Mob Sorcery 4 - Ch13

Sirens echoed in the distance. It definitely was time to bail.

“I want to ask what the fuck is wrong with you, but we don’t have time,” Vince said.

He whipped out his phone and snapped off a message to Nicki. Short and sweet.

Get here. Now.

Ashley harrumphed and crossed her arms over her breasts, which was a necessary gesture in her current state. Whatever fighting she’d been in left her clothes in tatters, and she hadn’t worn much to begin with. If it weren’t for the blood coating her pitch-black skin, she’d probably be showing off a nipple or two. Tube tops weren’t the best clothes for a fight.

“Who the fuck is this bitch and why haven’t you fed her to your dragon?” Zaira asked, hiding behind Vince and ducking her head out to glare at Ashley. “She’s a fucking demon! A gaki, even!”

A sneer warped Ashley’s face, and her claws dug into her arms. “Don’t call me one of your pitiful lost spirits, rat. I don’t eat rotting corpses.”

Vince placed a hand on Zaira’s head in an attempt to calm her. She bit into his barrier to no effect, but those incisors of hers would have left a mark even if they were blunt.

“I’m done here, Ashley,” he said, ignoring Zaira’s question. “The fire’s started, and I imagine it’s getting severe. But if you want to wreck the place properly, you’ll need to do it yourself. I need to bail.”

With a click of her tongue, Ashley waved him off. “Sure, whatever. I can make the fire spread with my magic, and if I can set off more sprinklers, I can do tons of damage. Just need to see if I can get the firefighters to hose the place, too.”

She’d given in far too easily. Part of him wondered if she ever intended to hold him here.

Had he been played? Did Ashley want something from the data center? She appeared strong enough to take out the entire goon squad that came to stop them. Maybe two more demons would have made the difference wherever she fought.

“Before I go, what the hell is this magic?” He waved a hand at the carnage around them. “If I get ID’d, I don’t want to get pinned for chopping the place up.”

She scowled. “Don’t worry. This obviously isn’t fire magic.”

“Not an answer.”

Her blue eyes bore into his, and he met her gaze. She drummed her fingers on her bare arms, sending droplets of blood flying with each tap.

“I told you, she’s a gaki,” Zaira said. “She eats corpses and uses their blood and bodies to fuel her magic. I saw her blood magic. It’s one thing to manipulate blood with water spells, another to use the magic inside it.”

Vince blinked. “Wait, there’s magic in blood?”

“Uh, fucking obviously? Do you think vampires drink it to for really long erections?”

He grimaced. Zaira talked like a much older and blunter woman, but possessed the body of an emaciated sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl.

On the other hand, teenage girls talked like her all the time. He’d just shrug it off and not think too hard. Not that he’d be showing any interest in her so long as she possessed this body—whatever that entailed. He didn’t even know if the bodies of spirits aged.

“It’s blood magic, sure,” Ashley admitted, looking away. “But I don’t eat anyone. Mostly it’s my blood.”

Vince frowned. “That’s why you let that shard of glass hit you when we first entered. You wanted a wound you can draw blood from.”

She nodded. “Yeah. Blood is loaded with magic, and its coded with the essence, signature, and all that technical shit that makes sorcerers spew garbage when they chatter. The big thing is that it’s way more efficient than drawing magic the normal way. You realized it, too, with that fuck-off dragon of yours.” She pointed at his summon. “Casting a spell fast and hard wins fights. And if I use the magic in blood, I can do that.”

“Even as a demon, you still need to draw the magic out,” he said. “And I bet your blood is potent.”

“Very.” She grinned. “Can’t use other people’s very well, though. That’s why blood magic has a bad rep, like necromancy. Once you start fucking with the magic essence of other people, the old fucks get nervous. And I mean the really old fucks. They vaporized an entire tech startup and had Bastet erase the memories of a bunch of wannabe dictator billionaires a few years back when they tried to build an essence-harvesting machine for automation. If they thought I was a threat…”

Ashley crossed her throat.

“Who knows?” Vince asked.

“Quintus. You. The rat.” She glared at Zaira, who gulped. “Probably more, but I have some strong anti-scrying wards inscribed into my body. Like, deep into my body, so the transformation magic can’t fuck with them.”

“Is there a price to keep your secret?” he asked.

