The Night Of The Exhibition

Arnold looks at her with a serious face.

Kassius: "Sure! We could use the extra help. Come with us."

Kassius enters the passenger's seat and Ayana enters the car, sitting in the back. Arnold starts driving.

Kassius: "How did you find me here anyways?"

Ayana: "Your name popped up on the news the other day. Reports said you left Ritetown and luckily I was right in assuming you'd be going the same way too. I looked around this part of the city and saw you tonight in the restaurant being surrounded. I didn't expect you'd get into trouble so quickly though."

Kassius: "Well thanks for being there. Who knows what would've happened if you hadn't shown up."

Ayana: "It's all fine. I'm glad I could help. Are you alright little girl? What's your name?"

Ulqora: "U...Ulqora."

Ayana: "What a beautiful name for an adorable little girl."

Ulqora gets flustered and giggles.

Kassius: "Which reminds me, Ulqora. Have this."

He hands her the camera.

Kassius: "Now you can take all the pictures you want."

Ulqora: "Thank you."

Kassius: "Hehe. No problem."

They reach the motel. Arnold parks around the back and they all get out. They walk into the motel and upstairs into their room. When they open the door, the man tied up on the chair is on the floor trying to move.

Ayana: "Uh..."

Arnold: "Long story."

They all enter the room and Arnold closes the door. Arnold helps the man up.

Man: "I'm... so hungry."

Kassius: "Don't worry. We have some food."

Ulqora starts yawning and losing balance. Arnold picks her up on his back and takes her to one of the rooms. He tucks her into bed.

Arnold: "Goodnight."

Ulqora falls asleep and Arnold walks back to the living room.

Kassius: "Open wide! Aaaaaa..."

Man: "I'm not a baby!"

Kassius: "Geez! I'm just trying to feed you. At least say thanks."

Man: "You kidnapped me!"

Kassius: "Well technically..."

Man: "Just give me the damn food."

Kassius: "Fine."

Kassius feeds him the food.

Kassius: "Yo, I think we should go over the plan, to get her in the mix."

Arnold: "Uh... sure."

Kassius: "Alright so during the exhibition, he'll be posing as this guy right here. He's going to be down as security and will be giving me heads up on how to travel through the ventilation to reach the room where the diamond is being held. But there's a short time gap between when we can enter and take it so we have to be almost perfect with it."

Ayana: "Sounds like a plan."

Man: "That'll never work. You'll be caught by surveillance in seconds."

Kassius: "Surveillance?"

Kassius stuffs his mouth with food.

Ayana: "You know he may be right."

Kassius: "How do we deal with them?"

Ayana: "I think I have something."

She pulls out a spherical object from her pocket.

Kassius: "What's that?"

Ayana: "An electric dampener. It'll send pulses within a five hundred yard radius. All electrical devices will be shut down. Unfortunately this one isn't too good. So you'll only have a minute at most before everything turns back on. I'll follow you through the ventilation and start the device at the right time. You can get the diamond and come back up and we'll both escape."

Kassius: "I can work with a minute. That sounds like a plan. What do you think Arnold?"

Arnold: "Hmm. Wouldn't it just make more sense if Kassius had the device and you waited on the roof for him?"

Ayana: "It's your plan. I'll work with that if that's what you want."

Arnold gives her a cold stare.

Arnold: "I'm feeling a bit tired. I think I'm going to go to bed in the other room. Goodnight."

Man: "Kidnapping, planned theft. You guys will be locked up for years! You won't see the li-"

Kassius hits him in the back of the neck.

Kassius: "I'm getting really tired. Time to get some sleep."

Ayana: "I guess I'll go find a place to stay."

Kassius: "You can stay here if you want. I'll take the smaller sofa."

Ayana: "I don't want to intrude."

Kassius: "Don't worry, you're not. It's least I can offer after what you did today."

Ayana: "A... alright."

Nights pass by and they continue preparing for the event. Before they knew it, the day of the exhibition had arrived. Back at the motel in the evening before the sun had set, they all started getting dressed. Ayana is dressed in black from top, wearing coveralls and socks. Kassius is in a full black suit, even daunting a black shirt and tie. Kassius kicks off the boots he was wearing.

Ayana: "Why are you taking them off."

Kassius: "Ehh. Didn't like the feeling in them."

He puts on his regular suit shoes. Ulqora walks out in her new bought outfit. She is wearing black shoes, white socks, cargo shorts and a small white shirt with a black tie.

Kassius: "Looking awesome."

Ayana: "Aww. She's so adorable."

Ulqora: "Hehe. Thank you."

Arnold walks out. He's in black shoes with a full white tuxedo and a red tie.

Kassius: "Looking sharp."

Arnold: "Thanks. But I think it may draw attention."

Ayana: "Well, that may be a good thing."

Arnold: "Maybe so. Anyways, what are we going to do about him?"

Kassius: "I guess we could leave him here."

Arnold: "Not a good idea. He'd probably report us if the cleaners find him."

Kassius: "Ugh. I guess we have to take him. Help me get him into the car."

They untie his unconscious body from the chair and tie him up again. They then carry him out of the door and try sneak down the stairs. They continue walking by but almost pass in front of the receptionist. Kassius signals Arnold and walks in to the reception.

