"I want you to infiltrate the clan's ranks and give us access to the collection. Shalnark already hacked their systems and it's been verified that the items we want are in one of their York New vaults. I know we can always use force and that's more your style, but we're currently unsure of the nature of this vault."
Kuroro paused to take a sip of coffee. Machi observed that he was wearing casual clothing that day, though of course "casual" for the Ryodan leader meant a cashmere sweater and trousers, with plain leather shoes in place of his designer boots. Even Kurotopi, who was seated beside him, traded her doctor's coat for a plain dress and tied her hair back to reveal a face with homely features.
Pakunoda and Nobunaga made up the rest of the contingent. The five of them looked out of place in the run-down warehouse they called headquarters.
"What about this vault?"
"It's not your typical lock and combinations type of vault. It's sealed by nen. We'd need someone with extremely strong hatsu to unlock it, someone like Uvogin or Nobunaga. There could be traps. At least that's what our tipster tells us."
"Tipster? I thought Shalnark did the research." Machi raised an eyebrow. She didn't feel comfortable when "outsiders" dipped their fingers into Spider business.
"We have an informant from within the organization, Machi. That's how we caught wind of the items. Then Shalnark did research to verify his claims. I'm sure you'll understand if I'd rather not reveal who this person is. This individual has already severed ties with the Triad but they can track him down for sharing confidential information. We need to protect our sources."
She felt irate. Half an hour into this meeting and pieces of the puzzle were already missing. Sensing her frustration, Pakunoda spoke up. "We were gong to dismiss his claims until Shalnark's research and my ability supported the info he's given us. The tipster promises to tell us more if we play along. And we have reason to believe that he knows about the Kuruta Tribe."
This made Nobunaga laugh. "In that case, I get it. This guy's been around."
Machi knew that Pakunoda meant to alleviate her doubts, but a person who had connections to both the York New Triad and the Kuruta Clan had to be bad news. Obviously this was a guy who ran with bad company, his newest entanglement being with the Genei Ryodan.
"I just don't think - -"
"We should trust the leader, Machi. In all the years we've worked together, he's never betrayed us or anything." Nobunaga looked at her. "Besides, if one of us got captured, we could be forced or deceived into revealing who the tipster is."
"I'm not saying I won't cooperate. I'm just uncomfortable with the idea of an outsider meddling with our business. I just have to ask – if this person can blow the whistle on the Triad and the Kuruta, what makes you think he won't screw us over too?"
Kuroro nodded. "And that's a perfectly reasonable concern, Machi. First, I want to assure you that this person will not meddle with our operations; we'll see to it that his role is confined to that of an informant and nothing more. As for him selling us out, it's something we already considered. He doesn't know about Pakunoda's ability and she can check his memories for the first sign of betrayal. You know that we don't take traitors lightly in this group."
"You mean you meet this person regularly?"
"Yes, Machi. Whenever he has new information or to substantiate anything that Shalnark's research touches on. Do I have your confidence?"
She could only manage a cryptic response. "Of course."
"I'm glad. The first thing we do is attend their gathering. They're having a black tie event tomorrow night in honour of their new "godfather" - the new head of the Triad. Our tipster put us on guest list. Keep your ear on the ground. Whichever vault they're keeping the items in, they have two assigned keepers. Determine who they are and bring them to us. The group is in transition and the new godfather has already appointed his choice of keepers."
As the rest of the group discussed other specifics, an alarm went off in Machi's mind. Her intuition always worked like a jilted lover – the more she ignored it, the more it wouldn't leave her alone.
"And Machi, kindly remind Hisoka that group meetings are just as important as the actual execution of our plans. Hopefully he'll join us next time."
The primary item of interest was cylindrical in shape and no more than ten inches long. It was made of titanium. Its body was made up of twelve rotating disks where codes where embedded on the surface. The codes themselves resembled hieroglyphs or some ancient form of writing. Shalnark surmised that it's possible to come up with a total of 4, 519 combinations. Curiously enough, the inside of the cylinder was hollow; one could peek through the hole running through its length.
Everything else on their "shopping list" consisted of the usual items spiders stole for their value: oversized porcelain vases dating back to fallen dynasties, gems and paintings. Kuroro made it clear, however, that these items were negligible if they had to prioritize the titanium cylinder. It had the moniker "God's Telescope".
Machi had already gone through Shalnark's documents. As usual, it was heavy on the details and it seemed he really made the most of the leads the tipster provided. There was one problem though, something that frustrated her – the Triad's recent change in leadership meant that the organization has been changing officers, passwords and other sensitive data, as was expected during routine turnovers. It meant that the more crucial info the tipster gave could be outdated by next month. The fact that the internal restructuring happened because of a mutiny lead by the new godfather gave the Triad even more cause to be paranoid.
