Hello Dear Readers – here is the next chapter at last! Vanilla212, with her fantastic beta work and suggestions, really deserves the lion's share of credit for it. The plot is beginning to move, so stick around for future chapters.

There was no line at the tea bar just then, so Jack walked straight up to the barred window. He looked just as polished and clean as the last time she'd seen him. He wore a gray suit this time, and his blond hair was combed back from his face.

The bright smile he gave her made her flush all over again. "Hello Alice. Are you speaking today?"

She smiled back and shook her head.

"Are you quite sure? I was looking forward to having a conversation with you." His face became serious. "No one will discover that you can talk from me, Alice. As you can see, I'm blocking their view."

He was right, and Alice badly wanted to speak, but she was sure her accent would give her away. Of course, her silence might be making him suspicious, too. Unsure of what to do, she gestured to the teas behind the counter, silently asking him which one he wanted.

Jack made a casually dismissive gesture. "I didn't come for tea tonight, Alice."

Her stomach did several little flips, and she self-consciously placed a hand over her Glow, hidden though it was by her jacket. Had he really come just to speak to her?

"Is Hatter in?"

Oh. Alice felt a twinge of embarrassment, along with a stab of what might have been Disappointment. Of course he was there to see Hatter.

She was saved the trouble of going to find him, because just then he walked onto the trade floor from the back hallway. He spotted Jack immediately and made his way over, wearing an impassive expression that was all but unreadable. Alice had a sinking feeling that he was not very happy.

Jack was back. Hatter saw the smugly genial grin on the man's face as he rattled his flapping trap at Alice, and saw the distress on her face plain as day. And she was blushing. He saw that too.

The prince's timing couldn't have been worse. Hatter was quite busy preparing for a trip out of the city, the first he'd made in a while. Another tea runner had sent him a message about a new product on the market, so Hatter was going out to investigate the producer, who supposedly worked from a farm on the western side of the lake.

As he crossed the floor, he entertained a brief but satisfying fantasy of attaching sharp blades to the brim of his hat, and throwing it at the back of Jack's perfectly coiffed head. That ought to make short work of the prince's charm.

He sighed as Jack, warned by Alice's stare, turned to face him. If only.

"Your Highness! What an unexpected, delightful little surprise," he said, grabbing Jack's hand for a shake with a smile plastered on his face that was truly sickening.

"Hello Hatter. Nice to see you again."

At least Jack had the good grace to look slightly discomfited as he withdrew his hand, Hatter thought sourly. He noted that Alice had also taken a step back, and was watching them both with worry plastered all over her features. Deciding that he was in no mood to make nice, he let the smile drop from his face, revealing his displeasure. He had never been one to be intimidated by empty-headed charmers, royalty or no. "What the hell are you doing in me shop?"

Jack's discomfort seemed to vanish at the challenge. "Just making inquiries. You run a lucrative business here."

Hatter kept his face neutral. Perhaps the royal family had heard rumors of his less-than-legal activities and sent Jack to investigate. "And a respectable one. There's nothing here you can't get up at the casino."

Jack shrugged. "Your mixes are better. Speaking of which," he said, turning his gaze to Alice, "this one certainly knows what she's doing. Where did you find her?"

Suddenly, Hatter wanted very badly to send Alice from the room, just to get her out of the prince's sight.

And it wasn't just because she was Alice, he reminded himself, it was because if word got out that she was an oyster, the shop would be in all sorts of trouble. They all would be. Time to get the notion that he had any chance with her out of Pretty Boy's head.

"She was a regular customer with good taste and a quick eye," he said, "Came in down on her luck one day, so I gave her a job."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You gave her more than a job, I'll wager."

The calculating part of Hatter's brain insisted that it would be smarter let that nosy little assumption stand unchallenged. But for the first time in a very long time, he felt a cold fury somewhere in the pit of his stomach. "Just what are you implying?"

