The Heist (Jaakko and the gang)

[Auburn Dallas]

Auburn saw it the moment Michael did, and before his looked in her direction, her feet hand already started to move. Time stood still in those few seconds and she felt her heart beat faster than it ever had before. Thoughts and mental visuals flooded her mind, multiple possibilities of how things could possibly end played like a film in  her mind's eye. News articles, beatings, defaming. This would end badly. This could end badly. In those quick mental seconds, voices followed voicing concern about possible failure. Others went on about their imminent death. The loudest voice, however, lit a flame inside of her. It screamed over all the voices. It forced a more important visual image into her head - Jaakko, HER Jaakko, in trouble. In DANGER even. 

All personal doubts that had started to torment her soon burned away and she found herself dashing across the grounds, narrowly avoiding slamming into oncoming workers, and just BARELY avoiding running face first into what looked like a cup of coffee. Jaakko need her and she needed to pull down her pants and show her ass.

THE FOLLOWING REPLY CAN EITHER BE CRINGEY OR AWKWARD OR HERPADERPY OR ALL OF THE ABOVE OR NONE OF THE ABOVE. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. 

"Tony, there you are, you silly head," Auburn cooed, voice sounding lower than usual and certainly nothing like her own. In fact, it made her nervous. TERRIBLY nervous. She was enthusiastic and bubbly and free willed. Husky, flirtatious speech felt like a foreign language.

Good thing she was good at learning. 

Smoothly, she snaked her arms around the boy's torso, pulling him tightly close to her in a sweet and sensual embrace. With a light snicker, Auburn nuzzled her face into his neck, breathing his skin and all the good stuff that'd she had seen lovers in the movies do.

She had to make this real... Realer than real.

With a light snicker, she leaned close and lay a light peck along the nape of his neck.

"I was looking for you, babe! After last night ... I couldn't stop thinking about you ... about us," she began, voice lowering a bit as the sentence progressed. Twirling her finger over the nape of his jaw, she chuckled. "You left your ID and stuff at my place ... and I was thinking ... maybe you'd like to come back and get it?"

Auburn had no idea how she looked on the outside. Was it beleivable? Did it seemed authentic? Could she try harder? HELL YEAH SHE COULD! 

She smirked and did a slow wink, leaning up so that their faces were just inches apart. "You know ... maybe we can do that thing again. I could do that thing you like with the balloon and the oil and the-"

Dramatically as if she hadn't noticed the guard, she quickly released her hold on Jaakko and stepped back - feigning surprise that he had been standing there the whole time.

"O-oh. I didn't see you there," Auburn began, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear before staring at the guy. She tilted her head to the side, briefly scanning him over as if he were a new form of species - one she was growing very interested in.

Eyeing him like a snack, she smirked. "You didn't tell me you found another person to be involved in our 'games'," Auburn purred, taking a step forward and looking the guard up and down.

She grinned. "Tell me ... you don't have a problem wearing weird clothing do you? I mean, I've got my preferences. Tony's got his preferences. If you want in on the action, you've got to be prepared for the worst ... because our parties can get pretty dirty."

Auburn learned in close to the guy. "So ... you in?"

[Jaakko Psevdi]

What was happening? Jaakko just stood there, eyes wide and trying his best to hide his flushed face. Auburn was throwing herself all over him and saying something about oil, and a balloon!? WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY USE THAT FOR? She was saying that they had intimate relations with each other and that gave him thoughts best left for another time.

"Uhhhhh." The guard glanced between the two, "You know what... good luck..." He coughed awkwardly before turning away from the two. Jaakko turned towards Auburn in disbelief.

"W-Wow... that was... uh..." He was lost for words, "Wha-what do you do with a balloon and oil? I mean, uh, I know of course I'm just kinda curious what.. uh... yeah..." Maybe they should be focusing.

