by TR Cameron
“You’ll include magicals on the attack team, then?”
“Definitely.”
Sloan nodded slowly. “Good. This better create some serious havoc. If it doesn’t, you’re going to find yourself sacrificed for the cause, hear me? If the police were to discover a confession after you’d taken your own life, that would put them off the trail for a while.”
Jared swallowed hard. “I hear you, boss.”
The other man stared straight into his eyes. Jared didn’t like what he saw. “See that you keep it in mind. When this is over, I’ll need to meet with you and your partner again. I have another little thing for you to do.”
He gave a convulsive nod. “Will do.” At a gesture from Smith, he turned to walk away, but Sloan’s voice stopped him. “You know what? I think we need a little extra insurance on this thing with the diamonds. I want you to lead the assault team personally.”
He turned back to face his superior, fighting to keep the fear from his expression. “You got it. Don’t worry about a thing.”
The woman joined the conversation for the first time, her laughter chiming louder than one would expect given the circumstances. She crooned, “Good luck, Mr. Trenton.”
As he rode the elevator down, his internal analysis concluded that she hoped he would fail. Ten to one odds said that she wanted to be there when he involuntarily shuffled off the mortal coil. Five to one that she wanted to be the one causing the shuffling. One hundred percent chance that she’s the crazier of the two.
Chapter Eleven
Entering the Grinding Axes bar was like stepping out of the modern world and into a time long past. Ruby stared around her in amazement, taking in the entirely wooden interior, complete with great common tables like you’d expect to see in a fantasy movie. Or maybe Valhalla, if one can believe the Norse. Either way, looks fun. The door was near the middle of the room. A large bar dominated the shorter side of the rectangle on the left, with a gaming area on the opposite end and the seating in the center. Flickering lanterns positioned all around created a strange, uncertain glow. Yep, definitely somewhere you’d stop before going dragon hunting with your party of adventurers.
Liam slapped her on the arm, muttered, “Quit gawking,” and led the way toward the bar. Ruby fell into step with Demetrius behind her and Daphne at the rear. A tall glass of beer was waiting for Liam by the time they reached the bar, the two dwarves behind it clearly recognizing a regular customer. Ruby blinked. They weren’t only dwarves. They were twins. Liam requested, “The same for my friends, boys. This is Daphne, Demetrius, and Ruby.” He pointed at each of them as he made the introductions. “This is Domick, and the other one is Jastrum. They’re brothers if you hadn’t guessed.”
Daphne snorted. “Hard to miss.” Truly, it was, as the two men had made a deliberate effort to look alike. The same black t-shirts with crossed axes on the front, the same black leather vests covering part of the logo. Even their hair was identical: long, black, and pulled back in thick braids. Their beards were also braided, and their mustaches flared out to the sides, calling to mind a Western saloon.
Demetrius said, “Pleased to meet you,” and Ruby nodded agreement. The bartenders deposited their drinks and left to serve other customers.
Liam grinned. “Let’s head for the back. I have twenty bucks that says Demetrius and I can trounce the two of you at darts.”
Ruby laughed. “Oh, you’re on.” They threaded their way through the crowd, which was loud, boisterous, and decidedly multicultural. She was the only human-appearing person around, but magicals of every stripe crowded the place. A foursome of Kilomea caught her eye, holding down half of one of the long tables by themselves, and a couple of gnomes with oversized tankards were locked in discussion at the other end. The noise level was such that Ruby was confident they could speak without being overheard. While Demetrius made his throws, she asked the others, “So, what do you know about the Ebon Dragon?”
Daphne shrugged. “Things are pretty much back to normal. Some dealers who work in my pit are nervous and not only about further attacks. There’s a lot of new security around, and not knowing them makes people a little edgy.”
Liam nodded and took up the conversation as the witch went to throw her darts. “At the Underground, our newest security is mainly positioned outside. We did expand the number of guards from our existing contractors after the thing at the Mist, but the bosses have been bringing in dwarves from around the country to take over those jobs.”
