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Description
The Kaito Went Down to Georgia (He Was Looking for a Jewel to Steal) Part 7

    Kaito Kid had changed into his full costume. The sleek white suit with its frilled epaulets gleamed in the faint light, and his long cape waved behind him as he walked. He wore a blue dress shirt and a red necktie underneath his suit jacket. Topped with his monocle with its dangling clover charm and a white top hat with a blue ribbon, he was ready to go.

    As far as he knew, the police were still at the doors…all three of them. There didn’t seem to be any more than that. From what he had seen during the daylight, there were a few police cars parked around the outside of the Boar’s Nest. To his surprise and disappointment, there were no other people. Usually his thefts garnered a large crowd, but he hadn’t spotted anyone other than the police. Maybe the police told them to keep away.

    Kid adjusted a small knob at the base of the monocle. The lens adjusted, sharpening his night vision. He twisted the knob again, tainting his vision with a reddish hue. There were no security lasers of any kind in the room. With a click, Kaito Kid picked the lock and opened the door to Boss Hogg’s office. It was a small but well-decorated room. A few paintings and mounts hung from the wall. A chair and desk rested at one end, and a pool table took up the middle of the room. A little glass tank stood atop one of the cabinets. He could make out a square shape inside it, along with a smaller, more fluid shape. Tucked into one corner of the room was a safe.

    This here safe is Boss Hogg’s pride and joy. He loves it as much as he loves his wife, Lulu. Maybe even more. Before now, he was the only one that has ever opened it. Now Kaito Kid has the honor of being the second white-suited crook to open it up.

    Kid smirked as he began to crack the safe. This is almost an insult to my talent. They hardly prepared for me at all. There are no alarms, traps, motion sensors, or any type of security system in here. I haven’t seen any cameras, and even the safe only has one simple lock. On the other hand, it meant he would be able to get back to the Hazzard Hotel earlier than planned, and he could check to see if the jewel in the watch was Pandora or not. All he’d have to do then was find transportation back to the airport, and that was a problem to save for tomorrow.

    With a click, the metal door popped open. Stacks of money lined the shelves inside, except for one empty corner. Kid looked intently at the space; it looked as if something had been there, like a box or a container, before it was moved. It must have been moved recently, or the money would fill in the space.

    If I had to guess, the watch was in there, but Boss Hogg moved it after he got my warning. That means it’s probably still in the room. Kid stood up and walked around. A moment later, a gleam caught his eye. I think I know where it is. He walked over to the cabinet and looked at the tank. It was open-topped, only a couple feet long, and empty other than a shape inside. It had a metal latch, and a thin seam ran through the middle, separating the cover from the container. Moments later, a small goldfish with bulbous eyes swam around the corner.

    Fish! Kid leapt back, barely catching himself on the pool table with his hands. Why couldn’t it have been a spider or a snake?

    After a few deep breaths, Kid stood up and pushed off the pool table. He cast a nervous side glance at the tank, and flinched back. Now the goldfish was swimming in circles around the box like a guard dog.

    There has to be some way to do this, Kid thought, looking around the room. No way am I reaching inside that tank! Nearby a set of pool sticks were mounted on the wall, next to the pool table. He took one of the shorter pool sticks and stood on the edge of the table. Kid was no pool shark--he had played pool before with Jii, but he wasn’t very skilled. However, he did know how to angle the stick correctly. He stuck the stick into the fish tank, tilting it until it touched the box. He prodded the box until it was against the glass on the opposite side, then he stuck the pool tip into the gravel at the tank’s bottom. Pushing up, he edged the box up the glass. About halfway up, the goldfish swam by. Kid flinched, moving the pool cue. The box fell down to the bottom, kicking up a cloud of gravel.

    Kid tried again, trying his hardest to block the fish from his sight. The gravel dust helped with that. The box rose to the top of the tank and stopped a half-inch from the top. Kid pushed harder, but the box stayed put. A lip of glass surrounded the top edge. He narrowed his angle, pressing against the glass with more force. Above the pool stick, he could see the box rising. Now half of the box stuck above the water. Almost there…almost there.

    With a crash, the tank tumbled off the cabinet and slammed against the wood floor. Water splashed out, forming a large puddle beneath the cabinet. Gravel spilled onto the floor from the upturned tank. The tank’s glass was intact, but there was nothing inside it. Kid looked around the floor, trying to find where the box had fallen. A shiver passed down his back as he realized he hadn’t seen the fish either.

    The shiver turned into an avalanche as he felt something wet on the toe of his shoe. He cast a rueful glance down. The goldfish was lying on the top of his white oxford. Kid clamped his mouth shut as he inched one hand towards the pool stick he had dropped. Don’t make any sudden moves. Before he could grab it, the goldfish looked up at him with its bulbous eyes.

    Kid leapt back with a scream. He kicked out, sending the goldfish sliding under the cabinet. As soon as the goldfish was gone, the consequences of his reaction dawned on him. Outside he could hear the police talking.

    “Did you hear that? Let’s go catch that there Kaito Kid right now!”

    “Do you have the keys, sheriff? ‘Cause I don’t.”

    “Only Boss has the keys to the Boar’s Nest. We’ll just have to do this the old-fashioned way.” A second later, a bang punctuated the words.

    Kid turned his head, looking around for where the box had fallen. It was near the foot of the pool table. He bent down and grabbed the box. Just to make sure it actually had the watch in it, he clicked open the latch and peered inside. Even with the box half open he could see the gleam of the watch chain. I have what I came for. I was about to leave, anyways.

    Kid readied a smoke bomb and headed back to the bar room. And for my final trick… A grin spread across his face as he lit a match and set it against the outside windowsill of the bar. Thick smoke surrounded the outside of the Boar’s Nest, and more was pouring out with each second. Kid went over to the back door, now unguarded, and pressed his ear against it. Through the worn wood, he could hear the police shouting.

    “Possum on a gum bush! Look at all the smoke pouring out of the Boar’s Nest. You don’t think Kaito Kid escaped, do you?”

    “That’s what Cletus and will find out. Now you go get the Hazzard Fire Department, and Cletus and I are gonna bust down the front door and find the varmint.”

    Just as I thought! Kaito Kid listened for footsteps, then nudged the door open. He covered his mouth with his long white cape and ran through the smoke. By now it had enveloped the entire parking lot. Those cops think the building is on fire. Now to add to that notion. He took out the detonator again and pressed a button on the side. Looking back, all he could see through the thick smoke was flashes of orange and yellow. Up ahead Kid could make out the black treetops, barely visible against the night sky. He disappeared into the woods and began to change, stripping off the frilly epaulets holding his cape on his shoulders. His arms slid out of the sleeves of his white suit jacket, and he took off his top hat and monocle. He took out an airtight wallet-sized case from a hidden pocket inside his jacket and emptied it out. The clothes were still damp with sweat from the hot and steamy afternoon, but they would have to do. If Kid had expected anything like that, he would’ve brought a second set of clothes with him. That was the easiest theft ever. Aside from that fish tank - Kid shuddered at the thought - I didn’t even have to try! Feeling smugger than ever, he vanished into the shadows of the woods.

Description
The Kaito Went Down to Georgia (He Was Looking for a Jewel to Steal) Part 7

    Kaito Kid had changed into his full costume. The sleek white suit with its frilled epaulets gleamed in the faint light, and his long cape waved behind him as he walked. He wore a blue dress shirt and a red necktie underneath his suit jacket. Topped with his monocle with its dangling clover charm and a white top hat with a blue ribbon, he was ready to go.

    As far as he knew, the police were still at the doors…all three of them. There didn’t seem to be any more than that. From what he had seen during the daylight, there were a few police cars parked around the outside of the Boar’s Nest. To his surprise and disappointment, there were no other people. Usually his thefts garnered a large crowd, but he hadn’t spotted anyone other than the police. Maybe the police told them to keep away.

    Kid adjusted a small knob at the base of the monocle. The lens adjusted, sharpening his night vision. He twisted the knob again, tainting his vision with a reddish hue. There were no security lasers of any kind in the room. With a click, Kaito Kid picked the lock and opened the door to Boss Hogg’s office. It was a small but well-decorated room. A few paintings and mounts hung from the wall. A chair and desk rested at one end, and a pool table took up the middle of the room. A little glass tank stood atop one of the cabinets. He could make out a square shape inside it, along with a smaller, more fluid shape. Tucked into one corner of the room was a safe.

    This here safe is Boss Hogg’s pride and joy. He loves it as much as he loves his wife, Lulu. Maybe even more. Before now, he was the only one that has ever opened it. Now Kaito Kid has the honor of being the second white-suited crook to open it up.

    Kid smirked as he began to crack the safe. This is almost an insult to my talent. They hardly prepared for me at all. There are no alarms, traps, motion sensors, or any type of security system in here. I haven’t seen any cameras, and even the safe only has one simple lock. On the other hand, it meant he would be able to get back to the Hazzard Hotel earlier than planned, and he could check to see if the jewel in the watch was Pandora or not. All he’d have to do then was find transportation back to the airport, and that was a problem to save for tomorrow.

    With a click, the metal door popped open. Stacks of money lined the shelves inside, except for one empty corner. Kid looked intently at the space; it looked as if something had been there, like a box or a container, before it was moved. It must have been moved recently, or the money would fill in the space.

    If I had to guess, the watch was in there, but Boss Hogg moved it after he got my warning. That means it’s probably still in the room. Kid stood up and walked around. A moment later, a gleam caught his eye. I think I know where it is. He walked over to the cabinet and looked at the tank. It was open-topped, only a couple feet long, and empty other than a shape inside. It had a metal latch, and a thin seam ran through the middle, separating the cover from the container. Moments later, a small goldfish with bulbous eyes swam around the corner.

    Fish! Kid leapt back, barely catching himself on the pool table with his hands. Why couldn’t it have been a spider or a snake?

    After a few deep breaths, Kid stood up and pushed off the pool table. He cast a nervous side glance at the tank, and flinched back. Now the goldfish was swimming in circles around the box like a guard dog.

    There has to be some way to do this, Kid thought, looking around the room. No way am I reaching inside that tank! Nearby a set of pool sticks were mounted on the wall, next to the pool table. He took one of the shorter pool sticks and stood on the edge of the table. Kid was no pool shark--he had played pool before with Jii, but he wasn’t very skilled. However, he did know how to angle the stick correctly. He stuck the stick into the fish tank, tilting it until it touched the box. He prodded the box until it was against the glass on the opposite side, then he stuck the pool tip into the gravel at the tank’s bottom. Pushing up, he edged the box up the glass. About halfway up, the goldfish swam by. Kid flinched, moving the pool cue. The box fell down to the bottom, kicking up a cloud of gravel.

    Kid tried again, trying his hardest to block the fish from his sight. The gravel dust helped with that. The box rose to the top of the tank and stopped a half-inch from the top. Kid pushed harder, but the box stayed put. A lip of glass surrounded the top edge. He narrowed his angle, pressing against the glass with more force. Above the pool stick, he could see the box rising. Now half of the box stuck above the water. Almost there…almost there.

    With a crash, the tank tumbled off the cabinet and slammed against the wood floor. Water splashed out, forming a large puddle beneath the cabinet. Gravel spilled onto the floor from the upturned tank. The tank’s glass was intact, but there was nothing inside it. Kid looked around the floor, trying to find where the box had fallen. A shiver passed down his back as he realized he hadn’t seen the fish either.

    The shiver turned into an avalanche as he felt something wet on the toe of his shoe. He cast a rueful glance down. The goldfish was lying on the top of his white oxford. Kid clamped his mouth shut as he inched one hand towards the pool stick he had dropped. Don’t make any sudden moves. Before he could grab it, the goldfish looked up at him with its bulbous eyes.

    Kid leapt back with a scream. He kicked out, sending the goldfish sliding under the cabinet. As soon as the goldfish was gone, the consequences of his reaction dawned on him. Outside he could hear the police talking.

    “Did you hear that? Let’s go catch that there Kaito Kid right now!”

    “Do you have the keys, sheriff? ‘Cause I don’t.”

    “Only Boss has the keys to the Boar’s Nest. We’ll just have to do this the old-fashioned way.” A second later, a bang punctuated the words.

    Kid turned his head, looking around for where the box had fallen. It was near the foot of the pool table. He bent down and grabbed the box. Just to make sure it actually had the watch in it, he clicked open the latch and peered inside. Even with the box half open he could see the gleam of the watch chain. I have what I came for. I was about to leave, anyways.

    Kid readied a smoke bomb and headed back to the bar room. And for my final trick… A grin spread across his face as he lit a match and set it against the outside windowsill of the bar. Thick smoke surrounded the outside of the Boar’s Nest, and more was pouring out with each second. Kid went over to the back door, now unguarded, and pressed his ear against it. Through the worn wood, he could hear the police shouting.

    “Possum on a gum bush! Look at all the smoke pouring out of the Boar’s Nest. You don’t think Kaito Kid escaped, do you?”

    “That’s what Cletus and will find out. Now you go get the Hazzard Fire Department, and Cletus and I are gonna bust down the front door and find the varmint.”

    Just as I thought! Kaito Kid listened for footsteps, then nudged the door open. He covered his mouth with his long white cape and ran through the smoke. By now it had enveloped the entire parking lot. Those cops think the building is on fire. Now to add to that notion. He took out the detonator again and pressed a button on the side. Looking back, all he could see through the thick smoke was flashes of orange and yellow. Up ahead Kid could make out the black treetops, barely visible against the night sky. He disappeared into the woods and began to change, stripping off the frilly epaulets holding his cape on his shoulders. His arms slid out of the sleeves of his white suit jacket, and he took off his top hat and monocle. He took out an airtight wallet-sized case from a hidden pocket inside his jacket and emptied it out. The clothes were still damp with sweat from the hot and steamy afternoon, but they would have to do. If Kid had expected anything like that, he would’ve brought a second set of clothes with him. That was the easiest theft ever. Aside from that fish tank - Kid shuddered at the thought - I didn’t even have to try! Feeling smugger than ever, he vanished into the shadows of the woods.