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Chapter 1

Formerly the World's Greatest Thief

Shady Oaks Minimum Security Prison

"He rarely gets visitors, he's kept to himself mostly, doesn't really mingle well with the other inmates." Two dapper looking men emptied out the confines of their pockets as the prison guard escorted them down the corridor of prison cells. They were clearly federal agents despite trying their best to remain inconspicuous their finely pressed suits and matching crew cuts gave them away.

"This guy used to be some big time criminal apparently, went clean for a little bit but they caught him trying to steal some useless rock from a museum." The blue tied agent explained as they neared the end of the prison block. Classical music faintly played from the last cell.

"Seems a bit lax for a big time thief." The red tied agent looked at the security guard.

"Despite being a crook, he's behaved himself enough for privileges." The security guard explained as they approached the cell. "Mr. V you've got visitors." A slender man lounged on a cot reading from a trendy magazine. The trappings of the prison cell were sparse, aside from the private restroom area it was a standard cell with the exception of a record player. The man shifted revealing a tangled mess of snow white hair. "Mr. V?"

"Sounds like Bach." The blue tied agent commented as the orchestral music echoed in the hallway.

"It's Chopin actually." The prisoner placed the magazine down turning toward his guests, clearly angered by the interruption. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the good ole' government." The two men looked surprised, how had he caught on to their identity. His cold calculating blue eyes glanced over the agents.

"Oh, please you're not fooling anyone with those Sears ties and JC Penney's suits."

Cough, the agents felt off balance. "Mr. Valmont if we could just have minute of your time?"

"Seeing as I'm not going anywhere soon I suppose you may." Valmont grabbed a nearby cane to assist with getting off the cot. The years of traveling, demon possession, and bus driving had not been kind to the former crime king. His once muscular frame had shrunk to skin and bones, his face looked sickly and wrinkled. Turning off the record he limped over to the three guests. "So what is the charge this time, grand larceny, fraud, burglary, or maybe I just forgot to file my tax return?"

"Actually, Mr. Valmont we were hoping you might assist us with something. I'm agent Cunningham and this is agent Stephens we're with the MAB."

"Hmm that's a new one, MAB, what crappy acronym is that for?"

The agents tried to steer the conversation away from their particulars and cut to the chase.

Agent Cunningham adjusted his blue tie as he shuffled uncomfortably in his suit. Despite his weakened frame the criminal mastermind had an almost predatory like gaze.

"Th-that's of no importance right now. We just wanted to ask you several questions."

"Ask away, I've got all the time in the world to read that filth and listen to two records on a constant loop."

"O-ok, we'd like your input on these photographs." Agent Stephens handed Valmont a manila envelope. The criminal idly thumb through the photos. "No, no, rubbish, wait I've seen this before. Where'd you get this picture?!" His calm demeanor changed.

"We received these pictures through our channels, they are all linked, and we know you have experience with these things."

"Gentlemen, I advise you to steer clear, those who play with fire often get burned. I can attest to that."

"But you recognize that last picture?"

"Yes, but that thing was destroyed a long time ago."

"Twelve years ago actually." Valmont looked puzzled by agent Cunningham's comment.

"But these...these look recent." The agents looked at one another.

"Thank you Mr. Valmont, we'll be in touch." They left the now shocked Valmont.

"You have no idea of the powers you're meddling with!" Valmont called after the agents as they disappeared down the hallway. "The fools, they can't contain such power!"

Waffle Hut

"You're late again Jade!" Mr. Rodriguez scolded Jade as she tied her black and green locks into a ponytail adjusting her mustard and pea soup colored uniform and nametag.

"I'm sorry Mr. Rodriguez, it won't happen again. I promise." The day was unfolding horribly first the alarm wouldn't go off, the embarrassment at school, parking tickets, and the fridge was empty, now this.

"And you need to do something about that hair, I don't want bozo the clown serving my customers!"

"Yes Mr. Rodriguez." Jade took a deep breath and began waiting the tables. Waffle Huts clientele were not the best and brightest. After clocking in the first few were alright but then another customer entered. Mr. Rodriguez motioned for Jade to come over.

"You know who that is?" Jade looked out the kitchen toward the unassuming 30 something mustached man dressed in a plaid shirt and purple knit hat.

"Uh, not really."

"That's RJ Blue, he's a big time food critic and you tube star. You've never seen The Hip or Miss Kitchen?"

"Mr. Rodriguez I don't really have time to..."

"Never mind, take his order, do anything you can to impress him! He'll put Waffle Hut on the map!"

"O-ok." Jade stumbled out of the kitchen approaching the mustached critic.

"Hello, your Jade, I mean I'm Jade...welcome to Hut Waffles...I mean Waffle Hut, may I take your order." Jade mentally cursed herself as she tried to put the fact her job was on the line to the back of her head.

"Mmm..yes I would like a plate of your queso waffle deluxe, gluten free sliders, and a glass of kale." The critic spoke with a forced intellectual accent as he continued transfixed to his deluxe B-Phone platinum ultra.

"Ok one queso, gluten free sliders and a glass of kale." As Jade made her way to the kitchen she felt a stern tug.

"Miss, miss, excuse me!" A sharp nasally voice cut Jades train of thought.

A large women wearing a Disney Frozen shirt angrily looked up at her. "I ordered my Waffle Burger medium rare no pickles, this is medium well and has pickles." The women showed Jade the plate holding it out as if it were toxic waste.

"I'm sorry about that, I'll send it back to the kitchen right away." Jade forced a fake smile as she headed back to the kitchen.

"Hmm she has some nerve." The large lady complained as the young waitress tried to keep things in order. Just seconds before entering the line another customer waved her over.

