Work Text:
Tashi was spending a Thursday afternoon at a Starbucks, sitting in a corner table - near the entrance, in case she needed to make a quick escape - typing on her laptop while drinking an Americano. She kept an eye on the people walking in and out, in case she needed to run. She hadn't clocked anyone until now - A man in a black suit carrying a briefcase walked in and looked around. He was clearly looking for someone - and then his eyes landed on Tashi.
Tashi stopped typing and closed her laptop, sliding it into her green bag and putting the bag's strap over her right shoulder with the bag at her left side.
The man walked over and stopped in front of er table, sliding the chair out and sitting down across from her. He placed his briefcase down on the table between them. He smirked. "Tashi Duncan."
Tashi stilled inside but didn't show it.
This man knew her name.
She hated him already.
"You know my name, but I don't know yours." She said, cooly.
The man brought his arms up and went and opened the briefcase. "My name is Mark Rebellato." He took out two pale blue folders from it and placed them down in front of Tashi before closing the briefcase back up and putting it down on the floor beside him. "I have a job for you. I need you to get my blueprints back. These - " He motioned at the two files "- Are the two people you'll be working with."
Tashi couldn't help but be curious.
The job seemed easy enough. She slid her coffee over to the side and picked up the first file and opened it. She couldn't help the surprise that crossed her feautres when she read the first name.
Art.
Mark had Art.
She looked up at Mark. 'You have Art."
Mark smirekd again. "Of course. Do you know a better thief."
No.
No one did.
Art was the best.
The greatest thief currently known.
Art was a ghost.
Mythic.
Tashi had first heard of Art around 2006. Everyone knew who Art was - criminal and law enforcement alike. There was a joke that made the rounds whenever Art stole art.
Tashi looked back down.
There wasn't much inside the file.
A blurry black and white photo of a person walking down a sidewalk.
'ART?' written in black marker on the photo.
'Art?' written in the name section.
Nothing else.
Tashi closed the file and set it off to the side and picked up the second file and set it down in front of her and opened it.
There was a blurry black and white photo of a person in the distance of what looked like a warehouse and a name.
Patrick Zweig.
Hitter.
He was a force to be reckoned with.
Tashi had first heard of him around 2008. He was good at his job and there was a rumour that he hated guns. His name alone held weight in the criminal underground. Few people had ever met him either, but everyone knew who he was. His file said he was American and in his early 30's.
Tashi wondered what her file said about her.
It would be interesting to see what working on a team would be like, when she usually worked alone. She knew the other two - from what she heard - usually worked alone as well.
She closed the file, picked up her coffee, and said yes.
-
Patrick stepped out into the cool night air.
He fished around in his pocket for his pack of Marlboros and a lighter. He pulled a cigarette out and put it between his lips - flicking the lighter and lighting the cigarette - he put the pack and the lighter back in his pocket and took a drag - blowing out smoke.
He'd been having a good Friday night at the bar. Flirting with people until he hit it off with some guy - Larry or Gary or something - until some new guy walked in and Patrick was all but forgotten. He'd tried flirting with other people, but no one was interested. It was after midnight, so Patrick finished his Purple Haze and figured he'd try again tomorrow night.
He started walking down the sidewalk when a guy in a suit with a briefcase appeared out of the alley in front of him, making him stop.
"Patrick Zweig." The mystery man said.
That got Patrick's attention.
Patrick eyed the guy. "Who the fuck are you?" He asked, taking a drag.
"My name is Mark Rebellato. And I have a job for you." The man said, going on to explain the job. He opened the briefcase and took two folders out of it and handed them over to Patrick. Patrick couldn't deny he was interested. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and dropped it to the ground, stepping on it with his right foot, before taking the folders from Mark.
His eyes widened at the first name.
Art.
The greatest thief ever.
The criminal equivalent of a cryptid.
Art was a legend.
Everyone knew their name.
Patrick had first heard of Art around 2006. He almost said yes right then, but figured he should at least see the second file. He handed the first file back to Mark so he could properly look at the second one, eyes widening again at the name and picture inside it.
Tashi Duncan.
Hacker.
She was a gem.
And the most beautiful woman Patrick had ever seen.
He'd heard of her around 2007 when she'd started making a name for herself. She was amazing at her job from what he'd heard and very serious about her work.
