“Quick Marven,” said Crystal, “I need to know exactly when we will be hitting the museum. Then I can cause their electrical system to crash at that time. But I need to know in a hurry before they detect me on here.” Marven ran as fast as he could with his sore stomach. “What time will we hit the museum?” he asked M, “Crystal needs to know quickly before they find out what she is doing. She is going to cause their electrical system to fail at that moment.”

“Splendid!” exclaimed M, “would 2pm be okay?” “Sounds perfect to me,” I said cheerfully. Marven ran back to Crystal and told her. She set things and then covered her tracks so no one will know she was there. “Will that work?” asked Marven. “Yes, otherwise they would be able to trace things back to this computer,” she explained.

“Well, we will not be here anyway,” he said, “M plans on going directly to another place he owns after we get those diamonds.” “But the police would still know that M was behind the heist,” she said, “and they would be after him until he was caught.” “Oh, now I get it,” he said, “even standing here watching, I still do not have any idea what you did. There was just nothing but numbers and symbols, too confusing for me.”

“Well, that wraps it up I guess,” said Crystal as she stood up. “Crystal, M is planning to kill all of you just as soon as he has those diamonds,” said Marven, “I know that for sure, he has put me in charge of making it happen.” Crystal frowned a bit. “You mean that you would just gun us down, in cold blood?” she asked Marven with tears in her eyes. “Hey girl,” he said, “I do not want to do it, but M will kill me if I do not.”

“Yeah, I guess that is true,” she said, tears running down her cheeks, “guess I just thought you were different than the others. We all kind of figured that would happen, I was just hoping there might be a way out.” “I really am sorry Crystal,” he said again, “here, you need to stop crying before you go out there otherwise M will think I did something to you and kill me on the spot.” Crystal stopped and washed her face at the sink in the room.

“I still think you are a better man than any of the others,” she said. Then they both came out to rejoin the rest. “Everything is all set M,” said Marven, “that gal is a marvel with computers, way better than I am, I could never do that, I got confused just watching her.” “That does not surprise me Marven,” said M, “you are a hopeless case it seems, but you still have some usefulness to me. So we are good to go for tomorrow?”

“Yes indeed,” said Crystal joyfully, “I have things set so their electricity goes off at 2. That means that nothing will work, not their fast moving doors, not their alarm system, not lights, it will be perfect for us.” “Splendid, splendid!” exclaimed M, “oh this makes me so happy! Soon those pretty rocks will be all mine! Oh Steve, there is just one other little detail I forgot to mention.” “What is that?” I asked.

“One of your ladies must stay behind, as kind of insurance for me,” he said, “you understand that I am sure.” “No,” I said, “we all must go, it will be hard enough with just the 5 of us. It is all or none M.” “What??” he boomed, “you would dare to say no to me, the great M?” He then punched me in the stomach knocking me to the floor in serious pain!

Meanwhile, back to our team. The Major called Sky to his room. “I got a message from one of your team,” he said, “though I do not know who.” He showed Sky the message. It was signed Q3. “That is Crystal!” exclaimed Sky. “I guess she did not know I am with you right now,” he said, “they will be hitting the museum at 2pm tomorrow. Crystal hacked their computer system and will cause everything to crash at that time. Then they pick up the diamonds and leave out the side emergency door.

Ralph, do we have anyone close to Clarence?” “Yeah Major,” he said, “only about an hour away right now.” “Tell them to drop what they are doing and get Clarence and his family into hiding somewhere safe, M has sent someone to kill him.” Ralph did not ask questions, he just called their men and told them what to do, and quickly. They were able to get Clarence out of the way just in time and 3 men stayed behind to watch the house.

Two men came by that they recognized as hit men, so they called Major. “Deal with them,” is all he said and hung up. The police found those 2 men the next day, tied up and dead. Marven had told Crystal about Clarence. “I sure hope M does not find out what Crystal did,” said the Major. “I am sure he will not, Crystal knows how to cover her tracks,” said Sky, “no matter how good they are, they will not find out what she has done.” But what about Steve…

To Be Continued.

©2023 Steve McLeod.