Usual disclaimers apply.
"By Allah, you grew into yourself. What's it been, six, seven years?"
"I can't recall," Jane answered him.
"You still in the business?" Aladdin asked her, brown eyes deep and trustworthy. The kind of vision you wanted to believe in, Anna thought. It was no surprise Jane had tagged along with him with so little resistance at first. He was amicable and approachable, informal and easy. A sleezebag and opportunistic, an alleged statutory rapist, but not overtly calculating. A boy in the skin of a man.
Anna could use that against him.
"Marginally," Jane said.
"Haha! I can see your warm demeanor hasn't changed much," Al replied, and placed a hand on Jane's shoulder.
Jane shirked it off. "Do not… touch me."
Al looked contrite, or he feigned it very well. Anna took in the linen suit, the keffiyeh and circlet hiding unruly black cords of hair, a silver ring on his right hand, which was unusual for men from an Arabic nation. But the signet was pronounced, the royal Saub family symbol perhaps lifting the haraam taboo of its adornment.
"Who would have thought? I come for a poker game, but I never thought to see you again," Al said, throwing a glance over to where Hans and his group had collected moments previously.
Anna's mind was reeling.
Wait, he's playing in Hans's game? There were too many people in the group if they included him… maybe that means Hans wouldn't be participating— that he won't be at the table.
Jane can play in my stead if Hans leaves the room. Then maybe I can distract him, and—
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to interrupt," he said, offering a glance at Anna. She kept her face as neutral as Jane's, unsure yet how to exploit the situation to their benefit. Hopefully, he would talk himself into a corner and leave an opening for her.
"I thought it was you, but without those damn gloves, how could I be sure? I guess that means you've gotten a handle on your… problem?" he finished slyly.
Jackpot.
Anna burst into a fit of giggles, and she couldn't tell if Jane or Aladdin was the more surprised.
"'M sorry, but I can no longer stomach this 'speaking in code' nonsense," Anna said, slipping into her Oxbridge English. "Jane darling, don't be so cold."
"Jane?" Al asked, genuinely flustered, conman or no.
"You're here for a tournament?" Anna faked interest. "Do tell us more," she said, resting her chin on her hands, elbows propped on the table top.
"Just a private get together," Al said vaguely. "My friend and I are celebrating a business merger, nothing more."
"Then why is it private?" Anna questioned.
Jane stared daggers into Anna's eyes, but the grifter would repent later. Better asking for forgiveness than permission, right?
"Don't think me too forward, but may I hug you? I'm going to hug you," Anna said, standing to embrace the Arabian man.
Best not question him too much too soon.
"Judging from the awkward atmosphere due to your presence, you've got to be the little Arab bastard that helped Jane with her sexual revelation."
"I—what—" Aladdin stiffened at the surprising contact as Anna wrapped her arms around him and bodily turned the older man into her embrace. She removed his phone from his back pocket and tossed it to Jane.
He didn't notice.
The blonde had sense enough to hide it under the tablecloth. Anna clapped him on the bicep as distraction, some twisted gesture of gratitude in the midst of a pickpocketing.
"Yes, you were the responsible party for her transfer of feelings, almost like she copied those emotions and transcribed them to the fairer sex. Honestly, if not for you, this new realm of information would never have been known to her."
Not her best surreptitious guidance, but given her ill-preparedness, Anna hoped Jane got the message.
"Excuse my stiffness, women in my country are not so forward," Al said indignantly.
"Women in your country have nothing, so here's hoping that changes," Anna said, raising her wine glass. "To women's lib, and other Jane Fonda-isms. God forbid women are able to drive a fucking car in Saudi Arabia. Cheers." She took a sip of wine and smiled with little indulgence. "And how adorable that you refer to it as her 'problem'."
Jane was still relentless as stone, and Al's eyes were darting squirrel-like between Jane and Anna, the latter now reclaiming her seat.
"I'm sorry, but… you know… she doesn't— who are you?"
"I'm her lover," Anna purred brazenly. "And you did interrupt a lovely dinner date, no matter how charming you try to be," Anna again, cutting.
Lights over the bar began flickering, causing a stir. Jane was either wringing her hands, or cloning Al's phone with her techno magic. Anna prayed for the latter, though with the look Jane was giving her, she'd place a bet on the former.
"A—"
"Adele," Anna cut Jane off, extending her hand to Al. "Ali Baba, was it?"
