And her love, that she would put herself through such hell, for me.
It took the best part of an hour to take on all my hurts and damage and put it right. I held her hand as tightly as I could. It was all I could do, all the support I could give her. In the end we lay on the bed together, side by side, still holding hands, staring up at the ceiling, breathing hard with the effort of everything we’d been through. Just . . . luxuriating in the peace and comfort that comes with not hurting any more. I was whole again. I could feel it.
“Well,” Molly said finally, “there went all the extra years of life I won at the roulette wheel. Just burned right through them to power the healing.”
“You’re going to hold that over me for the rest of our lives, aren’t you?” I said.
“Oh, yes,” said Molly. “You’d better believe it. You even miss one birthday and you are a dead man. God, I feel tired.”
“You feel tired?” I said. “I feel like I’ve been to hell and back.”
Molly laughed briefly. “I’ve done that, and it wasn’t as bad.”
We turned and cuddled up against each other. I held her to me, and we lay together on the bed for a long time. Trying to give each other strength, and support.
* * *
Eventually, we both sat up and stretched slowly. My joints creaked loudly, but everything seemed to have settled back into place. We rolled off the bed and got to our feet. My side of the bedclothes was soaked in blood. I looked down at my clothes, and there was more there, too. I looked at Molly. Her clothes were stained with blood from where she’d touched me. Molly stripped the sheets off the bed, while I headed for the bathroom. I pulled off my stained clothes as I went, dropping them to the floor. I didn’t want anything to do with them again. I turned on the lights in the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. In the harsh unforgiving light, I looked hard and grim and maybe ten years older. I got in the shower, and hunched under the steaming hot water for as long as I could bear it, before I started soaping the dried blood off my unbroken skin. After a while, Molly got in and joined me.
I’ll say this—Molly’s breasts have never been cleaner than when she showers with me. They positively glisten.
Afterwards, we got dressed in the clothes we’d arrived in. I think we’d both had enough of dressing to the Casino’s standards. Now that we’d seen what the Casino was really like, we just wanted to look like ourselves. We stood together before the full-length mirror and looked ourselves over. We looked . . . pale, but determined. I put an arm across Molly’s bare shoulders, and she slipped an arm round my waist. We both looked like we’d been through the mill, but it would still have been a brave or foolish man who would have gone up against the people I was seeing in the reflection.
“Do you still want to go on with this?” said Molly. “Are the games, and the mission, really worth all this? No one in your family can expect you to put yourself through such punishment. . . .”
“They don’t,” I said. “I do. We’re stopping a war, and saving untold lives. Doing the right thing. It’s always been important to me that now and again I take on a mission with no . . . ambiguities.”
“Doesn’t have to be us,” said Molly. “Doesn’t have to be you. Let somebody else do it, for once. Sir Parsifal would be only too happy to step in and take over.”
“He’d only screw it up,” I said. “He’s honourable. He wouldn’t stand a chance against the kind of tricks they pull here. They’d take him to the cleaners.”
“Then call in someone else from your family!”
“They’re not here, and I am,” I said. “By the time I could bring them up to speed, it would be too late. We can do this, Molly.”
She smiled, and leaned her head on my shoulder. “You always were too ready to take the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
“Someone has to,” I said.
“But what he did to you . . .”
“Just makes me that much more determined to give some of it back,” I said. I wasn’t sure whether I was trying to convince her, or myself. I was strong and sound in body again, but I did wonder . . . whether some important part of me might still be broken. Whether my nerve . . . was everything it should be. Whether I might hesitate in the crunch. I couldn’t have that. So, if the horse throws you, punch it in the head and get right back in the saddle again. And if the world hurts you, take the fight to the world.
“Come on,” I said cheerfully. “Let’s get this show back on the road. Lots to do, and lots of bad people to do it to. Call Frankie back in here.”
Molly laughed, kissed me quickly, and went to the door, while I peered into the mirror and gave myself a stern look. Drood is as Drood does.
Frankie hurried in the moment Molly opened the door, and looked quickly around for me. He seemed openly shocked and taken aback to find me standing easily before him. He looked me up and down, then looked at Molly, and finally settled for a baffled shrug.
“You look better!” he said brightly to me. “Quite amazingly better . . . Just as well, you’ll need to be strong, and I mean in tip-top shape, to go far in the Middle Games. You are ready to dive back into the Games?”
“Hell, yeah,” said Molly. “Are the Games ready for us?”
Frankie winced. “Confidence is good, attitude is better, but overconfidence will get us all killed. In slow and lingering ways. They don’t deal in money in the Middle Games; they deal in souls. You’ve proved yourselves worthy opponents in the Introductory Games, and that buys you entrance. You’ve earned major prestige and enough money that they’ll take you seriously . . . and when they see how you’ve bounced back from the beating you took in the Pit, that will definitely help to impress all the right people, but . . . these are the Middle Games. Only Major Players, now. From this point on, it’s all about how many souls you can bring to the table. And unfortunately, all you have to wager with is Molly’s much-mortgaged soul. You lose that, on the wrong bet, and it’s Games over.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” I said. “I think it’s time for a change in tactics. I’ve had enough of playing the Casino’s games, by the Casino’s rules. Where they have all the advantages.”
