Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Once A Thief ❯ Thief In The Night ( Chapter 1 )

Kali notes: Welcome! Now that some of my WIPs are out of the way, and the muses have been trying to beat my brain in with plot mallets, I have started my next chaptered work. This is just a little something that slammed into my imagination one night while watching a little Val Kilmer movie called The Saint for what has to be nearly the 100th time. I was inspired, to say the least. Oh! And if you didn't know already, there is a prequel for this fic, called Sketches of the Past. There will be many things alluded to in OAT from that one-shot, so you may want to read it (and review!). So…here I go again!

 

Disclaimer: Kali & muses do not own Beyblade. We mourn. We do, however, own all OCs appearing in this fic.

 

Warnings: Yaoi (means lemons, people - unless you're on ffnet; then you get shounen-ai), language, dramatic angst, and other adult content. Don't like it, don't read it!

 

Pairing: TyKa; others include Tala/Hilary, Rei/Mariah

 

Summary: (AU) A thief is being chased by the law in more ways than one. But this thief and the one chasing him have…history. And that will affect the outcome of the chase…perhaps in a way neither would have expected.

 

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Once A Thief

 

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Chapter 01: Thief In The Night

 

A masquerade ball.

They didn't happen as often as they once did anymore. These sorts of events had gone out of style ages ago, replaced by parties and gala events at the most popular nightclubs instead.

Of course, clubs and such were not usually found in private houses, nor were they the places one could find priceless works of art, jewellery, or museum-quality pieces like relics or artefacts. Any of these items found in private homes were - in this area of the world, at least - heirlooms passed down over generations. Sometimes they were in the hands of collectors, but that was rare. And most times anything of real value was documented thoroughly, its whereabouts listed in several different places so that, should something happen to it, it could be found again easily or at least tracked.

While that had its upside, it also had its downside. Anyone and everyone could find whatever they wanted to. In other words, it made stealing those items a lot easier.

All this ran through the mind of the black-clad figure slinking through the halls of a chateau just outside Paris, France. He'd left the bulk of his costume in the washroom off the kitchens with the door securely locked. Anyone wanting to use it would have to go elsewhere and heed the “out of order” sign he'd hung on the doorknob. He'd climbed out the window and scaled up the side of the chateau to the third floor tower library, entering through a very small window that was barely large enough to squeeze through.

Unfortunately, his intel had been partially false. He had been told the item he'd been sent to acquire was located in that tower. However, it turns out that it had been moved to the main library on the second floor. Cursing fluently and frequently - in his mind, anyway - he found the doors he was looking for and proceeded to use his…singular talents to get those doors open before slipping inside.

It was a good thing he'd taken care of the security system before he'd locked himself in the bathroom. He wasn't worried about cameras or motion detectors tonight - since they were off because of the party going on downstairs. Still, he didn't want to risk the chance of running into heat sensors or some other elaborate set-up. He couldn't afford to be caught.

Glancing around the room, he took in his surroundings as he searched for his target. Spotting it sitting open on a table, where someone had obviously been studying it, he moved quickly over to it, opening his case to place it inside very, very carefully.

All this for a book. Okay, so it's old, and valuable, and kind of pretty, but it's still just a book. He thought with a small amount of disgust. Damn Gideon for making me do this. I've become a criminal just to get back something that rightfully belongs to me and to save people I love.

Locking the case, he returned to the doors and peeked out to make sure the coast was clear, then left as quickly and quietly as he'd come.

Getting back to the tower was something of a chore. It was getting late and people from the ball were stumbling back to their rooms. Occasionally, he had to hide.

Eventually he did make it back to the bathroom, where he stashed his gear and the case in a backpack that had seen better days, and put his costume back on - one of the uniforms the catering staff were wearing. Then he gathered everything up, made sure there were no traces of the fact he'd been there, and exited the bathroom. With no one in the hall, he was nearly home-free.

