I slipped, squeezed, and otherwise forced my way through the barricade of persons who blocked me. Along the way, I caught a glimpse of a white suit jacket whisking by. The person wearing it was a tall woman with a brawny build more typical of a male bodybuilder. Her face, in contrast to her admittedly impressive physique, was arrestingly feminine aside from her left eye, which she had covered with a white eyepatch.

Well, I thought, that confirms Vincent’s involvement.

She wouldn’t be there if he wasn’t involved. She was Hilda Alvis, the de facto leader of The Damatessa.

I canvassed the cadre of white-clad bodyguards for a similarly dressed blonde man. I recognized Odessa Stark, a chocolate-skinned lady with cornrow braids and silver owl feather earrings, on Hilda’s right. On Hilda’s left was Elle, a lady of Zimavatan descent like me. Unlike me, she wore her long red hair in a short ponytail. Unfamiliar, brutish men covered the remaining positions in the back.

Intriguing… I thought as I factored those men in. If Narcissa was bolstering her forces with Sharpe Security operatives, The Damatessa weren’t all present. If they weren’t all present, Vincent wasn’t present. If Vincent wasn’t present, he couldn’t inflict his patented headaches.

Or at least, I thought he couldn’t. He couldn’t directly, but given the fact he backed Narcissa, he managed it indirectly.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,” she boomed as she marched along, “THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! FOR TO-DAY WILL BE A MONUMENTAL DAY WHICH WILL GO DOWN IN HIS-TORY!”

Narcissa’s appearance was as theatrical as her voice. Her wavy, cornflower blue-dyed hair swung in the breeze while her gaudy metallic-gold mini-dress shimmered as she strutted.

“TO-DAY IS THE DAY IN WHICH I – the MAGNIFICENT MADAME RRRRICHMOND – shall do the unthinkable, the unheard-of, the inconceivable. TO-DAY I SHALL CONQUER THE GRANDMASTER OF THEFT! In my EXPERT calculations, her chances of succeeding today against my brilliant plan are ZILCH! NADA! NOTHING! My plan is FOOLPROOF! I – the MARVELOUS MADAME RRRRICHMOND – repeat: FOOLPROOF!!!”

“I doubt that!” I called out.

Heads swung around to me. Those before me parted as I sauntered through. Some drew their phones out to record.

“WHO SAID THAT?!” Narcissa shrieked. “WHO DARES SAY THAT TO ME?!”

I covered my mouth and muffled a laugh. While I did my utmost to not underestimate her, she proved difficult to view as anything but a farce. Showtime, I thought as I held my head high and marched forward.

My presence sliced through those who remained in front of me and I positioned myself in the space before Narcissa. Those remaining in the crowd backed up, providing me space.

“That would be I!” I said. “Though to be precise, it’s less that I dare and more that I don’t care.”

She burst forward, shoved past Elle and Leonor, and clinched my suit jacket with her claw-like nails. “WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!?”

Spittle slapped against my face and the overpowering stench of a plum perfume breached my nose. I all but gagged.

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I cannot control others if I cannot control myself, I reminded myself, but my eyes sharpened into a glare and my hands tightened into fists.

My mind wandered to how I could escape her grasp. It wouldn’t have been difficult. One strike – an open palm clap to the ears or a jab to the eyes – was all it would take to break free.

Narcissa can't afford a fight, I noted. If she attacked, the camera would capture her assaulting me, an heiress, her social equal, if not better. She couldn’t afford those repercussions.

I unclenched my hands, met her sea-blue glare head-on, and summoned as smug a grin as I could manage.

“I’m the heiress to the Cain fortune, Cassidy Cain. In case you’re unfamiliar with what that means, I’m the daughter of the founders and principal owners of Cain International – Nickolas and Scarlett Cain, the granddaughter of Edan Cain – one of the world’s leading experts in the field of criminology and the man who mentored figures like Sharpe Security’s CEO Benjamin Hunter, and I’m in the good graces of innumerable influential figures, such as Alana Arkland – the governor of this state and a member of the royal family. I can continue if need be.”

She folded like a pair of twos against a royal flush. Her grip loosened with a light tremble.

“Lucky for you, I – the ASTUTE MADAME RRRRICHMOND – don’t have the time for pathetic lots like you.” She whirled about, turning her back to me, and made her bid to flee.

