Episode 2: The Heist

In which Otis and Zipper plan the perfect heist, but nothing goes as expected.

Recap of the Last Story:

Otis had just finished his most dangerous project yet—a copper creature with a mind of its own. It was supposed to be a marvel of engineering, something that would put him in the history books. Instead, it ran off into the night, a copper nightmare on the loose. With Zipper’s help, Otis managed to track it down, but not before it caused chaos in the scrapyards. Now, Otis needs to lay low, and fast. But something big’s come up, and it’s not going to wait.

The Offer

It was late, and Otis was nursing a cracked cup of cold coffee in the back corner of a grimy, dimly lit bar. The place smelled like old leather and desperation. A flickering neon sign buzzed over the door, casting a sickly glow across the room. He’d been laying low ever since the incident with the copper creature. It hadn’t been easy. You can’t just shake a reputation like that.

Across the table from him, Clover the Fox leaned back in her chair, her sharp eyes gleaming in the low light. She had a way of looking at you that made you feel like prey, even if you were the one with the wrench. Her tail flicked lazily behind her, but Otis wasn’t fooled. She was all tension, coiled and ready to strike.

“So,” she purred, her voice smooth as silk, “I hear you’re in a bit of a… situation, Otis.”

Otis grunted, taking a sip of his coffee. “What’s it to you?”

Clover smiled, all teeth. “I’ve got a job for you. Something that could make all your problems disappear. You pull it off, and no one’s going to care about a rogue copper man stomping through the junkyards.”

Otis eyed her warily. Clover’s jobs were never simple. They always came with strings—thick, tangled, noose-like strings.

“And what kind of job are we talking?” he asked, setting the cup down with a clink.

Clover leaned in, her eyes narrowing. “A heist.”

Zipper, who had been perched on the bar, gnawing on a stale peanut, nearly choked. “A heist? Are you serious? Boss, we don’t do heists. We build stuff. We fix things.”

“Yeah, we sure fixed things with our last escapade,” said Otis.

Clover’s smile widened. “This is a special kind of job. We’re not just stealing any old junk. We’re talking about the Beau Smith Copper Frog. You know, the one that’s been sitting in the museum vault for years. Priceless. Untouchable.” She paused for dramatic effect, her voice soft but dangerous. “Until now.”

Otis’s mind raced. The Beau Smith Copper Frog was legendary—one of the finest pieces of copper sculpture ever made. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, its value incalculable. And it had been locked away in the city’s most secure museum vault for as long as anyone could remember.

“You’re crazy,” Otis muttered, but there was a glint in his eye. He couldn’t help it. The challenge was too good. Too impossible.

“Maybe,” Clover said, her voice dripping with confidence. “But I’ve got the plan. All I need is a guy who knows his way around copper and circuits. Someone with a reputation for pulling off the impossible.”

Zipper hopped down to the table, his bionic tail twitching nervously. “Boss, this is a bad idea. Remember what happened last time we tried something crazy?”

Otis didn’t need reminding. Last time, he’d ended up with a copper monster on the loose. But this was different. This was a job. A clean, professional gig. And if Clover was right, pulling it off could buy him some breathing room—and a lot of money.

He leaned back, crossing his arms. “Alright, I’m in. But I run the show. No surprises.”

Clover’s smile was all satisfaction. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

The Plan

Otis and Zipper stood in front of the museum, peering through the thick fog that clung to the street like a bad memory. The building loomed ahead, its stone walls cold and uninviting, with rows of barred windows that glinted in the pale moonlight.

Zipper fidgeted, his mechanical claws clicking against the cobblestone. “I still think this is a terrible idea.”

Otis glanced at him, adjusting the strap of his tool bag. “You said that about the copper creature too.”

“Yeah, and look how that turned out,” Zipper shot back, his eyes wide with anxiety. “This is different, boss. This is a museum. With guards. And cameras. And lasers!” His voice rose in pitch with each new complication.

Otis let out a low growl. “Stick to the plan, and we’ll be fine. It’s just like fixing a busted-up machine. You find the weak points and exploit them.”

Clover had given them the layout—blueprints, security schedules, and a map of the vault. The museum’s vault was buried deep underground, protected by layers of security that would make most thieves turn tail. But Otis wasn’t most thieves. He was an engineer. And engineering was all about solving problems—most of the time, anyways.

