Chapter 8

Embracing the side of me that was a con again was like greeting a very old friend, and it felt great to be Hayley Seyfried again. Through the FBI database, I’d gotten a peek of the layout of this warehouse, so, suffice to say, I could pick my way in here and get out with the cash in minutes.

Hiding in the car in a blind spot around the corner, Dorian and I watched as my slightly rusty brother take his time with the locks on the warehouse, going for the age old hit-and-run ‘robbery’. He’d long taken off his tracking anklet, but it was obvious that he was still being tracked with the microchip in his arm. I felt a pang of pain for my brother at how he’d probably been inserted with the microchip.

It took him slightly longer than usual to pick the lock, and I guessed it was his prissiness at being called a coward that slowed him down. Hayden, from young, had never done well as a con when he lost his cool or was simply just agitated. With a con artist’s hand, he gently eased the door open, sliding in smoothly before it closed without so much a creak.

Dorian whistled lowly beside me.

“Second Seyfried I see at work, and I’m still amazed. Your brother’s a pro.” Dorian commended with just watching his lock-picking skills, and I smiled slightly, turning to spy him.

“Still rusty, Dorian. He’s still rusty. You haven’t seen him at his top form. There’s a reason why he was almost the top of the wanted list here.”

“Well, I haven’t seen you in action for too long –I get awed at what show your brother shows.”

I got out of the car, buttoning up my slightly formal jacket. I had not exactly approved suits for my wardrobe after being approved in FBI, so I found my own ways of dressing up to look semi-formal. It did help that the clothing lent aid to occasions like this.

“Well, you have something else to be awed at. Come on. Let’s catch us a Seyfried and snatch us some money.” I jumped out the top of his top-down car quickly, already making off into the daylight. Dorian didn’t take long to follow after me, a grin spread across his face as we crossed the street.

“You’re going to have to trip surveillance, Dory. FBI can’t be seen breaking in without a warrant. Circle around back and pick your way in. Quietly, just in case we’re dealing with crazy mafia in that.”

“Or we could just be dealing with your pissed off brother.” He reminded, and I smiled in spite of myself.

“That’s equivalent to crazy mafia.” I whispered back in reply, getting his smile too before he made off, approaching the lock that my brother had snapped back close after his entry. It wasn’t very clever to lock the door after his entry for –knowing his current situation –he probably needed an escape quickly if he wanted to keep up a show of an FBI consultant gone bad.

I was almost done with the locks before I heard words being exchanged inside. There was a male’s voice, and a female one. Obviously, the male belonged to my brother, and he sounded calm and cautious –instead of the pissed off, called-a-coward man he should be. In fact, he sounded almost psychoanalytic at the moment, which itself was a telltale sign of his situation in the warehouse.

That was voice was a voice that came when he was pointed a gun at him when he wasn’t prepared for it. Trust me, I had heard his calm, smooth and encouraging begging for the gun to be dropped before –I knew how it sounded. Hayden wasn’t exactly keeping his words soft, so I guessed he was trying to alert me –or Rainer –knowing that either one of us would be watching his back.

“We can talk… Sofia.” I heard his one sentence clearly, as if he’d purposefully sharpened his voice to slice through the doors to my ears.

So, Sofia was in there. I was done with the lock in a moment, and inched it open, pressing an ear against it for better hearing.

“Seyfried. What are you doing here? Never mind. I don’t have time for you. Walk out and pretend you never say anything, or I’m going to shoot you in the leg and keep you here.”

There was a soft laugh. “FBI is on their way here this very moment, Sofia. See this flashing thing in my arm? Microchip. Surgically implanted –they know exactly where I am now, and I’m out of their radius.”

There was the sound of a dangerous click, and my brother’s soft laugh cut off abruptly.

“You’re bringing FBI to me? You bastard. I should’ve known. I should’ve let you hang years ago. Seyfrieds like you; just traitors. I heard of what your sister did to you. She betrayed you, so you betrayed your family and went FBI. Too bad this is going to be your last case, Seyfried. Goodbye.”

I slammed the door open, making both of them jolt. Sofia, standing a distance away with the cash pile behind her, whipped around, training her gun on me while Hayden took the chance to back-step away from her quickly.

