The caped criminal Maria Santiago was surrounded.
Flashing lights, guards screaming, no clear escape in sight.
A smile stretched across her face.
She was smack dab in the heat of the action. Just how she liked it in both his criminal life and her love life.
Her nightly heist began at an average geology museum named Rocks On The Block. It seemed completely ordinary, but it wasn't.
There were typical displays for amethysts, geodes and calcite, but there was a sole exception too–an incredibly rare gemstone, the glistening Rubylove.
This blood red ruby naturally formed itself in the shape of a heart. It was the pride of the exhibit and for a thief, a prize to be won.
The masked criminal viewed her work like surgery–each place of thievery was a patient with different needs and had to be operated on differently. One botched move and everything would flatline. Even years of studying textbooks, couldn’t hold a candle to the delights of the thrills of this night life.
Unfortunately for Ms. Santiago, this night could be her last.
At first, everything went according to plan.
She successfully removed the rock from the private showing room, but not without triggering an ankle alarm–her Achilles heel, so to speak.
Dashing down the hallway, she skidded to a stop. She was surrounded by seven museum guards. Each clutched a handgun, and they were all aimed straight at his heart.
"Well well," a male guard said with a slight swagger. "Seems you'll have to give up your hard work, Senorita."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Whoever you are."
Santiago had made quite a name for herself over the last year. She pulled over twenty successful heists and pilfered twenty other gemstones of lesser value. Without laying a fist on a single person, she had become the most wanted criminal in all of Business Park and maybe the state of California itself.
To compensate for getting caught, she'd rely on the other thing that had brought her fame: her charm.
"Who am I?" she asked, smiling behind a purple butterfly mask. "I am the mascarilla and the mascarilla es mi."
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Maria Santiago wasn't even her real name, but a stage name that had become a headline hit. Who she truly was behind the mask, was a mystery.
She flashed a confident grin at his adversaries.
"In the world of criminality, mortal eyes must gaze upon a face of mystery."
She let out a stark "ho ho ho," and it was so dapper and suave that no one would confuse it with Santa.
The head of security gave a loud exhale. He had just gotten a taste of Santiago famous theatrics. A dad-aged man with a pug-like face and a stocky body clad in a blue uniform, his name tag read Dave and his face read 'underpaid.'
"Okay," he said in a huff. "We get it. You like to look and sound cool. But you can't just break into museums and steal precious gemstones."
Confidently, Maria waltzed up to the man. An instant death from a barrage of bullets was clearly not on her mind.
"Ok…Dave," Maria purred, getting very close to the security man.
Santiago had a chance to wrangle the gun out of his hand and shoot him, but she didn't.
That just wasn't her.
Instead, she gave a humble bow and held the red gemstone up in the air. It sparkled in an overhead window where the moonlight shone.
"My deepest apologies, senor," Maria bemoaned, "I didn't mean to steal this corazon."
With a sly expression, she seized the guard's hand and kissed it. "But mind if I steal yours?!"
For the first time, Dave didn't look so certain she could arrest him. In fact, it seemed more like she was arresting him…in the name of love.
"Just imagine," Maria said, hiler voice as smooth and slippery as ice. "You and I, lounging on a beach in the Pacific Islands. Somewhere far, far away from your ex-wife and three annoying kids…decked out in all the gemstones money could buy. What do you say?"
The other security guards couldn't believe their eyes. They watched astounded as a masked criminal proposed to their security chief. And worst of all, it seemed to be working.
"What do I say?" the man said, turning bright red and breathing heavily.
Suddenly there was a wide, goofy lovestruck grin on his face. "Would I ever! When's the next flight outta here?!"
A glint formed in the criminal's eye.
A beep went off in her pocket and a rope ladder crashed through the overhead window. She left the security chief and the entire staff flustered, their guns at their sides.
"The flight is now," Maria said with a tip of his hat. "Unfortunately, it's only for mi. Adios mi amor!"
The ladder rose to the sky, and Maria gave them all a playful salute. "Hasta manana!"
The security chief's face was blood red, and he screamed even bloodier murder. "Santiaaaaago…you stole that gem…and my fantasy! Now, I'm gonna…KILL YOU UNTIL YOU'RE DEAD!!!!"
The senorita gasped and ducked a spray of lead.
Luckily, she was out of range and he wouldn't be experiencing a crime of passion from a jilted middle aged man.
Instead, she breathed the cool night air as she soared through the sky on the rope ladder. Juggling the famous gemstone in her hand, she slid his sleeve to reveal a digital watch.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
It was only 10:31 pm.
Luckily for Maria Santaigo, she'd have plenty of time to get home before anyone noticed.
Unfortunately, at the same time, a murder was taking place…in her name.