Chapter Twenty-Five - Invincible Joker:
The plan was simple. Ed and Jet were going in first, Jet masquerading as Ed's father who just wanted a little bit of fun at the tables after the death of his beloved wife.
"There's no way Jet would go to a casino without the only daughter of a dead wife, what kind of father would he be?" Spike asked the group with an impish smile.
Already it was obvious things would only go downhill.
Faye had disagreed from the start. "Why would he go to the casinos to begin with after the death of his wife? There are better places to take a kid," she had argued with a shake of her head, a hand gesturing from Jet to Ed.
"We need Ed to be able to get into the casino. At least into the lobby of the casino. Not stay outside, not go shopping on the boardwalks. Ed needs to be inside or this will not work," Spike stressed. "So if you have a better idea, I'm all ears."
"Edward is playing with computers again?" the girl asked with inquisitive amber eyes, seated on the metal table in the center of the common room.
Spike glanced at her, a mischievous grin curling his lips. "Always, Ed."
"Ah…"
"Ok, Jet, you're just going to hang around, I guess. Scope out the security, stuff like that," Faye said to him and she leaned forward on the ugly yellow couch, Spike slouched next to her. "Spike and I are going in, too, but we need to look inconspicuous." And she glanced at Spike intently as she said it. "Which means you need to comb your hair for once in your life."
Spike threw her a hooded glare, bringing a cigarette to his lips and taking a leisurely drag.
She easily brushed it off. "We are going in just to make sure that Ed can do her job. This is going to be her ballgame. If anything comes up, we need to be able to provide the distraction for her to get out. Ed, you know where to go?"
The hacker was at her Tomato, her fingers flying across the keys rapidly as she examined the sites she was pulling up. "Blueprints for casinos, coming up!" she said and she wiggled an index finger before tapping the Enter key. The screen immediately lit up with various prints of different casinos, all along the strip of Mars that Black Jack had worked. The hacker hunched forward and stared intently, her knee bobbing.
"Ok, Ed, here's what you're going to do," Faye began, looking over the hacker's shoulder at Tomato's screen. She motioned to the windows she had open. "Minimize that. You need to create an offshore account into which we're placing the woolong."
The hacker instantly hunched over, blocking her view of the screen.
"I don't care what you do, just make sure the account can't be moved or found until we're done with it. We need to shift a lot of money and if Doohan doesn't like dealing with banks then too bad, he's not getting paid. Are you listening?" Faye demanded and Ed instantly straightened, glancing at her. Wordlessly, the hacker turned Tomato and Faye found herself looking at the screen along with a site stating "Investment Ideas and Accounts." Faye nodded with a mischievous smile. "Good girl. Can you make an account?"
"Uh-huh."
Faye glanced at Spike then at Jet. "How do you guys feel about dressing up and going out on the town tomorrow?"
Jet stood up with a groan as if he was an old man. "I've always had good taste in clothes and style. I'll be ready."
Faye glanced at Spike once more, motioning to him as he let his eyes shift from her to Jet for a moment. "Good. Then maybe you can give this lunkhead a few pointers. Start with the hair. I need to focus on me tomorrow."
Faye examined herself in the mirror critically. Nice, slinky dress that fit her curves only too well. The neckline of the dress folded into a mandarin collar, buttoned up the back of her neck, the skirt falling long and slit up the side of her leg and thigh. She had chosen this particular dress for the simple fact that it covered much of her upper body. She needed to look good enough to draw attention but not to demand it wherever she went. Which was going to be hard because whether she liked it or not-
"I'm just too hot."
Spike leaned into her room through the open door with a bored expression. "My hair is going as is or I don't go at all," he stated flatly as she looked at him through the reflection in the mirror. And he examined her for a moment, his eyes swooping down then back up. "Not bad. But you're going to have to do something about the cut on your head. And I can see a bit of the bandage on your shoulder from the gunshot."
Faye twisted her lips a bit as she continued to examine herself. "Yeah, I see," she mumbled, turning to a side profile and examining her slender frame decisively. With a sigh she stooped and lifted the first aid kit she had hidden in the corner of her room. Maybe it belonged to the Bebop but she was more important than a ship with metal parts anyway. Setting it on her dresser, she popped it open and retrieved the roll of gauze and a couple of bandages. "Help me," she ordered Spike, glaring his way.