Jack must have seen the warning in Hatter's eyes and the offense on Alice's face, because he held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Why so defensive? I'm only pointing out what I see. Besides, how did you know she'd fallen on hard times? She doesn't speak, and she hardly writes." He gave Alice another speculative look. "Except she does speak, doesn't she? Why hide that?"

Hatter could see Alice growing more alarmed by the second, and he was sorely tempted to knock the other man's lights out. He deliberately clenched his fist. "Get out of me shop, and get your tea somewhere else, yeah? I'll not have you harassing me employees, and I've no time to bother with whatever trouble you're stirring up."

Jack smirked. "Not so fast. I think Mother may like to hear about this – as a diversion perhaps? She does get rather bored sometimes, as you are no doubt aware."

Oh yes, he was aware, and he was not about to let Alice get on Her Majesty's list of curiosities. Keeping his voice under control with no small amount of effort, he said, "Out with it. What do you want, Jack?"

Jack's smile remained in place, but he inclined his head in a way that was almost diffident. "Only to talk, nothing more."

Hatter found that difficult to believe. Better to get this over with, though. A quick check of the room told him that several of his customers – at least the ones who were still conscious – were getting curious about the quiet showdown at the tea counter. Best to take this out of sight. He gestured to Dormie, who was stationed as usual at the ticker podium. The little man hurried over.

"Take the counter for the evening, Dormie. I've got a bit of business to take care of. Alice, you're coming with me."

Alice came out from the counter enclosure radiating fear and tension. He wanted to tell her not to be afraid, but it wouldn't do to say anything of the kind in front of Jack. He settled for brushing her hand with his as he walked by.

Moments later he was slumped in his office chair, spinning it in a lazy circle. "Alice, put the kettle on, yeah? We could all do with a bit of straight tea."

While Alice busied herself with the Sensibility cabinet, Jack leaned against the doorframe. He was, apparently, convinced that he had the upper hand in some way.

We'll see about that, mate. Hatter pointed at the couch near his desk. "Have a seat, Your Highness."

Jack gave a small, mocking bow that only added to Hatter's irritation, and took a seat.

They waited in tense silence while the water heated for tea. Hatter became conveniently absorbed in his accounts ledger, while Jack alternated between studying the room and studying his fingernails, as if he couldn't decide which was more engrossing. It felt like several lifetimes passed before the scent of raspberries and cloves filled the room, and Alice brought them each a cup of tea. She filled her own cup and sat down on the couch as far away as she could get from Jack.

Hatter was secretly relieved that she felt uncomfortable around the other man. Maybe she was finally starting to see how precarious their situation really was.

He mentally brushed that thought aside and went into business mode. Sitting up a little straighter in his chair, he studied Jack. The prince stared back at him without flinching, and appeared to be completely relaxed. He must have had at least some idea of who Hatter was, which left two possibilities: either he had been very well-trained in the art of concealing what was going through his head, or he really was here on legitimate business.

Hatter would bet his hat that it was just good training.

He began without preamble. "If it's contraband you're after, you won't find any here. I run a decent shop."

"So you told me earlier."

"Yeah, well it bears remembering. If it's better rates on the trades you're after, I'll see what I can do, but it won't come cheap."

"So I've heard. But if you really have no contraband here, then surely you won't object to a quick search? There are…rumors…at the casino concerning this shop, and I'm sure you wouldn't want them to spread farther."

So that was the way of things. Hatter narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening me?"

If Jack searched the casino today, they were all in deep, boiling water. Hatter had places nearby where he could stash anything that implicated him, but he needed at least a few hours to do that. If he could buy a little time then they could wriggle out of this unscathed.

"Threatening you?" Jack gave a short, deliberately cultured laugh. "Of course not. I'm offering you assistance. It's my dear mother and her cadre of Suits who threaten you."

"I see." Hatter took off his hat and preened the purple feather he'd added to it the other day, considering his next words. He had a hunch that the "rumors" were little more than gossip Jack had picked up from the local tea-heads. Chances were that the Suits weren't involved at all, and that Jack was just looking to make a name for himself as something other than his mother's well-groomed puppet.

