Now You See Me

*** This fiasco started when I was re-watched this movie for the umpteenth time, because I think Dave Franco is the cutest thing ever and I started thinking… If they all went to Paris for however long, who stayed and watched the apartment for them?… plus I really appreciate JackxOC stories. He's too cute to be alone. ***

"Hello. My name is Alison Kelley. I'm responding to an ad in the paper about staying in an apartment while the owners are away. Sorry I missed you. My cell number is (123)456-7890. If you are still interested, please call me back after 7 o'clock Monday through Friday, and any time on the weekend, I'd like to schedule a meeting with you, and possibly discuss further details. Thank you."

The message on Daniel Atlas' voicemail rang on speaker phone throughout the messy, disorganized apartment loud and clear.

"Well, we leave for Paris in just over a week, and this Kelley lady is our only responder so far," Henley said with a shrug.

"Which is the most disturbing part, honestly. What would a nice young lady want to live in this gross place for? Surely, she is smart enough to have done her homework and to know that these apartments are… less than ideal." Merritt wondered out loud.

"You think she's hiding something?" Jack asked in his usual confused way.

"Everyone has something to hide," Daniel stated. "I'm going to call her back…" He checked his watch, "… in approximately 17 minutes."

"You could at least give her a minute or two to get home. I mean, if she gets off work at 7…," Henley chastised.

Daniel waved an uninterested hand at her from his place behind the kitchen counter "Fine. 27 minutes."

Alison Kelley had just walked into her motel room to retire for the evening, when her cell phone rang flashing an unknown number in her face. It was odd. She wasn't expecting any calls on a Tuesday evening.

I hope it isn't… Alison's train of thought stopped abruptly.

"Hello. Alison Kelley speaking." She said in her soft voice.

"Miss Kelley, this is J. Daniel Atlas returning your call about my ad in the paper."

"Oh, yes. Thank you for calling me back." Alison dropped her purse and brief case unceremoniously on the floor and reached around for the light. As she turned on the light, she made sure to pull the cheap curtains shut as well.

"I was hoping we could arrange a meeting tomorrow evening, perhaps after you get off work?"

"That sounds fine. I can be at your apartment no later than 7:30."

"Perfect. If you would wait outside, I will have my roommate Jack meet you and show you upstairs."

"Oh," Well, that is unexpected… "Yes, of course. I will arrive by taxi then, and wait on…"

"Jack Wilder," Daniel repeated.

Alison took a brief moment to jot down the name. "Mr. Wilder. Perfect. I will see you both tomorrow. Have a good evening. Bye."

Mr. Atlas is a brief man… almost rude, Alison mentally noted when the conversation ended. I guess it's a good thing I won't really be living with him then, just watching their place, so I can get out of here.

With that happy note and a long sigh, Alison pulled out her brief case to being her work all over again. You never really stop being a lawyer, especially a New York City lawyer.

The next day Alison paid the taxi driver with a smile and tipped something extra with a "Have a good evening."

45 East Evan Street was not an impressive place, as she knew it wouldn't be. The building itself looked like most of the apartment buildings in New York, and Alison didn't have much hope for the interior. She honestly didn't care all that much. It meant a roof over her head until she could figure something else out and that's all she really needed.

Shouldering her bags she made her way to the front stoop of the building where she found a very good looking young man sitting.

Waiting, maybe…

"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to know a Mr. Jack Wilder, would you? He lives in number…" her soft voice reached his ears on a cloud.

When the man looked up Alison was surprised. He was young, younger than her perhaps. His dark eyes and hair complemented his tanned skin well and he sported a lopsided grin upon meeting her gaze.

"Oh, yeah, that's me. You must be Alison Kelley. Nice to meet you." Jack stood, stuck out his hand for hers, and they shook on it.

"Nice to meet you." There was a pause while Jack sized her up. Young. Pretty. Clean, polished look. Wearing professional attire. Pretty. Very pretty.