She tossed the papers to one side; the event started in two hours. She could hear Nobunaga getting ready in the other room. She refused Pakunoda's suggestion of evening gowns. The uniform, made up of a long-sleeved shirt, black vest and trousers would be more comfortable than a skin-tight dress. She pulled her hair back into a neat bun and left headquarters; she sneaked into the catering van and passed herself off as one of the hired waitresses.
The Triad had money and they liked spending it. They organized the event in a rented mansion; the ballroom, where a handful of early guests stood around sipping champagne, was decorated to look like a scene straight out of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Machi didn't miss the reference to the Shakespearean piece; silver artificial trees lined the walls to mimic an enchanted forest, while a marble fountain was erected in the middle of the room. Acrobats dangled from the ceiling. The lighting was dimmed down and an orchestra played in one corner. She thought the whole thing was corny and pretentious, though she was glad waitresses weren't required to dress up as fairies or something.
Nobunaga looked passable when dressed up and clean-shaven. He was paying attention to a hesitant female guest. For her part, Machi tried to look busy walking around the room with a tray of drinks. It gave her ample opportunity to eavesdrop on guests' conversations:
"But that is such a tacky dress..."
"You know I can't leave my wife just yet. It's not that simple."
"It's simple. Kill him off. If there's no case then there's no prosecution."
An hour passed and she didn't picked up on anything crucial. The big players of the Triad haven't arrived; as with any party, the VIPs preferred to be fashionably late. Kuroro, Pakunoda, Hisoka and Shalnark were also nowhere to be seen.
After a while, Machi resigned herself to a corner. She eyed the drinks on her tray and thought about downing a couple to combat boredom. Just then, she saw a flicker of bright movement in her periphery.
A loud voice proclaimed "What light, yon, the window breaks!"
What the hell...? She turned to see someone moving in her direction.
Hisoka's idea of elegant evening clothes consisted of a long, metallic gold cape and red, knee-length bloomers. He had a crown of yellow roses on his head. A pink circle adorned each of his cheeks and his eyebrows were lined with green shading. His leather boots added three inches to his height; he towered over Machi as he took a champagne glass from her tray.
"What beauty dost thee possess, heavenly barmaid!" He flipped the cape in a dramatic gesture and finished the drink in one go. She wasn't impressed.
"A Midsummer Night's Dream, eh? It's perfect for Walpurgis Night. Shouldn't you be dressed as a nymph or fairy? I know I almost dressed as a satyr. Good thing I didn't, or I would be competing with them." He pointed to the acrobats; the guests probably thought Hisoka was part of the show.
"Are you familiar with Walpurgis Nacht?"
"Not really."
"It's a night when witches and other creatures come out to cast spells and collect people's souls and hearts. But before they can take your heart, they have to get to know you first. Like nen, there are conditions for magick. So they change shapes, pretend to be beautiful men and women to lure you in. Very terrible, really. But also a little romantic."
She knew better than to listen to embellished stories, but thankfully Hisoka went on to talk about more banal things like going to therapy for his broken arm. She nodded every now and then to indicate she was listening, until she noticed that the room had gone silent. The double doors opened as an entourage of women in black suits entered the room. She recognized the godfather right away – Shalnark had a file on him. He was a man in his prime, still in good shape compared to Mafia leaders whose physiques were already deteriorating from vice and inactivity.
Faustus Fay had small, slanted eyes that made it look like he was always squinting. His squat frame suggested blunt strength. He made slow but deliberate movements and spoke in a soft voice. Applause greeted his entrance. Guests approached him to kiss his hand and cheeks like he was the pope. He received them graciously.
One of the women in black suits stepped onto the podium to regard the attendees. This was Fay's wife and right-hand woman, Morrigan. Her black suit and plain looks did nothing to distinguish her from other bodyguards. She was over forty and the lines around her eyes made her look tired. She had a competent air about her that reminded Machi of Pakunoda.
"Our hearts go out to comrades and allies who stood by us throughout the mutiny. After the struggle, we now honour our new godfather. The ceremony begins in a few moments – for the godfather to guide us through many ordeals and challenges, he must be given God's Telescope."
The female entourage shuffled as Fay took his seat at a table. He was saying something to his wife when Machi saw one of the bodyguards carry a small safe and place it on the floor. After the woman exhibited some formidable hatsu, the safe flew open to reveal a glass case.
Just as she took a step forward, the lights came off. She heard some guests laughing like it was a prank. She could still sense the woman's hatsu. When the power came back on a few seconds later, she heard someone scream.
Machi deftly elbowed her way through the commotion, no doubt crushing a few of the guests' rib bones in the process. When she got close to the entourage, she saw Fay face-down on the table, blood gushing out his mouth and ears. He was dead, and there was a large whole in his chest.
The safe was empty.