The Devils Gambit

-Chapter II-

 After the six friends had spent enough time together eating, joking and telling old birthday stories; Clyde, Cashel and Tara packed food to-go, gave their hugs and handshakes goodbye and left.

Josh looked over in Clydes seat and found a stick figure doodle of Cashel wearing a cone hat and spinners in his hands, howling at nothing. In the bottom corner he signed and dated it, with the title, "Ask him about Switzerland."

Josh laughed hysterically and showed the drawing to Niki, who shared his laughter, and then to Brii who laughed and admitted...

"I know that story actually," she said suppressing her giggle to take a sip of her punch, " That was about a month after Al and Cashel first met on their birthdays. They share the same birthday so when they were stationed in Germany together, they took the weekend off and went backpacking in the Alps. They said they were there alone but Clyde later told me they were at a Werewolf right of challenge convention."

"They were not," Niki jotted laughing in amazement.

"Oh yes they were," Brii laughed, "I'm a little fuzzy on the details but by the end of it they vowed never to speak of the weekend again."

"Ten bucks says Tara already knows," Niki wagered.

"Oh I agree."

"Oh no," Josh opposed, "I love you both, especially Niki. I hope you get to be the mother of my kids honey, but Cashel has a crazy good poker face. I have to wager for him."

"It's a deal. We'll ask when we see them next."

"Deal," They raised their plastic cups together.

"While we're here," Josh smiled, setting his cup on the table, "Niki and I could give you a hand moving things... If you want."

Niki had to look down to cover the amusement on her face.

"And," Brii grinned at him, seeing right through his multipurpose request, "Find photos from the Wolfmen Challenge?

He and Niki had a psychic conversation before looking to Brii and responded a lively, "YES."

She smiled and waved her hands in surrender, "Fine fine fine. You help clean and if you find the photos knock yourselves out."

"Niki," Josh looked wickedly at his girlfriend, "First to find it..."

"Pays for dinner," She batted her eyes and wiped her hands with a napkin, "Roadhouse?"

"I was thinking Italian."

"You're on."

"You two are perfect for each other," Brii laughed as she dumped a small pile of trash into the can, "May the best schmuck win."

"I got the backroom," Called Josh as he sprinted through the door.

"I'll take upstairs," Niki chuckled, gesturing 'get a load of this guy' to Brii as she slipped out the door heading to the staircase.

In the first hour, she read in between helping customers checkout books, listening to furniture being moved in the other rooms. She cracked a smiling turning the pages, for she knew something they didn't. Better, than they did.

After the second hour, Josh was the first to break. Walking in through the backroom door with a look of disappointment on his face and sitting down on the floor next to her. Niki came down soon after with the same look on her face, and sat next to her boyfriend.

"Did you too really think Ol cousin Al would leave memories like that in a box stored away?"

A look of confusion glared around for a second and was replaced with a look of betrayal after she put the dots together, "You know where they are, and you didn't tell us?"