''A Visit to Greystoke''
<a href="http://neurostyle.net/history/">Emilio Gonzalez</a> - <a href="mailto:emilio@neurostyle.net">emilio@neurostyle.net</a>
---
Vishek's van creaks down the highway from the light industrial district, carefully observing every traffic law. Almost every law, at least, as Vishek occasionally takes his eyes off the road to poke at a laptop sitting on the passenger seat.
Maricela sits on a crate in the back, looking over some papers and peeking out the back window every few minutes. In front of her hang two garment bags, each with a set of clothes, disguise materials, and an envelope of documents.
She clears her throat and speaks up over the noise, "What's the word?"
"No change. It looks like either plan will work. It's up to you, we're ready for anything."
//OK,// Maricela thinks, //the different plans were for contingencies, but they never popped up.// Her hand hovers in front of the bags. //Do I want to do the big con or the crafty sneak?//
(link: '"I\'m doing the big con."')[(set: $path to 'con')(goto: "CommCheck")]
(link: '"I\'ll do the crafty sneak."')[(set: $path to 'sneak')(goto: "CommCheck")]
"Got it." He starts tapping more on the laptop, and the van starts weaving a bit.
(if: $path is 'con')[Maricela carefully dresses in the bag's high-end pantsuit, short wig, and conservative make-up. She checks herself in a dressing mirror hastily taped to the van's wall as they exit to the financial district.
She straps on an expensive-looking digital wristwatch. "Comm check?"]\
(else:)[Maricela quickly dons the bag's rumpled coveralls and ponytail wig, then places a few conservative smudges of grease around her face and hands. She checks herself in a dressing mirror hastily taped to the van's wall as they exit to the financial district.
She straps on a simple digital wristwatch. "Comm check?"]
Vishek taps a couple keys and says "Comm check, one, two, three."
Maricela's watch vibrates quietly and she taps the face. The time disappears and "COMM CHECK 1 2 3" appears. She taps her wrist against her knee and "AFFIRMATIVE" appears on Vishek's screen. She twists her wrist back and forth and "NEGATIVE" pops up. Finally, she double-taps the screen and whispers into it; "TRANSCRIPTION TEST 1 2 3" is sent.
Vishek chuckles. "Comm's solid! Love these things. I'm pretty sure the network key should keep you from losing signal inside."
[[//Time to check in with Rosie.//->CheckRosie]]
The van rolls through the financial district's late afternoon shadows, between massive blocks-long banks. Maricela takes a calm breath, then reaches past Vishek for a radio. "You out there?"
The radio crackles with Slick Rosie's raspy female voice. "What's the word? Over."
"The $path. Over."
"Copy that. Over."
Maricela hesitates. //This is a big job, maybe I should...//
(link: '//..try to build confidence.//')[(set: $giveTalk to 'confidence')(goto: "PepTalk")]
(link: '//...get serious.//')[(set: $giveTalk to 'serious')(goto: "PepTalk")]
(link: '//...break the tension.//')[(set: $giveTalk to 'humor')(goto: "PepTalk")]
(link: '//...let them think.//')[(set: $giveTalk to 'silence')(goto: "PepTalk")]
(if: $giveTalk is 'confidence')["This might be our biggest job yet, but //no problema.// The work is the same, it's just a bigger building with more people and more assets. We have a great plan, let's do it. Over."
"Thanks, coach - that pep talk for us or for you?" They could hear the smile on Rosie's face.
]\
(elseif: $giveTalk is 'serious')["Alright, we have a shot at something big and we can't screw this up. Stick to the plan, listen to what I say, and we won't be in jail tonight. Over."
Rosie takes a few moments longer to respond flatly. "Yes, ma'am. Over."
]\
(elseif: $giveTalk is 'humor')["Time to step up to a big job, gang. If we end up neck deep in dung, well, we get to see how fast Vishek can drive this loaf of Jell-O on wheels. Over."
Rosie cackles back over the radio. "Hah, maybe I should be in there and //he// drives the truck!" Maricela and Vishek chuckle.
]\
(else:)[]\
Maricela watches the banks roll by. //A big job. This new employer sure is paying a lot to "liberate" assets from a rival's account.//
They approach one of the biggest buildings, five stories tall and five blocks deep, fronted with massive columns and brass doors.