Ruby and Liam took their turns. Then she picked up the thread. “What company do you hire?”
“Aces.”
She scowled reflexively. “You should watch out for those folks.”
Daphne asked, “What do you know about them?”
“Only that Margrave really dislikes one of the principals, and when Margrave says something bad about a person, there’s probably a good reason.”
Liam laughed. “Grentham, yeah, he has that effect on just about everyone. But he’s a good representative for our people to the Council, and he’s been around here a long time. Accomplished a lot, by any measure. I don’t think there’s another security company in town that has a magical as an owner.”
Ruby shrugged. “Even so. If Margrave doesn’t like him, I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him.”
Demetrius cracked, “With those arms? I doubt you could even pick him up.”
Everyone laughed, and Ruby grabbed the infomancer around the waist and lifted him from his feet, bending over backward with a theatrical groan to do it. “Wonder how far I can throw you?”
He took advantage of the height differential and patted her on top of the head. “Let’s not find out, okay?” She set him down, and he drank half a glass before asking, “What’s up with the diamond exhibit? Lots of chatter about it online. People seem really interested.”
Daphne replied, “We’ve seen a lot of unfamiliar faces since they went up. Basically, we added a bunch of glass cases at strategic locations with little information cards and a couple of big guys standing guard.”
Liam nodded. “Same at the Underground, although they worked the displays into the existing decor. Mounted in fake rock walls, floating in lava streams, that sort of thing.”
Ruby had only been inside the dwarven casino a couple of times but loved the amazing attention to detail that had turned it into a replica of a working mine. She said, “Our first floor is about the same. Just little things. Rings, standalone gems, some bracelets, maybe.” The other two nodded to confirm that’s how things were at their casinos, as well. “On the second level, though, we have necklaces and some matching sets. More expensive stuff, with more obvious security. The out-of-town group is doing a decent job of securing the area, my parents tell me.”
Liam replied, “Yeah, they seem pretty good.” Daphne nodded.
Ruby finished, “We have the one big piece that’s the highlight of the show going in tonight and on display tomorrow. It’s in our private high roller room, and only people with lots of influence or lots of money can get in to see it.”
Demetrius observed, “It must be a big deal to close down a private room.”
“I think that’s one of the reasons they decided to give it a very limited showing. We lost the room today setting things up, and we’ll lose tomorrow having it on display. But, since it’s unique, my folks figure the number of wealthy people who will stick around and play a bit after seeing it should more than make up for taking the room out of service.”
Daphne frowned. “Okay, I’ll be the stupid one who hasn’t been paying attention. Why is it unique?”
Everyone laughed, and Demetrius said, “Oh, I’ll take this one. The Internet is all abuzz. First, all the diamonds on display at Spirits are from Oriceran. That, on its own, would be unique enough. The most impressive item of the entire exhibit is a silver crown with three diamonds.”
Liam laughed. “Way to leave out the most interesting part of it. Two of the diamonds are as big as the H
ope diamond, and the one in the middle is fist-sized.” He held up his hand to demonstrate. “Figure three or four times the size of the Hope. That makes the whole thing worth, what, six or seven hundred million?”
Ruby shrugged. “Assuming it’s real. My sister and I have a bet going that our parents would never actually take that big a risk and put out a replica instead.”
They bantered about that for a minute, then Liam asked, “So what’s the security around something like that like?”
Daphne laughed. “Planning to take a shot at stealing it?”
He offered a single finger to the witch in response, and she fired one back at him. Ruby chuckled and replied, “It’s as tight as it can reasonably be while still allowing the casino to function.”
“Seems like a big risk.”
Although she agreed, Ruby waved the concern away. “I’m sure we have insurance if something goes wrong.”