Kassius: "Looks like we'll be leaving. Thanks for the roo- whoa!"

Kassius trips on his leg and the keys land on the other side of the counter.

Receptionist: "Are you alright?"

Kassius: "Yeah, but I think the keys fell somewhere down there near you. Could you check if that's the case please?"

Receptionist: "No problem."

He crouches down and looks around. Arnold carries the unconscious man passed the view of the reception and goes off to the car with Ayana and Ulqora following.

Receptionist: "Ah. Here it is. Well, take care sir and I hope to see you here again."

Kassius walks away and goes to the car. Arnold placed him in the trunk of the car. He enters the driver's seat, while Ayana enters the passenger's seat and Ulqora sits in the back.

Arnold: "Uh..."

Ayana: "Oh, sorry. I can sit back there if you wa-"

Arnold: "No, there isn't a problem. You can sit there."

Both of them look ahead and an awkward silence brews in the car. Kassius walks up to the car and opens the door of the back seats. He enters the car and closes the door shut.

Kassius: "Alright. Let's hit the road."

Arnold begins to drive away from the motel. Ayana reaches for the radio.

Ayana: "May I?"

Arnold gives a little nod and she turns it on.

(Radio): "NightRadioFM here to bring you the latest news in the city."

Kassius (in head): "So that's what it was."

(Radio): "Earlier today, a criminal by the name of Bonnie Josephine had stolen loads of money from the bank."

Kassius: "Bonnie?! Turn it up."

Ayana turns up the volume.

(Radio): "A witness on the site told us that she rushed in and took down the security present. She then took two bags of money, yelled 'Tell them Bonnie Josephine did this' and ran off. Luckily no civilians were hurt."

Kassius: "Hehe. Yep, that's definitely Bonnie."

(Radio): "Sources say the police are in talks with the ACO on how to apprehend her. In other news, tonight is the night. The exhibition of the Queen's diamond. Down at the Imperial Museum. We will go live at the event in a few minutes. I heard rumors that the President's daughter is attending so if you want to see footage, go to our website at Nightradiolive.co.ma and tune in!"

Arnold: "We're here."

On their right, the road to the museum is there. The road is barricaded by officers and a 'no car' sign is up.

Arnold: "Looks like we'll have to park somewhere around.

Arnold drives passed the road and looks around for a parking spot. He notices an ally nearby and enters it with the car in reverse. He cracks one of the back seat windows down a little bit and turns off the car.

Arnold: "Everybody remembers the plan right?"

They all nod.

Ayana hands everyone an ear piece. They all put it in their ears.

Ayana: "Don't remove these unless it's urgent. It's the only way of communicating with each other. If anything goes wrong, we all meet back here."

Ulqora: "C...can I help you guys?"

Kassius: "I mean if you want to, you could-"

Arnold: "No."

Ulqora: "Why not?"

Arnold: "It's too dangerous. You're just a child."

Ulqora: "But I ca-"

Arnold: "I won't allow it. You will stay in the car until we get back."

Ulqora: "Bu-"

Arnold: "I've made the decision!"

Arnold steps out the car and slams the door behind him.

Kassius: "I'll go-"

Ayana: "Let me."

Ayana steps out the car and closes the door. She walks up to Arnold.

Ayana: "You didn't have to yell at her you know? She's just a kid."

Arnold: "I just don't want her to get hurt."

Ayana: "I don't think any of us do."

Arnold: "I... I just don't want her to get the wrong idea. Thinking what we're doing is good. I don't want to influence her to become a thief like us but the more she stays with us, the more I feel she'll become like us. I don't want her to become like me."

Ayana: "Well, if you feel like that, just tell her. Tell her that you don't want her to steal."

Arnold: "It didn't work for Eliz."

Ayana: "Eliz?"

Arnold: "Nevermind. You're right. I'll apologise to her later. I overreacted."

Back in the car, Ulqora starts tearing up.

Ulqora: "Did I do something wrong?"

Kassius: "No. What made you think that?"

Ulqora: "I'm just making things worse. At the restaurant, you guys could've gotten hurt."

Kassius: "Well, that's true but we wouldn't have minded. After all, we knew what would happen if we took you with us. You aren't a burden at all. Arnold is just very protective. He cares a lot about you. To me, you're like a brave girl who's fighting her way through the difficulties of life. And I'm sure he thinks that too."

Ulqora: "Really?"

Kassius: "Yeah. Hey, you know what I do when I'm sad? I imagine myself in a more positive way. Don't think of it as us leaving you out. Instead, think of it as you protecting the car."

Kassius wipes the tears from her eyes.

Kassius: "Now I need you to do this important job. Can you protect the car while we go do what we need to do?"

Ulqora: "Y...Yes!"

He puts his hand up and they do a high five.

Kassius: "That's what I like to hear. The brave Ulqora protecting our vehicle. Nobody braver!"

Both of them start laughing. Kassius helps her turn on her ear piece.

Kassius: "Alright I'm off."

Kassius exits the car and closes the door. He walks up to Arnold and Ayana.

Kassius: "You guys ready to go?"

Arnold: "Yes."

Ayana: "As ready as I'll need to be."

Kassius: "Then let's get moving."