sicparvasmagna | [Early December, Coop]

Entry tags:

coop,
unlinked

[Early December, Coop]

Coop's been something of a sad sack lately. Nate didn't know Philip, never met the guy, and he's never been good at finding the right thing to say to comfort someone. He's just as likely to say something stupid or piss Coop off, so he decides the best course of action is to keep his mouth shut and cheer him up another way. His first thought is a case of beer and maybe something to set on fire, but considering the luck he and Coop normally have, they're just as likely to set each other on fire.

Then it comes to him.

He first hears about the supposed Pandora's Box from Errol, in one of his droning stories that Nate normally tunes out. The guy manages to make even the most outlandish stories sound boring as all hell, but Nate had perked up when he caught the tail end of this one. It took a little bit of digging after that, but now he has enough to be reasonably sure that the whole thing might not be bullshit. There's enough weird magical shit in Darrow that Nate's willing to go along with the idea on the hope that it might even turn out to be a proper pay off.

Supposedly, Pandora's Box is real and in Darrow, and about to be displayed at some fancy Gala event.

It's maybe not the kind of job he's used to going in for, but he knows this is a little more up Coop's alley, and maybe that's just what he needs. Something easy and familiar and that will hopefully end with a lot of money in both of their pockets. Besides, it's hardly his first rodeo.

The first step is to get them access to the event, which is easy enough. Nate calls in a favour, gets them a couple of forged invitations that are almost impossible to discern from the real thing, and then he goes shopping. He buys them each a new suit, fancy enough that they won't look out of place, and when the night rolls around he instructs Coop to wear it and not spill anything on it. He's told Chloe where he'll be, just in case they need an emergency getaway, but he hasn't asked her to come along this time. If all goes according to plan and they make some money out of this, she might be a little pissed off, but he's hoping she doesn't get too mad at him for cutting her out. It's not like she hasn't done her fair share of jobs without him.

Their meeting place is just around the corner from the hall where the event is being held and Nate waits, fiddling with his cufflinks. Some early people are already starting to arrive, but he plans on entering in the midst of the main throng, neither early or late. He just needs his partner in crime.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Coop doesn't know why he let Nate talk him into this. He'd been perfectly happy sitting at home, drinking beer and watching bad television. He'd been alone and it had been quiet and safe and warm.

But, it had also been a bit boring. He knew what a sight he made, hibernating inside his apartment and acting like he was fine, like everything was fine when it very clearly wasn't. Time was starting to scab over the wound that Philip's death had left behind but it wasn't easy and it wasn't quick.

He knew he had to get back on the horse but he wasn't sure if stuffing himself into a suit was the way to do it. Nonetheless, he was wearing the uncomfortable thing pretty well and was tugging on the sleeve and yanking on the tie as he made his way over to Nate.

"I'm not gonna even question how you knew what size I wore."

Nate looks up when Coop arrives, giving him the once over to make sure he's suitably dressed. By the grumbling, this is more out of his comfort zone quicker than he might have liked, but Nate thinks it'll be good for him. It'll be a bit of fun if nothing else, which Nate has decided is exactly what he needs.

The suit fits because Nate has a damn good eye. He doesn't bother retorting, just nods in the direction they're headed. "C'mon, if we wait much longer we'll be late." Late arrivals get noticed, which is exactly what Nate doesn't want. He reaches a hand into his pocket and retrieves Coop's invitation, handing it over. "We'll need these to get inside. Don't worry, the piece is on display before the thing properly kicks off, so we won't have to stick around."

It's some kind of charity gala and Nate's not exactly a good Samaritan. He has no intention of sticking around any longer than it takes to steal what he wants and get out of there, and he doesn't think Coop does either. If all goes according to plan, they'll be gone before dinner starts.

He leads the way, and when they reach the fancy hall the thing is being held at, Nate straightens his tie and presents his invitation with a flourish and a comfortable smile.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into something that's displayed at a gala," Coop said, making a face but taking the invitation and falling into step with Nate. Galas were completely out of his league and probably always would be. He was the scum on someone's shoes, the person they never looked twice at and that was what made him a decent thief.