“He’s not the only Seyfried around here. FBI. You’re screwed. Now put the gun down and let me cuff you and haul that lousy bimbotic ass back to headquarters.” I announced, flashing my badge at her.

More than a few steps away from her now, my brother grinned. We hated nothing more than FBI’s dull, hum-drum orders when they arrested people. Since I was FBI now, why not make those scripted lines more interesting?

Sofia’s eyes widened at the sight of both me and my badge, a bewildered disbelieving look on her face as if she had been slapped across the face suddenly. She pointed the gun between Hayden and me, and there was no doubt that she was ready to shoot either one of us at any given time if we give her reason to.

I only hoped that Dorian had somehow caught on that Sofia was in the warehouse too, and could secretly cover our back, because both Hayden and I were in danger of getting pummeled with bullets.

“Seyfried? Hayley? You’re back? It’s a big… surprise.” Sofia seemed to decide that I was the bigger threat, training the gun strictly on my head now.

“Now, you don’t have to lie. You knew I was here since Day 1 I touched down. I’ve jumped places enough to know cons like you know exactly when and where a Circle member touchdown. I suggest you put that gun down, Sofia. The FBI badge isn’t the only one telling you that; I am.” I stepped closer, trying to help her with her eyesight on the badge, but she only shook her head, laughing.

“You’re kidding me. I know your brother got injected with microchips and was blessed with a tracking anklet. But you? You’re not FBI’s robot like him. They’ve got nothing on you, Hayley. Why is a Seyfried like you working for them?”

I kept the badge back in my pockets since it wasn’t going to work anytime in getting her to put the gun down.

“Not exactly your place to be interrogating, but if you really want to know, it’s for Dorian.” God, I hoped Dorian wasn’t listening to this now. The last thing I needed was to stroke my student’s ego and have him screwing up now.

“Dorian?” Both my brother and Sofia echoed, my brother sounding as if someone had taken the ground from underneath him. Someone thought he was the reason for my return to New York and my working in the FBI, huh? It was true, though, but I wasn’t going to let Hayden be so smug about it just yet.

“Dorian, you student?” Sofia apparently was caught up to date about Dorian –he’d been pretty famous after I picked up him from the streets, though far away from New York.

“Who’s that? The new boyfriend, Dorian? I thought that was your target!” Hayden demanded, but I was more interested in the question the woman with the gun had posed.

“He had a run-in with FBI not long ago here, so I had to settle his ass, while cooling off on California. I’m beginning get him to pull veils of FBI’s eyes.” I explained, hearing a tell-tale soft click from the back of the warehouse. Dorian was in.

“What does that have to do with you and your brother botching up my show?” Sofia demanded, stepping back as I advanced to her. Sofia knew I was high up on the con list, and she knew who she was up against.

For starters, I was part of The Circle. For second, I had the backing of The Circle. For thirds, I was a god-damned Seyfried. Fourth, I was big enough to have The Circle’s exception on having Dorian around. The last one had been great news throughout the entire active con artists community.

“It involves me being an FBI agent and Hayden straying away from his tracking radius.” I explained, still making towards her. Sofia was beginning to feel threatened, but I didn’t blame her. Whenever I was out to con, my victims naturally felt threatened, be it fellow con artists or just unsuspecting businessmen or art collectors.

“And that includes me how? I’m just another con, trying to get her hands on money that can get her some nice clothes.” Sofia seemed out of her depth this time, but I guessed it was just my sudden appearance that had gotten her out of her wits. She was slowly reclaiming it back, and I was playing by this panicked moment of her.

“Uh-uh. A con that uses guns. I don’t like guns, Sofia. Put that down, or I’ll make you.” I was relying on her fear of my reputation and trusting her to fear it enough to refrain from shooting me or Hayden. My family never liked guns. We could deal with knives and swords, but there was nothing more than guns that Dad and Mum hated.

“And how are you going to do that? With your lousy badge that’s written under an alias? I’m the one with the gun, so keep quiet and tell me what I need to know. What are you and Hayden doing here?” Sofia suddenly stopped backtracking, as if suddenly remembering that she was the one with the gun.

