Episode 11: Heist or Sign?

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Under the morning sun, Thomas Chabot strolls down one of the sidewalks of Downtown San Jose.

He appears content, gazing around the serene scene. Cars roll by him to his left; a large, white building drifts by him to his right; birds flock above him and around the skyscrapers.

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Thomas slows his walking to pull his phone out of his pocket and gaze at it.

Fan Fair Signing: 3 mins, a notification on his phone reads.

Thomas chuckles at the screen. "Ah, I know that, phone! I'm only a couple steps away!"

He then puts his phone back into his pocket, slips his hands into his jacket's pocket, and continues gazing around.

Sirens then echo in front of him. He snaps his eyes wide and halt, staring straight ahead.

Skidding into the sidewalk from a large, broken window of the white building are three people dressed in black and white. Stuffed bags are slung over their shoulders; their arms are occupied by bulky and long pieces of artwork.

Thomas throws his pointer finger out at them. "Hey! Halt in the name of—"

He then throws his hand in the air, materializing a golden spear in his grasp. He then swings the spear into both of his hands and jabs its tip ahead of him. He now stands on a golden, white, and red-colored chariot with a white horse strapped to the front.

" —JUSTICE!"

The robbers continue running down the sidewalk.

Thomas drops his arms and cranes his head back. "Ugh!" He then exchanges his spear for the reins of his horse and flicks them with the click of his tongue.

The horse lets out a nay, throwing its front hooves in the air, and sprints off.

"Go, boy, go!" Thomas shouts over the winds.

The robbers' backs rush up to the chariot; they peer behind their shoulders, widen their eyes, then increase their pace.

In the speeding chariot, Thomas whips out a spear and throws it ahead of him.

The spear hits one of the bobbing bags and tears the fabric down the middle as it falls. Precious jewelry, paintings, and sculptures spill from the bag.

The robber with the torn bag whirls around, spotting his spewed loot. He reaches over toward it, only to glance up at the growing shadow over him, turn around, and continue running with his partners. Thomas's horse and chariot dashes over the artifacts.

Thomas wields another spear and tosses it to the other side of the line of robbers. The spear sticks into another robber's hand, making him let go of the bust he had in his arm and scuttle into the bushes next to the sidewalk.

The robber in the middle—still untouched—whirls around and races to the moving chariot. Before he could make any contact, Thomas swings his foot up at his chin, knocking him away.

He then snaps his head to the last robber standing in his vision. He spins another spear in his hand, raises it over his head, and—

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Thomas pulls on the reins, his spear dissolving without contact, and bellows, "Whoa!"

The horse skids to a halt.

Thomas lets go of the reins and pulls out his phone. He gazes at the notification: Fan Fair Signing: now.

"Aw man." He gazes up.

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