In Shadow - Ch 23 - Weakness

"Of course I have a plan," Max V grinned. "I always have a plan."

The glass and steel spire of Landgraab Tower, with its magnificent views of the City, was a world away from the Spice District apartment. Not that Max considered that much. He didn't give a passing thought to his niece, Genie Elderberry, or even particularly remember Jenny Poole, an actress he had used and discarded years ago. Certainly, he wasn't overly concerned that either of them might interfere. 

"Does this plan involve capturing Mariah Basso before the meeting of the Families?" Mr. Grey asked coldly.

To Max's mind, Mr. Grey was someone to be concerned about. In a long life of criminal associates, Max considered the Alto Family's consigliere the single most dangerous mortal he'd ever dealt with.

"You questioning my loyalty?" Max said.

"Of course not," Mr. Grey replied coldly. "I have no doubt whatsoever that you are loyal to no one but yourself."

Loyalty, Max thought, was for fools. It was Grey's one weakness - his absolute loyalty to the Alto Family. No matter how smart and ruthless the man was, it would always be a lever Max could exploit.

"Gentlemen, this squabbling helps nothing," Luna Elderberry put in. "Max, you will find the girls. Yes?"

Max smiled inwardly. Luna, his dear big sister, was always playing her role of hostess and mediator, the role she'd adopted, when they were still children, after maman's sudden death. That was Luna's weakness - her need to be always in control.

"I’m close," Max said out loud. "I can’t promise when I’ll bring them in though. There are certain risks to consider."

"Yes, you have said several times that confronting a witch like Miranda Silveroak-Goth is dangerous," Mr. Grey said. "One might wonder how you intend to accomplish it at all." 

"I have no intention of confronting her… not head on anyway," Max smiled again. "I got her last time by blindsiding her…"

"You lost her last time," Mr. Grey pointed out.

Max bristled even as he recognized the barb for the poke at his pride that it was. Everyone has a weakness, he admitted, if only to himself.

"I told you, I had unreliable help," he said curtly. If only that stupid girl hadn't betrayed him... and for what? Lust? Love? Friendship? What had Claudette's weakness been?  "Won’t be a problem this time. Will it, big guy?"

"It will not," Crowe snarled. 

"Miranda is secondary to our interests anyway," Luna said. "It’s Mariah Basso the Families want."

Of course they did, Max thought. Mariah had broken the Code of Silence and given evidence against Nick Alto - who was now rotting in jail. She'd cut the head off the Alto Family, and the infighting that followed had damn near brought the whole thing down.

"It is," Mr. Grey nodded. "If you do not have her soon, that will leave Marco in a… difficult… position with the other Families."

"There may come a time when we have to consider whether our loyalty lies with Marco or with the Alto Family," Luna mused. 

Big sister understood weakness too, Max thought.

"Marco is Nick’s chosen successor," Mr. Grey pointed out.

Family. That had been Nick's weakness, Max thought. That was why he'd trusted Mariah, daughter of his favorite cousin and previous heir-apparent, Big Tony Basso. That's why he'd named Marco, another cousin, now son-in-law and father of Nick's grandson, as his heir after Big Tony's untimely but necessary assassination.

"Yes, he is," Luna said. "Of course, you’ve disagreed with Nick’s decisions before. His involving the Family in the intrigues of the Dark Court for instance… which brings us back to Miranda. I imagine handing her over to the Court would go a long way toward gaining their favor."

 "Possibly," a soft voice purred. 

"Lady Bow." Max inclined his head in a gesture that carried genuine respect.

Betty Bow may have gotten a title through marriage, but she held her position in the Dark Court by Right of Conquest, having defeated and destroyed the master vampire who had turned her. As far as Max was concerned, when someone could reasonably be considered the most dangerous person in a room that also included Mr. Grey, respect was due.

 "The Dark Court is in some… disarray," Lady Bow continued. "Count Straud’s absence from the Court has left him vulnerable. A vulnerability Lady Hel, or Ms. H as you knew her, and her allies were poised to exploit before her… mysterious… destruction." 

"Mariah Basso defeated her," Crowe growled.

Loyalty again, Max mused. That was Crowe's weakness, his loyalty to the memory of his late mistress. 

"Did you see it happen?" Lady Bow replied.

"I know Ms. H lured Mariah into a confrontation," Crowe snarled. "I know that Mariah survived, and Ms. H did not. It’s obvious what happened."

"Unless Miranda defeated her, like they say she defeated Count Straud," Lady Bow smiled coldly. "The Court wants Miranda for that outrage. They aren’t interested in Mariah… unless she did defeat Ms. H. Then her allies would be very interested. Wouldn’t they, Crowe?"

"The Families want Mariah," Grey said firmly. "The Court can have Ms. Silveroak-Goth. We have no interest in her."

"George T wants Miranda," Max said offhandedly. George T's weakness had always been obvious, Max mused. Women. "Oh, he’s good with handing her over when he’s done. Assuming the Court doesn’t mind if she’s a bit roughed up and… sticky."

"Such an unpleasant man, your George T," Lady Bow grimaced. 

"We can discuss who does what to them after we get them," Luna snapped.

"No hint of sympathy for your old college sweetheart’s daughter?" Max asked Luna, his voice edged with acid.

"Cassie Goth was never my sweetheart," Luna snarled.

"Gwen Silveroak was," Max countered cuttingly. 

Love. Another weakness.

"Gwen made her choice," Luna huffed. 

For all she played the polite hostess and the charming socialite, Max knew Luna's pains. Among them, he knew that, under her smiling facade, his sister had never forgiven Gwen Silveroak for picking Cassie Goth over her, leaving Luna with Rohan. 

"Now go, find the girls," Luna continued. "And Max, I want you at that meeting… either with them or with a damn good explanation why not."

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"You cannot give Miranda Silveroak-Goth to George T," Crowe said.

It wasn't a question, Max mused. It wasn't even a demand. The way Crowe said it, it was an immutable fact as irresistible as gravity and with the same possibility of danger. It was an attitude that, frankly, Max appreciated about Crowe.

"Don't worry about it. I've got this," Max said easily, pulling out his phone. "Wolfgang, give me good news."

"No sign of them yet," Wolfgang replied. "Bianca hasn't caught their scent yet either. You sure about this?"

"I'm sure," Max said. "I should have worked it out from the start. Evergreen Harbor is within easy reach of Moonwood Mill, Glimmerbrook and Mill Lane... and it's big enough for them to disappear in. They're there. Find them."

"We're looking, but like you said, this town is big enough to hide them," Wolfgang replied. "Unless we get lucky, it's going to take a while."

"Stick close to the she-wolf," Max smiled. "She'll get their scent eventually. And don't use George's people anymore. I don't want him getting there first."

"That could be a problem," Wolfgang said cautiously.

"Make it not a problem. Do whatever it takes," Max said firmly. "Now, you remember what to do when you do find them?"

"Look, don't touch," Wolfgang said. 

"That's right," Max said. "No one moves on them without orders from me."

"You brought George T into this. Now you’re pushing him out?" Crowe said, mildly puzzled.

"He was useful for a while," Max said. "Now he's becoming a liability. I always knew he would. I'll handle him. Sometimes you've got to sacrifice a pawn to take a queen."

"You will take the queen?" Crowe asked.

"I will," Max smiled. "And when I do, we will bring both Miranda and Mariah before the Dark Court. Don't worry, we'll get our rewards."

"I don't care about rewards," Crowe snarled. "I want Mariah's blood." 

Weaknesses, Max smiled. We all have them.