Zelgadis' Gambit

Chapter: 3

Enter Lina Inverse

Time to throw in everyone's favorite sorceress

Zelgadis sat on the old seat in the back of the church's main chamber. He watched from behind his mask as the bandit gang he had gathered celebrated their last haul. He sat in the chair with his chin resting in his right hand. The bandit gang, which had named themselves The Wolves Claw, had grown to a large size but they were mostly bandits. A few that had come to his call where more like him, thieves that preferred stealth over holding up their prey. It was in these few lieutenants that Zelgadis felt any comradery towards. The thieves that served him were the only two he let in on the master plan. His first in command was a young man that went by the alias Jackal. The young man dressed all in black like his leader and hid his face with a bone mask from the skull of the animal of his namesake.

The second was a young woman that took the alias Fox. Fox preferred dark browns rather than that black that the two males decided upon. Her mask was made of the bone of a skull of a fox and thus completed the theme that the three kept. From behind the mask and cloak came the long auburn hair that Fox also drew her namesake. She looked over at her leader before saying, "You seem bored Wolf. I thought you would like that the guys got a large haul."

Zelgadis let out an undignified snort before replying, "It's all fine and good that the men are doing well but these jobs are boring. You know what I'm after and until the museum of art in Sailoon decides to put the painting back on display then we are stuck pulling small jobs."

Jackal chuckled slightly before saying, "It takes quite a thief to give up easy loot and go after something like that. But, of course that's why you earned the title of the best."

Zelgadis shifted his chin to the other hand before crossing his right leg over the left. He watched for a moment before the doors flew open. Zelgadis quickly stood as Jackal and Fox flanked their leader. Everyone calmed as it was a bandit that had been sent out on a fact finding mission. The bandit ran up to Zelgadis with a piece of paper before saying, "It's what you've been waiting on boss."

Zelgadis unwrapped the paper to see it was a flyer for the limited time showing of the Lei Magnus painting housed in the Sailoon Museum of Art. Zelgadis smiled under his mask before letting out the laughter he no longer wanted to hold in. The outburst from the normally stoic wolf got everyone's attention before Zelgadis announced, "It is time for one of the greatest capers in the history of the world!"

The group of bandits let out a shout of celebration as the wolf's next caper would be one that topped anything done before. As they cheered Zelgadis made his way through the mob and walked towards the back of the old church. As he was about to descend into his underground hideout he stopped and said, "I know you're there Fox."

The young woman stepped out of the shadows and sighed before replying, "That never works on you. One day I'll find out what you hide down there...and how your senses are so sharp."

Zelgadis smirked before he turned and said, "I need you to setup a hideout in Sailoon. It would be foolish to try to run out of the city with the painting...I need a stash point for a while."

Fox nodded before replying, "Of course."

Zelgadis watched as Fox disappeared to go prepare for her mission. He sighed before thinking, 'You would not be that amazed by the answers to your questions fox.'

Zelgadis then turned back to the trap door and opened it before climbing the stairs down to his private quarters.

The Sailoon Museum of Art was preparing for the showing of the Lei Magnus painting in their collection. At the middle of it all was one very hyper princess in Amelia Wil Tesla Sailoon. The young princess was a ball of energy as she lead the organizing of the exhibit. "Okay, now let's move those items over. We want to make sure there is enough room to view this painting. It is a once in a lifetime event."

As Amelia directed the movement of everything in the section of the museum another figure sat and watched as she licked on an ice cream cone. Lina Inverse had been coming through town when she had heard about the event and decided to stop. One she had not seen Amelia in quite sometime and it she was not about to miss the opportunity to see one of the rare paintings of Lei Magnus. As she finished off her ice cream her attention was grabbed by Amelia, "Miss Lina, are you sure Mister Gourry was okay with volunteering with moving the exhibits?"

Lina smirked as she watched Gourry trying to move a huge exhibit and complaining the whole way. She smirked and replied, "Of course he is okay. If he isn't he has me to deal with."

Gourry, hearing the threat, quickly began to move the exhibit without a word. Lina smiled as the blonde swordsmen continued to do the heavy work. Lina and Gourry had continued to travel together after the events with Val-Gaav and Darkstar but Lina had felt restless afterwards. 'Most would say settle down...make a family...you've got a man you should just settle down,' Lina thought as she could not help but slightly bristle at that idea.

She liked Gourry, she liked him a lot but the passion she had hoped for just was not there. She would drop hints, leave clues, and try everything she could to get him to react but he never seemed to get the subtle hints. She was not ready to end the relationship completely but she had thought about cheating a few times. 'I don't want to hurt him but a girl wants some romance in her life,' Lina thought as she moved towards were Amelia was still giving orders.

Lina stretched before saying, "I think they've got it Amelia. You can stop giving out orders."

"But, Miss Lina, this is a once in a lifetime showing. If it isn't perfect then what will the viewers think," Amelia almost balled and the idea of not doing a complete job.

Lina smiled at Amelia as she seemed to have kept her innocence since the last time they had met. Lina continued to watch as Amelia continued to give orders and she could not help but think, 'The only thing missing is Zel. I'm sure he is off looking for some cure lead but it would have been nice to talk with him again.'

Lina could not deny it; she knew that if she wanted to have the most intelligent conversation that Zelgadis would have to be there. Amelia and Gourry were good friends but it was Zelgadis that had the best head on his shoulders. She did miss the chance to talk theories with someone on her level but she also knew that in the end Zelgadis would usually be too gloomy and anti-social to really get much out of him. 'I mean hell he's better to be around when he is against me. At least he talks then and doesn't just sit there in silence,' Lina thought.

It was true the main times that Zelgadis seemed to be lively, or as lively as Zelgadis got, where during the times when he was fighting against her. When he was on the other side he was somewhat exciting but once he came back to the fold he reverted into the silent and cold chimera that everyone was used to seeing. Lina sighed before thinking, 'Come to think it has been really boring since the last time we were together.'

Lina turned away from the work and walked outside the museum to get some air. She looked up at the sky and asked, "Can't something exciting happen?"

As Lina whispered the words a figure found her in his spy glass. At first he felt like cursing but stop himself. 'Don't worry, you've done this before. You've beaten her once you can do it again,' Zelgadis thought as he put the spy glass away and began to walk towards the safe house.

He now knew that he would have to send an agent in to case the security because if he showed up he would be spotted. 'Seems like I have another job for Fox,' he thought before chuckling slightly as he knew this was the challenge he had been looking for.

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

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