Chapter 5: Chapter 5
The group continued reviewing the steps, adjusting the final details of the plan. The tension grew as the time approached. The operation had to be precise, and every second counted. When Scott's phone rang, everyone fell silent. It was 11 p.m., the time when the heist would begin.
"Well, I guess we're ready. Time to act," Scott said, his tone firm but betraying a hint of nervousness.
Max nodded, knowing nothing could stop them now. They silently headed to the vehicle. Max assumed everyone was so nervous that they didn't dare to say a word. The modified minivan glided through the dark streets, headlights off, providing just enough light to navigate. Upon arriving at their destination, the atmosphere shifted.
The neighborhood where the mansion stood was in an exclusive area, with quiet streets and impressive houses. The neighboring houses, while equally luxurious, appeared more conservative, lacking the ostentatious wealth of this mansion. The mansion itself was colossal, with high black brick walls and golden details that reflected a sickening wealth. Trees surrounded the place, making the property look like a luxurious enclave hidden in the darkness of the night. The streetlight barely touched the facade, giving the mansion a mysterious air, as if the entire neighborhood was at its feet.
They stopped at the back of the mansion, where Scott and Max quickly got out of the minivan, each wearing their mask, like movie thieves. There was something in the air that night, a mix of adrenaline and certainty.
"We're ready," Scott whispered as they both approached the back door.
They waited for Eddie's signal, who would be monitoring the perimeter cameras. Meanwhile, Max looked at the mansion, noting the reinforced security at the back entrance. A system of cameras slowly moved, covering the entire access, but with Eddie's signal, they knew they would have a time window to pass undetected.
As soon as Eddie gave the signal, Scott slid an access card he had obtained into the door. The sound of the door mechanism was subtle, but enough to make Max alert.
They entered the foyer, an imposing space. Marble covered the floor, while the walls were adorned with expensive paintings and dim lights that created mysterious shadows. The mansion was a labyrinth of long hallways, spiral staircases, and antique furniture that spoke of the owner's wealth. Every corner seemed designed to impress guests, but there was no time to admire.
Just as they were about to move toward their respective targets, barking was heard from somewhere nearby.
"What's that?" Max asked through the communicator, alerted.
"Sounds like dogs," Scott replied in a grave tone.
"Guard dogs?" Max asked, startled.
"Yeah, relax, I've got a plan," Scott said, his calmness not fully understood by Max.
Scott quickly opened his bag and pulled out a couple of raw chops wrapped in plastic. Without hesitation, he tossed them to the ground in the direction of the approaching dogs.
Max watched, stunned, as the dogs neared the chops. One of them, a large Rottweiler, sniffed the meat before starting to devour it, followed by the other, a German Shepherd. Within seconds, the dogs calmed down, their attention absorbed by the food.
"Alright, let's move on," Scott said, showing no emotion.
Max looked at him, completely surprised.
"Are you okay?" he asked with concern.
Scott simply nodded.
"Yeah, I just gave them something to put them to sleep. Now, let's go," he replied, adjusting his mask.
Both headed to their respective tasks. Max cautiously walked through the hallways, heading toward the safe, while Scott veered toward the owner's office, where the personal computer was located.
Max, with the same precision with which he had studied the plan, activated the device that temporarily deactivated the motion sensor. A soft and almost imperceptible beep indicated that everything was in order.
Meanwhile, Scott was in front of the millionaire's computer. Quickly, he connected a cable to the machine and began typing a code into his device, preparing to hack the files and transfer the funds from the mansion owner's accounts to the people he had defrauded.
Max walked steadily toward the safe, his mind fully alert. The sound of his footsteps on the marble was the only noise that broke the absolute silence in the mansion. He knew he had to be fast. The motion sensor deactivation device was working perfectly. He reached the room where the safe was, carefully surveying the surroundings. The door was closed, and the safe was on the main wall, hidden behind an old painting. The painting, a portrait of a Victorian lady with a melancholic expression, wore a blue silk dress that seemed to shimmer under the dim light, giving the impression that the woman in the portrait was watching the intruders.
