Lock This Topic Too! (By Next New Year's Day!!!)

[Booklover]

Hi!

[Rosie Willowwater]

How are you?

[Booklover]

Good. You?

[Rosie Willowwater]

I am good! Easter break started today.

[Booklover]

Are you not in lockdown, then?

[Verdauga]

I think she's taking online courses.

[Booklover]

Oh, yeah, I think I remember that being mentioned.

[Rosie Willowwater]

Yeah, I go to an online school. My state is in almost total lock-down right now and has been for quite a while.

[Booklover]

*posts*

[The Shadow of Korriban]

Booklover, what's a cheeky internet expression I could use?

[Verdauga]

Pics or it didn't happen.

[shisteer of nothing much]

That's not how it vorks, dearest.

[lass of something much]

Booklover, what's a cheeky internet expression I could use?

I think you scared her away, Sheev..

[shisteer of nothing much]

We had a tap class today. Doing it online isn't ideal but it's certainly better than nothing. It's dancing, so it was pretty awesome.

[Verdauga]

Guys,
I had trouble wording this, but I have something to confess. I'm sorry, but I stand by what I'll say.

Spoiler

A Million Dollar Gambit Chapter Three Is Out!!!After a long wait, it has returned! The previous chapters are included to refresh on the story.

Ch. 1

Chapter One of
The Million Dollar Gambit

I slid the compartment door closed as the other passengers came in from the verandah and got back to setting away my suitcase. She was already filling the compartment dresser with her clothes. This was our third time together, our third trip. Different train though. I coughed to break the ice, but she didn't respond, wordlessly pulling out a deck of cards and laying them out to play solitaire. I coughed again.
"Eherghm. Sorry fer pullin' you away from your classes earlier. Just, y'know, orders is orders."
"Thanks, actually." She replied softly, not looking up from her cards. "I hate Latin class with a passion. I will miss my trig course though."
"Still," I said, choking on the tension, "It's tough; 's gotta be, moving from school to school."
She shrugged, placing a ten on the knave. "I prefer it to the alternative"
"I betchu wish your dad'd retire."
"Him, or the others. Or the law is repealed. This limbo is terrifying."
"Ya don't sound terrified."
"It isn't becoming of my position."
"Lissen, angel, I'm tryin' to break the ice over here. Could you help out a little?"
"You're old enough to be my father. What could we have in common?"
"Yer pa, for one thing."
She bit her lip, but then shook her head. "I can't tell you what you don't already know"
I moaned and leaned back into my chair. "Looks like we got a long ride ahead of us."
She didn't answer. I looked out the compartment window. Seventeen stations, and three days to do it in. Sixteen stations left to go.

* * *

Gaston yanked off his straw hat and ran his fingers through his greasy hair. "So what's the play this time, Joel? You wouldn't call me in unless it's somethin' to do wit' that Cellitorre."
"'The play', is this: we obtain-- Or, more accurately I obtain-- a very worthwhile return on an investment of mine. I wish to share it with you."
"Uh-huh, and why would you make such a charitable decision like that?"
"Since you won't accept the goodness of my heart anymore, I'll tell you this. We're the big three, but you and I need to nail down our corners of the market before the little bug that is Cellitorre crawls underneath."
"Ha! I'd hardly call Cellitorre 'little', but I'm always happy to cut 'im down to size. So what's the play?"
"A bargain between us. I sent a gunsel on a train From Enton Station to here. He sent a shipment of wines to here as well. If he intercepts the gunsel, he has a new hire. If I intercept the shipment, my business prospers while his withers. He doesn't know where my gunman is, I don't know where his shipment is, and we can't exactly search Rouxbry after the trains arrive."
"Here's where you come in. Searching an undefined number of train cars for well over two hundred bottles of vintage isn't easy. I need your manpower to help me catch it; in return, you keep half."
Gaston Appertoire shook his head and donned his hat. "If it was anyone else but you, Joel... I'm in."

Stay Tuned
For Chapter Two of
The Million Dollar Gambit

Ch. 2

Chapter Two of
The Million Dollar Gambit

[close]

Spoiler

As Appertoire left a runner burst into the room. "Anders called, sir. He's left Enton.
I rose and placed my hand on his shoulder"Good. You have seen the routes, Appertoire. I trust you can get your men?"
"Sir, you should--" He stopped while I pressed my finger into his neck. He stayed silent until I watched Appertoire drive off. "Maribelle is with him?"
"Yessir; don't Appertoire know?"
"Let me handle who knows. Anders is the only one of mine on the train."
"Yessir."
I dismissed him with a wave and sat back at my desk. Running a speakeasy and juggling relations against the town mob boss; I hate this business. Still, he was edging into my territory; even Appertoire knew to stay on the edge of town. Cellitorre.... would learn.

