identity theft and bribary
Identity Theft and Bribery
Gus, Amity, and Vee were siting together in a small café near the government building. Camilla had some business to attend to nearby, so the three decided to go with her to see the sights and maybe sneak in and start altering the records.
Emmiline (his palisman) had just come back from scouting the building and reported what she had seen. The news was both promising and depressing.
“So, the good news is that the security is child’s play for us to get through with a few well place illusions, shapeshifting, and abomination magic. The bad news is that none of us has any idea on how to use the computers to actually change the digital records.”
Vee spoke up. “Even if we had Luz with us that wouldn’t change. There are multiple security systems put in place specifically designed to prevent people from doing what we are trying to do.”
Amity just sighed in defeat. “I can only think of two ways we can do it. We can either find a criminal that can already do it and offer our services to help them get it done faster, or we “convince” an employee to help us.”
“What was with the air quotes Amity?”
She just looked at Vee before sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. “Um, how do I put it?”
“She means either blackmail or threaten.”
“Gus!”
Vee just looked at them in shock. “WHAT!”
She then blushed when she realized everyone in the café was looking at her after she shouted. She then whispered the next bit. “What? How could you say such a thing! You could be forcing a government employee to commit a felony! That could get them arrested and fired. I want all of us to be able of living in the human world, but I don’t want to ruin someone’s life to do it.”
“I don’t like it either Vee, but we don’t have a lot of options. Willow is getting by fine for now working under the table for the gardener, but eventually people will start asking questions. We need this sooner rather than later.”
Emmi started to make some more wheezing sounds at Gus, who was listening intently.
“Really? That’s great.” He then looked a little ashamed at that. “Ok, not great, but it’s good for us.”
He then looked up at the others. “Apparently one of the employees there might be a future customer of Willows. If we bring some of her drugs over, we might be able of convincing them to help us out.”
His eyes then lite up as he reached into his backpack and routing around in it. “Where is- Here!” He pulled out a small brown bag before quickly putting it back in it. “The backpack I borrowed from Willow still has a small amount of her product in it. We can give it to them to show that we are serious.”
“Wait, do you think it is a good idea for us to talk to them face to face? They might turn on us later.”
Then both Gus and Amity turned to look at Vee, who just looked between them. “Why me, Gus can do it just as well, and he has more tricks to do if things go wrong. All I can do is change myself.”
Gus just shook his head. “Any changes I make will quickly fall apart if I have to be in physical contact with anything. One hand shake or hand on the shoulder and the whole thing falls apart. The two of us can easily follow you under an invisibility spell, but you need to be the face of this.”
Vee sighed. “Ok, but I will need time to come up with a face. I don’t feel comfortable just imitating any random person to get in trouble with the government.”
After she said that, all three suddenly had lightbulbs light up over their heads and started looking at each other while smiling.
Shortly afterwards
Halle Keith was on her way to the local dinner to het herself some lunch. She was also planning on restocking her supply soon, since it was getting low and the stress of the job was getting to her.
She entered the building and sat down at a empty table before ordering her meal. Shortly after she started, a man in a brown coat and glasses came over and sat down in front of her.
“Get lost creep. I have pepper spray and will not hesitate to use it if a single finger of yours touches me.”
The man held up both of his hands in surrender. “Wow, I’m not hear to cause trouble. My name is Jacob, and I am just here with a business proposition. I have the offer written on a piece of paper in my pocket. I am going to reach for it slowly and hand it to you. After you read it, I will leave if you want me to. If you want to talk, we can talk. Sounds fair?”
Hellen narrowed her eyes but nodded. “Ok.”
She then picked up the piece of paper, and her eyes widened.
I will give you drugs if you help me add some people to the official records.
She just stared at Jacob in fear before quickly turning to anger. “What the hell are you thinking? How do you even know?”
Jacob shrank back in fear. “I didn’t want to beat around the bush and thought it would be best if I just straight up asked. Also, suppliers and dealers talk and brag about their clients. If you want, I can give you a sample.”
She then pulled out her pepper spray and laid it on the table while reaching out with her other hand beneath the table. “Give it to me then.”