Meanwhile the lady gave Michael a concerned look before stepping off to the manager. As she walked away, Michael would have been left with a split choice - face the judgement of the manager or slip his hand underneath the plastic and grab the nearest key he could. 

[Michael Montenegro]

Michael clicked his tongue as she stepped away. They keys laid in front of him, bare, with clear indentation as to which truck it belonged to. It would be so easy to grab the key and make a run for it. They could gas it up and burst out the door but likely there would be a chase, maybe even a shoot out. He didn't think they could do that slyly. On the other hand if he somehow managed to talk it out, convince the manager that he was indeed the Old, Dwarf that the card did indeed belong to, it would be nothing but smooth sailing.

Seconds began to pass as Michael thought it through. Fuck it. It was quite the situation to say fuck it to. But, when trapped between a rock and a hard place you have to choice which surface you'd rather smack your face against.  He strained his fingers passed the guard and reached for the keys. They were inches out of reach, his fingers dancing on the serrated metal. He wormed a finger along the key chain and began to slide it off the hook. It gave and slowly slid up before it slipped, and fell onto the desk below with in a sound that could be described as noisy.

Michael tensed up. Did it sound the alarm, had they been screwed over? He looked behind him and those standing around seemingly didn't give a damn. Peering behind the bars the infuriatingly inquisitive tender didn't seem to notice either. Taking another deep breath he got back to work. Peering down the keys it laid across a sheet of paper but the actual key set was out of reach. It seemed to have rolled back and away from him. The sheet was to far away as well, just barely out of his reach, "Gods be damned."

Taking another look around, he checked out how perceptive those around him were being. The answer was not very. But, what he was about to do, would take an idiot to miss. It wasn't smooth, he leaned hard against the bars pressing his skin into the cool metal. His face squished up and his necked careened to the side just to give a little extra length. He couldn't see, but he patted the table, and triumphantly touched the corner of the paper. He smirked to himself and slid it back towards him along with the key. Without a second of hesitation he snatched the set up.

He turned on his heel and made for his two partners. Jaakko was flustered by something, he didn't watch the situation play out, "While I too would love to learn about this trick, the oil and balloon can wait." Michael dangled the keys in front of them. "It's about time for us to fuck off. With relative speed."

[Auburn Dallas]

Auburn watched proudly as the guard, obviously uncomfortably, walked off. The moment he was no longer in earshot, the girl let out a series of proud snickers - suppressing the strong desire to squeal and laugh and jump about. It was a minor win and definately small compared to the huge stakes that the primary mission had presented. With a proud chirp she turned on her heels to face Jaakko. With a small step, she inched closer.

"D-did you see that?! He totally got the message! I mean, I WANTED it to work - to save you, ya know - but I was worried he wouldn't catch on!" Breathing a sigh of relief, she pat her cheeks. "Man ... I should have took it another level," she whined, a little somber about her performance. "I mean, what if I went into more detail! What if I mentioned the pickles and the eggs and all the other people?!" She groaned, hiding her face in her palms before turning her attention to Jaakko and his question.

She rose an eyebrow in amusement at the boys naivety. "Ummm, I was pretty sure I made it quite clear with it, Jaakko! I mean ... have you never?" Her eyes widened and she found a bigger smile pulling her lips. Looking both ways, she slowly leaned in. Cupping her hands around his ears, she whispered. "I meant ... a deep-fried PICKLE SPLIT PARTY!"

She took a step back and frowned. "I know its not the TRADITIONAL take on the pickle split but ... I mean think about it. EVERYTHING is better deep-fried." Auburn tilted her head to the side. "Was it not obvious?"

Michael's voice alerted her and she turned to face him, eyes locking with the keys in his hands. A squeal broke her lips and she nodded. "I call shotgun! And I can tell you! Its pretty cool! I mean, as far as the trick goes, I'm pretty sure I'm the ONLY one in the world who can do it!"

