cancry | The Heist

The Heist

They had been investigating for weeks, planning and setting up for what seemed like forever. But now was the time for everything to go into action. One team dressed up and settled into various undercover positions in the casino- including Lion himself over at the slots, in case he needed to call Greta and let her know someone was calling her out. Though hopefully, word of mouth would find her first.

Another at the bank, Mona using her Executor weapon to prove they could break-in at any time. It was all or nothing now- either way Greta was about to learn there were way more Executors than she previously assumed.

That is, if the Executors were right in their assumptions. But after last time who knows what might happen...

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"But gracious, did it take her a long time to notice! I was beginning to worry I was unremarkable by this place's standards... though thinking it over, perhaps it is simply that Lady Greta isn't very attentive."

The line between Veil just openly blurting out her actual thoughts and Veil putting on a show for Greta's benefit is very fuzzy.

It's all Ruin can do to stop himself looking aside at Chiron and Veil. Aren't you guys putting the cart before the horse here? Nothing has actually changed.

But heaven forbid he not play up his confidence, likely to his own self detriment. Nothing new there.

"Poker's not your only game... what makes you think it'd be mine?" Right, because setting himself up as some sort of mastermind behind all of this is absolutely not going to blow up in his face. But better to keep her attention focused on him, partially for the others' benefit, partially to keep Lion from doing something foolish.

Hopefully his attempt works, because Lion's phone pings again and he finally looks at it, eyes scanning the chat.

His lips purse and he leans down to whisper in Ruin's ear:

"There is a second account- they are working on it now, but the longer we can keep her attention the safer it will be."

"You've certainly played it well, at least. Truthfully, I'm quite impressed that you even managed to get this far – it must have taken quite a bit of careful planning and organization."

She has her eyes on Lion as he leans down to speak – she obviously can't hear from where she is at the table, but there's obviously something else going on behind the scenes she's not entirely caught up on. So she hums to herself in thought before continuing.

"You know, I encountered quite an interesting man not too long ago, at the theater. He claimed to be travelling alone, but now I find myself wondering whether that truly was the case. Of course, as the winner, it is your right to decline an answer, but I'm certain I could make it more than worth your while in information should you do so."

She gives the group a sweeping once-over one last time and then smiles.

"Would I be right in assuming that all of you are Executors as well?"

Ruin just nods and shrugs at Lion. Not surprising and there's nothing they can do about it here.

The offer of information has him curious though. As much as he might want to glance back at the others or even Lion he's sort of talked himself into a position where he has to at least pretend to be the one in control of the situation.

"Quid pro quo... fine by me but I'm surprised you need to ask." He does look back at Chiron and Veil then, gesturing them closer with a jerk of his head. And if he takes a brief moment to try to settle his nerves a bit at the knowledge that he's going to have Chiron behind him well... can anyone blame him?

"Of course we are."

Veil approaches the table, looking a bit more cheerful than before. "Dame Esme didn't need to ask," she whispers in Chiron's general direction.

"Forgive me for stating what might be obvious, but as a group, you aren't particularly subtle. I was more interested to see if you might deny it or attempt to deflect my question – but it's clear that you seem to think you have nothing to lose by making the confession. Very interesting."

She tilts her head thoughtfully.

"I haven't seen the winged man again since our first encounter. Your leader, perhaps? Or perhaps the opposite – someone expendable, sent to test the waters? But I'm certain at this point that it doesn't matter."

Apparently satisfied, she leans back in her seat.

"Very well. You've answered a question of mine, so feel free to ask one in turn."

"We are filled to the very brim with overconfidence." He says it jovially, like it's a badge of pride. They may be stupid, bottom text.

He does not frown when she mentions their winged companion, though the glint in his gold eyes does sharpen. Like an elaborate blade to a well-worn grindstone. "Oh, heavens no, he's not a chip to carelessly gamble away. Teamwork, I am told, makes the dream work." And without taking his eyes off Greta, he speaks to Ruin: "This is your game, my dear. I wouldn't want to intrude."

Ruin genuinely laughs at her. While Chiron is being snippy about Achilles he's just... Goddess it's absolutely hilarious isn't it?

"Aren't particularly subtle? I've been in here asking questions and winning hand over fist for.... months now. You've had Lion here working for you for weeks and you just said yourself the only one you knew about was the guy with wings." That he doesn't even have anymore. They've been a lot more subtle here than previous layers so far as he can tell but... the existence of actual currency sort of kicked their asses at first.

"So if we're not subtle? What does that say about your observation skills?" He shakes his head, looking bemused and visibly relaxing to lean into Lion's side. She seems to want to prove she's smarter than them so he'll let her play at being all professional. Whatever she wants, whatever will keep her talking.

"Y'know what, Chiron? If you've got a question for her, go right ahead."

Lion doesn't smile when Ruin leans on him, but he does put his hand comfortingly on his back. A steady assurance that he's there, that he supports him. But his expression is pensive, thinking.

He hadn't been there when the others went to talk to Esme, but he vaguely remembers something from their meeting afterward. His mind had been fogged by wrath at the time, enraged by her murder attempt. But still, something ticks the back of his spine and-

"Actually, if I may, Chiron?"

He turns to Greta.

"You are the second Eidleon we've met who knew about Executors before we arrived, even though there haven't been any for an untold length of time. Who told you? -and do not lie, we know there is someone passing information about our duty and the Cogs."

Greta very visibly weighs the pros and cons and just how much information she should be giving them before she answers. Eventually, she decides she has nothing to lose and leans back in her chair before shrugging.

"A girl. I never bothered to ask her name, but I suspect she was an Executor like you. She was passing through and took the time to inform me of the truth of our... situation."

