Mob Sorcery 4 - Ch4

Training lasted all day. They ate the microwaved meals and blew through most of their bottled water and several energy drinks, plus a couple of infusions. Nina forced him to use hers, as they were less valuable than Ally’s. Both in cash and magical potency.

“Infusion prices tanked pretty hard over December,” Nina said while downing an energy drink as they ate lunch. “All the gangs and conglomerates bought up the supply when the conference came to town, and it took a couple of weeks for prices to normalize.”

“Faster than I expected,” Vince said.

“The police crackdown was on public violence, not smuggling. If anything, the chaos during the conference took the heat off Aulfair’s most famous racket.” Then she grimaced. “Politics has been nasty, though. The NASTA conference made some decisions that really pissed off Washington.”

He paused. While Wagner, Alessia, and other power players had hinted at what came out of the big sorcerer conference in late November, he’d never heard for sure what came of it. NASTA was the North American association of sorcerers or something. He’d forgotten the acronym since it was last explained to him, and nobody spelled it out.

All the news he saw had focused on the attempts on his life, and he’d been more focused on training and work than usual. Christmas last year had been the busiest he’d had it, and Nina often skipped the morning news when eating with him and Nicki. Assuming he was even awake when she left for work.

“I’ll bite,” he said. “Wagner said something about trade opening with Japan. But I thought we already traded with Japan? What gives?”

Nina nodded, and a small smile lit up her face. “President Davis is cracking down on magic—internal catalyst trading across state borders, the use in industry, grey area businesses, the works. This year’s NASTA conference was all about opening new trade avenues outside the US. Hence why Japan showed up in force.”

“But if we’re already trading—”

“Buh-buh-buh!” His girlfriend pressed a finger against his lips. “Mundane trade links with Japan have never been in danger. That’s why there’s a huge Japanese presence in New York. But Aulfair and Wagner froze them out after the conflict in South-East Asia in the 1940s. We’ve basically been doing the US’s foreign policy against Japan for 80 years.”

The situation finally clicked in Vince’s mind and he sighed. “And because of Davis, that freeze ended. Even Wagner is opening up trade. Aulfair is treating Japan the same as the rest of corporate America.”

“Yup.” She took a noisy slurp of her energy drink and slung her arm around Vince. “It’s probably why the Yakuza can build a foothold this time. The immortals still want to oust them, as they’re happy to wait a decade or three for the mood to turn. But the sorcerers threw in the towel, and they’re the biggest consumers of catalysts. Wagner, though…”

“He’s a big deal. Even I know that.”

“Yeah. The news that he’s withdrawn entirely from all his positions and association with the US government is still barely in the news. He timed it well to limit exposure, as few people care about the news right now, but he’s the most powerful person in the US. Nobody can ignore him.”

Vince wanted to say he didn’t care about any of this. He used to be able to.

Now? He’d met Wagner in person, and the US’s position on Japan affected his current job with the Yakuza. While he couldn’t affect international politics, being aware that the winds were changing helped him make smart decisions.

He also knew that Alessia thought about this all the time. She would never have risked allying with the Yakuza, even temporarily, if not for the current political situation.

If Wagner backed the change and the Yakuza didn’t double-cross them, would this temporary alliance become a permanent one? The Yakuza and mafia allied against the conglomerates of Aulfair?

That question stood way above Vince’s pay grade. He pushed it away and returned to training.

Today focused on their current skills, and any gaps they spotted in them from the last fight. Despite Nina’s speech about not worrying about weaknesses and just getting stronger, the truth of training was murkier.

“I’m rusty as hell,” she said while surrounded by her amber barrier. “What surprises me is what I’ve gotten worse at. I can still cast a lot of my best spells at full power, and maybe only lose a fraction of my cast time. My barrier is another matter.”

“Aren’t barriers basically the same for everyone?” Vince asked.

“Basically, yeah. Just with some minor differences, like…” Nina walked up to him and put her hand through the wall of red light that surrounded him.

He grimaced. Her grip tightened for a moment before she let go.

“If you nearly lost an arm, you should probably think about fixing that problem. I can guess why it exists—when you were younger, you struggled with letting the right stuff pass through your barrier,” she said.

