Out of Place
AN – Another chapter I had a lot of fun writing – I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did! We're really beginning to reach the action part of this story now as things are moving on quickly.
Disclaimer – I don't own Thunderbirds
Chapter Sixteen – Enter the Dragon
John stepped out of the car, turning and offering his hand to Angel who stepped out elegantly behind him. Gone was the nervous expression she had worn in the apartment, she now exuded confidence as she took his proffered arm and walked with him into the casino.
"I forgot to ask what name you are going by," John murmured to her discreetly.
"Catherine," Angel muttered back, her lips barely moving. "Pronounced Cat-er-reen, I'm going to play on my french roots."
John nodded and looked up at the building ahead of them. The Red Dragon Hotel and Casino was a huge structure that dominated the part of Macau they had travelled to. Unlike their hotel, which was very much a vintage classic from the turn of the millennia, The Red Dragon was a brand new superstructure. Bubble lifts swept up and down the exterior, clad in red and shimmering like scales. The towering namesake of the casino rose above them, the movement making it feel as though the dragon was truly alive and watching all those who entered. It was imposing and more than a little off putting, which John supposed was actually the point. They passed a group of tourists who were giggling and taking photos of themselves with the dragon in the background and walked up the carpeted steps into the grand entrance way.
They were greeted in the entrance by a woman wearing traditional Chinese clothes. "Welcome to the Red Dragon," she greeted them, a very subtle accent to her voice. "How may we serve you today?" She surreptitiously eyed up their clothing and seemed to make the decision that they were worth her time.
There was a moment's silence until John remembered that he would be expected to lead. "Oh, just in town to play the tables," he covered with an easy smile. "I heard someone say the Red Dragon shouldn't be missed. Can you direct me to the baccarat tables?"
"Of course, this way," the woman replied, guiding them through a lavish lobby and deeper into the casino. They walked past rows of noisy slot machines, trilling loudly with lights blaring. Angel gave a contemptuous sniff that John could see that their guide noticed. Eventually she showed them into a large room with six to eight velvet green tables. Like the rest of the casino they had traversed so far, it was decorated in red and gold colours. Just to remind guests that they were in a state of the art casino, all the chairs hovered silently just above the floor and only one human dealer sat at each table – alongside two robots. "Low bets are to the left, higher to the right," their guide informed them. "Would you care for a drink?"
Angel looked around at the elegant waiters who were weaving through the players with trays of drinks and again sniffed haughtily. "I think zat I will go and see what ze bar has to offer," she declared in a french accent. John raised his eyebrows at the transition, luckily not giving the game away as the Angel turned to him quickly. "Choose a table cheri, I will be back soon." A squeeze on his arm for courage and she was gone, sashaying off in her high heels across the casino floor.
John watched her go before turning to the guide who was watching him with an amused face. "My wife is very particular," he commented. "Do you have anywhere I can trade for chips?" The guide inclined her head.
"There is a small room through that door where the exchange is located. Good luck, sir." John nodded at the woman who bowed and left the baccarat room.
He made his way over to the door she had pointed out, looking closely at the games in progress. The low-stakes side of the room was almost rowdy, lots of people cheering and slapping backs when they betted correctly. The high-stakes side, in contrast, was a more serious affair. Heads were bowed and gazes were focussed on the flip of the cards.
John ducked into the exchange room, finding four discretely placed tellers sat within secure booths. Two of them were busy, but John strolled up to the nearest available booth.
"I would like to exchange some US dollars for chips," he informed the man sat behind the booth.
"Of course sir, how much?" The teller asked smoothly.
"Oh, about half a million to begin with, I think," John replied, picking at invisible lint on his arm and pretending not to watch the teller as his eyes widened.
"Do you have proof of credit?" The man stammered eventually.
John tossed him the credit stick that Angel had given him earlier. Whilst the teller was checking it, John took the opportunity to look around the room. He couldn't hear anything from the two occupied booths, suggesting an advanced sound-blocking technology. It didn't block sight though, and while one man concluded his transactions and left quietly the other seemed to be begging the teller for something. The woman in the booth didn't look particularly moved and eventually pressed a button, that John assumed was calling for support. He figured he was correct a moment later when two security guards arrived and escorted the desperate man away.
