The Theft- Part III (Volume 2)

 “Now, now I don’t think you should be surprised. Holding a gun does not make you invincible you see. As for my fancy tricks, these are some things I picked up in the army”. “I’ve fired three, you fired one now how many are left Mr. Accountant?” “Help! Somebody Help!”, Stu screamed. Piper heard these noises regained some of his senses but couldn’t scream for help. That kick in the jaw made him bite his tongue too severely. “Scream all you want, nobody’s gonna come and help you at this place and at this hour. In fact, that's the reason you chose this place, wasn’t it?” Stu suddenly realised his error and how he chose the perfect place for their grave. But how could he know all this? And how could he turned this way as they’ve been following him about a week now. Everyday he used to go into the same building, come out of the same building. Always alone. Considering his clothes and home, he should be making a decent enough living with just enough to spare everyday. They deduced he was living alone, no girl no family as such. All this while lying on the ground like a fish out of water, Piper saw a file in front of him. It was among the documents that fell out when they emptied Joe’s bag. Once again he couldn’t believe his eyes. The file had pages with the photographs of the two of them and some information he couldn’t clearly read but now it was obvious this guy was up to something. He wasn’t just another random victim. And at this moment thinking about their past actions and watching over Joe and his routine, it suddenly hit Stu, a revelation.

Where are the car keys? When they both took his belongings they didn’t snatched a key chain of any sort. He wasn’t carrying one. But then why? Why was he in the parking lot without his car keys? Now it was clear to the thugs that this wasn’t a robbery, at least not as they wanted it to be. It was a trap, a carefully laid out trap. And we foolishly walked right into it. Piper was almost passed out, Stu was on his knees, the gun now in between his eyes, held by Joe who was once an humble office worker now embodied reaper of death himself. “leave me please, please don’t kill me, I beg you, please just take everything back, we never meant to harm you, we’re sorry, we won’t steal from anyone ever, police, police call the police please”, Stu mumbled words, pleading to save their lives. Don’t be so dramatic now. It’s my turn. We’ve plenty of time and no one will disturb us here. So where were we? Yes, a little chat. You know I always love good company. People who can patiently listen. And don’t gossip about anything you tell them. It’s hard to find such trustworthy audience. Now do you promise not to tell anyone? Stu nodded. Let’s start from the beginning. There was this beautiful young maiden who gave birth to a fairly strong baby boy. Oh wait, maybe that just too back, you folks won’t be interested in that far backstory. So let’s just start from when I got to know you. You see my mother died at an early age and my father disappeared so these very fine folks raised me as their own child. They even gave me their surname and let me keep my mother’s name so folks like you can call me Joe Claire Acorn. They fed me, educated me and helped me all they could till I got recruited in the arm forces. But then I ran away, it was too disciplined a life for me. I wasn’t cut out for taking orders. Few odd jobs here and there as a security guard or a private eye and such. But then even the poverty didn’t suit me. So I became what an ambitious man with my skill set can become- A professional magician. Except I made people disappear so they’d never return to tease my clients. 

I think now you’re getting the wind of it. See you’ve upset many people. Many of them are rich. And some of them happen to know me. It was only a matter of time before someone reached out to me. And how could I deny, especially you boys. You had me curious the moment I saw your partners face. You see sometime in the past he was wanted for allegedly killing his wife with a shovel in front of her child. People feared the trauma might spoil the child. Even to the extent that the child may become a homicidal maniac. ”Do I look like a homicidal maniac to you?”. Stu shook his head sideways. Nah, you’re right. I might be a little funny in the head but see my choice of career. Its completely apt to my interests. “what you say? Eh dad? Piper! Wake up Piper!”. Well that’s if you’re my dad, are you? It doesn’t matter now. No hard feelings man. We got along just fine in the end. And that's all that really matter. Piper died of a heart attack due to the shock he suffered when the bag caught his eye and was marked in bold letters-“Belongs to Joe Claire Acorn”. Now Joe got close as he suspected that Piper might be dead already. “What do you think Stu? Is he dead? I guess there’s only one way to be sure.”, said Joe as he shot Piper in the eye. “holy god! Man….you…you..killed him….he’s dead”, exclaimed Stu. “Help! somebody help please!” another attempt in vain. Oh don’t be such a drama queen. Stu fell silent. Eyes widened. He hoped he’d fainted so at least it’ll be painless. You see what a fateful night that was. One night when we all met. The situation seems more fitting rather now. There was one corpse then and one corpse now.

I want to tell you something. Don’t feel bad about it but you have to die now. And believe me, I am killing you only because I need to. Remember death comes to us all, don’t fear it. It follows you every day of your life waiting for your luck to run out and catch you in its tender arms. When you finally come face to face with it, you must embrace it. It was your true friend. Always by your side. In life you were poor, you were rich. You were a man, you were a woman. You loved someone, they loved you back. You hated someone, they hated you. You got help and you aided another life. You were a criminal, you were a friend. You were free, you were caged, you were young , you were aged. But now nothing matters. No man is immortal, in death we’re all equal. You will remain alive in my memory and that’s all that matters. People die but memories remain. Joe had a knack for digressing from the task at hand and go all out philosophical in a minute. By the time this sermon was over, Stu was almost unconscious. Hardly hearing a word. “Wakey! Wakey! You can’t die as yet. Just a few bruises, some loose tendons and only three bullets, except that you’re the picture of health”, said Joe kneeling down and shaking Stu by his shoulders.

“Just let me go!!!!!”, Joe screamed with all his remaining strength

“oh come on now, this story’s extended too much already” laughingly said Joe and shot him right in the head, between the eyes. “Just so you know, it was nothing personal. All in the line of duty”

Joe picked up his things, including the weapons of crime to carefully destroy them later and also the watch which he liked so much. (the last owner didn’t mind Joe taking it after he got his arm back). Although he still heard the droplets, noise indicated something thicker than water but he didn’t wonder much about and exited the parking lot.

