Being completely invisible is the best thing that ever happened to my career. In my human life, I used to hide in the breakroom behind a stack of toilet paper just to avoid the corporate regional manager. Now, I could sit right on the main desk, completely out of sight, while the big bosses talked.
Suzy read the blue text on the wall and let out a small breath. She sat back down in her chair, crossing her legs. "Good. Because we have a massive leak in our inventory, Barry. Someone on the guild’s board of directors is sneaking high-grade mana potions out of the royal warehouse and selling them on the black market."
Before I could type a reply, the office doors clicked open. A middle-aged man walked in without knocking. He had slicked-back brown hair, wore a ridiculously expensive silk coat with fur trim, and carried a gold-headed cane. He looked exactly like the kind of corporate regional manager I used to hate.
"Ah, Director Suzy," the man said, his voice way too loud and fake. He strolled right up to the desk, not realizing his expensive leather boot was about two inches away from my invisible tail. "I heard about the incident with Jared yesterday. Terrible business. The man clearly couldn’t handle the stress of the job."
Suzy’s face instantly went completely blank. Her professional customer-service mask went up. "Director Marcus. I didn’t realize we had a meeting scheduled for this morning."
"We don’t," Marcus said, leaning his hands right onto her desk, placing his gold cane down right next to my nose. I could smell the expensive lavender oil on his clothes. It made my snake nostrils itch.
"I came to give you some friendly advice. The board is very upset about the missing potion shipment from the royal warehouse. They are looking for someone to blame. If I were you, I’d stop looking into the matter. It’s... dangerous for your career."
Suzy narrowed her black eyes. "Are you threatening me, Marcus?"
"Just looking out for a colleague," Marcus smiled, but his eyes were completely cold. "The royal warehouse is locked down tight with high-level guards and magic barriers anyway. Nobody can get in or out without my personal stamp. So, let the matter drop. Buy yourself a nice dress and leave the logistics to me."
He tapped his cane on the wood, turned around, and strolled out of the office, humming a little tune to himself.
The moment the door closed, Suzy slammed her fist on the desk. "It’s him," she hissed, her face red with anger. "He’s the one stealing the inventory. He’s using his personal stamp to clear the guards, moving the potions to his private vault inside the royal warehouse, and blaming my shipping lines."
[BARRY: So we rob him.]
Suzy looked at the text and blinked. "Rob a royal warehouse? Barry, the security there is insane. The walls are enchanted, and the vault doors require a physical key card and a blood sample from Marcus himself."
[BARRY: He said nobody gets in without his stamp. He didn’t say anything about an invisible snake hiding inside his fur coat.]
Suzy stared at the words, and then a slow, beautiful smirk spread across her lips. "You’re going to hitchhike on his clothes?"
[BARRY: I’ve seen shoplifters do crazier things for a pack of batteries. I’ll slide into his fur collar when he leaves the building. Once I’m inside the vault, I’ll use that magic watch I took from the wagon to freeze the timer, grab the potions, and unlock the back door for you.]
"And what do you want in return for this?" Suzy asked, leaning forward, her eyes locking onto the empty space where she thought I was.
[BARRY: Fifty percent of whatever is inside that vault, plus a permanent employee discount at your guild stores. Deal?]
Suzy let out a real, genuine laugh. "Deal, you greedy little monster. Don’t get caught, or I’m turning your skin into a coin purse."
I didn’t waste any time. I glided off the desk, completely silent and invisible, and slipped out the door before it fully closed, tracking the smell of oil down the hallway. Marcus was walking slowly toward the exit, talking to a secretary.
With a quick, silent hop, I launched my weightless, invisible body right onto the thick fur trim of his cloak, coiling myself neatly around his neck like a very expensive, hidden scarf.
Marcus didn’t feel a thing. He just adjusted his collar, complained about a sudden draft of cold air, and kept walking right out into the city streets toward the royal warehouse.