by TR Cameron
Chapter Sixteen
Jared Trenton hit the button on the pod coffee maker to brew something strong and dark. The aftermath of their attack on Worldspan Security had involved a lot of pitching, a lot of calls, and a whole lot of effort. He’d been going on minimal sleep for several days, and even though he’d always thrived on overwork, he was starting to feel the effects. He inhaled the coffee’s bitter fumes, sipped it, and sighed. “Okay, I can function now.”
He took his chair at the small table in the secure room at the Aces Security headquarters. The featureless white walls were a balm to his nerves. His partner, Grentham, was already seated, looking far less tired than Jared felt. They’d both been on a high since taking on the bigger company.
The dwarf said, “Gotta love how Worldspan has pretty much gone silent since we dropped in and bashed them down. Not exactly a strong response.”
Jared nodded. “But one that definitely works in our favor. You know, we lucked out on that op. Everything went right. The infomancer played a big role in that. We need to make sure she’s happy.”
“We could send her a bonus payment.”
Jared shook his head. “Impersonal. Let’s give her something from the pile of stuff we liberated. There’s doubtless an item in there that would pique her interest.”
Grentham laughed. “Liberated? Good word. I’d say we outright stole it.”
Jared chuckled. “Either way, it belongs to us now.”
Apparently overwhelmed with jealousy of Jared’s drink, Grentham rose to make his own. “A lot of that stuff is going to be useful for the new gigs we’ll be getting.”
“Yeah, spreading the information about how they weren’t able to protect their building swung the pendulum away from them. Our other competitors are making some deals too, but I think it’ll fall out with us having the lion’s share.”
Grentham grunted. “The thing with the Mist is still right in the front of everybody’s mind. Blowing up the place was a good choice.”
Jared nodded. “Aside from the insurance company and Worldspan personnel, it was a clean op with no bystanders harmed. Like I said, a definite win.” He drank his coffee in silence until his partner sat across the table from him again.
The dwarf replied, “You know, I promised my people a cut to help out. They take cash.”
Jared sighed. “We’re not doing great on financial reserves at the moment. We’ll need to liquidate some of the items we’ve liberated then, maybe including the gems.” He gestured toward the diamonds they had stolen from Spirits casino, which had more or less become their albatross. As long as they kept them in the secure room where no one could track them, the gems did no harm. If they risked taking them out, though, they opened themselves up to trouble. A fortune in stones and no way to sell them. Well, eventually, things will quiet down enough that we can manage it. Perhaps we can bring someone in here to do the buy.
His partner offered, “I can take care of turning the items into money. I have some small skills in the area.”
Jared laughed. “If I didn’t know you so well, I’d say you were using Aces as a way to fund your little trade empire.”
The dwarf joined in the laughter. “I can see that. Like you said, either way. As long as everything goes right for both of us, it’s all good. Speaking of which, we better get a move on if we’re going to make it to Invention on time.”
Jared rose and stretched. “I can’t even imagine what a board meeting populated exclusively by gnomes would be like.”
Grentham grinned. “Same as any other, I bet, but shorter. Don’t be speciesist. Bodies differ, but in the end, people are all the same. Promise them the moon at a decent price point, and greed will win out.”
“Well then, let’s go make that happen.”
They entered by the front door of the technology-themed gnome casino, which was kind of a cross of steampunk and nerd culture. Of all the casinos on the strip, it was Jared’s least favorite. He thought it was noisier, more cluttered, less elegant, and far more outright annoying than any of the others. He muttered, “A couple of hours in here, and I’d lose my mind.”
Grentham laughed. “I don’t know. I kind of dig this place. If we do put people in here, they’re going to need earplugs. I imagine it would be possible to set up an algorithm that filters out the normal sounds or at least dampens them. Maybe we can get some branded earpieces like rock stars wear.”
