Interlude - Genie's Wish

Meanwhile...

"Aadi, I'm so sorry about my mom," Genie said. "She's just..."

"Hey, it's OK girlfriend," Aadi said soothingly. "She doesn't understand but she listened. That's big."

"You don't know her," Genie grumbled. "She sounds all reasonable and stuff, but it's her way or no way... and that stuff my dad's doing. Aadi, how can you even look at me?"

"You're not your parents, Genie," Miranda said. "You're our friend."

"Still, I am having a hard time looking at you right now," Aasi teased. "Girl, what is this you're wearing?"

"God," Genie moaned. "You're right. I'm going to get this crap out of my hair and get changed. Then, I'm going to the frat party. I'm going to get seriously drunk and boink some rando."

"Umm Genie, I'm not sure about the last part of this plan," Miranda said, "or the middle part of the plan either."

"Yeah, don't do anything stupid, Girl," Aadi said.

"No, after an afternoon with Luna, stupid is exactly what I need to do," Genie said. "And don't either of you dare follow me."

"Oh boy," Miranda sighed.

---------------

"This is the best!" Genie cheered.

The music pounded to shake the walls. A press of college students crowded around the bar, drinking heavily and all but shouting to be heard over the music. From the next room, squeals of laughter and drunken cries of "Take it off" accompanied a young woman flashing the crowd. 

Genie had considered doing that herself, but the charming company of Johnny Pretty held her attention at the moment.

"This is just what I needed after Luna," Genie added, drawling out her mother's name bitterly.

"Hey, no serious stuff," Johnny said. "We're having fun."

"Fun!" Genie agreed. 

"Too bad your roommates couldn't come," Johnny said. "I'd love to meet Aadi and Miranda."

"No roommates. No parents. Nobody telling me to be good, sit still, stay out of trouble," Genie said. "I want some trouble!"

"Alright!" Johnny laughed.

"Hey babe," a rando in a green sweater said. "Why don't you ditch this loser and let me get you a drink."

"See, that's what I'm talking about," Genie laughed. "Johnny, this guy is trying to pick me up. What do you think of that?"

"Pretty ballsy," Johnny said with a cold grin. Neither Genie not Green Sweater Guy recognized the danger behind that grin.

"Pretty ballsy," Genie agreed, adding to Green Sweater Guy, "but I think I'm good for now."

"Your loss." Green Sweater Guy wandered off. 

"Come 'ere" Genie said, pulling Johnny up with her. "So, I'm looking for a guy to take me upstairs and help me finish forgetting my crummy day. So, you gonna bang me or should I go hit up Green Sweater Guy?"

"Babe, I'll make you forget your troubles. I'll make you forget you own name," Johnny grinned.

---------------

"Mmmmm," Genie purred later. "I needed that."

"Happy to help," Johnny smiled. "Call me anytime."

"I'll do that," Genie grinned. "God, I've got to get home. Thanks for a wild night."

"Meeting over?" Johnny asked.

"Mr. Alto wouldn't be pleased if he knew about your little... side project, you know," Ms. H said.

"What Nick doesn't know doesn't hurt me," Johnny Pretty smiled. "Anyway, it'd be worth it. She's a firecracker."

"After today, your 'firecracker' may be more valuable than I first thought," Ms. H said. 

"Good thing I got close to her then," Johnny smirked.

"Good thing you decided what she knew about Mariah and the other roommates might be of value," Ms. H grinned. "You're a very enterprising young man, Mr. Pretty."

Johnny continued to smirk, as unaware of the danger he now stood in as the Green Sweater Guy had been.

"Now," Ms. H purred, "tell me everything she told you."

Chapter 45 - Dark Side of the Moon

This is just too useful to pass up, Mariah smiled to herself as she set the listening device under the table. Marco used the pub as his headquarters and he'd need a bigger table for this big meeting. A big table which Genie's mom had kindly provided in getting lunch for the roommates. Mariah had already had words with the pub staff - who were still intimidated - and told them to leave everything just like it was.

"Sound check," she whispered as she headed toward the stairs to the second level.

"Audio's good," Snow replied into Mariah's earpiece. "I've got you and the bug, loud and clear. I'm still not sure it's a good idea for you to hang around."

"I need eyes on this," Mariah replied.

"Still don't trust me, kid?" Snow chuckled.

"No," Mariah grinned.

Marco at the head of the table, Mariah grinned to herself. She'd known he would be. Torn between his desire to put himself in a position where he could see the whole room and his desire to be seen as in charge, he'd chosen to be in charge. Classic insecure male.

"OK, who's Indiana Jones?" Mariah muttered excitedly. "He's sitting down with Marco... must be the leader of the other crew."

"Good to see you, Marco," the newcomer's voice came clearly through the bug. "I'm surprised Holly lets you hang out with all these college girls."

"I know that voice," Snow said apprehensively. "Ok, kid, I'm going to need you to stay cool."