The leaner bounty hunter entered the room with a small sigh, sauntering toward her and pausing beside her as she plopped down on the edge of her bed. Grimacing, she handed him the items heavily and then began to unbutton the collar, dragging the top of the dress down from her shoulder and carefully pulling her arm free of the sleeve.
"But it's so soon in the relationship," Spike said in a bored monotone, medical items in his palms, sneaking a peek over the edge of the dress.
"Shut it," she growled at him, eyes bestowing a glare upon him. Pulling the top of the dress off her aching shoulder, she reached toward her it and gingerly took hold of the edge of the used gauze wrapping. As it came off she unwound the strip from her neck and shoulder repeatedly, setting it aside in a pile of rolled up cloth and then turning her attention to the bandages covering the bullet wound. The bandages stuck to one another and she ended up having to pull them all off as one, wincing as dried blood adhered the bandages to the stitches.
Spike shifted past her to the kit, balancing the unused items in one palm and dug through the kit, pulling out several packs of alcohol pads. Wordlessly, he slit one open with his teeth and held the gaping packet to her, the pungent odor of alcohol burning her nostrils as she took it out.
"Oof."
Finally wrestling the bandage from the wound, she dabbed at the dried blood with the alcohol pad and then a second one, passing it carefully over the stitches. It didn't look too bad anymore but it was possible that it was just a trick of the lighting in her room. Tossing the used pads on the dresser, Faye opened the unused bandages he held out to her and applied them to the wound, her breath hitching slightly as she found herself pressing on the bruised flesh surrounding the gunshot. The bruises were still an ugly purple immediately surrounding the wound but yellowed further out. Ripping open the gauze packaging she unwrapped the roll a bit and held one edge directly to the side of her breast and under her arm.
"Tie me up," she said to Spike, holding the roll of gauze out to him with her free hand. And the moment she said it she wanted to smack herself in the forehead.
Spike hesitated thoughtfully. "Never mind, too easy," he said in agreement as she glowered. With a slight playful smile curling the edges of his lips he took the gauze into his hand and nudged her arm up for access.
Faye found herself holding her breath as he leaned toward her to gauge the length of the gauze he would need. She was quite aware then of the scent of cigarette smoke hovering around him, quickly swallowing. Every time he came within a foot of her he made her want to smoke because of that exact scent. She inhaled deeply, inaudibly, bowing her head toward her wound as he began to wind the roll around and under her shoulder. "Lift your arm a bit," he said quietly, eyes narrowing slightly. She did so, aware that she felt the tiniest bit awkward to be cupping the edge of her breast just under the top of the dress. Silently, he wound the gauze over the edge she had kept in place, at last moving her fingers away once he had secured the end under layers of wrapping. Then he unwound the gauze further, trailing it upward and around her neck to further support the wrapping. After several windings he ripped the edge of the gauze and then clipped the material down against her neck, stepping away a moment later to admire his work. "Look at that. Good as new."
"Bite me," she mumbled, ducking her head away from him.
As Spike tossed the remaining unused gauze into the open first aid kit, a smile on his face, Faye stood up once more. Gingerly, she pulled the top of her dress back up slowly, slipping her arm back into the cut of the sleeve. Buttoning the collar once more, she patted down the dress, Spike smirking in the mirror. "Oh, admit it," she snapped at him. "I am a thing of beauty." And as he rolled his eyes she lifted her hand to her head and debated tying her bangs across her forehead and the side of her face to hide the gash. "I have a lot of makeup work ahead of me though," she murmured, motioning to the bruises along her temple and close to the corner of her mouth where they were still clinging.
"Ok, ladies and gents," Jet's voice floated by way of introduction and he strolled into the room, Spike glancing at him over his shoulder curiously. "How's it look?"
Dressed in a cream-colored suit with the casual fedora perched atop his head, Jet looked nothing short of dashing. His strong form had always filled the suit out nicely when he wore it for a night on Mars but tonight he seemed especially eye-catching.
Faye smiled at his reflection in the mirror as she fixed her collar distractedly. "See, Spike," she purred and she slid over to Jet, fiddling with his tie and then readjusting the fedora a bit. "This is what I'm talking about when I say classy."