//It's even better when the rival is a notorious sleaze that invests in projects like high-volume tech docs. Sweatshop stuff, with manual typewriters and canned fruit? I'm not much into details, but,// mierda, //at least give them Selectrics and some apples.//
As the van passes she peers up at the bank's giant gold letters:
<span style="font-size: 1.2em">(if: $path is 'con')[[["GREYSTOKE MONKEY BANK"->Con-Entry]]]\
(else:)[[["GREYSTOKE MONKEY BANK"->Snk-Entry]]]</span>
Vishek pulls the van around a corner, away from the bank's cameras, and focuses on his laptop. "I'll be in touch, MC."
Maricela nods and quickly steps out, quietly closing the door marked "BIO-HVAC SERVICES". She crosses the street and steps through Greystoke's entrance, assuming the confident stature of an executive.
Striding to the stately front desk, she wordlessly hands a business card to the receptionist. Glancing at the card, the receptionist politely says "welcome", and picks up her phone. "Mister Worthington, a Miss Laguna is here from Smithee Investments."
A tall, serious man glides across the lobby to meet Maricela, looking every bit the British bank executive that he is. He extends his hand. "Miss Laguna, I do not believe we have met. I am Clive Worthington, Vice-President of Preferred Accounts."
(link: '(Shake his hand warmly) "Hello, it\'s a pleasure to meet you."')[(set: $greeting to 'warm')(goto: "Con-Office")]
(link: '(Shake his hand and don\'t say anything)')[(set: $greeting to 'quiet')(goto: "Con-Office")]
(link: '"Your office, Mister Worthington?"')[(set: $greeting to 'cold')(goto: "Con-Office")]
(if: $greeting is 'warm')[He looks briefly confused by the pleasant greeting. "Of course. My office is this way."]\
(if: $greeting is 'quiet')["My office is this way."]\
(else:)[He nods curtly and smoothly withdraws his hand without offense. "This way, please."]
//I wish we could skip this, but office chats are what big customers expect for privacy - and feeding their egos.//
Maricela smooths her hair, surreptitiously double-tapping her watch face. "Your office, of course."
He leads her to an impeccably-kept office and motions to the chair.
Maricela sits. //OK, now it's really on.//
Worthington sits down. "Would you like a refreshment?"
"Yes, some sparkling water, please."
He presses his phone's intercom. "Arlen, some mineral water." Nothing.
"Arlen?" Silence.
"Pardon me." A hint of annoyance crosses his face as he stands and exits.
//Now!// Maricela leans forward, smoothly plugging a tiny device into his computer moments before he returns.
Worthington sits and eyes her for a moment. "We are always happy to have preferred customers visit, Miss Laguna. However, I was not expecting anyone from Smithee until tomorrow, and I thought it was going to be your colleague... Trenton?"
//He's testing me.//
"No, Travant."
"Of course, my mistake." He begins tapping at his computer. "Is this regarding tomorrow's transfer?"
//We need to hurry up...//
(link: '//...I\'ll play nice.//')[(set: $response to 'nice')(goto: "Con-OfficeResponse")]
(link: '//...some pressure will move this along.//')[(set: $response to 'pressure')(goto: "Con-OfficeResponse")]
(link: '//...he\'ll understand entitled offense.//')[(set: $response to 'offended')(goto: "Con-OfficeResponse")]
(if: $response is 'nice')["Yes - I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but we have moved the transfer to today. The update should have gone through."
He seems off-guard. "Oh, of course..." He squints at the computer screen.
//Those Smithee folks must be complete asses for a little sweetness to divert this guy.//]\
(elseif: $response is 'pressure')["Excuse me, Mister Worthington, but are you current on our accounts? You mistook my colleague's name and you aren't up-to-date on pending transfers."
He purses his lips. "My apologies, Miss Laguna. The logistics of an organization with your prominence and substantial assets requires extra care to attend to." He looks at his computer and purses his lips.
//There's that ol' ego-stroke.//]\
(else:)["The transfer is today. Smithee Investments is a large account, Mister Worthington, and we bank with Greystoke with an expectation of speed and professionalism. This may be my first visit, but I have yet to see evidence of this reputation."
He sits up but looks unperturbed. "My deepest regrets, Miss Laguna. Smithee is absolutely one of our most valued clients and we appreciate our continuing relationship. I hope that any transient technical issues do not affect that." He glances at his computer.
