Milla rises early the next morning, the weak sun barely affecting the early morning mist. For a few moments, she considers trying to go back to sleep, only to abandon the idea the instant the Shade Virus in her blood begins to 'chatter'. I had hoped you'd be silent today…
An hour later, her morning meditation complete and the virus silenced, Milla dresses in her newest outfit, secures her piandao on her back, and pads into the den, deciding not to bother with the shoes, gloves, or headscarf.
"Ah, good morning," Rinzen greets as Milla enters the den. "Did you sleep well?"
"Well enough," Milla assures, taking the other chair.
"I see you've chosen not to hide your identity," Rinzen observes.
"I don't see the point of hiding it, given what we're doing today," Milla explains.
"Fair," Rinzen accepts. "It's not too late to back out."
"I had a dream last night," Milla reveals, slightly surprising Rinzen. "I dreamt that I'd decided to go back to Dragon Valley this morning and forget about the Order, the Nine Tails, and the whole Empire. At first, everything was fine: I was with my friends, and we were all happy. But then I dreamt that nine foxes came to our treehouse that night. Lilac and Carol tried to fight them off, but they failed, and I was… I don't know what exactly happened to me, but the last thing I recall is a blade on my throat… and then I woke up."
"It was just a bad dream," Rinzen assures.
"That's the odd thing: it didn't feel like a dream," Milla replies. "It felt like… It felt like the future."
Unsure what to say, Rinzen remains silent. The legends do tell of some Bái Shén possessing precognition. No‑one believes that aspect, but even if there is an ounce of truth to it, Milla's far too young to have even the slightest hint of that ability. Then again, she's also too young to have access to her Shade Form…
"Guess I'm just nervous," Milla giggles without humour.
"Understandable: I'm nervous too," Rinzen replies. "The important thing is to stick to the plan."
"Absolutely," Milla agrees.
Rinzen checks his watch. "It's time."
Milla takes a deep breath to calm her nerves. "No turning back."
"May the Ancients watch over you," Rinzen wishes.
"And may the Five Deities watch over you," Milla wishes in return.
Two hours later, Milla is hiding in the shadows of a silent alleyway in a nondescript inner‑city region of Gyelsa less than a mile from the edge of the city centre. With a directional microphone in her hand, a handheld radio on the waist of her leggings, and a backpack with a compact remote camera on her back, she watches over the Jade Vixen casino Rinzen told her about. So, their HQ is hidden under there… Why does that sound like something from a… What are they called again? Carol has a whole bunch of them… Videogame, that's it. Milla shakes her head to clear it. Stop it: gotta remain focussed.
A few minutes later, as Milla's mind threatens to wander again, she sees an expensive‑looking silver sedan arrive and enter the small car park behind the casino. A quick check of the watch Rinzen gave her reveals that the casino isn't due to open for another few hours. Is that the owner? Based on what Rinzen told me, it could be. I saw yellow and orange, but I need to get a better view of them to be sure…
Milla considers dashing across the street to try and get a glimpse of the driver before they enter the casino. However, before she decides, the driver emerges from the car park, revealing themselves to be a middle‑aged vixen with saffron fur, vermillion hair in a pixie cut, and wearing a cobalt blue business suit and matching high heels.
The sight of the vixen causes Milla to shrink further into the shadows. It's Jetsun alright… Did she drive wearing those shoes‽ Stop it Milla: you're getting distracted again. Her attention back on her mission, Milla activates the directional microphone and watches as Jetsun unlocks the front door and enters the casino. A few moments after the door closes behind the vixen, the click of the lock re‑engaging is picked up by the directional microphone. Not a problem: I wasn't planning on using the front door anyway. Now, where's that van…
As if in response, an armoured van pulls up outside the casino, the name and logo on the side matching those of the casino itself. Two marmots emerge from the cab, the passenger heading to the back of the van as the driver approaches the door of the casino, which Jetsun opens before he can knock.