Jet threw Spike a smile before slipping on a pair of shades as well.
"Mr. Black will be sizzling tonight," Spike retorted good-naturedly, straightening and then moving toward the doorway. Behind Jet Ed suddenly appeared at the door and Spike came to a screeching stop. Stunned into silence, he took one long incredulous look at the hacker before erupting into laughter.
"What is that?"
Ed looked none too happy either, dressed in a frilly white piece accentuating her stick figure frame. She even had the bow in her head to top it off. And on her feet were shiny black shoes over crisp white socks. "Papa," she growled at Jet, her hand moving toward the shoes. No doubt to rip one off in utter fury.
Jet stared at her wordlessly, jaw hanging open, his shades slipping down his nose.
"Ah, ah!" Faye said loudly, motioning to the hacker's reaching hand. "Don't even think about it, Ed! If I find one shoe off your foot I will personally eat Ein!"
The hacker froze, fingers wiggling as if they itched.
Faye turned and moved toward her closet, digging into it for a moment. And then she pulled out a large, white purse and came back toward the doorway, handing it to Ed. "For the laptop." And at the hacker's horrified face, she snapped, "Deal with it."
For a moment Ed literally seemed as if she was going to burst into tears. "Faye-Faye is being mean to Edward!" the hacker cried miserably.
"Spike, go. I want to leave soon," Faye said, oblivious to the wailing girl. "It's going to be a busy night and this is the busiest night of the week anyway." She smiled. "Let's make some cash, boys."
"I'll be around the corner," VT nodded from the control chair, swinging about to face Jet. On her lap Zeros was contentedly purring away, the sound rumbling faintly throughout the room.
"Now, VT," Jet said cautiously and he bent toward the older woman, Faye and Spike behind him, Ed examining her shoes critically. "I know we have certain people on this ship who...did some damage to your ship. But remember the Bebop is mine."
VT merely looked at him, poker-faced.
Jet stared at her for another moment in silence, obviously hoping his face would convey his thoughts to the trucker. And then, with a sigh, he straightened, fixing his fedora once more.
"I won't destroy your ship, Jet," VT said after him with a small smile. And she cocked her head to look past him at Spike and Faye. "Well, don't you two make a lovely couple? My husband had to pull hair to get me into that kind of get up."
Faye glanced at herself, patting down the tight skirt that accentuated her hips and upper thighs. The long slit on the side allowed her the freedom to move, to draw her Glock if necessary. Lifting a hand to her hair she readjusted the pins securing it, checking the side part and allowing her hands to follow a chunk of hair as it swept down and across her forehead to hide the gash. She felt the makeup she had caked on but it looked better on her than it did most women. All in all, she was happy with her appearance.
Beside her Spike had fought tooth and nail before allowing her to force him into a suit. Dark gray and proper, he would have resembled a businessman had it not been for his mop of dark hair. She let her eyes run down his frame at a leisurely pace and even as she did so he straightened, glaring at her.
"You make me feel like a piece of meat, Faye," he murmured and he ran a hand through his hair.
"Welcome to my fantasy," she sighed and she spun back around, her eyes resting on Ed finally. The hacker looked miserable still. But she reluctantly floated forward and wound an arm through Jet's as he offered it to her.
"Papa," she said to him and she smiled cheerfully, causing Jet to blanch a bit.
"We ready to make some money?" Faye asked. And beside her Spike checked his Jericho purposefully, his jaw tight. "Now, remember guys. We want Black Jack to find us. Or three of us anyway. The best thing that can happen would be for him to see us. Because then that means he's not going to be focused on Ed inside. But not unless the shit just hits the fan. We'll stay in contact with Ed." She looked toward Spike. "Right?"
Spike motioned to an ear piece he had on, the mouthpiece clear and almost invisible against his jaw.
Faye nodded, satisfied. "Hopefully by the time Black Jack notices a chunk of his woolong gone, we'll have split the money and gotten some repairs done." And she flashed a mischievous grin. "Let's do it."
Having landed the Bebop several hundreds of yards away, Faye began to feel a bit of anxiety as they snuck out into the casino's lot. Spike disembarked, helping Ed down although the girl seemed more agile than a monkey and he spun as a valet appeared at his side with a wide smile.