“I nearly suffocated once,” he admitted. “The other problem was letting my hands and stuff I’m holding pass through, like infusions. I found that incredibly complicated.”

“Not surprising. Fire is the hardest element to cast a barrier with. Most fire enforcers I worked with used barrier rings.”

“Ally said the same thing. But my barriers are stronger than almost anyone I know.”

Nina shrugged. “You should know by now there’s a difference between learning the spell and actually casting it. I learned barriers effortlessly—so effortlessly I’ve easily forgotten how to cast strong ones. You struggled to nail your barrier down, but once you did it’s arguably your best spell. Your barriers are practically a meister-tier spell. The hard part is going to be adjusting it now it’s so solidified in your mind.”

Vince intrinsically understood the problem she referenced.

Barriers were an initiate-tier spell. Essentially, a spell so fundamental to magic that its effects weren’t adjustable. A barrier was as strong as the magic pumped into it.

By contrast, wizard-tier spells had elements that were explicitly adjustable while being cast. Vince’s flame cage could be different sizes and shapes. When battling Gabriela a few nights ago, he’d turned the cage into a wall of bars. The most flexibility he could hope to get with his barrier was to spread it over an object he was touching, like a car.

That lack of flexibility came with a strong upside: they tended to be strong as hell. The complexity of a spell didn’t make it inherently better. An initiate-tier spell was a haymaker formed of magic. Vince’s fireballs were just huge balls of magical flame, and his barrier was a wall of magic. No fancy tricks meant no magic wasted on bullshit.

It also meant that he’d cast his initiate-tier spells a lot. That reinforced the spells to a level equivalent to his knowledge of the alphabet. Altering an initiate-tier spell was a monumental effort and not something done lightly.

Fixing a fuckup from his teenage years might take weeks of concerted effort.

“I’m afraid that I can only offer limited assistance,” Daji said in his mind. “I’ve relearned the basics of magic several times over my life, as I need to grasp the currents of mana anew with each body. I can offer help with the process, but it will still be gruelling. But I have an alternative.”

Vince grimaced while Nina busied herself with her own barrier training.

“Oh, don’t be so negative,” Daji teased. “I offered alternatives to a simple buff to your spells, yes? If you need a more complete barrier, you can use mine. It can cover for your weaknesses while you retrain and with our combined power I’m confident in its resilience.”

He opened his mouth to response, then scowled. He needed a way to speak to Daji in his mind.

“I can read your thoughts. Try thinking,” she said drily.

My barrier is the one thing that keeps me alive. I never want to rely on somebody else for it, he thought, projecting his thoughts at the egg in his pocket.

“So loud,” she said. “But fine. Just remember the offer is there.”

While he wasted an hour trying to alter his barrier and failing, most of the day was spent on his fire tornado. Nina kept her distance while he cast it. Bringing down its cast time would be a matter of practice.

Without Daji’s help, it still took several minutes. He hoped to spend a couple of weeks on it and bring it down to 30 seconds at most, but with so much to prepare this month, he doubted he’d get it down to the 10-15 seconds he wanted.

“Take things slow,” Nina said as they packed up at nightfall. “We can train 24/7 here if necessary, but I don’t think it’s worth burning ourselves out yet. This isn’t a cartoon where we can live without relaxation. The heist is a job, not our life’s crowning achievement. Plus, you’ll get torn apart if you ignore everyone.”

As if to prove her point, his phone buzzed with several messages as they left the atelier. Whatever the place was built from, it blocked cellular signal.

All but one message was from Pola. He checked the other one first.

I’m flying back today, Ally said. I’ll reopen the store tomorrow, so come by whenever you can. Mama’s got some great ideas for your custom magic tool.

She’d attached a selfie of herself in what looked like an airline lounge, complete with coffee and cake. Several voluminous red fox tails curled behind her. Vince didn’t count carefully, but he swore there were more than four.

Nina leaned over his shoulder and abruptly leaned on his head with her chin. Her tits pressed against his back.

“I think I see what Fia’s been talking about,” Nina said in a neutral tone. “That pic above it. Did she send that on New Year’s Eve? Who’s her sister?”

“That’s her mother,” Vince said drily as he pulled the photo of Ally and her mother up.

Nina spluttered. “Fucking what? Damn foxes. I bet that old bitch is 500 years old or something, and she looks younger than me.”