Zaira’s eyes bulged and she choked on her own spit. Her fists pummeled his barrier futilely, calling him an idiot without words.

The fire raged in the data center, spreading rapidly to the second story and now covered a good third of the warehouse. It crackled and lit up their faces. Ashley’s visage remained awfully steady even in the eerie shadows cast by it.

“I mean, I can kill you,” Ashley said, voice utterly emotionless. “Quintus probably would. I reckon I’m pretty valuable, even if you’re his pet. But that’s not why you’re asking, is it?”

“No.”

A grin split her face. “You’re too much of a softie to try cutting a deal over this. I’ve got your number, V.”

“If I didn’t say anything, you wouldn’t have trusted me,” he said. “I’m not keeping your secret because I like you—”

“But we both have secrets.” She stepped up and bumped a fist against his arm. “I’ll keep the rat secret. But if she breathes a word to the Yakuza, our deal is mince. Got it?”

Both of them looked down at Zaira, who bared her teeth at them.

“Fine. Whatever,” Zaira said. “I swear to Amaterasu that I won’t tell the Yakuza.”

She’d acquiesced awfully quickly. Vince suspected a trap, but couldn’t imagine the loophole.

On the other hand, he doubted Ashley really cared that much. She’d admitted more people probably knew. Quintus kept her safe in Immanuel. What she likely valued was keeping the knowledge from other enforcers.

If Immanuel needed to attack the Yakuza, keeping them in the dark assisted Ashley. She’d also decrease in value if her trump card was known to everyone.

Within a minute, Nicki arrived on the scene. She circled once, before dropping to the ground next to them. Her wings fluttered nervously upon spotting the corpse split into multiple pieces. She stared at Vince’s still-active dragon.

“We’re safe, right?” she asked.

“Probably,” he said. “But I’m not taking any chances until you lift off.”

She nodded, then looked at Zaira. “This the pipsqueak we’re after? I expected some seasoned woman with big tits and a love for cigarettes and sake, not an actual kid.”

“Fuck you,” Zaira said, leaning on Vince. Her eyes fluttered closed. “I had big tits before I came here. Size of your head. Drank sake all the time, too. Fuck the cigs, though. Dumb shit for old men with dicks the size of what they smoked.”

Ashley cackled with laughter, while Nicki’s eyebrows shot up.

“Uh…” Nicki looked at him. “Isn’t she a kid?”

“I’m a fucking spirit. I was dancing in lightning storms when your great-great-great-great-great—” Zaira tried to say, before Vince shut her up by pressing down on her head.

“She’s possessing a teenage body, but she’s old.”

Zaira snarled at him. “Not old!”

“Just an electric rat that looks a lot like a pocket monster,” Nicki said.

“Yeah, yeah. Everybody makes that joke.” Zaira’s eyes glowed and her blonde hair stood on end. “Call me Pikachu once and you’ll find out what a hundred thousand volts feels like going through your veins. Hint: the answer is lethal.”

“Wow. I’m impressed you found somebody bitchier than me,” Nicki said.

“Nicki, don’t take this the wrong way, but you are the least bitchy woman standing here.”

That comment earned him three glares. He stood his ground. No lie had left his lips.

“Anyway, V, enjoy your bitches,” Ashley said, slapping him on the back. “I’ve got actual shit to do.”

While the hellhound vanished into the burning building, Nicki grabbed both him and Zaira. The raiju’s emaciated state meant the harpy carried him with her legs and Zaira in her arms.

They shot into the air, and Vince got a good look at the approaching emergency vehicles.

Several fire engines raced along the main road leading out to the industrial district, lights blaring. Black vans escorted them, along with several motorcycles. The fire alarm had tripped some special response alarm, ensuring REAT escorted the fire brigade to the scene.

Vince knew from experience that was a typical thing. Whenever enforcer activity was involved, the firefighters couldn’t act without police enforcers clearing the scene first. At a certain level of danger, that meant REAT.

He really didn’t want to tango with the dedicated anti-enforcer team the police used. Not that he’d fight them, but even fleeing as they arrived would be a bad look. Captain Frost would use it as an excuse to bring him in and fine his ass back to the stone age.

Arson was, after all, highly illegal. No enforcer contract let somebody get away with burning down the city. Ashley’s protection was the only thing that kept him safe.