"Sir," a polite voice said and John turned his attention back to his own teller. "Here you are sir, I'm sorry you had to witness such a scene. Please do not let it affect your enjoyment of our premises this evening."
"Oh not at all," John smiled. "A pleasure doing business with you."
"Of course sir, and if you need anything else do not hesitate to contact myself." The man straightened and smiled genially at John, who took the offered chips and left with a brief nod farewell.
Back on the casino floor John inwardly shuddered at the obsequiousness that occurred wherever money was. It was one of the reasons he really didn't enjoy this type of event. It was different here though as he wasn't having to be himself, but to play a part. He wrapped that knowledge around him and used it to add extra confidence to his gait and his smile.
Perusing the room, John ignored the low-stakes side and decided to go to one of the big money tables. He strolled around the room for a few moments, watching the different games until he eventually decided which table he would like to sit at. Seeing one of the gamblers departing with a sorrowful head shake, John slipped easily onto his vacated seat.
"Lay your bets," the dealer informed the table. "Minimum bet is one hundred US dollars."
"Ten thousand on a tie," John announced, smoothly passing his chips forward to one of the robots, who allocated it accordingly. There was a murmur around the existing players, with more than one shaking their heads.
"I'll match that," a voice at the far end of the table called. John looked up to see a tall man watching him shrewdly. He had an elaborate moustache above wide lips and his accent was difficult to place, with traces of American, Asian and European. "I like a man who isn't afraid of a risk." The stranger tilted his glass towards John in a salute, John nodded back. He could feel his palms beginning to sweat but didn't dare wipe them anywhere in case it gave away how nervous he was. He found himself wishing that Angel would hurry back so he wouldn't be alone.
"Tie!" The dealer called, and John found a stack of chips being pushed in front of him. "Ninety thousand." The dealer told him gravely. John tried not to show his surprise at having won big with his first bet.
"Ten thousand on player," he announced, pushing the chips back towards the robot who obliged. The man sat across the table laughed.
"You'll be my good luck, stranger. What's your name?"
"Jonathan Frakes. And yours?"
"Obadiah Black." The man moved closer around the table. "Seems I owe you one. What brings you to the Red Dragon?"
John desperately tried to think about what cover story he and Angel had concocted, but his mind drew a blank. He was saved from his mounting panic though when Obadiah's eyes were drawn to something behind him, along with most of the other men around the table.
"Now that is a good luck charm," the man muttered, practically salivating. John frowned and turned to see what the commotion was about.
Angel had swept back into the room and was swaying back across the floor, making a bee line for their table. John thought he heard his new acquaintance whistle under his breath and a hot surge of anger coiled in his abdomen.
"That's my wife," he stated coldly, standing up to greet her with a kiss to her cheek. Angel looked momentarily surprised by the gesture but played along, splaying her hand on his chest.
"Jonathan cheri, I 'ave 'ad no end of trouble getting us something suitable to drink. But I eventually found someone that will serve us a proper vintage." She gestured at a waiter who was following with a bottle of red wine and two glasses.
"Please, have my seat." John offered, showing her the way. "I rather think you have interrupted our game."
"Oh I do apologise," Angel was contriteness personified as she gazed around the table.
"Nothing to apologise for," Obadiah stated with a wave, leering at her. John tried to tamp down the anger that was flaring up again. "Not every day we get graced with someone of your…beauty." He took her hand and kissed it, while Angel smiled demurely.
"Why thank you, Monsieur…"
"Obadiah, Obadiah Black."
"Monsieur Black," Angel fluttered her eyelashes at him. "So nice to meet friendly faces in a new city." Obadiah preened while the dealer, fed up of the distraction, played the cards.
"Banker wins," he announced. The robots began allocating back out the chips again.
They played for a while. Eventually John found himself sitting with Angel on his lap, something that made him incredibly uncomfortable. He concentrated on the game to distract himself from the situation and soon found that he was amassing a large quantity of chips through several lucky calls. All the while Angel was charming the players at the table, particularly Obadiah who didn't move from their side all night.
It was late – or was it early? – by the time John finally collected his chips up. Leaving Angel in his seat, he went back to the teller he had seen earlier and deposited his chips. The teller talked to him for a considerable amount of time, so it took a while for him to return to his table and Angel.