Jacob pulled out a small brown paper bag and handed it to her. She then pulled it back to her and opened it to look inside. There was indeed a small amount of drugs in it.
“My number is on the bag. Call it after you have decided whether or not you are in my offer.”
The waitress came over with the check. Jacob reached out and took it before removing a credit card from his pocket.
“Lunch is on me. Consider it an apology for disturbing your break.”
After paying the bill (giving a tip the size of the meal price, to the joy of the waitress), Jacob got up and walked out of the diner. He quickly walked into a nearby alley and hid behind a dumpster before shifting into Vee once more.
“OhMyGodThatWasTerrifying!”
Amity and Gus appeared in a puff of blue smoke and Amity bent down to wrap her in a hug.
“Sorry about that. I didn’t think it would be that intense. If we knew how bad it would be, we would have risked having Gus meeting with her instead. If you want, we can have him be the one to actually meet with her later if she takes the deal.”
Vee takes a few deep breaths before answering.
“No, I can do it. It is for the greater good, and it gets Jacob into trouble.” She then gives a small smile. “Remind me to thank Luz again for giving me one of Jacobs credit cards.”
Amity smiled in response. “She really is Eda’s kid now, isn’t she?”
That night
Vee was getting ready for bed when the burner set aside for Hellen’s use began to ring. She quickly went into a linen closet and answered the phone in Jacob’s voice.
“Hello, Jacob here.”
“Jacob, it’s me. I decided to take you up on your offer. How much on them do you already have?”
“Great to hear it. I already have physical copies of birth certificates, social security cards, and similar documents with me. If we need to change some of the info on them, it’s not a problem though. I can bring them with me if it would make your life easier.”
“Huh, you really are prepared. Tell you what, come over tomorrow night and I can give you a crash course on how to input the info into the system yourself, and then I will let you into the building to create the info so I can’t ID them later on. This will of increase the price for my services though.”
“Perfect! I can be there tomorrow night.”
The two then spent a few minutes disguising the exact number of drugs she would receive for her trouble. Vee had to angle for the lower end so it wouldn’t seem too suspicious.
Next Night
Vee held onto Amity for dear life while they were flying under Gus’s illusion to the city. With flight the trip wouldn’t take that long, but as far as she was concerned any time flying like this was too long.
“You ok back their Vee?”
“Just terrified! How much farther?”
“We’re almost there. just a minute more.”
They then started to descend into an alley near the given location, with Vee jumping off to hug the ground when they landed.
“You owe me big time for this.”
Amity looked a little sheepish at that. “Sorry about that. If it helps, Luz and I have set up a surprise for you later this week.”
Vee just gives Amity a look. “It had better be good.”
She then stands up and shifts into Jacob, giving a shiver after doing it. “I feel dirty just looking like him. Let’s just get this over with.”
She then walked out of the Alley in the direction of the apartment she had been told to go to. When she knocked on the door, she was quickly pulled in before Hellen looked out quickly in both directions before closing it behind her.
“Were you followed?”
“No, it’s just me.”
He then looked around the apartment, noticing that the only thing in it was a small table with a computer on it. “Not much for decoration, are you?”
“This isn’t my apartment. Do you honestly think I would really bring a strange man to my home after only meeting him once? This is a place that my supplier owns for his clients to use in a safe environment. Each of us can use it one day a week. Now, did you bring the drugs?”
Jacob then took off the backpack he was wearing and handed it over. Hellen opened it up and looked inside, Counting the drugs inside.
“Looks like it is all here. Let’s start on your lessons.”
Hours later
Jacob walked into the alley and quickly turned into Vee again. Gus walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. “How did it go?”
She looked to him and smiled. “Great news, I got the thumbs up. Night after tomorrow, we will officially be citizens of the US.”
Amity laughed and rushed over to pull Vee into a hug. “Thank you, Vee. And don’t you worry, the surprise will be worth it.”
That Saturday
Vee and Masha were sitting together at a small table lit only by candle light in the Noceda dining room. Soft music playing from a phone. The two were eating a lovely dinner made by Mrs. Noceda and Luz, with Gus acting like a waiter.
‘So worth it!’