Switcharoo backfires

Emily went as fast as she could without breaking any traffic laws to grab the duplicate, placing it in the back of her van and speeding off back to the art gallery. She pulled up to the loading docks where a naked Barbara was sitting on a shipping crate, the security guard looking up as Emily slowly came in with the statue.

"About time you got here!" Barbara said, "I'm starting to get cold. Let's just get this thing in the crate so I can get dressed again!"

"Okay, let's -" Emily began, only to gasp as she heard the sound of footsteps heading towards the loading docks. "Crap! Someone's coming! Take that walkie, put the statue in the crate on the right, and get into the crate on the left!"

"Wha-"

"Just trust me! Please! Channel Two! And don't come out until I say so!"

Without another word, Barbara nodded and took the statue from Emily before grabbing a nearby walkie talkie and doing exactly what Emily said as the latter turned around. Emily smiled as she heard the two lids sliding into place just as Mrs. Fontaine strode into the room with two other women; an Irish woman with a name tag reading "Cora", and an Indian woman with a name tag reading "Kali".

"Ah, Ms. Greene!" Mrs. Fontaine greeted as she approached Emily, taking her by the hand. "The Louvre can't possibly thank you enough for your wonderful contribution!"

"And I can't possibly thank The Louvre enough for their wonderful donation." Emily said with a chuckle as Kali went to the van and Cora brought out a dolly. "It's the one in the crate on the right."

"Thank ya, kindly." Cora said in a thick Irish accent, lifting said crate and wheeling it into the van.

"You'll be glad to know that the money will be transfered to your bank account within two to three months." Mrs. Fontaine said with a smile as she let go of Emily's hand.

"Well, better late than never, I always say." Emily replied before looking over to Cora and Kali, the two having shut the doors of the van. "Who are they?"

"Oh, those are two of our newest employees. They double as movers and security guards." Mrs. Fontaine replied. "Sorry that I can't introduce the three of you, but we have a tight schedule to keep."

"Well, I won't keep you waiting." Emily said as she grabbed another dolly and lifted the second crate. "I need to take the work that didn't sell back home with me. Have a nice flight."

"Merci." Fontaine said as the two went their separate ways, Emily wheeling the crate out to her van.

"Oh, man!" Emily said with a chuckle as she drove back home. "That was a close one. I know that tonight was embarrassing for you, Barb, but on the plus side, we're filthy, stinking rich! Oh, I forgot..." She grabbed the radio and turned it to the right frequency, "You can come out now, Barb. I grabbed your clothes before I left, they're in the back next to the crate."

"Finally!" Barbara's voice said over the radio. A few seconds later, it returned with a nervous chuckle. "Uh, Em? Where are my clothes? And you, for that matter?"

"What do you mean? And why are you still talking over the -" Emily looked into the rearview mirror and went wide eyed to see that the crate remained closed. She gulped. "Uh... Barb? Don't panic, but when I said to get in the crate on the left, did you think I meant your left or my left?"

"... I'm in the crate that's going to Paris, aren't I?"

"On the bright side, you always told me that was the one place you wanted to go for your dream vacation. And you get it for free, so..."

"Not funny! And even if it was, I never wanted to go naked!"

"Look, calm down and get back in the crate for now." Emily said as she made a U-turn, "I'm on my way to the airport now! I'll see if I can make the switch either before or after we land!"

"AFTER?!"

"I'm aiming for before! I'm just hoping I'll get there in time!"

"That's right, Ma'am." Kali said over the phone as she and Cora drove towards the airport. "We are en route to the airport as we speak. And yes, we remember the plan. We leave it on display at the museum for a few months, allowing it to gain popularity and fame, and then we pull off the heist and sell that statue to the highest bidder on the black market."

"Ya know some old creep is gonna just buy that creepy thing for the wrong reasons, though." Cora commented as Kali hung up. The Irish woman shivered as she added, "Faith and Begorrah! That thing gives me the willies, it's so lifelike."

"Are you always this superstitious?" Kali asked in annoyance.

"Why else do ya think I got shamrocks tattooed on me back, neck, and arse?!"

"Just keep driving..." Kali said with a groan.

A while later, Emily's van screeched to a halt in the parking lot of the airport, loading the crate onto another dolly as she carefully and quickly pushed it towards the building.

"Please don't be late! Please don't be late! Please don't be late!" Emily repeated to herself as she made her way to the automatic doors.