"Hey there, mister. Park your ship?" the kid asked, checking out Faye's backside as she climbed down from the Bebop.
"No, it's fine here," Jet said to the kid, glancing toward Ed as she looped an arm through his once more.
"But it's no trouble, really-"
Spike took hold of the kid's collar and dragged him close, smiling into the boy's face. "Scram before I beat the snot out of you, kid."
The boy stumbled as he was released and quickly righted himself, bowing before scampering off.
"Spike," Faye began with a twitching eyebrow, her eyes shut tightly, hands propped on her hips. "When I said we wanted to draw attention to ourselves, I recall saying we wanted to draw the attention when and if something goes-"
"Yeah, yeah, can we do this now? I want to get a drink," Spike cut her off in boredom.
Faye checked the impulse to deck him in the face. Instead she looked toward Jet and the older man nodded to them once. Then, silently but keeping a hold on Ed he began to head toward the front entrance of the casino, Ed skipping along at his side and swinging the large white purse.
"Think this'll work?" Spike asked her under his breath, glancing up toward the ship before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a box of cigarettes.
"It has to," Faye replied and she turned to him, stealing a cigarette from his stash.
"Are you…ever going to get your own cigarettes?" he asked her with a growl.
"Why should I when I get my steady supply from you?"
At the casino doors there was a pause as security stopped Jet for a moment, motioning to Ed and shaking their heads. Jet took off his fedora and then held it before him with both hands, Ed clinging to his arm. Faye knew the routine already, her foot tapping impatiently.
"My wife passed, just this May, and my daughter has finally worked up enough courage to leave the house. I can't bear to leave her behind, she's the only one I have now and I wanted to take her out on the town, help her enjoy life again. Would you stop an old man just trying to help his only daughter cope with her own mother's passing?"
Faye watched the guards pause and then glance at each other uncertainly. Then with a shake of his head and what appeared to be a sigh, one guard came forth, fished a strap from his pocket and wound it around Ed's slender wrist, explaining something as he tied it securely. Then, with a nod, he stepped aside and Jet led Ed into the casino.
With a quiet, "Yes!" Faye gave Spike a high-five and then stole his matches as well.
They had managed to get in without a problem, Faye clinging to Spike's arm and looking every inch the high roller. She swept through the grand doors leading into the large lobby purposefully, hips swaying. On her high-heeled pumps and looking around intently, she was quite aware that every single male in the room was following her with his eyes. She swallowed back the triumphant smile, gauging Spike's reaction beside her but he seemed rather unenthused by the attention, his mismatched eyes searching the lobby cautiously. She had been in this casino before, when she had first begun her search for Black Jack. The lobby and grand entrances appeared to be lined in gold and diamonds, with large chandeliers overhead and marble floors below. Glancing down she saw herself reflected upward, Spike looking around at her side. Security personnel guarded the entrances and a large escalator to her left that led up to the casino floor. To her right were numerous elevators and a glum guard posted in the middle interval. Toward the back of the lobby, on either side of the grand hallway, were service counters lined with expectant gamblers and customers. And at the very back of the lobby she caught sight of the doors and windows of a large lounge. It seemed to be lit by candles, soft light flickering from inside and she heard the distinct notes of a piano flowing out.
"She might try to go through the Exchange attendants upstairs in the casino," Spike murmured softly, his lips barely moving as he spoke. She turned to look at him and he bowed his head, drawing closer to her and speaking quietly into the mouthpiece. "Ed, where are you?"
Faye waited at his side, her arm linked through his still. Then, as Spike spoke with Ed she began to drag him through the lobby, scanning the area in interest but feigning the attention of a woman appreciating her surroundings. They floated over toward the escalator that led up into the casino area and even from where they stood they heard the sounds of machines and jackpots drifting down. Looking at each other, Spike's gaze unfocused as he listened to Ed, Faye sent him a prodding stare before taking a step onto the escalator. Absentmindedly Spike brought up the rear and they searched the lobby they were leaving below as they floated toward the second floor.
