When the towel fell onto the countertop, I turned off the light, sauntered back to the bed, and grabbed the camera. As I stared into the screen, I mentally reviewed what I’d seen over the last couple of days. Unfortunately, aside from the motion that teased my eyes earlier, it was an exercise in futility. It was unfortunate I was only able to get eyes from the single vantage point. I should have returned to drop another, but the men guarding the building were intimidating.
While only one of them interacted with me, it was enough. Afterward, I was able to pick out more of them. From the way they carried themselves, I knew each of them had exceptional training. They also managed to steer everyone away from the building while not making it obvious that’s what they were doing. And they
didn’t discriminate. In addition to the spoiled-rich-boy persona I’d developed, I’d refreshed my homelessness persona, only to have my efforts wasted.
Typically, everyone leaves the homeless alone, and I planned to use that guise to plant a few of my surveillance cameras. With my skills, I simply needed to touch the building, and presto, my system would be embedded. Not only would I have been able to keep tabs on the comings and goings of Dempsey’s employees, but also on what happened within. Unfortunately, when I tried to get close enough to place my first transformation, the guard materialized out of thin air.
Well, he didn’t actually “materialize,” that would have been quite the trick, but it certainly felt like he had. If he hadn’t been carrying that rather enormous and lethal-looking firearm, I might have tried to place another somewhere else along the wall. But with the threat of impending death, I contented myself with a simple perimeter search, turning up a single entrance. The only visible door inside the building was next to its loading dock. Disheartened, I placed a camera pointing at the entrance before I gradually made my withdrawal.
I eased the camera back onto the bed and arched my back, resulting in a series of small cracks. “I think I saw the first movement since I created the feed while we were talking.”
“What do you mean, you think?”
“It’s hard to be definitive when you’re consuming my attention.”
“I must not have heard you correctly.”
This time, the furious tones were clear in his reply.
“The Marcus I know wouldn’t be so incredibly stupid as to even consider walking into an illegal poker game in some random warehouse without having secured ample video footage!”
Yup, zero to fight in less than a second. I was too tired for this, physically and mentally. Normally, I don’t mind arguing with Matt. It can be fun, or as I like to see it, something to be overcome. But the renewed vigor in his voice told me that if I let this go on, fun would be the last thing gained from this conversation.
The game was tomorrow. I needed to rest and clear my mind. Again, I wondered why I had picked up the phone in the first place. But then, I already knew the answer to the question. I had felt guilty. Sighing, I made the argument I knew would get me out of this discussion, not that I was proud of what I was going to do.
“Matt, where did you think a game like this was going to be played? Did you think an invitation-only poker game would happen in some rented office space? There is a reason I set up surveillance on the building.” I had to be very careful not to confirm the lack of good surveillance. “No alcohol has passed through my lips for days. I know what I’m voluntarily getting myself into. I will be fine. Okay?”
“Was that supposed to be a hint?”
And like that, the fight was gone. Matt had resigned himself to the coming events. I must have sounded angrier than I thought because I have rarely heard him give up an argument so quickly. It made me feel like a heel, and there was no reason. I drew the curtain aside and stared out upon the sprawling cityscape. “I wasn’t trying to be heavy-handed.”
“But you’ll use whatever you’re dealt. Is that what you’re saying?”
Either it worked or he knew what I was doing and let it pass for the moment. Fortunately, it didn’t matter. “Something like that. Hey, I’m not expecting quality cell service during the game, so I’ll call you when it’s all over. And, when I get back, dinner will be my treat, so pick your favorite restaurant and meal.”
“Sounds like a deal. Just do me a favor.”
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