[Jaakko Psevdi]

Jaakko was left, mouth wide open and his mind racing as he tried to find a way to reply to the NONSENSE Auburn just said. What was a pickle split? Was this some exotic To-Chamenian food because it sounded absolutely disgusting. "I mean... I totally understood all of that." He didn't, "YEAH, deep fried pickle splits, way superior." BUT WHAT WAS IT.

Jaakko snapped into action with Michael's appearance, "W-Wait so we're just going to take it? Did you see the guys with guns!?" He hissed as he followed the two. This was getting worse by the moment and Jaakko was beginning to think they hadn't thought this plan out well enough. The keys on a number that matched one of the trucks that had been mostly loaded up by now, "Oh gods, guys there has to be another way around this!"

But the guards were stirring, the lady had gotten back and noticed Michael no longer there - with keys missing. The guards were beginning to respond to this revelation and Jaakko could see them moving faster, "Oh no, this isn't good..."

Yet... the guards weren't moving towards them. Something had caught their attention far off towards the fence, "Hey, look!" One of the guards shouted as it a truck sped towards the checkpoint at the gate. Suddenly the truck smashed into the fence, and exploded with a intense fury that rocked the fence and sent a loud wave that sent ringing into Jaakko's ears. The guards were moving towards the gate just as other people were charging through it, a red flag flying as they went, Jaakko had recognized it from the darkest parts of the news - the flag belonging to the Thelotian Anarchists. They had found themselves in the middle of an attack.

"Guys!" Jaakko yelped as the first shots started to ring out, the crackling from the rifle ringing loud, "Let's go!"

[Michael Montenegro]

The explosion rocked Michael sending forth a burst of air the sent his hair into a frenzy. They had found themselves in the middle of a political battle that they held no piece in. They chances of being shot, blown up, maimed, or generally disfigured skyrocketed. It was a horrible. Except, once Michael had processed everything that was happening, it wasn't so bad. This was their chance to escape.

Jaakko was the first to get a move on. Michael smirked and ran up to the truck and threw the latch open. "Come along now." Michael gestured to the others throwing open the passenger door. He cracked his knuckles looking upon the crowded dash. It was a bit more complicated than most and he didn't know what all the levers, buttons, and pulleys did. But, he recognized the key slot. Michael bent down to twist the key when a bullet whizzed over his head and cracked the front pane. Michael was shocked and emitted a light chuckle at the near death situation. He quickly turned on the truck, which roared to life. It was loud, and likely to summon attention.

Michael gripped the steering wheel and looked towards the crowded way out. The fire, the people, the gunshots. He flipped it into drive and briefly glanced to the two, "You guys ready for this?"

[Auburn Dallas]

Auburn had been joyously proclaiming the wisdom of the deep-fried pickle split. Just how long you should have the pickle deep fried. How you could substitute the sunny-side egg with an evenly cut hard boiled one. How she had taken a liking to adding raisins and coffee beans to hers. How, if done correctly, you could eat the whole thing in ONE bite. She was a master at it and it'd taken her MONTHS to perfect it, but she was a master. She was going on about how she'd show and teach them when she'd noticed Jaakko's eyes watch something in the distance.

With a smile, she turned her head trying to follow his gaze. "What the heck are you looking a-"

Her words were cut short by an eruption of sound, flames, and the trembling of the ground upon the unspected impact.

A sharp tone rung in her ears and for a brief moment, she everything sounded dull, muffled, and unfamiliar. Her eyes moved to the source instantly, attempting to figure out just what the hell happened. She was met with a visual of invaders, most holding guns.

Guns - one of the few things that she TRULY hated and feared.

As if on cue, shots began to fire - echoing throughout the lot. Sound clashed with sound in a battle of dominance, as incoherent screams and orders through themselves into the mix. Jaakko's voice, parted through the chaos like a sword ripping through paper. Auburn nodded and she turned on her heels towards the truck. Behind her, the sounds of screams grew louder and in a variety of pitches. Some sounded angry. Others full of pride and sacrifice. Most were drowning in fear. Some screams ending prematurely. In all cases, however, Auburn had a strong inkling that all - if not a few exceptions - were followed by death.