He usually worked alone, but Patrick was definitely in with these two people working on the team. He grinned, handing the file back to Mark and said "I'm in."
-
Art walked out of the coffee shop, taking a drink of his Matcha Latte.
He didn't make it that far when he heard someone call his name.
"Art."
On instinct he turned towards the alley he had just walked past, but inwardly berated himself for making the mistake. But he figured he could walk it back - people turn at the sound of people talking all the time, right?
Art blinked, feigning innocence. "Sorry, I thought you were talking to me." He said to the man standing in the alley wearing a suit and holding a briefcase - because that doesn't look suspicious at all. Art took one step when the man spoke again.
"I know who you are, Art."
Art turned back to the man, eyes slightly wide and wary.
Who was this guy?
"You've got the wrong guy." Art told him.
"I do not." The man said, sounding definitive.
Art internally rolled his eyes. It was too early to deal with this. He just wanted his matcha latte and to get back home. He could keep pretending, but if he did, would this guy follow him home? He had found out who he was, which few people did, Art made sure of it. Art didn't want to have to move again just because of this one guy. Art figured he'd better see what this guy wanted before making any decisions. He took a drink of his matcha latte, "What do you want?" Art asked the man.
"My name is Mark Rebellato." The man said, stepping a little ways out of the alley towards the street.
Art took a few steps towards him into the alley.
The man explained the job and that Art would be working with two other people. He pulled out two folders from his briefcase and handed them over to Art. Art set his drink down on the ground beside him before taking the files from Mark.
He opened the first file and saw a name and a photo.
Tashi Duncan.
Hacker.
She was a treasure.
He'd first heard of her around 2007. He knew not to mess with her. And had heard that she was very meticulous about planning and about her work.
Art handed the first file back to mark and opened the second one.
Patrick Zweig.
Hitter.
He was phenomenal.
Art first heard of him around 2008. And had heard rumours about some incredible situations that seemed impossible for anyone to get out of - yet Patrick had managed to. He was good at his job and could take anyone down.
Art usually worked alone - and he figured the two other people he'd be working with did to. But Mark had gotten the best people for the job and it seemed easy enough. Art couldn't help but be curious what working as part of a team would be like.
He picked up his matcha latte, handed the file back to Mark, and said yes.
-
They talked through burner phones that Mark had supplied, before meting up the night of the heist on the roof of the building they were going to break into.
Tashi had arrived first, setting her bag on the roof and waiting for the other two to get there before starting on looping the security feeds - in case the job turned sour. She watched the door to the roof while she waited. A few minutes after she arrived a man walked through it, grinning as he walked over to her.
"Tashi Duncan." The man said, walking over to her.
"Patrick Zweig." She smirked.
Patrick looked around. "Art here yet?"
"No." Tashi said.
Patrick looked at her. "Do you think it's like meeting a famous person? Or a legend? Or a ghost?"
"He's just a guy." Tashi said. "No one should be put up on a pedestal like that. No matter what rumours and mythology surrounds them, they're still just a person. Just like you and I."
"Still." Patrick commented. "It's Art."
Tashi didn't respond.
They didn't have to wait long when he roof door opened again and a man - around their age, early 30's - walked through it, carrying a bag, making his way over to Tashi and Patrick. He came to a stop in front of them. It was then that Tashi and Patrick noticed his eyes.
Heterchromia - One eye was blue and the other eye was blue with flecks of brown.
The air of mystery surrounding ‘Art The Thief’ evaporated and Tashi and Patrick are left with just a man. Like Tashi had said. He's just a guy. But a guy with a set of skills, like their own. People can still be interesting and extraordinary.
"Hi." Art said, looking between Tashi and Patrick.
"It's not-not like meeting a famous person." Patrick muttered.
Art looked at Patrick. "What?"
Tashi briefly glanced at Patrick. "Ignore him. I"m Tashi. This is Patrick." Tashi said to Art, motioning at Patrick as she said his name. "You two ready to get to work." She looked between the two men. "And you're both clear on the plan." Her tone indicating they had better be and not screw it up.
"Yeah." Art said.
"Aye aye, captain." Patrick said sarcastically with a mock salute.
"Good. You better be." Tashi said as she set her bag down on the roof - sitting down beside it cross legged - and took out her laptop to start looping the security feeds.
Art set his book bag down on the roof floor as well, opening the zipper and getting his rig out to put on.
