Chapter 21

The interior was breathtaking. There was an inviting feeling that emanated from everywhere she looked. The ceiling and walls were painted in soft shades of gold. The carpet was bright red with gold accents. Dark cherry wood cemented the feeling of decadence and made every single piece of furniture from the bar, to the stools, to even the slot machine cases and the buttoned-back chairs that sat in front of them. The chandeliers overhead were topped with lamp shades to keep the light from being too harsh and mimic the feeling of intimacy. A golden gossamer fabric draped each side of the walkway, held together by a heavy velvet rope. One step off the marble path led to a sea of various temptations such as blackjack, roulette, and poker. The casino was almost as impressive a sight as the palace had been.

Alex let out a self-pitying wine that looking was the only thing she'd get to do. It was her first time inside a luxury casino yet she couldn't enjoy herself more or less because of Jun. More specifically, there was no way Alvah would let her abandon their current mission. Jun wasn't even around to stop her from having a good time, but indirectly, he still found a way. She hated him even more.

Their moment of introspection back at the secret base had been interrupted by the shouts and sound of running feet from a gaggle of children. They had come to play but as soon as they laid eyes on Prince Alvah, they tackled him in affection and pelted him a slew of questions. Had he come to play with them? Did he bring gifts like last time? Whose team would he be on? And unexpectedly to her, when would Jun be able to play with them again?

The children gave their report of having seen Jun visit the construction sites many times but he would never stop and talk to them like he used to. If anything, he brushed them off with a brief hello, say that he was busy, and then go back to paying attention to the strangely dressed guests he had brought with him. Without missing a beat, Alvah began asking if they could remember any outstanding details about what the men looked like. Alex thought it would simply be easier to just ask what they look like outright but a second thought corrected her; that children see the would differently then adults and would give an abstract description at best. However something abnormal would be far easier to describe.

Try as they might, they all gave various and contrasting accounts. The only solid clue Alvah could get was that they had all seen a strange car. Stranger still, it parked in various spots around town and seemed to show up wherever Jun was but didn't look fancy enough to have come from the palace. A black car with matching black windows that wasn't by any means expensive looking but was never dirty. A light went off in Alex's head right away. She didn't need to hear more and instinctively went with her gut feeling that they had seen an unmarked police car. Now the question became what was it doing following Jun?

Alvah's train of thought ran along the same line as he next asked the kids if they could remember where they had seen this car. Unfortunately, only its description was as much help as they could provide. Alvah thanked them all the same and now it was his turn to follow his own gut.

He led the two of them on a wild goose chase that spanned the length of the city. Their first stop was in the heart of a jungle of skyscrapers. The second, a sports complex with multiple stadiums and its own residential district that was big enough to rival the Olympic Village. Next was a park hidden in the middle of the city and within it, grassy lawns, a hedge maze, and three lakes large enough to go boating in. And after that, to the marina where a white sandy beach met the ocean's crystal blue waves.

Although it would've been amazing under any other circumstances, she couldn't shake the eerie feeling that something was amiss when the one thing all these places had in common were that they weren't completed. These attractions were only 'partially open to the public', with a greater half being fenced off, boarded up, and littered with heavy equipment as if all construction had just abruptly stopped.

They were the results of lost gambles and bad bets on the country's economy. Oil, its main import, was still a valuable product. Yet it wasn't an ever-lasting resource that was one of their major problems. The rise of renewable energy and growing disdain of fossil fuels made its future even more unsteady.

Turning to tourism was an alternative that came with its own set of problems, perhaps more than it would solve. Vacations and luxury spending weren't life necessities to the average person. In times when money was short or hard to come by, they were the first to be denounced as not needed. Their income was always at the mercy of a foreign dollar and the hope that everyone else had enough to spend. When they didn't at least break even, projects like these were cut and left to become warnings and ghost towns.

But her mind and her heart weren't on the country-wide economic impact of these rich playgrounds. She instead wondered about what they used to be, the people who used to live there, what happened to them, and where did they go?

Their last stop was the casino. When she asked him what sense it made to be there, his answer, although a bit round about, did make some kind of sense.

The ministers he suspected of conspiring against the crown wouldn't be bold enough to plan such treason while under the very throne they sought to usurp. There were too many chances to be heard. Neither would they carry on that kind of talk in establishments where the conversation would spark a possible panic if over heard by local patrons. The reasonable choice was tourist destinations, which eliminated both of these fears.