//He's probably said that before.//]
Arlen, Worthington's assistant, enters with a glass and unopened bottle. He serves it with the care and silence of a three-star waiter. She takes a sip.
He furrows his brow slightly and taps at his keyboard some more. "Normally..." He clears his throat. "If you will follow me, we can verify the transfer at the vault teller."
//Tsk, yep, all you were doing was giving Vishek your credentials.//
She raises the glass as she stands. "May I leave this here?" A small splash of water flecks his desk. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry!"
Worthington pulls some paper napkins from a drawer and dabs at the desk corner. Maricela steps to the side, removing the computer bug while Worthington is turned.
[["No trouble. If you will follow me."->Con-Hallway]]
Maricela follows Worthington through marble and wood hallways, past landscape oil paintings and illuminated tropical plants.
(set: $timeToKill to 3)Her watch vibrates and she taps the face while passing her folder from one hand to another. "TRANSFER READY 3 MINUTES"
//Shit. What's delaying him?// "AFFIRMATIVE"
(link: 'Ask about a painting.')[(set: $timeKiller to 'painting')(set: $talkPainting to 1)(goto: 'Con-KillTime')]
(link: 'Ask about a plant.')[(set: $timeKiller to 'plant')(set: $talkPlant to 1)(goto: 'Con-KillTime')]
(link: 'Ask about the floor.')[(set: $timeKiller to 'floor')(set: $talkFloor to 1)(goto: 'Con-KillTime')]
(if: $timeKiller is 'painting')[Maricela stops across from a painting of green hills draped with mist. "These paintings are lovely. What is this?"
"Ah, yes, our founder brought some of his personal collection when he moved the large depository to North America. I must admit, I am not too familiar with them..."
He peers at the small brass card next to the painting. "I believe this is from near his boyhood home." He is disinterested. "Well, if you will follow me."(set: $timeToKill to $timeToKill - .5)]\
(elseif: $timeKiller is 'plant')[Maricela stops at an unusual plant. "Your bank's use of plants is notable."
"Thank you. We take some pride in curating a wide variety of native-habitat plants for our facilities. These are more than display: they will be transferred at the suitable stage. The lights help induce growth."
He runs his hand along a leaf. "Our facility has many more for you to see - this way." He starts down the hallway.(set: $timeToKill to $timeToKill - .5)]\
(else:)[Maricela stops to touch a column and motions to the fine marble floor. "Ah, the floor is nice." //Way to sound dorky.//
A faint smile crosses his face. "It is! We remodeled some years ago and they were going to put Carrara marble floors in. Well, I could not abide by such a mistake and pressed for dark Purbeck. A designer that suggests Carrara clearly doesn't understand that Greystoke has a heart of a Purbeck marble. It is from the Isles, for one, with Roman quarries dating back..."
//Wow, he really likes marble.//
He continues on for another minute about the magnificence of Purbeck marble. "Forgive me, I am fond of this building. We should continue."(set: $timeToKill to $timeToKill - 2)]
(if: $timeToKill > 2)[//I need to burn more time...//]\
(elseif: $timeToKill is 2)[The watch vibrates: "2 MINUTES".]\
(elseif: $timeToKill > 1)[//What else?//]\
(elseif: $timeToKill is 1)[Vishek checks in: "1 MINUTE".]\
(elseif: $timeToKill > 0)[They round a corner with the antechamber doors now visible in the hall. //OK, don't panic...//]
(if: !$talkPainting)[(link: 'Ask about a painting.')[(set: $timeKiller to 'painting')(set: $talkPainting to 1)(goto: 'Con-KillTime')]
]\
(if: !$talkPlant)[(link: 'Ask about a plant.')[(set: $timeKiller to 'plant')(set: $talkPlant to 1)(goto: 'Con-KillTime')]
]\
(if: !$talkFloor)[(link: 'Ask about the floor.')[(set: $timeKiller to 'floor')(set: $talkFloor to 1)(goto: 'Con-KillTime')]]\
(if: $timeToKill is 0)["DONE TRUCKS ETA 2 MINUTES"
//Yes!// "AFFIRMATIVE"
She glances at the time, double-tapping the screen as she pulls back her sleeve. "Our couriers are arriving soon; I hope I won't have delayed the loading."
