MAIZE

The bus made it to their destination just a little after mid-day. The streets were bustling but luckily, not packed, it was almost no trouble getting a cab to take them to the address Maize had given to the driver when she was sure the other two weren't paying attention. She wanted to leave them finding out their destination to the last possible moment—knowing that once they found out, it would immediately be met with shock, doubt, and—probably mostly from West—disapproval.

So she did, she left it to the last possible second; as they pulled up.

One quick send off to the driver and they were standing at the entrance to Mexico City's number one gambling house, Guarida De Serpientes—the Den of Serpents.

An ironic place to seek refuge from given the namesake of the hostile gang supposedly hunting them.

"You have got to be kidding me," Alec muttered as his gaze rested on the illuminated sign overhead that displayed the Casino's name in brightly lit green. Maize knew he could read it, which meant he was probably thinking the same thing she was.

"Cool," Kishan commented up at the place, while Alec sent him a glare and turned to Maize.

"This is a joke right?"

Maize sighed, "Believe me, I wish it was..."

She had expected exactly this sort of reaction from Alec. She herself was conflicted about it.

She was grateful that her old friend had extended a hand out to her—willingly offering them a place of cover in probably their moment of greatest need, but on the other hand, Maize couldn't help but hate the idea of coming back to this place. The memories that threatened to resurface reminded her of her past, of the person she had been when this place first became something of significance to her. And that was something she had promised never to return to again.

"Maize," Alec called her name. "You alright? Looked like you zoned out for a minute there..."

"I'm fine," she covered quickly and began walking ahead.

The Casino was just as she remembered it, big, shiny, and filled to the bridge with gamblers left and right. Exactly what one expected to see in a place like this.

She ignored the flashing signs and loud sounds as she strolled right in, confident as if she was meant to be here—unfortunately, her two comrades could not seem to do the same. When Maize glanced once behind her to check that they were still following, she found that both of their attentions were all over the place. Kishan was staring around openly with a bright grin on his face, looking like an excited kid in a candy shop. Whereas Alec was the opposite. He was glaring at everything in sight as if it had done something to him.

Maize resisted the urge to facepalm right there in the middle of the Casino, Could he look any more like a cop?

She briefly sent him a glare of her own, hoping he would get the message to cut it out. Maize didn't think she had to explain the fact that in here, they needed to blend in, she thought it was more or less common sense. Apparently, common sense that neither of the two had. The people in this building most likely did not take kindly to law enforcement, Maize was sure that was the case for most, if not all of them.

West better fix himself soon.

Before he unintentionally started something he didn't know how to finish.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye Maize caught a flash of red that distracted her from the detective and had her turning to look ahead.

A tall dark-haired woman was making her way towards them. She wore a dark crimson dress that was tight-fitting to the curves of her body. Golden bracelets dangled loosely around her wrists and left ankle, complimenting her dark skin tone nicely, while her hair hung behind her back in a long wave of soft curls. Dark hazel eyes fixed directly on Maize and a smile pulled across red painted lips. The last thing Maize focused on was the gleaming silver pendant resting just above her chest, the engraving of a coiled serpent curled up in the centre.

The other two men must have finally caught on, their gazes now fixing in the same direction as Maize was looking.

"Well, I died and went heaven," Kishan remarked not-so-quietly under his breath as the woman came to a stop in front of them, her black heels making a click against the polished tile beneath them. At that comment, she immediately shared an amused look with Maize, which went unnoticed by the other two.

The woman that stood before them was none other than Cassandra Alberona, owner of one of the most proficient gambling houses in all of Mexico. Something which she never would have been able to obtain had it not been for the work of a certain bounty hunter.

Cassandra was a woman who knew how to gamble the stakes, Maize knew—and that didn't just mean at the poker table. Her position in the underworld of organized gambling gave her resources in high places, eyes and ears everywhere you could think of, and even places you couldn't. If she wanted something, you could be sure that she would find a way to get it, she was resourceful that way. Her cunning reputation and outwardly alluring appearance was the reason she had come to be known as the Silver Tongue—a woman with multiple layers of skin and words. And the pendant she wore around her neck was her trademark.

Heaven—contrary to what Kishan said—was the last place you would find her.

"You're late." Cassandra's voice carried through the noise of the Casino as if it weren't even there, her native Spanish accent rolling off her tongue flawlessly, like silk. "I did not expect it to take so long."

Her tone was light, and there was a teasing glint in her eye that Maize had always missed about her. As far as she could tell, Cassandra hadn't changed.

"It was a long ride to get here, in our defence."

"You found a way to manage though, as far as I can see. You're here."

"And whose fault is that I wonder?"