"There's a fly in my coffee." The man was wearing a camo hunting jack and trucker hat.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I'll get you a fresh cup right away. Jade ran to the line placed the orders, managed to gather them onto a tray and get back out into the quickly devolving situation.

"Took you long enough." The large lady answered as Jade gave her the new order. Next the food critic was served, still looking at his phone. Finally the trucker had his fresh coffee all was well till the cup slipped from the tray. Jade watched in horror as the cup spilled into the truckers lap.

"Gosh darrnit! What in the Sweet Sam Hill do you think you're doing?"

Jade tried her best to clean the mess with a towel. "I'm so sorry Sir!"

"The hell you are!" The trucker stormed out without paying.

"Miss?" The almighty critic was summoning Jade in his droning voice.

"I would like to send these sliders back, they are too greasy." He showed her the pool of grease slowly forming on the plate.

Something snapped.

Jade twitched as she looked at his apathetic gaze and handle bar mustache.

"Sir, that is not grease, it's the seasoning sauce for our sliders."

"I've been to Shanghai, Dubai, New York, I know my sliders, and that is most certainly grease."

"But Sir we don't deep fry our gluten free sliders, that's impossible." Jade could feel the unhinged rage boiling up inside her.

Excellent show him what you can really do....

Jade looked around puzzled by the mysterious voice, had she finally lost it, gone off the deep end because of some disgruntled snobbish customers. Jade shook her head to empty out the cobwebs. Everything had become slightly blurry. When she came around the critic had stopped droning and was looking in horror at her. What happened? What had she missed? Then she realized what had shut him up, her hand had gripped the table so hard it had begun to crack under the pressure. Which was slightly strange given it was a thick reinforced marble.

"Fine it's not grease" he whimpered.

Jade felt the embarrassment and fear from earlier return even stronger this time, she wanted to run out the door and leave the restaurant and her mundane life behind, maybe she could convince her Uncle to let her join him for one last adventure.

"Excuse me miss?"

"What!? What do you want now?" Jade caught herself as she realized she'd yelled at another customer. A tall man wearing a white button down with movie star like features.

"I can see you're really busy, I'm sorry." The young man made his way to leave.

"No wait...I'm really sorry Sir it's just"

"Cranky customers?" The man looked at Jade with a warm smile. She felt all the anger and stress fade away with that smile.

"Well if you're not too busy..." looking at her nametag "Jade, I'd like a glass of water please."

"You got it sir. One glass of water coming right up." She felt herself crack the first genuine smile of the night.

"Please call me Will."

"Ok Will." Jade went back to the kitchen and the rest of the night seemed to go by in a flash. Her strange outburst a distant memory. Mr. Rodriguez began to close up after giving Jade another lecture on hair color and tardiness. Oddly the handsome Will remained most of the night looking over a large stack of papers. Jade was about to leave when he stopped her.

"Say Jade, would you mind grabbing a cup of coffee?"

She was off balance, who was this random dude asking about getting some coffee together? People weren't normally this direct, especially with her. Despite a little apprehension at the prospect of chilling with a total stranger Jade felt oddly comfortable with the idea.

"Sure Will."

"Great, just let me get my things together." One of his papers slipped off the counter and for a brief moment Jade saw the letters MAB stamped on top followed by Top Secret. It was strange but she thought nothing of it.

"Oops sorry about that I'm such a klutz sometimes." The mysterious Will chuckled as he quickly scooped up the papers.

"Where are my manners? He looked down at her with warm reassuring hazel eyes. "I'm Dr. Will Sinclair."

Jade went to shake his hand but to her surprise and a little bit of disgust he proceeded to kiss it. He certainly wasn't the Waffle Hut regular.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to...I'm so used to formalities."

"It's alright Will, I've seen far worse. Do you prefer Dr. Sinclair?"

"Wills fine."

The rest of the evening was filled with small talk and tea. Jade knew several low key places around China Town with a much better atmosphere than most coffee shops. Wills face grew serious for a moment as he stopped their conversation about their favorite classic martial arts films.

"I haven't been entirely forth coming Jade." He nervously fiddled with a nearby spoon. "You see I approached you because I'm quite the admirer of your families work. Particularly your uncle."

Jade grew slightly angry by the revelation but understood his admiration for the world's foremost archaeologist.

"I'm surprised you realized who I was?"

"Well there's no mistaking the family resemblance, besides I've had the pleasure of meeting your uncle several times. I was wondering if you'd be at all interested in helping us with a dig in Bolivia."

Just like that it happened! The golden opportunity she wanted had suddenly arrived, but she knew all too well that other more serious matters needed addressing. She weighed the prospect over and over again in her mind but couldn't draw a definite yes or no.

"I, I'm not sure. I'd need to think about."

Will looked slightly disappointed with her response.

"I mean, I'd love to but I just have to straighten somethings out first is all."

"I did mention your uncle will be joining the expedition?"

Jade felt a little shocked and very excited by prospect of seeing and working with her uncle again.

"No you didn't, when do you leave?"

"In three days, the expedition should last no more than 4 weeks."

Jade grew hungrier for more information as these new facts came to light.

"What will you be researching in Bolivia."

"Oh, ancient mystical artifacts, something I think you and your uncle have a knack for." Will smiled sheepishly as her brown eyes grew larger with excitement.

"Think it over Jade." Will handed her a card with the same letters MAB stamped on the corner and Dr. E.W. Sinclair, a phone number but strangely no address. "I look forward to working with you."

"Thank you for the tea." Before Jade could look up he'd vanished. Jade walked back to her apartment and for the first time in a long time she felt true excitement about future.

Will entered a black four door sedan a sly grin on his face.

"Everything go well Sir?"

"The pieces are on the board now it's time to play." Will rolled an ash colored star between his fingers.