I stopped too. My leverage over her was gone. Nervous little kitty Sofia was gone and the Sofia who’d conned away Yale’s con money was back in the game. She’d picked up her feet again.

“Truth hurts, Sofia.” I tried to stall, but she wasn’t buying it. Very distantly, sirens sounded.

“I’m not going to ask again.” The muscles on her finger tensed slightly, finger crooked over the trigger.

“To collect your money. We’ve had your scheme figured out. I got Hayden to scamper here for the FBI to come in with guns blazing with the excuse of capturing a wanted fugitive. I’m being honest here, and I hope that you can be too. Put the gun down. We’ll talk.”

“For the records, it was Hayley who dragged me into this. I should’ve known. Dorian… he was acting more than just a target. He was baiting me on purpose. I was keeping mum about you, Sofie, but you never said you were collecting the money today.” Hayden finally spoke, and I heard the softness in his voice. Oh hell no…

“You knew this all along? You withheld information from Clarke?” I demanded, forgetting to make nice now that I’d discovered that the woman trying to shoot me in the head had been out cozening with my brother.

“She might have blackmailed me with evidence of my previous heist. I do what I can to keep my butt out of jail, Hays.” Hayden admitted quietly, as if embarrassed. Though I noted that he had subconsciously reverted back to calling me ‘Hays’, I was more preoccupied with the moment.

“And evidence is still in my hands, so you and your sister are going to let me run free today. You can take the money. The blame’s already pinned on Yale and I run free.”

Hayden shrugged. “Do as you wish. I’m here for the money. Not the person.”

Sofia turned back to me. “How about you, Hayley Seyfried? Let me run, and I’ll let your brother go free? I don’t think you can save his ass from what he’s done right now.”

Would I let her go, and save my brother from more jail time? Could I come back and destroy Hayden’s life again? He’d hated me for screwing him once already. Would I do it again? Would I ever put my brother in jail?

“You have me. Go, before the feds get here.” I submitted with a sigh, watching as Hayden deflate with breath that he hadn’t been aware that he’d been holding in. I gave Dorian, still lurking in the shadows, a soft and subtle signal of adjusting my collar, telling him to back down. From his corner, I saw his head nod, and then he disappeared.

Sofia held my eye contact for a moment longer, hearing the sirens get louder and closer, and then seemed to take my words for it. She gave one last look forlornly at her pile of money, then began running towards the door.

I made towards Hayden, ready to get him to confess his previous –obviously careless –heist that had gotten him such trouble, reaching him when Sofia reached the door. It mattered not to me that Sofia was running away, but it mattered to me that she still had incriminating evidence against my brother that she could use to blackmail him into submission. We had been taught from young never to leave evidence, but here Hayden was, leaving even enough for someone to con him. He must have truly lost his touch.

Sofia stopped at the door, half opening it. There was slight hesitation from her, and I knew that tell-tale sign.

“On other thoughts, Hayley Seyfried…” Sofia began to say, and I knew that was trouble. I had been with Dad once when his client turned on him. I had my own fair shares of my clients turning on me, but never once had I been caught in such a vulnerable situation.

“Dorian! Get her!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, but the gunshot that rang was louder.

Tightness in my chest began, spreading in all directions before I knew what was happening. I fell backwards, crumpling to the floor like a rag doll that had been thrown away by an imaginary child’s hands. I heard voices calling my name, but they sounded strangely like angels. I blinked, watching as Sofia hesitate for a short moment, then drop her gun, bounding out of the warehouse.

Someone ran past me, and I watched the manly shadow chase after her. Knowing Dorian was on her trail, there was no doubt that he would get her down. The first thing I’d taught Dorian after mastering pick pocketing was how to chase people –even skilled cons –down.

“Hays! Hays! Can you hear me?” My brother was calling me from behind. That was funny. I hadn’t even realized I’d thrown myself in front of him. I hadn’t even been aware of it. I just knew that Sofia was going to aim for my brother. I just knew I had to protect him no matter what.

My mother’s dying words had been “Take care of your little brother, Hayley. You two are the brightest kids any pair of cons would ever wish for” after all.