"A tourist isn't going to know or care enough about local politics to understand what's being said," he explained. "Besides, you didn't even know the king's face when you got here, right?"

"Well it's not like the average guide book has a chapter on this stuff," she huffed.

"Exactly! So they'd go somewhere they can be both comfortable and safe."

She was going to ask him if he intended to drag her through every tourist trap in the city. She suddenly caught a sight that stopped all her thoughts. She grabbed Alvah and forcefully turned him in the opposite direction to pretend to be looking at some signage.

"That guy with the combed back hair and scraggly beard," she whispered. "I recognize him. He's the one that stole my luggage off the airport."

Alvah turned his head to take a small sidelong glance at the man.

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely."

He nodded and without another word they set about following him at a distance. Even if they hadn't found the ministers, this was still a worthwhile investigation. If they could get the man alone, they could interrogate him and ask him just how did he manage to steal the bracelet and more importantly, who put him up to it.

Alex became increasingly bitter with every step. Aside from the floors where games were held, the casino also had shopping boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. The main rotunda had a mural of the night sky and its constellations carved into the ceiling and embossed with gold foil and she couldn't even so much as take a souvenir photo. It was only the public facilities yet they were still grander than anything she could imagine.

The sea of people they were wading through gradually thinned out. As they followed their target up staircases and past velvet ropes, the décor became more decadent and the clientele changed from khakis and polo shirts to dress suits and evening gowns. He halted when they were finally at the end of the line. With a whispered word to door guard, the man disappeared inside a VIP lounge.

"Should we wait for him to come out?"

She asked him assuming that they weren't going to be able to goin. Not with a guard at the door and the modest way they were dressed. But Alvah had more fire than she expected.

"I have an idea."

They abandoned their pursuit but only long enough to find a garment rack outside one of the expensive guest suites. The poor hotel maid who was supposed to deliver it had only left it unguarded to take a bathroom break. She returned and to her horror, found the rack empty aside from a scribbled note of apology and a monetary tip.

Their lucky find had been a gift from God if they were ever given one. The dress Alex found was loose with long sleeves and a flowing skirt; it was meant to be fitted around the waist with a wide clasp belt. It exposed not an inch of her skin but the glittering crystal applique on the sleeves and skirt made it clear that it was not at all dowdy.

Alvah scored just as well in an entirely black on black suit. The dress shirt, pocket square, and tie were all black. The only thing that pulled the look together and made it fashionable was the deep red jacket.

Just as she was tying a shawl around her head in a twisted braid style, she thought of Alvah's own fiery red hair and how much more it stood out. Even if none of the patrons knew his identity, their target would as soon as they saw his hair.

"Alvah, give me that pocket square."

She pulled it hard to stretch it out as much as she could without tearing it. Then she quickly worked her hands through her hair, finger combing it up towards the center, and quickly hid it under the makeshift head wrap. She finally gave her approval of their disguises and they returned to the bar.

They got passed the doorman with confident airs alone. As much was expected of Alvah, being a crown prince. She only a followed his lead.

Her composure slipped for just a moment once they stepped through the bars heavy curtained entrance. The bar was made to look like a jewelry box. Its walls were of etched glass against vibrant red wood. Silver and crystal accents were plentiful. And over it all hung a beaded crystal chandelier. If it weren't a luxury hotel, the bar wouldn't be out of place in an old noir movie.

Alvah continued to pull her along and out of her stupor. They took a seat at the corner of the bar and just a few tables away from the thief they'd been following. He sat at a much larger table and surrounded by a group of men.

As both she and Alvah struggled with etiquette, it was a fight for them both to remain appearing as if they belonged in a high-class establishment. She let her eyes gloss over the menu that had been handed to him and almost lost her vision. Even the cost of water was in the triple digits. Alvah ordered for both of them and waved the waiter away.

"Do you recognize any of them?" she whispered.

"I do," he answered.

His jaw was tight in anger and his brows furrowed but he kept chiding himself. He knew he was hot-blooded and had poor control of it, but now was not the time to use it. He had to force himself to commit their faces and names to memory. They sat sipping their drinks and pretended to be holding a conversation but keeping their voices low enough as to not bother their true goal of eavesdropping.

