“I hope I haven't left you waiting too long,” Lord Fortuna said as he stepped into his office. “There were some things I needed to take care of in the vault.”
“I hope the thieves didn't make too much of a mess when we triggered the lockdown,” Maguire said apologetically.
“Some of the safeguards require his personal attention,” I explained. “I assume no lasting harm was done.”
“None at all. Things should be settled within the fortnight. I have to say, I was skeptical at first when you presented this idea to me but it has worked out exactly as you said.” Lord Fortuna lowered themselves into the seat behind the desk.
They had two offices. One designed to impress and intimidate, and one designed for more casual conversations. We were in the latter, though the decreased intensity did not mean that anything in the office was of lesser quality. Lord Fortuna bought only the fine things and the nature of their existence was evident in the things they surrounded themselves with.
“I thank you again for trusting me in this. I know it was no small thing I asked of you when I presented my plan for this game, but as in most things your gamble paid off.”
“Indeed it did. I am to understand the one you sent to the travelers lodge is the one you wish for me to pardon.”
“Yes. He was perhaps the most honest and cooperative of the group. I believe he is deserving of a chance to make a better life for himself.”
“I will speak with him before the day is done and come to some sort of arrangement. In the meantime, I believe we have our own arrangement to attend to. What were you able to glean from your game?”
I glanced at Maguire, nodding for him to go first. He had taken on most of the pre-heist preparations, learning about the crew and casing them as they cased the casino. My attention had been on the vault, familiarizing myself with its design and its protections. We had already laid out our discoveries with Lord Fortuna’s security chief, but I wasn’t surprised that they wanted to hear it themselves.
They sat back and listened as Maguire recounted the few flaws in the security system that the thieves had exploited, a few of which would not have been possible without our requesting that they be allowed to exploit them. I took over when he got to the part about the vault, though Maguire had noticed a few things that had escaped my attention.
“Hmph. I may have you stop by some of my other establishments to ensure there are no weak points there. You will be compensated, of course, should you agree.”
“I would be happy to assist. Speaking of compensation, though, I do believe we had a deal in place should I deliver you the thieves and their target. I have kept my end of the bargain.”
“And I will keep mine, but I must ask, what need have you of an oracle box?”
“I have some questions I need answered to solve a problem that is mine to deal with. Some of those answers are hard to come by but perhaps if I can better understand what happened the night of the problem, I can more easily find a way to fix it.” I chose my words carefully out of habit more than necessity.
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“And what sort of problem is it you are facing?” They asked. “Perhaps I can be of more assistance.”
I hadn’t expected that. I knew Lord Fortuna to be a good friend of the Jacks, with their moments of generosity. I also knew they picked up all manner of gossip from their different establishments. The fact they didn’t know anything about the disappearance of the Society was a tad disheartening, but at least it meant that word had not started to spread yet.
“Swear on your fortune, both good and bad, that what I tell you here will not be repeated,” I said firmly.
“I swear on my fortune, both good and bad, that what you tell me will not be repeated,” they said, “unless you intend to cause harm to yourself and others. Then I reserve the right to speak up at my own discretion.”
“I find your terms acceptable. Honestly, I will be surprised if you have not yet heard what I am going to tell you. Over a year ago, most of the Society vanished overnight. As far as I have been able to find, I am the only one who remained. Maguire joined just this year and we have been working with the Jacks to find a way to figure out what happened and bring everyone back.”
Lord Fortuna leaned back in their chair, eyes unfocusing as they stroked their chin thoughtfully. I let them take the time they needed to work through whatever had settled into their mind. It was a gamble, giving them this information, but sometimes you have to bet big to get the win you need, and so far my calculated risks had paid off.
“This is the first I have heard of the Society disappearing, though looking back I can see the signs. Friendly faces I have not seen, strange whispers, people taking actions they normally would never dare do. I am no stranger to the role your Society plays in the balance of things across the wider world. The fact they were made to disappear and have not yet been returned…this troubles me,” Lord Fortuna admitted.
“We are already working on a way to bring them back,” Maguire added. “We have a plan in place and pieces in play. The two of us are going to pull off a miracle, whatever it takes. If you have a way to help our chances, we will be better able to repay your favor in the future.”
“You gamble well for someone from the North Pole. Don’t worry, it is not so obvious that everyone would notice. You have adapted quite well, but there are some things you will never be able to shake from your birthplace. This is no bad thing.”
“I know it isn’t, and I never intend to lose that part of myself.”
“Good. Now, as to the terms of our agreement, I feel I must make a change to your reward. The oracle box will not give you what you seek. If you are amenable, I will give you access to a diviner's glass. You will have three hours to make your inquiries, after which you will be given rooms and meal vouchers for the remainder of this week, as thanks for assisting me with improvements to my security systems.”
“I find these terms acceptable,” I said, not bothering to hide the smile on my face. A diviner's glass would give me so much more than an oracle box ever could, and they were far more rare. I extended my hand and we shook on it, formalizing the arrangement.
“Remember, young man,” Lord Fortuna said to Maguire. “Fortune favors the bold.”
“Only if you remember that the Jacks have your back.”
“I like this one.”