Strange, it almost paralleled my father’s dying words for me. He had told me, while holding the hand of fifteen year old me, and smiled. “You and Hayden are the best cons I’ve seen in my life. Take care of him, Hayley. He’s got soft fingers, but a soft heart too. You, Hayley? You’re perfect the way you are now.”

Oh, how my parents had prayed that I would take care of Hayden. I was doing my duty today, and I might be up with them soon.

“Hayley, please… Answer me!” Hayden grabbed my hand in his, kneeling beside me. I must look like such a sight to him… I’d been shot a few times before, but never in the chest before.

“Hayden…… You need… to be less… careless next time… alright?” I breathed, finding words difficult. I might have a chance of living, but I definitely couldn’t feel much of anything just yet. Adrenaline was blocking out the pain signals from my chest, and it was all that was keeping me conscious at the moment.

My heartbeat was almost too loud now.

“Stay. Stay with me. Don’t pass out now. Stay with me.” My brother commanded in his strictest voice, and I distantly heard the sirens finally arriving outside the warehouse. There was a moment of silence shared between Hayden and me –and my flowing blood –where we heard doors opening and slamming close, people shouting ‘FBI’.

“I’m sorry, Hayden. Before anyone comes in… I’m sorry. I’m sorry I left you to hang. I really loved Neal. It was my fault for leaving like that without notice. I don’t expect you to forgive me so soon, but I really regret the circumstances… Given the chance to turn back time… I would still leave, but not how I left the last time…”

My vision was starting to dim now and it sure felt like I was draining away. Like someone was sucking me away from reality.

“Shh… Don’t say a word. We’ll talk when you’re alright again. Don’t leave me now. Stay with me.” He urged, using his other hand to prop my head up.

“FBI!” I heard Clarke’s clear voice ringing in the warehouse.

“Rainer! Get the ambulance! Francis’s been shot!” Hayden screamed, sounding as if he were choking on tears.

There was no question from the guy.

“Don’t cry for me. I’m just doing my job…”

“Don’t talk… Stay with me, Annabel. Don’t leave me now.” Hayden begged, still having half a mind to use my alias.

I smiled, and squeezed his hand with all the effort I could.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.” I whispered, and then closed my eyes.

*****************************************************

They say your life flashes in front of you when you’re about to die. I never believed it to be true, but I did see images. I saw images of Hayden when he was just a little baby boy, images of Mum and Dad carrying him and smiling at their darling son. I saw images of him in my three-year-old arms. I saw them smiling at me when I gave my baby brother’s forehead a kiss goodnight.

Then I got flashes of the day I left Hayden. It was in our shared apartment in Downtown Manhattan. My bag was ready at the door. Neal was there, standing at our doorstep. I had left Hayden a letter at his bedside table, but he’d woken up and caught us leaving. I saw images of Hayden pushing Neal out the door, slamming the door close. I saw images of Hayden shouting at me, the angered tears in his eyes. The betrayal that stung on his face. The hurt, the helplessness. I saw images of Hayden locking the door that separated Neal from me, trying all ways and means to keep me. I saw Neal opening the door after he’d picked it. Then he’d gotten into a scuff with Hayden. The image of Neal on top of Hayden, telling my brother to let me go, telling him to grow up and be a man.

Then I saw the last image –the image of Hayden, standing at the door with hatred burning in his eyes as he watched Neal and I get into a cab to the airport.

“Annabel? Annabel, can you hear me?” Someone called, and I stirred painfully to reality, cracking open eyes. Light assaulted me, but at least I saw figures in front of me.

“Hey there, Seyfried.” I dragged a pained smile across my face, hearing my voice distorted, before I realized I was wearing a gas mask. Looking around, I saw myself in the back of an ambulance. Great, I was being rushed off to A&E.

“You’re back. Pop the champagnes, and toast us a drink, you’re back from the dead.” Dorian commented lamely, but I could see he was immensely relief that I could still talk at least.

“Shut up, Dory… You got that bitch who shot me yet?” I painfully turned my head to face him, watching him fully.

“Sure did. Mowed her down and pinned her while feds snapped the cuffs on.”