“So, uh, where are we going?” Nicki called out as they flew.

“What the fuck kind of question is that?” Zaira snapped. “We’re making a getaway and you don’t even know where we’re going?”

“I can drop you, y’know?”

The raiju glared up at Nicki, who smirked.

“I’m worth more than you,” Zaira muttered.

“You’re the hired help. I live with Vince,” Nicki said.

“Fuck you.”

Vince sighed. He knew one place Zaira wasn’t going. His apartment. Nina would rip the rat’s head off within five minutes.

“Take us to Lionetti Tower,” he said. “Use the upper landings. I’ll call Fia to get us permission.”

“The Lionettis? Those has-been mafioso?” Zaira asked. “They were so small time they weren’t even part of the cleaning team sent to crush us months ago.”

“Last year,” Vince corrected. “It’s January.”

Zaira’s eyes widened, then she fell silent. Her gaze fell into the distance. Vince could only guess how long she’d been locked up for, but if she’d lost track of time, it had been for too long.

The Yakuza had made their presence known early last year, only to immediately get ganged up on and beaten into the ground by the conglomerates. Mei and her subordinates showed up months later to replace the shattered Yakuza branch.

But they had operated in great secrecy, biding their time until opportunity struck. That had been when Houou overplayed their hand and tried to destroy the Lionettis.

Even so, there had been hints that the conglomerates knew something was awry. Quintus acted as if he knew something would go down, and gave away nothing when Vince mentioned Mei’s name to him. Perhaps he’d known all along.

On the other hand, Houou certainly hadn’t known. Or at least had kept her name under wraps. The fox who attacked her store hadn’t known Mei had replaced the old kumicho.

All these happenings would be a complete mystery to Zaira. He wondered what he knew of the new Yakuza officers. Perhaps he might glean something if he brought up Kigenai or Mei.

But not out here. Not while anyone might scry him.

Nicki shot him an odd look, and he shook his head.

“We’re likely being scryed on,” he said. “The tower will have protections. Remember what Kiyoko said.”

“Gotcha.” Nicki nodded and sped up, shooting across the city and to the north.

He pulled out his phone and messaged Fia.

Coming in hot. Need to land in the tower, not on the ground, he said. Will explain when we arrive. Have a package.

I’ll have somebody waiting, Fia messaged back within thirty seconds.

It was still early afternoon. Vince felt as if the entire day had flown past, but Ashley had rushed the raid on the data center. No planning, no scoping out of the site—just a blind assault. In and out in under an hour. It wasn’t even 2PM.

Nicki flew into one of the upper taxi landings in Lionetti Tower. A purple barrier covered the open archways, and a red cross covered one half. When they landed on open side, Vince knew why.

A lanky birdgirl with orange and black plumage stood on the other side with a pair of suits. Both suited men appeared young and drunk as skunks. They staggered while trying to stand still, laughing at mumbled jokes. The woman crossed her arms, and Vince saw a similar pair of gloves to what Nicki wore. He guessed the birdgirl to be a falcon of some sort.

She saw them, nodded, then looked away. Then her eyes spotted Vince’s cane and she did a double-take. Her eyes widened.

While she said something, he didn’t hear her thanks to the barrier separating both halves of the room. When she gestured to her ear with a phone gesture, he got the point.

“Bitch, I fly Vince around,” Nicki muttered, glowering at the falcongirl.

The falcon merely winked at Nicki, ignoring the obvious sourness. As the runes keeping Vince locked in here lowered, the falcon picked up her customers and took off. An elite enforcer stepped in, wand drawn, then gestured them through the door.

“Are all the fliers who use these landings so impressive?” Vince asked, ignoring Nicki’s pout.

“Anyone that gets in here is vetted,” the enforcer explained while waving them through, eyes watching for any intruders. “You want to fly the best, you need to be the best.”

Nicki looked to the side and ran a hand through her hair, preening silently. Zaira smirked up at her.

Before the rat could say anything, the enforcer slammed the door shut behind them. “Fia’s waiting for you down below. She’s with your big lion girlie. Something big going down?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Not yet,” Vince said. Then he looked pointedly at Zaira. “Don’t mention the rat.”

The enforcer nodded, then pointed in the direction they needed to go.

