“Your presence is required on this operation, Vector, therefore your presence is required for the planning stage.”
“But why?” The brute scowls back at him, “I just do what I’m told to do. You guys figure this shit out and then tell me where I’m supposed to go.”
“Some people.” Marlin gives me a pointed look, “Believe you have more potential than an oversized gorilla. I, for one, do not share that sentiment and could care less if you were present today or not.”
“Great. Can I leave then?”
“No.” I turn from the man undressing me and offer Vector a sugary sweet smile.
“Your search for a purpose starts today. We need to devise a plan on how we’re going to break into the Dragon’s vault. We have the logistics and the blueprints but we don’t have a distraction or an exit strategy.”
Marlin nods, flicking a speck of dust off his dress shirt, “Calista has provided us with all the information we need. And we do have an exit strategy, however, we need Christopher to iron out the details.”
He blinks, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The railroad.” I cut in, walking over to the table and tapping the street map, “We need you to regain access from the dwarves. Get them to show you the manholes closest to the Drache Manor as well as the sewer lines that run throughout the building. We need to figure out how many access points we have and how long it will take to access them.”
“Hold on.” Shaking his head, Christopher steps closer, “The railroad was contingent on the return of the Hoffmann Diamond. The diamond you stole from me.”
“Actually, I stole it from Evelyn White.”
“Darling, that doesn’t change the fact we have nothing to trade.”
“Unless, of course, we do.” Barely masking my smirk, I cast a sideways glance at Marlin, “Did you bring it?”
Christopher’s jaw goes slack when the gaudiest necklace in Wolf Hollow gets pulled from Marlin’s suit jacket pocket. It glitters under the florescent lighting, the uncut jewel bearing painfully sharp angles in nature’s most beautiful form.
“How did... What?”
“My little saint and I had a formal event to attend.” Turning the diamond over, Marlin studies it carefully, “I purchased it from Calista to ensure she would sparkle more than any other woman at the function. And, of course, to witness Evelyn’s reaction when she saw it.”
Christopher turns and looks at me, “Did you know about this?”
“No deal is worth pursuing if it does not hold a bargaining chip of some sort.” My shoulders lift, “Besides, we needed to ensure you hit the Seaborn Mansion as soon as possible.”
“Unbelievable.” He lets out a dry laugh, “Fucking unbelievable. This whole thing has been a ploy to get me exactly where you want me to be.”
“Not everything.”
My response draws his gaze, smouldering flames begging to be unleashed.
Marlin clears his throat, “The Dragon throws a gala at the end of every quarter to celebrate her latest business venture. Every council member will be present, as will every prodigy and offspring. Over the next two weeks, Drache Manor will be bustling with additional staff and security to help prepare for the event.”
“So, we’re going to break in during the setup?”
Marlin looks affronted, “Of course not. We’re going to rob the Dragon during her own party.”
It’s a bold, risky move.
Which is exactly why we needed to find a thief in equal measure.
“Marlin and I have been planning this for a very long time.” I tap my fingernail against the silhouette of my mother’s empire, “The gala gives us a time frame. We’ve got fourteen days to get everything in order and then we attend the best party of the year.”
“And you’re okay with this?” Christopher’s gaze is back on my face, intense and unrelenting, “Robbing your mother during her moment of triumph?”
I stare at the outline of Wolf Hollow. The geographical lines that frame the town I hate most in this world.
“The better question is, what’s our distraction going to be?”
