Sparrow said. “But we will.”
“No,” I said. “I don’t like it.” I turned back to Sparrow. “Back to our role play. Why would you agree to meet?”
“Either I’m planning a bold move to take me out or I’m ready to concede that the declaration of war is withdrawn and ask for a peace treaty.”
Sparrow looked from one of us to the other. “That gives us at least three days. The fate of Chicago and Detroit will be determined in New Orleans.” He looked to me. “I will talk to him. Let him know what’s happening. We’ve never had a problem. I don’t want to start one now.”
By him, Sparrow was referring to the king of New Orleans, one of his counterparts.
“I’ll assure him,” Sparrow went on, “that there will be no repercussions for his city. We aren’t looking for land or manpower from him. We only need space to end this.”
I remembered something Madeline said. “I don’t particularly want her there, but Madeline offered to translate with Bykov. I believe that would work with Ivanov too.”
“I got this,” Mason said. “Russian and the different derivations aren’t that tough.”
A grin came to my lips. “I forgot we have the master of languages amongst us.”
“Can you arrange a meeting with Bykov before the tournament?” Sparrow asked. “It would be nice to walk into New Orleans knowing Bykov is ready to succeed Ivanov. If not, there will be fallout.”
“Let us meet with him,” I said, looking at Mason and speaking to Sparrow. “You were right. Ivanov will have eyes and ears everywhere. He already distrusts most everyone around him. One rogue sighting of you near Detroit or Bykov near Chicago will set him off. Bykov doesn’t need to meet with you yet.” I motioned between the other three of us. “We’re his equal.” It was similar to how Sparrow was on a par with the leader of New Orleans. “We can lay out the offer and give him some time to work up the support in the ranks if he agrees. If he doesn’t and turns on us, telling Ivanov our plan, Detroit is on its own for a while. The blood will be on their hands.”
Sparrow nodded. “Let’s do it.”
Madeline
“You’re saying that Andros didn’t sign me up for the tournament—Marion did?” I asked not only Patrick but also the other three men sitting around the penthouse’s kitchen table. Being it was Monday afternoon, we were the only ones present.
Araneae was in the home office working via video conferencing with her assistant Jana and her partner in Denver, Louisa. Ruby was in our apartment. Since we were on what was referred to as lockdown, I could only assume that Lorna and Laurel were also somewhere within the confines of our domain.
“Yes,” Reid said. “Registering you over a month ago with a million-dollar buy-in.”
My fingers itched for the feel of cards. It was the one thing that made me someone beyond what Andros considered me to be. Yes, he’d facilitated my playing, and up until now, I never questioned why. That was a thought for another day. Now I needed to concentrate on the tournament at hand. “Over a month ago?” My head shook. “More evidence that he and Andros had my sale planned long before Chicago.”
The four men remained silent.
“Will it help at all if I play the tournament?” I asked.
“No,” Patrick said. “You’re not facing Ivanov or Elliott.”
I laid my hands upon the granite table, sensing all four sets of eyes coming my way. “Gentlemen, gambling is my claim to fame. I’m not interested in fame, but I am capable of making a good show. I suddenly wonder if that wasn’t what I was all along, a show, a diversion allowing Andros access to cities for other reasons while the attention was on me. And as for Marion, what is he going to do? He’s already insinuated that I’m mentally unstable.”
“That was a countermeasure to discredit you if you chose to tell the world the truth,” Sterling said, “about the transaction between him and Ivanov.”
“I won’t,” I replied. “Who would believe me?”
“We do,” Patrick said, reaching for my hand.
I grinned his way. “And I appreciate that. You know that horrible world exists. Most people think it only happens in fiction. They don’t want to know it’s real. The cell house where I was held? I couldn’t tell you where it was located even though I was there for four months. My guess is that the neighbors didn’t know what was right there.