Once hitting the casino floor, Spike glanced over, his eyes flying to their right where the exchange attendants stood behind bulletproof glass, exchanging money cards and woolongs for chips and change. "Ed, I wouldn't recommend going that way. Maybe-" He paused, bringing Faye to a stop with him. "The bathrooms?"
Faye looked at him as he stared blindly toward a glittering machine, his lips parted. Only he could hear Ed through the earpiece and only Ed could hear him through the mouthpiece. At this time of evening, the casino was crowded, several gamblers jostling the two of them to clamber both on and off the casino floor. His eyes shifted toward Faye as she was pushed slightly by someone coming onto the floor and he quickly darted into her way as she moved to take a step after the culprit. Coming to a stop at finding him in her way she glared at him impatiently.
"Where did you leave Jet?" he asked Ed, staring at Faye's eyes and giving her a look to calm her down. And he recoiled slightly before turning his head to the right. "By the poker tables?"
As Faye composed herself, she glanced around Spike's frame into the main casino floor. Further into the casino, circling around several slot machines, she caught sight of Jet by a poker table, hands shoved into his pockets, the fedora perched fashionably on his head. He also was scoping out the area, his eyes shooting around warily.
"Ok, and you are where?" Spike continued, coming back around to face Faye. "Wait, what kind of vents?" And he finally focused on Faye, nodding, a small smile forming on his face. "There are vents in the bathroom," he said to her and he grimaced as a slot machine suddenly rang, alarms and whistles blaring.
"Vents that lead…" Faye prodded loudly, an eyebrow arching questioningly.
"She's checking now," he replied and he turned back to the mouthpiece, his tone also rising a bit. "Ed, I suggest not getting that frilly white dress all dirty now-" And even through the din of tumbling coins and whistles Faye heard the angry shriek the hacker let loose in the earpiece, Spike wincing as it shot right into his ear.
"All you're doing is pissing her off," Faye sighed, a hand lifting to her hip, her other winding through his once more to drag him away from the escalator as more gamblers rode onto the casino floor.
"Yeah but it's fun." He smiled once more, readjusting the earpiece. "Ok. Ok! I was kidding, Ed. Where do the vents lead, do you know?"
Faye glanced about once more, her green eyes searching the casino floor and the slightest bit worried. She focused on guards positioned close to the escalator and elevators, and at individual posts across the game floor. The moment they looked her way she slanted her gaze aside so as to avoid being caught staring but she still somehow felt as if they could read her true intentions on her heavily made-up face. A shiver was beginning to run down her spine, one she did not like. It seemed any guard she saw now was vaguely familiar and menacing. Her grip on Spike's arm tightening unconsciously, she pulled him over to the far side toward a brightly lit hallway, the sign overhead reading Restrooms.
"She doesn't know," Spike said to her as they paused by the corridor. And he seemed to realize only then that she had dragged the both of them away from the escalators. Curiously, he poked his head around the corner and into the hallway, his eyes searching the long corridor. Halfway down the corridor were the restrooms, one door on each side separated by gender. But his eyes came to rest on the door at the foot of the hallway that read, Private. Security Entrance. He frowned faintly and Faye saw the interest blossom on his face even before he moved. Instinctively he began to go down the hallway and Faye's arm through his became steel, curling and clamping down immediately.
"Ok, you see that? What you just did?" she hissed and he paused and looked at her upon realizing how tightly she was clinging to him. "You can not go walking off like that. We're going to screw Ed over if we-"
"I just want to see what's there," Spike said to her with a lopsided smile, his voice coming out almost in a purr. And he pulled on her, his smile turning teasing, his eyes darting around to make sure they weren't being watched.
Faye followed finally, a frown crossing her face. She was beginning to really hate when he got that look on his face. It was much too appealing and much too devilish to ever lead anywhere good. "We're not here to do the actual casino-robbing, Spike," she groaned as she dragged her feet behind him, her hand now caught in the crook of his elbow as he pulled her along. "We're here to make sure Ed does and that she doesn't get caught-"
They paused at the far doorway, Spike glancing back once more before stooping and examining the lock mechanism. There was a flat console above the doorknob with a card swipe and a number pad beside it. Faye leaned against the wall beside the console, glancing to her side to keep watch as he studied the mechanism, his jaw clenching as he tried to knob. "It's locked," he murmured distractedly.