Zaira kept silent as they strode to an elevator down to Alessia’s office floor. Her head swiveled like a bird’s, taking in the sights.

“I heard these pups were old news,” Zaira mumbled once they stepped into the elevator. “How the fuck do they have this ritzy palace to themselves?”

“They helped found the city, that’s how,” Nicki scoffed. “You stupid?”

“And the oldest Yakuza families date back to the Edo era, back when some of them were fronts for Knightsgate to hunt demons and heretics. None of them own their own goddamn skyscraper casinos.”

“Maybe they should have helped found a city then.”

Lucia and another bodyguard chilled in the lobby outside the elevator when they arrived. They shot Zaira an odd look, and Lucia rose.

“Whoa, V.” Lucia raised an open palm to stop him. “You’ve got a lot of latitude, but you can’t drag just anyone in here. Who the hell is this?”

“Our vault-cracker,” Vince said. “Keep her a secret, but Nina and Fia need to know about her ASAP.”

Lucia bit her lip, while Zaira scowled at her. Her expression tightened as she took in the girl’s state.

Fortunately, Fia strode out and ended the standoff.

“V, is this the raiju Nina mentioned?” she asked, looking Zaira up and down. Her eyes widened at her state. “Holy fucking shit. What the fuck were Immanuel doing to her?”

“Slavery, basically,” Vince said. “We should talk behind wards. Stronger ones.”

Lucia waved them inside, then made a gesture to the other bodyguard to zip it.

Vince, Zaira, and Nicki followed Fia into the same meeting room they’d been inside yesterday. The building plans remained pinned to the wall. Nina stood in front of them, hands on her hips.

“You were right,” Fia said as she entered. “He came back with the vault-cracker. She looks all kinds of fucked up.”

Nina looked over, saw Zaira, then broke out into cursing. “I knew Immanuel would do something shady with any Yakuza they kept alive, but have they been starving her to death?”

“Nah, they gave me an IV drip,” Zaira said.

Nina’s hands planted themselves on the rat’s shoulders, eclipsing the teen’s frame. Nina was huge, and Zaira’s malnutrition only made things worse.

“The fuck did you bring her right here, Vince?” the lioness snapped at him, rubbed Zaira’s shoulders gently. “You shoulda gotten her some food and clothes right away. I don’t know how you got her from Immanuel—”

“Broke me out, murdered some demons, and burned the place down,” Zaira chirped.

Nina stopped moving, and Fia’s eyebrows shot up. Nicki covered her mouth with one hand in a failed attempt to cover her laugh.

“I said we needed to talk behind wards for a reason,” Vince said drily. “That was why I came right here.”

Glaring at him, Nina yanked them inside and slammed the doors shut. “We’ve had wards up all day. Fia, can you get the casino to bring some food down? And clothes?”

“Already on it.” Fia tapped away at her phone. “I’d ask your size, but I’m guessing it’s gone down a lot.”

“Yeeaaaahhhhh.” Zaira grimaced while looking down at herself. “I’ll take whatever. Once you hook me up with Knightsgate, I’ll get some healing and should be right as rain. Good enough to pay you back and help with whatever you’re breaking into.” She narrowed her eyes at the building plans, then smirked. “Something big. That’s a fuckton of vaults and more wards than a damn bank.”

Everyone looked at each other over Zaira’s head, and Vince shook his head.

He hadn’t explained the situation to Zaira. She knew about Kiyoko, but appeared to be making assumptions.

First things first, getting her fed and dressed took priority. He also needed to explain what went down with Ashley.

His story was as well received as he expected. Nina punched him in the arm hard enough to bruise when he admitted agreeing to Ashley’s deal.

“Idiot,” she said. “I told you she was a bloodthirsty maniac. If she wanted you for a job, it was for big fight.”

“Well, it wasn’t as big as I expected,” he said. “Not even sure why she dragged me along.”

Especially if she used her secret magic.

Nina raised an eyebrow, but listened silently as he explained what he encountered. He left out Ashley’s blood magic.

Sure, he trusted Nina and loved her, but he’d made a deal. Of all the people who Ashley didn’t want to know about her secret, Nina would rank damn high on the list. The risk of the hellhound testing Nina and fucking them over was even higher.

