Maybe, I said. Maybe not. Nicodemus is connected like few others. What if I could make you an offer?
Cash? Binder asked.
I grimaced. Well. Not as such.
He made a tsking sound and glanced at Ascher. Whats Uncle Binders Rule Number One?
Money or nothing, she said. Anything else costs too much.
He nodded. So dont offer me favors, wizard, or lenience from the White Council, or power from a Faerie Queen. Those things arent payment. Theyre pretty, pretty things with strings attached, and sooner or later youre all wrapped up like a bug in a web. Money or nothing.
What about freedom? I asked him. The cops are going to have this place surrounded by the time we get back. Do you think youre going to fight your way out past an army of CPD?
Binder let out a low belly laugh. Look at you, Dresden. Damn, but youre a Boy Scout. This is a mob bank, belongs to your local robber baron. Eight minutes since the silent alarm went off, and where are the sirens? Where are the uniforms?
I grimaced. Id noticed that, too.
You really think the alarms call the gendarmes? He shook his head. Twenty to one, itll go to his people first. Then they can decide if they want to call in the coppers or handle the matter themselves.
Yeah. Marcones people.
Gulp.
Binder busied himself making sure the groaning, stirring guards had been thoroughly disarmed and relieved of their handcuff keys. Now, if youll excuse me, odds are good if this Marcone of yours is so savvy, someone will start playing circle games with me. Ill need to be ready to counter them. He pointed a finger at Ascher.
For the hundredth time, the red ones, Ascher said, quirking a slight smile.
Ill buy us a nice tropical island with a nice beach, and get you a new swimsuit, he said, winking.
You should be so lucky, Ascher said back.
Ill hold the door for you lot. Dont be too long. Binder went up the stairs, his beady eyes sparkling, fairly bristling with energy.
Huh, I said.
What? Ascher asked.
You and Binder . . . not a thing?
Aschers mouth turned up bitterly at the corners. Not for lack of trying.
Well, I said, kinda hard to blame him. Youre damned attractive.
Not him, trying, she said. Me. Hes turned me down. She looked up the stairs for a moment and sighed. Rule Number One. Hes not into entanglements.
Oh, I said, trying to imagine Ascher coming on to Binder and getting turned down. Granted, Id turned her down too. Which . . . nowthat I thought about it, just couldnt have been awesome for her self-image.
Doesnt matter how pretty you are. Whats important is how pretty you feel. No one feels pretty when they hear no often enough.
Dont take this the wrong way, I said, but you would not believe how many times Ive had pretty girls who would have eaten me alive, like, literally, make a pass at me. Makes a guy a little tense about it.
Ascher scratched at her nose with one finger, making the manacles jingle. She grimaced as the thorns dug at her wrists. Wait a minute. Youre saying Im too pretty to be attractive.
To a guy in my business, maybe, I said. Someone as alluring as you, theres a high twitch factor. Binder strikes me as the type to have the same kind of wariness.
Her voice turned thoughtful. So if Id been a little older and a little dumpier, maybe Id have had some luck with youlike Murphy.
I scowled. Murphys made of muscle. You just cant see it under the suit and the body armor, I said. And she hasnt gotten lucky with me either.
Ascher stared at me for a second and blinked slowly. Youre . . . serious, arent you?
Were complicated, I said.
Because youre twitchy?
And shes had a couple of divorces. And her ex-boyfriend kind of shot me.
What?
I asked him to, I said hurriedly.
What?
My mouth just kept running. Plus there was this whole initiation rite with Mab, except I think that only happened in my brain or something. Traumaticlike getting it on with a hurricane. I think its kind of put me off sex in general.
Ascher stared at me for a second more, then shook her head and turned away. Man, she said. Dont take this the wrong way, Dresden, but thanks for turning me down. Kinda dodged a bullet on that one.
Hey, I protested.
Seriously, she said. Way too much drama there for anyone sane.
Were not dramatic, I said. Just
Complicated? she asked. She shook her head. It isnt complicated. You just open up and let someone in. And whatever comes after that, you face it together.
It isnt that simple.
The hell it isnt. You had a chance for that and you turned it down? Youre a f**king idiot. Im not making the same mistake.
Footsteps came from the hallway beyond the security door and Michael appeared, Amoracchius in hand. The Sword was glowing with a faint, angry light.