"I do not believe so. Our vault is almost entirely automated and remarkably fast."
[["Excellent."->Con-Teller]]]
He opens the antechamber door for her and they step up to the teller's desk. The vault door is partway open and flanked by armed guards; she can't seen inside, but she can hear the hum of its HVAC.
//If Worthington still suspects anything he knows this is where the proof lies.//
He motions to the teller. "If you will..." But Maricela is already pulling out a folder and "Miss Laguna's" driver's license. She hands the falsified identification, bank documents, and courier clearances to the teller, who begins tapping on her computer and nodding occasionally. Worthington moves behind the teller to watch her screen, glancing at the documents.
//Half this stuff is from the client... That's a lot of trust.//
The phone rings and the teller picks up. "... It's for you, Mister Worthington."
He takes the phone but keeps watching the screen. "Yes? Hm. My office computer is having some issues, I will view it at Arlen's desk."
He hangs up. "I apologize, Miss Laguna: normally I prefer to personally oversee the withdraw of large accounts, but some urgent documents need my attention. Your transfer is confirmed, and the teller will begin staging your assets. I hope your visit has been satisfactory."
She tries to remain relaxed. //Confirmed! Now go chew on Vishek's documents and stop asking me questions.//
(link: '"It has! I look forward to our continued relationship with Greystoke."')[(set: $parting to 'cordial')(goto: 'Con-Vault')]
(link: '"Sufficiently so. I may have some further questions."')[(set: $parting to 'sufficient')(goto: 'Con-Vault')]
(link: '"I hope that your systems are more reliable for managing our remaining accounts."')[(set: $parting to 'disappointed')(goto: 'Con-Vault')]
(if: $parting is 'cordial')["It pleases me to hear that. You have my thanks."]\
(elseif: $parting is 'sufficient')["Certainly. Do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns you may have."]\
(else:)["Please accept my deepest apologies to Smithee Investments and you personally. Today was an aberration, and I will see that our systems are scrutinized."]
Worthington seamlessly slides a card from his vest and hands it to Maricela. "If you would like, the teller will show you to the viewing area. Good day, Miss Laguna." He calmly exits.
The teller stands and motions to the vault door. "Would you like to observe the loading?"
"For a bit, please." //I want to get out of here, but no way am I missing a chance to see this vault!//
Maricela steps through the door and is stunned by the scene through the bulletproof plastic past the guard desk. //A// big //fucking job!//
The building may be five stories tall, but it extends three stories into the ground. She can't see the back wall through the dim light and the humid mist, but she knows it's five blocks back.
The vault is split by cement and glass walls, each section with a different type of imported forest ecosystem occyping tens of thousands of square feet. Surrounding each mini-forest are stacks of hundreds of interlocking crates ranging in size from a washing machine to a quarter shipping container. A couple sections have banks of crates with open doors, and she can see movement in the trees.
The closest section is where the target Smithee account is kept. The motorized racks whirr as they push out crates for a robotic loading gantry to retrieve, pass through a door high on the wall, and place on the loading dock. //Wow, that// is // fast.//
The seated guard pipes up. "You can see your couriers here." He motions to the monitors.
One monitor shows a view outside the loading dock, where five double-flatbed trucks are lined up. On another monitor, inside the dock, she can see the sixth truck is already halfway loaded. She can't see the driver, but she can tell it's Rosie by the fingers drumming on the door.
//Oh, and thanks for loading our trucks for us. Those creeps at Smithee won't have a clue until tomorrow morning.//
Her watch vibrates. "YOU OK"
She turns back to the window and folds her hands, double-tapping the watch in the process. "Amazing, thank you."
The guard smiles, perhaps hoping for more conversation, but he motions to the vault door. "The teller will see you out."
She steps out. //This is real money: ninety-six Mandrill breeding pairs, desired for their speed and ease at using non-adapted tools. So long to the days of scamming backwater banks that just deal in small-time monkey business loans like white-headed Capuchins. We're big-time now!//
Vishek drives past the bank and onto a side street. He picks up his laptop and types for a bit. "OK, non-vault chillers going down... There's the malfunction signal."