“The succubus,” Nina said abruptly, as he wrapped up. “I’ve heard that Ashley’s weak to mental magic. Berserker and all that. If she knew Sanchez had a succubus in his goon squad, she’d have avoided the fight until she had somebody strong enough to handle her. That was you.”

Damn. And he’d nearly gotten part of his brain melted.

“Don’t feel too bad,” Fia added. “Mental magic is fucking awful stuff. We’ve got some tools to protect us, but there aren’t many and you need Alessia’s or Pola’s permission to use one. Well, Alessia’s, as Pola never hands them out as she doesn’t know how much they cost.”

“A lot,” Nina growled. “A combat-suitable one goes for the price of a good car, and costs as much to recharge. It doesn’t help that the best source of mental magic protection are the same bitches who are most likely to crack your mind open and eat it for fun.”

“I’ll hit Salome up and see if I can get a discount,” he said drily.

Both women looked at him, then each other. They rolled their eyes.

“Just make sure you can get home, playboy,” Fia said. “I’m not picking you up from a succubus play den.”

Zaira’s mouse ears pricked up and she looked over at them. She sat at the table, hunched over a massive platter of sushi, miso soup, tempura, and fried chicken. Fia hadn’t known what to get her, so had simply ordered Japanese food. The casino obliged with surprisingly authentic food. Zaira had started drooling the moment Lucia carried the platter in.

Nicki sat nearby, messing around on her phone. Probably playing that mobile game of hers.

“Even if we have a vault-cracker, the question is what we do—” Fia began to say, before somebody knocked on the door.

She frowned, then strode over. Vince sensed the magic swirling around her and prepared to summon a barrier.

Only for the door open to reveal the other bodyguard. She rubbed the back of her neck.

“Uh, that tengu is here, Fia,” the bodyguard said. “You never mentioned meeting her today, so we’ve locked down the lift.” Her eyes darted over to Zaira, who snapped bolt upright.

“Tengu?” Zaira asked.

“Sit,” Vince said, earning himself a glare. “Kiyoko probably scryed me. These two have history, apparently.”

“Hopefully nobody else did,” Fia said. “This is dicey as it is.”

“Ashley moved fast to minimize the odds somebody would scry us. Kiyoko knew I was chasing up Zaira, and might have already known about the tension between Quintus and Sanchez. The same can’t be said about others.”

“Hopefully.” Fia shook her head. “Send Kiyoko up,” she ordered the bodyguard. “Have Lucia keep Alessia in her office.”

Vince suspected that was code for “bolt the damn doors.” Kiyoko was bad news in general, and had only increased in danger with the revelation of her divination magic.

A few minutes later, the tengu entered the room. Zaira bounced out of her chair, her face covered in crumbs and mayonnaise. She’d changed into clothes that could pass as a fancy school uniform. Dark blue jacket, collared white shirt with lace, and a pleated blue skirt, all completed with black stockings. The jacket and skirt covered the poor fit of her clothes.

Kiyoko froze the second she saw Zaira. For the first time since Vince had met the tengu, he swore he saw years in her eyes.

“Furi,” Kiyoko breathed out, voice hoarse.

Zaira stopped dead and hissed. “Don’t call me that! I’m Zaira here. I know you never change your damn name, but I do. It’s good opsec, birdbrain. Centuries in Knightsgate guarding temples and destroying evil spirits has left you dumb as a sack of rocks.”

Whatever emotions Kiyoko had briefly displayed vanished, leaving behind her usual impassive face. “You have not changed at all. This body suits you, as mistreated as you have been. Perhaps you have learned some humility.”

“Nah.”

Kiyoko sighed. She turned to face Vince and bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle. “I apologize for how unprepared I left you today. While I knew somewhat of Zaira’s dilemma, the likelihood that it would turn into such a… disastrous incident so quickly did not occur to me. The chaotic nature of Immanuel’s officers escapes me.”

“So you knew of the issues between Sanchez and Quintus?” Vince asked, keeping his expression neutral.

“I knew Overlord Sanchez was upsetting Immanuel’s established order. It had been my expectation that your intervention may have enabled you to retrieve Zaira, either by relying on your connections to Quintus Hierum to pressure Sanchez, or by blackmailing Sanchez.”

