Chapter 2
A/N - Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, faved and/or is now following my story!
A guest reviewer had a concern that Gold is not really in character. That is a good point. He's not the angry, sometimes violent man we all know and love. He is a bit more approachable in this story (like Danny Ocean), otherwise he wouldn't be able to convince everyone to join his crew. Not everyone can owe him a favor, after all! Some characters, like David as you will see in this chapter, are also not really in character either. He is not a heroic knight but a thief and scoundrel with charm! I hope that you can still enjoy the ride!
The parts in italics are Gold and Neal at the restaurant going over their list. Then it flips back and for to their travels across the US to recruit.
"You know, Papa, to pull this off you're going to need a crew as nuts as you." Neal pointed a chocolate covered spoon in his direction. "I'm in. Who else have you got in mind?"
"Let's go through the list then, shall we?" Gold took a sip of his Johnny Walker scotch and visibly relaxed. There was no way he could pull this off without his son's help. "First we need a bankroller. My funds are a wee bit low at the moment."
"This is going to take some serious change. I don't know anyone who would be willing to invest that much in us."
"Well, Regina has a long list of enemies."
"Yeah, but it has to be someone rich, trusting, and with nothing to lose. Ah…Mary Margaret."
"Mary Margaret, indeed." Gold smiled, his gold tooth glistening in the candlelight. "What do you think she'll say?"
~8~8~8~
"Good Lord! You're out of your mind!" Mary Margaret Blanchard unconsciously grasped the silver cross that hung around her neck. It was the last gift she had ever received from her mother and she clutched it now to draw its strength. "I don't have the resources I used to, you know. Why should I help fund your illegal activities?"
Gold looked around the elegant but small Connecticut home that she had once considered her weekend cottage but was now her permanent (and only) residence.
"Don't think of it so much as funding, dearie, as investing. You invest ten million dollars with us and we'll double your money in a month."
"Guaranteed," added Neal, popping a cherry tomato into his mouth.
Mary Margaret took a sip of her Chardonnay and carefully weighed her next words. "While I'm well aware of your reputation of never going back on your deals, Mr. Gold, there is no way that you or your associate here can guarantee anything. Ten million is all I have left from the trust fund my mother set up." Her voice wavered on the last word and she closed her eyes to compose herself. "There has been some…issues…with my inheritance."
"I'm sorry about your father, dearie," Gold said sincerely, gripping the top of his cane. "Leo was a good man."
"Thank you," she responded quietly. "So I'm sure you can understand why I can't help you."
Gold wiped his mouth and stood up from the table, motioning for his son to do the same. "Of course, Ms. Blanchard. Thank you very much for lunch and, of course, your time. It was a pleasure seeing you again." He kissed her knuckles lightly, giving her hand a sympathetic squeeze.
Neal opened his mouth to protest but wisely said nothing. Donning his sunglasses, he flashed the beautiful young woman a smile and reluctantly followed his father.
"Just out of curiosity," she called out before they reached the door, "what was your target?"
Mr. Gold smiled brightly. When he turned around to face the former heiress, however, his expression was neutral. "Oh, just a little tourist center in New England."
"The Storybrooke Casino, Hotel and Convention Center, to be exact," added Neal.
The sound of glass shattering on the marble floor echoed throughout the room. "That's Regina's place. What do you guys have against Regina Mills?"
Neal removed his glasses and addressed Mary Margaret. "The question is…what do you have against Regina Mills?"
"Regina, my step-mother, had my father killed!" She marched towards the two men, a new fire burning in her eyes. "I have no proof but I know it. She took everything my father spent a lifetime building, all to create that gaudy monstrosity of a Casino where my mother's summer house used to be."
"She had one of her lovers fiddle with your father's breaks," Gold responded quietly. "The following week, that same young man died under mysterious circumstances. There's no way she can be brought to justice, my dear, but we can ruin her. With your help."
Her eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. "I want to see the look on her damn face when we take her for everything she has. All right. I'm in!"
"Who's next on the list?" asked Neal, scraping his soufflé bowl clean with his spoon. He seriously considered running a finger along the inside and licking it, but his father had already criticized his table manners once this meal.
"We need someone to infiltrate the casino, someone who can work the tables and gain intel. We need someone good at subterfuge."
"We need a charmer."
"Who we need…is David Nolan."
