Merx #5

Look, we all need cash for one reason or another. You three are the only people in this city I actually trust. The payout is... more than enough.

Are you in?

"—and for that, let's raise a toast to our dear friend! Happy retirement!" Ellie raised her glass and everyone else in attendance did the same. Caduceus played the part he was assigned for the night as Ellie's plus-one, clinked his glass with some stranger and took a sip. She had some serious connections with the wealthy and elite in Acinvar and someone was bound to know a thing or two about the place they were supposed to be hitting in a few days.

With the formalities out of the way finally, Caduceus took this opportunity to schmooze his way around the party. He had a way with words and could typically get anyone to do anything he wanted them to—or in this case, get them to tell him whatever he needed to know.

Over the next few days, Caduceus and his crew began preparations. On the surface, it seemed like a simple enough heist: get in, get the prize, get out. What raised the most concerns, however, was their benefactors.

Who exactly were these two and why was the prize so important to them?

Why did they reach out to Caduceus, and how did they know of him?

He trusted his crew and knew that no matter what was thrown their way, the ragtag group of people in front of him could get the job done. They were the only people in Acinvar that he felt he could truly depend on through thick and thin. Deep down, he was happy to be doing this job with them. And he couldn't help but think that it would make a good memory for when he actually managed to leave the mist-ridden city.

And any attempt at fucking over the Gatekeepers was worth it in his opinion. Win-win.

There was only so much they could do to prepare, however, and the day of the heist came in a flash. They all piled into a non-descript van that Kane managed to acquire, dressed in what passed as casual clothing for them, and made their way to their destination. Ellie, of course, looked like she owned the building. Caduceus was dressed nicely. Nana, as if they were visiting the gallery with their family.

"I'm actually a little nervous," Nana said. Caduceus could tell from their intonation that Scaredy was probably speaking. They fiddled with their dangling necklace. He was going to have to coax Sly or Smartypants out eventually.

"As long as we stick to the plan, everything should be fine." Caduceus shook off some of his own nerves as their destination came into view.

"Are we sure this is the place?" Kane asked as they got closer.

Caduceus looked out the front window and nodded. "Unless I wasted six hours schmoozing up to rich, siddidy folk, this is definitely it."

The Ofen Gallery looked rich, almost decadent, crafted from some crazy architectural dream that made it stand out from the rest of the city. The setting sun broke through the mist that hovered around the building with ease. From their angle, it didn't look like there was any mist at all. Caduceus had to raise a hand to block the rays of the sun that bounced off the building and almost blinded him.

They parked close enough to the building that they could run back to the van if needed, but not so close as to show up immediately on any security cameras surrounding the building. Not that Kane didn't already have those dealt with.

"Everyone know what they're supposed to do, right?" Caduceus adjusted the ear pod in his ear, as did the others. Each of them nodded in turn, checking their own tech. They were connected. "Give me a few minutes head start before any of you follow in after. Kane, be alert."

Caduceus stepped out of the vehicle, fixed his suit, and headed inside.

It was warm—almost uncomfortably so—inside the gallery. Beat cops nodded to him as he entered. The air smelled sweet, like sugar and cinnamon and some other spice used for baking cakes or cookies. Someone had taken great care to make the place feel as inviting as possible.

Naturally, this had the exact opposite effect on Caduceus. Whether it was the Enclave's presence itself or just his distrustful nature, the gallery felt off.

He needed to play the part of an art connoisseur, or at least someone who appreciated the craft. He did his best to suppress his worries and doubts as he looked over some of the artwork available near the entrance. Near him seemed to be a side entrance as well, presumably where they would bring in large items that couldn't fit through the front doors. The gallery held many different types of art, and they had lots of paintings and statues. Many, many statues, in fact.

He smelled something like cardamom as he approached the statues, taking them in. Many figures from throughout history and myth stood on display before him, carved out of marble or stone or glass. As he read through the names on the plaques, the sense of unease he had been suppressing began to bubble to the top, though he couldn't understand why. The gallery was high class and not made for someone like him, but he'd been in places like it before. They had the best things to steal. He was sure it wasn't his feeling of not belonging that was ruining the mood.

One statue, in particular, caught his attention, a chill running down his spine as he read the name. It was of Charon, the ferryman of the underworld. He'd known a Rift of Charon some years back, though he hadn't heard from them in—

In the back, an empty display sat with a small placard that read, "Coming Soon" in a fancy calligraphic typeface.

He understood why he felt so uneasy. Or, better yet, why the myth within him felt so uneasy.

The tag beneath the empty display said, "HERMES. COMING SOON."

A young guard approached him and nodded to the display. "Isn't it exciting? I can't wait. Should be here any day now, or so they say. Something about waiting for the right time. I heard it'll even have a proper caduceus." And he was gone.

It was then, at that moment, Caduceus realized they were walking into a trap.

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