Out in the kitchens, he was stopped by the head chef.

“What are you doing, young man? You should be out on the floor yet serving my canapés.” The man demanded in a heavy French accent. In English, with no hint of his own accent - other than purposefully sounding British - the thief gave him a weak smile and did his best to look ill.

“They told me I could go home, Monsieur. I am not feeling well.”

“Bah. You should not have come in if you were so ill.” The chef waved him away. “Go. I do not want germs near my dishes.”

“Neither do I, Anton. Good evening.” The young man answered with a brief nod. He moved slowly out of the kitchen to the servants' entrance, where he slipped out and made his way to the parking lot. Strapping on his helmet and gloves, he got onto his motorcycle and kicked it into gear, riding away into the night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Looks like he's struck again.”

A red-haired man stood and dusted his hands, glancing at his partner. “Once again, it's like the item just vanished. No hint or clue or evidence left behind.”

“That's beginning to piss me off.” The dual-haired, greyish-violet eyed man near him muttered. “I don't understand how anyone could be that smooth.”

“Planned well enough, anyone could do it.”

“I guess. You're sure it's him, though, Tala?”

“Yes. His scent is still in the room.” Tala met his eyes with a pair of his own that were icy blue and highly intelligent. “I don't see anything out of place other than the missing manuscript, though.”

“Damn it. Fine, let's get back to headquarters and let the Boss know. The UNA (1) isn't going to be happy with us.”

“Like I care, Hiwatari. It's not our fault.”

“No. But we are the ones who will have to find this guy and catch him.” Kai sighed, frowning at the world in general as they walked out of the library past the police and fellow UNA investigators.

“Still, you have to admire the guy - whoever it is. It takes skill and finesse to do what he's done.” Tala laced his hands behind his head as he sauntered alongside Kai down the stairs to the main floor.”

“You're warped, Ivanov.” (2)

“Did you find anything? Do you know who has stolen from me?” A short, wizened little man approached them, wringing his hands. He spoke in French, but the two UNA agents understood perfectly. Tala, in typical fashion, gave his partner a look and continued toward the front doors, slipping on a pair of sunglasses and leaving Kai to speak with the man.

In French, Kai said, “Monseigneur, I'm sorry to say that there was very little evidence of anything to be found - except your missing manuscript.”

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…my wife will be most unhappy with me.”

“I want to reassure you, however, that we will find the thief and your manuscript. Despite the lack of clues, we think we know who may be behind this.” Kai continued, pretending not to hear the man. “Please trust us to do our jobs, Monseigneur, and you will get your property back.”

The man drew out a handkerchief and mopped at his forehead anxiously. “Oui, oui…of course, Agent Hiwatari. I was most reassured by Monsieur Dickenson's phone call this morning, when he told me of your arrival. His agents were the best, he said.”

“We try, Monseigneur. Someone from the UNA will be in touch with you when we have anything new to report.” Kai shook the man's hand and turned to leave.

Outside, he got into the car and gave his partner a mild glare as Tala pulled out of the drive of the large estate and back onto the highway.

“What? I'm not good with people, Kai. You're better at handling the distraught victims.”

“Oh yeah right. You just don't want to even try.” Kai slouched in his seat, taking his sunglasses out of his jacket pocket and slipping them on.

“You're in a fantastic mood these days. What's wrong with you?” Tala glanced at him, eyes studying him curiously behind his own shades.

“Nothing. I'm just getting supremely annoyed with this thief. He's making a mockery of the UNA. This is the what? Thirteenth item he's stolen? And every time we show up we find nothing to identify him nor any reason for taking whatever it was.”

“A `he' is it? You've sensed something then.” Tala gave his attention back to the road. “I know I've suspected a male, because his scent tells me that much. What have you found?”

“I haven't found anything. It's just…a feeling I get.” Kai shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

“If you say so. I trust your instincts. They haven't been wrong before.”

“Hn.”

