Wall of Disclaimers is up.


Kyntak sipped some tea and let Shuji finish the last few steps of the design. When she did finish, she turned in her spinning chair and asked what had been on her mind clearly the whole time.

"What do you want?" She didn't appear remotely happy to see him.

Kyntak wondered how he was going to phrase this. The long monologue he made up on the drive there was no the way to go. He didn't think she would help him at all. But, he needed his theory confirmed. Or better, denied.

"I need your help."

Earle snorted."Why should I help you? Last time you helped me, I was sent straight into the arms of Deck." Bitterness stained her voice as she recalled all that she could have had. She stared resolutely at the crystal coffee table in from of him. Even in her fall from grace, she still loved the rich opulence of her past life.

Kyntak wasn't sure what he could say. Everything was true. "This is for Six."

Shuji's eyes seemed to be distant. "Ah, that one. You seem to have a strong affection for that one."

"He is my brother." She seemed to ponder this for a moment.

Her gaze turned soft. "If had a son, I would want one like him. He let me leave the visitor center and gave me a new life."

One that I could take away with the snap of my fingers.

The words hung unspoken between them.

Finally, she sighed, "For Six, I'll help you." She appeared thoughtful.

Kyntak let her think. She probably knew but had second thoughts on it. Divulging information on trust alone was enough to ask.

"I think you've seen the news. Six was taken then." Earle nodded. Everyone currently or formerly of the underworld watched the news. "Who could have organized that?" He paused momentarily. "I have my own suspicions."

Shuji's face contorted and she hissed at him, "Vanish."

Kyntak's face fell.

"Thought so." She blinked momentarily stunned as he ruffled his hair in frustration. Shuji hadn't seen this before. Such open guilt. It was unnerving.

Kyntak thought of all the things that the underworld taught him. The lesson that began with a smugglers ring and ended with a dozen cadavers being taped off by ChaoArmy officials taught him to never cross a certain man.

That man's name was Vanish.

That bad feeling was confirmed. The ghost was real.

Shuji refilled his tea. There was a much kinder look in her eyes.

She asked him to stay for biscuits.

He left feeling no better off than before.

How could one catch a man whose name spoke of his actions?

Vanish always vanished.


"I put a tag on the money. As soon as he transfers the money out, we'll know exactly where it is." King clapped Grysat on the shoulder. They were in the same empty office.

Kyntak didn't want to wallow. But, there was nothing else he could think of. Sure the plan was going to be brilliant. It was going to be amazing. Against anyone other against Vanish.

Kyntak wasn't sure how the man was going to do it, but Vanish would find a way to keep the money. And, if his information was correct, would probably empty the whole of Deck's account while he was at it. No way to win.

He'd seen ChaoSonic's file on Vanish. It appeared most of it was rumor. There was that one instance where Vanish had been apprehended. But, that was a disaster ending in over fifty casualties and the prisoner escaping. That was thirty years ago.

Kyntak thought over the history of Vanish's reign on the City's underworld. He had been in the crime business before long the Take-Over. That meant if Vanish was anything like Artemis Fowl (a pre-take-over novel boy), then he still would be in his sixties. King was in his forties and he only vaguely remembered the pre-Take-Over times. ChaoSonic had long concluded that Vanish was dead. The last thirty years of inactivity ensured it. However, that didn't sit properly. What would Six say in this situation? Kyntak felt a four by four of despair hit him in the chest.

Vanish was an organization. He wasn't a spider in the center of a web, he was a web! That explained how he could stay active over the years with so little change in style. A person changed dramatically. An organization where everyone was but a small change in the final product meant consistency.

Kyntak buried his face in his hands. His job just got that much harder.


A girl tied pink extensions into her hair. This was the first time she put them in to her waist length black hair. This was the first time she put on make-up. This was the first time she dressed to go clubbing.

This was the first time she was dressed to do something but wasn't going to do it.

Today, she was going to go on her first mission.

She didn't like the subject that she was to protect, but Daddy asked her to.

She always did what Daddy asked her to.


Queen of Spades ran her long fingernails over the name on the file.

Agent Six of Hearts.

Recently, she had gotten tips to look into his file.

She couldn't find anything wrong with it.

There was nothing wrong with it.

That was what was wrong with it.

Everyone had a blip.

Six had none.

The phone on her desk pinged and she picked up the receiver.

There was a pressing matter at hand.

She put down the phone and smiled at the scowling photo in the file.

There was a blip.


A knock came from the door. King sat up straight.

"I am Agent Seven of Spades. I am with Agent Nine of Spades. We are with the Queen of Spades. We are here for Employee Kyntak. We are to question him in relation to the kidnapping of Agent Six of Hearts." King felt a stone fall in his stomach. He pulled out the phone and tried to dial.

"Sir?"

"In a moment," he called out. The number wouldn't connect. Panic gripped his heart. He dialed another.

"Grysat?" The Spades pounded at the door.

Grysat was on the other end of the line He must have been playing Bejeweled or Tetris for he answered after the second ring. "'ello." The Spades sounded in the background and he could clearly hear the sound of a woman's voice.

"Can I get some Chinese take-out?" There was choking sound on the other end.

"Kung Pao Chicken?"

"Kung Pao Chiken." the choking sound got louder. The Spades rushed into the office and King watched as the Queen of Spades stepped in, the breathing example of control.

She smiled at him. "Good afternoon, King of Hearts."

King smiled at her. "Good afternoon, Queen of Spades." He turned to the other Spades.

"I was just ordering an early dinner. Anyone want anything?"