"Max V," Marco said. "I'm surprised they let a crook like you back in the country."

"Max V?" Mariah snarled. "Max V... the gangster who kidnapped Miranda!"

"Stay cool," Snow repeated. "If Max V is here, this is big."

Mariah took a moment to focus on her breathing, tuning out the typical male posturing going on between Marco and Max V. Snow was right. She needed to stay cool, stay calm and focused. This was the opportunity she hoped for. A chance to get some real information on the larger scale of Alto's operations. Stay calm. Focus. Breath.

"Merda," Mariah whispered. 

"What?" Snow asked. 

"Mrs. Elderberry just walked in," Mariah sighed. "Why did she have to come back? I may need to... Wait. What?! She's sitting down with them!"

"Luna," Marco said courteously.

"Hey, the money's here," Max V laughed. "How's life, sis?"

"Sis?" Mariah gasped.

"Max," Luna groaned. "What's he doing here, Marco?"

"I told you we were meeting with the head of another crew," Marco said.

"You didn't tell me it was my reprobate little brother," Luna said back.

"So, no hug?" Max V teased. "Look sis, I've got this deal..."

"You've always got some deal or scam or angle, Max," Luna put in. "After your last fuck-up with the Goth girl, I'm surprised Nick let you back in."

Breathe, Mariah told herself. Stay cool.

"Mr. Alto is interested in Max's proposal," Marco said smoothly, "and so is Ms. H."

"And you need me for what?" Luna snarled.

"You're Alto's money-gal," Max V grinned. "We you need to handle the money end."

"Genie's mom is Alto's money-guy?!" Mariah hissed.

"OK, let's hear your 'deal'," Luna sighed.

"Here are our other principles now," Marco said agreeably.

"H just came in, doing that 'moving too fast see' thing," Mariah reported. "I thought vampires didn't like daylight."

"They don't," Snow replied. "It doesn't hurt them, like in the movies, but they're stronger at night. This must be important for her to be out before sundown."

"She's brought some suit," Mariah added. "Doesn't look like a vamp."

"Luna Elderberry, I don't believe you've met the Professor," Marco was saying.

"Professor John Faust," the man in the suit replied.

"Faust!" Mariah burst out. "He's..."

"Stay cool," Snow repeated.

"Well, now that we're all here, we can get started," Marco continued. "Max, why don't you explain your proposal."

"Glad to," Max V said. "During my recent trip to the spice lands..."

"You mean that time you were hiding out after fucking up with the Goth girl," Luna put in.

"Yeah," Max V said bitterly, before continuing. "Anyway, I made some interesting contacts down in Selvadorada. They hooked me up with some merchandize of interest to folks back here, and I started doing a little import/export."

"You're running drugs now?" Luna asked bitterly.

"Among other things," Max V smiled. "I've also got a healthy line in antiquities. The hard part is bringing goods onto the continent. Fortunately, I found a partner."

"In exchange for a share of his business, I agreed to forgive Max his prior... failings," Ms. H purred. "I still have a controlling interest in Basso Shipping..."

"Puttana!" Mariah swore.

"Big Tony did set up a good smuggling operation," Marco mused.

"Indeed," Faust put in, "and we have kept it running." 

"So you need to launder the money," Luna nodded. "We can do that."

"Naturally, Mr. Alto gets his share," Marco put in, "for facilitating the transactions on this end."

"Naturally," Max V smiled.

"I was thinking of investing in real estate," Ms. H purred.

"That should be easy enough," Luna agreed. "Plenty of properties in the City we can flip."

"No, Windenburg," Ms. H said. "I have specific properties in mind. Faust."

"This is a list of what we would like to acquire." Professor Faust handed Luna the papers. "You will note several are marked for transfer to Ms. H's private holding companies rather than re-sale. We will naturally compensate Mr. Alto for any loss incurred."

Luna glanced quickly over the list, then paused and looked more closely.

"These are Count Straud's properties," she said.

"Yes, they are," Ms. H smiled viciously, "and soon they will be mine."

"I can't do this," Luna said. "Most of these where seized when the government froze Straud's assets after the Landgraab syndicate fell. The rest are tied up in shell companies he controlled. They'd never sell."

"I don't care what you have to do to get them," Ms. H snarled. "They will be mine! Everything that old monster had will be mine!"

"You listen to me," Luna snarled back. "I'm not some lackey you can push around."

"Nick wants this," Max V put in.

"You listen to me, little brother," Luna barked, then rounded on Ms. H, "and you listen too. I still have Father's files. Details on everything he knew. Enough to bring the world crashing down on Nick Alto, on all the Families. You don't threaten me!"

"The Villareal Files," Snow gasped. "They're real!"

"What?" Mariah asked, stunned.

"She just said it," Snow said breathlessly. "Enough information to bring down the Families. Forget Max V's little smuggling ring. This... this is huge. I need to talk to Control. Meet me tomorrow." 

"We've got them," Mariah breathed.