Chapter Four

Maybe it's just a daughter's job
To piss off her mother


"Fourth task: construction," Natalie listed, "We need to build an exact, working replica of the Bellagio vault."

"For practice," Rusty asked, looking at his fiancée.

"Something like that," her father responded for her, "fifth task: intelligence - we need those codes, Linus, from the only man who has all three."

"Benedict," Linus asked.

"Learn to love his shadow," Danny responded, as he continued to look over Natalie's shoulder as she made note of all the supplies that were coming in.

"Wait, wait, wait, all I get to do is watch the guy," Linus stated, as he helped Rusty bring in some of the supplies.

"You gotta walk before you can crawl." Natalie looked at her father and then over to Linus.

"Reverse that," she told him, before going back to the notes she was making and keeping every urge to strangle her father locked down as he continued to look over her shoulder.

"Sixth task: transport," Natalie said, before finally losing her cool, "Dad is there a reason you're standing right behind me reading over my shoulder and breathing down my neck?" Danny looked at Natalie before looking at Rusty and Linus, who were now clearly and not very subtly listening to their conversation.

"I was trying to make sure you do everything right," Danny said, placing a hand over his daughter's. Natalie looked at him and cocked her head to the side, an extremely fake smile on her face.

"I know how to do this, daddy," Natalie assured him, "I'm not Linus." Linus scowled as Rusty began to laugh loudly.


Natalie and Rusty had disappeared a couple of hours ago and Danny was sure that he didn't want to know what they were up to as he sat with Reuben watching Saul get fitted for the new suit that he was going to use. If anything he felt better being in the dark about that part of the relationship, the less he knew the better. And the less he knew the less he would want to kill Rusty. And the less he wanted to kill Rusty, the less his daughter would want to kill him.

"This is very nice material," Saul said, as he continued to be fitted for the new suit.

"My daughter assures me that she ordered you the best there was, Saul," Danny told the older man, "It's imported silk."

"Very nice." Danny looks at the tailors and them Reuben.

"Gentlemen," Danny called to the tailors, "Would you excuse us, just for a second?" Danny stood as the tailors left the room, leaving Saul on the pedestal that they had put him while they altered the suit. Danny clapped his hands walking towards the older gentlemen.

"Saul, are you sure you're ready to do this?" Both men stayed silent for a moment, before Saul turned and looked down at the mastermind.

"If you ever ask me that question again, Daniel," Saul threatened, "You will not wake up the following morning and you'll be leaving your little girl behind once more." Danny's eyes widened as the older gentlemen starred him down. Danny stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about what had just been said, before turning to Reuben.

"He's ready," he whispered, walking back over to the couch. Saul turns back to the mirror and slouches slightly.

"My name is Lymen…Zerga," Saul practiced, "My name is Lymen Zerga. My name is Lymen Zerga."


Saul stood in the lobby of the hotel and looked around as if there was a bad smell directly under his nose, walking forward into the lobby towards the check-in desk flanked by both the Molloy twins, Virgil and Turk, dressed as his body guards who were hired by his granddaughter to make sure nothing happens to him while in Las Vegas on vacation.

Once they had Saul's room assignment, all three gentlemen walk further into the casino walking straight past Natalie, Rusty and Linus, who were sitting in the lobby's café.

"Okay tell us about Benedict," Rusty told Linus, as they all subtly watch Saul and his two "body guards" walk in the hotel and disappear. Linus turned to Natalie and Rusty.

"That guy is a machine," he explained, "He arrives at the Bellagio everyday at 2pm; same car, same driver. He remembers every valets name on the way in; not bad for a guy worth three-quarters of a billion. Offices are upstairs, he works hard, hits the lobby floor at seven on the nose; spends three minutes on the floor with his casino manager."

"What do they talk about," Natalie questioned.

"All business," Linus told them, "Benedict likes to know what's going on in his casinos; likes to be in control. There's rarely an incident he doesn't know about or handle personally. He spends a few minutes glad-handing the high-rollers; fluent in Spanish, German and Italian. He's taking Japanese lessons, and he's getting pretty good at it. Out by seven thirty, when an assistant hands him a black portfolio. Contents are the day's take and new security codes. Then he heads to the restaurant; like I said a machine."