~8~8~8~
Atlantic City – America's Playground, or so the advertisements say. Mr. Gold looked around with disdain as a group of drunken young men took turns vomiting in an alley while the one sober man in the group propositioned a working girl.
What a decrepit playground.
The casino's garish neon lights attracted gamblers like moths to a flame. He slowly climbed the steps, leaning heavily on his cane. He had been denied his walking staff while in prison and his knee had ached every minute. The guards believed it could be used as a potential weapon, perhaps to beat an adversary into submission.
Gold may have been a ruthless businessman and thief, but he had never been violent. The pen was his weapon of choice.
A scantily clad blonde winked at him as he passed the slot machines. "Anything I can do for you, handsome?"
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the prostitute. "Could you please point me in the direction of the blackjack tables?"
She smiled seductively and bit her index finger, acting as though he had just asked for something suggestive. Her voice was low and throaty as she approached him and adjusted his tie. "Just head in that direction and turn left once you reach the Porsche. You can't miss it." She pulled a business card from her cleavage and handed it to him.
God, he hated Atlantic City! The sooner he talked to Nolan the better!
The rows of slot machines disappeared to make room for dozens of card tables. Passing by the ones designated as Texas Hold'Em and Poker, he slowly made his way to the Blackjack section. Sitting down at an empty table, he withdrew some chips from his pocket and placed them in front of him.
"Good evening, sir. And how are you today?"
"Hello, David."
The younger man with the short blond hair looked up in surprise. He quickly steeled his features and cleared his throat loudly. "I'm sorry, sir, but you must have me confused with somebody else. My name is James Prince, as you can see right here." He pointed to his metallic name tag that clearly identified him as James.
"My apologies, James. It would appear I was indeed mistaken."
"That's quite all right, sir. You might want to try the lounge at Ceasars around nine o'clock. I believe you'll find who you're looking for there."
"Thank you very much for your assistance…James."
~8~8~8~
The bar was softly lit and inviting. Gold gratefully sank onto the plush barstool, relieving the pressure from his aching knee, and swiveled it to get a better view of the lounge's only entrance. Although he had only been in a medium security prison, he learned it was never wise to leave your back exposed.
At five after nine, his companion sauntered in, his eyes quickly taking in the other patrons. Seeming satisfied, he approached the bar and claimed the stool a couple of seats down from Gold. The bartender handed him a mug of whatever was on tap.
"James," greeted Gold.
"Glad to meet you," he responded, taking a sip of the amber liquid. "David Nolan can't get past the Gaming Commission."
"I must say I'm surprised you're working here. I thought you would be living the high life in New York. Weren't you working a long con, infiltrating the upper management of a Fortune 500 company?"
"I was, but I walked away from it. We were supposed to merge with another firm…well, it was more of a takeover really. My CEO wanted me to marry our rival's daughter to gain the upper hand."
Gold sneered. "Don't tell me – you fell in love in a love con?"
David smiled sheepishly. "Nah, nothing so romantic. Kathryn was a good person. A great person, actually. She deserved to marry someone who would worship her the way I never could. I couldn't take advantage of her. She was so…trusting! So I broke off the engagement and my boss fired me." He took a deep swig of his ale and smirked. "I may have also relieved him of the company's petty cash on my way out; enough to start a new life for myself."
"So you do well here?"
"Well enough. Tourists are always 'misplacing' their wallets around the casino. I make enough selling false identities to those in need that my salary is just a bonus. It's a great place to spot marks. Speaking of which…"
He reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a very familiar black wallet. Gold patted down his suit jacket and stared incredulously at his friend. "How did you…"
"The blonde. She said you were too busy silently judging her to notice the lift." He handed the wallet over and smirked. "Don't feel too badly. She's one of my best and you are obviously out of practice from your stint in the joint. I'm assuming you managed to sweet talk your way into early parole?"
Gold sighed as he checked his wallet's contents, noting it was considerably lighter than when he had 'misplaced' it. "Just got out the other day, in fact."
"So what's the job?"
"What? I can't drop by to visit an old friend?"
"Nope. It's always something with you. Whatever it is…I want in. Just tell me what you need me to do."
Gold smiled slyly. "I need you to get a job as a casino blackjack dealer."
David raised his eyebrows questionably.
"In Storybrooke," he added. Realization dawned on David's features and the younger man raised his ale in a salute.
"To Regina's financial demise," he toasted.
"May she never see us coming," added Gold as they clinked glasses.
A/N – Next Chapter: August and Leroy!