He puts on a headset and taps a few more keys. "Hi, this is Bio-HVAC's monitoring service, we show you might have some chillers offline... No, it shouldn't affect the vault... We happen to have someone close-by that can come look at it right now. ...Mary Laguna. She is security-certified; you can call us to verify her ID... You're welcome."
Vishek gathers his gear and twists into the back of the van, then Maricela switches into the driver's seat. She starts to look over some papers while he tapes up some paper over the van's rear windows.
After a few minutes, she starts up the van and circles back to the bank. She picks a parking spot carefully, avoiding security cameras pointed directly at the windshield, and slides out of the driver's door. Vishek squeezes to one side while she opens a rear door and unloads her rolling toolbox. He whispers "keep in touch, MC" before she closes the door marked "BIO-HVAC SERVICES".
She trudges to the maintenance entrance, taking the movements of a weary technician, and stabs the intercom button several times.
A male voice comes over the intercome. "Greystoke."
"Yeah, Bio-HVAC, got a service call."
"That was pretty fast!"
(link: '"Yeah, you\'re lucky..."')[(set: $greeting to 'lucky')(goto: 'Snk-Security')]
(link: '"I wasn\'t too far...')[(set: $greeting to 'close')(goto: 'Snk-Security')]
(link: '"We\'re always around here...')[(set: $greeting to 'always')(goto: 'Snk-Security')]
(if: $greeting is 'lucky')["I was on another call and just about to leave."
"Damn, yeah, thanks."]\
(elseif: $greeting is 'close')["And I drive like my ass is on fire!"
"Hah, good for us, because my ass is about on fire, too."]\
(else:)["Most of our calls are in the financial district."
"Oh, right."]
The door buzzes and she wheels the cart into the security station. //Wow, it's already getting warm in here.//
"ID please."
Maricela hands him her Bio-HVAC badge and a driver's license - both fake. He picks up the phone. //I could hand you a cereal coupon and Vishek will verify it.//
"This is Greystoke, we need to verify a secure employee... Mary Laguna, B073... Uh-huh." He glances up at her. "Right."
He hangs up. "It'll just be a minute here..." His computer beeps, and he clicks and taps at it. He holds up the IDs, looks at the screen, and looks at her again. "OK, sorry about that, you know how it is."
Maricela shrugs. "Yeah, goes with the biz. Gets me a good rate though! Suppose you'll want to check this out, too..." She opens the tool crate, revealing a dizzying selection of tools and spare parts.
"Oh, yeah, thanks." He pokes through the case while fanning the collar of his shirt a bit. "Sure, go ahead." He presses the intercom. "Open up."
[["I'll try to get this fixed up quick."->Snk-Maint]]
A second later she sees the monitors blink. The guard returns, picks up the phone, says something, then hangs up and sits down again.
She starts to head back through the ducts, then stops at one with a view of the nearest vault section - the section with their target account. //This wasn't part of the plan, but I might as well watch for a moment...//
She feels a vibration on her wrist. "TRUCK 1 IS GOOD FIRST TROOP GOING".
Across the vault she sees the motorized slats of the lower intake vents slowly opening. They're normally open just a few inches to prevent escape, and only open larger for cleaning and service. Now they're easily big enough for even an average-sized human to squeeze through.
She imagines, distantly on the other size of the building, her black cylinder hissing chemicals to be drawn into the duct. It was a reliable trick: "the ether", a powerful blend of fruit extracts, pheremones, and traces of high-grade ink tailored to attract certain genera.
Eight cages quietly spring open. She can just make out the pairs of brightly-colored mandrill faces that begin to emerge, slowly, then becoming more animated as they catch wind of the ether. In moments they are dashing madly for the open duct.
Maricela smile as she continues back through the duct. //What a classic plan: don't steal them, just help them escape. Into your trucks.//
Back in the HVAC room she signals Vishek "HVAC FINISHED". After a minute of packing up, the ducts creak as normal circulation is restored to the office.
She rolls the tool case back to the internal security door. "Ah, it was just a little control glitch. The ducts might be noisy until they re-align."
The guard looks relaxed in the now-cool air. "Hey, thanks - that didn't seem to take too long..." He glances at her extra-dirty coveralls. "Sorry if it was super dusty, maintenance doesn't get a lot of, uh, maintenance."
She hands him a clipboard and steals a glance at his screens. The trucks are invisbile on the overridden feed.
