Work Text:
One week of intense planning. One chance to execute it. One group perfect for the job.
Hidden in the basement of an abandoned building on the outskirts of Paris, museum floor plans printed on cheap paper were spread across a table. Four pairs of hands scrambled over them to point out areas of weakness, areas with the most valuable items. Renee held a burner phone between her ear and her shoulder as she tried to get a hold of one of her hacker connections for tips on security dismantling.
Allison spent most of the meetings securing their buyer. Her people skills were incredible; she was the only one for the job.
Andrew and Neil took on the task of deciding which tools were best for breaking in. Neil has had a lot of experience with weapons, and Andrew had an interest in sharp objects.
They can't remember whose idea it was originally, to rob the Louvre. It had gotten all mixed up over the past week, everyone scrambling to make their suggestions and double checking everything. It had to be perfect, and it would be.
They are going to pull off the heist of the century.
9:30 a.m. — Arrival
Allison parks the truck as close to the fence as she can, catching Neil's eye in the side-view mirror and signaling to extend the ladder up to the second floor balcony. Renee turns to her from the passenger seat to slide her hand down Allison's arm gently. She reaches up to grip Renee's fingers between her own.
"I'm off," Renee says. "Make sure they get up there in one piece." She pauses to tap her ear piece. "I'll be listening in."
"I'll try my best, but you know how they are." Allison holds onto Renee's hand as long as she can until they're both sliding out of the truck and heading off into their respective positions. Allison tucks her long blonde hair into her balaclava as she heads to the back of the truck.
Neil stands next to the ladder basket as he adjusts it to reach the rail of the balcony at the right angle. Andrew taps at his ear piece, turning it off and on over and over. The truck shakes as Allison pushes herself up and onto the truck bed and levels a glare at Andrew.
"Keep that thing on."
"Hm…no," Andrew deadpans. His expression is always unreadable, but the balaclava covering everything but his eyes isn't helping.
"It's alright," Neil reassures, "I've got mine on." He pats the basket before stepping in.
"But—" Allison spits out, cutting herself off when Andrew vaults over the side of the basket with the power saw in one hand. Once he’s in, he presses the button to begin their slow ascent and offers Allison his signature two finger salute before turning toward their destination.
The smell of the Paris River behind them is carried over by a slight breeze. Neil lets it ground him, neutralizing any bit of anxiety he has.
Andrew is first to climb out and onto the balcony, turning the saw on as Neil follows close behind him to point out the best spot to cut through. Within seconds a section of glass has been cut out, just large enough for Neil and Andrew to fit through.
During this, Renee has been using her terrifyingly pleasant nature to her advantage.
After parting ways with Allison, Renee tosses her neon construction vest that they were all wearing to show off her business pantsuit while she slips into the security office for the 'Petite Galerie' wing of the Louvre. No one questions her. Renee looks kind enough, and she holds herself with so much confidence that there is no way anyone would think shes some where she shouldn't be.
She had learned how to silence the main alarm from her connection a few days ago, and it works perfectly. She just hopes the Louvre was stupid enough to not install a silent one.
Allison stands outside of the truck on look out duty when she sees the glass cut out fall from the window, and Renee's voice rings through everyone's ear pieces.
"Good to go."
9:34 a.m. — On the inside
Neil detaches two small chainsaws from his tool belt, handing one to Andrew as they walk swiftly to the largest display cases.
They are full of historical jewelry. Beautiful sapphires and emeralds in extravagant necklaces, diamonds and pearls set into crowns. They were going to make them all so much money.
Andrew breaks through the glass first. He cuts through more than necessary, and the action puts a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. Neil can barely make them out with the balaclava surrounding Andrew's eyes as well as his own, but they're still distracting as always.
Shit— he needs to focus.
He shakes off the distraction and focuses on smashing the display case in front of him. The silence fills Neil with some confidence— they haven't set off any alarms. He grabs as many pieces as he can and goes over to Andrew to place them in the bag. Just as Andrew is dropping a bow shaped piece into the bag, static pierces through Neil's earpiece as Renee starts speaking in a slightly panicked voice.
"Silent alarm has gone off. Get out now. I repeat, out now."
Andrew glances at Neil when he stiffens. He settles his gaze back onto the jewelry as he calmly asks, "What?"
"We've got to," Neil whispers, nudging Andrews arm and jerking his head toward the window.
Andrew just nods and grabs one last piece, a pearl crown, before they run back to the balcony together.
They maneuver their way through the broken window, and Neil is first into the basket. Andrew hesitates for a moment. His right hand is clenched tightly around the bag of jewelry. Neil can't tell what's up until Andrews eyes flick toward the ground before meeting Neil's cool gaze.
Neil holds out his hand. "I've got you. You and the Jewelry are not going to fall."
"I hate you," Andrew says, but he takes Neil's hand anyway and lowers himself into the basket with only a bit of uneasiness. The descent back to the truck bed feels painfully slow now. Andrew leans his forearms against the side of the baskets as he scans the ground for any sign of Renee and Allison.
They turn the corner right on time. Allison carries gasoline with gloved hands. A cocky grin spreads across her face while she raises the gasoline like champagne.
"Let's blow this Popsicle stand!"
9:38 a.m. — Escape
Andrew and Neil finally reach the truck bed, jumping out with unprecedented speed and begin removing their construction vests.
"Please, never say that shit again," Neil says to Allison as he bundles his and Andrew's vest together.
"What? A girl can't be cinematic anymore?" Allison asks with an amused frown.
"Babe, just, literally any other line would've been better." Renee pats Allison's shoulder. "Love you, though."
"Yeah yeah, whatever."
Andrew tosses the power saw and small chainsaws at Allison's feet.
All four thieves stand under the ladder. All of their tools, plus the construction vests, are piled on the stone sidewalk next to them.
Allison begins pouring the gasoline onto the pile, but in the same second that the liquid hits the ground, a man in a business suit from across the street looks at the group for too long.
The man is suspicious.
Neil knocks the gasoline out of Allison's hand as Andrew says, "Forget it. We're cutting it too close."
A silent understanding passes over them, and all at once they are running. They trail after Allison as she leads them to their getaway scooters parked a few feet away.
Renee takes one, Allison settled close against her back, and they waste no time speeding off. They know Andrew and Neil will be close behind them.
Neil is on the scooter first, and he sees Andrew trip on the stone side walk. The pearl crown tumbles from its spot at the top of the bag and hits the stone with a sharp noise. But Andrew doesn't slow down.
He jumps into place behind Neil with a shrug, the "oops," falling from his lips nonchalantly.
They hurtle down the road with Renee and Allison in view. The four of them had done it. One hundred million dollars just in reach. Neil let an absurd laugh escape his throat, muffled by the wind whipping around them as they raced toward freedom.
—
SKY NEWS
Citizen Interview transcript
REPORTER: Some local tourists are distraught over the theft. I'm here with Allison, an American tourist looking forward to visiting the Louvre for the first time. Allison, what do you think of this situation?
ALLISON: It's terrifying! I mean, how can security be that bad for one of the worlds most visited museums? It's—
[A pause as she lets out a few tears]
ALLISON: It's historical treasures that are gone forever now. So, so devastating. I hope the thieves are found and brought to justice. Sorry, I can't.
[Allison walks away from the reporter, crying into her hands]