Max approached and, with a gentle motion, removed the painting, revealing the safe. With a quick glance around, Max pulled out the small piece of paper Ricky had given him, trying to access the code Ricky had provided. A resigned smile appeared on his face when a red beep echoed. He couldn't believe something so simple was stopping him, but it was part of the job. He then took the small USB Ricky had handed him, plugged it into the safe, and waited, praying that at least this would work.
A few meters away, in the office, Scott had already connected his laptop to the computer. The seconds seemed eternal as he watched the screen load the personal files of the mansion's owner. With precision, he began to navigate through the system's folders, searching for the bank credentials and records of fraudulent transactions. His eyes were fixed on the screen, his fingers moving rapidly, analyzing each line of code. He knew time was of the essence, any mistake could jeopardize the whole plan.
Suddenly, the safe beeped, sounding like a confirming "check," pulling him out of his thoughts. The safe slowly opened with a soft metallic sound. Max breathed a sigh of relief, but didn't let his guard down. Inside the safe, he found a security briefcase with several bundles of cash. His eyes gleamed at the sight of the loot, but he quickly refocused on his task. Carefully, he began removing the bills and placing them in his suitcase, the weight of the money confirming the mission was a success.
Meanwhile, Scott was at the most critical point of his task. He had hacked into the computer, but he knew he couldn't waste any more time. He had transferred a good portion of the money from the owner's accounts, but now he needed to make sure there were no traces left. The security cameras, alarms, and backup systems could trigger an alert at any moment.
"Scott, how's it going?" Max asked through the communicator, finishing filling his suitcase.
"Almost there," Scott replied, not taking his eyes off the screen. "I'm running a cleanup program to erase the traces. As soon as it's done, we'll be out of here."
Max nodded, listening intently to the sounds around him. When there was nothing left in the safe, he carefully closed it and returned the painting to its place, making sure not to leave a single trace. Suddenly, the sound of sirens broke the silence from a distance.
"Scott!" Max said, alarmed, as his heart began to race.
"Shit," Scott responded with a tense voice. "Eddie, did something happen?" But at that moment, the minivan's engine roared to life, and Scott cursed in desperation. "Damn it!" he shouted. "Those bastards!" His voice trembled with frustration. "Shit, shit, shit! This can't be happening."
Max, hearing the panic in his partner's voice, stood frozen for a moment, not knowing what to do. The sirens were getting closer, and time seemed to compress around him. What would he do now? How would they escape with all that money?
Snapping out of his daze, the roar of an engine made him react. He saw Scott get into the mansion owner's Bentley, Geoff Zorick, with a look of resignation on his face.
"Scott, wait for me!" Max shouted, running towards him.
But Scott looked at him, his face showing a tense calm Max hadn't expected.
"We can't open the garage doors, we can't escape with this," he said with a frustrated sigh. He then turned the wheel and drove the car towards the mansion's pool.
Max, stunned, watched as his partner headed for the water without hesitation. The sirens were getting closer, and panic overtook him. Without thinking further, he decided he couldn't stay there. Without saying a word, he began to climb the garden fence and ran toward the nearby woods. The flashing police car lights illuminated the horizon, and the sirens grew louder. As he entered the forest, Max felt the weight of the four million in cash in his suitcase. His only option was to escape.
In the distance, he saw some cars stop by the pool, but he didn't look back. His only concern now was saving himself. He ran with everything he had, not thinking about what had happened to Scott. He knew that if he couldn't escape, at least the money would be safe.
Suddenly, he saw a hollow log on the ground. He quickly hid the suitcase inside, covering it with some plants to conceal it. Then, he kept running, delving deeper into the thick woods. He didn't know what would happen to Scott or if the authorities would capture him, but right now, he couldn't do anything for him.
At that moment, lights shone through the trees, and several flashlights pointed at him. Silhouettes of men with weapons were outlined against the darkness. Max, not knowing what to do, froze. His heart raced as he dropped to the ground, raising his hands, resigned.
Without warning, several men lunged at Max, pinning him to the ground with inhuman strength. Before he could react, they began reading him his rights, informing him he had been caught in the act.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," one of the officers warned as they held him firmly. "You don't have the right to an attorney, but you have the right to make a phone call."
