20 minutes later
While everyone sat in silence, Sally suddenly spoke up.
"...Big brother Syd... um..."
She tried to talk to him.
"Um... how did you do it?"
"Hm? Do what?"
"...How did you grab my wallet... and the older kids' wallets... in such a short time?"
"...Oh..."
Syd grinned. Jody, next to him, shook her head.
"Stuff like that... you gotta train for it."
He then showed her his other hand, revealing that he was holding Sally's white wallet.
"...Wha—?! When did you even take that?!"
Little Sally stared wide-eyed, jaw dropped in amazement.
And she was even more stunned when Syd flicked his fingers open like a Chinese fan, revealing Jody's iPhone hidden behind the wallet.
"Ah... that's my phone."
"You're sitting next to me, aren't you? Just borrowed it to show off to the kid. Chill."
He handed Jody's phone back and tossed Sally's wallet back to her.
The girl looked at him with stars in her eyes, totally awestruck.
"How'd you do that, Syd?! You're like a master thief!"
"Standard."
Jody from beside him: "You proud of that?"
Syd turned to her: "Shut it, blondie."
"Can you teach me?! Please?!"
"...Huh..."
Syd squinted at her.
"Teach you?"
"Please! I'm begging!"
"Nope! Everyone's got their own craft. This kind of skill ain't something you can just teach!"
"Pleaseeeeeee!"
Sally was relentless. She clung to his leg and wouldn't let go.
"No!"
"Please teach me, boss! 😭"
"...Boss, huh?"
Syd paused, clearly getting high off the flattery.
"Boss... smirks... Heh heh."
"Syd... you do realize you're literally teaching a child how to be a pickpocket, right?"
Yeah, but Syd clearly wasn't listening to Jody anymore.
"[Cool voice] Boss... Heh heh... Man, how long has it been since anyone called me that?..."
"Yeah! I wanna be as good as you, Boss!"
"Not bad at all... I'm starting to like you, kid... Born shady... survival instincts maxed out from the womb. That fake name 'Misha'? Brilliant... Would be a waste not to train that talent..."
Roxxy, typing on her laptop in the front passenger seat, turned around and warned her brother.
"...Cut it out, Syd..."
Paris International Airport — in front of the showers
Mickey waited alone outside the showers. Not long after, Toshi emerged first with a white towel on his head.
"Here."
Mickey tossed him his trusty comb. Toshi caught it mid-air and began styling his hair.
"Such a poser."
"Hey, gotta stay sharp, man. Gotta look good for the ladies."
Toshi flicked water from his hair and ran the comb through it.
"From what I see, they're already looking."
Mickey glanced around. Girls passing by were definitely checking Toshi out.
Even Mickey had to admit, if there was anyone in their group who turned heads, it was Toshi.
"They're looking at you, buddy. French girls don't usually go for Asians."
Toshi smiled smugly.
"Times have changed. Get with it."
Mickey shook his head.
"You know, if you cut your hair and made it less shaggy, girls would look at you twice as much. Trying to steal all the hot ones, huh?"
"You know what else, Toshi? You might get attention from a lot of girls... but you still can't get Roxxy to look your way."
"Ugh..."
That one landed like a dagger to the chest.
"Heh."
"Why would you do me like that?"
Toshi fake-cried while Mickey grinned, then turned to see Roxxy exiting the women's shower.
"...Feeling better?"
"Yeah. Much better."
Roxxy set her towel down beside Mickey. Toshi reached for it but froze when Roxxy glared daggers at him, forcing him to retreat.
"Simp."
Mickey muttered.
"Shut up, you queer."
Toshi sulked off to a corner in shame.
Mickey cracked open a can of soda.
"Pshhh... What's wrong, huh? Gulp"
"....."
Roxxy stared at the floor and answered.
"I think... I'm starting to believe you..."
"About Jody?"
"...."
Mickey, always in sync, knew what she meant from just a glance.
"You saw her do something... didn't you?"
"...Yeah."
"That all?"
"...No..."
Roxxy shook her head.
"I... I lost it back there."
"...Whoa..."
Mickey stopped sipping.
"So that means..."
"Yeah facepalms... I said everything I was feeling..."
"...So now Jody knows? Officially, I mean?"
"...Yeah..."
"Like... you can't walk it back anymore?"
"Yeah. No need to rub it in."
Mickey handed her the soda. Roxxy took a gulp and continued.
"There's more..."
She gripped the can tightly.
"When she killed that enemy and buried her in cement... I felt like Jody was taking out her anger—anger she had for me—on her..."
"Huh?"
Mickey blinked.
"What did you do to piss Jody off?"
"I didn't realize at the time... But Sera told me I screamed at Jody and called her a 'useless cripple'... or something like that..."
"...And?"
"...Sera said Jody went quiet after that... Didn't talk... Just said, 'Let's finish the mission.'"
"...Whoa... that's... professional as hell..."
Crack!
Roxxy crushed the soda can in her hand, soda spilling out.
"...You saying a normal civilian has more professionalism than me?"
"..."
Roxxy glared, but Mickey didn't flinch.
"Nope. I'm saying Jody is just incredibly professional."
"...."
Roxxy cooled down...
"Actually... we've all overlooked something..."
"Overlooked what?"
Roxxy asked.
"...None of you noticed, huh? You or your brother?"
"...Noticed what?"
"...Isn't it strange? That an ordinary civilian like Jody can kill someone so calmly... even though she's never done it before?"
"..."
That's right...
Taking a life isn't something you just do. For most, there's guilt. Pain. Emotional breakdown. Some people can't sleep for weeks. Some fall ill from the trauma.
"She's already killed three burglars when she was a kid..."
"But wasn't that unintentional? She was a child. Probably didn't even realize what she was doing."
"..."
Roxxy paused, reconsidering.
Good point… So why then...?
"You know what I think?"
"...What, Mickey?"
"...It's just who Jody is."
"!"
"...."
Their conversation was cut short as the rest of the group exited the showers.
Before parting, Mickey left her with a final nudge.
"You should apologize to Jody. Explain that you didn't mean what you said... that you lost control."
Mickey gently patted her shoulder.
"She'll listen. It'll help both of you."
Then he walked off to rejoin Syd and little Sally.
"....."
Leaving Roxxy to sit with her thoughts... while Toshi, who'd been eavesdropping the whole time, could no longer keep his concern to himself.