Set in Amber

Chapter 4: Setting Sail

June's mansion. Sunday, November 12, 2006

Neal had expected Richard would come to the strategy session with Travis but Aidan was a welcome surprise. "I thought you were arriving on Wednesday," Neal said as he greeted them.

"Keiko and I turned your wedding into a business trip," Aidan said smugly. "Scima wanted me to train at their SoHo branch and I managed to finesse it for this week. Did we succeed in surprising you?"

"Mission accomplished! Is Keiko at Sara's shower?"

Aidan nodded. "That was another reason we decided to arrive early. She's been conspiring with Angela on the details."

"Aidan and Keiko joined us for dinner last night," Richard said. "Travis happened to mention the Black Diamonds, and Aidan promptly stowed away."

"Does Keiko want to join the crew as well?" Mozzie asked.

"You know she's as much a swashbuckler as the rest of us." Aidan turned to Neal. "You remember when we visited the tunnels at MIT last spring and joked about the pirate certificate the university planned to offer? Now we're going to do the real thing!"

Neal exchanged smiles with Mozzie. The con had just been supersized. He'd already asked for Richard's help with disguises. The concept artist was teaching a course on special effects makeup at Columbia. He claimed it was primarily so he could have access to their workshop. Neal wasn't sure if they'd need disguises but Richard, who was even more enamored with pirates than he was, insisted on participating in the Black Diamonds. Neal could now put Richard's skill to good use.

"Henry's our captain," Mozzie said. "Does he know about you and Keiko sneaking on board? I wouldn't want you to have to walk the plank."

"I called him last night," Travis said. "He's inducted Aidan and Keiko into the crew and told them you and Neal are in charge of their assignments."

"I'm surprised Henry's not here," Aidan said.

"He and Eric are ..."—Neal turned to Travis—"Where did you say they were?"

Travis rolled his eyes. "You know very well I haven't mentioned it. If I spoiled Henry's surprise, he'd hang me from the yardarm."

"Gather around the poker table," Mozzie said. "We have a con to plot, and Neal still needs to make the secret map."

Not to mention rescue Alex. Much as Neal appreciated their help, they didn't have the personal connection he did. Aidan, Richard—even Travis—were treating it as a pirate adventure. And for them, that's the way it should be. They'd all be assigned safe tasks. The stress and risk would be on his shoulders. If the con blew up, he should be the only one to suffer the fallout.

Aidan smiled expansively as he took a seat. "Man, I've missed you guys. L.A. simply can't compare."

"Then why don't you come back?" Richard challenged. "While you're here, you should talk with Ian about possibilities in New York. Perhaps you could get a transfer. The lines between films and video games have blurred so much you might still feel like you're on a movie set."

"I just may, but first things first." Aidan turned to Neal. "Where are those fabulous gems we'll salt the treasure box with?"

"I haven't seen them yet either." Neal gestured to Mozzie. "Athos is in charge of them."

Mozzie pulled out a pouch from his jacket. "Travis, I believe you have the receptacle?"

Travis placed a thin leather case on the table. "I had our lab whip this up based on the specs Mozzie gave me."

The case was lined in ivory velvet. "This is the treated fabric?" Neal asked, examining it closely.

"Yep, this is my baby," Travis said, eyeing it with all the pride of a new father. "It's fitting that you beta it since I got the idea from Mozzie's tunnel slime."