Now, he was dressed to the nines and about to attempt to lift something powerful from a gala that required he dress up. Darrow did strange, strange things to him.

"Where'd you hear about this thing anyway?" Coop asked him as they walked. "Pandora's Box seems like too big a thing to just keep quiet in a city like Darrow."

"You were being all mopey and annoying," Nate retorts as they walk inside, keeping his voice low enough so only Coop can hear. "Figured something like this would at least get your ass off your couch."

Besides, it's not like they have to be here for long. Nate's as uncomfortable in a suit as Coop, but there's not a lot he won't do for a score, if the opportunity presents itself to him. He's done things a lot riskier and a lot more ridiculous.

He takes two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and hands one to Coop, mostly so that they have something to pretend to be doing. Nate doesn't even like champagne, but he makes a show of holding it and looking around like all the other rich snobs are doing. "It's Darrow, ridiculous shit turns up in this place all the time. Heard about it from a... friend." He's not willing to expose Errol just yet, mostly because Coop will definitely make fun of him for it and the poor guy has already been ripped off by Chloe half a dozen times since she heard about him.

"Hey, I've been upset!" Coop protested, making a face. He didn't go so far as pouting because even he knew that he'd been ridiculous but it'd been hard to get to the point of doing something about it. Apparently, he'd just needed someone else to do something about it for him because Nate's invitation had gotten him off the couch quick enough.

He took the glass of champagne and sipped it, letting the liquid courage calm him down a bit. He wasn't nervous but he was vividly aware that the last few times he'd tried this, he'd been caught.

"You have a plan for what to do with this thing if it is Pandora's Box?" Coop asked him, hiding his words behind the glass. "Seems like it'd be pretty valuable and not really worth keeping in someone's apartment as a paper weight."

"Like I said, mopey and annoying," Nate teases, rolling his eyes. He knows that Coop has had a perfectly good reason to be upset, but he's not going to just stop needling him. Nate's never been particularly good at comforting people but he's pretty sure Coop would just get pissed off and probably punch him if Nate tried to baby him.

Instead, he's dragged him along on a job that's a little out of his comfort zone because at least it will get him moving and thinking again. Thinking about the job and how much money they're going to make afterwards, rather than the death of his friend.

"Sell it, genius." Not straight away, because if it is Pandora's Box, Nate's pretty sure it's going to be a hot item. He'll need to keep it hidden and lay low for a while, but Coop's right. It's a pointless thing to keep around as a paper weight, if that's really all it's good for. "But not before I get a good look at it. See if I can crack it." He flashes Coop a grin. He's got more experience in solving ancient puzzles than most, and he's reasonably confident he could give it a good try before he sold it off to the highest bidder.

"If we let you get a crack at Pandora's Box, we're all gonna die," Coop told him, finding a spark of sarcasm hidden underneath all the moping and annoyance Nate apparently thought he was presenting.

"You would find a way to somehow turn this island into a -- fuck, I don't even know -- but nothing would be the same," Coop continued with a shake of his head. "But, I suppose no one would have the chance to kick your ass because it'd turn us all into little drummer boys and girls or something stupid and ridiculous like that."

Coop had been hearing a lot of Christmas music during his self imposed exile from the outside world. He was going to jump out of a window the next time someone played Feliz Navidad.

"It's like you've never read a book," Nate complains, rolling his eyes. "Pandora's Box isn't about releasing a bunch of evil crap like everybody thinks it is." A waiter walks by and Nate lowers his voice, leaning towards Coop a little more. "Pandora already opened it and let all that stuff out, so now legend says hope is all that's left inside."

What that means exactly is cause for a hell of a lot of debate and interpretation, but Nate doesn't really care about that, not right now. He cares to an extent, because Nate is a history nerd if nothing else, but what exactly is in the box ironically doesn't matter when he intends to sell it. It's the story surrounding the box that will get him his pay day.

His offence at Coop thinking he'll destroy Darrow the minute he gets within ten feet of the thing takes a backseat to making sure he understands what they're actually looking for. This is the kind of thing that used to make Chloe roll her eyes at him; she's always been more interested in what a thing is worth than where it came from. It's what makes them argue so much.

