—SCroll Down for THE Prologue—
COMING SOON
a novel
A heist at Amazon.
Synopsis: In the weeks before Seattle’s Emerald City Comicon and the worldwide premiere of Amazon’s first feature film, head of development Jenny Whitford gets a disturbing visit that threatens to blur the lines between her past life and her present.
She’s suddenly forced to do one more impossible job, at the premiere she’s organizing: a diamond heist from a glass vault in the middle of the city—The Amazon Spheres.
A story about running from your past, finding your future, and a few timely visits from Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos (whose sage advice comes directly from his annual shareholder letters).
The Hollywood Heist is a work of (recent) historical fiction that reimagines the launch of Amazon Studios. A thrill ride through the magic of cinema and the innerworkings of earth’s most customer-centric company.
***
Prologue
“Strange mission, getting caught.”
Oblong’s legs dangled thirty seven floors above Sixth Avenue below.
“It’s after three.” Mooch tapped his wrist.
Oblong took a drag off his cig and blew smoke towards the snow-capped Olympics on the horizon of the Puget Sound. The Space Needle reflected off his shades.
“Back home we’d be having a glass of Château Simone Palette Rouge.” His thick Parisian accent carried on the summer breeze.
“I’ll buy you a coffee after this.”
“What are you two doing up there?” A female voice sounded over the headsets. “We ain’t got all day.”
Mooch pulled firmly on the rope looping through the swivel arm over his head. With his weight on the line he edged off the parapet and spun around in mid-air.
“I’ll patch us in.” A small bucket of suds dangling beneath him, he squeezed the ascenders and zipped down out of sight.
Oblong took another puff and stubbed his smoke out on top of the wall. He tucked the butt into an outer pocket of his vest, pulled at his gloves, and checked the carabiners on his harness. He then spun-kicked off the ledge and went zipping down after Mooch.
When he bounced to a stop at the thirty-fifth Mooch had already affixed a suction cup to the glass and was squeegeeing away with his free hand.
“I’m not hearing anything,” Nisha said.
“Hold on.” Mooch adjusted the cup while continuing his swipes, careful to hide the black wire running up his sleeve. Twenty people sat around the conference table inside. “Anything now?”
“I think they’re praying,” Oblong said. He worked his own squeegee around the windows.
A click came over the headsets followed by dead air. Seconds later Nisha came back on.
“Mooch, your brother asked if they’re reading a document?”
“Tell Larry he’s welcome to come on up here if he wants to take a look.”
Oblong turned his head. “I knew he was the smart one.”
“All I got were these good looks.” Mooch brushed the suds off his scraggly beard and re-dipped the squeegee.
“Would you two quit yacking,” Nisha said. “We’re here to recruit. Now, start the pattern.”
Mooch and Oblong began the sequence they’d been shown. Squeegees and suction cups smacked against the glass.
“No way she’s going to spot this,” Oblong said. “Hey, does it look like they’re sitting around a piece of plywood?”
“And wearing jeans.” Mooch added. “You sure we’re in the right place?”
“Yes,” Nisha said. “The Day One building is corporate headquarters. Positive.”
“I see her,” Mooch interjected. He adjusted his position. “She just got up from the table.”
“Has she seen you?” Nisha said.
“No idea.
“Alright, run the sequence another minute, then make the plant.”
“Where are the Persian rugs?” Oblong said. “I thought this was like the biggest tech company in the world?”
Mooch angled over to the right side of the window, transferred his squeegee, and pulled a pen-sized apparatus out of his pocket. It snapped itself to the metal frame upon contact. He then angled the small wire over the edge of the glass and pressed a button on the device.
“You think she’ll remember the signal?”
“Absolutely not.” Oblong replied.
“I’ve got a visual,” Nisha said.
Mooch clicked another button.
“Audio is good too. You guys can get out of there. I’ll watch for the response.”
Oblong and Mooch were finishing up the windows when Nisha came back on.
“Guys, she just looked directly at the camera.”
“Don’t tell me—” Oblong said.
“Yup,” Nisha said. “Got the sign.”
“Now what?” Mooch said.
“Now, we wait for the call.”
Mooch reached for the ascenders and gave Oblong a glance. “How about that coffee?”
***