First Floor Heist

JP with Lasersexpanther and Cindy

There was no movement on the floor, it was quiet. This floor contained four doors, which led to four office. Two were on the left side of the floor and two on the right. The hallway walls itself were lined with a swirling wave like pattern. At the end of the hallway hung a large gold inlay image hung on the wall. The image that was such a part of the Children of the sea.

Masao squinted at the symbol. "This place gives me the creeps." He said before crouching and taking out his clockwork pick. A Gimbal special. "Let's see what's behind door number one." He thought as he flicking a knob on the device which quickly put the tumblers in place to open the locked door

Maseo had opened the door, in the back of the hall towards his left. The door itself looked like any other but upon opening led to a rather large office. The office was a great deal more ornate than the ones on the second floor. The floor was carpeted with the same image at the end of the hall, in the middle of the rug. On the walls held images of the sea, a few women and one large painting of a dark haired woman on the wall behind the desk. The desk itself was ornate, beautifully hand carved mahogany scrollwork. The chair behind the desk was just as ornate. On the desk was another of the same statues found throughout the offices but this was a little larger and hand carved in jade. It was likely worth more than the others that had been found.

The chairs in front of the desk, were large soft sitting chairs. To one side was a mahogany couch, upholstered in a floral print with silk pillows. Behind the couch was a silk tapestry of the ocean, including not just the plants and creatures that lived below but merpeople, eldren, humans and the same female figure floating above them with light illuminating from her. Next to the couch was a hand carved bar, all the liquor was expensive much of it Greek or French.

Opposite the couch was a wall of shelves, various books lay on them. A few display pieces, all going with the sea theme.

Masao slowly closed the door behind him and then ducked down quickly behind the desk. Going through his usual way of things. Checking the painting for a latch to hide a safe first. Running his fingers around the lip of the frame slowly, listening for a click. A wall safe hidden in this way was somewhat rare but it was always worth checking. After making a full circuit of the frame and finding nothing he move over to the desk. Checking each drawer slowly checking for traps as he did.

Once the drawers were open he ran is fingers under the lip of each drawer checking for switches.

He slid open the center drawer last, finding a brass and wood panel with several buttons all black, save one that was red. Looking at the buttons he licked his dry lips. "Never easy."

Starting with the black switch closest to the red switch, when Maseo flipped it one of the bookcases began to swing open, it revealed a passage way. The next black switch when flipped would move over the tapestry and reveal a safe, with a combination lock. The switch furthest from the red, had two positions and controlled the lights from dimmer to more bright.

Masao quickly flipped the switch to close to hidden door. If he didn't find they eye on this floor he'd come back with help, there was no way he was going to a possible dead end in a creepy secret basement. Before moving to the safe he checked the desk again, looking for a possible written combination for the safe. Pompous people tend to the themselves untouchable enough to not remember their codes. He didn't want to do it the old fashioned way if he could help it.

The very top drawer of the desk was locked, with a key lock. There was no combination in any of the other drawers, but if Maseo opened that one he would find the combination inside the cover of a small black notebook.

Masao picked the lock on the only drawer he hadn't checked. Because one wrong move could mean he would be unable to relock it. Inside he found a book with a series of numbers written he quickly memorized it and relocked the drawer before putting the combination in the safe and opening it slowly, to not make noise.

Upon opening the safe, Maseo could sense a presence and hear the guards doing coming into the building beginning to do their rounds. However the guards would just walk once up the hallway and back before going back outside.

Inside the safe was a small statue that looked to be made of gold. It was of two women, standing back to back. They looked similar, like sisters. One had a motherly look and was holding a piece of coral in her hand, around her feet was kelp and fish. The other woman, her dress was made to look cracked more than torn and the ground around her feet was devoid of life. It would be easy to tell, this was likely a marble statue under the gold. Also, in the safe was an emerald necklace and earrings. A few small coral statues. A small ledger, written in Greek which contained what looked like a list of names and possible addresses, another small ledger, also in Greek, which contained amounts, and a lock box which contained a few thousand francs.

Masao licked his lips, his heart pounding in his chest seeing the loot in the safe but he controlled himself. Only taking the statue and closing the safe slowly. Ready to move to another office. But he listened to the hall then checked if it was clear before moving to the right door near the symbol.

The office to the right, wasn't quite as posh as the first one but was still rather nice.

In the middle of the room was a dark mahogany desk engraved with scrollwork. On the front of the desk the same small statue, half-woman/half-octopus, that had been found throughout the offices, this one was carved coral. Thoughout the room was the same round symbol and a border of waves, there was no images on the walls or much in the way of other figurines. Only two switches were found on top of the desk, a red one and a black one. The black one opened a door which led to a passage way. Another desk sized ledger. Another bar full of expensive liquor. No safe would be found. The drawers to the desk were all unlocked, except the bottom right hand one which was locked.

Masao scanned over the ledger, even if he couldn't read it he knew how to spot important information. But not seeing much that would he of help he unlocked the only locked drawer. Slowly listening for anything other than ordinary clicks of locks.

The drawer opened, creaking a little as it was pulled out. Inside the drawer was a black bag, inside the bag was something with some weight to it wrapped in a black cloth.

Masao pulled open the bag slowly and moved the cloth aside without touching the contents directly. He didn't know what this thing could do if anything but best not find out now. He moved the two materials around until he could see the glowing gemstone in the bag before wrapping it up. "Now the hard part." He thought, closing and relocking the drawer.

Slipping out the way he came. Watching from the window for a moment to see if any guards made the rounds before dropping the window and using the odd brick to get himself to the street.

----

Masao heard the guards footsteps and booked it. He didn't stop running until he was back in the city proper, and kept to a quick walk until he arrived back at Elizabeth's home. Slightly out of breath.