"So that's it," asked one of man as he looked from the young thief to another older man. "Are you sure his leadership isn't the best bet?"

"Jun is too ambitious," the older man answered. "I agree with Balam. We have a higher chance of not being disturbed without him around."

"He will surely be questioned," objected another. "And what are we to do if he brings up our names? Our best bet is to keep him friendly."

At this, yet another laughed off these concerns.

"He's his father's cast-off. He wouldn't be believed. It wouldn't be far to say that we were led astray. Besides, everyone knows his wicked nature."

At this, she quickly reached her hand out to Alvah's. His face had gone cold and she knew his temper was ever thinning. She gave him a gentle squeeze and carefully pushed his wine glass closer to him. She hoped he was sleepy drunk instead of a violent one.

One of the men dropped something on the table and the thief took it. Money perhaps, is what she thought. They were paying him off for something. Delivering news couldn't be all he did. There had to be something they were missing. Something they wouldn't discuss even here. After being paid, the thief got up and left. She wanted to follow him but Alvah stayed still, fully intent of seeing the end of what they had discovered. The ministers waited until the thief was gone before finishing their conversation.

"Then the first son," one asked cautiously, "Melchiorre would be the best choice? He's the easiest to deal with, he's unprotected..."

"True, but Lambert has been prepared to take the throne for years. His opposition would be a problem."

"He'll be married soon," said another, "that'll end any of his meddling."

"Why not let Lambert ascend," opposed another. "The only problem would be to those of you who aren't more creative with your book-keeping."

Their conversation quickly turned into an argument about who to put on the throne in Jun's absence. They had no good will or friendly intentions towards either prince to be sure, but they wanted one that would leave them uninterrupted with their corrupt wealth. Alex took a sip from her glass every so often. She hadn't taken her hand off of Alvah's from the moment she touched him, silently pleading with him to be steady.

The ministers arguments slowly became fueled by whatever liquor they were drinking. The conversation turned from the succession to general palace gossip. She had to stop herself from vomiting when they mentioned her in no pleasant way.

"That concubine with the bracelet... If they've no intention of marrying her off than I should ask the king for her hand. Ha ha ha... She's cute enough to be a second wife."

She poured herself another glass of wine and let her eyes lose focus as she tried to block out the thought.

"You're too old for a second wife," one of the ministers said.

"Then she can be third," he laughed.

Now it was Alvah's turn to provide comfort as he poured the next glass for them both.

"No no...," came an interjection. "She'll marry into the royal family for sure. Too much is wasted on her for her not to."

"But there are rumors... Her and that demon that was brought to the palace have been in bed together."

One of the men almost spit out his drink. Coincidentally, so did she. Luckily no one paid attention to it as all ears were on the latest gossip.

"Does his majesty know," they whispered.

"I doubt it," he answered. "I heard that he broke things off with her. Probably to save his skin."

The man who had asked wore a wicked smile on his face.

"Then we can use it to our advantage. We finally have a way to be rid of that son of a bitch."

She wanted to know what they meant but their conversation once again turned to frivolities. She would have to ask Alvah later. They waited for the ministers to leave first before leaving themselves to avoid suspicion. As they walked back through the lobby, she gently prodded Alvah with questions. He had done well to sit still for so long, they both had, but it had taken the greatest toll on him.

"Now that we know who some of the traitors are, what's the next step?"

"We'll go straight to my father. Even if he doesn't believe us right away, he'll have to investigate. I'll demand it."

"And you'll demand he pardon Jun?"

Alvah softened with uncertainty but nodded all the same.

"I know I can't ask you to forgive him... but I'll hope you'll at least lend me your support?"

She sighed in frustration. Wasn't that pretty much the same thing?

"Yeah, sure. Just answer me this, about-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence when two men accosted them. Before either of them could ask who they were, they both pulled back their jackets and flashed the barrel of their guns in their direction. Alvah quickly pulled her back and shielded her with his body. She grabbed onto his arm and held tight in case the plan was to run.

"And just what do you want," Alvah spat out the words venomously.

"Not a word, your highness," answered the man. "Come with us quietly and we'll negotiate your safe return to the palace. Speak one word, we'll ransom the return of your bodies for burial."