Vince tried turning around to look at Nina, only to press his face into her boobs. She took a step back.

He gave his girlfriend a solid assessment, then gave her a thumbs up.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.

“I don’t think you need to worry about looking old,” he said.

She gave him a playful swat on the arm, but the way she hung onto him as they descended in the elevator made the next few minutes awkward.

He checked Pola’s messages. As he should have expected, they were needy requests for him to respond or come visit her. An animated emoji of a wolfgirl rolling around on the floor awaited him at the bottom of the message chain.

“The best thing I can say is that she’s honest,” Nina said.

“I mean—” he began to say.

“I’m not going to be the clingy and jealous girlfriend who demands you stay with me all the time. I pushed you to get the pride, and I get you more than Pola.” Her eyes narrowed. “Even if I think the reason she badgers you instead of just visiting like Fia is because she’s scared of me.”

With a snort, he typed out a response to Pola.

Just finished training. Where are you? he asked.

She replied instantly, The capo bar. Come join us.

Several emojis of beers clinking together followed. Vince might have gotten hammered on Sunday night, but Pola and the Lionetti wolfgirls never slowed their drinking.

“Oh, they’re at the bar?” Nina grinned. “Why don’t we both visit her? I bet we can invite Fia along if she’s not there already. She’s so busy planning the heist.”

They handed back the security fobs to the front desk of the building on their way out, before stopping on the street outside. The area was deserted.

Vince had expected to see office workers trundling toward the subway, but suspected many of them drove or had already left. Only two days into the new year, many were likely enjoying the lighter traffic or working from home, too.

“I’ll message Fia in a second,” he said, frowning up at the sky. “How are we getting to Lionetti Tower?”

“Uhhhh…” Nina scowled. “We really need a second flier. Or a car. Couldn’t the Lionettis have built their damn tower near public transport?”

He shot her an amused look before flicking Fia a message.

Pola wants us to join her at the tower. Any chance we can get a lift somehow? I doubt taking random Wings fliers is a good idea, he said.

After the assassination attempts, using randos to get around the city would end poorly. Plus, Vince might be recognized by any Wings flier. One had died during the attack by the fox assassins and Wings’ insurance hadn’t paid out because they were an archetypical corporation.

Fia messaged back after a minute, during which Nina and Vince sauntered toward the subway. Public transport would eventually get them to the tower. Who knew if the buses would even turn up this week.

Lucia will have somebody pick you up, Fia said. Can you come up and say hi to me and Alessia when you arrive? Pola can wait before she paws you up in front of the capos.

“Wow, sneaking in a threesome before meeting with Pola,” Nina said. “Daring.”

Vince shot his girlfriend a look. “I don’t think that’s her intention.”

A wink. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

He gave Lucia his location and a black SUV turned up several minutes later. Just one for once. He recognized the wolfgirls who stepped out, tails wagging.

Nina raised a hand in greeting to a familiar pair of enforcers, but Vince stopped her dead in her tracks.

These your girls? he asked Lucia.

Nina waited patiently, while the lead Lionetti tilted her head.

“What’s up? We’re your ride to Lionetti Tower, V,” the wolfgirl said.

“Just making sure.” Nina’s eyes narrowed.

Both wolfgirls shifted nervously.

Lucia had taught Vince to always check who came to pick him up, just in case. But he’d felt off when this duo showed up alone in one of the special SUVs set aside for the family. Why would an SUV be so close without a capo?

More to the point, why were they nervous that he was checking with Lucia?

His phone buzzed. Lucia’s caller ID came up.

The tails of both wolfgirls puffed up, and Nina rolled her shoulders. Her barrier sprang to life.

Vince’s hand fell to his cane, but right as he was about to cast his barrier, a pair of old black sedans rolled around the corner. Benzes, and of similar age and model to Fia’s. They roared up the empty street.

Without a word, both “wolfgirls” leaped into the SUV and gunned it. Their vehicle tore away.

Nina watched in silence, flexing her gauntlet.

“Good call,” she said, staring after the fleeing SUV. “That’s the second time you’ve stopped me when I’ve made an assumption. I really have gotten rusty. I have all the knowledge up here”—she tapped the side of her head—“but I forget to use it at the right time.”

