How many were there?
As I rushed into the bathroom where the voice was calling, Fortune tried to prevent me. A boy. The young boy was soaking in the bathtub. He looked 15 at most and exactly like Agnus, but I knew it wasn't him because this young boy had a tattoo sleeve on his right arm.
Fortune finally burst into the room and nervously giggled, "Well, listen, this isn't what you necessarily think..."
"What exactly am I thinking?" I asked Fortune, looking at him with a curious and angry expression.
"This is my, older brother," he introduced him.
The boy waved and got out of the bathtub, wrapping a towel around his own waist. I assumed he was 18 from the tattoo he had. He held his hand out for me to shake it. We shook hands and he introduced himself.
"Beauty Davis, you?"
"Treasure Quinn..." I said quietly.
Fortune interrupted, "Ah! That's your name, Treasure..."
I glared at him and sighed. We all walked into the living room and sat down near each other on the soft couch. Beauty leaned his head on Fortune's shoulder. I noticed more features. He had a mole underneath his left eye and many freckles. Although they were light colored and only seen in bright light.
"Meet our thief," Fortune grinned.
I looked at him with confusion, and he explained further, with Beauty also joining in sometimes to explain.
"Beauty was always a part of the plan from the start, he steals it, brings it here, then we destroy it," Fortune began, "see he is extremely essential to this plan. Beauty is flexible and thin, we are too, but Beauty is better for this job. My dove lives with Johan unfortunately, but for this week and maybe next too I will be borrowing him, isn't that right, Dove?"
Beauty nodded and grinned.
The Laurent Grin, I will call it.
I was very uncomfortable per se with how Beauty and Fortune talked with each other. See, with Agnus, Fortune was a brute, and he had an angry look on his face. With Beauty though, he always had that grin no matter what Beauty said he laughed or complimented him. If you squinted hard enough, then you could see Fortune's name tattooed in between the sleeve on his arm in cursive. Fortune called Beauty his "Dove". That was another thing that made me feel... What's the word? I can't even find a word for it. Maybe disgusted.
Beauty nodded, "It is absolutely correct, my innocence."
I couldn't control my facial expressions. I cringed abnormally hard. His innocence? What?
"You're prepared to do anything for me, correct?" Fortune asked Beauty.
"Without question."
"You must steal that painting without fail, or I'll forget you, is that understood?"
Beauty nodded and closed his eyes, with his head still on Fortune's shoulder, he leaned in closer.
I sighed and shook my head, "Now that I am thinking about it, Beauty," I paused waiting for his response.
He opened his eyes, "Yes?"
"Your last name is Davis, while Fortune's is Laurent and Agnus's is Heinrich, I get Viola as Fortune said she has a different mother."
Beauty giggled and looked at Fortune, "Can I?"
Fortune grinned and nodded.
"Well, no one likes our father per se, besides Fortune here... so we all decided to legally change our last names, also different mothers? That is very funny, I am guessing you fell for Fortune's lie..." he paused. "Viola is married."
I gasped quite loudly to the point Fortune began paying attention to the conversation, "Is it that young boy?" I yelled. "What was his name, uhm, ah..."
"That Japanese fellow... Yuu Takahashi, her name is Viola Takahashi, not Paul," Beauty giggled.
Fortune lied so many times that I began to even doubt what Beauty was saying. I doubted everything out of his siblings mouths too. They're all liars, aren't they? Terrified, I asked, "Well, how are they even legally married if she's eleven?"
I saw Beauty almost break his calm character by chuckling loudly, but Fortune glared at him, and he controlled himself and only slightly giggled, "Viola is fifteen, they got married in Hawaii."
I sighed harshly and thought to myself, Viola might be the only one who isn't a liar. Furthermore, I stared at Beauty's tattoo sleeve again, there were many stars placed throughout the tattoo. To make conversation, I asked him simple questions.
"Who did your tattoo?" I asked.
"Ah," Beauty smiled. "I did."
My eyebrows rose, "You're a tattoo artist?"
He nodded and grinned, snuggling closer to Fortune's neck. I don't know why I asked this, as I know it would be painful. I knew that it would last forever, and I would most definitely regret it, "Give me a tattoo."
Beauty lifted his head off of Fortune's shoulder and giggled, "We can now!"
"Now?" I asked.
"That is what I was doing in the bathroom with my dear," he put his hand on Fortune's shoulder. "Show him, hm?"
Fortune pulled down his shirt collar and the tattoo read, "My Dove, Beauty Davis". I cringed once again. I got a tattoo of a koi fish behind my ear. No one would really notice it, so that was good. The next three days were quite boring. Viola never came to her own apartment, and Fortune and Beauty only spoke to each other in whispers. I was left out of most conversations and even learned to sew while being inside so long.
I heard many unpleasant things throughout the night. Both Fortune and Beauty slept in the only room together, that is where the sounds originated. I learned to ignore them.
Saturday evening, Beauty dressed in his attire. A black ski mask with an all black skin tight suit. Fortune whispered something in Beauty's ear, I didn't hear him, but I can tell whatever it was made Beauty's eyes light up with excitement.
He left.
Unfortunately, I would never see Beauty again.
CD #7 was left outside the door, two hours after Beauty left, with a knock. I opened the door and picked up the clear envelope holding the CD. Fortune didn't pay any mind to the CD, although he was worried about Beauty. He seemed worried. That next morning, he had watched the news, something he never did all this time I've known him. He forced me to watch with him. You would think that they'd go over the Starry Night being stolen, but they did not. It was only news of traffic and crimes that happened previously that week.
Fortune grinned, "He did it."
"Who?" I asked.
"My dove."
Right before I was about to head to the bathroom, I heard the TV state something so absolutely absurd that I couldn't believe it myself.
"Today, the police have arrested many visitors in the MoMA as they state a painting titled, the Starry Night, is missing. Although there are no records of the Starry Night existing ever in history, nor the so-called painter Vincent van Gogh. But thousands, nearly millions are now claiming to learn about this artist and see this painting, to the point riots are being caused outside the MoMA," the news reporter looked to the side, "people are what?" he talked offside.
"People are now coming in from out of country, the NYPD and every countries' law enforcement department claim you report any person who believes that the character Vincent van Gogh or the so-called painting, the Starry Night exists to them or an asylum, with that the seven o'clock news is over we will get back to you after the 12 o'clock news, thank you and have a good morning."
I glanced at Fortune. I already knew what was going to be on his face. A grin.
"What are they talking... about?" I asked.
"What are you talking about?" He asked back and turned off the TV.
From then on, I was now terrified of Fortune and the power he held. How could he possibly make everyone believe Vincent van Gogh never existed? How? I chose not to talk anymore, as I felt the more I spoke, the more he'd lie.