Nine Billion Dollar Heist
*Co authored with the eternally amazing Lives in Dreams and TRDancer*
Chapter 16: Rules to be Broken
"So we're going to start using the buddy system with every rag-tag con we come across now?"--Emmett
BPOV
I tapped my foot lightly against the marble floor in the lobby of our hotel, arms folded over my chest. As our meeting with Felix continued on, I couldn't help but get the feeling that we were missing out on some very important detail. Though Felix himself seemed like a stand-up guy, there seemed to be something about the situation that we were in that just didn't click with what we, as a group, were used to. Perhaps it was because there had never been any other members to the Six Crew added after me, or just the fact that this was a totally new venue for us, but I had a feeling that we were going to be in for an interesting time with Felix here.
"And this right here, the V.I.P. room," Edward questioned, "that is exclusive invite only?"
Felix gave a wide, toothy smile. "Yes. Usually it is the players that seem to have high potential, or that are obviously wealthy in stature. The more money the client has, the more likely it is for the casino to bring in revenue and—"
"Hold on a minute," Emmett interrupted. We all looked at him. His face was confused, awed, and calculating all at the same time. "Most of those people in there were counters. They were intelligent, no-nonsense, professional counters. They put us to shame, they know what they're doing. It seems to me that, from a business stance, I as an owner would rather have people who were less capable of ruling the tables than what those folks in there were. How on earth are they banking in on revenue with all those cons in there?" He had a good point.
Felix smiled once more. "That is the beauty of the game, no? There's always the foolish or the over-confident who make mistakes and take stupid risks." We were silent at that.
"And what kind of risk are we taking with you, Mr. Felix?" Edward asked after a minute pause. Felix turned his face towards Edward.
"A necessary one, my friend. Granted, it is under the circumstances of blackmail and deception, but," he paused, "isn't that the life of cons and counters alike?"
None of us answered.
***
"I like him."
"He's a prick."
"Witty."
"He's a prick."
"Got guts, he does."
"He's a prick."
"A little shady, but he has brains."
"Does no one listen to me? He's a prick."
"Shut up, Emmett."
"Yes, Mom."
We were all sitting in our room, having gone and ordered Chinese and pizza after our meeting with Felix. All on the floor in a messy circle surrounded by fried rice and meat lover's pizza, our conversation of the day's events taking a turn to our opinions of Felix. Emmett, of course, thought he was a prick. Obviously.
"I'm sure he's not that bad, Emmett," Alice tried to console. Emmett grumbled at her.
"He's a prick. A blackmailing, snobby prick. This whole 'V.I.P.' thing doesn't sit well with me. I think there's something he's not telling us, something he's holding back."
"Yeah, and? He has the upper hand here for now," Edward muttered. "And until we can figure out how to get some leverage, I think we should welcome him as an asset. Let's face it, he knows this casino, he knows how things run, and he knows what we're up to. It's a powerful combination. We'll just have to see where this goes," he reasoned. I could tell it annoyed him to no end to have to say this information out loud, but he was right.
"And besides," I spoke up, "we could learn something from Felix. He obviously has a head on his shoulders, he's obviously intelligent. He has a certain… something that makes him someone we should have on our side, not against us." I sighed. "But, I also agree that this V.I.P. bit is a little shady—"
"Duh, just what I just said…" Emmett grumbled. I snickered and went on.
"Either way, we should see what he can offer, and what we can offer him. After all," I said, looking around, "he's a con, just like us."
Emmett sniffed, agitated. "So we're going to start using the buddy system with every rag-tag con we come across now? Come on, when have we ever done something like that? We don't collaborate, we don't share secrets. This isn't a fucking sleepover where we paint each other's nails and spill intelligence on how we operate and what we know."
"He's not rag-tag, he's practically our superior," Rosalie interjected.
"No, he has more experience. That doesn't make him our superior," he practically spat.
"Rule sixty, genius: We will accept that there are those who are better than us. We will accommodate and use what we know to gain knowledge," Rosalie spat back perfectly. Emmett glared at her.
"She makes a good point…" Alice said, and I shook my head in agreement. Emmett grumbled something about Rosalie's 'stupidly perfect memorization.'
Jasper muttered something unintelligible.
"What, babe?" Alice asked, turning towards him. Jasper cleared his throat.
"Rule thirteen. Remember, as long as we've been together, we've always had rules. We add them, we change them, but we never, ever, neglect them. Rule thirteen. Does no one remember rule thirteen?" he asked, exasperated.
"We will always embrace the old ways, but never be closed off to new opportunities. To take a risk is to make a buck or learn a lesson, but to never take a risk to gain nothing at all. Never side-step the chance to gain something new," Edward recited. "It was the rule that followed the first year that Bella moved to Forks."
"Aye. What a year that was…" Jasper muttered before speaking louder. "And I think that that is what we need to follow here. Whether we like it or not… It is a risk we need to take. A good one, in fact, I think it will be beneficial." When Jasper was finished, we were silent.
And as Emmett stuffed a piece of cold pizza in his mouth and got up to leave with Rosalie following behind, I couldn't help but think of Rule Eight.
We will never take unnecessarily risky chances for the pursuit of riches without the one hundred percent chance of striking gold.
I knew that I wasn't one hundred percent, but I couldn't be sure of the others. I followed Emmett's lead, and put a piece of pizza in my mouth, hoping my silence wouldn't come back and bite me in the ass as I leaned into Edward's frame.
Lenn: OMFING-G. I've been gone for… like ever. It's quite upsetting. I've had some really shitty RL business to deal with, and of course I've been on and off sick with something. It's annoying. So, as it says on my profile, I'm taking an FF break (except from this story right here and betaing and planning). Basically, this will be the only story updated, seeing as it is an already posted collab.
Now, moving on. Hope you like the chapter. It's short, which is odd for me. Usually I take about a year to write a chapter, and this only took me like… and hour. Ish. It probably shows, too. Oh well.
REVIEW! I love them like I love the prospect of a tomorrow!
(Hm. Now I really want to write an NBDH Rule Book of all their rules…)
Dream: Don't come up with new ideas Lenn, cause that one sounds good.
Anyway we're back! For one chapter! YAY FOR ONE CHAPER! So yeah, it's my turn next and well I have exams and I need to study for them but I'll be back on June if they don't change my exam schedule. So I'm taking a break because last year I was on FF more than I studied. I got good marks but they weren't the best and I let myself done. I will not do that this year. So I'm sorry.
But after that little speak will you still please review?
TRD: :O :O :O
AN UPDATE!?!?!?
I think that deserves a review.