“What do you have in mind?” said Molly. “Does it involve cheating, bad sportsmanship, and gratuitous violence?”
“Remember the little gift my uncle Jack gave us before we left home?” I said. “The thing in two parts? I say we use it to burgle Franklyn Parris’ office, break open his safe, and steal every secret he has.”
“Yes!” said Molly, punching the air. “Oh, Shaman, you always have the best ideas!”
“No! No! No!” said Frankie, waving his hands around frantically, and miming people listening.
“Relax,” said Molly. “I already laid down a spell to garble our words to anyone who might be listening in. As far as any eavesdroppers are concerned, we’re just sitting around singing show tunes.”
“You can’t be sure of that!” said Frankie. “And anyway, it is still a really, really bad idea! The Casino Security people have installed major security devices and weapons throughout the building, but especially on the penthouse floor, and in Parris’ office. We are talking top of the line, best you can buy, magical and scientific defence systems, and any number of really nasty weapons!”
“Such as?” I said, interested.
“I don’t know!” said Frankie. “They’re secret! So secret none of the people I talked to know anything about them! That’s how secret they are! And, they’re backed up by Parris’ personal security men, the Jackson Fifty-five. Remember them? Allowed and indeed actually encouraged to kill, maim, and dismember anyone they encounter who isn’t where they’re supposed to be!”
“Please,” I said. “Remember who you’re talking to. I have broken into places that don’t actually exist, to steal things you can’t even detect with human senses.”
“It’s true,” said Molly. “I haven’t seen them.”
“That was when you had your armour,” said Fra
nkie, still looking around surreptitiously.
“I’m still a Drood,” I said. “A trained field agent.”
“And I’m still me,” said Molly.
“I’m not sure which is scarier,” I said.
Molly beamed at me. “Nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Parris’ safe is bound to contain all kinds of useful information,” I said. “On the players, and the games. More than enough to move the odds in our favour.”
“Cheat codes!” Molly said happily. “Hidden back doors, blackmail information on the other Players, maybe even passwords to circumvent these bloody annoying null zones!”
“The safe,” said Frankie. “If there really is one in Parris’ office, which has never been confirmed, is on the penthouse floor. That’s dozens of stories above us! You’d have to defeat the defensive systems on each floor, one after another, all the way up. Which would take forever! And someone would be bound to notice!”
I looked at Molly. “Burgling the office is what my uncles Jack and James tried, back in the day. They thought it was a good idea.”
“Didn’t work out too well for them, though,” said Molly, judiciously.
“So, I think we’d be better off trying a different approach,” I said. “I say, start at the top. Break in through the roof of the hotel, and access the penthouse floor that way.”
“Brilliant!” said Molly. “How do we get up to the roof?”
“Still working on that,” I said.
“It does have the advantage of never having been tried before, to my knowledge,” said Frankie.
“There you go, then,” I said.
“That doesn’t mean it can be done!” said Frankie.
“Watch us,” said Molly.
“We are, after all, professionals,” I said.
“How are you going to get up to the roof?” Frankie said loudly. “You don’t have your armour to work miracles for you. The elevators are very heavily guarded, so Molly’s magic won’t work. Or were you perhaps planning to revitalise one of the dead Pteranodons, and fly up there?”
“Now you’re just being silly,” I said.
“He may not have his armour,” said Molly, “but he still has me. And the elevators are far too obvious anyway. I could teleport us up there, once I’ve got my strength back. There can’t be a null zone on the roof, or the hotel’s magical protections wouldn’t work there.”
“No,” said Frankie, very patiently, “but there are all kinds of nulls in the hotel, that could confuse your teleport, and send you somewhere else. And even if you could punch through the nulls, there are all sorts of protections in place on the roof, just to detect things like unauthorised teleports! You’d set off more alarms than World War III!”
“Keep the noise down, Frankie,” I said. “I’ve got a headache. And, I have an idea. We need to talk with the Scarlet Lady.”
“Oh, no,” said Frankie, miserably.
* * *
We sent Frankie off to do loud and annoying things in public to hold the Casino Security’s attention. Which he actually preferred to having to meet the Scarlet Lady again. Molly and I took the elevator down to the lobby. It played us orchestral versions of old Blue Oyster Cult standards, until Molly blew the speakers out. The moment we stepped out into the lobby, everyone there stopped talking and stopped what they were doing, to stare at me. Many of them openly took a double-take, and there were wide eyes and dropped jaws everywhere I looked. Apparently no one had expected to see me reappear this soon, let alone so manifestly uninjured and undamaged. A few people actually applauded. Others surreptitiously made signs to ward off evil spirits. I smiled easily about me, and headed quickly for the side exit, Molly walking haughtily along beside me. We weren’t in the mood to answer questions. Everyone hastily fell back, to give us plenty of room.