As he reached it, he saw that there was now a second man standing and talking with Angel. Obadiah evidently knew him, judging by the sweeping hand gestures and animated conversation. On seeing John, Obadiah waved him over.
"This is the man I was telling you about, Mr Tseng. This is Jonathan Frakes."
"Hi," John greeted the stranger, smiling with more confidence than he felt. "It's a pleasure."
"Oh, the pleasure is all mine," the newcomer replied, in a tone that set John's teeth on edge. "I've just been introduced to your beautiful wife. I must say, she is exquisite."
Again John felt the surge of anger, but this time for Angel's sake as the man was talking as thought she wasn't there. "I am truly blessed to have met Catherine, she brings luck to my life." He put his arm around her waist and tugged her close against him. Here, he could feel her tension as she tried not to react to the man.
"You were lucky enough at the tables tonight," Obadiah laughed. "Especially with the stakes you were playing!"
"Is that so?" Tseng's voice was calculating. "But baccarat is merely child's play, no real skill involved. How would you like to join us for a more… sophisticated game, tomorrow?"
"I'm interested," John replied. "What constitutes a more sophisticated game?"
"Oh, just a little game we like to play called Tei Fuer. It's simple enough to pick up, I can assure you."
"I'd be honoured to join you," John told him, not relinquishing his hold on Angel.
"Excellent, excellent. We'll start at twenty three hundred tomorrow, tell the staff that you are here to join Mr Tseng's private game and they will show you in. Do bring your delightful wife." Tseng was about to turn away when he frowned at looked closely at John. "You seem familiar, have we met before?"
"I don't think so," John replied cautiously. "This is my first trip to Macau, unless you are a frequent visitor to San Francisco?"
"Hm, how peculiar," Tseng frowned in thought. "Your face really is very familiar. No matter, I must get on. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Mr Frakes. You and your wife. Come, Black." Tseng swept out of the room, Obadiah following obediently.
Following his cue, John led Angel towards the front of the casino. "How peculiar," she murmured so that only he could hear. "There was something off about him."
"I know," John said, carefully steering them clear of a passing cart full of silverware. "I felt it too, there was something about him that didn't feel right."
"But we got the invite," Angel said reassuringly, touching his arm with a smile. "Come on, we can talk more freely back in our apartment."
The ride back was tense and silent as each of them processed the events of the night. Despite being so late there were still a lot of people around in Macau, large groups wandering down the streets and shouting raucously.
Their hotel was still busy, people milling around the large internal lobby and moving in and out of the vast rooms full of slot machines that the hotel offered on its ground floor. It looked as though a show had recently ended as a cluster of well dressed people were milling around the entrance to the auditorium. John and Angel walked as quickly as they could through the crowds, their tall frames and striking features cutting them a clear path through that they were completely unaware of.
They finally reached their apartment. Angel sighed in relief as she slipped off her high heels, revelling in the feel of the plush carpets beneath her feet. John slung his jacket over one of the chairs and collapsed onto a sofa.
"That was exhausting," he stated, running a hand through his hair. Angel murmured in agreement as she fixed herself a cup of tea.
"But we got a Tei Fuer invite," she said as she dropped the teabag into the small bin provided. She also grabbed one of the fresh cookies which had magically appeared while they were out. John took a couple from the offered plate and thinking, not for the first time, that the one thing he really missed out on in space was the food. "I thought it would take more time than that and a lot more money lost. How much did you lose today?"
John looked at her inquisitively. "Weren't you paying attention?"
Angel shook her head. "I was too busy watching the room, you looked all over the game."
"It helped me keep my nerve," John admitted. "And I didn't lose anything, we came back about two hundred thousand dollars richer."
Angel nearly spat out the mouthful of tea she had just taken. "Really? No wonder they were keen to invite you back, they will want to reclaim their money. How on earth did you manage that in a game that's all about sheer dumb luck?"
John shrugged. "Lucky I guess. So you think that man, Tseng, worked for the casino?"
Angel thought for a moment. "Maybe, maybe not. It doesn't really matter if you've got your invite to the Tei Fuer tables. That is where the real business starts."
"There was something about Tseng…" John mused, before yawning widely.
"I'm not sure we'll get it now," Angel replied with a smile. "I am desperate for a shower and you look exhausted. We'll have time tomorrow to puzzle it all out."
