The Beauty And The Heist

Chapter 32

Issac tracked down Roy to a small cottage near Nuuk. Ice and snow formed an Arctic landscape for as far as the eye could see. Damien was kind enough to pick up a heavy jacket and boots that were twice as heavy as me.

The cottage was smaller than I imagined but extremely cozy. Adrian knocked on the door. I don't know if he was trying to scare the poor professor out of his wits but being a Mafia Boss flanked by two giants, one of the most notorious hackers in history and a girl that was a nightmare for most teachers wasn't exactly comforting.

Adrian knocked on the wooden door and we waited in silence.

A man who was dressed in a snug looking parka answered it. He was wearing spectacles and was holding a glass filled with amber whiskey in one hand and a Glock in the other. How casual. I recognized him immediately.

"Adrian." He blinked at him in disbelief.

A gentle smile graced Adrian's lips. One that he reserved for Carelia and Roy.

Roy dropped the firearm and embraced Adrian.

"It's okay, Uncle, I'm here now." Adrian comforted him, rubbing his back.

I rolled my eyes and walked past them into the house.

Minutes later, the four of us were in the warm cabin as the snow fell outside.

Adrian had smiled sweetly and offered me a glass of whiskey. I had smiled sweetly and reminded him that alcohol was flammable and that we had very fond memories with flammable shit. Although I knew that the drinks at the party were spiked with some hypnotic agent, scopolamine, as Adrian told me, I wasn't too keen on drinking again.

"So, professor, what exactly happened?" I asked, glaring at him.

Roy sighed. "Nice to meet you Chevron, now I see what faculty was so concerned about."

I frowned and the three of them scoffed.

"She's something, isn't she?" Isaac asked.

"A freak oddity of nature." Adrian added.

"That's not what you said on the plane." I reminded him.

Antonio and Damien coughed loudly and Roy looked scandalized.

"So, what now?" Antonio asked.

"Vickram, we need to know what security the Abandonatos have installed to protect the prints." Adrian spoke up.

"You won't get it from me, Adrian. It's dangerous and risky." Roy said.

"You owe it. We are the reason you are safe. Adrian's name was protecting you." I snapped. Rude? Yes. Effective? Yes.

"What do you want to know?"

"Where are the blueprints?" I asked.

"Project Stelle was supposed to be for the Abandonatos before Adrian came into the picture to screw everything up. I was in il labirinto to design the blueprints. The Abandonatos wouldn't let me work outside." He laughed bitterly. "Guess they were right."

We waited for him to continue.

"The blueprints are hidden in a maze. Il labirinto. The maze is confusing enough, it was an old dungeon from the medieval times. You cannot navigate it." He relented.

"Unless you have the layouts." I whispered.

Roy's eyes widened. "Yes, and only two people have them."

"Roberto and Abandonato." Adrian said. Roberto's name sent a shiver down my spine and I subtly scooted closer to Adrian.

"Yes. And assuming you get the layouts from one of them. Then what?" Antonio asked.