"Oh come now, Blades, there's no need for such an open display of gratitude."

"Good, I wasn't really planning on it."

"I wouldn't expect anything of the sort." Cassandra was smiling, her lightly playful gaze then shifting over to the two men standing a little way behind her, listening in on the exchange of banter. Her dark eyes then took on a more devious glint. "So, care to introduce me to your friends, or do I have to do it myself?" She wondered out loud.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Alec then said. His arms were crossed in a defensive stance as he regarded the woman with open distrust.

Cassandra stared back at him, outwardly unaffected by his narrowed eyes as their gazes meet. She then made an amused sounding hum in the back of her throat and nudged Maize's shoulder lightly with her own. "Hm, testy one, isn't he? I can tell."

"Oh you don't know the half of it," Maize sighed. Cassandra let out a small tittered laugh in response.

"So shall I do my own introduction?"

Maize let out a sigh, "This is the friend I mentioned, the one who offered to help us."

"Cassandra," Cassandra introduced herself with a friendly extend of her hand—and since Alec was ever clearly not going to take it, she ignored him completely and held it out to Kishan, who shook it hesitantly. "I own the place you stand in," she added as an afterthought.

"That's...impressive," Kishan remarked with a smile beginning to show on his face. His eyes had not left Cassandra since she appeared, and Maize would be blind not to notice the look he was giving her, the look that most men wore when their eyes fell onto Cassandra. Like the allure of a viper, the woman drew something in the desires of men—a trick she often used to her advantage. All Maize could do was sigh, telling herself Kishan was lucky he was here as a friend and not a mark.

"And who is it I'm speaking to exactly?" Cassandra asked.

"He's not going to answer." Alec's arms were still crossed and he was glaring more openly than before as he watched the woman try and get familiar.

Cassandra didn't show a hint of offence at his tone whatsoever, instead, she regarded the detective with an even glance.

"I know enough about the both of you to suffice my intellect. Asking was simply my being polite about it. So, if you're concerned about keeping your identification to yourselves, I am both sorry and not, to say there's no point," the casino owner stated objectively.

"Maize...what is she talking about?" Alec asked carefully, not taking his hard gaze off of Cassandra as his glare turned accusing. "What did you tell her before we came here?"

"Oh, she didn't have to tell me anything, actually," Cassandra cut in again. "It's simply; what I want to know, I find out. And what I find out is my knowledge and my knowledge alone. So you need not worry too much, Detective West, no one else knows about the situation you seem to have gotten yourselves in with Agent Karan."

Alec stiffened when she said his name, but he downright glared mistrustfully at the implication that she knew everything about Kishan. Maize could tell it unnerved him on some level, and quite honestly, probably wasn't helping him get a better outlook on coming here.

But before he could say anything, Cassandra's friendly smile returned and the air around her shifted back to ease as quickly as it had gone.

"Anyway, forgive my hostess skills, I won't leave you to stand here all night. I realize the trip coming here must have been draining, so, how would you all care for a drink? On the house of course." Cassandra didn't necessarily wait for an answer as she turned on one heel and began making her way through the Casino, beckoning Maize to follow closely at her side.

They continued on a little ways ahead of the men, but it was enough of a distance that Cassandra felt comfortable enough to lean closely to Maize's ear, dropping the overly sweet hostess facade as she murmured in a quiet voice.

"So, do you plan on explaining to me why you're here helping law enforcement officers?"

"What? Did that part not come up in all those rumours I'm sure you've gathered?" Maize answered with a hint of scoffing.

"Frankly, no, it did not."

"So you don't know anything about me being a bounty hunter then?"

"I didn't until last night."

"Well, then, that should answer your question about why I'm working with them."

"So this is a part of a job? Unusual..."

"Maybe, but it sure as hell isn't dull," Maize replied.

"I'm glad you're still finding ways to entertain yourself, even after all these years."

"What can I say? Old habits die hard."

"Some don't at all," Cassandra said after a moment, her words carrying a second implication behind them that weighed on Maize uncomfortably. She was no longer being droll at this point.

"Yeah, and some have no choice," Maize said, biting back the sharp edge in her tone. Cassandra's comment wasn't meant to upset her, she knew, but she also knew from the tone she used, Cassandra was doubtful about Maize's change. She wasn't exactly the same person she had been the last time she had seen her. If Maize didn't know any better, she would have said that's what the woman was trying to figure out.

Cassandra nodded, "I see. So, anyway, what exactly did you get yourself mixed up in? It's rare that someone like you would ever have this much trouble on a job."

"Well, this one's a little different..." Maize trailed off, before after a beat adding, "though I'm sure you knew that already. That's why you called, right?"

