KISMET ─ vento aureo.

▹ TWENTY ;

☆ ⁺ « APPROPRIATE SHOCK AND GUILT

★˚⋆ STEALING WAS ACTUALLY VERY EASY when you didn't give a flack about getting caught. You could waltz in, pluck up the goods, and then languidly make your way out without breaking a sweat. Half the thrill of stealing came from avoiding capture. It was an entirely different experience when getting hauled off was what you were aiming for.

Coco guided your crew sans Narancia to some influencer's boogie villa on the edge of Laius. His limited-edition Levi cost nearly as much as Zero was paying you. With luck, he would be at home while your crew attempted to make off with his Levi and he would call Inspector Asswipe to round you up.

Never in your thieving career did you think you'd say a sentence like that.

"Swanky place," Mista said when your crew arrived at the villa. Incongruous palm trees swayed in the breeze, and the gold gate shone brightly, through which a fountain and the aforementioned Levi could be seen. Spice Girl made short work of the gate, and the Pistols shot down the security cameras. By the time Fugo had managed to unlock the Levi and hotwire it, there were still no GA's in sight.

"It's always like this," you muttered. "When you want something, it isn't there. But when you don't, it's always on your ass."

"We should break into the villa," Trish suggested. "Really make sure he sees our faces so he can call the GA's."

JoJo was already messing with the electronic lock on the front door, and a few minutes later, it swung open. Your crew went inside, taking a moment to appreciate all of the glass and chrome and shiny things. A cleaning bot looked up at you curiously before continuing about its business.

Everyone started stealing. Loudly. Gold accent pieces and the recording paraphernalia in the living room and the crystal decanters and the painting that must have been an authentic Rivaldi and the watch on the kitchen table and the holopad in the bathroom and where the hell was everyone?

There was a massive holoscreen in the living room. Before, it would have been the mother load. It looked fresh out of the delivery box, gleaming in the light like it was beckoning for you to steal it.

"Where was this villa when we were starving a few months ago?" Trish groused, shoving the holoscreen remote down her jacket.

"JoJo, help me with this." Mista nodded for JoJo to get the holoscreen's other side. Shooting up a quick apology to the stars, the two got the holoscreen off its mounts and let it fall screen-first onto the ground. The whump w as muffled by the plush carpet but you were sure you would have felt the impact throughout the villa.

Footsteps rushed toward you. "What the flack are you doing?"

Stars, finally. You turned around, ready to look appropriately guilty and shocked. The guy who stared gape-mouthed at your crew was a lanky twenty-something with swoopy hair and gold studs. It looked like he'd just come from the shower.

"Please don't call the GA's," Trish squeaked, like she was cuing the guy for his lines.

The guy looked angry for approximately two more seconds before the fury in his eyes dissipated. "Wait, wait, are you guys Passione? The thieving crew, right? I heard you guys were on Laius, but I didn't know you were coming here. "

"It's not like we're on tour," Mista muttered.

"Yo, I'm a huge fan. I'd ask to take your pictures but I don't want you to get caught or whatever. Are you trying to steal the holoscreen? Go ahead. I got it for a sponsorship deal but I never use it." Holy flack. You aspired to be so rich that you wouldn't bat an eye at your new mega holoscreen being carried off.