The Quiet Revolutionary Part 1

Now what was that combination? Oh Yes. He pushed the buttons on the keypad until he heard the resounding “click.” He swung the door open quietly. He didn’t want to disturb the beautiful young woman asleep two doors down. He had peeped in on her to make sure she wasn’t awake. Although if he admitted the truth to himself, he just wanted to see what Genevieve’s heir looked like. That looney old bat. He smiled fondly to himself. Genevieve used to take him to the theater. Until she got sick, that is. He paid regular visits then. Always alone and always after the young caretaker left. He was certain she would remember him in her will, but the shock and pain of reality hit with her death. I’m only taking what’s rightfully mine. He sighed. He picked through a few things in the safe and was tempted to take it all. Deep into the safe, at the far back corner, he spotted it. The Ruby Fire. The ring sparkled like flames in the night. It had to be the most beautiful ruby he’d ever seen. He remembered asking her about it. “Why did you turn such a magnificent ruby into a ring?” “Because I wanted to where fire,” she claimed, chuckling at the thought of it. I’ll show you fire, dear Genevieve. He pocketed the ring and quietly closed the safe. He tip-toed down the hall to check on the woman once more. She was sleeping peacefully. He was about to leave the room when a sound startled him. He turned to watch the young woman turn over in the bed, the moonlight casting a bright glow on her face. Wow. She’s beautiful. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He made it a rule not to get involved with his “suppliers.” He shook his head again and turned to leave the room. Just as he was tip-toeing through the living room, he heard rustling upstairs. Geez. Please stay sleeping. Everything fell silent and he let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He took one more step and the floorboards creaked. Dammit. He counted to ten before proceeding again. He hadn’t heard the young woman sneak out of her room into the hallway. He hadn’t seen her watching is every move with the stealth of a ninja. She quietly stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a pan from the dish rack. He was almost to the front door when whack! His head spun and he felt a sudden pain in the back of his head. What’s happening? Another whack! His shoulder burst into flames. He growled and pushed the young woman off him and ran for the door. He yanked it open just as she laid another hard smack to his backside. He pulled something out of his pocket. She gasped. She couldn’t tell what it was in the dark. He threw it on the floor and fled. She jumped back a foot when smoke started to fill the air. A smoke bomb? Out of all the stupid things…

She yelled after his retreating back. “Don’t even think about showing up here again you prick!” She slammed her door and turned the lights on. The smoke from the smoke bomb remained outside. She sighed deeply. She rubbed her eyes to clear the fog and then a thought occurred to her. She inhaled sharply and ran to the living room. Nothing seemed amiss except for the gnawing feeling inside her stomach. She removed the painting Genevieve had given her and opened the safe. It was obvious things had been moved. She was meticulous when it came to keeping that safe in order. She searched through everything. The Green Sea Emerald, the Blazing Sapphire, the Princess Diamond, the Fresh Sea Pearls…everything had a name. Wait a minute. Where’s the Ruby Fire? She searched the safe frantically. No ruby. “Fuck!” That bastard took my ruby! He doesn’t know who he’s messing with. She pulled her dusting kit from the closet and proceeded to dust the safe for fingerprints. Genevieve had shown her this trick. Of course, there was nothing. She then examined every last inch of every piece of jewelry and of the safe. She was about to stop when she found a small, stray hair. She held it up to the light. This isn’t mine. She quickly put it in a Ziplock bag. She pulled out her cellphone and hit the speed dial.

“Miranda? Do you know what time it is?” Miranda looked at the phone. 4:30 a.m.

“Sorry Becky. Some douche bag just broke into my apartment.”

“What? Did he take anything?”

“The Ruby Fire.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes. And I think I found his hair.”