world to avoid while traveling. Anything that might help me get this done quicker and cleaner." It's a fishing question, but one that's necessary when dealing with a world that's not her own. Also necessary in case Verity doesn't have the answers she needs.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Her answer does indeed bespeak the level to which she's considered all of this, and that gets a tight, pleased smile from the thin man.

"One general piece of advice: stay away from the costumed set. The world in question has an abundance of gaudily-dressed criminals and vigilantes who fight them, most with abilities well outside mortal limits, and virtually all with a distressing disregard for collateral damage."

[rogueinladysclothing]

They sounds like an interesting bunch, but interesting is a bad descriptor of a person whenever you're in the business of stealing things. "I will do my best to avoid them." She takes a look at the files again then stands, sweeping them up into one arm as she does so. Looks like it's time to do some shopping so she can keep them with her at all times and look over them whenever she has a free moment.

"Time to get started, then. I'll keep you apprised of any developments, as well as the status on the warehouse when I've settled the deal in the next day or so. If you need me for anything else, leave word and I'll find you as soon as I'm in."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

He nods, rising as well. "I shall wish you well, then, and look forward to our next word."

[rogueinladysclothing]

Amelia gives a nod in return before grabbing the suitcase with her free hand and heading back to her room. Once she's gone through everything a few times, she'll buy herself a messenger bag, then head off to the Forum to begin her planning.