Aladdin didn't take her proffered hand, but fell somewhere between offended and flabbergasted on the spectrum of expression.
Good. Fuckin' asshole.
"A— Adele, please," Jane warned.
"And her boss, so you understand her need for discretion," Anna riffed, casting a light, conspiratorial glance in Al's direction.
"Her boss? You must not— it is not my place to say," Al said, shaking his head in confusion.
Let him think he's got the upper hand, and then crush him.
Her con rules were replaying in her head like a broken record, surmising and then cataloging strengths and weaknesses, emotional tics best exploited and pitfalls best avoided. Anna felt herself slipping, A taking over. And A, no matter how practiced she might be, was a little vindictive.
"I'm in systems securities, so I do know. It's a rather large development, and who better than the world's best thief to test our products? And with her little… gift? Jane dear, please control yourself. He is not worth it." The lights had brightened to an alarming level, causing management to pace about frantically. "We will have unhackable electronic programs thanks to our little fire cracker here, won't we?"
"AaaaAdele… I'd rather not discuss this," Jane protested, standing.
"Silly girl," Anna said, standing as well. She crossed to sling a protective arm around Jane's waist and flexed her fingers into the blonde's obliques.
I'm here. Stay calm.
"I wouldn't know anything about that. She remained very, how do you phrase it? Tight-lipped about the issue," Al replied.
"Not the only thing tight on this one," Anna continued, and gave Jane's butt a hearty smack.
Sparks exploded from a hanging lamp overhead and Al ducked, cowed into a defensive stance. Anna stood tall in the falling light, but couldn't meet Jane's eyes. She didn't want to know what she'd find there, so she turned her attention back to Al.
He looks like he's about to shit his pants.
Good.
"And what is it you do, our little Prince Al? Prince Al, I'm sorry, but that just… doesn't induce respect like Queen Elizabeth, or Prince William. It sounds so very… common."
Emasculate, insult, and depreciate. All from a woman. A western woman. Any male would retaliate—
"I work in oil," Al triumphantly rebutted, grasping the lapels of his suit in what Anna wagered was a practiced pose. "Where money flows out of the ground."
"And so does the entire royal family, all 200 ignorant cousins and nephews and uncles and brothers," Anna said dismissively. "You breed like rabbits down in those warm climates."
But his reply was quick, it was abrasive, and meant to impress after the attack. So it was true. Al had waved to the men at the bar, he was the A on the list… Arabian oil futures that Hans is somehow getting in with. There were those files on oil back on the computer in Manhattan, oil stocks with WesGenTech—
"We have contracts with your wells— oops!" Anna faked a slipped lie, pretending to swallow another gulp of wine. Let him think her a rude, drunken, feminist lesbian. A woman in business, with power. Everything conservative Arabian men accustomed to Sharia restrictions look for in a woman. "But what do you do? Or are you another one of those many lackluster in-laws that sits around allowing more accomplished people to run a dynasty? We both know being engaged didn't curb certain other recreational pursuits with those underage, why would marriage stop you?"
Al sneered and Jane stiffened at her side.
"I'll have you know I'm trading my oil position for something better. It's why I'm here in the first place," Al challenged.
"Oh Jane dear, you didn't tell me he had a spine."
"How dare you!"
"How dare you, sir, though I hesitate to afford you that title," Anna seethed. Invisible flames licked her skin. She had been angry many times before, but never enraged. "Taking advantage of children is despicable, if not outright illegal in a number of countries, and she was in no position to refuse you. And yet, I find myself in your gratitude, because she finally understood what it meant for people to disappoint, for people to not measure up. And then, she found someone who did," she tightened her grip around Jane's waist.
"Who? You?" he asked incredulous, and then turned to Jane. "Blondie, I didn't want to start an argument. I only wanted to see how you were doing."
"Strange, you didn't seem very concerned with my well-being when you ran out on me in that hotel room seven years ago," Jane this time.
Pride swelled and Anna smirked. Jane settled into her protective embrace and Anna felt a shift in the air. It was charged and aggressive, no longer apprehensive.
"What you do… is unnatural," he murmured.
Is that the electric charges or the other female on her arm, camel boy?
"I thought the same about you," Jane returned.
"Ya Allah, that was seven years ago!" he said.