“Annabel…” My brother interrupted quickly, trying to take my attention while the ambulance shook slightly.

“Don’t worry about Dorian, Hayden. He knows about me and you.”

“Well, I’ve never been properly introduced. But that’s beside the point for the moment, Hays. Why?”

My mind might be a little slow from blood loss, but I was pretty sure I knew what he was talking about.

“Because Mum and Dad asked me to… You’re always my little angel, Hayden… I know I did wrong running away like that, and I’m back to say sorry… if you can’t take it… then, well, I’ll just have to keep saying it until you finally listen to me.”

Hayden sighed beside me, looking down at his hands –our hands. I hadn’t been aware that he’d been holding on tightly to my hand until he looked down.

“Maybe you just have to say it one more time, Hayley. I wanted to punish you, but I can’t. I was so glad that you were back-”

“I know. You called Stike, and went all fan-girl.” I interrupted with a hint of a smile.

“You know about that?” Hayden flushed a little.

“Of course. I’m your sister and a con no less.”

“Yes, yes… you’re the Hayley Seyfried… I wanted to make you feel lonely, and alone… I wanted to make you helpless and betrayed… That was partly the reason why I joined FBI. Seyfrieds should never be part of FBI, and I knew you would be upset over it. I wanted you to be. I forced myself to enjoy time there –to piss you off. I didn’t know… you would join in with me. I never expected you to… There was nothing more you hated than…” Hayden was beginning to run out of phrases to explain what I’d done for him, but I smiled instead.

“Well, you’ve been successful in conning me so far… Congratulations, Hayden.”

My little brother smiled at that. “I was going to forgive you soon. Okay, sure, you made a mistake leaving me like that for Neal. But I made many mistakes before, and you forgave it all. I couldn’t punish you for one mistake you made.”

“Wish you’d thought of that sooner… You could’ve saved me from a bullet in the chest…” I was surprised I could still talk. Hadn’t the bullet gone in?

“I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t know she was going to shoot anyway. Sofia never seemed trigger-happy. You were always perfect to me, Sis… From young, you were perfect in everything you did… you were the perfect child con Mum and Dad loved… I was jealous that you made no mistake… Then Neal came in, and you made all the mistakes of falling in love with him…”

“Hayden…” I growled slightly to let him know that he was treading dangerous territory now.

“Okay, I surrender. You love Neal. I’ve nothing to say on that. It’s not a mistake. But leaving me like that years ago was. What did you think, leaving a note by my bedside table! You were just like a like a hooker, leaving a note saying that the night before was great and that you’ve made off with my money and car. If I didn’t catch you leaving, Hayley, I would be sitting in bed crying over your note, being the little bitch who had just been jilted after having her virginity taken away.”

Dorian had my little brother pinned to the ambulance wall in seconds.

“Take back what you said. Hayley’s not a hooker.” He growled, and though I appreciated the kindness, Dorian needed to chill out.

“Dory, back off…” I commanded weakly. He let go of my brother, but gave him daggers through looks instead.

“It wasn’t the subtlest of methods, but the only way I had at that time…” I began to explain, but Hayden held up a hand to stop me.

“No, don’t explain to me. I don’t want to know. Let’s just put this behind us, okay? I’m tired of making you like this. I’m tired of keeping a façade against you. I can’t do it. You’re my sister. You ran from me for seven years, but you took care of me for seventeen years before that. I can’t just leave you out to hang like this. You’re out of your depth playing as FBI. You’ve played FBI before, but not as them.”

“Of course. Which con would?” I scoffed, though that movement hurt my chest.

“Hayley Seyfried. I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve being Annabel, but if you’re doing this for my forgiveness, you have it. I can’t do without a sister, Hays. I need you. And maybe your power.”

I raised a brow. “Not my skills, Mr. Seyfried?”

He grinned. “Same parents, same skills. What I need is The Circle’s backing. And what better than to have a member of The Circle behind me?”

“Honest. What do you plan?”

Hayden looked around, as if trying to find any prying ears, then met my eyes fearlessly.

“Out of the FBI. Back into con, now that you’re back.”

I grinned.

The Seyfrieds were back in the game.