"By god, this man sure does know how to make a thief's heart go into cardiac arrest..." Joey admired the decor of the halls up close from the wonderful view of his hands. A few pictures here and there with the bonus items that he'd snagged while popping into offices on his way to the bathroom.

It was just Joey's luck that the bathroom was at the end of the corridor he was allowed to store his soccer bag in when first arriving. Joey ensured that he showed his gratitude for a place to keep his personal items after arriving sweaty and whipped from doing drills. Of course, he didn't find it of much importance to mention that the bag actually belonged to a lean teen guy waiting at the bus stop after practice, or that he was sweaty from running like the devil was behind him from said team, who happened to be a star player on his soccer team; something he thought to mention as a threat while chasing Joey.

What he didn't know was that Joey is an athlete too. Well, was...

Details... Details... What does it matter? All it took was some fancy weaving to lose Branceton's "star athlete" so what did it matter? His mind was solely focused on snagging as many things as he could that would drivw suspicion from the security guards, while also getting out with raising any alarms.

"Let's take that, and that. If a shop won't buy these I can always sell it to mt pituing relatives, and make a couple of bucks." As he took down paintings he arranged in a way that you wouldn't notice that there ever had been other paintings unless you were closely paying attention to the walls and happened to notice the empty fixtures where a piece of art work should be. "They make this too easy..." He muttered taking note of the scare amount of cameras and the fact that they had easily manipulated blind spots.

"What kind of multibillionare company doesn't have cameras to protect said multibillionare company?" He scoffed slipping around the corner and into the lone lounge room at the end of the hall, tossing his bag onto the nearest chair.

"The type that is wise enough to not keep their money in their work space." The infuriatingly calm and cool voice of Lyle Massacrade responded from where he stood keeping the door to the room propped open with his hand. "I thought someone as intelligent as you would surely know this. Not to mention, that just because you do not see the security systems are not in plain sight, it doesnot mean they're not there."
They had hidden cameras...

Joey's mouth parted in disbelief. Was this guy throwing lowkey shade at him? Damn... Respect.

Joey brushed off his blooming little man crush to ask the more pressing matter on his subconcious. He needed to know if he was on to him. "What are you doing in here?" Lyle smiled almost with disappointment. "I could be asking you the same thing, but that's not what you asked," -He walked over to Joey placing a hand on his shoulder- "Seeing as I took the time to get to learn about each one of my invitees before bringing them here, I knew that you would most likely be taking this time to," They both glanced over at the duffel bag. "get acquainted with the building. So I, seeing as you are my guest, chose to accompany you like any good host would, and give you a personal tour.

Well, shit... He was definitely on to him. And yet Joey was more impressed than anything. And to think he mocked this guy. He was much more sly and cunning than he'd given credit for, and had the streets smarts that most businessmen he'd had the honor of depriving off valuable things lacked.

"I do hope that you've been able to take some time to admire the paintings in the hall after leaving the restrooms, for they are worth from one hundred to upper 900's on the market, you know." Oh, he definitely knew, and the paintings hid in the closet just in case he was compromised, were saying that too. "Well, they would be worth that much unless they happened to be made by a very famous, local painter which would definitely raise their price..." Ooh, he likes the sound of that. But wait! Stop drooling over the money, Joey, and focus. Think. Why is he telling you this?

"Especially," Lyle mused humorously. "If they were one of a kind," Shit. "But then again, if they were one of a kind and were to be stolen and reported, well, then they would lose absolutely all their value and be worthless, and the criminal who swindled them would be immediately put on the system's watch list and caught the instant they tried to sell them." All the time Lyle spoke his hand was on Joey's shoulder, and his gaze was focused on a painting placed on the wall above the duffel bag.

Oh, he was good. Joey thought impressed breathing out through his nose in faint puffs of amusement, but his disbelieving smile turned into a small frown of sorts when he realized that this bastard knew what he came here to do, and had made all his thieving preparations for nothing. He had his ass barreling down the streets over some dickwad teen's soccer bad for jack shit.

He was really starting to love this asshole.

"So, after you put your bag away," Lyle stepped away clasping his hands together in finality as he turned to look at Joey. "Would you like to take up my offer on that tour before the presentation begins?"

Joey shook his head, grabbing the duffel bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "Nah, I'm good man." He shouldered his way past Lyle and headed towards the door, but stopped halfway.

He turned around sticking out his hand, giving a brief shake and a nod once Lyle clasped his palm around his."Thanks for the offer though, man."

Lyle chuckled. "I am just doing what any good host would."

"Damn straight."

A/N
This is a long time coming and I'm so sorry that I'm such a procrastinating little derp, but rhe chapter is finally finished!

Dont forget to vote, comment, and add thiz story to your library!

Mama Lucky loves you all, bye!