Dominion

That 2nd Chapter ~ Gambit (2/?)

002

"About Lynn-Monique Mendoza."

Mister Roth had a blank look. When Lily and Niknik entered the gunsmith's workshop, there was already a leather suitcase place at the tabletop. As he caressed it, he languidly pushed his back straight on the swivel chair.

"And also, about myself."

After sipping tea, he shut his mouth for a moment.

"That is what I need to talk about."

That was the exact moment Mister Roth fell out of the character. Or more accurately, "dropping" what he initially coaxed for Lily and Niknik. As nothing more than an old man.

And he began.

"You already know that she's a creator.

"Surprise, I'm a performer.

"She acted, and I acted better so I taught her how to become a better actor. When she was better and I knew better, I hooked her this heist plan that my granddad has passed my dad, but my dad refused so he stashed the notes in our attic. Until one day, I found this note, studied, and felt like I had to make my granddad's revenge scheme come into fruition.

"So, like...Lynn had this whole yap about who among them were mafioso, camorrista, or the yakuza. An entourage of information from a thousand years ago? Nowadays, we just ought to call them anything without paying heed of their origins. Criminals are criminals, that's it.

"After forging our identities and coming up with coherent backgrounds, we cooped at a studio at Queens. I was convinced to wear an afro wig. She insisted on ours names to be Jules Jackson and Altair Travolta. I'm Jules...She's Altair, we acted as hitmen. For three days, we were observing the criminals come and go at this one casino called High Gambit.

"Calculating each and every entries they make.

"A coherent catalog of their names and faces.

"Maps.

"The layout of the building and virtually each and every points we can enter.

"And of course, a predestined exit.

"That, and we were prepared."

Light ablaze, Mister Roth had to light a cigarette for a moment. Puffing smoke, he relaxed his foot up to the chair─looking at the sisters in high regard. Reading if they were hooked.

Niknik sure had his attention.

His eyes, the bright eyes masking a dead soul.

"It was all smooth sailing when Lynn and I met a true hitman.

"Like Jules and Altair─us, supposedly. We knew nothing of this place's criminal underbelly. But you better believe it, he believed in us and confided us rather classified information.

"He said he needed help taking out this shrewd merchant of magic items.

"One slim shady mage ripped off his boss, and he recruited us to help him. Our target was inside the casino. So, naturally looking at it as a positive, we helped.

"Altair Travolta, Jules Jackson, and that headhunter?

"We were a team.

"Hopes in high, we infiltrated High Gambit seizing our chance to do the heist.

"But as there was no merchant, there was also no heist at all. All we found was us at the mercy of that headhunter's gun. We went in there thinking we have allies, but he was the enemy all along. He was this nasty Mind Mage, read our thoughts and toyed with our emotions.

"We were sabotaged even before it began.

"When we found ourselves believing in such an obvious lie...our cowardice got the better of us.

"'Please don't kill me. I have sisters', that was your sister pleading to him."

Silence.

Lily, flabbergasted, looked at Niknik─who's eyes were wide open.

Towards Lily's distinct irises dilating in dread.

"Well, it looks like I'm boring you with the story?"

Silence.

"You really didn't need to know how it was done."

"..."

"I'm sure your sister will tell me there's no need with them knowing it play by play. And you also know she survived so it's not relevant now."

"..."

"Also, it doesn't cleanse our conscience any better. Robbing the thieves is only a glorification of our sins, I may not want you to understand us after all.

"For what happened to the headhunter, I'd rather not talk about it.

"Well, to end it."

As Mister Roth tapped on the wooden tabletop, Lily's eyes twitched.

"This casino heist we planned played so well for both of us, it was almost too good to be true."

As though he was looking back on a summer stroll, he giggled.

Reminiscing in a moment's touch.

"The testimony to that is what's inside this briefcase."

"That's...the money?" Lily, confused over all the matter, asked firsthand.

He nodded.

"It has been eight months now."

He hatched the hinges open.

"No honor among thieves, they say, but I beg to differ.

"Those three days changed us, and we somehow began to take on the responsibilities of each other. So...we talked about it. If I died first, you will never know what happened─and she will distribute it discretely to you.

"However, if she died first, she required to not let her sisters not take highly of her."

Which had transpired.

It's...no, never mind.

"We both expected the other to fall into the hands of the mafiosi we robbed...but there's her, slain."

Of concussions, ripples of a battle she actively fought herself.

Poignantly a collateral damage.

"Tell me, what's the situation with the Deer King?"

No one answered.

Itching brains, swirling in questions yet none asked.

"Not because he's a local god is that he can get away with being deported. Off with his head!"

Growl and scowl, the professional gunsmith almost lost his composure.

He only scoffed.

"How I wish I was the judge. Not that me bitching and moaning would make you kids feel good."

Eyes on the sisters, he spun the black suitcase to their direction─and opened it.

"In total, this is 96,000 Gold Bonds."

"..."

"Congratulations, girls, you've become the richest family in Brooklyn."