Two Steps Ahead (Legion of Thieves)

Pratt

"Gather around! I am the great magician Pratt and I will give a hundred dollars to however is able to find out how I do this trick!"

The people gathered around him, some eager to de-bunk him and some just simply curious.

Pratt held out the fan of cards he had in his hands. "Watch as I defy gravity and levitate these cards in my hand." He held out his and turned it over. The cards didn't fall off, in fact they seemed to be stuck on the palm of his hand.

He placed the cards on his other palm of his hand and lifted up the hand. "See? No glue or tape!"

There was some clapping from the crowd but one person stepped forward. The man snatched the cards from Pratt.

"You held on to the cards using the flap that has been cut-out aren't you?" The man asked, holding out a modified card. It was made out of two cards that had been pasted together, one had a flap that had been cut out.

Pratt frowned. "How about another trick eh?"

"How about you give me that 100 bucks?" The man grabbed Pratt so he couldn't run away.

"You did promise him kid!" Another guy shouted from the crowd.

Pratt rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet. He pulled out two hundred dollar bills and handed it to the man. "I hope you enjoy taking money from teenagers."

"Free money is free money." The man smiled.

Pratt frowned at him one last time before turning around and walking away.

Pratt got just out of earshot when the man shouted. "Stop that boy! The one with the blue jacket! He took my wallet and watch!"

Pratt smiled triumphantly. Too easy.

He wrapped the watch around his wrist and stuck the wallet into his back pocket. The man feel for the simplest trick in the book, the old sleight of hand.

Number one rule of magic: Always be the smartest man in the room. Always be two steps ahead of everyone.

Speaking of two steps, Pratt needed to be somewhere. A certain man needed to be set straight.

He gathered up his cards and slid them into his jacket pockets. His baton strapped to his belt.

"There he is!" The man's voice materialised behind Pratt somewhere. Pratt smiled, turned around to salute to the man before breaking into a sprint.

"Get him!" The man ordered to the people he had gathered. All of them running after Pratt.

Pratt turned the corner into an alley that led to a fence. He jumped to grab the top of it and hoisted himself over the top. The men that were chasing him had a lot more trouble traversing the fence.

Pratt turned into another corner and down into the subway, mixing among the crowds of people. He reached the platform and stepped into one of the metal carriages.

He leaned against the wall of the subway, watching as the metal carriage moved away from the platform.

Pratt smiled again; too easy.

(WIP)