They had only made it a dozen feet inside before a pair of gnomes in uniform intercepted them. They were both short, typical for their species, but other than that looked equal parts smart and menacing. Their hands rested on a pistol-shaped weapon of some sort on their belt, but he couldn’t make out what filled the holster. Taser, probably, but who knows? Could be magitech. He had enough self-awareness to realize that question might be the real reason the place made him so uncomfortable. He had a firm grasp on technology, far more than the average person. He also had a good understanding of magic, at least how to use it and how to defend against it, and felt adept in that environment. Mixing the two…that was a recipe for chaos, in his estimation.
The slightly taller of the two gnomes nodded at them. “Mr. Jared. Mr. Grentham. Please, come with us.”
Unlike the other casinos, which generally had grand sweeping staircases leading from the first to the second level, the gnomes had elevators that looked like old-school pneumatic tubes but festooned with brass and rivets and who knew what else. They stepped into a capsule, the door rotated closed in front of them, and they shot up several levels. The casino itself was four stories, the hotel rising much higher beyond it. Floors one and two were the public areas. The third floor was open to gnomes only, a decision that caused some consternation among the Council, his partner had said. The gnomes valued their privacy and didn’t budge on the issue. He imagined games of chance using technological and magical items that would be outlawed if commonly employed.
Their destination was the fourth floor, which turned out to be a fairly standard office setup, though slightly smaller in scale than the ones he was used to. The design had taken into account that humans and even Kilomea might visit from time to time, but things generally trended toward serving the gnomes’ stature. They were escorted to a conference room and left there, and Jared grimaced at his partner as he lowered himself into a seat that seemed too small to bear his weight.
Grentham said, “Interesting place. I’d really like to see what’s on the third floor. Hell, it would be worth giving them a discount to find out.”
Jared laughed. “Whatever it takes to seal the deal. Once we get our claws in them, then we can ratchet things up. Especially if the other options around town diminish as they have been lately.” He was aware they were probably being listened to, but he wasn’t worried about it. All part of the plan. He figured the gnomes already held a low estimation of him, so playing into that expectation would only serve him well in the long run. Makes me look truthful. Besides, the process he described was how everyone played the game. The casino owners did it themselves on the gaming floors below. They caught people with the blinking lights and loud noises of the slot machines set to pay out with only the tiniest profit, then drew them in for the more expensive games of chance once they felt lucky. That was where the casino made its real money. Might not be how it works in other places, but Magic City plays by its own rules.
He rose again as a female gnome entered. She had bright red curly hair, an attractive face, and a curvy form wrapped in an appropriately scaled business suit in red and black. She waved at them. “Please, gentlemen, sit. No need for formality here. It’s my hope we can get our business done quickly and profitably for both sides.”
Grentham reclaimed his seat. “Music to my ears, Ms. Melinda.”
She inclined her head as she sat on the opposite side of them. “So, tell me what you offer that’s different from what everyone else offers. Don’t start with price. Everyone’s all about how they can save us money. I’m concerned about not becoming the next
Mist. If it takes knocking down the payout on a few games to accomplish it, I have no problem with that.”
They’d agreed that Grentham should lead. His partner said, “Well, as the only magical-owned security company in town, we have a unique understanding of your needs. We take pride in becoming part of your place, melding into the background so as not to distract your gamers. At the same time, we bring both cutting-edge technology and powerful knowledge of magic to the table. You can rest assured that these set us far beyond the capabilities of the human-owned companies, even the ones that have magicals on their staff.”
He spread his hands apart in an open, oft-practiced gesture. “We know every piece of the puzzle intuitively. Our people are largely ex-military and ex-law enforcement and have undergone rigorous rounds of testing to ensure they don’t have any anti-magical bias.” That was true. It was one of the things Grentham had insisted upon early in their partnership, and it had paid substantial dividends over time.
The gnome nodded and turned her gaze to him. “Do you speak, Mr. Jared?”
He chuckled. “I do, but I find that my partner is much more adept at it. I endorse everything he said. I hope we can reach an agreement that is long-term and beneficial for us all.”