"So," Alison's voice snapped him out of his trance- like state. "Should we head up or do I not pass inspection?" She gave him a small smirk of her own. A smirk that might have been flirty, should she had not been dressed so… professionally.

"Right. Yeah, let's head up. Here, let me help you with those." Alison allowed him to take her brief case and he led the way up the stairs to apartment 6A.

"Thank you. Much appreciated. May I ask where you and Mr. Atlas are going?" Alison took in her surrounding as they headed up the stairs. She most definitely was not impressed, but beggars can't be choosers.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. We're all headed to Paris."

"Wow. I'm jealous. Paris sounds amazing. Are you going with girlfriends or family or…?" Alison was testing the waters now and Jack didn't seem to notice.

"Nope. Just us roomies," Jack answered shortly. "What do you do for a living to be dressed like that?"

"I'm a lawyer, actually." Alison said trying to judge his reaction. Some men didn't like smart women.

"Really?! Wow. I mean, that's not intimidating at all." Jack laughed it off. Maybe he was one of those men... "Here we are. Home sweet home."

Jack opened the door for her with a wave of his hand to a frightfully dull and rather messy place. There was a beautiful, young woman shuffling some papers about in front of several computer screens, trying to organize and hide them away. Another young man was in the kitchen preparing drinks. An older, but by no means old, man was pushing around what could be called furniture trying to make space for all of them to sit for this little meeting.

"Guys, Alison Kelley is here," Jack called in. He walked on in like it was natural, while Alison stayed some steps behind, afraid to break anyone's concentration.

The woman was the first to move. "Hi," she put on a cheerful face. "My name's Henley. How are you this evening?"

"I'm well. Thank you for asking. And yourself?"

"Fine, thank you. Just trying to keep the boys in line." Henley laughed. Alison laughed too, for comfort's sake.

Jack had set her brief case down by the coat rack near the door. The other young man was approaching her now.

"Alison. J. Daniel Atlas. We spoke on the phone." He reached out his hand and she shook it firmly.

"Yes, hello. It's nice to meet you in person." I hope they can't tell how nervous I am…

The older man was the last to introduce himself. He grabbed her hand and held it in both of his for a moment. "Merritt McKinney. It's a pleasure to meet a lovely young lady such as yourself."

"Oh, thank you," was all Alison could say before Henley interjected.

"Don't creep her out Merritt. We want her to watch the place for us while we're gone."

"So you're all going to Paris. How lucky!" As nervous as she was, Alison tried to be present and a part of the conversation.

Jack and Daniel had moved to sit on the old beat up couch. From his seat, Jake spoke up, "I know right. I still can't believe it. I mean, I've never been outside the state of New York."

"Really?" Alison started.

"Well, we're not going to site see. Don't get your hopes up," Daniel interrupted.

"So business then? Are you all in the same line of work? Who are you working for?"

"Trade secret." Daniel responded before anyone else could. He said that too fast…. Alison thought this was getting more and more sketchy by the minute.

"Ok… I'm fine with that. Everyone has the right to privacy, but, before I get myself involved in this, allow me to organize my thoughts. The four of you share a two bedroom, one bath apartment… secretly. And you're all making your way to Paris for however long, an extended amount of time, yet to be determined… secretly." Alison had made her way to an empty chair and made herself comfortable.

"You know how suspicious this all sounds, right? I did mention I'm a lawyer, didn't I?" Alison took to looking at each of the horsemen in turn, trying to figure them out. "So what is it? Drugs?" She was trying to be casual. "You're way too pretty to do drugs. It'll ruin you," she addressed Henley shaking her head in a stern way. Rather than her usually soft voice, she had taken on a more commanding one; her lawyer voice.

"No, no, it's nothing illegal." Jack assured her. He had enough sense to see that this wasn't headed where they had wanted it too.

"We're magicians, actually. We're setting up for a trick."