Coffee and Books 2

4. The casino

Blackstoke is a high roller in the Bellagio casino. We are greeted by a hostess as soon as we set foot in the door. She guides us to a table near the bar and a waiter shows up at the same time, with a bottle of champagne. Steinmeier and the two other men are with us. They've introduced themselves as Igor and Boris. I guess that's not their real names, but I don't care. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. Besides, I am not the only one who brought security tonight. I am pretty sure there are at least two men on stand by for Blackstoke. They are of the bodybuilder type, with short hair and stoic looks on their faces.

Blackstoke pours me a glass of champagne and holds his up for a toast. "To successful business and beautiful women. Cheers!"

I try to keep my cool, but my mind is racing. M'Teki has assured me her team has eyes on me, but they can't come close, to avoid discovery. That's why Loki was there in the cocktailbar. Blackstoke got rid of him in a cunning way, overrunning us to get his way. I can't help but wonder if he is on to me, to us. But right now, all he seems to want is to charm his way into my pants. Steinmeier has lost me to his boss, all the accountant can do is watch while Blackstoke touches me every chance he gets, compliments me with my looks or laughs at things I say.

"Just play hard to get," M'Teki says in my ear. "Get him to talk."

With some difficulty I manage to get our conversation directed from Blackstokes summer home on Ibiza to his business. Like Sharon told me to I take care to ask him about different parts of his business, to avoid suspicion. When I find out he owns a European shipping company I happily jump on that topic. My homeland, Holland, has some large seaports and is an important connection in the European trade business. I'm glad I can talk about something familiar.

But I don't forget to ask about Wakanda too. "Helmut told me you are running an aid program to help the farmers in Africa. Can you tell me about it?" I bat my eyes at Blackstoke.

"Talking about agriculture is boring, my dear Anna," he says, caressing my hand that's holding the glass of champagne.

I resist the urge to move my hand and try to pour as much of my powers into my arm. "Oh, but aren't you working with Wakanda? That must be exciting! They have a lot of cool technology!"

"They do, my darling. But as always, it's not about what you have, it's what you do with it."

Ugh, a penis reference, really? But I give Blackstoke a coy smile, remembering my mission. "And will you be working with Wakandan technology too?"

Blackstoke shakes his head and his hand moves up to my shoulder, his finger hooking behind the strap of my dress. "All the vibranium is certainly interesting. But, it's like the liquor at the bar there. You'll need the barista to make you a tasty cocktail."

Then he suddenly changes the subject and I wonder if he thinks he has said too much. I'll let M'Teki and her team think about his last cryptic remark.

"Let's get you a nice drink, maybe a Sex on the Beach? And then we'll see if you really are my lucky charm." Blackstoke puts a cocktail in my hand and guides me to the floor. 

I don't know a thing about the games that are played in a casino. All I know is what I have seen in movies. Luckily Blackstoke doesn't expect much of me, he just gives me some chips at the roulette table and asks me to pick a color. I choose black, thinking of Loki. It's a lucky pick, because the little roulette ball ends up on black. That gets me a kiss on my cheek from Blackstoke, dangerously close to my mouth. His hand has also wandered across my ass a couple of times already. 

It's time to go, but he puts another chip in my hand. "Go on, darling. Pick a number, get lucky!"

I do as he says, putting the chip on number 27. The little ball does it's dance on the wheel and to my surprise I've won again! Blackstoke is euphoric and takes my face between his hands to give me a big kiss. In his enthusiasm he almost knocks out one of my earrings.

When he turns back to the table I adjust the earring to make sure it stays put. Suddenly I notice something is amiss. Didn't M'Teki put the communication device behind my right ear? I can't feel it anymore! Panicked I feel around my ear. It's not there. I look at the floor, but there are too many people here to spot such a tiny thing.

"Is something wrong, darling?"

Shit, shit, shit! "Uh, no, I just thought for a second I lost my earring."

Blackstoke gives me a thoughtful look and then shrugs. "You should take better care of your things, darling."

Shit! I must have lost it when he grabbed my face earlier. What if he did that on purpose? And worse: what if M'Teki doesn't know I lost the device? I have got to get out of here!
"Mr. Blackstoke. I think I'm gonna have to leave you to it. I've got a headache, I should go back to my hotel."

"I don't think so, darling." He says it like it's nothing out of the ordinary, keeping his eyes on the roulette table.

"I really have a headache. I want to go back to my room."

Blackstoke gathers his chips from the roulette table and gives them to Steinmeier to hold. He turns to me, forcing me to take a step backwards, away from the people around the table. I bump into a broad chest and discover it's one of the bodybuilders.

"Let me be clear, darling. You are not going anywhere without me." Blackstokes voice is cold, but he is still smiling like nothing's wrong.
He puts an arm around my shoulders and takes one of my hands in his. His grip hurts me, but he is too strong for me to wriggle out of it. "We're gonna take a little walk, darling. And don't forget to smile."