Joe was long gone. Faded into the darkness of the night outside. Rain had stopped.

(looking at the corpses of Stu and Piper)”Looks like I’m finally gonna have some company down here”, said the Guard with the open wound on his hand.

The author thinks he should seriously stop hanging around like hobos in strange places.

The Theft Part III (Volume 1)

Just don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me. I don’t want to die. Here, take everything. “Quit your mumbling!”, Stu shouted. In the next few seconds, things were crumbled, pockets were emptied, pendants and rings were snatched. Even the slightest noises echoed in the parking. Joe had no jewellery, some important client documents which were of no value to the two robbers except the wallet which appeared to be quite swollen. Everything was going smoothly despite the fact that it was a robbery attempt in the middle of the night. No one was hurt, guns were pointed in places other than Joe’s head. As they snatched the briefcase, those no value documents and some photographs fell out. Not much heed was paid to them. Now the wallet was opened, Rs. 5000 in 500 rupee notes. Joe realised that it wasn’t such a nice idea to visit the ATM today. Generally he carried his debit card and a little change to give to beggars and tip the waiters (and have a little boy-ishy fun once in a while). Stu started counting the money. Piper stared into the eyes of Joe as he’s trying to remember where he’d seen that face. Maybe someone he robbed before. They were in no hurry to leave the place. After all they’d be going to just another desolate and almost as boring a place after this and frankly their shed was just two blocks away. They’d moved into this area recently and Joe was the first victim so it was quite impossible Piper had seen that face but he was having a hard time believing this. He contemplated about how he should go on about this. ”I’m not asking a girl out”, Piper said to himself. So after concluding that putting more stress may fry his brain, he just let out ,” Do I know you boy?”. Stu almost completed counting the money and it took him a little while because he could not help but admire the watch he just snatched. “An actual treasure. What would that imbecile know of this magnificent creation of man?” Stu was willing to trade all of his share of the loot just for this watch. And why wouldn’t he? It was the dazzling white dial inside a glowing circle of rose gold that is Patek Philippe’s 175th-anniversary Grandmaster Chime. Such a timepiece was a luxury he doubted how could their victim afford. It was far fetched even for the owner of this building. Such exquisite case, dials, movement, crown and bezels. All so much, it was hard to believe human hands can craft such perfection with complete absence of sharpness anywhere, truly a work of art. A limited edition gem. Stu knew all this to the very last detail. Back when he was an accountant, he used to wish for a timepiece like this but he knew it was impossible to earn enough ever. It wasn’t just a watch, it was a dream. An unfulfilled dream only till now. He got this watch when he least expected it. He almost found it to be an insult for such a watch to be acquired by theft. What was even harder for him to believe was how could Joe own it. It had to be a gift, it had to be. Or maybe our poor victim might just not be as innocent as they think him to be. Here, he felt satisfied if they’re stealing from an undeserving thief. Although he had to know. Just as then, Piper asked him,” have we seen this chap somewhere?”. After this sentence was the first time when Stu actually noticed the face of the poor victim. Not that he recognised him but there was something about him, the face wasn’t completely new. Now, what really surprised both of them now was the man’s lips. A smile. Joe was grinning, pulled his head up and the smile grew with it. The two men were now confused. Joe’s smile was growing bigger bigger and bigger. Finally he burst into laugh. Maniacally in front of the robbers, he laughed for a while. “poor lad lost his mind I suppose”, said Piper. “c’mon man its just 5000, you can very well earn them again”. Now slowly Joe’s laugh faded, he wiped off a tear from one of the eyes and still kept on smiling while he said,” Just 5000? My dear fellas, its not just 5000”. Joe continued,” if I count you both then I think it should add up to 10,00,000.” The two thieves were completely lost by this time. Stu again pointed his gun at him hurriedly, right between the eyes. “you see the irony here, the victim is holding the gun. There is very little purpose of the weapon you’re holding now. It’s almost useless now and sincerely sir what’s a weapon if it loses its sole purpose? If you keep holding that gun that way, I suspect you’ll only end up hurting yourself Mr. Johnson.” Stu was transfixed,”No more puzzles you worm, now shut up and tell me how you know my name?” Piper was just as shocked by the sudden surge of boldness in their typical clerk. He was no less shocked as even working 5 years with Stu he wasn’t aware of his identity beyond the name he told. Now Piper wondered more deeply about where he’d seen that face. Who was he? An old enemy perhaps. But who? Sure both of them hadn’t been ideal members of the society till now but they didn’t remember any office worker who’d hold a grudge against them. “perhaps you could talk some sense into him Mr. Reynolds”, Piper Reynolds’ eyes widened. “I see you’ve been holding that stick for quite some time now, put it down and let’s all have a friendly chat”. Just then Piper swinged his big rod towards him, supposedly to hit him in the head to make him unconscious. But here Mr. Clerk put his skills to use and showed the thugs what they’re dealing with. He ducked down and up in an instant, frighteningly close to Piper, punched in the side of his ribs, hard enough to break. Snatched the rod, hit him with it in the stomach then on the toes and finally a kick to his jaw to drop him on the ground face up. All in a split second. Stu fired a shot in panic without properly aiming at Joe. Joe hit his elbow with rod, then the fingers and shifted the rod to his left arm and snatched the gun with the right. Fired three rounds, two in the legs and one to the left arm. Joe dropped the rod, Stu can’t feel his right arm, Piper is lying on the ground half conscious.

Keep on reading to the second and the final volume. There lies the end. And below is the customary complement clip.