"You're earlier than I expected," Jetsun greets pleasantly, propping the door open to allow the marmots free access. "If you need me, I'll be in the office."
"Aye‑aye, ma'am," the driver replies.
Milla watches as Jetsun heads back to her office and the marmots make their way through the casino towards the vault. …or I could use the front door anyway. A quick check with the directional microphone confirms that neither Jetsun nor the marmots will notice her enter the casino. It's now or never.
Milla takes a deep breath to calm her nerves, checks the road is clear, then dashes across as fast as she can, scurrying behind a rank of slot machines that will hide her from the marmots. OK, I'm in; now to find the secret passage. Using the skills Maria Shanmao taught her, Milla silently makes her way towards the back of the casino, stopping behind the last slot machine in the rank to check the coast is clear.
Her caution is warranted: a moment later, the marmots emerge from the vault with several steel cases on a dolly, wheeling it out through the casino to the rear of the van. They were quicker than I expected… Stay focussed. Milla peeks out from behind the slot machine and quickly locates the staff‑only door. No lock, just as Rinzen said. Perfect.
With one last check that the coast is clear, Milla scurries to the staff‑only door and enters the storeroom behind, making sure the door closes as softly as possible behind her. Don't want to make that mistake again. Now to hide and wait for everyone to leave…
Ten minutes later, the marmots have loaded the last of the steel cases into the van and deposited several empty cases in the vault. Their task complete, the driver makes his way to Jetsun's office while his colleague secures their cargo.
Again, Jetsun opens the door before the marmot can knock. "All done?"
"Aye, ma'am."
"And the vault is secure?"
"Aye, ma'am."
"Excellent," Jetsun smiles. "Oh, before I forget: the casino will be closed all day today for maintenance, so there won't need to be a pick‑up tomorrow. It's business as usual the day after."
"Understood," the marmot acknowledges before leaving the casino and rejoining his colleague.
Jetsun waits until she hears the van drive away, then returns to the front door and locks it. And now to get the place ready for tonight. When she gets to the staff‑only door however, she's surprised to find it slightly ajar. Did one of them enter the storeroom? Or is there an intruder? If there is, I'll make them regret it.
Jetsun enters the storeroom to find it… exactly as she expected. Huh… Guess the last person out just didn't close the door properly. Satisfied there's no intruder, Jetsun closes the door properly, then leaves the casino via the back door.
In the storeroom, after hearing Jetsun drive away thanks to her directional microphone, Milla lets out a sigh of relief. For a moment, I thought… It's best not to think about it. Now to find this secret door. Emerging from her hiding place behind the broken slot machine, Milla uses the handle of the slot machine to pull herself upright, only for the handle to move and cause her to fall flat on her front with a yelp of surprise. "Hnnngh…" Wasn't expecting that to move.
Milla picks herself up and dusts herself off, then begins her search for the secret door, finding it much quicker than she expected. Did… Did pulling that handle… Nah, that's silly: it'd be like hiding a secret switch under a poster. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Milla passes through the secret door, down the staircase on the other side, down a short corridor, and through another door.
The moment she enters the room beyond, Milla stops dead in her tracks, shocked at the sight of the stark contrast of militaristic simplicity ornately decorated with numerous depictions of vulpine spirits that is the headquarters of the Nine Tails. The simultaneous spike of adrenaline causes the Shade Virus in her blood to stir, and it takes some effort to ignore it. This… I… How come no‑one else knows about this‽ Oh, right, I remember: the Nine Tails have done all they can to suppress the truth.
It takes a few moments to get over the initial shock, but when she does, Milla's focus snaps sharply back into place, and she unclips the handheld radio from the waist of her leggings and activates it. "I'm in."
"Excellent," Rinzen replies, the signal distorted but understandable. "Did anyone spot you?"
"No," Milla confirms. "There was a moment I thought Jetsun might find me, but she didn't look hard enough."
"We may have spent our luck already," Rinzen sighs.