"Anyway, I resent the implication." A voice announces that the display will be opening in twenty minutes, and Nate gets back to the task at hand. "You wanna be the guy in charge of shutting off the lights and the alarm, or the guy who does the grab?"

"Oh please, you know that as soon as you get your hands on this box thing, you're going to burn this place down no matter whether you want to or not," Coop said, shaking his head. Just like Coop, Nate had the ability to take good things and make them shitty and now that they were both in the vicinity of this thing, they had either doomed themselves or doomed the city.

"And really, hope? Hope? We're going after something that might be an emotion? A feeling? Unless there's some money attached to that hope, this might be a bust of a job," Coop said, shaking his head.

"But, I'm the lights and alarm guy," Coop decided after very little thought. "I've tried a few grabs lately and all of them have turned to shit. We'll see if you do any better and I'll make sure you don't get your ass caught."

It's not that far off how things usually go for Nate, in all honesty, but Coop doesn't know that. He's watched Nate trash an RV and get stranded on his shitty boat, but he hadn't seen Shambhala or Ubar come crashing down around him so he can't know that, unless he's been talking to Chloe. Nate makes a note to swear her to secrecy.

"It doesn't matter what's really inside," Nate argues, rolling his eye. "What matters is what people will pay for it because of the story." It's not going to be a bust of a job, because Nate knows people will pay ridiculous amounts of money for artefacts like this, especially ones that have some kind of legend behind them.

Maybe it'll turn out to be absolutely nothing, but he intends on selling it before that comes to light.

Being the grab guy works just fine for Nate, so he nods without argument. So long as Coop gets the lights and alarm off successfully, it should create an easy, brief panic in which Nate can grab the thing and make for the door. Easy.

"Alright, we'll meet back around the block in an hour. By the time they get the power back on and realise something's up, we'll be long gone. Easy money."

"Why did you say that? Why the hell did you say that, you idiot?" Coop asked, shoving his shoulder lightly and shaking his head. Everyone knew that saying a job would be easy meant it would absolutely not be easy and anything that could go wrong would go wrong. Maybe whoever controlled their fate wasn't listening and they'd get lucky.

Coop hoped so. It'd be so nice to have something go his way.

But, what's said was said so now they just had to push through and get this done so they could get paid. He straightened his jacket, nodded and straightened up, trying to look presentable and like he wasn't about to throw the gala into chaos.

"You do your thing, I'll do mine," Coop said, already turning to find where the breaker box was. He took a breath, straightened his jacket one more time and said, "If I get caught, I don't know you."

Admittedly, he'd done it a little bit just to watch Coop's reaction, because the guy is about as superstitious as anybody Nate has ever met and he gets something of a kick out of it. He gives Coop a wink, laughing as he shoves his shoulder.

He straightens up his own jacket, not that it's going to matter much when the light hopefully goes off momentarily. First he's got to trust Coop not to fuck that up, but he's reasonably confident they can pull this off.

"I don't even know you now," Nate replies, giving him a little shove to hurry him off. The less people who see them together now the better, just in case Coop is right and something does go wrong.

As soon as Coop is out of view, Nate slips into the midst of the crowd, slowly moving closer to the displays. The box is in the central display case with a gathering crowd around it. His eyes are already scanning the place for a diversion, just in case, but he's hoping he won't need it. Cutting the lights should be distraction enough, get people flustered and in a panic for just long enough to grab the thing and get out of there.

Coop found the breaker box quick enough but a few people were wandering around so Coop just leaned against the wall and tried to look casual. A waiter came up and tried to offer him a drink but Coop shooed him away. He was thirsty but he couldn't just stop to have a drink right now. Maybe later when he and Nate were either successful in getting what they were after or when they were both sitting in jail and Coop feigned that he was dying of thirst to get some water.

Once things seemed clear, Coop popped open the breaker panel and, after one last look around, he flipped the switches to the electricity than then the alarm. Trust these idiots to keep everything one place. The room was suddenly plunged into darkness and only the sounds of startled patrons filled the air.

"Score," he murmured, already heading for the door since his job was done.