"You knew better and I did not. I was young and impressionable, and you took advantage of that. You lied to me, and you ruined my life."
"I can't believe you're still holding onto that. I was a thief, what did you expect? Besides, if it had not been me, it would have been someone else," he returned dismissively. "I was taught to take the opportunities offered to me."
Anna blanched.
Wait. Wait. Red flag. Stop. 'Take the opportunity that comes your way before someone else does.' Oh shit, oh shit, oh—
"And that excuses your actions? Taking advantage of a child?" Jane argued. "There was no offering, only coercion and guilt. I have indeed moved on from an experience as despicable as you, but in what world is it proper for you to approach me thusly after what you did? After how you treated me?" Jane asked.
"Come on, Blondie. You were hardly a kid, stealing like you did. I'm sure your little dyke girlfriend will agree with me that you always have been exceptionally fuckable."
Jane gasped and Anna moved in front of her.
"Jane, as you have work to do tonight, I don't see why you should participate in the conversation any longer," Anna said.
"Look, I've got to go. I have a business deal that does not concern you," Al turned away smugly.
Defensive… insecure.
"I'm not through with you!" Anna shouted.
"Really? Well I've finished speaking to you whores."
"Fine. Let's not talk then."
Anna's fist connected with the bridge of the taller man's nose as she yanked him into the punch by his collar. It was a good lick, stacked, right on the ridge of the third knuckle like Kristoff had taught her. There was a split, and Al clutched his nose and fell, taking a tablecloth and all its décor down with him. Shattered plates, spilled candle wax, crunching glassware and one humiliated Arab on the ground. The remaining patrons stared and shrieked, and two couples hurriedly retreated from their tables. Elysium was in a shambles, paradise no more, and men in suits began their convergence on Anna and Jane's table. The red head's chest was heaving.
"Fuckin' cunt," Al warbled through his brown fingers.
Anna… no, A stood over him and stuck the spike of her heel to his throat. "Listen to me you smug-ass camel-fucker. I don't know you, but I know plenty like you. You got big plans, right? Big plans, but a small…" A's eyes drifted over his body, but she looked up when security started moving her way. "… brain. Call us whores, or bitches, or cunts again, and I will see to it that she zaps your dick into an impotent, floppy mess. If I'm ever in the middle east, and believe me, I get around… If I'm ever there, and I hear you've raped another teenager… I will kill you."
She pulled her heel off of his windpipe and was tempted to spit on him. While he was gasping for air, A… Anna stuck her hand behind her rather inconspicuously and Jane handed her Al's phone.
"You dropped this," she said, as security finally arrived. "Rough night he's having gentlemen, lost a lot at the roulette table," her voice was light and sincere once more.
The two men in black hefted him up by his arms. His expression was murderous.
"Little too much," Anna made a guzzling hand motion with her thumb and pinky outstretched and a clicking noise with her tongue. "If you know what I mean…"
"I have not been drinking—!"
"Don't apologize," Anna cut him off. "We'll just take our business elsewhere," Anna said, returning her hand to Jane's waist without looking back.
"Gettoff me, I am not drunk—!"
They were on the patio before Anna felt Jane breathe again. Looking through the window of the restaurant, she saw Al storm into the back room where Hans and his groupies had retreated.
Jane's gaze was piercing, and the air about them crackled. She looked more menacing than Al had.
"A! How could you—"
"Be pissed at me some other time, what does his phone say?"
Jane did not betray anything, face as neutral and dull as it had been on their first job together. Anna had been so wrapped up in how far they'd come, she'd forgotten that a memory, or perhaps a ghost, could snap them back to the starting line in an instant. Here she was, mapping out a stable future despite a volatile present, snapping orders and running her mouth; and Jane had disintegrated in front of her. The blonde clutched her devices and was bereft of expression. Jane, who had only recently become accustomed to feeling deeply, reverted to voided tabula rasa. It was a type of emotional backtracking, poor teleportation, and stunted progress.
"He's been messaging Hans," Jane said noncommittally. "Al was the buyer for the bidding war. He won the gaming contract, his company is running the gambling operation for B4. This whole game is in his honor."
"Really?" Anna asked. "He's swapping from a career in oil to… gambling? Gambling that isn't even real?"
"That's just it," Jane continued. "I don't think he knows B4 is bullshit. Read these messages."
Jane handed the phone over and Anna read the texts, leaning back against the window frame of Elysium.
