Uniform Stealing Board

Chapter Text

"Writing in your diary?"

Evie jumped, knocking over her inkwell and spilling its contents across the page she had just written so carefully. She turned her head to scowl at her brother, who was leaning against the wall with that smug expression she's always hated. "I was, until, thanks to you, it was thoroughly ruined."

Jacob just grinned. "Writing more about that necklace you're chasing after? The one that belongs to Lucy What's-her-face?"

"Lucy Thorne. And it's not just a necklace. It's a key out of here."

"It's a locket."

"With a key inside of it."

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "And how would you know that?"

Evie rubbed her temple, sighing. "Because I saw it. You see, Jacob, her locket is rather large, isn't it? Even so, the key inside of it is relatively small. It's silver and has an odd shape."

Jacob nodded. "Interesting. How, pray tell, are you going to get it?"

She grinned, her blue-green eyes lighting up. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, brother. I've got it handled."

~~o~~

Evie smiled a little bit at the young girl, who had her back turned to the woman. "I'll just have white tea with a pinch of lemon, please."

Clara whirled around. "Miss Frye! How are you?"

She shrugged. "Could be better. Is Mr. Green here? I need to speak with him."

Clara took a sip of apple cider from a very large mug. "No. He's out stealing books and collecting flowers." She gestured to a vase on the counter that was full of white tulips. "He brought me these."

Evie smiled. "Well, then, I suppose I'll wait until he's back. Oh, and Clara?"

"Yes, Miss Frye?"

"I'd still like my tea."

Clara smiled. "Will do."

Evie sat down at a table as she waited for her tea. Her eyes scanned the tavern, taking in every detail. It was an old, broken-down, abandoned building. Clara had moved her and her little network of urchins and pickpockets in. Evie could often hear the children speaking and giggling to each other in hushed voices upstairs as they quietly played their games. Everyone within the building spoke quietly as to keep any soldiers or Blighters passing by from knowing of the existence of the hideout.

The children acted as informants and thieves. A few would intercept messages and bring them back to give to either Jacob, Evie, or Henry. Although Jacob and Evie frequented the tavern, they lived in the hideout of the Rooks. Henry, however, did live in the tavern. He got along very well with the children, who loved him greatly.

Henry would go on little hunts throughout noble neighborhoods, stealing any books he could. He taught children to read and write if they didn't already know how. He was a kind man.

Evie smiled as the young girl placed a cup of tea on a saucer in front of her. "Enjoy your tea, Miss Frye."

Evie nodded. "Thank you, Clara." She picked up the cup, stifling a yawn (still tired after having just woken up twenty minutes ago). She lifted it to her lips, taking a large gulp. The tea was completely gone when the bell above the door jingled and Henry slipped inside, a book under one arm and a bunch of flowers in his hand.

Evie got to her feet. "Ah, Mr. Green, I've been looking for you."

Henry smiled at her. "Hello, Miss Frye. What do you need?"

"I have information and I need your help."

He cocked his head. "Help with what?"

"Stealing the locket from around Miss Thorne's neck."

Henry was silent for a minute, then nodded. "Are we going through with that plan you were taking about, then?" Evie nodded. Henry sighed deeply.

"I know exactly where Thorne is today. We have to go through with it now. And I mean now."

It was at that moment that Jacob strolled in, saying to Clara, "I want the strongest stuff you got." Clara nodded, but kept her palms on the counter, watching Henry and Evie.

Evie snorted. "It's nine in the morning, Jacob. You should get coffee instead." She waited for Henry to set his things down, then the two turned and left the tavern. As soon as the door was closed, Jacob approached the counter.

"Hot chocolate, then, Mr. Frye?"

He nodded. "Make it extra sweet. And remember, don't tell Evie."

Clara smiled widely, winking at him. "As long as you keep giving me extra coin, I'll keep your secrets."

~~o~~

Evie, crouching low to the ground, began to sneak up behind the lone female Blighter. She flipped open her butterfly knife. Leaping to her feet and covering the woman's mouth with her hand, she drove the knife into the back of her neck. Blood poured down, the woman gurgling as she sank to her knees. Evie dragged the body into a bush. She closed the woman's eyes, quickly wiping the blood off her blade. Flipping it closed, she stripped the woman of her clothing.

Evie peeled off her own clothes, quickly putting on the Blighter uniform. She stuffed her clothes and knife into her satchel, slipping out of the bushes, and just in time. She placed the hat on her head right as another Blighter rounded the corner.

"Oi, woman. You're the one I'm taking to the carriage, right?"

Evie nodded. "Yes, that would be me."

The man squinted his eyes, observing her. "You know, you look familiar..." She stiffened nervously. With her hair completely covered by the hat and the fact that she wasn't as involved with the gangs as Jacob was, she had been hoping no one would recognize her as one of the leaders of the Rooks. To her relief, the man shook his head. "I'm just imagining things. C'mon, now."

It wasn't a long walk to the carriage. Evie certainly didn't feel nervous in Blighter-infested territory, but she did sigh in relief when she saw Henry on a rooftop.

The Blighter opened the door. "You're to protect Miss Thorne from inside, got it?"

She nodded, climbing in to the carriage and sitting right next to Lucy Thorne, who regarded her with distaste. They rode in silence for a while, Thorne fully invested in her book, when Evie decided to make her move. She grabbed the woman's head, smashing it into the side of the carriage without giving her a chance to react.

Grinning at Thorne's unconscious body, Evie unclasped the necklace, putting it in her satchel and taking out her knife. She opened the carriage door, swinging out and stabbing the driving Blighter in the neck. She threw his dead body on to the ground. Henry jumped down from where he had been following on the rooftops, immediately taking the reins.

Evie climbed on to the roof of the carriage. Other angry Blighters were already pursuing. One jumped from his carriage on to theirs, but Evie landed a quick punch to stun him before thrusting the blade through the bottom of his chin. Another one jumped on, but she kicked quickly, and the Blighter lost his footing, falling on to the stone beneath.

"Move it, Henry!" She commanded, harsher than she intended. Soon, the Blighters were far behind. Evie slid into the seat next to Henry. "Find a secluded area. Thorne has not yet shown any signs of deserving death, so I need to drop her somewhere before she regains consciousness. I would also like to change back into my own clothes."

Henry did as she asked. Then they were on the way back to the tavern, kicking dust over the waking Lucy Thorne as their new carriage took off.