While he waits, Nate walks a casual circle around the display case, his eyes on the crowd more than anything as he works out his plan of attack. Even with the lights off he's sure that picking the lock on the case will take too long and get him noticed, but he doesn't really want to smash and grab the thing either. Too much noise, too much mess, and he doesn't really fancy the idea of cutting up his hand.

His luck comes in two parts: first, the gala begins proper and the host steps up on the stage, drawing people's attention. The crowd immediately begins to move closer to the stage and the display cases are left blessedly alone. Nate hovers near the one he's got his eye on, and after a few more moments the lights die and people startle.

At least he can trust Coop to do his job properly. It's not something he ever necessarily doubted, but it's nice to see it confirmed. The hushed murmuring of the crowd gets louder as people try and work out what's going on, the host trying to calm everyone down, and Nate takes his moment, stepping up to the display case.

His second stroke of luck is that it's just an alarmed case, no locks in sight. They'd clearly trusted their security or their guests more than they should have, and it only takes Nate a second to lift the glass, swipe his prize and tuck it into his pocket. He slides the glass box back into place, takes a few quick strides away from the display, and he's already halfway towards the door when the lights flicker back on.

Coop slipped out the door just as the lights came back to life. He took a cursory look behind him, making sure that no one was none the wiser before he slipped out, tucking his hands into his pockets and affecting a casual stroll as he made his way to the meeting place. A part of him wanted to run, to take off and get there first just in case the building decide to explode or he caught the sight of flashing lights from the corner of his eyes.

But everything remained quiet so Coop kept calm, kept focused. He stopped to peer in a window, like he was checking out the horribly expensive televisions within before moving along. He nodded and smiled at the few passersby before he ducked into an alley and cut across to where he was due to meet Nate.

Nate doesn't see Coop as he slips out of the party, which he's counting as a good sign. Hopefully, that means Coop has gotten the hell out of dodge and is waiting for him at their agreed meeting spot. He doesn't bother to look behind him as he strides right out the front door, the box safely in his jacket pocket.

He's about halfway down the drive when someone calls out to him, and Nate stops. It would be suspicious to keep walking, and so instead he turns with a polite but question smile as the doorman approaches.

"You dropped your invitation," he says, holding out the forged piece of paper with a friendly smile. "Some people like to keep them as souvenirs."

Nate flashes him a grin back, taking the invitation back and stashing it into his other pocket. He would like to keep it as a souvenir in fact, but not for the reasons this man is suggesting. He thanks him, wishes him a good night and turns again, moving quickly away. When he turns the first corner he lets out a breath, and then it's not long before he can cut across the backstreets, finding Coop waiting.

"What'd I say?" he says as he approaches, giving Coop a grin. "Easy money."

Coop still wasn't convinced. They'd gotten away and Nate presumably had what they were after but it just felt too easy and after the last few times, Coop knew nothing was easy. He kept looking around to see if that girl with the webs would pop up and finally decide to take him to jail.

But, the area was quiet and Coop couldn't help but relax some. Maybe this truly had gone off easy. Maybe his streak of shitty, awful luck was ending. Maybe he was going to finally get paid.

"How's the box look?" Coop asked, nodding in Nate's direction. "You check to make sure it was the real box and not some replica put out to fool idiots like you and me?"

He knew that there were some places that did that. Put a copy out so the tourists could ooh and aah but never get close to the real thing.

Nate doesn't take the box out of his pocket to show Coop just yet, but he nods. He's not going to show the thing off in the middle of an open street, but he'd felt the weight of it in his hands and the detailing was definitely not that of a replica.

"It's real silver, looks 19th century." He cocks his head a little, musing. "I'd guess Viennese. It's definitely what they think it is - that is, worth a buck - but I won't know if it's what we think it is until we get a proper look."

Maybe this will be the result of another trumped up legend like he's beginning to think the compass is, but it'll at least be worth something. Nate knows a good piece when he's looking at it, and even if it's not Pandora's Box at all, he knows they'll be able to make some money off it.

"And you didn't have any issue getting out?" He can see that Nate is standing in front of him but he wanted to know if he'd been seen, been stopped, had anything strange happen to him on the way out. Anything, in this city, could mean trouble even if it was as simple as someone bumping into him as he left.

