Raise by A Thief

Chapter 2

Alexa POV

7 years later

" I'm home" I shouted once I step in my house. I turned off my ipod and took off my headphone, trying to hear if anyone answer. But No one.

"Max?" I called max and walking to the living room.

" I'm here" max answer me. His voice came from the kitchen at back.

I walked to the kitchen and hear Max talking to someone

" - - just 1 more job to be done" a man talked

" Hey Harry" I greet Harry, the man who talked with max in the kitchen.

" Hi Alexa!" he greet me back. " how's your study?"

" Good, I supposed." I answered as I walked in and open the fridge to take some cold water.

" she will graduate next week" max said to Harry. Max looked at me with proud.

" Wow congratulation Alexa!" he said to me as he hugged me.

" Thanks Harry" I said smiling. Next week is my graduation at my college. I took Finance for my study.

" Man, I cant believe you made it!" Harry said to max. Max shrugged and smile. " She did it" max said smiling to me

" What present uncle Harry can give you?" Harry asked me. I shrugged.

" Just bring him back save" I told Harry as my eyes pointed to max. And then walked out and stepped up to the second floor to my room.

" I will Alexa" he said out loud so I can hear him.

I walked to my room and opened the door. I closed the door back and put my backpack on the bed.

I tooked the picture from my wallet. It was me and Max on my 18 birthday. We were there with Harry and Annie. We were having fun, The best birthday ever.

I remembered 7 years ago, when Max saved me from the monster that abused and raped me. Max and I live in a motel for few days until Max got us new ID and then we move out town.

Few days after I escaped, the news preached about a dead girl found in a trunk of car on the wood area with the same burn stamp like mine. I knew the girl. It was the blonde hair girl they kept with me in that house. They drugs her and killed her. The police investigated the location and surprisingly found more body burried in the wood. They found about 20 more victim. I realized I could be one of them if max didn't saved me.

It blowed up to be national news, and investigate by the FBI, but they never found out who the culprit was. The scar man still walked free.

My new ID is Alexandra Carter And Max became Max Carter. People know him as my dad. We move to Chicago from North Carolina. He registered me on local high school and he open a car repair shop. We blend in, and people didn't curious about us. Max told me to stayed low and not drawn any attention. Max told everyone that my mom died when I was just a kid, and that I looked the same as my mom. Because my appearance wasn't like max at all.

The first few months was the worst. I got trauma for what happen to me. I got nightmare every night, but max always comfort me.

He introduced me to his friends Anny, a shrink, who help me passed through the trauma I got. It was getting better, even though I still got bad dream sometimes. It was not something that anyone could just forget.

I tried to not drawn any attention during my high school. I was scare to new people and think that predator like the monster did to me was everywhere. It happen for a year or two.

I become more open up on my college, as became grown up. Max teach me some martial art move to defend my self and gave me more confident to deal with strangers.

Max never steal for the first 5 years, until Harry came again 3 years ago. Harry think that it was safe enough for him to get back on action. So sometimes he did the job for Harry, but he never let me interfere to his job. He told me to focus on my study and let me help him at the repair shop once awhile.

I get to know Max as the time goes by. He had a lot of skills. I paid attention at what he did at the beginning. How to break a safe box, breaking into a house, fixing cars, and finally he teach me bit by bit everything he know. He even teach me how to shot a gun and a little bit of combat move to defend on my self if I needed. But he never let me to followed him as a thief and interfere when he was in action. But I insist to help him, so he let me help from the far distance, using a ear piece device, and help him with the scouting if necessary. Harry was here with me. So, I was helping Harry's job.

I read the news that the FBI interfance to the stealing case that max just did recently.

Max was doing a serial jewellery stealing. I found out there were 3 kind of jewellery will be displayed on some exhibition within months. And Max already steal 2 of them on different exhibition. Max just did the last one 2 days ago in Indianapolis. He got 1 more to go. That's why Harry meet him downstairs. The next one will be in the next 2 week on a jewellery exhibition here in Chicago.

I kept updated the news about the FBI investigation. The case was lead by Special Agent Jack Hampton, he replace another FBI agent who handle the case previously. Agent Hampton known for his successful breaking some cases. I told max not to do the job, because its dangers, especially when it was handled by Special agent Jack Hampton.

" Max, don't do the job. The Fbi investigate." I told max

" I can't Alexa. I had to do the job. Only 1 more to go, then we leave." he said

" What do you mean we leave?" I asked him

" Never mind. Lets not talked about this. I have to go to the shop." he said not continued our conversation.

" But max..." I protest him.

" I really have to go now. Bye Alexa. "he said as he walked to the door.

" Wait, I'll go with you. " I said

" okay, let's go. " he said. I grab my backpack and then followed him to his car.

He drove the car to his repairing shop and we arrive in 10 minutes. Some of his mechanics already waited in the shop. We prepared the shop before we open it.

I took my jumper from my locker and wore it and then turned the hat bill to the back side of my head. I was going to help Max repairing a red SUV car. He need to fix the car suspension. And he teach me how fix it. I know about car a little bit because Max told me. We both under the car with our back lay down on the rolling garage and I paid attention to what Max doing.

" Max. "I hear Larry, one of max's mechanic called for him.

" Yeah? " max asked him from below the car.

" There are 2 Fbi agent want to talked to you" Larry said.