I grounded my teeth together and contemplated allowing her to leave, having already tired of her “Madame Richmond” gimmick. Alas, I had far more to accomplish.

“Make some,” I said as I tidied my suit jacket and readjusted my tie. “What I say is out of concern for your safety.”

She continued to trot away. I had to swiftly hook her back in.

“Your scheme leaves much to be desired,” I continued, “and will bring you tragedy should you persist. If you find that hard to accept, debate me here and now. Unless you’re not as assured in your machinations as you claim, Narcissa.”

She halted. She had to. It was the only way for her to guard her precious ego – or I suppose I should say lack thereof.

“THAT’S MADAME RICHMOND, LITTLE GIRL!” she screeched as she wheeled back around. “And me, not assured?! OH, THIS IS RICH! GO ON, BRING IT!”

“Have you researched what we know she’s done—"

“Obviously! I know all about stuff.” She leaned in closer and her blue eyes glimmered. “And do you know what makes me different from all the others?”

“Do tell—”

“MY PLANS AND I AM FFFFOOOOLLLLPRRRROOOOOFFFFF!”

I winced and covered my ears. Her voice was a knife scraping against glass.

“Your claims are hollow no matter how high the volume,” I said, pushing on as I removed my hands from my ears. “The Grandmaster’s accomplishments, however, lend credence far louder than you ever have or will. You’d be wise to heed my warning and retreat.”

Narcissa cackled while dropping her head and holding her sides. “Wait, wait, I get it, I get it! You’re trying to help the Grandmaster, AREN’T YOU?! Or, or, maybe you ARE THE GRANDMASTER!!!”

Some in the crowd laughed. Some murmured. I remained a fortress, my head held high.

“Come now, Narci—”

“MADAME RICHMOND!”

“—ssa,” I said. “Let’s assess the situation. Why would I step forth if I, being the Grandmaster, can effortlessly slip in without drawing any unwarranted attention? Or, if I were dead set on confronting you, why wouldn’t I assume a guise?”

“Uh, w-well… If…if you aren’t the Grandmaster… Yeah! If you aren’t The Grandmaster, why are you trying to warn me?!”

“I possess an inquisitive nature. Said nature compelled me to ask if you’re certain about this undertaking. Are you?”

“Am I…!? No, I’m not positive at all, THAT’S WHY I PUT ALL THIS TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS!”

I bit back the smirk which threatened to creep on my face. “Well then, since you’re already gambling, why not ante up? I’m willing to wager a million crown on the outcome of this encounter.”

Her eyes popped. “O-one m-m-million crowns…?”

“One million crowns. If this is foolproof, consider this free money.”

A bead of sweat formed on her forehead.

Child’s play, I thought. She had fallen prey to cognitive dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance is one of the many social engineering techniques I acquired during my studies. As the name implies, the technique starts with cognitions – our beliefs, attitudes, and values. People act in a manner that is consistent with these. When they fail to, it creates a state of discomfort or dissonance. The single remedy to this discomfort is to adjust our behavior and attitudes. People typically do this through actions such as denial or rationalization. Narcissa, however, had neither option. By confronting her in public, I transformed her greatest asset into a liability.

“O-of course…” she said. “OF COURSE, I AM! NAME YOUR CONDITIONS!”

“If you manage to retain The Maker’s Tear as well as capture The Grandmaster of Theft, I’ll deliver the sum to you in person and issue a public apology. If you fail to accomplish both tasks, you must donate a million crowns to Cain International’s medical research branch. The payout must be delivered in person by you to me at my family’s manor and it must be placed directly into my hands by you. The loser pays this coming Ferridi at noon, no sooner or later. Do you agree?”

I held out a hand. She eyed it before snatching me and giving me a lackluster squeeze.

“GET MY MONEY READY FOR I – THE REMARKABLE MADAME RICHMOND – SHALL MOP THE FLOOR WITH THE GRANDMASTER OF THEFT!!!”

“We’ll see. I’ll concede this scheme foolproof if even you can triumph.”

She scowled, raised her free hand before my face, and displayed her middle finger before tearing away in a huff.

All in all, the spectacle served me well. A touch more melodramatic than anticipated, but I left believing that the finishing touches were all which remained.