"And that portfolio contains all the codes to all the cage doors," Rusty confirmed. Linus nodded, while Natalie once more stopped Rusty from shoving a roll into his mouth. Handing Linus the roll, which he promptly threw out, she began to fix Rusty's tie as if making sure he's properly dressed for dinner.

"Two minutes after they change, he's got them in his hand," Linus continued, "I tell you, you guys really can pick him. This guy is as smart as he is ruthless. The last guy they caught cheating in here, not only did Benedict sent him up for ten years, he got the bank to seize the guy's home AND then he bankrupted-"

"His brother-in-law's tractor dealership, we heard," Rusty interrupted, as Natalie continued to make sure he doesn't eat another roll.

"He doesn't just go after your knees, he goes after your livelihood. And the livelihood of everyone you ever met."

"You scared?"

"You suicidal?"

"Only in the morning," Rusty and Natalie said together, before looking at one another with a slight smile.

"Now, what," Rusty asked, looking around the room.

"Now comes the girl," Linus explained, "She comes down after him, if they're in a snit."

"Like you," Rusty mused, looking at Natalie before looking at the stairs.

"Where she come from?"

"The museum up there," Linus continued, "She's the curator. Oh, here she is. This is the best part of my day." Both Natalie and Rusty looked up at the stairs and it caused his mouth to drop and her to promptly look away from the stairs and start to pick at the very real crumbs that had stained Rusty's suit. As she walked past them, Rusty pulled Natalie into a quick kiss, so that the woman didn't see either one of them. As soon as she was past them, Linus spoke once more, as both Rusty and Natalie closed their eyes. Natalie could already feel a headache coming on.

"I still don't know if we can use her yet," Linus explained, "Actually, I haven't even caught her name."

"Tess," Rusty told him, looking down at a very pale and very stone-face Natalie.

"Huh," Linus asked, looking at the pair.

"Her name is Tess," Natalie explained, but it was barely above a whisper, "And she's my mother."


Natalie kicked off her stilettos as she got out of Rusty's car and stomped straight into the warehouse and straight towards her father, who was watching the rest of the crew put together the fake vault. Rusty was hot on her trail, but there was something that was driving Natalie and that drive was allowing her to move just a little faster than him…and now, that Rusty thought about it, she hadn't been the one scarfing down the free dinner rolls. She was right; he needed to start eating better.

"We need to talk," Natalie snapped at her father. Danny looked at her and then back at the vault.

"Can it-"

"Now," Natalie cut across, and from the look that he was receiving from his daughter, he knew better than to deny her a little chat. Rusty and Natalie led Danny away from the fake vault and the rest of the crew, not wanting to be overheard.

"Tell me this is not about her," Natalie said, turning to look at her father once they reached a quiet destination away from eavesdropping personnel, "Or Rusty and I are walking. We are walking off this job right now."

"Who?"

"Mom," Natalie snapped back, "Terry Benedict. Tell me this is not about screwing the guy that is screwing mom!"

"You didn't know," Danny said, looking at his very angry daughter.

"I haven't spoken to her since I ran off after you were arrested," said, looking at her father, "I didn't want anything to do with her. She was the one who made the decision that set you on that path of self destruction. Now, tell me."

"It's not about that," Danny assured her and then bit his lip, "It's not entirely about that." Natalie started to shake her head, as Rusty placed his hand on her shoulder trying to calm her down. Tess was a touchy subject for Natalie.

"Rusty, you said you need a reason and this one's mine. Do you remember when we got started in this business," Danny said, now trying to get his friend and soon to be son-in-law on his side, "We said we were going to play the game-"

"Like we had nothing to lose," Rusty joined in.

"Well, I lost something," Danny explained to Natalie, "I lost someone and I lost so much time with you. That's why I'm here. I want that time back." Natalie looked up at her father as Rusty looked towards the guys that stood in the warehouse.

"Okay, here's the problem," Rusty pointed out, "Now we're stealing two things and if push comes to shove, if you can't have both what are you going to choose?"

"And remember, mom and I don't split eleven ways," Natalie said, looking at her father.

"If everything goes to plan," Danny said, looking at his little girl, "Princess, I won't be the one that makes the choice." Natalie looked up at her father once more. She hadn't heard that nickname in years and had strictly banned Rusty from ever calling her that. She was not a woman who had daddy issues. With one more look at her father, she walked away. Both Rusty and Danny watched as she did.

"How'd she look," Danny asked, looking back at Rusty.