"Then we'll make our own," Milla assures. "I'll set up the camera now."
"Make sure to hide it as well as you can," Rinzen instructs. "We can't risk anyone finding it before we have the evidence we need."
"I'll do my best."
"I know you will."
Milla shuts off the radio and returns it to the waist of her leggings, then takes the remote camera out of her backpack. A quick check of its energy crystal reveals it's holding a full charge. About six hours… I hope that's enough.
Knowing that this is the part of the plan with the fewest restrictions on time, Milla expects to take a while in finding an ideal location to hide the camera… right up until she turns around and sees a large standard, the top edge mostly unlit and offering the perfect place to hide a secret camera that can cover the entire room. Huh… Guess we had a little luck left to burn.
Milla turns on the camera, Flutter Jumps up to the top of the standard, carefully sets the camera in position, then drops gently to the floor. I hope that's good enough. Once again, she unclips the radio from the waist of her leggings and activates it. "Are you getting picture?"
"And sound," Rinzen confirms. "Great angle too. Now, get out of there."
"Wilco." Milla shuts off the radio and returns it to the waist of her leggings, then makes her way out of the room, down the small corridor, up the stairs, through the secret door, and back into the casino itself. Knowing the doors will all be locked, Milla makes her way to the bathroom, where there's an open window just large enough for her to squeeze through. And once she's outside, she quickly flees towards the agreed meeting point.
Ten minutes later, Milla reunites with Rinzen a few blocks away in an abandoned warehouse.
"So far, so good," Rinzen greets with a friendly smile. "The camera feed is stable, and the crystal should last long enough to gather everything we need."
"That leaves only one more thing," Milla replies.
"Before I do, I just want to be absolutely sure you're OK with this," Rinzen insists.
"I won't enjoy it, but it must be done," Milla confirms. "Just… please be gentle."
"Of course," Rinzen agrees.
Half an hour later, a compact car arrives at the Jade Vixen casino and pulls into the car park, where Shigara and Choden are waiting. The driver pulls up in front of the waiting vulpines, then gets out of the car.
"As promised, I'm delivering the girl," Rinzen greets.
"We knew you'd see sense," Shigara replies.
"I assume she's alive?" Choden asks.
"Of course," Rinzen assures. "See for yourself."
Shigara and Choden follow Rinzen to the rear of the car, where the owl opens the luggage compartment to reveal Milla inside securely bound, gagged, blindfolded, and asleep.
"Did she put up a fight?" Shigara asks.
"If she did, she would have escaped," Rinzen answers. "Luckily, I have a few tricks up my sleeves. So, when can I expect payment?"
"Remaining alive is your payment," Choden replies as she helps her brother lift Milla out of the car and towards the casino's back door.
"I had a feeling," Rinzen sighs, watching as Shigara and Choden take Milla into the casino. I know Milla agreed to this, but that doesn't make me feel any less nauseous about it…
In her office in the Imperial Palace, Chief Imperial Advisor Dolma receives an urgent report informing her of the latest developments. Zhong Nanhu Shigara and Zhong Nuhu Choden have captured the girl, just as I knew they would. I'll send Shang Nanhu Nawang on ahead to secure the casino until I can get there myself.
A few minutes later, Dolma enters the throne room. "Pardon my intrusion, my Empress, but I must depart the Palace to attend to an urgent matter."
Empress Kelsang eyes her chief advisor curiously. "What business is so important that you must leave the Palace?"
"I've received a report from Major Nawang that the Tiāngǒu has been located and surrounded," Dolma explains. "As I am overseeing the operation on your behalf, it follows that I should be at the scene as she is captured and contained."
For a moment, Kelsang contemplates taking direct command, but elects not to. "While this operation has taken far longer than it should have, I cannot deny your dedication and commitment. When you bring her in, be as discreet as possible: we don't want panic in the streets."
"Of course, my Empress," Dolma agrees. "I will return with the Tiāngǒu as soon as I can confirm she is securely contained."