"No shit, Sherlock. Can you override it?" she asked in a low tone, her green eyes flying across what little she could see of the casino floor from her position. So far no guard had left their post but it would only be a matter of time before one made the walk of the floor.
"I don't think-" he whispered, looking over his shoulder to the head of the hallway once more. And he straightened immediately even as Faye stiffened, their eyes locking on a uniformed guard as he began to pass the corridor. Not even thinking, Spike quickly lifted a hand and placed it to the wall beside Faye's face, blocking her view of the guard and bringing her to look at him in surprise at the sudden movement. Wordlessly, his dark eyes staring into hers, he pressed himself against her, closing the gap between them as he wound an arm around her waist and pulled her to him.
At his touch Faye immediately shoved herself into the wall instead, realizing only a moment later that there was nowhere for her to go with his arm circling her waist quite so firmly. One hand had reflexively lifted to his chest, the other flattening against the wall beside her and she was blissfully uncertain as to which way she needed her body to go. She swallowed, her eyes widening as she found herself abruptly overwhelmed by the scent of Spike, of cigarettes and alcohol. All thought flew from her, her heartbeat stopping in mid-thump, her breath running shallow as he tilted his head toward her.
"You're too stiff," he said softly, mismatched eyes seeming to stare into her very soul. He seemed perfectly fine to be so close to her, his mouth the smallest distance from her own. Even as he spoke to her, every word brought him closer, just the slightest hint of teasing before pulling back. "Loosen up or it won't be believable." And he bent his head, jaw brushing past her cheek as he leaned toward her ear, his breath warm on her skin.
Desperately trying to breathe through a sudden lump in her throat, Faye turned her face slightly toward his, her fingers feeling cold. "It's…kind of hard," she whispered and she forced herself to control her breathing, her head tilting to lean against his. His scent was too much then, her heart racing from mid-stop to full out throbbing. He fit her well, she thought through a haze, a sweet shock darting down her spine. From his hips against her waist to the feel of his chest pressed to hers. She checked the impulse to lift her hand and curl her fingers through his hair.
And then a moment later she didn't care. Why not take advantage of the moment, she questioned wildly, mindlessly. The hand against his chest curled, taking a palm full of his shirt under the gray suit jacket and clamping down. The other hand left the wall to take hold of him firmly, her fingers sinking into his hair and anchoring there. She felt the shiver that went through him when she pulled at the hair along the nape of his neck but he remained silent, his jaw pressed to her cheek and his arm tightening around her waist.
"I'm sorry, sir. Ma'am. This is a restricted area past the restrooms. If you would be so kind…" the security guard called to them from the foot of the corridor and Spike quickly lifted his head away from her, Faye left clutching him with cramping fingers.
"Oh, sorry about that," Spike smiled at the guard easily, mischievously even. "We did get a bit carried away." And he looked at Faye, his eyes penetrating hers, his hand falling away from the wall. "Didn't we?"
Faye remained silent as she returned the look, her lips parted, much too aware of the heat he seemed to radiate. She was certain her cheeks were a brilliant shade of red.
Unwinding his arm from her waist, he slid it slowly out from behind her. And she didn't imagine that it took him a bit longer than it should have taken. Nor did she imagine the trail of his fingers across the small of her back when he finally pulled away. Staring at him, she reflexively moved to lean weakly against the wall but his hand easily rose to her fingers still clamped on his shirt. Expertly, he undid her grip and took her hand in his instead, fingers intertwining with hers.
Her hand loosened from his hair, fingertips sliding across the back of his neck. The small caress brought his lips to part slightly and she froze once more. She wanted to see that again. She wanted to bring him to a stop and throw him the way he seemed to throw her all the time.
Pulling just out of reach of her fingers, he turned his face from hers and began to pull her along after him as he moved back up the corridor. She followed on weak knees, uncertain that they would hold her up once they came to a stop. The security guard waited for them still, his firm stare darting from Spike to Faye and back again intently.
"Sorry, again," Spike repeated with an impish smile as they reached the guard and he lifted his free hand to run it through his unruly hair. "We'll conduct ourselves better."
The guard looked at Faye and she knew immediately what he thought just by the expression that flitted across his face as he observed her.
Well, if I had a looker like her, I wouldn't conduct myself so well either.
