Two bouncers sit at the doors to EDEN, but step aside as Vince and Ivy lead us through. Apparently we’re the kind of clients they want, and the bouncers just give us a small nod as we pass.

  Inside is somehow louder than it is outside. A thousand slot machines scream out their temptations, offering riches beyond imagination. The center of the casino is filled with all sorts of tables being run by what are probably AI. Poker, Roulette, and a dozen other tables for games I don’t recognize. People yell out in celebration, or more frequently, anguish at losing their st cent.

  Interestingly, every person pces their pistol in front of them while they py. I cannot think of a worse situation to have easy access to a gun, but there must be some sort of logic behind it.

  None of that matters though. Directly in the center of all the tables, lifted prominently for all to see, is a gss box, stretching from floor to towering ceiling. Inside it is what looks like fresh dirt, with a towering oak tree growing from it.

  Cassie and I both stop walking at the sight of it. I never thought I’d get to see a living pnt myself. A thousand questions spring to life inside my mind. How is there a living tree? How is there dirt? It can’t be dirt, but then what else would it be?

  The same questions must be flowing through Cassie’s mind too. At least I’ve seen trees from Corax’s memories, even if they were dead. Cassie doesn’t even have that. I’m sure she’s seen pictures, but that’s not even close to seeing it in person.

  Even Corax is frozen in amazement. Vince and Ivy have to turn back and tap on us to bring us back to reality.

  Come on. Talk ter. Ivy signs to me.

  I nod. I really hope one of them has answers, because I have nearly endless questions.

  Ivy and Vince lead us deeper into EDEN. Past the endless tables and slots we walk, never in a straight line. I can keep a perfect mental map of the route we take, but how is any human supposed to find their way through this maze?

  Vince leads us into a hidden hallway at the back of the building. The second we enter, the sounds of the casino suddenly stop.

  “You two doing alright?” Vince asks back.

  “What just happened?” I ask. The sudden cessation of sound brings up nearly as many questions as the tree.

  “No idea.” Vince says. “Some AI invention, probably.”

  “More importantly, how the hell did they have a tree?” Cassie asks before I can.

  “Also no idea. That one’s new.” Vince answers. “Are you alright for us to continue? Or do you need a moment?”

  “We’re ok.” I say after sharing a look with Corax.

  Cassie shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders, trying to come to grips with everything.

  “I guess.”

  “Alright.” Vince gives us a serious nod before him and Ivy continue their walk to the end of the hallway.

  A rge, young man with more metal than skin stands in front of the final door. He’s not visibly armed, but he looks far too confident to not be.

  “I don’t know you.” The man stands up straight, trying to look as imposing as possible.

  “Funny. I don’t know you either.” Vince uses that same cruel voice he used when we first arrived.

  Vince stops inches from him. Even though Vince is shorter than the guard and not trying to look imposing, I’d be much more intimidated by Vince. The two have a silent standoff for a few seconds. Vince eventually speaks again.

  “Are you going to move?” Vince asks simply. “Because I don’t have time for whatever you think you’re doing.”

  “You’re not getting in.” The guard says.

  “Look. Just point whatever tiny gun you have at my head and let me in. If Two doesn’t recognize me, just pull the trigger and let’s be done with this.”

  The guard’s forearm opens up, a small system slides a pistol into his hand. The guard presses the barrel against Vince’s temple and opens the door. Vince and Ivy step through, apparently unconcerned with the possibility of death.

  Behind the door is a small, simple room. Cigarette smoke is so thick in the air the room itself is hazy. Three men and one woman sit around a simple poker table.

  “Mind if I get in on the next hand?” Vince asks, slowly drawing his pistol and pcing it on the table.

  “Vince you son of a bitch!” The oldest man yells. He’s plump, with gray hair that matches his gray suit. I’m guessing this is Two? “Do you know how much money you just lost me?” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash and tosses it to the woman.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Two turns to the guard. “Get the fuck out of here!”

  The guard winces at the reprimand and the gun slides back into his arm. He moves to the side and lets Cassie and I enter properly. He steps into the hall and closes the door wordlessly.

  “Where’s your better half?” Two asks Vince.

  “Well I’m hoping you could tell me that.” Vince sits at an empty chair and Ivy stands next to him.

  “Trying to put the roach queen out of her misery?” The man correctly guesses. “Good, I always hated her.”

  “That’s not how I remember it.” The woman says with a side eye. She must be Seventeen. She looks far younger than Two, with long ptinum blonde hair and a white silk suit.

  “Then you must remember wrong!” A man at Two’s left yells. He looks almost exactly like a younger version of Two, down to the suit.

  “Settle down, Thirteen.” Two says with a dismissive wave. “She can remember it however she wants.”

  “You mean the truth?” The woman asks.

  “If that’s what you want to pretend it is, sure.” Two says with a shrug, making it clear the conversation was over. “Anyway, Vince, if you want info how about we py for it?”

  “Do old times mean nothing to you? Don’t answer. Of course they don’t, you heartless bastard.” Swear words sound so foreign in Vince’s mouth. “Before we start, who’s the new kid?”