Max, completely stunned, could barely process what was happening as they searched him. They dragged him to the patrol car, where they shoved him into the back seat, next to Scott, who sat there with a lost look, defeated. His face reflected regret and despair.
"Goddamn it, Max..." Scott muttered, lamenting. "I knew, I knew I shouldn't have done this... My wife and my daughter... they're going to have a hard time without me."
Max, still processing everything, felt the same knot in his stomach. He knew that, if he was going to be arrested, the worst part wasn't being behind bars. It was not being able to take care of his mother, who had always depended on him. His mind raced with thoughts of what would happen to her without his protection.
Both of them lamented, not for what they had done, but for what it meant to be caught.
When they arrived at the precinct, Max was taken to a cell, while one of the officers continued with the paperwork. His mask had fallen off long ago, and this time, Scott couldn't help but look at him with a mixture of surprise and resignation. It was the first time he had seen Max without it, and although the moment wasn't right, the emotion of seeing his partner without his iconic mask overwhelmed him. But soon, that emotion drowned in a sense of defeat.
As Max's data was being registered, another officer began taking Scott's information. That's when a police officer noticed something important.
"Is this kid underage?" he asked, looking at the file.
"Yeah, seems like he is," another officer replied, checking the records.
Without hesitation, they called his mother.
The scene shifts to Maximus' mother's room. The room was dimly lit by the night lamp resting by the bed. The walls, covered in a warm and soft tone, reflected the cozy atmosphere. A dark gray blanket covered her body as she rested, but the tranquility of the night was interrupted by the sound of her phone. The soft, deep melody of the ringtone woke her, and she immediately became alert.
"Who would be calling at this hour?" she thought, half asleep and worried. A familiar feeling overtook her instantly. There was something in her intuition, and the first thing that crossed her mind was Max. Something told her it had to be him, or something related to him.
She knew, somehow, that her son wasn't as innocent as she wanted to believe. The job at the nightclub, the extra hours, the money... she wasn't naïve enough anymore not to notice the signs. At one point, she had thought she might be overreacting, but now she couldn't ignore it.
With forced calmness, she answered the phone.
"Yes?" she said, her voice firm.
On the other end, a serious, deep voice of an officer was heard.
"Is this Mrs. Clare Jones? The mother of Maximus Jones?"
Her heart skipped a beat, but she tried to keep her composure.
"Yes, it's me," she replied, already knowing the worst was coming.
The officer, with an authoritative yet professional tone, continued.
"Maximus Jones has been arrested for a felony at the mansion of Geoff Zorick, president of VistaCorp. He is under arrest for theft. We know he wasn't alone at the time of the incident. We've also secured evidence at the scene. Your son has been processed and is currently at the North Manhattan District police station for data registration."
Maximus' mother stayed silent, her mind racing, processing the information.
"Will he be okay?" she asked, her voice betraying her concern.
"That depends on the evidence and the legal process," the officer replied. "You have the right to see your son at the detention center. We recommend you come as soon as possible."
The mother, though worried, knew that everything had changed forever. What was left now was to face it, and maybe, for the first time, take control of the situation.
Clare hung up the phone with a calmness that contradicted the whirlwind of emotions inside her. She knew what she had to do. The past she had tried so hard to leave behind was knocking at her door again, and this time, she couldn't ignore it.
With steady steps, she walked over to a small safe embedded in the wall of her room, hidden behind a landscape painting. She opened it with swift and precise movements, taking out an old satellite phone, the only remnant of her life as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. She held it for a moment, remembering the times she had considered it a last resort. Now, that moment had come.
She powered the device on and dialed a number she knew by heart, even though she hadn't used it in years. The line took a moment to connect, but eventually, a voice responded.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. Communications, identify yourself."
Clare took a deep breath and let her voice take on the authoritative tone that had once been second nature to her.
"Ex-agent Clare Jones, ID 1995-0327. Emergency code 47-Kilo-Alpha. Highest priority. I request immediate communication with Director Nicholas Fury."