Cat In The Casino
Filled again with the sound of the slots and the many people milling, Tekippe and Red were faced with trying to find this supposed casino owner with low priced ship parts. How true it was was dependent on whether the information was accurate as well as if it wasn't actually some trap the Oasis laid out to crush the black market that may or may not have existed.
"If I was a money-hungry game Tekipped, where would I be?" Tekippe muttered.
"Hiding up in some office and counting, probably."
Tekippe's silence meant he agreed. He turned to Red.
"How should we try to find 'em? I doubt asking anyone is gonna help."
"Cover our bases," Red suggested.
Tekippe shook his head.
"Fine, fine."
Red was confused but Tekippe just wandered off. Red frowned. Tekippe seemed more mysterious than before everything happened. Tekippe used to be more straightforward but silent. He seemed a bit more confusing now, hiding some info or step in a plan. It didn't bother Red too much, but it was definitely... different. He figured he wasn't the only one to change after the event.
Red went around to many patrons, asking them if they knew the casino owner. No one knew him but apparently he had pink pair and appeared on the floor every now and then. He went to the few figures that had pink hair but each seemed deeply disinterested in his prodding.
Red asked some of the dealers about him, but when they looked out in the casino they claimed to not see him. Red peeked around for guards but didn't see anyone that looked particularly guard-like. Not big or uniformed or standing in front of some place, watching. It was odd.
Eventually Red went to find Tekippe, discouraged. He saw Tekippe dipping into a pocket of a patron and snatching a credit case. Red's alarm rang in his head but he stayed still until Tekippe moved off. He ran toward Tekippe who was already looking for his next victim.
"Hey, we didn't say we were gonna steal anything," Red whispered, "We can make it to the Tourney just fine."
Tekippe stopped.
"Goody goody, I'm stealing it for attention, not to keep."
"Huh?"
"There's streamcams everywhere. They'll see me and catch me, take me to the boss. Make sense?"
"Where are you getting this information?"
"I dunno, security shows?"
Red slammed his palm into his forehead.
"You have the instincts of a good pilot or fighter or whatever, but I've got a big brain."
Red rolled his eyes. But he realised it seemed like a possibilty of being even a fraction true. They could return everything once they got the owner's attention. No harm, no foul. Red wandered, looking for his targets. He hated the idea of taking something so important and personal, but many patrons unfortunately had their belongings out of their pockets or on top of craps tables or slot machines.
Red carefully slipped a piece of jewellery from a tableside onto the floor. He hoped he looked convincing. A high price ABC watch removed. The next one between two patrons, his fingers slipped over another credit case. Then his vision went white and he was on the ground.
The left side of his face was screaming pain through his whole head, and his vision swam. When he was able to look up, he saw a pink haired man standing above him. The figure's eyes were squinted and he smiled.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" the man started, "I didn't realise you were so inconsiderate."
"I - I don't even want it."
Red dumped the credit case he took on the ground. He saw a few patrons looking down, and they were smiling, as if it was just an entertaining show. He saw Tekippe's face appear behind them, watching carefully. Red wondered if he's dropped his pilfered goods yet.
The man above him kneeled quite closely.
"Then why take anything, hm?"
"Just looking for attention from the casino owner."
"Oh, that's me!"
The guy was definitely not to his or Tekippe's expectation. Pink hair in ties and pinstripe slacks with suspenders, smiling small constantly. It felt like a gimmick.
"Just looking for... certain things."
He could practically hear Tekippe's scorn in his glare at him. He was a terrible talker when pressed. Always had been. The casino owner stood up, smiling down at him.
"Not sure what things you're looking for. Sorry. Only thing I have for you is justice."
He snapped his fingers and two bulky figures seemed to appear out of nowhere. They picked up and hauled Red off. The rest of the patrons watched, and as soon as Red was out of sight, murmuring flooded the casino. Along with all the game playing afterward, it was as if it all went back to normal in a split second.
Tekippe shook his head at tbe door Red disappeared into and was about to turn.
"Are you his accomplice I saw?" called the casino owner.
"It's fine, I'll be leaving now."
"But it's so much more fun to keep you."
He again snapped his fingers, high above hia head, and two more figures came to take Tekippe. Tekippe could have fought, could have run. Maybe it was just better to deal with the consequence.
"Are you okay there, honey?"
Red stared at the casino owner. Two chumps stood by two doors each, and their statue silence and sweat smell made him squirrely.
"Sometimes the fist really does the talking before I ask questions."
The silken voice suited his demeanor and look, but Red just wanted to be gone. The security team had grabbed him under his armpit and it touched on what was clearly a damaged nerve, all the quiet pain of his amputated arm now on fire. He held the arm close.
The casino owner smiled wider.
"Don't be scared," he said. "I do have what you want."
Red shifted. His eyes gave him away again, and he hated that.
"So, like, what... All that for show?"
"Well, of course. I don't know who keeps blabbing out there so I've just had to be extra careful. I can tell just by looking you're not from the Oasis purge teams, though."
Red blinked.
"Kind of weak."
The door behind Red opened but he refused to move until two more guards brought Tekippe up close to the casino owner.
"Thank you. You all can leave. You smell awful."
All six guards who had been present leaved at his words and the three were alone in an office space much like Red had expected a casino owner's office to be like.
There was plush, velvety furniture to sit in, but every surface was covered with books, documents, tablets, and half drunk energy drinks. One smelled distinctly of coffee, an old, stale acrid smell wafting toward him, though Red had known coffee wasn't something that the Oasis grew anymore.
"Mmkay," the owner said with sing song in his voice, "My name is Anemone. I do sell what you want. Discounted, of course. The Oasis overcharges like mad to trap their people."
Tekippe stared for a moment, then turned and checked Red.
"You good?"
Red nodded, and Anemone placed his fingers on his cheek underneath a star tattoo.
"Lovers?"
Tekippe turned back to Anemone.
"Don't misread my care for him," Tekippe said, managing to keep his cool where Red would lose his. "We're brothers."
"Oh, well, that's no fun."
The side door of the room opened and a wildly dressed figure came in, completely ignoring Tekippe and Red.
"Nem, I got a--"
"Honey."
Anemone interrupted them, and gestured to Tekippe and Red.
"Who they?"
"Looking for parts."
"Oop! Sorry, lads. Mmbye."
The figure left as haphazardly as they came. Anemone smiled after them, and finally stood up from his lavish chair.
"Don't look so scared. I won't hit you again. For now, anyway."
He tittered while Red stared.
"Need a cold pack?"
"Sure, he'll take one," Tekippe spoke.
Red shook his head but Tekippe just shrugged.
"What're you gonna do, walk around with half your face exploded?" he asked while Anemone fiddled with objects in what seemed to be a closet.
"Dude, don't engage," Red whispered, "He's weird."
"You're weird, you idiot."
Red scoffed. A snap sounded through the soundless office and the object Anemone pulled from the narrow cabinet frosted over almost immediately.
"Here you are. Sorry about that."
He thanked Anemone and took the cold pack, placing it gently on his cheek
"Come on, little brothers, I'll show you what I have today. Another shipment in two cycles."
Tekippe and Red glanced at each other, both really hating the pet names, and somewhat reluctantly followed the pink haired money Tekipped down underground.