She grinned. “Well, your initial pitch gives us a starting point. Let me call for some lunch, and we’ll get down to the details.”
Chapter Seventeen
Ruby opened the door of her bedroom at her parents’ house with a groan. Idryll wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her, and Ruby leaned on the other woman. Simply getting herself showered and dressed had been a challenge. She didn’t feel like the last part of the venamisha had caused her permanent damage, but it was fair to say she hurt as much as she had after any fight or training session, even given the healing potion her allies had administered. She’d considered downing another, but Keshalla had cautioned her to let her body do what it needed to do. Ruby couldn’t argue with the sentiment. Sometimes pushing with magic led to unintended consequences.
The octopus tattoo on her arm, in particular, ached like the bone underneath was broken. She was expending constant mental effort to push the illusory Atlantean back into his glass box, but he was resistant to being re-imprisoned. She would probably need to spend an hour meditating at the bunker to do more than achieving a stalemate. For now, she was hungry and hurting, felt as if she was trapped inside her flesh, and missed her family.
Matthias intercepted them halfway down. “Miss Ruby. Are you okay?”
She smiled, as the sight of him always made her happy. “Overdid it a little in combat practice yesterday. Nothing big. This, by the way, is my companion, Idryll.
He nodded. “Hello, Miss Idryll.”
The shapeshifter, currently in her Mist Elf form with that flowing orange and red hair that made Ruby look plain beside her, gave him a friendly grin. “Well met, Matthias. Ruby has told me a lot about you. It’s clear you’ve hidden a lot of her misdeeds over the years.” They’d decided not to reveal that Idryll was the cat who had shared her bedroom on occasion. That would create too much confusion. History didn’t specify that the Mirra’s companion had to be a magical animal of some kind, and she wasn’t sure the boulder creature fit into that category, anyway. She was willing to use that lack of evidence to keep Idryll's true nature a mystery for now. He laughed and fell behind as they continued.
Her parents rose at the sight of her stiff entrance into the room, and she lifted a hand with a smile. “I’m fine, I’m fine, don’t worry. Everyone, this is Idryll. Idryll, everyone.” Morrigan raised an eyebrow and offered a small grin, and the others said hello. Her mother asked, “What’s going on? We didn’t expect you.”
Ruby nodded and lowered herself into her chair. Idryll sat on the empty one to her left. “So, you know how I wasn’t really able to talk about the venamisha before? Now I am.” She related the tale as they ate breakfast, frequently pausing to stuff French toast into her mouth. “So, I think it’s over. Three stages seem to be what everyone agrees upon, so I shouldn’t have to do it again. Which is good because that last one hurt like a, uh, hurt a lot.”
Her mother said, “Idryll came from those trials somehow?”
Ruby nodded. “Apparently, it’s part of being worthy, being able to deal with smart-assed beings.”
Idryll hurled the napkin at her face. “Well, if you would ever show the slightest bit of sense, maybe I wouldn’t have to be the one doing all the heavy mental lifting.”
The table erupted in laughter, and Dralen shook his head with a grin. “Seems like you have my sister down pat.” Shifting his attention to her, he asked, “So, what, you’re going to be the boss of everything?” He sounded a little annoyed.
Ruby shrugged. “Don’t know. That wasn’t made clear. I’ll have responsibilities of some kind.”
Morrigan wore a concerned expression, the corners of her mouth turning down slightly. “Will you have to spend more time on Oriceran? Or move there?” The concern in her voice probably read as fear of missing her to her parents, but Ruby knew her worry was more about the battle they waged for the safety of Magic City.
She shrugged. “There’s supposed to be a messenger or something to let me know what’s next. Based on prior experience, I have no guess at all as to how long that will take. I’m going to ignore the issue until the messenger arrives.”
Her father, Rayar, asked, “Do you have any indication as to what those responsibilities might entail?”
She shook her head. “No idea. The mystics are looking into it, but it appears no one ever made a concerted effort to pass down that particular knowledge.”