The sedans came to a juddering halt next to them, and Vince finally answered the call from Lucia.

“Vince!” Fia snapped, speaking in place of the wolfgirl bodyguard he expected to hear from. “Tell me you didn’t get in the car of whoever turned up earlier!”

“It’s fine,” he said, waving at the enforcers pouring out of the sedans. “That’s why I checked. Whoever the hell they were, they left the second the sedans turned up. Tell me these two are yours?”

Rather than answer, Fia fell silent.

A familiar capo got out of a sedan and looked at her phone a second later. Then Lucia’s voice came over Vince’s phone.

“It’s them,” Lucia said. “I’ll get an update from you once you get here about what happened. It’s clear we have leaks that go beyond Vanna but this…”

He had a feeling she might know who the leak was, but was unwilling to say it over the phone.

“Talk to you soon,” he said, before hanging up.

“Always nice to know all the security shit drilled into us is finally coming in use,” the capo drawled. She bumped fists with Nina. “A few of us are assigned to watch over the old Siragusa businesses downtown after the recent mess, so if you need a lift we can organize something directly.”

That explained how they’d turned up so quickly. The reason Arnulfo had been in contact with the cartel’s dodgy security broker had been because he used them for his businesses downtown, which were beyond traditional Lionetti territory.

Nina and Vince piled into the back of one sedan. Soon after, they took off toward northern Albion and Lionetti Tower.

While the capo kept up a rambling conversation with Vince and the enforcer driving them, Nina stared out the window in silence. Her eyes held a sharp clarity to them, and he knew she was laser focused on what had just gone down.

Now wasn’t the time to talk about it. He let her stew.

The streets of Albion appeared livelier than Vince expected. At this time of year, the hot and cold parts of the city varied drastically from the norm. Tourists flocked to the city while many office workers chilled out or went on holiday. The lack of snow here, and presence of plenty of it elsewhere, meant it was a great time for locals to leave and let outsiders take over.

In fact, that had been the tradition of the Lionetti sisters. Maybe next year he’d be able to indulge with Pola.

A large security presence patrolled the exterior of Lionetti Tower, although it mostly comprised the corporate security of Lionetti Enterprises rather than the underworld enforcers of the family itself. The sedans pulled up and let Nina and Vince out.

“Remember, we’re available to help if you’re spending time downtown,” the capo reminded Vince. “Better safe than sorry. And don’t take candy from strangers in black SUVs.”

She winked at him before the car took off.

A small crowd of well-dressed socialites looked at Vince and Nina on their way into Lionetti Tower. Vince could tell they weren’t high rollers, but Nicki had mentioned the hotels were busy this week. Apparently a lot of people felt like gambling their Christmas bonuses away.

He and Nina followed the socialites into the atrium, but kept their distance. Or tried to. Security pulled the group aside before they reached the elevators for scanning and pat downs, while ignoring Vince and Nina.

One of the women in the group glowered at them. “How come they don’t get checked?”

An enforcer followed her gaze, then rolled her eyes. “They’re with the Family.”

Nina raised her gauntlet and clacked her fingers together menacingly with a grin. Vince gave her a push, eliciting a laugh from the lioness.

Once inside an elevator and away from prying ears, Nina’s good mood vanished. She tapped the floor for Alessia’s office and leaned against the wall.

“Ready to talk?” he asked her.

“I already said my piece,” she said. “I’m out of practice. Training in the atelier is one thing, but I’ve spent five years attuning myself to the doldrums of office work. The traps I’ve trained myself to catch are related to office politics, not actual traps that will get us killed.”

“You’re exaggerating. Plus, Lucia tore me a new one when I didn’t check the first time, which is why I do it every time now.”

Nina frowned, then nodded. “It might help if I involve myself at least a little in some of the day-to-day stuff you do, then. Ironically, only being called in for big jobs has meant I haven’t needed to pay attention to the little things. If I fuck up the heist because of something tiny, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“You’re always so harsh on me,” Vince mused. “I guess I should have known you’d be this harsh on yourself.”

She reached out and ruffled his hair. “You don’t improve if you forgive your own mistakes too easily. That’s the path of mediocrity. Or the people who fake it until they make it, I guess. Working in an office taught me that there’s plenty of room for the talentless to succeed in life by pretending to be useful and supporting each other.”