(link: '"Eh, that\'s the job..."')[(set: $exit to 'job')(goto: 'Snk-Outside')]
(link: '"Ain\'t the worst..."')[(set: $exit to 'worst')(goto: 'Snk-Outside')]
(link: '"You folks should to clean up..."')[(set: $exit to 'clean')(goto: 'Snk-Outside')]
Maricela steps into the maintenance area, next to the inner security station where another guard sits, sweating. "The HVAC room is down at the end of the hall on the right."
//Ooof, it's even warmer in here.// She nods and pulls the tools behind her to the end of the hall. She freezes as she rounds the corner. //Oh... shit.//
A dozen maintenance and security personnel are waffling near the end of the hall, right next to the HVAC service door. Some sit, some stand, a couple play cards, but all are keeping next to the HVAC intakes - the only source of breeze when the system is otherwise blowing warm air!
//They might see or hear what I'm doing! How could we have missed this? I need to get them away from here...//
A woman in a maintenance uniform speaks while fanning herself with a magazine. "Are you here for the AC? Good thing it's a slow day, this is the only decent spot!"
"Ah, yes, I'll get right to it..."
She steps into the HVAC room and double-taps the watch. Under the rumble of the ducts she whispers: "Need maintenance area cooling".
A few seconds later the watch vibrates. "CHILLERS ARE ONLY ON OR OFF". "TRY TO BYPASS 725G 031L 300A TO ISOLATE AREA". "TELL ME WHEN DONE".
//Wait, I actually have to fix the AC?// "AFFIRMATIVE".
She opens the control circuit panel and stares at rows and rows of terminals.(set: $circuitsBypassed to 0)
(link: 'Bypass circuit MT-725G')[(set: $bypass1 to 1)(set: $circuitsBypassed to 1)(goto: 'Snk-FixAC')]
(link: 'Bypass circuit MT-031L')[(set: $bypass2 to 1)(set: $circuitsBypassed to 1)(goto: 'Snk-FixAC')]
(link: 'Bypass circuit MT-300A')[(set: $bypass3 to 1)(set: $circuitsBypassed to 1)(goto: 'Snk-FixAC')]
(if: $circuitsBypassed is 1)[Maricela clips wires across the circuit. A panel light turns on and she hears creaking in the ducts.
Outside, she hears "hey, feels like some more air is coming from one of the storage rooms..." She glances out the door to see a couple people are wandering down the hall, waving their hands in the air for drafts.
]\
(elseif: $circuitsBypassed is 2)[Maricela clips another wire across the circuit, with another light and more creaking.
She glances out in the hall to see that about half the people have ventured back to their work areas. The woman with the magazine looks tired. "Yeah, there's definitely more of a draft now. Still kinda warm, though."
]\
(if: $circuitsBypassed > 2)[//I hope Vishek has another idea in case this doesn't work.// Maricela bypasses the third circuit and the system responds again. She raps her watch to send "AFFIRMATIVE", and a few moments later she hears the distant hum of chillers.
She leans her head out the door and looks at the remaining folks. "Hey, got the chillers blowing in here again. It'll still be warm up in the front office for now, but I figured I'd help you hard-workin' folks first."
The fanning woman chuckles. "It was a bit of a break, frankly, but thanks." The remaining employees return to their usual stations.]
(if: !$bypass1)[(link: 'Bypass circuit MT-725G')[(set: $bypass1 to 1)(set: $circuitsBypassed to $circuitsBypassed + 1)(goto: 'Snk-FixAC')]
]\
(if: !$bypass2)[(link: 'Bypass circuit MT-031L')[(set: $bypass2 to 1)(set: $circuitsBypassed to $circuitsBypassed + 1)(goto: 'Snk-FixAC')]
]\
(if: !$bypass3)[(link: 'Bypass circuit MT-300A')[(set: $bypass3 to 1)(set: $circuitsBypassed to $circuitsBypassed + 1)(goto: 'Snk-FixAC')]
]\
(if: $circuitsBypassed > 2)[[[//Alright, now for the real work.//->Snk-Ducts]]]
With the hallway clear, Maricela quickly opens a large overhead duct and pushes a tool bag into it. She climbs in and pulls out a dim red flashlight and a printed section of the HVAC plans.
