Interludie.

      Mask silently slide into sleeping room. It was into some
old house, maybe build at begin of century. Rooms was big,
ceilings high. More bigger they look, comparing to intruder. It
was small - in size of mouse or young rat, and moved really
without sound. Ignoring sleepy snorts coming from bed side, it
reached cupboard and get a breath.
      "Fool humans..." shadow cursed, then run around cupboard.
While he was out, he crossed a moonlight track and let himself
get looked over to someone, that may be here.
      'Shadow' or 'Mask' was words that better of all described
him. What ever he was, mouse or rat or maybe even some other
small animal, nothing can be telled.
      Black overalls covered all body. Gloves and boots had
additional steel fishing hooks added for better ability to
crawl and fight. Their splints, howewer, was removed, so they
dont stuck into materials. On his head was mask - too black.
With one tiny silver bant over forehead.
      'Silver Mask' was his pseydonime, and he liked it. His
trye name was unknow to all criminal underground, and that was
uncharacterily.
      For about a half year Mask do regular robberies. Noone
know, how much exactly was his own, as sometimes others used
similar outfits to cover their own crimes. But at least once in
a month Mask went out from his hideout. And newer failed.
      This time Mask had get 'easy' work. 'Easy' meant into
figural side.
      Sighting, Mask start climb up the cupboard. He do it into
tiny space between wall and cupboards back, pressing his back
against wall and using hands and legs as pushup. Luckily space
here was into right size - not too big, not too small for him.
      Still, when Mask rolled over cupboard top, he was tired.
But he dont waste time for long. He fastened rope around big
ceramic vase with flowers and drop it down - to ease next
ascendings. Other rope get fastened similarly and dropped down
the front of cupboard. Only then Mask stop and sit down,
pressing his back against could glass of big vase.
      His hand mover to brush away dust from oweralls, but
without big success. Chalk from wall color had eated too deep
into material.
      Soon Mask stand again.
      He slid down second rope, until reached handle of
cupboard glass door. Fastening himself at it, Mask let rope
slid open, until it again was tied on his elbow and then placed
on his shoulders.
      Standing on small border, that was created by front
panels of drawers below glass doors, Mask start pry handle
open. It ask some time and some strength, before magnet spring
open, near throwing breaker down.
      Mask stiffened curse and hold on all four on small
carnize.
      But all went good. Mask climbed in, and soon had found
the goal of all this avanture. Rare shell from Southern seas.
It was one of four, that was placed into this cupboard, and
after what Mask was. Carefully packing it into cotton, he
leveled it down to ground, then descend himself.
      Trip back to mousehole into basement was well learned
from maps. Mask do it into one breath, and immediately set back
to get brothers of that shell.
      Ascending now was a child's game. Descending and door
opening was similarly easy as before. And soon second shell
joined first one into basement.
      Returning, Mask stopped for a minute to look at cat into
kitchen corner. Beast was big. Not exactly Goliath of felines,
but bigger that average cater for sure. At least five kilos of
bone and muscles. Mask know, that previous thief get caught and
was eat alive by cater, but he only smiled. Fools dont deserve
much else that becoming someones dinner. He smiled again,
seeing cat playing with small bottle and purring dreamily.
      "And why not to dream?" - Mask grin, thinking by himself.
- "'Valeriana officinalis' - easiest way to defeat mad cater,
at least male one. But better start hurry - bottle dont last
forever and then poor cat will turn into devil's incarnate."
      Climbing up rope was same, but for getting shell out...
There remain two doors of cupboard to open. And Mask from top
can feel, that there will be problems with one. Question was,
try it now, or postpone as last. Getting little breath and
courage, Mask choosed first option.
      He slid down to one of handles.
      Now he see, that task was near impossible. Both glass
doors hang over emptyness. Only handles. There was a meter and
little to fall - but against hard floor it may cost some broken
bones.
      Well, it need be done. Closing eyes - Mask still was
little afraid of what he was ready to do - he fastened his left
leg with rope at handle, do same with tail, and then fall
toward handle of second door. For little he was afraid, that
distance is too big, but then Mask's fingers caught metal and
his fall sharply stopped.
      Now Mask hang between handles, holding at one with hands
and at other with leg and tail. Other leg was free. His body
was arched and now become clear, that Mask had small, but round
breasts...
      A fact, no one before had noticed, and one, Mask tried to
hide as good as she can.