She gestures with her hands, as if to encompass all of Purgatory.

"She simply told me that if I wished to remain here then I would need to ensure that if anyone found their way down here and wished to pass through that I should deny them passage."

"So even if we had approached you directly from the start there would have been no chance to broker passage. Has it never occurred to you that you are being manipulated?"

"Oh, I'm almost certain that's the case. I don't imagine she gave me this information out of the kindness of whatever heart she might have. Obviously my keeping you here serves some agenda of hers, but... so long as I benefit, what does it matter?"

She shrugs. At least she admits it, I guess??

He shakes his head, a look of pity on his face. "Such a shallow understanding of everything. I am done speaking with you- Ruin will take everything from you and when you whine and squeal about how it is not fair, no one will stop to listen. Be prepared for that."

"Are you so certain it's to your benefit? Surely you don't expect us to simply leave."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Veil seems to have a sense of diplomacy that's telling her it would be bad to come right out and say we'll kill you if we have to. Also, she'd rather not have to, since Greta hasn't poisoned them or anything.

Ruin will take everything from you.

Goddess, Lion, he's supposed to be a distraction not actually playing master mind here. There's a moment where his hand twists into the back of the blond's shirt, the slightest hint of unease that he makes certain Greta can't see.

"Awfully short term thinking, wouldn't you say?" It's just a reiteration of what Lion and Veil have both said. She might be acting like she's above such concerns but the fact that she came down here at all says otherwise.

Well, if they're asking questions: "Can you describe this girl? Or, silly me, I suppose the better answer would be, would you care to describe her? We'll run into eventually after we've run you over and back into obscurity, but it might help to know her on sight."

"Well, it's not as though you have anywhere else to go. I'm certain that soon enough you'll change your minds."

Lovely.

At Chiron's request, though, she hums thoughtfully to herself and goes quiet. Not to consider whether she should answer – rather, she's trying to dig up enough memories to give a worthwhile description at all.

"She was... quite small, I think. Delicate looking. She carried a blue sword and..." She frowns for a moment, then gestures to her face. "She had some sort of eye covering. Bandages, I seem to remember thinking, but after so long I'm not certain."

Ever since the notifications rang from all around the head of the table and beyond, Second has been...well. He hasn't been trying to blend in. Far from it, actually. He's been playing the part of distraction as desperately and as well as he possibly could, because there's something familiar about doing exactly that. And when accusations of cheating arise, he keeps his mouth shut because from what snippets of both himself and his single sibling he's remembered, it's that they weren't always honest in their dealings in life. He's not going to be easy to believe if he just says whatever and potentially ruins things before they've even begun.

Yet...the conversation has stretched on, and Second has been sort of wedged between this or that person, too short to really stand tall enough to project his voice across the table, and any time he has spoken- and you'd be shocked to believe he HAS been saying things- it's been overlooked and, ah.

Oh dear. Nobody's noticed him. He's been standing here this whole time and not even Greta has LOOKED at him. All of a sudden things feel very, very familiar.

The name of their game is to keep Greta talking, and the more suspicious she becomes the harder it's going to be to do that. She's telling them the description of this mysterious girl now, but what happens once she's told them everything and they've run out of things to do or say? He can already tell the others are grasping for those very things...so without a single other thought in his giant smooth brain, Second is going to find the nearest chair that isn't occupied and climb up into the seat of it, just barely managing to clear the shoulders of the likes of people like Lion and Ruin because how old is he again??

Of course instead of Second saying something pertinent to the conversation, Second belts out:

"Well Miss Greta, for all the attention you've paid to this woman you certainly haven't noticed all of the Executors present at this table!!"

He means him. Please someone notice him for god's sake.

Veil waves.

Somewhere, Achilles regrets his choices.

"To be fair..." Ruin's doing his best not to look too bemused at Second's interjection. "She didn't notice she hired an Executor for a bodyguard. I think we have to take any observations she's made with a grain of salt."

To her credit, Greta takes this round of dunking and Second's... being present reasonably on the chin, only allowing herself a sigh as she lifts her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose. The universal Y'all Are Giving Me A Headache gesture.

"Well, you certainly have quite the group assembled." she observes. "But if that's all you have planned, then–"

She's cut off by the sound of another phone notification. It takes a second for her to realize that it's her own phone and with a frown of confusion, she fishes it out of her pocket to see just what's going on.

At the exact moment this happens, something in the air seems to... shift. The Executors all feel it, the world tilting on a strange new angle before settling down. Ruin feels something a little different, though. It's a sudden sense of clarity and sharpness of focus and awareness of his surroundings. Not just the casino – the whole layer. It should be overwhelming but instead, it's oddly comforting. There's a sense of belonging, that all this is his and it's where he should be.

By the looks of things, Greta feels it too. She's staring at Ruin from across the table with a dreadfully cold expression that after a long pause, becomes an even more dreadful smile.

"I see." she observes. "I have been a fool."

And then all in a rush, she's lunging over the table, eyes flashing with rage and nearly tipping the whole thing over. It happens so fast that barely anyone gets a moment to register what's happening and her hand manages to get barely within an inch of Ruin's face before a massive cracking noise resonates through the whole layer, like thunder roaring.

And Greta is suddenly nowhere to be seen.

Later investigation of the Layer, when the gang is up to it, will find that a massive fissure has been torn open into the ground just outside of the casino. And if you peer inside... well, I don't need to tell you where those stairs lead, do I?

But that can wait for another day. For now, rest up and recuperate. You've done a good job, Executors.

AUTHORITY RECLAIMED

AVARITIA UNDERSIDE UNLOCKED

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The Heist

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