The dwarf replied, in a quieter voice, “No, risk of an attack. Like the ones at Deep Woods or the Kraken, for instance.” He shook his head. “People could wind up hurt. Maybe if you’re lucky, the folks who showed up for that fight will be keeping an eye on the place.”
His tone made it a question, and Ruby figured Daphne had been sharing their conversation with their roommates. “Well, I’ll be there for sure, probably up in the security center. No telling who else might be. Maybe I can get Demetrius a gig to keep an eye on social media and message boards on the day in case something goes up.”
The infomancer replied, “I’m down. That’s easy enough that I can multitask and double bill. It’s the freelancer’s dream setup.”
The others teased him about being a money-grubbing capitalist, an accusation he gleefully embraced. They finished the game, and the men won by a pretty substantial amount. Ruby and Daphne handed over ten dollars each, and Demetrius said, “I think, given how much we beat you by, a little more of a forfeit is in order.”
Daphne lifted an eyebrow and replied, “What did you have in mind?” putting all the sauciness of a forties film star into it. The men talked together for a moment, then Liam replied, “A kiss seems appropriate.”
Daphne whispered in Ruby’s ear, and they walked over to plant simultaneous chaste kisses on the dwarf’s cheeks. They repeated the process with Demetrius, to much laughter. Finishing their drinks, they headed to the front for a refill. Domick said, “We saw kisses bestowed quite freely back there. Any chance we could get in on that action?”
Liam climbed up on the stool, hopped over the bar, and said, “Absolutely. Come here, you troublemaker.” There was nothing for it but to follow him and accost the brothers, who had started laughing the moment the dwarf had moved. In the end, the bartenders got hugs from all four of them, and everyone was happy. As they pulled the next round, Domick said, “Y’all can call me Mick and my brother Jas. You are now officially friends of the Axes and are welcome here anytime.”
For the first time in a long time, Ruby felt comfortable, safe, and at home.
Chapter Twelve
They’d said their goodbyes after returning home, Liam and Daphne fading off to their rooms and Ruby visiting Demetrius for a slightly longer kiss than their first. Sadly, she had no time to indulge. The next day was the big exhibit at Spirits, and she needed to get to work. She gathered up her gear, including a single finished lightning grenade, and tossed it all into a duffel bag. She changed clothes into something more appropriate for a casino owner, a simple blouse and skirt, then touched her face with some makeup. “All right. Time to go.” The woman in the mirror nodded in agreement.
She opened a portal to the receiving room at Spirits and stepped through. It was a short walk to her office, which was about the size of a broom closet. It was more an acknowledgment of her existence as part of the owning family than an actual workspace, and her parents had promised that the moment she decided to accept a greater role, she’d have a more appropriate chamber. Still, it served her current needs perfectly as it was one of the few places in the casino without camera coverage. She slid the bag under her desk, drew a deep breath, and headed to the public area of the casino. She made her way down to the first floor and approached the pair of guards protecting an exhibit. “Hi. I’m Ruby. Ruby Achera. I know this is a little weird, but I want to take a closer look at the diamond.”
The two men looked at each other uncomfortably, and one attempted to dissuade her. “That’s against our orders.”
She frowned and stuck her hands on her hips. “You’re telling me your orders specifically include the statement, “If an owner comes down and wants to examine one of the displays, they should not be permitted to?”
The other replied, “No, of course not—”
Ruby gave them a superior smile as she cut the guard off. “Well then, we’re covered. Go ahead and open it up.” The guards traded angry glances, but neither immediately rejected the idea. She could tell they were close to agreeing, so she added, “Don’t worry. It won’t only be you. I’m going to take a look at all the displays. I’ve never seen so much beauty in one place.” She put enough syrup and avarice into her voice that it sold the image she was trying to project. Their expressions showed more contempt than respect as they deactivated the alarm and opened the display. Believe what you want as long as you do what I want.
