The heist was over, though the real work was only just starting. Though not for me, that work was going to be done by a reporter friend of mine and Cipher. For me, the job was basically said and done. Vincent Stone’s empire was about to crumble into dust by week’s end and everyone would be there to watch it all fall.

Cipher was currently at their computer sorting through all of Stone’s data. Pictures, blackmail, ledgers, bank statements. He really kept his whole life on the damn thing. You’d think a guy like Stone would have things a bit more separated, compartmentalized in various places, or something. Clearly the guy was an idiot, a powerful idiot but an idiot all the same.

Cipher did find some stuff to incriminate some city officials, the city guards, and some gang leaders. Though the one thing that stuck out was learning that Stone was working for someone, or someones. Cipher couldn’t get anything other than a few communications, but it was clear that someone was ordering Stone around. Whoever they were wasn’t important, at least they are not my problem. Yet.

After getting all the pertinent information together, I dropped it off discreetly with my reporter friend. We all waited patiently as we watched Stone and his network get dismantled. Or at least some of it. Most went into hiding once word got out about the incident at The Enchanted Veil, and those wealthy enough paid the fines imposed for their minor crimes. Sickening, but that is the world. Mostly the gangs broke up and reformed under new banners or merged with the smaller gangs in someone else's territory. When the week of arrest, uproar, and discontent passed. The city sort of returned to normal.

Stone had fled the city to parts unknown, probably another city to start fresh. Which was good for Cadence and everyone that Stone had blackmailed or forced into some sort of servitude. The former employees, and even some of the regular patrons of the club threw a party. Unfortunately, it was held at the awful café.

“Rin!” Cadence cheered, quickly walking over to me at the entrance. “So glad you made it! We cannot thank you enough for what you have done.” Cadence was glowing. His face was less sunken, his eyes sparkled with the joy of being freed. It was nice to see.

“Don’t mention it.” I said, waving him off. “I just played my role. That’s all.”

“Well still, thank you.” He said, though his smile faltered a bit. “Though, I heard you were out for a few days after. You, okay?” His worry etched on his face.

I sighed. “Just a bit of mana exhaustion, casting all those spells back-to-back just took a toll on my body. Whatever you've been told I assure you was overly exaggerated.”

“You sure?”

“Positive. Though if you are so worried for my health, why not buy me a drink?” I said, slapping him on the shoulder and leading him to the… cleaned bar counter?

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Obviously, I didn’t hide the surprise on my face cause Cadence just laughed. “Do you like the new countertop?”

“Uh, yeah…” I said, looking closer. It was new, had that fresh wood scent to it. Looking around, the tables and chairs were new. Not a single wobbly table, missing leg, or splinter to be seen. “New tables?”

“Yup.” Cadence beamed. “I figured I’d invest in replacing a few things.”

Nearly giving myself whiplash, I quickly looked at Cadence in shock. “No? You didn’t…”

“Yes, I did. You are looking at the new owner of Café La Vale’Rin.” He said, thumbing his chest.

“Vale’Rin?” I gave him a skeptical look. “Seriously?”

“What, don’t like it? I was going to call it Valesine, but that didn’t flow off the tongue. As if it was some made up word from a toddler… uh no offense.” He said, shying back.

“No, no, it’s fine. I like it.” I said, looking around again with a bit of a smile. “So how about that drink? It’s on the house, right?”

Cadence smiled brightly. “Of course, it’ll always be on the house.” He waved over the bartender who nodded and brought over a strange drink.

“What is that?” I said lifting the strange cubed shaped glass. Inside was a sparkling blue liquid, but that wasn’t the strange part. Enchanted drinks are nothing special, just some magic liquor or some magical herb mixture. What made the drink strange was the diorama that sat at the bottom, nearly taking up half the space.

“I call it a Moosh-Room.” Cadence said, clearly holding in some sort of laugh.

“A mushroom?” I said, just inspecting the diorama. It was a scene from a popular legend. A Golden Dragon spiraling around a particularly pointy mountain and a demoness of plants and vines spiraling with it.

“Not mushroom, Moosh-room. Like a smoosh room, get it?” He said, his giggling was unable to be contained any longer. “Like a little room smooshed into the glass. This one is called the- “

“Let me guess, The Romance Dusk?” I said flatly.

His silence was telling. I came to learn Cadence wasn’t the most creative of men.

“It’s cute.” I said, taking a sip of the blue drink. My eyes widened. “Oh wow! This is good.” I exclaimed, taking a larger drink.

“Thank you. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, the drink itself isn’t anything special. Just some djinn fruit juice, crushed up heart petals, and a dusting of devil eggshells.”

I coughed. “Devil eggshells!” I said in alarm, looking at the drink. Devil Eggs were strange little things that came from the ground. They were like eggs, but inside the shell wasn’t a yolk, but a chalky substance. When consumed it sends you into one of your worst memories, why would Cadence put this in a drink!

“Calm down Rin, it is just the shells. It’s harmless. It adds a savory taste, it’s not going to affect your mind. What do you take me for? Stone?” He said with an uncomfortable chuckle.

I took a calming breath, though savory wasn’t how I would describe this drink. It was very sweet to me. “Still, probably something you shouldn’t mess around with.” I said, matching his awkward laugh. I finished off the drink, it was really good.

“So,” Cadence began, but faltered.

“So?”

“I have been thinking, and The Enchanted Veil… it’s, uh.”

“It’s what? Come on, spit it out.” I said, gesturing to him to hurry up. “If you don’t.” I tilted my head to the door. “I’ll head home.”

“The Enchanted Veil hasn’t been touched. I’ve been keeping an eye on it this week, and no one has gone in.”

“Okay, and?” I was getting annoyed. What was he getting at?

“Stone left in such a hurry, so I don’t think he had a chance to. You know.” He got closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Take anything from the club's vault.”

The Enchanted Veil’s vault, the vault that Vincent Stone boasted about every thief wanting to get into. I smiled widely. “Well now, has our little Cadence got the bug for crime.” I teased, wiggling my brows.

“No, it’s just. Oomf!” I slapped him on the back.

“Let’s do it.” I said, giving him a wide smile

“What?”

“I said let’s do it. How hard can it be breaking into an unguarded vault?” I said, turning around to the window that looked out on the dark club across the street. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

I was already lost in thought on how to break into the vault. How to even locate it, since I didn’t see any vault when I was there. Granted, I was running through that secret passage. Maybe there were some other hidden doors along it? I’ll find out soon. But my thoughts had to be put on hold as Cadence dragged me around to talk and be thanked by everyone. Vex was there basking in the attention. I just smiled and continued to play my role, while in the back of my mind I was preparing for the next stage.