Her mother sighed, but it was a happy sound. “Once it’s all official, we’ll have to admit we’ve been less than truthful about you being a human. Plus, you won’t have to wear a disguise anymore.”
Ruby laughed. “Sometimes the disguise is useful. The rest of it is all you.” She pointed at them. “Dishonest parents, lying to your friends and coworkers. Shameful.” Laughter circled the table again.
Morrigan wasn’t fully joining in the mirth, but she seemed to be trying. “Do you get a castle?”
She gave an imperious nod. “I’m sure of it. I decree castles for everyone when I’m in charge. You won’t be able to walk down the street without bumping into another castle.”
Dralen remarked, “So I guess you’ll be stepping away from the family business, then?”
Ruby laughed. “Sorry to crush your hopes, but nope, I’m still me. I might have more projects on my plate than usual, but I’m good at keeping the balls in the air and delegating where I need to. Besides, being in charge probably means I get a staff of some kind, right?”
Idryll muttered, “A staff upside the head, one would hope.”
Everyone laughed, and Sinnia asked her, “So, Idryll, do I understand that you joined my daughter after the first venamisha?”
The shapeshifter shook her head. “During, actually. There’s a test where the junra must select from several statues. When she chose the one that looked like me, it brought me there to fight her. Fortunately, at that stage, the object is only to evaluate the junra, not to kill them.” She bared her teeth. “That comes later.”
More laughter. Rayar asked, “So, are you with her all the time then?”
Idryll scowled. “Eww. No. No one can handle that much punishment.” Ruby rolled her eyes and returned the napkin in a fast throw at her partner’s face. “Besides, she needs time to spend with her boyfriend.” She put a salacious emphasis on the last word.
Sinnia perked up. “A boyfriend? Really? Why haven’t we met this person?”
Ruby sighed. “Because I want him to like me, maybe? And you all are crazy?”
Morrigan replied, “She’s afraid he’ll see that she’s the least interesting member of the family.”
Dralen looked down at his fingernails as if admiring his manicure. “And the least attractive, by far. I can see why she’d want to keep a potential suitor away from us.�
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Ruby twisted in her seat and poked his nose with a fingertip. “Shut up, you, or your castle will be made entirely of dungeons. Dungeon after dungeon after dungeon. You’ll spend a week in each in rotation. One cell will have rats. The next will have centipedes. And so on.” She grinned widely. “Hey, you know, I like that idea. Thanks.” She swiveled her head to regard Morrigan. “And you, you get to work the floor at the casino for all eternity, serving drinks exclusively to people on losing streaks at the slot machine.” They were inevitably the most annoying customers, angry over their losses and trying to make up for it with free beverages.
When she stopped laughing, Sinnia asked, “What about us?”
Ruby nodded. “You two haven’t insulted me recently. So, you get a small castle, more a cottage castle, really, somewhere deep in the woods of Oriceran. You’ll be permitted to visit us once or twice a year.”
Rayar laughed. “If your mother and I have to spend that much time alone together, she’ll murder me.”
Sinnia nodded primly. “It’s true.”
Ruby relented. “Okay then, how about we continue as we are and don’t worry about all this nonsense until it forces us to?”
Morrigan grinned, the most genuine expression she’d seen from her sister yet. “Deal.”
The other members of her family repeated the affirmation until it circled to Idryll. She sighed and shook her head. “Boring. Typical. Honestly, why anyone would put you in charge of anything is beyond me. I wouldn’t trust you with a plant-sitting business.”
Amid more laughter, the conversation turned to Ruby’s truly awful abilities with plants. Somehow, she had the notion that Morrigan had been sharing stories with Idryll and wondered exactly what they filled their time talking about when they were out on patrol. Oh, a counter alliance, is it? We’ll just see about that. My vengeance will be swift and brutal. Like, totally swift and totally brutal. That’s definitely how it’s going to be. Totally.