A private elevator on the far side of the lobby gave access to the underground car park. Exactly where Frankie had said it would be. The door said STAFF ONLY, but it opened easily to the access codes Frankie had provided. He really did know everyone on the hotel staff. An excellent example of the advantages to be found in good fellowship and generous bribes. The elevator descended rather longer than I was comfortable with, but eventually opened onto the private car park underneath the hotel. Just a large concrete cavern, with row upon row of parked cars, illuminated by harsh fluorescent overhead lighting. Molly and I had a good look round, before we ventured into the massive cavern.
“Where’s the Security?” said Molly. “I don’t see any Security people down here.”
“Most of these cars can probably look after themselves,” I said. “Frankie assured me there were only a few basic staff here, to raise the alarm if the automatic systems failed.”
“This is a hell of a lot bigger than I expected,” said Molly. “In fact, I would say this cavern is actually bigger than the hotel it’s situated under. Look at all these cars! How are we going to find the Scarlet Lady in the midst of all this?”
She had a point. Parked cars stretched away in every direction. I didn’t even know where to start looking.
“This is probably the result of bigger on the inside than it is on the outside tech,” Molly said wisely. “Pretty much comes as standard in the Nightside these days. It’s the only way they can pack everything in.”
“I do wish you’d keep out of that place,” I said. “You know I don’t approve.”
“That’s why I do it,” said Molly. “And anyway, you know you hate hen nights. Hey! I just noticed—there’s no null zone down here! Not even a low-level one, like in our suite!”
“Presumably because it might disagree with some of the vehicles here,” I said.
“I’ve spotted some basic security cameras,” said Molly. “And spelled them not to notice us. As long as we don’t hang around here too long.”
“Then we’d better get a move on,” I said.
I led the way through the maze of parked cars, being very careful not to touch anything, or even get too close to some of the more arcane vehicles. Depressingly, most of them were just the obvious muscle cars and restored classics. Typical cars of the super-rich and up-themselves celebrities. Overpriced, fancy, bought by people with more money than sense. Or style. A few really old makes that looked like they were held together by only faith and baling wire. And just a few seriously futuristic jobs, floating serenely in their parking spaces as though wheels were beneath them. But given the number of Major Players, there was nothing that really stood out. No pink Rolls Royces, or Black Beauties. And no sign anywhere of the Scarlet Lady.
“Shouldn’t there be chauffeurs lounging around?” I said vaguely. “Waiting to be called to bring the cars to their owners?”
“Hotel Security doesn’t allow other people’s staff to just hang around,” said Molly. “I asked Frankie. All personal staff are holed up in their own rooms till the Games are over. The guests have to believe that everywhere in the hotel is secure, or they wouldn’t come. Look at these cars . . . ugly, Technicolor monstrosities. Nothing here with a touch of character. Nothing worth stealing. Just, Look at me! I’m expensive! I feel like exploding the lot of them. Just on general principles.”
“Let’s finish the mission first,” I said. “You can blow the whole hotel up once we’re finished. I’ll help.”
“It’s good when couples have interests in common,” said Molly.
I dug out my cell phone, and dialled the Scarlet Lady’s private number. Molly looked at me.
“The car has its own number?”
“Of course,” I said. “Comes as standard, when my uncle Jack has worked on a car. Hello? Scarlet Lady! This is your lord and master!”
“You wish,” said the car. “What do you want, big boy?”
“Sound your horn and flash your lights so we can find you,” I said.
“I’m right behind you,” said the car. “I’ve been watching you for ages.”
She blasted her horn, and half a dozen rows down, there she was, the Plymouth
Fury herself. Parked in her own little area of open space, with all the other cars packed up tightly together as though they were scared of her. Which was only common sense, really. I hurried over to join her, with Molly bringing up the rear and glancing suspiciously in every direction.
“I’m glad you’ve come down here,” said the car. “It’s so dull! Nothing to do, no one to talk to. Have you tried talking to a car? It’s boring! These cars have no character, and no conversation. And the few hotel staff on duty down here won’t come anywhere near me, after what I did to that uniformed twit who tried to park me.”
“What did you do to him?” I said, resignedly.
The car giggled, a deep, dark, disturbing sound. “He was a real disappointment, in every department. So I chased him round the parking bays a few times and then out the back entrance. Last I saw, he was still running. Teach him to disappoint a lady.”
“What are you, really?” I said.
“I’ll never tell!” said the Scarlet Lady. “An old broad like me needs to keep a few secrets. But you wouldn’t believe some of the things I can do. . . .”
“Can you fly?” I said, bluntly.
“Fly?” said the Scarlet Lady. “What makes you think I can fly? I’m a car!”
“I talked to my uncle Jack,” I said.
“Oh, him.” The car sniffed loudly. “Armourers should be like doctors—sworn to keep confidences. All right, yes, I can fly.”
“Really?” said Molly. “As in, up into the wild blue yonder?”
“Yes! Really!” said the car. “I am marvellous and amazing and can do many things. Though not for long, my power coils aren’t what they used to be.”
“I’m not going to ask,” I said.
“I wouldn’t,” said the car. “It would only upset you.”
“Can you fly us all the way up to the top of the Casino building?” I said.
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