      Mask checked her hold on handles, then twisted free leg,
get it between glass and himself and start pull, using tail and
other leg as turning point.
      Door dont move.
      Mask stiffened curse and a bit relaxed.
      Second pull.
      Magnet hold.
      "Open, you stupid piece of rock!" Mask hissed, hanging
into one leg, tail and hands.
      Third time she gathered all her will and power. At last!
With ckicking sound magnet give up and left door side start
open. Giving it last push, Mask released hands and now hang
head down, into her leg and tail.
      Not for long. She turned, pull up and again stand on tiny
handle. Again trick with falling, but this time she caught side
of shelve from indoors. Releasing her leg and tail, she at last
was in. Rest was easy...
      Running toward basement with fourth shell - after
problems with third it was easy to get - Mask give sorrowful
look to cat, who still was busy with small bottle, forgetting
about all in world. Tomorrow he will be not so happy. But that
will be tomorrow...

      Down into basement Mask overlook her loot. Four shells.
Whoever want them, was ready to pay enough to get a big share
for her and for her agent. Mask never contacted clients
directly. It was another practice that served her well. Two her
agents had fall in traps, but they don't know much and Mask
escaped. Ezekiel was third.
      Mask slowly pull off glove and touched shell. It feel so
warm, near alive... And so beautiful...
      "It's too wonderful to give away... No. I will said, that
last shell broke, and keep him... It will look so beautiful on
table at my bedroom..." Mask whispered dreamily.
      Then she carried shells down through hole toward small
speedboat into canalization collector river. Packing them, she
start engine and roamed away into dark tunnels.

      "Only three?" big gray rat with yellow tooths cursed. He
had only one front teeth - other was broken. "There need be four!"
      "My college get caught. He need run, and last shell
broke," little smaller and older gray rat replied.
      Mask listened to conversation through peephole into back
wall. She was into her outfit, ready to jump in if necessary.
It may be need into tho situations - to save her companion from
attack, or to remind him about boss, if he tried to foil her.
      "Ah he get caught?" big rat crossed hands.
      "Well, we all do mistakes."
      "This one cost too muck. More that the damn life of your
companion!"
      "Well, then why you don't try get these shells himself?
Tell you, why? Because you tried, and your boy get eated."
Ezekiel grin. "You anyway dont have a choice. Shells are at my
friend."
      Big rat winced uncertainy.
      "I will pay only three fours from starting price," he
said after some thinking. "My bosses dont like that loss."
      "Get a life! That cater was diablo!" Ezekiel sharply cut.
      "Okey, you get it. 76 percents."
      "Get at least 80!"
      "76!"
      "79?" Ezekiel tried. "78?"
      "Okey, let be 77. Lucky digit to lucky escape," big rat
at last agree.
      Mask sight. But she know, that she in reality will only
win from deal. It was Ezekiel, who will get less money that he
expected.
      By the way, Ezekiel had carried in shells, and other rat
had count money on table. Old rat get few, checked the on teeth
and against candle light at corner, while bigger one tear open
one pack and look over shell. Soon they both had all set and
big rat leaved with three packs.
      Only then Mask get out from her hideout.
      "A, its you, Sem? Ready for money?" Ezekiel grin,
dividing pile of papers and metal coins into two uneven parts.
      "Yes, Ezekiel."
      "Money ready."
      Mask with hand pull all her share into small bag and
closed it.
      "Don't you count it?" Ezekiel raised eyebrow. "Money
likes counting."
      "You know, Zeke. If you cheat, i will found you. And you
will regret each penny, you stole." Mask said with smile.
      "I know, know..."
      Mask disappear into back of store. Few secs later she
appear again, now into grey overalls and still into mask.
      Ezekiel's eyes caught her.
      "Will you ever reweal me you real name, Sem?" old rat
sight. "Dont you trust me?"
      "Im trusting you." Mask said, leaving store. "Same amount
as police," she added after turning corner.

      Mask easily jump into one of many speedboats at colectors
side near store, turned it out and start sail down the tube.
      Secs after she had left, near store roared another
speedboat with two mices into it.
      "Agent was right. Ezekiel works with Mask!" said one.
      "Dont lost him!"
      Answer of first mice disappear, as speedboat turn into
another one of undergroud tonnels. Soon near store speed two
more speedboats. One stopped, four mices jump out and rush
toward mousehole. Door get smashed, mouses went in and secs
later reappear, dragging terrified Ezekiel with them.