Max and I looking at each other. Why Fbi looking for max? My heart beating fast. Did they suspicious somethings?

" Okay, just a second" Max said to Larry.

" You stay here" Max whispered to me.

He rolled out from under the car to meet the agents. I took my glasses from my pocket and wear it. And then I followed max rolled out, disobey his warning. Max glared at me, but I pretend not looking at him.

I saw 2 men standing wearing suit in front of us.

" Mr. Carter?" The man with sunglasses asked him. He open his sunglasses and put it in his pocket suit. Myy eyes got widen as I recognize him as Agent Jack Hampton. He has a brown hair and blue eyes with a light skin tone. He was about 5 foot 10 inches tall. I will considere him as cute guy if he didn't lead the investigation against max.

" Ya, that's me." Max said in calm tone as he wipe his dirty hand with sheet, then he stand up.

" I'm agent Hampton, and this is Agent Gray." Agent Hampton introduced him self and his friend to Max. They shoom hands.

" What can I do for you?" Max asked them. I stand up and wipe my oily hand with sheet. Agent Jack took a glance at me. I fix my glases to covered my uncomfortable situation.

" Can we talked somewhere private?" he said.

" Sure" max said.

" You! keep fix this car." Max said to me, ordering me not to followed him to the office. And I nodded feebly.

Then max lead them to his office. They went inside and closed the door.

I was so worried and decided to eardropping, and walked closer to Max's office. I stood up close to the window near the entrance door and bend down. They were talking with max asking about free coupon from the shop. Free coupon? What free coupon had something to do with robbery?

" Yes, we gave our customers free coupon for oil change if they repair their car in certain amount. Why ? Is there something wrong?" max said

" Its happen that we found this coupon of your repair shop in the place of a robbery in Indiana few days ago. Do you remember any suspicious customer coming around? " Jack voice asked Max.

" Hmmm.. not really. Could be anyone. A lot of people came here. And the coupon value for a long time periods. " Max said

" we found 2 finger print on the coupon, one of them is yours and the other is Linda Baker, your employee. " Jack said.

" Ya, Linda is the reception, she could hold the coupon, both of us could. " Max said.

" but we can't find any of your customer finger print. " Jack said. Damn. I cursed.

" hmm.. I don't know. Could he use a hand gloves?" Max said still in calm tone.

" could be. " Jack said, "Mind if I talked to Ms. Linda Baker?"

"Sure" Max said,.

Then max called Linda to came to his office using his phone. I saw Linda came and I stood up, pretending just stand there checking my phone.

I saw few missed called from Kate. s**t! I forget I put my phone in silence. Kate is my best friend since high school. We took the same college but different major. She went to computer sains while I took the finance, but we met each other almost everyday.

" Alexa, can you cover for me for awhile. Max asked me to his office." Linda asked me as she looking at me.

" Sure." I said.

" Thanks Alexa" she said as she step up the stairs to Max's office. I groan because I won't be able to eardrop anymore. I walked to the reception desk and lowering down my jumper zipper and took off my jumper. I Folded it and put on the drawer in Linda's desk. I wait there and took glance at Max's office once awhile.

My phone ringing. It was Kate.

" Hi Kate! " I greet her

" Alexandra Carter! Why don't you picked up my phone?" I move away my phone from my ear as I heard Kate screaming my name loudly.

" Sorry, I didn't know you call. I was helping max at the workshop." I told her once she stop talking.

" I hope you didn't forget our shopping today. " she said.

" mm.. Shopping?" I asked her as I forget that we had planned for today.

" Yes, Alexandra Carter. Shopping for our graduation dress if you forget. ", she said

" Oh yah. Im not forget. I'll be ready." I said

" Make sure you don't have oily hand when I pick you up in 1 hour." she said

" Yup. Got that." I said as I looked at Max's office. They were still inside.

" Okay, be ready Alexa. I'll see you in an hour." she said

" okay Kate, see ya! " I replied. And we hanged up the call. .

About 5 minutes later Max's office door opened. Agent Hampton and Agent Gray walked down. Max and Linda followed them. They passing me at the reception desk. The two agent looked around and took a glance at me, but they didn't say anything.

" Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Carter. Give us call if you know anything." Agent Hampton said to Max as he gave Max his card.

" Its my pleasure Agent Hampton." Max said as he accept the card. They shook hands and the two agent leave.

I followed max to the office and close the door behind us.

" Max, what did they said? " I asked him

" It's fine. They just asking about a coupon." he said.

" did you bring the coupon with you?" I asked him. He exhaled.

" It probably slipped out from my pocket. Don't worry, they don't have enough proof to arrest me" he explained.

" Can you just cancel the next one? It's too risky. They already came here." I told him.

" It's find Alexa, I can do this." he said.

" Max..." I call him

" You know what, you should go with your friend, have some fun. Where's Kate? Haven't seen her for awhile?" he changed the subject.

" Yeah, she will picked me up in an hour. We want to find something to wear for graduation. " I said

" That's great. Go with her. " he said smiling wide. He walked to his table and opened his drawer.

" Here, take this and buy a lovely dress for your graduation" he said giving me some money he take from his drawer. I accepted the money.

" Thank you max." I said.

" Go on now. You don't want to be late when Kate come." he said dragging me to the door. "

" Alright alright" I said as I took my backpack from the side table.

He open the door for me. " Don't go home too late. Be safe." he said

" Okay max. Bye" I replied.