His visits to the shop were bound to have attracted their attention, though, so it was only a matter of time before they showed up, whether Jack was involved or not. Best to get rid of Prince Charming, Hatter decided, and prepare for their inevitable arrival.

He spoke slowly, letting just a hint of sarcasm slip in. "And you're just here to take care of Mum's business, like a dutiful son. Touching, really, but I'm not interested." He put his hat back on and made to stand. "I'll walk you out. Wouldn't want the tea-heads messing with you, now would we?"

Jack took another leisurely sip of tea. "Just a minute, Hatter. Have you been to the casino since you quit?"

Hatter frowned. Why the subject change? "Nope. I put that life behind me."

"And how long ago was that? Ten years?"

"Eleven; twelve if you count birthdays and boring conversations. Finished?"

"Just beginning." Jack turned to face Alice. "Alice, my dear, how much has Hatter told you about his past? Go ahead and speak – we all know you can."

Hatter met her eyes. She was unsure of what to do, and looking to him for guidance. He shook his head, mouthing don't. Her eyes flitted from him to Jack several times, before they settled on him again. He could see that spark of determination there and realized that she made up her mind to speak. Great.

Quietly, she said, "Nothing. He's told me almost nothing."

To Hatter's ears, it sounded painfully obvious that she was from the Other Side.

Jack smiled triumphantly and reached out to squeeze her hand. Alice pulled away from him and looked at Hatter again, this time apologetically. He stood, intending to step between them, but Jack's next words stopped him cold. "Almost nothing? So he hasn't told you that he was an assassin?"

Oh, for the love of…

Hatter would given a lot, possibly his whole damn shop, to wipe the horrified look off of Alice's face. She wouldn't meet his eyes. "An assassin?" She stammered. "N-no, he didn't."

"It's wasn't like that, Alice," Hatter said. "Not the way he's telling it. I was an enforcer, one of the Suits."

Alice looked at Jack, seeking confirmation or denial. But Jack seemed to have said all he was going to say to her on the subject. He turned back to Hatter. "Eleven years, and you never dropped in. Surely you still have contacts?"

"It's me business to have contacts." Hatter sat down again, but he was only half-concentrating on the conversation. Alice was staring at him, and he had all he could do not to jump up and wrap her in a tremendous hug. It wasn't like that, Alice. Not really. Not really…

Jack was still speaking. "Surely you must know something of the situation there, then?"

Situation? Head in the game, Hatter. Forcing his thoughts away from Alice and placing the expressionless mask back on his face, he said, "Yeah, I know bits and pieces. It's the same ugly bureaucracy."

Jack shook his head. "Not quite the same." He lowered his voice. "Mother has never been entirely stable, but recently she's been getting a lot worse. Father thinks she ought to retire, and let him take the reins – though naturally he hasn't breathed a word to her about it." He paused to take a sip of tea, then continued. "As it happens, Father is not in the best of health himself. So, like any good son would, I am making some…preparations."

Hatter stared at him. Was he hearing what he thought he was hearing?

Jack set his cup and saucer aside. "Have you ever heard of the Caterpillar?"

"Yeah, I've heard rumors."

Of course Hatter had heard rumors. Who hadn't? It was reputed to be an insurgent group bent on either bringing down the House of Cards or gaining control of it. Some people said it was led by a former Suit who had grown disillusioned with the way the casino was run; others said it was a purely populist movement made up of people who were sick of cowering in fear while their world sank into a tea-soaked nightmare. It had been around for several decades in one form or another, but had never gained any real ground.

So why was Jack bringing it up? Off the top of his head, Hatter came up with two likely possibilities: Either Jack was involved with the Caterpillar, and they were conspiring to put him on the throne, or he was working for his mother as a double-agent trying to infiltrate them. Either one was possible so far.

Irritating as the prince's suave charm was, he deserved some credit for cultivating it – it made it very difficult to tell what his real intentions were.