They returned to the Parisian branch of UNA headquarters without further comment. Once there, they rode the elevator to the top floor to give their reports to the Director of the UNA, Mr. Stanley Dickenson.

“Do you want to tell him, or shall I?” Tala inquired, winding through the cubicles toward the offices along the front of the building.

“Why don't I write the report, and you tell him we know nothing more.” Kai eyed the office door warily.

“Uh…how about you tell him? I'll…go write the report right now.” Tala was gone between one word and the next, leaving Kai blinking at the door reluctantly.

He knocked, waited a moment, and went inside.

“Ah, Kai…you've returned.” The stout, bald man at the desk looked up from his paperwork. “How did your investigations go?”

“Badly. I'm sorry, sir, but all we could discern was that it's the same culprit. Tala's nose still works, on the bright side…” Kai reported, trying to lighten the poor results, though he failed miserably. He'd learned so much from someone in his past, but he didn't have the same genki cheerfulness he had had to pull it off.

“This has to stop. At this rate all of Europe's most precious treasures will be gone. Has there been anything? Anything at all?”

“No, sir. There appears to be no connections at all. The victims of these thefts aren't related, though occasionally they know one another through business or from their social positions. The objects themselves aren't related either. They come from different time periods, different cultures, are of different sorts of objects - like paintings, sculptures, a mechanical device, jewels, and now a manuscript - and there seems to be no pattern to the thefts either. It's almost as if random objects just…disappear from existence.” Kai made a noise of frustration.

“Yes, well, I certainly can't tell the people who want their property back that. What do we know?” Mr. Dickenson folded his hands in front of himself on the desk, watching Kai expectantly.

Kai sighed and rubbed his temples, thinking. “From Tala's tracking and my gut instinct…it's a male, no older than I. He can't be to have gotten in and out of some of the places he has. We also believe he must be in good shape, and perhaps has had some kind of training that adds to his speed and agility. Tala…describes his scent as a storm.” Kai frowned, not because of the strangeness of such a description (since, coming from his Russian partner, such parallels were normal), but because the memory of someone else who smelled faintly of a summer thunderstorm still haunted him - even ten years later.

“I see. Very well, Agent. I'll expect your report by the end of the day.” The Director dismissed him, and Kai gratefully made his escape.

Kai wound his way through the cubicles in the bullpen until he came to the one he shared with Tala, finding the redhead bent over a stack of paperwork with pen in hand.

“Give me some of that. You'll be here all night.” Kai reached out and grabbed a part of the stack from Tala.

“Please…help yourself.” Tala didn't even look up. “What did the Boss have to say?”

Opening his desk drawer, Kai dug out a pair of reading glasses and slipped them on. Then he grabbed a pen out of the holder on one corner of his desk and opened the first booklet to fill out. “Not much, really.” He replied. “But there was that frown of frustration. I'm thinking we don't find the guy soon, we're going to be very unemployed.”

Tala looked up and shoved one paper off to the side to move on to the next. “I wouldn't go that far.” He grinned, watching Kai for a moment as he wrote, then put his pen down to look for the case file to look something up. He pushed the glasses up his nose then blinked when he noticed Tala watching him.

“What?” He demanded defensively, scowling at his partner.

“Just the glasses. It's cute.”

“Shut up.”

“No, really! Why aren't you dating yet anyway? I know a few girls who'd be absolutely thrilled to get their hands on you.” Tala wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I can set you up…”

“Haven't we had this conversation before?” Kai grumbled moodily. “No, Tala.”

“Okay, come on. I know you're still reserving hopes of finding this mysterious love of your life that you lost…what?” Tala affected a forgetful expression. “Nine? Ten years ago? But, Kai…your life is passing by and you're not even a spectator. We've looked since we got out of the Academy. We have followed every clue and miniscule piece of evidence we possibly could find but…”

“Then you don't understand.” Kai didn't scowl now. He glared, and had he not been wearing the contacts that disguised his fiery eye colour, Tala would have burned to a crisp with that look. “I loved him, Tala. I still love him. All I want is the chance to tell him so.”