Given the sullen mood his girlfriend found herself in, Vince allowed himself to be used as a teddy bear as the elevator rose. The fact she held him against her tits helped a lot.

They arrived to find a pair of bodyguards playing a strange board game that involved hexagonal tiles on a table. Tall glasses of coke sat beside them, although the bottle of whiskey beneath the table suggested they weren’t non-alcoholic drinks.

“Got bored of cards?” Vince asked as he approached.

“Alessia got us something new for Christmas, so we’re trying it out,” one bodyguard said. “Also, we’re banned from playing Vice until this business with the Yakuza is dealt with. Given the swearing we heard earlier, I’m guessing that’s for good reason.”

She played a hex tile with a wave symbol on it next to several other tiles. It glowed, and the other tiles responded in kind. Several of their symbols changed. Vince guessed the rules relied on magic, but had little interest in learning himself. The wag of her wolf’s tail suggested she’d done well.

He and Nina left them behind as they walked past and entered the conference room he’d used with Pola to plan Arnulfo’s assassination. Alessia, Fia, and Lucia lurked within.

A large map lay across the table, which surprised him. Alessia preferred digital planning, and a huge piece of paper or canvas stuck out like a sore thumb. It appeared to contain building plans.

Lucia and Fia dressed the same as usual, sporting designer clothes that blended in with the rest of the enforcers. Whereas Alessia continued her trend of never wearing the same dress twice.

Her strapless dress was violet this time and transformed into layers of lacy chiffon just past her waist that teased Vince’s eyes with her thighs. Black stockings covered her legs, but above her chest she wore only the enormous sapphire necklace that contained Wagner’s protective magic. Her lipstick matched the color of her dress, and amethyst studs glittered from her ears.

Vince frowned. “I just realized I still need to enchant your earrings with a color-changing spell. I’ve been so busy—”

Alessia smiled at him and shook her head. “Really, Vince? Unknown assailants intercept an escort I provide for you and the first thing you say to me is an apology for not improving your gift to me at Christmas?”

“I didn’t even know he was making your gift better. Do I get a second gift?” Fia drawled.

The don shot her advisor a sharp look. “Given how you howled on Christmas Eve, I think you already did.”

Fia’s face flared and she looked away, while Nina cackled.

“I’d love to see you girls continue being catty, but I’m guessing we should get to work before Pola finds us,” Nina said. She looked around with a raised eyebrow, her lion ears twitching. “Surprised she’s not here.”

“Pola’s not involved with the heist,” Alessia said, and raised a palm before Nina could react. “Not as a slight, but because we’re busier than ever. Integrating our new territory will be a lot of work, so I’m leaving that to Pola. Fia will take charge of the heist. If both are involved in the same job, it will cause issues.”

“It will?” Vince frowned. “Why?”

Fia and Alessia looked at each other, and the don inclined her head at Fia.

“Not because of infighting,” Fia explained. “It’s a rank thing. I’m not officially consigliere, for one. Even if I was, Pola stands above me in the enforcer hierarchy.”

Vince stared at her. “This is a weird mafia hierarchy thing, isn’t it? I thought the sottocapo and consigliere were of equal rank?”

“In the same way that two generals are, but they can have different responsibilities,” Alessia said. “Pola is the boss of all enforcers. Save for my direct orders, hers are unquestionable. Fia can now order around the capos as consigliere, but can’t go against Pola. On the other hand, Pola can’t officially speak against me on official matters, but Fia can.”

Nina nodded. “Basically, Fia can criticize and offer opinions, but because Pola has more actual authority she can’t act on them if they’re harmful.”

“Yes. The influence of the consigliere is beneficial, as capos can be narrow minded due to the focus on following orders. At the same time, rogue consigliere can only do so much damage as they can always be overruled by the sottocapo.”

The lioness crossed her arms. “And is Pola likely to be involved because of what happened a little while ago?”

Three wolfgirls scowled. Alessia signaled for Lucia to shut the doors, and the don activated an anti-eavesdropping ward from a bracelet.

Nina rolled her eyes and cast her own. “No offense, Alessia, those tools of yours are pretty good, but far from the best.”

“The ward is mostly an additional precaution, but noted,” Alessia said. “Lucia?”