Faye averted her eyes from the guard and after a moment he continued on with one last nod to them. And then she was alone with Spike once more. He watched the guard march off for a long moment, a muscle moving in his jaw. And then he glanced at her wordlessly, her eyes sliding toward his at the same time and meeting his thoughtful gaze.
The blush that had risen earlier suddenly seemed to explode with more heat, an icy shiver simultaneously streaking down her back. "This is why I'd rather you listen to me, you damn lunkhead," she growled at him to cover her embarrassment and she ripped her hand from his, leaving him to blink at her silently. Her inner thoughts screaming at her, Faye stormed out of the corridor entryway, coming back out onto the main floor once more. Back to the jackpots and the crashing sound of money. To reality and what lay before them. She felt the blush in her face still, the heat of the redness in her cheeks and playing across her nose. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she inhaled deeply and then exhaled, wishing it would calm her. Wishing she could think straight. Even placing her hands on her hips and straightening to breathe did nothing to ease the blockage she felt in her heart and throat. Behind her, Spike came up wordlessly and his scent still assaulted her sweetly. But as she glanced at him she found him looking back down the corridor once more curiously. As if nothing had happened. She suddenly envied him his inquisitive nature and memory of a goldfish.
"I really want to check out the bathrooms," he was back to murmuring, his jaw shifting.
Faye sighed inwardly but returned to his side nonetheless, moving to draw his attention away from the hallway. "I suggest we not," she said. "We don't want to drag any attention to Ed until we absolutely need to. If we get their attention too quickly-" The rest of her sentence dwindled away as she looked over her shoulder toward Jet, her words dying in her mouth.
Security had swarmed in around the older bounty hunter and he was motioning in disagreement, a hand coming up to scratch his neck uncomfortably. One security guard merely gestured, stepping aside. And in defeat, Jet moved forward in the direction the guard signaled.
Faye smacked Spike's arm absentmindedly and he turned to look first at her and then at the scene she was watching. A frown crossed his face, his frame instantly stiffening. "That doesn't look good," he said in a wary tone.
"No, it doesn't," Faye murmured in sour agreement. "But it was going to happen anyway." And she began to wind around various colorful slot machines, keeping tabs on Jet and the group of security guards as they began to lead him to the back end of the casino floor. She followed worriedly, Spike trailing her, his presence oddly comforting then. They circled the casino floor expertly, winding to come up in the direction of the back exits and toward another small corridor much like the one she and Spike had been caught in.
"Ed, how's it going?" Spike mumbled behind her distractedly.
Faye didn't bother to listen. The group of security guards separated as Jet moved down the hallway reluctantly, one guard following him. And she waited, turning her eyes aside as the remainder of the guards left to return to previous posts around the casino floor.
"What room?" Spike was asking behind her in a low voice. "A security console?"
Holding her breath, Faye took hold of Spike's arm, bringing him to utter a soft, "Hey-" Dragging him toward the corridor, she slowed before it and risked a nonchalant peek in. At the end of the hallway the security guard, standing erect next to Jet's confused figure, swiped a card at the console beside an elevator door. The elevator rang dimly and as Jet turned to the guard questioningly the guard pulled a fist back and sucker-punched him in the face. The heavier bounty hunter staggered from the sudden blow just as the elevator door opened and without hesitation the guard shoved Jet in and allowed the elevator door to close behind the bounty hunter.
Anger sweeping through her suddenly rigid frame, Faye was already moving down the hall before Spike even realized it. Halfway down the corridor, moving on the ball of her feet so as to avoid making noise, she reached down to her thigh as she made it to the guard at the end of the hallway. It was Spike, however, who arrived at the guard first. Even before Faye could say or do anything Spike had taken hold of the guard's head from behind, shoving it forward in one sudden movement. The security guard's face rammed into the elevator door, something cracking in the process, and Spike released him, digging into the man's pockets innocently. A moment later he produced the security card, glancing toward Faye.
Faye merely looked at the guard's body as it toppled unconscious to the floor, her Glock now forgotten under the slip of her dress. "Well, now I know why I take you with me, Spike," she let him know with an approving smirk to her lips as she straightened.
