Chapter Twenty-One: The Heist of Souls and Gold
The carriage pulled up in front of Silas's private tavern, a place reeking of mystery and illicit deals. Edward stepped out in his imposing mask, followed by Tula's silent footsteps. Upon entering, Silas immediately issued his command: "Summon all our trusted men, and inform our closest allies to meet now!"
The four gathered in a locked back room, where silence reigned for seconds before Silas broke it with a cautious question: "What do you truly intend to do, Master? You've requested a military mobilization for the night of the auction." Edward replied with cold, absolute seriousness: "It is simple, Silas... We are going to steal the money and seize the cargo."
Silas's eyes widened in shock, and he stammered, "Steal from the auction?! Master, you are talking about the most dangerous gathering of nobles and smugglers in London as if it were a simple stroll! How can we do this?" At that moment, Tula watched the scene silently, a faint, familiar smile playing on his lips; he began to see in Edward a reflection of his own dark ambitions, as if the boy was walking the path the demon had set for him without needing a push.
Edward continued, gesturing as if outlining the operation on a mental map: "I have gathered enough information. Most of what will be displayed tonight are slaves, and the nobles will pay massive sums for them. The unspoken laws of the auction state that the slaves are not delivered immediately after the sale, but remain in warehouses for hours until procedures are finalized."
He continued in a tone as sharp as a sword: "This is where we come in. As soon as the nobles hand over their money and it enters the vaults, we will raid the warehouses to take the slaves before they are shipped. Then we will double back to take the gold the nobles paid. We will leave them without slaves and without gold... We will put them in a shameful position they would not envy, and none of them will dare report the theft of illegal cargo to the authorities."
Silence filled the room once more, but this time it was the silence of admiration for a plan that was both suicidal and perfect.