Hans and his cronies had ruined everything for her. Al and his fucking gall. Like he wanted to lord Jane's mistake over her, after he achieved a big win.
Vile.
Just like Hans.
"They sound like frat bros in these," Anna commented. "Strippers, clubbing, drinks, Hans is giving him the ride of his life here. He's gonna set him up with high-grade coke and a bunch of other shit."
"Because he won the bidding war? Al was a fair thief, but I don't see him outbidding the people who own Caesar's Palace and the entertainment corporation. He was… superficial," Jane said. "Not loaded."
"Harrah's gaming corporation owned Caesar's first. They were bringing in almost nine billion a year back in 2010, but Big Oil, Saudi oil…"
Anna ran a hand over her mouth and released a hiss, eyes glued to the screen before her.
"Fuck, he really doesn't know," Anna said. "He's an idiot if he doesn't recognize this play."
"Who is it? Hans?"
"Like you said, Al really doesn't know this is bullshit. This whole scheme, B4, whatever the fuck that stands for… It's complete bullshit. Hans knows him, he's familiar with his speech, it's easy, it's not one of his aliases. This is how Hans would text me if we were having a conversation. Al's even got his real name listed in his contacts!" Anna exclaimed, scrolling further down. "Hans knows Al and he's screwing him over. And something Al said back there, about seizing opportunities? Hans taught me that. Al knows him, or at least the family… you said Al was a con? It makes me think Hans..."
Too many webs. Too many connections for coincidence.
"He's doing the same thing to Al now as he did to us on St. John," Anna explained. "Throwing him under the bus, Al just doesn't realize it yet."
"I don't understand," Jane's voice was low and serious, her lips pursed and her forehead crinkled.
"Why else would there have been a bidding war?" Anna reasoned. "If Hans and Al were setting up a real gaming venture, he would have signed Al on from the start. Instead, Hans orchestrates a bidding war to drive the prices up, somehow forcing Al to trade his share of Saub oil reserves as collateral. There was a file, back at the WGT offices in Manhattan-"
"But what for?!" Jane asked harshly, more breath than voice in the inquiry. Tears welled and her hands were back across her torso. Anna could see the anxiety growing in the blonde, nerve by straining nerve. "And what does Al have to do with WGT? With you, with me, with any of this?"
"Oil?" Anna's hand migrated to the back of her neck, and she dug a thumb into a tense trapezius muscle. Was it only hours ago that she had lain on her stomach for a deep tissue massage, contemplating all the naughty things she was going to do to Jane's body? And now, she was elbow deep in oil contracts with the Saudis, poker games and technology conglomerates.
"Hans now has access to one of the most used commodities the world has ever seen. He'll be rolling in it for decades. You have to get in on that game to find out more," Anna said.
"A, I don't even know how to play poker, not really. I have no strategy, no skill."
"But you know the hands, right? You have a blank face. It's not even draw poker, it's Texas hold 'em, according to these messages. Just put money in there arbitrarily and ask questions. Hans won't be there."
"How can you know that?" Jane threw back. "Besides, I won't win. They'll know it's a sham straight away."
"It doesn't matter if you win! Get the information, that is your objective. You do well with specific instructions. And Hans won't be there. I counted the people he was talking to in that group. There's one player too many if Al's at the table."
"Doesn't mean he won't be in the room," Jane countered curtly.
"He won't stay. Not with all of this other stuff he's planning for his biggest backer," Anna challenged, waving the phone in her hand. "Big oil… gambling brings in ten billion a year internationally, oil is triple that. Hans is playing him and Al is a fucking idiot."
Jane's shoulders slumped, and Anna could tell her logic was wearing the woman down.
"He wanted money, yes, but he wanted the lifestyle more," Jane mumbled in agreement. "It makes sense, Al… I can see how the gaming industry would appeal to him." Jane shut her eyes and her hands flexed over her abdomen. "Still, there's not any information we need if Al doesn't know that Hans is swindling him. If he doesn't know that B4 is a sham, we are wasting our time here."
"That's not the information I'm talking about and you know it," Anna's voice was low, and there was an undercurrent of accusation in the statement. "Forget what we came for, and find out instead how Al met Hans in the first place."
"What is it that you want me to say?!" Jane shuddered bodily, collapsing against the windows of Elysium. "I ask that, I can't do this," she whimpered. "He broke me."
