Pussy for Escrow
So, I'm a safe cracker. I figured out how break into lockers at school by ear in middle school. My first paid job was to open the bicycle lock of Bobby O, a bully at school. He offered me twenty dollars, which was big money. Bobby O then tried to change the terms down to five dollars after I opened it. I closed the lock before his eyes. His eyes got big. He said his dad would beat his ass if he was late. I got my twenty bucks and some respect around school.
We're all considered safe crackers. But there are many specialties in this field. I specialize in manipulated defeats. Defeating the lock by hand, without drilling or other defeat methods which leave a trace. Most people just want to get what's in the safe without destroying the contents. You hire a cracker with drill and some scopes to do that. You hire a safe hacker, like me, when you wish to get in quietly and leave no trace. This is where the money is! You'd be surprised how many people will pay big money to gain discreet access to a safe just to look inside.
My rate is one million US dollars paid via an escrow exchange handled by a Swiss bank. If I can't get in, no charge. Money back guarantee. I guarantee complete discretion. I don't look at what's in the safe. My expenses are included in my price worldwide. That's my contract. It's not one I put in writing. I don't exactly hide, but I don't have a storefront. I have a website, which gives a number where you can reach me in Clifton, New Jersey, but I am never there. The message on the voice mail advises callers to contact me via email, which I monitor. None of my clients know much about me nor that I live in Italy right now. It's better that way. Not that I do anything that is illegal. I avoid those jobs.
There are about four of me that I know of who specialize in high end discretion assured manipulated defeat jobs; a guy in Hong Kong Gary Lim, a German, Otto Candies, a Brit, Mike Wright and me. I don't know any of them personally, but they are all good crackers. The toughest jobs. We have met up a couple of times to trade notes on manipulated defeat methods and tell war stories over drinks, usually in the wings of the international safe cracking competition, once a year or so. And we keep in touch by email a little. We pass along some jobs and reference checks to prospective clients. That is probably how Petra found me. Our little chat group did know that I had recently taken up living in southern Italy. Otto Candies, the German, had even discussed stopping through for a visit, but it never came together. Did I respect these guys, you bet. Did I believe all of their stories, no way!
The interesting thing is that Petra found me and moved in next door to get to a will. It seemed that was the story anyways. I was intrigued. Whatever is in that safe must be very dear indeed.
A week after we first discussed the job offer, I saw the flower pot on her window sill had moved. I used my binoculars to see she had written F27-2 in the middle of the heart. Similar to what she has done before. February 27
th
, 2pm.
I was there. On February 27
th
at 2pm I was sitting in the spectator gallery on a newspaper at the coliseum in Pozulli.
I sat with a cup of wine and some cheese and bread in the sun.
She was on time. I saw her walk in and she proceeded directly to me. This time she had covered her head with a Scharf. It was one of those expensive ones.. She wore a face mask and removed it as she approached.
"Good afternoon. You look lovely." I rose to meet her. But I made no move to make contact, which in Italy is odd.
"Thank you." She managed a slight smile, but that was all.
"Was this your plan all along? To seduce my services out of me?" I asked.
"Actually, I have quite enjoyed it." She replied. A beautiful smile now.
I poured her a bit of wine and we stood there.
I motioned her for her to sit and we both sat down.
"So, you are ready to proceed I take it?" I asked.
"I am ready to transfer the cash to your escrow agent. I will need some information and I will need to run some assurance checks." She paused and looked me in the eye and watched my reaction.
"Of course," I said.
I continued slowly and deliberately now, so that she could take it all in.
"Miles Abbot, Bank of Switzerland handles my escrow," I said. "Everything is very discreet. I am sure you will be fully briefed by the bank on how to initiate the escrow transaction with Superior Safe Company. They will contact me once the money is deposited. When the safe bolt is open, we escrow using the Bank's App. You can find the bank on the web and ask for Mr. Miles Abbot. His English is excellent."
She took no notes. She memorized it. "Are you sure you can open the safe?" she asked.
"If I can't, no charge... but it has never happened. If you can tell me anything about the safe in advance, of course that would help to speed up the process when we get there." I advised.
"I will not be able to provide any advance information. I only know where it is located and that when the dial is spun, that the numbers light up. It's built into the wall, behind a painting in an apartment in Paris."
"I see.. That does help," I said. "It shouldn't be a problem. Plan for two hours for me, good?"