Patrick did some stretches while the other two did their thing.
After a few minutes Tashi announced that the security feed was lopped and Art was ready to go at a moments notice. Tashi put her laptop back in her bag and zipped it up, sliding it over her shoulder, while Art was at the ready with his rig attached to one of the poles.
"On my mark." Tashi said, as she stood up. "One, two - " She started.
But Art was already gone, running towards the edge of the roof and jumping off of it, disappearing off of the side and out of sight.
"And... He's gone." Patrick said, as he and Tashi watched him go.
Tashi rolled her eyes as she and Patrick went to go wait for Art to get the elevator working to come up and get them into the building.
-
Art landed upside down, hanging off of the side of the building. He righted himself up and got to work on making a hole in the side for him to go through. He got in, walked through the offices and made his way to the elevator and pressed the up button, getting in it and making his way up through the roof of the elevator to rig it to go up to get Tashi and Patrick.
Once he'd gotten them, he got it to drop them off at the correct floor where the blueprints were being stored. He dropped down through the roof of the elevator as soon as it dinged - Tashi and Patrick turned to look at him.
"I've never been on a team before." Was all Art said. Indicating he wanted to see Tashi and Patrick at work.
Tashi didn't say anything and walked out of the elevator, while Patrick looked Art up and down and grinned, walking out of the elevator too. Art followed them.
They found the door to the room where the blueprints were and Tashi got to work. Patrick stood guard while Art watched Tashi work. Tashi hadn't been at it long before the three of them heard footprints. The guards weren't due for their rounds a while.
Tashi stopped working. She turned to look at Patrick and Art. She quickly looked up the security feed and saw that guards were on their way towards their location.
"Why are they doing the walkthrough early?" Tashi wondered aloud, her mind going a mile a minute as she thought of all the possibilities as to why. They had planned it out perfectly, the guards weren't due to make their rounds for another hour.
It was Patrick who realized. "The playoffs."
Tashi and Art looked at him.
"Sports." Tashi said with a tone of annoyance. "They're doing their rounds early because of sports."
"Yeah." Patrick said slowly.
Tashi rolled her eyes, going back to work on hacking the door.
Patrick cracked his knuckles, knowing it was his time to shine.
The guards rounded the corner and saw the three of them. Patrick took a step forward past Art and grinned. The guards were unconscious on the floor within less than a minute. Art couldn't help but look fairly impressed while Tashi was still concentrating on getting the door open.
Tashi gets the door open and they got the blueprints.
Only they realized what the guards finding them meant. They'd put the whole building on lockdown - meaning the elevator couldn't go up. And they couldn't go ahead with their original escape route. So they had to go down. They changed out of their clothes and got out the ones they had brought with - Tashi from her bag and Art got his and Patrick's out of his back pack - he'd asked Patrick's size over text, and they figured the less bags they had to carry the better - and changed into them. Art donned a fake cast, so that the guards wouldn't ask too many questions.
The elevator door dinged, and the three of them walked off of the elevator - Patrick holding Art up - as they walked past the security desk in the main lobby - Patrick shouting "Why don'y you take a picture!" - and out the front doors.
-
It was nearing dawn as the three of them stopped in a park so Tashi could send the blueprints.
"Done." Tashi said once she was finished, putting her laptop back into her bag.
"So." Patrick started. "This was fun." He looks around at Tashi and Art.
"Yeah." Art admitted.
"You want us all to be best friends now." Tashi commented.
"Come on." Patricks grinned. "Admit it. We make a good team."
Art and Tashi glance at each other. Then turn back to Patrick.
"It was nice. Working as part of a team. Being part of something... Working together." Art said.
"Yeah." Patrick exclaimed. "It was fun. And we did crime. And technically did a good thing getting that guy's blueprints back."
"You want to make a regular thing of this?" Tashi drawled.
Art shrugged. "It could be fun. Not being alone."
"Exactly!" Patrick said. "Not being alone. Doing our thing. Together."
Tashi scoffed. “You want me to admit I had a good time?”
“Didn’t you?” Patrick challenged.
“You two aren’t total idiots.” Tashi told them, smirking.
Art and Patrick share a glance with each other and the two smile. Patrick holds his arm out and he and Art high five. Patrick holds his arm out to high five Tashi, who does so begrudgingly and the two high five.
The three go back to Patrick's loft for celebratory drinks.