"You want to know who you are?" Anna asked, harsher than she intended. "Then it's time to step up and find out. He is not a computer. He cannot be hacked. Put on your big girl britches, get right up in his face, and demand he tell you. Al knows Hans, and Al knew about you, from all those years ago. Hans has been involving you on jobs for what now, just under two years? That is no coincidence. None of this is. My file, your information, Ursula and Hans and Frollo and Al and WesGenTech. It's bigger than just you, but listen to me, Jane—"
Anna maneuvered in front of her, and placed both hands on her shoulders.
"What did I tell you in that dressing room on St. John?" Anna demanded. "Chin up, you look down to no one."
Jane's eyes rose, and there was wet lightning in her gaze.
"This is your life, your fucking life, Jane. You want to know why all of this bullshit has happened to you? Go and fucking figure it out. I can't do this for you, and you can't hide behind your powers this time. Do not be a coward, do not run away, and go get the job done. I believe in you, I… trust you to do this, but I can't help you this time. I'm giving you this control. You've got to go face your demons."
As if on cue, Anna saw Hans move from the doors of the back room in Elysium. She dragged Jane around the side of the building and pinned her helplessly to the wall, peering around the corner as Hans stalked down the sidewalk and back to the central lobby of the resort. His pace was too fast for normalcy.
He knows.
He knows we're here.
"I knew it," Anna hissed.
"Knew what?" Jane asked.
"There were too many people in that group initially. Look! Hans isn't playing, like I said. You have to go in there."
"A, I can't. Don't make me do this, please. I'm not strong enough, I don't want to know anymore, let's just leave—"
"No. You will hate yourself if you don't do this. You will look back at this moment and regret it for the rest of your life; that you let the opportunity to know yourself slip away. You told me after the break-in in Manhattan, that you just wanted something. Anything." Anna took a deep breath, slowed her verbal pace, softened her tone. "You wanted one detail, to have for yourself, well now it's time to go and get it."
Jane started protesting when Anna looked around the corner again. Hans was almost at the revolving glass doors of the Caesar's Palace lobby. She would lose him in the crowd if she didn't hurry.
"I take it back, A, I don't want it," Jane cried softly.
"Jane, yes you do," Anna said with as much sympathy as she could offer.
"No! Listen to me, I don't want it, not this badly. I can't— I'm not like you. I'm not brave enough. I can't be free of the baggage if I go and dredge it up now."
"Jane, you're afraid, but you want this. I know you do. Your identity… It's the drive for every decision you've ever made. Stop lying to yourself."
"I'm not. I want you, A. I just want you."
"You have me, but you want this, too, I know it."
"A—"
"Go, do this. I trust you, I love you, but I've got to follow Hans. He knows we're here, you can see it in his gait," Anna said, peeking around the corner again. Hans was thankfully paused outside, yelling into a cell phone, sideburns ruffled like a wolf with raised hackles.
Thank god.
"Al told him, he had to have told him, Jane. They knew each other, and me, and you… this is bigger than us," Anna repeated, hoping the gravity of the connections would outweigh Jane's fears. "Let me help you, by following Hans. We can work this out together if you just do your part."
"A, please, it'll only make it worse—"
"Don't panic, and go," and Anna kissed her behind the corner of Elysium, on the outskirts of paradise. "And soon we'll know. We'll know everything and we can start over. You and me. We can face this thing together. But we've got to go, now."
"I can't!" Jane's voice broke.
"Yes you can. I know you can."
And Anna darted away after Hans. She did not see Jane throw a fist against the wall of the building; didn't see the street lights flicker, dim, and then die; didn't see Jane gasp for air, and then walk purposefully into the restaurant; didn't see the blonde stop by the bar and order two shots; didn't see her down them smoothly (just this once) to find the bravery she didn't possess; and didn't see Jane tremble as she opened the door to that back room for the poker game.
Anna was too busy following Hans, stubbornly imagining her perfect life to come.
I would recommend searching 'aladdin i steal everything' and clicking on the top video hit to get acquainted with the douchiest (sp?) street rat in existence. That was a looooooot of plotty info thrown at you, but, on the plus side, I'm going on vacation next week, so you've got time to process it. So, no new update for a weekish, but, more time to think everything over. Glass half-full, amiright? Lots of thanks to everyone for sticking around so far. You guys are the best!