CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 81: DECEPTION

Rockie slapped me on the back. "Congrats, bro!"

"Thanks," I said.

"I'm pretty sure you're the second youngest to become an Honored member!" he said.

"Diesel being the first," Jordan told me.

"I bet that's the only reason he was chosen," Duke said.

"Because he's young?" Rockie asked.

"No, because he became all buddy-buddy with Diesel," he said. "Do you really think it's a coincidence? He's only been here for, like, what? A year? I've been here for much longer than that and I still haven't been chosen."

"Well, maybe next time," Rockie said.

"You said that last time. You don't deserve to be an Honored member," Duke told me. "You don't even deserve to be an eight!"

"Put up your dukes, Duke," Diesel said from behind me. I hadn't even heard him approach. "But if you have a problem with the decision, maybe you should go talk to the Boss first."

"Oh, isn't that cute," Duke said. "Diesel's standing up for his boyfriend."

Diesel put the headphones that were around his neck over his ears. "You're funny, Duke," he said. "But you know what's even funnier?" BANG! In a flash, Diesel had pulled out a gun and shot Duke in the foot. Duke squealed as he hopped around in a circle, holding his foot up.

"Hey!" Rockie protested.

"Here. For you," Diesel said, handing me his gun.

Confused, I took it and he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The floor shook and I looked back to see Spiney approaching and the whole crowd was now watching, some sipping their drinks as they prepared to be entertained.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Boss demanded to know. "How did you sneak a gun in here?"

"It's not mine!" I told him. "It's Diesel's! He shot Duke."

"No, it was Crypto!" Duke said. "He shot my foot!"

"Rockie?" the Boss asked.

"Don't ask me. I didn't see what happened," Rockie lied.

"It was an accident," Jordan said.

"An accident?!" I exclaimed.

"I'm trying to help you out," Jordan told me.

"But I didn't pull the trigger!" I defended. "Diesel did! And then he handed me the gun!"

"Where is Diesel?" the Boss asked. "Diesel?!"

Diesel appeared beside him. "Yes, Boss?"

"Is this your gun?" he asked, gesturing to the gun I was still holding.

He took the headphones off. "What?"

"Is this your gun?" he repeated.

"Let me see." He took the gun from me and inspected it. "Nope. I don't think so."

"I didn't even bring a gun with me," I said. "Tell them, Rockie!"

"Yeah. I didn't see a gun on him," Rockie said.

"Did you shoot Duke?" the Boss asked Diesel.

"No, sir," he lied.

"Then it must have been you, Crypto," the Boss said. "You're the one who was holding the gun."

"Diesel's lying! Isn't there anyone else who saw him?" I asked the crowd.

They were silent.

"Diesel is an honest assassin," the Boss said. "He wouldn't lie to me."

"Then where's his sticker?" I asked.

"My what?" Diesel asked.

"Your sticker," I said. "The one everyone was given after they were searched for weapons."

"It must have fallen off," he said.

"What was your number, Diesel?" the Boss asked.

"I don't remember," he said. "I didn't think it was important."

"Well, you're the only one with Invisibility," he said. "You would have no problem sneaking a gun in here."

"Gavin could've teleported it."

"So now you're going to throw the Queen under the bus?"

"Stop calling me that!" Gavin said from across the room.

"I'll give you one more chance to tell me the truth," the Boss told Diesel. "Did you shoot Duke with that gun?"

Diesel's eyes darted to the side. "Well, it's hard to say who did and who didn't."

"Can I have the gun, please?" he asked him.

Diesel handed him the gun and seemed to prepare for the worst.

I took a step back as the Boss stomped on Diesel's foot. Diesel grimaced and let out the tiniest little whimper as his bones audibly broke.

"Don't lie to me again," the Boss said.

"Yes, yes, sir," he replied.

The Boss lifted his foot off Diesel's paw and shook his head in disappointment. "You went through all this trouble just to stop a rumor. It wouldn't surprise me if you actually did like Crypto."

The crowd chuckled.

"There's nothing funny about that," the Boss said.

Some of them covered their mouths, unable to stop their laughter.

"You lied to me too, Duke," he said.

"I- I," he stuttered.

"You already got what you deserve," the Boss told him. He turned to the rest of the crowd. "This is exactly why we have a no fighting policy! We are all Family here, and Family doesn't fight!"

"Yes, sir!" everyone said.

Diesel glared at me and I smiled back. He got what he deserved: sweet, sweet justice.

"You're dead meat," Cam whispered to me.

He was probably right. I probably should have been more worried about a skilled assassin hating my guts, but I wasn't scared. I was pretty sure Diesel wouldn't get back at me after the Boss punished him and gave a short speech about getting along. He wouldn't risk his job just for revenge... or so I thought.