Chapter 1 - Assignment of the Heart

 

Elise leaned against the wall, arms folded defiantly, staring at her employer with an equal mixture of disbelief and anger. Was this man for real? The fact that the man was masked and wouldn`t allow himself to be identified was frustrating enough, but not the only source of her ire. It was his proposal which had infuriated her the most. Elise was a person who didn`t suffer fools gladly, and during the course of her work she had met many, including this one!

 

"So, Mr. Smith, lets recap shall we, just so I fully understand the situation here. You spent an inordinate length of time and effort tracking me down, with the sole purpose of offering me this job. I spend eighteen suffocating hours on a plane, sandwiched between a horny frat boy and a sneezing business man with a cold. I finally arrive here, tired, and irritable, to discover that your important and urgent proposal is that you want me to steal a man's heart? You actually want me to extract his beating organ, am I correct?"

 

Elise tossed back her hair in a gesture of impatience, and fixed the man with her most withering glares. "Lets get one thing straight Mr. Smith, I am a thief, and a damned fine one at that. I steal trinkets, valuables, objects and art, sometimes even secrets, but never body organs! Now, I am not sure who or where you got your information from, but I believe it is quite clear, that you have grossly misunderstood the extent of my services. I am not an assassin Mr. Smith, so unless by some chance you actually are in pursuit of an item, rather than an organ, I believe this interview is now terminated, good day to you."

 

After delivering her final retort, Elise spun on her heels and strode purposefully towards the door, eager to put some space between her and the obviously deranged Mr. Smith. Before she could reach the exit, however, the sudden firm voice of her mysterious employer stopped her in her tracks. "A moment please Elise. Allow me to clarify."

 

The rustle of paper sliding across wood caused Elise to turn back with curiosity towards the desk where the masked man sat. "Well go ahead, please clarify. This had better be good too; because you have already taken up far too much of my time."

 

Striding across the room to confront the man, Elise noticed a check and photograph he had strategically placed on the desk. "I think perhaps this might be of interest to you," he said, picking up the check and offering it to her. Elise took it from him, with mounting interest, and found herself momentarily speechless when she read the figure of one million dollars written upon the paper. Mr. Smith leaned forward in his seat, seemingly anxious to close the deal.

 

"Allow me to assure you that no murder will be necessary, Miss Elise. I simply require you to secure the silver box that you see pictured here, and return it to me. In exchange, you will be paid two million dollars, half up front and half when the item is safely delivered."

 

"You want me to bring you a silver box for two million dollars Mr. Smith?" Elise was now convinced the masked man was definitely insane.

 

"Indeed I do. This particular box Elise, is not just any silver box," he said as he handed her the photo. Highly confused by matters now, Elise closely examined the photograph, concluding that it portrayed a type of lidded box, appearing to be made from silver just as Mr. Smith had already stated.

 

"I don't understand Mr. Smith. Is this some kind of joke? This box must be priceless for whoever your client is to invest so much money in its retrieval, and why the need to regale me with such a ludicrous story about stealing a man's heart? "

 

"Consider it a poor choice of words Elise. I can assure you however, that that particular silver box is truly as dear to Mr. Blackstone as his very own heart."