On the contrary to what Maize was expecting, Cassandra actually shook her head in a slight 'no' as her eyes took on a new sort of look. "Actually, being honest, I was looking for you, Blades."

Maize was surprised, and she didn't bother to hide the look of suspicion the seeped into her voice as she narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. "Why?"

Cassandra was in the process of opening her mouth to answer when Kishan unknowingly cut into the conversation, asking if there was anywhere they could go that was a little more secluded—he kept saying he didn't like the way some of the people there were looking at them, specifically him and Alec.

"Of course," Cassandra answered, her friendly smile back in place. "Gentlemen, if you would follow me..." She abandoned her previous leadings and instead charted her path in a new direction.

There was an area that lead off-limits to the public. Two large men in suit uniforms stood in front of the blocked off staircase that lead up to the second floor, Cassandra gave one of them a quick wave before the red velvet encased rope was unhinged and pulled aside so that they could walk through freely. Silk red carpet met their steps and white walls edged with gold bordered the hall they soon found themselves walking down, leading to a golden door private elevator. Something only the owner herself had privilege to access.

"Where are we going?" Alec questioned as the elevator doors slide open and Cassandra gracefully stepped inside.

"Relax, testy one, you will see in a moment."

Alec shot Maize a quick look—clearly not enthusiastic about the confinement idea of the elevator—but he got in anyway.

The elevator took them up, and a few seconds later, the door reopened and they stepped out into another hall much like the last, only with black carpeting instead of red. But unlike the floor below, this was like an empty shell.

"Why is it so quiet?" Alec muttered after a moment, glancing around at the doors that looked like room doors, but showed no indication of being occupied. The floor looked like something out of a hotel, only, with a lack of residence.

"Because," Cassandra answered patiently, "this is my floor and even I like my peace now and then."

"This entire floor is yours?" Kishan asked with a note of surprise.

Cassandra smiled and nodded, "I own this place remember?"

They came upon a specific room door at the end of the next hall, which Cassandra unlocked with a quick scan of her pendant.

"I have access to every room on this floor, but now that I have unlocked it, the door will open without the need for my necklace. You three can feel free to make yourselves as comfortable as you please," she said, leading them into the penthouse room. It was one out of a few—on this floor alone, that was.

Maize looked around with a hint of amusement as she murmured to Cassandra only, "It looks a little dusty compared to the last time I was here."

The casino owner chuckled. "Well, maybe if you came to visit me, ever, it wouldn't be. You know I always have this room saved for you—with the hope that one day you would finally make use of it."

"And I told you you didn't need to," Maize said. "You don't owe me anything."

"On the contrary, I owe you everything."

Maize stayed quiet.

"Come now, Blades, despite how much you may resent it now, I am still grateful for what you did for me all those years ago."

Maize was silent for a moment, choosing to focus her eyes on the ground rather than the tightening of her hands in her pockets. Then she said, "Your old man was a horrible bastard for hurting you and so many others, so honestly, putting him down was something I don't regret. It was the contract means to do so that I resent now. And I never did it for you, I thought I made it clear back then too. It was just—"

"Yes, I know, it was just the job..." Cassandra cut her off with a dismissive wave of her hand, sighing. "Honestly, I don't care if the man was knocked out with a bullet to the brain or he suffered till the bitter end, I never forgave him when I found out what happened to my mother. Or the way he used me as his petty slave all those years as a child...Nevertheless, once he was out of the picture I was free of his tyranny, and, fittingly, still the air to his fortune. It laid the groundwork for me to take over and create everything I have now—and you're the only person to thank for that."

Maize didn't know how to answer, or explain how she didn't want to be thanked for ending a man's life. Even though he had been a tyrannical scoundrel, who murdered countless, including his late wife, and abused his only daughter because she had not been born a son as he wanted. The bastard had his death coming for him for a long time. But Maize did not want to be thanked for it.

That wasn't who she was anymore.

"Anyways," Cassandra raised her voice, light expression back in place as she addressed the three of them altogether. Kishan stopped looking around and Alec stopped staring at something down through the window as she commanded their attention. "I have a Casino to get back to, but please, feel free to come down and enjoy the entertainment," she said, winking over at Kishan as she turned away and back towards the door.

"Oh and one more thing..." The casino owner pointed a red-painted fingernail at them, a smile crossing her features as she made a quick gesture towards the set of large black closets around the corner. "Feel free to pick each of yourselves some more decent attire for the evening. The dress code ranges between cocktail formal and night club fashionable."

Cassandra gave one last look before she went through the door, "Better get on those suits and ties boys."

Yes, Cassandra is a NEW character that you didn't see before in the old version ;)

Thank you for reading, your support means so much!!