      It was usual forget canalization collectors exit to
river. Big tube, around meter wide and high, emerged from
ground and end at water side. It was covered with green grass
and moss.
      Two mouses into similar long and chesscoloured coats and
safety-hats emerged from exit. They hastily look around, but
see nothing unusual. All there was calm.
      "Gone..." one of them cursed and spit on ground in anger,
catching breath.
      "Yes... He again proved, that he knows us better that we
him... So smart move..."
      They both look around again, then first one noticed dry
rock, pointed at it and both sit to rest. They slowly regained
their breats from long run.
      "We will need more help to catch that 'Silver Mask',"
first mice said, removing his hat and wiping sweat from
forehead. He was middle-aged, but in good form. And also one,
that dont stuck out of crowd. Grey usual fur, bright eyes,
small moustashe.
      His companion only sight at that statement. He was
younger - possibly into mid-twenties, but too well trained one.
And too had nondescript outlook. Face, you dont look twice,
when you meet it in crowd. His fur, however, was brown.
      "Listen, Jack, i always wanted to ask you, but dont get a
chance. What we will do to him, if we catch him?" younger one
asked. "We dont possess one jail for us, and from zoo magazine
crates he will be out faster that we will lock him in. And i
dont feel, that for stoling few things from humans he need be
fed to old Justice."
      Jack smiled sadly.
      "Yes, you're right. We dont have jail. But i feel, that
for Mask we may build and maintain one specially. It will be a
real easying, when he get cornered and locked into single cell."
      "What he do to get so hard hunting?"
      Jack smiled again.
      "What you know about the 'Mask', Spencer?" he asked.
      "Not much. You know, i'm new here, i'm only starting get
into role. He started about few months ago as fearless and wery
lucky thief. He always wears black mask with silver band, so
the nickname. And he managed get done things, we think
impossible. Thats all."
      "Thats same as say about Thames, that it is only small
water-flow," Jack sighted.
      "Okey, then enlight me, friend." Spencer shifted his
position to more easy one.
      "You say - fearless and wery lucky. Not the right words,
boy. Its the modern version of 'Robin Hood', we are dealing
with. At least, he pretends being that, and he manages it wery
well," Jack pulled out from pocket small pipe and pouch of
tabacco. Preparing pipe, he pull hand with pouch toward
Spencer, but young shaked head, and pouch again disappear into
pocket.
      "See, what he managed to do?" Jack sighted. "And i
promised Jane, that i will drop smoking..." he added after few
pulls.
      "'Mask' started about year and two months ago. I
collected that info together, sitting into arhives and
overlooking old cases. And i suspect, he start even before that
dates. But you're right too - 'Silver Mask' into it's current
form appear only four months ago, at begin of summer. It was
like ordinary thief get mad at once..."
      Jack raised hand and start bow fingers.
      "Lets count. One. Jewelry from London historical museum -
with the best signalization ever installed. We himseld aren't
sure, how he get in and later out. Two. State bank. He managed
lift few gold bars out from their safes without any alarmed.
Three. Supermarket. Well, that was easy, they forget close all
air wents, and many precise toys went out through them. Four.
Central Post. He get few rare post stamps out from exxibition
vitrines.
      "He had really busy life," Spencer sight. "Why then rob
some ordinary sailor?"
      "Not so ordinary, as it seems from first look, boy. We
get these rats who want that thiewery done. Nasty gang, but
they cracked. Then we found out, that old sailor possesed some
wery rare and valuable sea-shells. Rats had tried get them
himself, but their thief get eated by sailors cat. Mean beast,
that too get salt into his fur. One rat dropped phrase: 'Only
Mask may lift them'. So we placed this trap. Our mechanic
played with Mask's boat engine while they made deal inside..."
      "Why you dont surround that hole and arrest all who was
in?"
      "Old Ezekiel always have one exit more that we think. And
Mask newer enters hole with only two exits. It had been tried
before. We hope catching him with dead motor at the tunnels,
but..."
      "As always, he counted one step before us..." Spencer end
phrase.
      "Let's go back, before collegues start worry," Jack stand
up, shaked out pipe and put it in pocket, Then both mouses
climbed back into tube.

      Long after their steps sound had died into far, moss at
the upper side of tube start move. First from it emerged masked
face with silver band over it. Then with silent curse black
figure fall down and get hard landing on her back.
      "Damn hook!" she cursed, looking at her teared glove.
      Mask had all rights to be angry.
      Her shell had gone, together with money sack, boat, and
Ezekiel. When she noticed the oil specks at motor cover, she
immediately thinked about trap. But this time it closed too
close to her neck to feel safe.
      Seems, these 'police' force had get her for real. Okey.
      "We will see, how long you will remember me," Mask
promised, walking down the river shore. It was dawn, few mins
before sunset, and she need hurry. Soon her outfit will be her
worst enemy.