She waved to the nearest security camera, knowing her actions were noticed, and reached inside to stroke a single finger along the glittering diamond ring. She pushed out her magic as she did, activating a spell she’d long since mastered as part of her studies. Of course, no one would know that since I’m only human. For once, her disguise was going to work in her favor. The trace she deposited on the gem would be unnoticeable by anyone else, but to her, it would serve as a beacon if she cast the matching detection spell.
Ruby stepped back, gave a sprightly “Thank you for your assistance,” then moved on to the next. It took a little over forty-five minutes to complete the circuit. By the time she was halfway through, word had spread and reduced her need to work at convincing the guards until she reached the high roller room. The ones guarding the main display, the crown with the trio of huge diamonds, did their best to resist. A threat to call her parents and their bosses finally convinced them to do as she asked.
She returned to her office and opened a portal back to her bedroom. Idryll stepped through carrying her duffel bag, which was notably less stuffed than Ruby’s. With a check to make sure the door was locked, they got down to the business of preparing for battle.
Both of them put on the bodysuits that the agents had provided, shrouding them from toes to neck. They each set aside the full head covering to be added later. Ruby pulled on tactical pants and a long-sleeved black T-shirt over the base layer, then laced up her heavy boots. Next, she strapped armored plates at her shins, thighs, upper arms, and forearms. They made her feel decidedly martial, and she wasn’t completely sure she liked it. The magical bracers felt more natural. Margrave had recharged them for her in exchange for the opportunity to examine them, which worked out well for both of them.
She belted the protective vest onto her chest, off-white and unmarked. I really need to do something with all these pale pieces of equipment. She latched the belt that held her spell dagger and flasks with healing and energy potions around her hips. Reaching a hand up, she patted her chest to make sure her shield pendant was where it belonged, then slipped the pistol into the drop holster that connected to her belt and strapped around her right leg. Finally, the sword went over it all. Dang. Cara and Kayleigh weren’t kidding. I need to hit the weight room. She put on the full hood, donned the magical illusion mask over the top of it, still in its neutral white kabuki form, and slipped her burner phone into a pocket.
Idryll stood watching her with arms crossed. “It takes you forever to get ready.”
Ruby laughed. “Sometimes you have to look outstanding for the occasion.” She made a cup with her hands, and the cat stepped into it. A grunt escaped her as she lifted the shapesh
ifter and Idryll pushed one of the drop ceiling’s panels away. Recon had shown they could get from the office to the false roof over the casino floor using a series of support beams. It was the perfect place to lie in wait for whatever might come. They crawled through the dusty area, and Ruby was thankful for the masks that kept her from inhaling the dust, dirt, and who knew what else they were passing through.
Finally, they reached the right spot and Ruby used her knife to cut small holes in the plaster so they could see what was below. She did it slowly enough that the air systems would catch the particles before they floated down and alerted someone on the floor that something nefarious was afoot. When she was confident they were as good as she could manage, she sat on the beam, crossed her legs, and settled herself into the meditative pose that would allow her to rest without sleeping. “We’ve done all we can. If it goes down, we’ll be waiting.”
Jared Trenton was a block and a half away in an unmarked van, one of four that had delivered his invasion team to the Strip. He activated the comm connection back to the base. “Grentham, are you there?”
The dwarf’s voice came back immediately. “You know it. Our messages went out as planned, and the cameras on the Strip are starting to show activity.”
He checked his watch, which showed five forty-five in the morning. They’d chosen to make their move early in the day to minimize the challenges dealing with the tourists would cause. “How many committed?”
Grentham chuckled. “A bunch were downright thrilled, but you know how it is. The real players wouldn’t admit to whether they’d be involved or not. They’ll be there. They won’t be able to help themselves.”
The minutes ticked away, and Grentham gave him updates on the increasing presence of the criminal element they counted on as a distraction. At two minutes before six, the dwarf’s voice filled with excitement. “Okay. We have significant numbers of people moving toward all the casinos. It’s even better than we thought it would be.”