John nodded and waved as Angel disappeared into her room, gold heels in hand. Distracted he went into his own room and started to remove the tie he was wearing. He paused, lost in thought, as he recounted the conversations he had heard earlier.
Tseng was convinced that he knew John. But that was impossible, because no one in this dimension knew John and he was different enough from the other John that no one would be confusing them. Impossible, and yet Tseng had been so sure.
No, John thought as he still stared blankly into his mirror, that wasn't quite true. There were three people in this dimension who knew John. Two were sat safely at Tracy Island, but the other…
"Angel," he shouted, barrelling into her room. "Tseng is the Hood!"
He then froze, taking in the sight in front of him. Angel stood, wrapped in only a towel, long hair dripping wet down her back. Somehow, from somewhere on her person and no John didn't want to think about where, she had produced a knife as he'd barged through the door and was holding it out defensively in front of her. The towel only just skimmed the top of her legs and was pinned under the upper arms, held in place by the hand that wasn't wielding a knife. John stood stationary for a moment that stretched like an eternity as he watched droplets of water running down from her hair and disappearing beneath the towel between her breasts. He dragged his eyes up to her face, and the murder in her gaze was enough to snap him out of his stupor.
John spun around, his cheeks flaming the same colour as his hair. "God I'm so sorry, I didn't think… um…" he couldn't seem to formulate words properly.
"That was evident." The ice in her tone was enough to make him cringe. "Ever heard of knocking?" There was a rustle behind him and John screwed his eyes tight shut, trying to will away the image burned into his retina. "You can turn around now." Angel said eventually. John did so, chancing a quick glance to realise she was back in the baggy pyjamas she had been wearing earlier. He then gazed resolutely at a patch of carpet, his cheeks still a flaming red.
"So what were you saying?"
"Tseng," John managed to stammer out eventually. "I think he is the Hood."
There was a slight pause while Angel gathered her thoughts. "Wouldn't you recognise him? And Wouldn't he recognise you? Oh…"
John could almost hear Angel putting it together. "He's never really met me face to face, unlike most of my brothers." John explained. "There was a charity gala once that Penny dragged me to, where he came to rob people, but even then he didn't know who I was and didn't stick around for the part where I helped to save the guests. I'm not sure he'd recognise me easily, I'd just be a familiar face to him."
"And you were… but why wouldn't you recognise him?"
"He uses holograms to change his appearance and his voice. I thought the way he spoke seemed familiar, but it wasn't until we got back that I put it all together."
"And we've been invited to his game tomorrow," the excitement was clear in Angel's voice. "We now need to find out where he is based. He might be here scouting for talent, but if he's using his technological know how from your dimension to create advanced weaponry here then he must have a base somewhere, there isn't the real estate available on Macau for it to be local."
"So we go and play his game," John stated. "Hopefully he won't recognise who I actually am, we'll keep in character and see if we can find out any more information."
"Will you be ok with that? I know that, if you are anything like the John from here, you probably weren't comfortable earlier."
"I don't know how much I'm like him." John replied honestly. "I hate social interactions, but I'm not actually having to be myself which is easier. It's like playing a part." He frowned and looked up at Angel, meeting her eyes for the first time since he burst in on her. "Would you rather have the other John here with you?"
"No," Angel smiled reassuringly. "I don't think he could have done what you've done, I think there is more steel in you than there is in him." She thought for a moment. "I think he has had experiences in the past that have knocked his confidence, he's great at reassuring people down a phone or with his family but he is far happier coordinating than getting involved."
"Does he ever do rescues?"
"From what Scott tells me, not often. Sometimes, when it's Alan's turn to be on the space station."
"See, I get involved in space rescues from thunderbird 5," John explained to her. "So maybe I'm a little more used to being in the field than he is."
"Maybe that's it. Either way, I'm pleased to have you here John. Now, if it's all the same to you, I'm going to rest. Who knows what tomorrow will bring."
"Goodnight Angel," John said softly as he left her room, closing the door behind him. He stood for a moment in the hall, breathing deeply, before mentally giving himself a shake and going back to his own room. Despite being very tired, it took him a while to get to sleep and when he did his dreams were full of laughing faces and playing cards.
