Sasha prefers to open (carry) wrote in repose, @ 2016-05-12 15:45:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | *log, jude coleman, sasha james |
The Capital: Jude and Sasha
Who: Jude and Sasha
What: Dutch illegitimate royal half-siblings are out on the town.
Where: The Capital.
When: Uh, fuzzy-ish.
Warnings/Rating: Doubtful.
Sasha had been working on this little con for far too long. Everything had to go just so, and the man from Tethys that she'd been watching had finally sent the right email to the right person that tipped her off to his whereabouts that evening. The plan was falling into place, and now was the time to strike. Maybe she hadn't exactly told Jude what she was really going to be doing this evening, but hopefully he'd be too distracted at the Blackjack table to keep much of a careful eye on his partner. After all, they were still going to walk out of the illegal casino with far too much cold hard cash and that should keep Jude happy enough, right?
Somehow the rumor of visiting European royalty had gotten leaked, and so the entrance to some of the more expensive hotels in the Capital were being hounded by paparazzi. On the way in to their hotel, Sasha and Jude were safe. No one suspected, nor did anyone even glance twice at them. They wouldn't be so lucky on the way back out. That was not part of the plan. Thankfully, the hotel staff was willing to accommodate the van Amsberg party's request for privacy and arranged for an exit via the rear whenever they were ready to leave.
They had been placed in the Royal Suite, which Sasha assumed was more exorbitantly ornate than the Presidential Suite, and it took up half of the top two floors of the hotel. Four master bedrooms on the top floor, with the main floor loaded with necessities like a library, music room, office, bar, infinity pool overlooking the skyline, all those things that rich folk couldn't live without even for a few hours. For tonight, it was the base of operations, a place for Sasha and Jude to get dressed up and practice their accents to set the stage before heading out for the main show. It also served as a place to bring back certain marks if the need and take was high enough. They had to look legitimate. Just in case.
Shopping for the evening had been done a while ago and was relatively simple, getting away with a small fortune in fashion for both herself and Jude by means of fast talk and misdirection. If they were going to play with the big dogs for the evening, they needed the proper pieces and the masquerade of wealth was only as legitimate as the mask worn. Sasha would have preferred something more her style, but the part she had to play required a more delicate and feminine role. She settled for something designer in ivory silk with embroidered flowers and crystals to catch the light. The exact opposite of the little black dress that had been ruined all those months ago which practically bled seduction. Tonight, she looked almost innocent.
When they decided they were ready to go, the car provided by the hotel (a sleek black Bentley Mulsanne along with driver), took them towards a less ritzy part of town when Sasha provided the address. It wasn't terribly far from the hotel, but the building was one of those that looked completely innocuous and almost abandoned, like it had been slated for destruction for the past five years and the city simply never got around to it. The entrance to the underground garage was hidden in the back and required a passcode to get the doors buzzed open. Sasha, of course, knew the code. Upon arriving, the parking spots were filled with various expensive flashy cars. Obviously the place was not quite as forgotten about as people tried to make it appear.
The driver waited patiently for them, as other drivers seemingly were for their employers, while Sasha and Jude made their way to the service elevator which would carry them down into the illegal casino. The elevator was old and slow, outfitted with creaky cables above that sounded like they'd snap at any moment as the pulleys rolled the metal deathtrap further underground inch by agonizing inch. The only betrayal of improvement within were the very high-tech security cameras in each corner covered by bulletproof black plastic bubbles that tried to serve as cover. Everyone knew what was behind them. Big brother was watching. And very likely listening.
"Ready?" She asked Jude with a spark of entertainment in her palm green eyes. The men beyond the elevator door were dangerous. Most were extremely influential thanks to their money, and all were connected with high-powered criminal elements. Most of the women were escorts, hired to keep the men entertained and to encourage them to spend their cash gambling. There were a few ladies here and there that were legit, yet unfortunately no woman would ever be quite as prominent in the money cycle as the men were. Sad fact of life.
The doors jostled open slowly into a massive room that oozed ill-gotten money (and surprisingly well lit through the Chihuly glasswork above); rich woods, lush fabrics, impressively sculpted fountains, and the buzz of table games filled the air. "After you, brother dearest." Sasha fluttered her eyelashes with a small tease up at him, easily far too comfortable among the illicit element that dripped from every corner. "We can get a drink," she motioned with a tilt of her head towards the people that milled at the bar, "Or go have some fun," and flicked her gaze towards the tables where her eyes lingered a bit too long at the craps table.