Coop peered around to double check the area but it was quiet and clear. "You didn't step on a bug that would have potentially cured cancer or something?"

Nate would be the guy to do that, accidentally step on something that could change the world. Coop would do it too but they weren't talking about Coop's stupidity right now.

He resists the urge to roll his eyes. For all that Coop is being panicky and paranoid, he does, admittedly have a point. It's a rare day that things go according to plan for them, Nate knows, but just once he'd like to have a job come off successfully and reap the rewards.

"Doorman stopped me for half a second, but I'd just dropped the invitation." It's nothing to worry about, he's confident about that. The invitation had a fake name on it and Nate hadn't stopped long enough for the guy to remember anything significant about him even if he was suspicious. "No stepping on bugs."

This isn't time travel, so Nate's not sure why he's freaking out about potentially cancer curing bugs, but he doesn't really care. He claps Coop on the shoulder, starts to walk down the alley and gestures for Coop to follow him. It's not far back to Nate's apartment, and there he can show him the piece and hopefully reassure him that they're didn't fuck this up. "Relax, would you?"

"I'm trying," Coop admitted with a scowl. He really was. "The last few times I've been out, trying to do my thing, some lady who could shoot glue or something stopped me. Kept me trapped in a store for hours on Halloween night while -- "

While Philip was being killed. It was hard to forget something like that. Logically, Coop knew that his being stuck didn't hasten Philip's death but he couldn't really stop himself from thinking that he could have been some help. Maybe if he'd been better, he would have gotten over to Philip's and stopped whatever happened before it got bad.

"It's been a bad few months," he said apologetically. "I would really love it if this turns it around. I will owe you drinks and...whatever the hell else someone like you can think up for payment."

Nate raises an eyebrow at that, turning to Coop with a concerned look. He hasn't met anyone who can shoot glue, but on some level he's not all that surprised. Every time he thinks he understands Darrow, something else ridiculous happens, so he's given up trying to stay one step ahead. He hadn't known Coop had been busted by somebody, though.

It maybe explains a little of Coop's recent mood, compounded with everything else. He definitely needs a win, Nate decides, which is why it's good he has a priceless artefact in his pocket. Well. Possibly not priceless, if it's not what he thinks it is, but it's at least a pay day. One they both apparently sorely need.

"I'm not going to ask what someone like you is supposed to mean," Nate tells him, rounding the corner onto his street. "I'll just pretend you're being nice to me for once." If this turns out, they're definitely having drinks, but if all goes according to plan, Nate will well and truly be able to afford his own.

"I'm always nice to you," Coop told Nate's back, sticking his tongue out as he did. "You haven't decided to stab me in the back so we're good. The minute you do that, hen we're not good even if you decide to let me sleep on your couch."

Morty, God love him (because Coop didn't), was trying but it was a little too late after he'd spent a chunk of the last few years locked up because Morty was a chickenshit Benedict Arnold.

"But, you have to admit, trouble seems to love to find you," Coop continued as they walked. "I think you could walk into an old folks home and cause an international incident."

He's heard a little about Coop's past with Morty, and at least Nate knows that if nothing else, neither of them are likely to turn on the other. They've both been stabbed in the back before and gone to prison for it, and neither of them are keen to repeat the experience.

Coop might be an asshole half the time, might needle Nate more than most people, but he trusts him. More than he trusts most people.

"That's not my fault," he protests, leading Coop to the front of Candlewood. He glances around them, does a quick check to make sure they haven't been watched or followed before he unlocks the door. "Besides, I haven't caused any international incidents here. How could I, when we can't even get beyond the borders?"

"Don't remind me about that," Coop said, making a face. "Someone tells me I can't leave, I'm just reminded of Surf City and I try my best to forget that place."

Darrow was much nicer and gave him much more freedom than Surf City but it was still a prison of a sort. It still prevented him from leaving and Coop wasn't going to give it a pass just because he didn't have a cellmate named Rodney and he wasn't confined to a small cell.

"But fine, you haven't caused any international incidents," Coop relented, waiting for Nate to open the door before he stepped in and let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Just some domestic ones."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Early December, Coop]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject