Thieving Hearts

[Kestrel]

Maggie is a guardian angel, assigned to protect and watch over Jack, a mentally unstable thief. Maggie is also a thief, who steals from the rich and powerful to aid the poor and the powerless. The most important rule Maggie must follow is to never fall in love with an assignment. But Maggie is a rebel, and she often ignores all the rules set out for her. Wouldn't it be the perfect crime if they stole each other's hearts?

 

[Kestrel]

"Hey! Maggie! The Council has an assignment for you!" Raven called out as he glided into the room where his younger siblings, Crow and Magpie, were discussing how to hotwire a car. Maggie dropped the wires she was holding and leaped to her feet. "Finally! Bye Crow!" She called out as she flew out of the room.


When she got to the Council building, Screech gave her an envelope with information about her assignment. It contained info about his schedule, address, likes and dislikes and so forth. "Jack Howitzer, 28, thief..." she mumbled aloud. "Well, this should be interesting. Huh, he's kinda cute, too."

 

[Kestrel]

Maggie finished reading the paperwork. Apparently, he was currently in jail. After saying goodbye to her family and close friends, she packed up her belongings that she would need, mostly lockpicks, and other tools of her trade.


She spread out her wings and flew off, heading towards the human town, and more specifically, the prison. She planned on breaking out Jack. She checked her phone and estimated she'd be there by nightfall if she remained at hetr current speed. Rescuing Jack would give her a chance to meet him and begin gaining his trust. She couldn't watch him if he didn't trust her.


When she neared the town, she turned into a magpie to blend in. Now, all she had to do was find the prison...

 

[Kestrel]

Maggie glided around the city. Finally she spotted a large grey building through the snow. She turned and flew over the barbed wire fence. This was definitely it. As she neared the prison complex, she heard an earsplitting scream, then sirens or alarms, she wasn't sure which. She glided to the window of his room. How the Council managed to discover which cell he was held in was beyond her. She was too large to squeeze through the window, so she perched on the sill and peeked in right as Jack tossed a blood soaked body onto the bed. She stared, frozen with shock, until she heard footsteps that she guessed belonged to guards.

 

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[Kestrel]

Maggie was intrigued when Jack stared at her, seemingly happy. Then a dark sadness crossed his face. He was tackled by the prison guards, who seemingly didn't notice the magpie on the window. While they were distracted, Maggie moved away from the window and turned back into her normal form long enough to take a lock pick from her pocket. She turned back into a bird and used her feet and beak to use the lock pick on the window. She flew inside the room and attacked the guard holding Jack. She clawed and pecked at the guard, cawing loudly.

 

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[Kestrel]

Maggie's beak nearly hit the floor as Jack killed one guard and incapacitated the other. No wonder she was sent. He was, on the outside at least, cold, callous and uncaring. Dangerous. But Maggie believed that every human had good inside them. Sometimes, it was harder to find. That was where she came in. She was determined to help Jack, no matter what. She wouldn't fail again.


She fluttered over to the window and glanced at it, trying to decide if Jack would fit. After deciding he would, she flew back to him and landed on his shoulder. She tugged on his shirt with her beak towards the window.

 

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[Kestrel]

When Jack wrapped his hands around Maggie's neck, she had no choice but to break an important rule. She quickly shifted back into a human with giant wings and pulled away from Jack. Quickly she kicked the gun away from him. "Calm down. It'd be easier the go through the window. I think you'll fit," she said.

 

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[Kestrel]

(Sorry I didn't answer. I never got a notification.)


Maggie smirked as she pulled out a set of lock pick tools. "This'll just take a second. Stand watch at the door," she ordered. She stepped over to the window and slid the pick inside. After manipulating the pick for several seconds she heard a satisfying click. She pushed the metal bars away and surveyed her work. "Well, it's open." She peered out the window and didn't see any guards, just flurries of snow. Her visibility would be limited, but so would the prison guards'. With any luck, the snow could conceal footprints and scent from tracking dogs that might pursue them. "C'mon Jack. It's clear. "

 

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[Kestrel]

"Relax, it's just me. I'm told the resemblance is startling, though." Maggie smirked, referencing one of her favorite books: City of Bones. "I'm Maggie, actually. Do you know how to take this thing back to the mainland?" she inquired gesturing to the small boat. If he didn't, she may have to carry him. She could steal hear sirens, and suddenly dogs barking. The prison guards must have the dogs sent after her and Jack.

 

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[Kestrel]

(I honestly have no clue if it's correct. It looks right though.)


"Close," Maggie answered. "I'm a Guardian angel. There's actually three types of angels: Guardians, the Pure and the fallen. It's pretty self-explainatory. The Pure are the traditional, white good angels. Pompous, snooty stuck-up little...Sorry, anyway the Fallen are evil angels. They were Guardians or Pure, but they turned evil and fell," Maggie explained. "Guardian angels have the wings and personality of a bird. I'm Magpie. Our job is to watch over and protect the humans. Sometimes we are assigned for just one, or a group, or as many people as we can. We stay until we're not needed, or we're needed more in another place," Maggie paused. "I really shouldn't be telling you all this. We try to avoid getting found out if we can. My friend's brother actually got arrested for stalking once, and the Council had to bail him out," Maggie chuckled at the memory. "So long story short, yes, I'm an angel. Don't tell anyone. Got it?"

 

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[Kestrel]

(It's fine. I'm not too picky.)


"You believe me?" Maggie said in disbelief. "That makes my job sooo much easier, so thank you. I actually don't particularly know why the Council sends us. Considering that since I've seen you, you were in prison, you've killed two people and assualted another one, I'd say that the Council has decided that you're a menace to humanity and they want me to be a good influence. If this is the case, I'm not the best choice. Magpies by nature tend to steal and hoard shiny stuff. I've been told that I have no concept of 'not mine'. Essentially, I like stealing and I'm good at it." Maggie explained. "What you'd get arrested for, anyway?"

 

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[Kestrel]

Hmm. If Jack trained people to kill bad guys, did that make him good? She wondered. After he fell asleep, she continued steering the boat through the mist towards the mainland. She wasn't sure what she would do with him when they got there, because she didn't quit trust him alone yet. At one point, she took off her black jacket and covered him up. When the boat bumped against a rocky beach, she shook his shoulder. "Hey, wake up. We're here."

 

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[Kestrel]

"Crap!" Maggie mumbled. "I didn't think about that. Umm...Lemme think." She mentally smacked herself for not planning ahead and just rushing in. "Wait! I've got an idea. I can carry you and fly at the same time, so I could carry you until we get to wherever you live, or find some clothes. It'd be faster, too," she suggested.

 

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[Kestrel]

Maggie glanced at the pillars of the bank. She recognized the architecture and her eyes lit up. Maggie loved history, especially medieval Europe. Her favorite style of architecture was French-Gothic. "We're...we're in France! Look that's the Chartres Cathedral! We're in Chartres, about 100 miles south of Paris. I've always wanted to see this. I tried sneaking here with my friends when we were teens once but it's too far from where the Island is, and we couldn't make it," she babbled. "Anyway, I could probably call up some friends and see if they could help us get you to Boston."

 

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