He grimaced. “Quintus was a no go. I’ve been told expressly that if he finds out about Zaira, he’ll make moves against us to stop us stealing the soul egg.”

A long silence. Kiyoko stared at him. Zaira’s tails, hair, and ears attempted to reach the ceiling.

“Does he know?” Kiyoko asked, voice whistling in Vince’s ears.

“No,” he said.

Nina winced and raised her hand. “Uh, I suggested that part. Immanuel already helped take out the Yakuza before. I doubt they’ll sit idly by if—”

“It is fine,” Kiyoko interrupted. “Discretion is a wise approach to take. Although I have been told many times to assume Quintus Hierum always knows what I am up to and to act accordingly.”

“Good advice,” Nina said. “You don’t survive the fall of so many civilizations without knowing how to keep an ear to the ground. Japan might have gone through dynasties, but Quintus has seen the rise and fall of entire nations.”

“A soul egg!” Zaira shouted, raising her arms into the air while looking at everyone as if they were insane. “What the fucking fuck are you talking about?”

They all looked at her, then Kiyoko returned her gaze to Vince.

“I take it you haven’t explained anything?” she asked him.

“Uh, I’ve been busy,” he said. “I just mentioned your name and she stopped trying to kill me.”

Kiyoko glared at Zaira, who raised an eyebrow in return.

“What?” the raiju asked. “I didn’t want to get dragged from one slave owner to another and…” She frowned. “Hang on, when did you learn English? I know you have a mask that translated for you when you used to go to Dejima or deal with missionaries, but it’s missing.”

Kiyoko turned her head to one side and proudly tapped her earbuds. “Vince gave me the idea to purchase earbuds with translation features and customizable software.”

Zaira stared at her old friend, then at Vince. A knowing smirk rose to her face. “Vince did, huh?”

A fluttering sound filled the air as Kiyoko’s wings snapped out. She glared at Zaira, her cheeks glowing red.

Both women stared at each one. Kiyoko in anger, Zaira with an arrogant smugness that only a teenager could muster.

“To answer your earlier question, yeah, a soul egg,” Fia said. “That’s what in the main vault. Houou has one.”

“Houou…” Zaira frowned. “I mean, yeah, I can imagine they have one. Probably stole it when they left. But how the fuck do you know a damn thing about it? They could have sold it to the US as part of the deal they made to set up shop here. I never heard a damn thing.”

Kiyoko gave Zaira a strange look. “The kumicho told me that the information about it came from her predecessor.”

“Uh, what?” The raiju blinked. “Oh. Shit, everything’s changed, hasn’t it? If Knightsgate has brought you over, then it’s all new.”

“I’m not with Knightsgate, Zaira. I am the fuku-honbucho of the Aulfair branch of the Yakuza,” Kiyoko explained. “Above me is Kigenai, a Qilin, operating as wakagashira, and Mei Suwa—”

“Fucking who?” Zaira paused, then ran a hand down her face. “Like, I can accept you joined the Yakuza to get over here. This is a fucking hellhole and Knightsgate treat it like the backwater it is. Feels as dumb as the worst times of the inbred Tokugawa shoguns, and I bet the doggo here would compare it the fall of Italy.”

“Don’t call me a dog,” Fia said coldly.

“But Mei Suwa? The cold bitch whose only consistent trait is ambition and backstabbing everyone in her path? She’s the kumicho?” Zaira stared at Kiyoko. “Why the fuck is she out here? She should be riding the Emperor’s cock or something.”

Kiyoko shifted uncomfortably. Vince frowned in response.

He’d never seen her react so oddly to any mention of Mei before.

“Yes, she is the kumicho,” Kiyoko said. “I doubt she will be here long. Her purpose is to establish a strong foundation for Knightsgate and the Yakuza and to greatly weaken Houou. That is why we are stealing the soul egg that powers a significant portion of their industry. I expect her to return to Japan with it afterward.”

Zaira said nothing. Her eyes narrowed to slits and she looked between Vince and Kiyoko.

“Fuuuuck.” The raiju sighed. “I need healing, and the good stuff. But I’d prefer not to deal with a bitch who takes politics so deep you can see it bulging out the front. I’ll do the job. Afterward, I’ll… figure shit out.”

Kiyoko said nothing. Vince saw the disappointment in her eyes, though.