Cash? Binder asked.
I grimaced. Well. Not as such.
He made a tsking sound and glanced at Ascher. Whats Uncle Binders Rule Number One?
Money or nothing, she said. Anything else costs too much.
He nodded. So dont offer me favors, wizard, or lenience from the White Council, or power from a Faerie Queen. Those things arent payment. Theyre pretty, pretty things with strings attached, and sooner or later youre all wrapped up like a bug in a web. Money or nothing.
What about freedom? I asked him. The cops are going to have this place surrounded by the time we get back. Do you think youre going to fight your way out past an army of CPD?
Binder let out a low belly laugh. Look at you, Dresden. Damn, but youre a Boy Scout. This is a mob bank, belongs to your local robber baron. Eight minutes since the silent alarm went off, and where are the sirens? Where are the uniforms?
I grimaced. Id noticed that, too.
You really think the alarms call the gendarmes? He shook his head. Twenty to one, itll go to his people first. Then they can decide if they want to call in the coppers or handle the matter themselves.
Yeah. Marcones people.
Gulp.
Binder busied himself making sure the groaning, stirring guards had been thoroughly disarmed and relieved of their handcuff keys. Now, if youll excuse me, odds are good if this Marcone of yours is so savvy, someone will start playing circle games with me. Ill need to be ready to counter them. He pointed a finger at Ascher.
For the hundredth time, the red ones, Ascher said, quirking a slight smile.
Ill buy us a nice tropical island with a nice beach, and get you a new swimsuit, he said, winking.
You should be so lucky, Ascher said back.
Ill hold the door for you lot. Dont be too long. Binder went up the stairs, his beady eyes sparkling, fairly bristling with energy.
Huh, I said.
What? Ascher asked.
You and Binder . . . not a thing?
Aschers mouth turned up bitterly at the corners. Not for lack of trying.
Well, I said, kinda hard to blame him. Youre damned attractive.
Not him, trying, she said. Me. Hes turned me down. She looked up the stairs for a moment and sighed. Rule Number One. Hes not into entanglements.
Oh, I said, trying to imagine Ascher coming on to Binder and getting turned down. Granted, Id turned her down too. Which . . . nowthat I thought about it, just couldnt have been awesome for her self-image.
Doesnt matter how pretty you are. Whats important is how pretty you feel. No one feels pretty when they hear no often enough.
Dont take this the wrong way, I said, but you would not believe how many times Ive had pretty girls who would have eaten me alive, like, literally, make a pass at me. Makes a guy a little tense about it.
Ascher scratched at her nose with one finger, making the manacles jingle. She grimaced as the thorns dug at her wrists. Wait a minute. Youre saying Im too pretty to be attractive.
To a guy in my business, maybe, I said. Someone as alluring as you, theres a high twitch factor. Binder strikes me as the type to have the same kind of wariness.
Her voice turned thoughtful. So if Id been a little older and a little dumpier, maybe Id have had some luck with youlike Murphy.
I scowled. Murphys made of muscle. You just cant see it under the suit and the body armor, I said. And she hasnt gotten lucky with me either.
Ascher stared at me for a second and blinked slowly. Youre . . . serious, arent you?
Were complicated, I said.
Because youre twitchy?
And shes had a couple of divorces. And her ex-boyfriend kind of shot me.
What?
I asked him to, I said hurriedly.
What?
My mouth just kept running. Plus there was this whole initiation rite with Mab, except I think that only happened in my brain or something. Traumaticlike getting it on with a hurricane. I think its kind of put me off sex in general.
Ascher stared at me for a second more, then shook her head and turned away. Man, she said. Dont take this the wrong way, Dresden, but thanks for turning me down. Kinda dodged a bullet on that one.
Hey, I protested.
Seriously, she said. Way too much drama there for anyone sane.
Were not dramatic, I said. Just
Complicated? she asked. She shook her head. It isnt complicated. You just open up and let someone in. And whatever comes after that, you face it together.
It isnt that simple.
The hell it isnt. You had a chance for that and you turned it down? Youre a f**king idiot. Im not making the same mistake.
Footsteps came from the hallway beyond the security door and Michael appeared, Amoracchius in hand. The Sword was glowing with a faint, angry light.