Death. Only a few feet away. Not even a 10 minute walk from right were she was standing.

Michael tore her from falling into a pit of anxiety after unlocking the door and in a flash she scurried inside like a rodent going into hiding. Her eyes locked with Michael's for a second.

"D-dude! What the actual fu-"

Her voice was halted when the sound of something zooming past quicker than her mind could process before make a quick thud. A bullet … flew into the truck … almost shooting her friend in the head. Auburn eyes watched the potential victim with horrified eyes, mouth hanging agar at both the fact that he had just NARROWLY escaped death AND that he was smiling about it like it was all some joke. Smiling… SMILING!! When he could have DIED. Hell, they all could have died. Had they been caught at the gates … had she not freaked out the guard … had Jaakko have chosen a truck closer to where the other truck had rammed. DEAD!

In that moment, it finally sunk in just how dangerous this business was. They broke into one of the largest most successful organizations - Titan Inc - and had stollen mana. They could potentially be shot ANY moment now or in the future whilst selling mana. They were literally dancing with Death and stepping on his toes one too many times. They were making STUPID, ABNORMAL, DANGEROUS choices that made her question if she'd make it to graduation …

But she never felt so alive and despite all the confusion and chaos of the world outside the truck - everything inside made sense.

The car engine boomed to life and her eyes moved over to Michael, his words sending a wave of excitement through every bone, nerve, vein, artery, and atom in her body.

A dangerous smiled pulled her lips and she nodded, biting the inside of her lip. "Dude," Auburn purred, eyes moving over to the flames and the fighting bodies in their way, "I was BOOOORN ready."

And, in the moment, she felt that she really was!

[Jaakko Psevdi]

Jaakko ducked into the truck, keeping his hand over his head as if it would protect from the damage a bullet could do. "Stop shooting at the extremely explosive mana you DUMB FUCKS!" Jaakko's yelled out as the truck roared to life. "Y-you can drive right? WHY ARE YOU TWO SO CHILL RIGHT NOW?!"

The anarchists were flooding into the facility, looking to overrun this depot. Why though? Why statement did it send? The anarchists were more bent on the chaotic tactics then the larger Rebels, but this was just cruelty. So you're going to kill a bunch of hard working people with no connection to the fight? Good on you!

"You think this can break through the fence?" Jaakko asked Michael, "Because I think if we drive through the anarchists they might actually kill us."

[Michael Montenegro]

The truth was Michael wasn't sure if he could drive through it, but, the only other option was attempting to blow through a sea of people. He was sure their guts would clog up his wheels so the only other option was through the fence. "Fingers crossed, Jaakko." Michael spoke before pushing the gas pedal against the floor. The wheels spun out before picking up. The large truck roared to life as it pulled off the bay.

The large, moving object seemed to catch a few more bullets. They didn't seem to be stray shots, they'd become a target of interest. With each additional bullet that buried into the side of the truck, Michael felt increasingly certain one would piece the mana and give them all a nice fire bath. "Hold tight!" Michael called out as he turned sharply. People dodged out of the path of the speeding truck as Michael barreled into a small gap between two trucks. The space wasn't large enough and the side skidded erupting a loud metallic scraping sound.

As they shot off the concrete the truck seemed to have little balance. They felt every bump and mound, and even caught a little air as they shot across the small grassy plane. Everything in the interior shook, small papers cascaded in the cab, Michael could hear distinct rattling from the mana cans in the back as well, a noise that wasn't quite comforting. Bullets smacked against the back of the truck, one last attempt to get the crew before they escaped. The truck plowed headfirst into the fence. The metal defense gave way and smashed from the force. It snapped off the braces and blew forward, rolling up on off the truck as they escaped the immediate danger.