"She looks good," Rusty answered, still watching as Natalie walked away rubbing her forehead.

"Not my daughter," Danny said, "How did Tess look?"

"Oh," Rusty said, still watching Natalie until she disappeared, "She could've been happier."

"Thanks."


"Weak stomach, Mr. Zerga," asked a man that was sitting beside Saul, as he watched him pop a Rolaid into his mouth.

"I don't believe in weakness," Saul explained to the man, "It costs too much. I don't believe in questions, either." The high roller sitting beside Saul shuts up quickly. Looking up from the table, Saul sees Terry Benedict in his per feral vision on his way in. Right on schedule, just like Linus had assured he would be.

"Eddie," Benedict called to his Pit Boss, "Anything for me?"

"Mr. Zerga, sir, Lymen Zerga," Eddie pointed out to Benedict, "In the third position. He wishes to speak with privately."

"Who is he?"

"Businessman of some kind, working mostly in Europe," Eddie explained, "He's very vague, but I asked around. Word is he deals primarily in arms; one of the biggest in the world. His granddaughter and her husband are poised to take over the company in a few years, so the husband set up this vacation for him, in thanks for giving it to them."

"Zerga," Benedict mused, "Never heard of him."

"Yes, sir," Eddie answered, "That's why I don't doubt it."

"He's staying here?"

"Checked in two nights ago into the Mirador suite with two bodyguards hired by the granddaughter, sir," Eddie explained, before pointing to Virgil, who was standing at attention beside Turk, who was pretending to be on the boss with his employer (Natalie), "Apparently the man's health is failing and she wants to make sure that nothing happens to him until her and her husband can join him next weekend."

"How's he doing?"

"Up," Eddie stated, "Almost two hundred."

"Good for him…"


Tess was sitting at her and Terry's regular table at the restaurant sipping at her usual glass of wine. Looking at her watch, she looked to the seat beside her. Benedict was late, well very close to be late and he was almost never late. It didn't surprise her when a pair of hands slipped over her shoulders and caressed her skin.

"You're thirty seconds late," she started as she turned around, "I was about to send a search-" She jumped as she spotted her ex-husband. Danny smiled at her, as he continued to caress her skin.

"Hello Tess."

"What are you doin' here?"

"I'm out," he stated.

"You're out?"

"Of prison," he confirmed, "You must remember the day, I took our daughter out for ice cream, stopped for cigarettes and never came back. I know our daughter did, from what I understand she didn't go home either."

"I don't smoke," Tess snapped, "Don't sit." As Danny sat down, Tess thought back to the last thing he said.

"How is she," Tess asked, thinking about the daughter that she hadn't seen since Danny had gone to prison.

"Happy," Danny stated, "Engaged."

"To whom?"

"Rusty," Danny stated once more, "You remember Rusty?" Tess nodded in disgust, she always knew that their daughter would end up exactly like her father and now she was engaged to someone exactly like him, and worse, she was engaged to his best friend and right hand man.

"Now," Danny started, "they tell me I paid my debt to society."

"Funny, I never got a check," Tess snapped at her ex-husband. Danny smiled slightly, before pointing down at Tess' left hand.

"You're not wearing your ring…" Tess looked down at her left hand as well, licking her lip.

"I sold it," she told him, "You're not my husband or didn't you get the papers."

"My first day inside."

"I told you, I'd write." Danny and Tess continued to sit in silence, a slight smile on Danny's face as he looked at woman he was so deeply in love with.

"Danny," Tess paused, "Go. Now, before…"

"What," Danny asked, "Benedict?" He turned to waiter and asked for two whiskeys each with a different amount inside. Tess continued to glare at him.

"Danny…"

"Tess, you're doin' a great job curating the museum," Danny congratulated, as Tess took an annoyed breath, "The Vermeer is quite good; simple, but vibrant. Although his work definitely fell off as he got older."

"Remind you of anyone?"

"And I still get Monet and Manet confused. Which one married his mistress," Danny asked.

"Monet."

"Right," Danny agreed, "Manet had syphilis."

"They also painted occasionally," Tess stated annoyed. Danny smiled at her once more.

"Alright, I'll make this quick," Danny said, the smile slipping from his face, "I came here for you and for Natalie-"

"She's here," asked Tess, as she looked around the restaurant.

"Well, she's in Las Vegas," Danny explained, "Not in the restaurant. I want to get on with my life and I want you both with me."

