Paris

56

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Four years ago...

Alix's P.O.V

"Did you really think you could steal from me?" the wealthy woman questioned, looking at us as if we were a practical joke, "Such foolish behavior but I expect nothing less from a bunch of lowly thieves."

I gritted my teeth and glared at the woman in an animal mask.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered to Alpha. Alpha wore his emotions like a blank slate in the face of danger but I could tell that he was very distraught about the situation.

"I...think I have an idea. Just go along with what I do everyone," he said just loud enough for the rest of the Bandits to hear. We all looked at each other before Alpha walked out further.

I winced when the wealthy woman's guards cocked their guns and hovered a finger over their triggers. I readied myself, aiming at anyone who dared to fire. Alpha seemed to be unfazed by the threat of death surrounding him. He stopped a few yards away from the woman.

"I would like to make a deal," Alpha suggested.

The woman looked with interest, "Proceed."

I raised an eyebrow at him before something caught my eye. Ghost and Phantom snuck around in the shadows behind the army and woman. The twins were placing bombs all around. Arrow was somewhere on the rooftops too.

I understood what the plan was. It was quite clever but we still had to pull it off first. I just have to play along—that we are helplessly trapped.

"If you let my crew go free, you can keep your crates and myself for all of your troubles," Alpha bargained, "I will be a loyal servant to you."

"What is he doing? Is he crazy?" Bronze grunted in confusion.

"Do not worry," Flare assured Bronze, "It is all a part of the distraction."

Bronze looked at Flare, still confused about what was going on.

"What do you say? Do we have a deal?" Alpha asked with a fake smile on his lips. The woman hummed in thought before a sinister smirk appeared on her face. It unsettled me. What was she up to?

"I think it would be fair if we discussed this with all of your band of misfits..." she said. The woman snapped her fingers. Suddenly, Ghost and Phantom shot up into the air. They were paralyzed in midair with panicked looks on their faces.

"...and I mean every one of them," the woman continued, crookedly, "It is only fair that they get a decision too."

My heart stopped beating and a cold feeling swirled my stomach. How did she know? How was she making them float in midair like that? Was she a witch? Were not witches, especially magic, outlawed?

"Oh no," I barely got out. Alpha's moxie had instantly depleted into one of flabbergasted shock.

"And let us not forget the other one," the woman added, snapping her fingers. Arrow appeared in front of a few guards, who were ready to take Arrow hostage.

This was getting out of hand. There had to be something we could do. A few bombs should make for a doable escape. Someone just has to set one off then the rest will follow. Narrowing my eyes, I raised my gun and aimed straight at the witch.

"Oh my," the woman joked, "What a turn of events? I see we have a trigger-happy child. You are either very brave or very unintelligent for going up against me."