* * *

I set the cards out on the table again while Anders-- I think that's his name at least-- paced the compartment, fingering the gun in his pocket every now and then.
"How many men are coming for me?" I asked, casting a glance his way. He didn't even flinch, replying with "Yer pa thought any more would attract suspicion"
"No; how many goons did what's-his-name send after me? Dad would have at least sent a telegram."
"Do you know about everything that's goin' on?"
"Why don't you tell me what you know about it, and I'll tell you what you don't."
He sighed, knowing I'd figure it out myself before the ride was over.

"Cellitorre's got goons heading to yer school to sniff ya out. He's figured out how much you know about your dad's... business. He's got a shipment of wine trainin' in, I hear, and yer pa is attemptin' to snatch it, in case they get you."
"Nice to know I'm worth wine." I snorted.
He didn't even ask how much I knew, telling me he'd go check the rest of the train, making sure none of Cellitorre's mob were here.
As the door closed I reached for my handbag and  retrieved the revolver. Three spent cases, three live shots; three bullets in Cellitorre's brother. I was only a fraction of his interest. This thing meant his life.

I slid the gun back in my purse as Anders came back in. He shook his head, watching me play my game.
"There's only one good way this'll end, angel."
I overturned the ace of spades.
"Sometimes we have to accept the cards we're dealt." I said, flicking it across the table.

Stay tuned for

Chapter Three of
A Million Dollar Gambit

[close]

I glanced up as a runner came in with yesterday's news.
"The Fernor girl! She's gone!"
"The fastest thing 'bout you is yer legs, ain't it?"
He blinked. "What?"
"Of course she's gone!" I roared. "D'ya think Fernor'd keep her there now that he knows that we know?!"
"Err... what do we know?"
I held back a roar and grabbed a cigar from the box on my desk, sitting down and taking several deep breaths. "The nearest station to the school is Enton Station. Right after that it's Frettown Two. Find Jim. Make sure he and anyone he says he needs hightail it to Frettown Station." I grit my teeth and growled. "Now."
I rubbed my eyes as he faintly called, "On it, boss!" amid the sound of running out. I glanced over at the telephone on the other end of the room and decided against callin Fernor. Better get that little bird in the hand before I shoot them two in the bush. If they got that gun, I'm done for.

*  *  *

"Ain't a sign of 'em yet boss," I said into the telephone. "No one was there at Enton 'r on th' train."
He breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good; early too. I trust you know the drill by now?"
"Yeah."
"... Well? What is it?"
"Get on the train, change compartments, change clothes, get to the nex' station, call in, and get a different car." I parroted back, rolling my eyes.
"Good. Keep her alive, Anders."
"I will. Call ya at Frettown One."
"I expect to hear from you four hours from now." He ended, hanging up.
I left the phone booth and immediately wished I hadn't. Staring me dead in the eyes was some goon; buttoned trenchcoat, hands in pockets, hat jammed on his head. I turned as coolly as I could and tailed some young lady until I was around a corner. Maybe he'd think she was Fernor's daughter. I walked into the baggage storage room and pulled off my suitcoat, leaning against the wall by the time he came in.
"Why, hello there. You lookin' fer someone."
"Yeah, you. You and that Fernor girl."
"Well, she already has her homework. Get back to school." I said smirking.
"You'd better tell us where she is, ya little schlub."
"Oh? an' what're ya goin' t'do? Shoot me? And let everyone know how dumb you are?"
He pulled the pistol from his pocket. I could recognize a silencer anywhere. "See this? We keep you here 'til the departure horn, and then shoot ya. No one will know."
I let out a long, shaky sigh. I don't like doing this. "Okay. That Fernor girl?" I asked.
He nodded.
"She's HERE!!" I flung my coat at him, ducking to the side while drawing my pistol. Four shots rang out and he crumpled to the floor. Moving over to the body, I grabbed his gun just as another goon stepped into the room. I emptied my mag into him, grabbed his gun and dashed out of there.

*  *  *

The door to the compartment slammed open and closed  as Anders burst in.
"We gotta leave now angel!"
"The train isn't supposed to leave for another twenty minutes!"
"There's another train. Goes out to the old apartments place. It's leaving now! Hurry!"
I threw my clothes in my bags  and dashed out to the other train, reaching it just as the final departure horn sounded, and banged on the door to be let in. That was easy enough (they didn't want to see a young lady carrying her bags on their station), but Anders almost broke the doors leaping in.
"Ma'am, I think you're on the wrong train!" one of the cabinmen exclaimed.
"'Zactly," Anders replied, getting in his face. "We'll take the nicest room you have that isn't full."
"Err, yessir, right away sir."

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