Even without an explanation, he understood. Kiyoko might or might not have come here for Zaira, but she certainly cared.

But Zaira had come for a specific reason. If spirits tended to die permanently outside Japan, they wouldn’t leave for shits and giggles. Zaira hadn’t intended to return. Whether she would now, given her awful opinion of the States was another matter.

But she hadn’t said as much. For all Vince knew, she’d hope on a plane and fuck off to Europe once the job was done.

“We can put you up in the hotel here,” Fia said, finally breaking the silence. “Drop her off once she’s healed.”

Kiyoko nodded. “Thank you. I’ll make arrangements to cover her costs.”

Fia opened her mouth to say something, then thought better of it. She shook her head. “I’m guessing this shouldn’t come up on Monday, when we meet with Mei?”

“No. I will tell the kumicho that you have acquired a suitable vault-cracker and that I have verified her skills. That will satisfy her.”

Zaira scratched her cheek. “You’re a bigger risk taker than I remember, Kiyo.”

“One cannot succeed in Aulfair by playing by the rules,” Kiyoko said. “The very air stinks of corruption. While there are bright spots here, it operates by a loose set of principles. Principles that only apply when those with power deem them suitable. We should be off.”

Squawking, Zaira raced back over to her food. “I’m not finished eating! This is the best food I’ve eaten since arriving here.”

While watching the rat demolish the rest of her food platter, Vince suspected Fia was damn glad she hadn’t refused the offer to pay for Zaira’s stay. She would eating a lot, and the hotel food wouldn’t be cheap. Especially as she’d likely be staying in the VIP room near the Lionetti condo here.

Kiyoko eventually dragged Zaira away, but not before sweeping off all the crumbs with a blast of wind magic. She grimaced at the stains on the clothing.

“I shall ensure this outfit is cleaned and pressed when I return her,” Kiyoko said with a final bow. “And the same shall go with Zaira.”

“Don’t press me!” Zaira whined, trying to free herself from Kiyoko’s iron grip.

They watched the two go, until they vanished in the elevator. Lucia raised an eyebrow at them.

“So, are they sisters, or…?” she asked.

Unfortunately, while they had acquired a vault-cracker, that didn’t mean everything was done. Nina and Fia retreated into the planning room.

Vince sure as hell was done, though. His exhaustion hit him like a truck when he slumped in a chair. Nina massaged his shoulders idly.

“You should go home and rest,” she said. “I’d like us to get some proper training done over the next few days. We’ve got the atelier and today was busy. Plus, Fia needs to chase up a contact for the job.”

“The internal handler?” he asked.

Fia looked over and nodded. “I have somebody in mind. An old. Goes back a long way, but retired even before the Houou attack. Has stories of the real old days. He helped Alessia get the device dumps from Arnulfo, apparently. Real cloak and dagger guy, but with shit hitting the fan, he might be willing to do one final job despite the risk. Just…” She looked away, and pain filled her eyes.

Vince recognized the look. “He’s old, and I’m guessing he has kids.”

“Grandkids,” Fia said. “He’s old enough to have gray hairs, and that’s fucking old for wolffolk. Can probably bench press half the capos at the same time still, but he’s been out of it for ages. Alessia brought him back in for something easy. Asking him to do this is…”

“He’s a veteran,” Nina said, eyes hard. “Explain what’s happening and the risks. If he says no, find somebody else. But the fact he’s even an option means this is a big fucking deal. I’m not going to tell an enforcer who has probably raised enforcers better than me what he can and can’t do.”

Fia swallowed, then smiled. “Thanks. I needed that. Even Alessia couldn’t say much. He’s not an uncle, but definitely old enough to be one. Asking a veteran like him to die for her was beyond her.”

With that, Fia turned away and returned to analyzing the plans. Nicki wandered over.

“Take Vince home,” Nina said.

He wanted to refuse, but knew better.

The day had been long, and he was exhausted.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said. “We’re preparing for the meeting with Mei, right?”

“Definitely. It’s slim, but she might pull something. Or somebody else might,” Nina said.

The last thing Vince needed was another assassination attempt.

On the other hand, meeting the eight-tailed kumicho of the Yakuza was challenge enough. With only weeks before the heist, and days before confirming how much support Mei would give them, he needed to give his all.