She starts crawling. //This place really is big... I didn't have to do much of this crawling on the small jobs.//
After several minutes she reaches an intake grate from the outside. Pulling some tools from the bag, she loosens the top of the grate and attaches a small winch-like device to the duct wall with magnets. She clips the cable to the top of the grate, takes up the tension, then remove's the grate's upper bolts.
She double-taps her watch. "GRATE TEST".
Vishek responds "OK". The winch slowly unrolls a few inches, opening a gap at the top of the grate. It then retracts, closing the grate. She sends "AFFIRMATIVE".
Before she leaves, she attaches another device to the intake duct: a black cylinder about the size of a spray can.
//Ay, I'm almost out of here..//
Her watch vibrates as she is crawling back through the ducts. "TRUCK ETA 3 MINUTES".
//Good.//
"CAN'T SEE VAULT SECURITY FOR CAMERA SWITCH".
//What?//
"TAKE DUCT 9F AND WATCH SECURITY".
//Is he kidding?//
"TELL ME IF CALL TAKES EYES OFF SCREEN."
She sighs. //No, he wouldn't be.// She knocks the watch for "AFFIRMATIVE".
Maricela retreats to the HVAC room and checks the hall. All clear. She finds the grate for 9F and starts down the duct, into an area she has no map for.
[[//This had better be quick.//->Snk-Loading]]
After some uneventful turns, she looks through a grate in the loading dock. This one is still outside the secure vault area, but she can see in through the vault's glass and cement interior walls. //Wow. A big fucking job.//
The building may be five stories tall, but it extends three stories into the ground. She can't see the back wall through the dim light and the humid mist, but she knows it's five blocks back.
The vault is split by cement and glass walls, each section with a different type of imported forest ecosystem occyping tens of thousands of square feet. Surrounding each mini-forest are stacks of hundreds of interlocking crates ranging in size from a washing machine to a quarter shipping container. A couple sections have banks of crates with open doors, and she can see movement in the trees.
She forces herself to move on, seeing where she's headed: the duct follows the interior wall, getting closer and closer to the security station visible inside the vault's office door. She reaches the end and can just see the guard sitting at his station, facing the bank of monitors with his back to the vault.
She double-taps the watch. "IN POSITION".
It vibrates. "SEND AFFIRMATIVE WHEN EYES AWAY".
She watches the guard. His head turns towards the phone and he picks it up, but still faces the monitor. He nods a couple times, almost turns away, then places the phone down and walks to the vault door to the bank's office area.
[["AFFIRMATIVE".->Snk-Exit]]
(if: $exit is 'job')["Ain't glamorous, but it's good work."]\
(elseif: $exit is 'worst')["At least I did't have to run from any assets!"]\
(else:)["Could be a breathing hazard. I'm sure you have enough problems, huh?"]
"I hear that!" He signs the paper, hands the clipboard back, and opens the door for her. Maricela nods and strolls out, then hurries back to the van as soon as the door closes.
She knocks on the van's rear door, waits a moment, then opens it and hefts the toolcase inside with a grunt. Vishek is crammed in the corner again, opposite the open door, but is rivited to his screen.
She hops in the driver's seat and starts the van. "So?"
He holds up the radio without looking away from his computer; Rosie's voice comes through several moments later. "Truck 3 in position. Over."
//On-schedule. Smithee Investments probably won't even know they're gone until tomorrow!//
Maricela starts up the van and pulls out of the parking lot, heading to the back of the building. "Oh, let's catch this."
They watch from the end of the back alley as a double-trailer dump truck sits next to the intake she modified. Vishek speaks into the radio and taps on his laptop. "Troop 3 going. Over."
The top of the intake grate swings down and outward on the winch cable, forming a drawbridge between the duct and the open dump truck bed. The can't see from the van, but Maricela knows the beds are lined with dirt and leaves, stocked with some fruit, and well-laced with the ether.
A troop of mandrills scamper across the bridge, leaping excitedly into the truck beds. The driver activates the motorized bed cover as Vishek closes the grate for another group. Three trucks to go.
She smiles and watches the next truck get in position. //This is real money: ninety-six Mandrill breeding pairs, desired for their speed and ease at using non-adapted tools. So long to the days of scamming backwater banks that just deal in small-time monkey business loans like white-headed Capuchins. We're big-time now!//