The Silk Moth Dream (Season 1 Complete)

EPISODE 17: WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

Evie scrunches themself into their sagging hoodie, just like they used to when they were an insecure teenager. At 26, there is a lot that has changed about Evie since those days. But Ryan had said they needed to look like a non-threatening teenager to pull it off, so sagging hoodie it is.

Out of everything that's deteriorated since Evie's childhood, Las Vegas isn't one of them. Sin City has continued to live up to its name, even in 2040. Except instead of being run by rich businessmen and greedy corporations, the city's lawlessness has only expanded with new ownership - the Azure Dragon Club, League of the White Tiger, Vermillion Wings Clan, and House of the Obsidian Tortoise. The four leading "houses" of Sacramento's Asian crime families.

Evie's division in the U.S. military, WRAITH (Weaponized Response Against International Threats: Headquarters), has been tracking this Azure Dragon's outpost in Vegas for months. Usually, the government doesn't bother interfering with the houses unless things get egregious - after all, big cities would never concern itself with policing its sewer rats - but special circumstances calls for special exceptions.

The Strip isn't quite as crowded as they remember, mostly because Vegas' insufferable heat has only become even more smothering over the years. Sheltersuits just barely protect your shoes from melting off your feet on the smoldering concrete. But the lights are just as bright, so Evie is careful not to react under any stray looks.

Finally, they see it - the gaudy hotel modeled after some medieval castle. Vegas hotels are slippery mazes, designed with odd stairwells and random hallways to keep you from leaving. But Evie remembers the details from their intel, clear as day, like they always do. Walk past the glimmery lights, all of the ever-dinging slot machines. When you reach the wall of hologram ads for brightening cream, take a sharp right into the guest suites. There is a service elevator that runs between every odd floor. Find Room 4902 and 4904 - there is a barely-perceptible door that leads to the janitor's closet.

And behind the door to the janitor's closet, you'll find one of Azure Dragon's most illicit, most popular prostitution dens.

***

Evie first found themself in an interrogation room when they were 16.

One minute, Evie had been sitting in class. It was Ms. McKnabb's god-awful trigonometry class, and Ms. McKnabb had looked thoroughly annoyed when the call came from the office. "Evie, please report to the office."

Evie was halfway through a problem and barely looked up. "I'm almost done this question-"

"It's your parents." Ms. McKnabb's voice was flat, bored.

That was what they focused on as they rushed to the office, a sick feeling in their stomach. Everything had been normal, this morning, at breakfast. Or had it? Was their mother's gaze lingering, when she poured Evie their cereal milk? Was there an extra hesitation in their father's voice when he wished them good luck for their Spanish test? But if something had really happened, Ms. McKnabb's wrinkly face would surely betray at least some sort of sympathy...

The truth was, Evie never really knew what their parents were up to, and Evie didn't want to know. They had... unconventional jobs, but they were always there to support and love Evie when they came back from school. So that was all that mattered. Sometimes, Evie worried about the dangers of their jobs, but their mother and father had never come home with even so much as a scratch on their faces.

"Evie." A deep voice stopped them before they could even open the door to the office. "We need to call you in for an interrogation. The transportation van is right outside."

The man, a pale ginger with a running scar along his strong jaw, introduced himself as Colonel McNamara as he took them to the station. He had a high and tight crew cut, as well as very serious eyes. "I'm very sorry about your parents." His face was tense, as though it strained him to say it.