Cat In A White Tie And Tails

“The mob always has a game or two going. The glamour and glory days celebrated by the Chunnel of Crime are over. Now it is hijacked meat trucks and gambling and girls.”

I make a face. “I would rather go after the Synth.”

“Well, I did, and I can tell you that led to a surprising conclusion.”

“What do you mean?”

“You assigned me to keep an eye on them and I had a crew of three to follow the three surviving Neon Nightmare operators. We split like a banana’s foster dessert to track those two women and a guy when they slipped out of a side door in the Pyramid of Pretense.”

“And—?”

“Me and Pitch solo, Three O’Clock and Blacula put the shadow on the trio.”

“Three O’Clock? He could not tail his own shadow!”

“I did not need all wet-ears on this job. He did fine.”

“So. What was the result?”

“We split up, we crawled on our bellies like snakes to trail these secretive humans all over Vegas, and we were there when each of the three landed for what remained of the night. You are right, O Ancient Sage. There is some master plan these Synth people are putting into motion.”

“And you know this because…?”

“They all,” she says sourly, “and we all ended up at the same destination.”

I control myself and do not anticipate her answer. Las Vegas has just too many sites that are ripe for crime and chaos.

“And—?”

“It appears they are going to knock off the Oasis Hotel.”

I play flabbergasted. Not only is the Oasis an old established venue, far from the nouveau flash of the Aria and Palazzo, but few see it as a prize target, although a heist at any Vegas hotel-casino will be rich takings … for the scant half hour the crooks have to enjoy lifting the loot before the combined fist of the casino security and police surveillance comes down on them as hard as the Cloaked Conjuror’s gauntlet.

I can believe the mob having such designs, but …

“This is crazy,” I tell Louise. “Why does a cheesy group of magicians think they can keep the heist cash? One of their own is dead, struck down in his white tie and tails in an empty underground safe, and their mysterious masked backers are about to cut the connection with bullets. Obviously, I must hie myself back to the Oasis and investigate for myself.”

“I will show you the site of the recent attack on Mr. Max aboard the ship.”

“I have already done my derring-do on that location, Louise, for an earlier case. You must keep an eye on the Goliath, because I would not put it beyond the Synth to try to make Mr. Max the fall guy on any schemes they have going.”