"You're a thief and a liar," Tess stated bluntly, "And our daughter has apparently turned out exactly like you."

"I only lied about being a thief, but I don't do that anymore."

"Steal?"

"Lie," Danny corrected.

"I'm with someone now, who doesn't have to make that kind of distinction," Tess snapped at her ex-husband.

"No, he's very clear on both."

"You know what your problem is-"

"I only have one," Danny asked.

"You've met too many people like you," Tess continued, "I'm with Terry now."

"Does he make you laugh?"

"He doesn't make me cry," Tess snapped, "And he didn't turn my own daughter against me."

"I never turned her against you, Tess," Danny replied, "The moment you decided what her future was going to be she made up her mind. She misses you Tess, she'll never admit it, but she misses you."


"Mr. Benedict," Saul said, looking at the younger man as both Virgil and Turk watched from a safe unsuspicious distance, "The fight is Saturday night is it not?"

"Yes," Benedict confirmed, "Would you like some tickets?"

"Oh no, no hand to hand combat does not interest me," Saul explained to him, "I have a package arriving here that evening; my briefcase, standard size the contents of which are very valuable to me and my family. I would have travelled with it, but my granddaughter does not trust commercial airlines with such an important family heirloom."

"I'll put it in the house safe for you."

"The house safe is for brandy and my wife's pearls," Saul states testily, "I'm afraid my granddaughter and I need something more secure."

"Mr. Zerga, I can assure you that our house safe is…" Benedict trails off as Saul gives him a steely look. This is not a man that Benedict should mess with and Benedict sees this quite clearly.

"I can assure you, Mr. Benedict," Saul countered, "That your generosity in this manner will not go overlooked. Now, what can you offer me besides the safe?"


"See the people that you and now, our daughter steal things from," Tess explained, "They have insurance to compensate them. They get made whole again. I had to leave New York to get away from what happened! Our daughter, my only child won't even talk to me! How am I supposed to get my five years back with her, Danny?"

"You can't," Danny answered, "But, what you can do is not throw away another five with her."

"You don't know anything about-"

"Listen, you don't love me anymore," Danny stated, leaning towards her, "You want to make a life with someone else? Fine, I'll have to live with that, but not him! And you have to at least try with Natalie…you can't just write her off because she's like me."

"Spoken like a true ex-husband."

"I'm not joking, Tess."

"I'm not laughing, Danny," Tess snapped, "You have to admit there's a conflict of interest when you give me advice about my love life or how to be a parent to our grown up daughter."

"Yes," Danny agreed, "But, that doesn't mean that I'm wrong."

"Do you remember what I said to you the day that Natalie was born?"

"You said that I better know what I'm doing," Danny remembered.

"Do you," Tess asked, "Now? Because, truly, you should walk out the door if you don't."

"I know what I'm doing."

"What are you doing," asked Benedict, whom had finally joined Tess at their usual table.

"Just catching up," Danny said, standing from the seat that Benedict usually occupied.

"Terry, meet my ex-husband," Tess introduced the two men.

"Danny Ocean," Danny said, introducing himself to the man he was going to be stealing from in only a few nights.

"Natalie's father," Benedict stated. Danny nodded.

"Oh, you know our daughter," Danny asked, looking at the man calmly.

"Only from what I've heard from Tess," Benedict explained, before turning to speak to Tess to explain his late arrival, "Forgive me for being late. A guest required my attention."

"That's fine," Tess assured, "Danny was just walking through the restaurant and spotted me."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, imagine the odds."

"Of all the gin joints in all the world," Benedict joked, "You recently were released from prison is that correct?"

"That's right."

"How does it feel to be out?"

"About the same," Danny told him.

"Danny, was just about-"

"I was just stopped to say hi to Tess for old time's sake," Danny said.

"Stay and have a drink."

"He can't." "I can't."

"Natalie always did hate when we did that," Danny chuckled, as he watched Benedict grab Tess' hand, which she let him gladly.

"Well, then I don't imagine, we'll be seeing you again, Mr. Ocean," Benedict said, not even looking at Danny.

"You never know."

"I know everything that happens in my hotels."

"So, I should put those towels back," Danny joked.

"No, the towels you can keep."

"Good to see you, Tess," Danny said, clapping his hands together.

"Take care, Danny."

"Terry."

"Danny."