“And that's fine, Kai. But until we find him, you are married to your career. It's not healthy.”

“Hmph. Like you're an expert on healthy.”

“At this point, I'm way more expert than you are. I've known you for nearly eight years now. I've seen you date maybe three times, and each time it only lasted a few hours. At least then you'd go out to a club or something once in a while. Now you just sit around at home and read - and it's usually case files and witness statements. Not even books! That's no way to live.”

“Tala. Just leave it. I'm not looking for a relationship so drop it. Besides, I'd think your wolf-y self would appreciate monogamy.” Kai shot back, looking back down at his paperwork with a grumble.

“I'm not all wolf, for your information.” Sighing, the redhead picked up the next piece of paper to fill out. “Whatever. Live in total misery then. See if I care.” He muttered.

“Tal…hey, don't do that.” Kai fought the urge to squirm in guilt. “You're acting like I ran over your puppy.”

“You might as well have. And don't use that `Tal…' whine on me. You're almost twenty seven, damn it. No guy who is as much of a catch as you are has only gone on three, hour-long dates since his high school graduation - unless he was married right after he graduated.” Tala grabbed Kai's left hand and held it up. “I see no ring.”

Kai yanked his hand back, holding it to his chest almost protectively. “Maybe not, but I'm still taken.”

Tala threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. “Fine! I give up.” Then he gave his partner a sly grin. “But you have to promise me that you'll go out somewhere - my choice - at the next opportunity.”

“If it will end this conversation and get you off my back, fine.”

“Done!” Tala smiled, his grin more than a little wolfy. “I'll get you a life yet.”

“Don't count on it.” Kai couldn't help the tiny twitching of his mouth into a smile. His partner was like a giddy child with an ice cream cone when he got his way. “Can we work now?”

“You betcha.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Six days later - Paris

“Are you absolutely sure this time? Because you were way off last time. Double-check your data.” The thief tapped his fingers on a desktop, switching ears with the phone's handset impatiently. “It took me nearly fifteen extra minutes to get that stupid manuscript. I had to sneak like a common burglar through the halls.”

There was a lengthy pause as he rolled his eyes, listening to the voice on the other end of the line, and reached for a laptop computer, flipping it open and turning it on.

“Okay, okay! I'm sorry! You know I couldn't do any of this without you, and I know how much you're risking by doing it. Yes, yes.” There was another pause. “It's emailed? Even the blue-prints? Alright. Thanks for everything. What? Oh. There's only two items left on the list. This one and the final one.” The thief sighed, squelching the guilt his conscious was screaming at him. “Yeah. That. You'll start researching it, then? Okay. I'll be in touch when I've made my plans for this next one.”

He hung up and opened his email account. He began downloading attachments and printing off the info he'd need to go after the next object on the list.

It looked like he wouldn't have to travel far this time, for which he was glad in a way. He was getting so tired of jetting here and there, never staying in one place for more than a month at a time. Although this flat was his main base, and had been for over two years, it would never truly be home. That was, in part, what he was doing all this for - his home, his family, and the most valuable heirloom his family possessed (other than the land his home sat upon itself).

“Back to merry old England it is. London, here I come.”

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Kali Notes: (1) UNA = United Nations Authority. It'll be explained later on in the fic. (2) I don't know what Tala's real last name is, but I'm using Ivanov for this fic. And yes, I'm playing around with his character a little, too. It's an AU, people! I can do what I want. It's called `creative license.'

I think it's all pretty obvious who's who and what's going on - to a point, of course. I'm never one to give away the entire plot all at once now am I? LOL Still, keep in mind that this is an AU fic. I may be playing with a few things that aren't quite canon to Beyblade. So stay tuned, and enjoy the newest venture into the Chaos… Please R/R!!!!