The plan was simple—on paper. They’d slip in through a maintenance hatch on the roof, bypass the electronic locks, and disable the security system. Then, they’d crack the vault and grab the frog. Easy.

Zipper wasn’t convinced. “You’re sure you can hack those locks?”

Otis smirked. “I built something with legs, Zipper. A couple of locks aren’t going to stop me.”

The Heist

Everything was going according to plan—until it wasn’t.

They were halfway through the museum’s ventilation system when Zipper’s tail got caught in a fan. Otis had to pry him loose, with a few thin wires ending up permanently stuck in the fan’s workings. All the while they tried to keep their presence undetected. When they reached the security room, the bypass Otis had rigged for the cameras decided to short out. They had to improvise, sneaking past guards and dodging motion sensors with seconds to spare.

By the time they reached the vault, Otis’s nerves were fraying. He knelt in front of the massive steel door, tools in hand, eyes focused. Zipper kept watch, his twitchy tail flicking back and forth as he muttered under his breath.

“This is it,” Otis whispered, his fingers working methodically. “I’m almost through.”

Zipper’s eyes darted around the room, his mechanical heart pounding. “And then what? We just waltz out of here with a priceless sculpture in our pockets?”

Otis grinned. “Something like that.”

With a soft click, the vault door swung open, revealing the Beau Smith Copper Frog, sitting on a velvet pedestal in the center of the room. The light reflected off its polished surface, casting long shadows across the walls. It was beautiful—a perfect example of craftsmanship, every detail meticulously carved.

Otis stepped forward, his breath catching in his throat. “There you are.”

Zipper’s voice was a hushed whisper. “Boss, hurry. We don’t have much time.”

Otis reached out, his fingers brushing against the cool copper. But as soon as he lifted the frog from its pedestal, the room exploded with sound—alarms blaring, red lights flashing, and the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps rushing toward them.

“Damn it!” Otis cursed, cradling the frog in his arms.

Zipper’s eyes went wide. “I told you this was a bad idea!”

They bolted, racing through the museum’s halls as the guards closed in. Otis’s heart pounded in his chest as they ducked through corridors, dodging lasers and slipping past guards by the skin of their teeth. Every step felt like a lifetime, but somehow, they made it to the roof.

Zipper scrambled up the ladder, his tiny claws scrabbling against the metal. “We’re dead! We’re so dead!”

Otis followed, clutching the copper frog like his life depended on it—because it did.

As they reached the roof, the sound of helicopters filled the air. Clover’s voice crackled over their earpiece. “Nice work, boys. Now, jump.”

“Jump?!” Zipper squeaked. “Are you out of your mind?”

But there was no time to argue. Just as the guards burst onto the roof, their flashlights sweeping the area, Otis grabbed Zipper by the scruff of his neck and leapt off the roof, plunging into the dark night below.

Aftermath

They hit a large pillowy device that Clover had devised.  Otis groaned, clutching the copper frog to his chest. Zipper lay next to him, panting, his bionic parts whirring in protest.

Clover’s sleek form appeared from the shadows, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d pull it off.”

Otis glared at her, still catching his breath. “You said no surprises.”

Clover shrugged, her grin widening. “I said no BIG surprises.”

Zipper sat up, rubbing his head. “This was a terrible idea.”

Otis chuckled, despite himself. “Yeah. But we got the frog, didn’t we?”

Clover reached out, taking the Beau Smith Copper Frog from Otis’s hands. “A deal’s a deal. I’ll make sure this ends up in the right hands. And as for you two—well, let’s just say you’ve earned yourselves a little breathing room.”

Otis stood, dusting off his coat. “We’re square?”

Clover’s smile was sharp as a knife. “For now.”

With that, she disappeared into the night, leaving Otis and Zipper standing in the alley, battered but victorious.

Zipper groaned. “Next time, can we just stick to building copper frogs?”

Otis chuckled, clapping his friend on the back. “Deal. But no guarantees.”

Lesson:

Sometimes, even the best-laid plans fall apart. But if you’re lucky, you’ll still come out on top—with a little bit of copper in your pocket and a lot of stories to tell.

Next time: Rusty the Raccoon faces an old enemy in a high-stakes duel, and Otis learns that not all battles are fought with wrenches and circuits.