"My wonderful company?" he asked intriguingly. He stooped to take hold of the unconscious security guard, hands winding under the man's arms.
"Your ability to keep violence to a hush," she corrected him. And she immediately moved toward the men's restroom door, holding it open as Spike dragged the guard's body into the bathroom and then across the floor into an empty stall.
Faye waited as Spike propped the guard on the toilet seat and then they both stared at him thoughtfully, Spike's hands lifting to prop on his hips. "I think he looks comfortable. Do you think he looks comfortable?" he asked, glancing at her.
"I think he looks comfortable," she agreed.
Once they were back outside in the hallway, they moved toward the elevator again, Spike swiping the card at the console. The elevator door opened once more after a small hesitation and they quickly entered, turning to the buttons on the side of the elevator. There were four floors available from the elevator. The Lobby, the Casino, the French Restaurant Faye knew to be a floor above. And a blank button. They stared at the blank button then at each other for a long wordless moment. And at the same time they both jabbed at the blank button, Faye making it just under Spike's fingers and throwing the taller bounty hunter an arched brow as he sighed in defeat.
"You gotta be faster than that, Spike," she purred as the elevator doors slid shut on them.
The elevator went down several floors, Faye glancing up toward the camera in the console above the buttons. Beside her Spike didn't look very happy with the presence of the camera either but he merely clenched his jaw and checked for his Jericho inside his suit jacket.
After another moment the elevator slowed and then, as if it were a momentous occasion, the doors slid open. Faye felt an ugly curling in her stomach as she caught sight of Jet in the middle of another hallway, a large man standing before him and grasping him by the collar with both hands. Behind her Spike made a small sound as the man, quite obviously the RepairMan from all his mugshots, slammed Jet into a wall lining the hallway, cracking the bounty hunter's head against the hard surface. Jet stumbled with a muffled growl and that was all Faye needed. She took off instantly, anger coursing through her. This time she didn't care if they heard her. She raced down the corridor and as both men hesitated she threw herself at the RepairMan, landing squarely on his back and instantly aiming a punch into his head furiously.
The RepairMan let out a roar, hunching a bit as her attack caught him in the temple and he swung around violently, shoving backward against the opposite wall. Faye grimaced and then cried out as his weight slammed her into the marble surface, her head ducking against her collar. Pain streaked up her back and along her gunshot wound, her grip loosening and then slipping altogether a moment later. With blurred vision through narrowed eyes she caught a glimpse of green and gray and then Spike spun with a spinning kick, catching the RepairMan in the face with his boot. The man lurched sideways, taking Faye with him, and she was pitched off his back, landing roughly on her side and sliding across the floor with a low hiss. Bristling, Jet rose to his full height once more and he went for the RepairMan, Spike taking hold of the man as well. Roughly, they both shoved him backward against the wall, pinning him there a moment later.
"Geez, you must do some serious weight training," Spike grumbled as the RepairMan struggled against their grip and he pulled a fist back, catching the man directly in the mouth and bringing his struggling to a stop.
"Recognize us, did you?" Jet asked the man stonily, testing his sore jaw.
Faye rose to her feet with a bit of a limp and went to speak, her mouth opening. She wasn't sure what was going on and who knew they were there but they couldn't afford to stay in the hallway the way they currently were. Not when they needed Ed to do the heavy lifting of their operation. "Boys-" she managed to utter.
And then the elevator dinged once more, the doors sliding open. Faye whirled, her bangs coming loose and falling across her wide green eyes as she saw the numerous security guards that filtered out from the elevator. And every single one of them held weapons now aimed directly at them.
Spike glanced over, Jet cursing under his breath at their sudden appearance.
Faye sighed wearily, her shoulders slumping as the RepairMan merely laughed where he stood clutched between the male bounty hunters. "You can't win them all, huh, guys?" he asked them gruffly and he chuckled some more.
His laughter was still echoing when Black Jack appeared from around the corner at the opposite end of the hallway. His face darkened upon recognizing Spike and Jet, his figure slowing only momentarily. "What have we here?" he questioned almost innocently. "Little mice trying to sneak their way into my home?" He glanced toward Faye, his eyes settling on the cuts now visible on her face since her hair had loosened. "Guess we aren't all as invincible as me," he murmured with a cool poker face.