  “That’s Thirty-Two, our newest IT specialist.” Two nods to the third man at the table. He’s far skinnier and shorter than the others. Large parts of his skull have been repced with circuit boards and processors.

  “Nice to meet you.” Thirty-Two nods to Vince.

  “Big family.” Vince says idly.

  “Well we’re not the only ones. I recognize Cassandra, but what about the other two?” Two asks. I think he’s referring to only Ivy and I.

  “It’s Cassie.” She squeezes her knife just a little harder.

  “My apologies.” I’d be amazed if Two is actually sorry. Or maybe he knows how important names are?

  “This is Ivy, Blue, and Corax.” Vince points to each of us in turn. “Enough introductions though, I am here on business.”

  “Finally.” Two looks giddy at the thought of pying. Or more likely, the thought of winning. “I’ll tell you everything I know. In exchange though, how about the bot?”

  “I’d rather bet myself.” Vince says coldly.

  “Well I didn’t know that was on the table.” Two sits forward, resting his elbows on the table and entwining his hands.

  “It’s not.”

  “How about a job then? I’ve got something that could use a Phantom’s touch.”

  “Fine.” Vince agrees. “I am at a bit of a disadvantage though. I assume you won’t cheat?”

  “When have I ever?”

  “Besides every game you’ve ever pyed and a few wives?” Vince holds his hand for a shake. “Promise nobody at this table will cheat, and we have a deal.”

  “Fine, I can agree to that.” He reaches out and shakes Vince’s hand.

  “Good. Ivy, if you would?”

  Ivy steps from his side and pulls out a roll of tape. I know she’s grinning beneath her mask. She sps tape on random surfaces and calls out what she’s doing.

  “64 hidden cameras is a bit excessive, don’t you think? There’s a projector above each of you to dispy different cards at will. There are 17 hidden pockets in this table. All four of you are wired into different cheating devices, and that’s just the major methods all of you are using.”

  Thirteen looks distraught about all these methods being revealed, but Two and Seventeen are ughing in amusement. Thirty-Two has no reaction to anything happening.

  When Ivy is finally done, there’s not a single surface with at least one square of tape on it. When she’s finally satisfied, she returns to Vince’s side. She took a weird path through the room, as if she has a string tied to him that she’s afraid of breaking. I can’t see anything though, there must be some other reason I’m missing.

  “Where did you find her?” Two grabs a deck of cards. His forearm slides open, revealing a few automated arms which begin to shuffle the cards several times per second.

  “I hate to disappoint you, but we really don’t have enough time.” Vince takes his share of chips from Thirty-Two and Two begins to deal.

  “Maybe don’t pull an ace into your palm.” Ivy gently warns him.

  “I should have asked for her instead of the bot!” Two ughs and returns the card to the deck.

  As the game goes on, Ivy is constantly calling out cheating attempts. Two seemingly can’t stop himself. So much for his agreement to not cheat.

  Vince doesn’t seem to care. It quickly becomes apparent that he is dominating this game. He is seldom caught unaware by a surprise good hand. How is he doing this? He’s not even the best pyer in our group, much less against people who have pyed for who knows how many years.

  After calling out Thirteen's massive bluff and knocking him out of the game, Thirteen jumps to his feet. His chair flies out from behind him, and he levels his pistol at Vince’s head.

  Cassie and I both aim ours at his head. I pull my trigger down to right above its activation point. I can shoot before he can even twitch his finger, but I hold my fire. I don’t want more blood on my hands if I can avoid it.

  “Vince! You cheating son of a bitch!” Thirteen yells at the top of his lungs.

  “How?” Vince cocks his head at Thirteen. I’d expect that kind of moment from Ivy, not Vince.

  That’s how they’re doing it! Somehow Vince and Ivy are connected! Ivy can almost certainly see their cards in the reflection of their gold jewelry, and if Ivy’s the one cheating, she’s not technically at the table, that’s why he used that specific wording!

  “Settle down boy!” Two commands Thirteen. “We’re all cheating here. If you’re angry about that you should have turned your pistol on me before it started.”

  Thirteen reluctantly lowers his gun, but I don’t lower mine. He could change his mind at a moment's notice.

  “Sorry to end on a sour note.” Two tosses his remaining chips into the center of the table. “All I know is she’s west of here, somewhere in the salt fts. The only person she still works with in town is Eight.”

  “That’s really all you’ve got?” Vince asks.

  “I always honor the end of a deal. And as an apology for my dumbass son, I’ll tell you Eight never leaves the penthouse suite at Eternity. He has a small collection of guards watching the pce at all times.”

  “Great, thanks.” Vince stands up, holsters his pistol, and turns to leave alongside Ivy. Cassie and I follow, never turning our backs to Thirteen. Only once we’re out of the room and the door closes do I lower my pistol.

  Cassie takes even longer than I do to rex. It’s only when Vince pces his hand atop her gun and gently lowers it for her does she let herself rex.

  “Thanks you two. Let’s get home, alright?” Vince says gently.

  “Yeah.” Cassie says and finally turns her back to the room.

  I nod, trying not to think about how ready and willing I was to kill that man. One step at a time. Focus on their backs. I’m ok.

  JanePtinum