Lupin the Third: The Del Monte Ruby

Chapter 23

Lupin and Fujiko leapt up in alarm as Antony Del Monte and about a dozen of his personal militia entered the room from a secret passage in the wall. It was like the Bella Restare was some kind of fun house. Though neither Lupin nor Fujiko were particularly having much fun just then. And something else was abundantly clear; Del Monte himself must own the hotel.

A sardonic smile crawled across Lupin's face as his gaze shifted to Fujiko. "I suppose you didn't know about this?" he asked accusingly.

Fujiko said nothing, but the alarmed look on her face as she gazed upon Antony suggested this had caught her as much by surprise as it had Lupin.

"As I was saying, Mr. Lupin... Perhaps you wouldn't mind tapping Ruby's brain for the information we seek. After all..." Antony stepped forward with a cruel smirk on his face. "Gabriel seemed to have grand faith in you."

He tossed something at Lupin – a balled up piece of paper. As Lupin slowly opened it, he realized it was the page that had been torn out of the journal, and all that was on it was a simple cartoon sketch... of him?! It was just like one of his own calling cards. And above it, scrawled in cursive, were the following words:

If the worst should happen... 

It took only a moment to put together the late Mr. Robinson's intentions. Nodding to himself, Lupin balled the paper back up and tucked it into the breast pocket of his maintenance jumpsuit.

"What can I say, Tony? The man obviously had good taste." 

Antony merely smirked. "Indeed? Well, I see that is not something the two of you share," he said, wrinkling up his nose as though the mere sight of Lupin offended the senses. "Ruby's portrayal of you suggested a handsome man, rugged, debonair... None of these are words I would attribute to you. You're rumored to be quite the lady killer. Personally, I just don't see it."

"At least I'm not some homogenous 'pretty boy' like you," Lupin muttered, trying not to slump his shoulders.

"And speaking of ladies..." Antony's cold gaze moved to Fujiko and his smile became a touch amused. "So... you had every intention of reneging on our deal and swindling me of Project Stardust, hm?"

For the briefest of moments, Fujiko's face flushed with the heat of being caught in the act of a betrayal. But it was so subtle that only someone who'd known her very intimately and for a long time could possibly notice, for just as quickly, a mask was donned.

"Oh, Antony! You must understand! I only told him that to manipulate him! You see the position he's got me in!"

Antony smirked as his eyes trailed appreciatively over Fujiko's barely-concealed body. "Mmm... yes. I can, at that."

Seeing her chance at survival, Fujiko ran to Antony and threw her arms around him. "Oh, please don't hurt me, Antony! I want to stay with you! You know how much it meant to me, that steamy night in Venice? Remember?"

Antony smirked and tilted her chin up to gaze at him. "Well then, Miss Fujiko... why don't you remind me?"

With a demure smile, Fujiko leaned up and gave Antony a sultry kiss, which he eagerly returned. And as he did, he gazed at Lupin out of the corner of his eye and smirked into the kiss.

Lupin cringed, shaking his head. "...Oh Fujiko."

"Mmm," said Antony, when their lips had parted. "That was a delicious reminder, my dear. And though it pleases me to see how willingly you'll betray a friend... I also know you'll just as quickly betray me, and I simply can't have that." Suddenly, he whipped her around so that Fujiko's back was flush to his front as he brought a knife to her throat.