The bodyguard nodded. “To be frank, I’m at a loss about what might have happened. Vince, can you explain what went down? I got an update from an enforcer while you were coming back but I’m still confused.”

He explained the events as he witnessed them, while Nina remained silent. The fact he was the one asked to explain wasn’t lost on him. The wolfgirls had an open bias toward him, even if he doubted Lucia or Fia disliked Nina.

“I couldn’t sense any illusions, but I’m not the best at that. Nina?” He turned to the lioness.

She shook her head.

“We can’t determine who might have been responsible,” Alessia said.

“More troublingly, I don’t see many ways they intercepted you. They already knew you expected to be picked up.” Lucia’s expression darkened. “I can’t imagine they tapped our phones, and nobody was close to you to eavesdrop. If somebody eavesdropped on our end, it would have to be a powerful sorcerer or one of the bodyguards sitting just outside. Or…”

She bit her lip, then sighed.

Continuing, Lucia said, “A slim possibility is you’re being closely monitored. The speed with which they responded means they were lying in wait for a chance to intercept you. Two people means they might have planned to pose as Wings fliers. It also could have been Houou agents, as they often operate in pairs. If they spotted the girls leaving to pick you up, they might have taken a chance.”

“You don’t think that, though,” Vince said, convinced Lucia had skipped something.

“Kiyoko was in the room when we organized to pick you up,” Fia said bluntly, causing both Alessia and Lucia to shoot her a look. “It’s the truth. I’m doubtful she’s behind it, but we have no idea how much she’s reporting back. Especially with those new earbuds of hers that translate everything. She could be transmitting everything through them.”

Vince winced. “Those earbuds were my idea for her. I figured she’d be more approachable.”

While Alessia gave him a strange look, Fia cracked a smile.

“She is,” the newly minted consigliere said. “And she would still be suspicious with the mask. Who knows what she hid behind it? I’ll bring up the possibility her earbuds might be tapped—”

“No, I will,” Vince said, attracting four surprised stares. “After the assassination attempt downtown, Kiyoko was oddly circumspect about the possibility of Yakuza involvement. I think it’s best if I talk to her about the chance the Yakuza might have been involved today, or if she thinks Houou could have tapped our communications. If she acts differently to usual, then it will at least tell me something.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Vince, but her personality makes her difficult to read at the best of times. Would you be able to tell if she is different?” Alessia asked.

“Easily. She’s been surprisingly open to me,” he said.

While two of the wolfgirls glowered at him, Nina leaned on his head with her elbow. He pushed his girlfriend away. By the time he freed himself, the mood returned to normal.

“I’ll leave it to you, then,” Alessia said. “Instead, let’s discuss the matter I called you here for. Fia needs your help with the heist, but that is a matter that has weeks ahead of us. No, mine is of immediate concern.”

Nina and Vince straightened up as the wolfgirl don fixed her gaze on the two of them, her blue eyes shifting between them. Her tail wagged slightly as she met Vince’s gaze, and stiffened when looking at Nina.

“Mei Suwa has requested another meeting. This one is less dangerous, especially with Wagner’s presence in the city, but I still need you to assist me with it,” Alessia said. “Officially, we’re going to decide on the resources to dedicate to the heist. Unofficially, I believe she’s exploring the aftermath of Arnulfo’s death. I’ll meet with her on Monday, and I need both of you there.”

- - - - -

Commentary: One thing I'm going to have to resolve soon is Nicki's inability to carry two people at once, as that's creating issues (unless I introduce a second permanent flier).

Otherwise, while Vince's training starts, it's handled like it always is: major points brought up, but the focus isn't on the training arc itself. I'm not a fan of training arcs in progfantasy, as I feel they're often the weakest part of the books they're in. Some people find it cheesy, but I'm a much bigger fan of characters learning through actual fighting, especially as that feels much more based in reality (training provides a base, while experience is what wins battles).

You see that experience aspect here with Nina. I've needed to slightly adjust her dynamic with Vince since she lost her burned out office worker side in Book 2, as her being the super enforcer who is held back to not show up Vince could feel awkward - well, not it's clear she's not necessarily stronger than him, and while she knows more, she's also been out of the game long enough to make basic mistakes.