Hidden Casino

Although time was short, the peace of QJ's workshop motivated him to focus on an idea he'd drawn out after noticing some components in the Exodus market. A quick swipe on his wrist hud brought up his saved list.

One of the components was the tail-feather bones of a firedrake. Unlike their dragon cousins, they weren't capable of actual flight, only impressive gliding. Unfortunately, GnG had no drakes, but the bones were listed as usable components.

He spent fifty thousand credits for four six-foot-long pieces of bone. Within a few minutes, they were delivered right to his workstation.

QJ set three of them aside and started on the first. Drake's tail-feather bones had two qualities he needed. They were extremely strong and lightweight. For QJ's purposes being hollow also was desirable.

He carefully measured the inside diameter of the bones. They were out of round, so QJ placed them in his lathe and machined two millimeters from the outside surface. Satisfied, he pushed a rifling tool through the center core.

Since he was looking to combine a shotgun, the rifling didn't matter. However, it guaranteed that the inner bore would be symmetrical. QJ measured and cut two slots on each side of the bone at the exact midpoint. Next, he would use a small sleeve of Sakri Steel to create a handgrip that would pump a new round into the chamber. Although challenging, the breech and trigger housing must be assembled through the slots before attaching the grip.

QJ used his drawing table to figure out the components needed. A spring rod to reload rounds and a catch lock to keep the handgrip from moving after chambering a round would ensure ease of action. He would cap both ends of the staff with steel sleeves. The non-barrel side would be solid.

QJ carved the waxy Sakri steel for the handgrip and placed it in his water barrel. The trigger mechanism would be basic since the weapon's primary function would be a staff, and having an external trigger housing would be inconvenient.

"This won't be a masterpiece or anything, but Grams will like it." QJ grabbed his carving tools and carefully carved the staff with Dark Elf runes.

QJ spent a summer with his Gram when he was younger. As a member of the Jol Clan, she had made him memorize the entire Matriarchal family tree. Each of these names he carved into the bone staff.

After the carving was complete, QJ pressed gold flakes into the words before placing the staff in his kiln. The intense heat would cause the bone staff to darken and melt the gold into the runes.

After ten minutes in the kiln, he pulled the bone staff out. Drake's bone blocked heat, so it was cool despite the high temperature.

He swiped the staff back and forth a few times. "Nice balance and very light."

QJ left the end caps off and opened his hud. A moment later, Serli's face popped into view. "You still at Briar Rose Gram?"

Serli shook her head. "Just entering your Keep. I wanted to stop in and see you before I left."

QJ smiled; without the Jol Clan, Briar Rose would still be a disaster. "That's perfect, then. I've been working on something. Come on up. I'm in my shop."

QJ used his burner to heat the end caps until they glowed red before slipping them in place.

Serli walked in as he cooled them down the water barrel.

"Hey Gram, I was just finishing.." His words were cut short by a feeling of electricity in the air. The runes on the staff glowed brightly, making his arm's hair stand up.

*Ding 51*

[Guns and Gore Announcement: All Servers] A Magnum Opus has been created By Sandhealer Faction Leader QJ.

QJ stared at Serli and then down at the staff.

[Please Name your Magnum Opus.]

"Matriarch."

[System Message] Your World Reputation has been increased by 100.

[Guns and Gore Announcement: All Servers] Bask in the Glory of a Magnum Opus.

[Matriarch] ( Magnum Opus)

Bone Staff Shotgun [Racial Treasure]

Specification: Dark Elf only.

Description:

The finest work of a Grand Master Gunsmith.

This weapon is made from Drake's bone and

has been intricately carved in gold with the

names of all the Clan Jol Matriarchs. A perfectly

balanced staff that doubles as a pump shotgun.

Additional Description: When wielded by the current

Clan Matriarch, all damage is doubled. Weapon damage

is based on whichever skill is highest, staff or shotgun.

[System Message] You have created a third Magnum Opus. You have been granted the title of Gunsmith Scholar [+30 to Wisdom].

[You may teach the Gunsmith skill to one person per year.]

[OP: Breeze] Holy Hannah...

[OP: Sato] I need a crafting skill!

[OP: Ringo] Nice QJ.

[OP: Lotte] Impressive work!

QJ ignored the guild chatter and held out the staff when Serli approached. "I made this for you, Gram."

Serli held the staff gently in her hands, carefully turning it as she read each name aloud. "You remembered every one of them."

QJ nodded, watching as she tested the balance and mechanism of the staff.

"I've never seen a weapon like this." She hugged her Grandson close.

The door from Robin's office opened, and she stepped in quietly. If she was surprised to see Serli Jol in the shop, her eyes didn't show it. Instead, she bowed her head. "Greetings, Serli."

Serli returned her greeting. "I see you are dressed nicely. However, my Grandson seems to be..."

"Crap... Sorry, I lost track of time. Give me a couple of minutes." QJ ushered Serli and Robin back into the office.

Robin's laughter carried through the door. "Why so shy, QJ?"

Serli smiled and watched the Songbird. Those that knew her would say that Clan Matriarch had changed drastically when Quinn Riley married her daughter. The man she called her son had etched a special place in her heart; his son also resided there.

"I like you, Robin. You match up well with my Grandson."

"Thank you, Serli." Robin looked at the staff that Serli held in one hand. The gold runes were pulsing with power. "I've never seen a nicer staff."

"It feels warm to my touch, not cold and hard like a weapon." Serli sighed heavily. "Quinn needs to father more children; his offspring are too talented. I shall tell my daughters to work on it."

Robin wisely kept a straight face. "Mojo and Leah both could convince him."

The door opened a moment later, and QJ stepped in wearing the same black tuxedo he had worn to the Ball. "Sorry for the delay."

Serli stepped forward and kissed his cheek. "I'll head back to the Clan now. I want the two of you to visit us soon."

"Okay, Gram, thanks again for all the help." He waved as she logged out of GnG, then turned back toward Robin.

She was wearing a black dress that was sleek and very short. However, the outfit was low cut in the front, yet somehow exposed her entire back. "Your sister has excellent taste, Robs."

"Do you like it?" Robin spun slowly in front of him; she wore her orange hair up.

"Yes," QJ answered truthfully. ." He grabbed her hand and took out the token from the Casino. "Let's head to the portal."

Robin squeezed his hand. "Is that the Phoenix Casino token? I heard about what happened at the Ball. How did you get an invite?"

QJ sent her an annoyed look. "Aren't I important enough to get invited?"

She laughed at the face he made. "Very important dear; I didn't realize anyone from OP received an invitation."

"Well, I did!" QJ looked sideways at her as he led her to the Keep's portal.

*Pickpocket*

[Failure]

[Your intended target (Robin) is aware of your actions.]

Robin's sudden laughter carried on the night air; she leaned against him. "Thanks for bringing me."

"Well, I own it, so I want to show it off."

"Wait... What?" Robin's pretty face showed her confusion.

QJ pulled her onto the platform and activated the portal. "It's a secret. Pretend you don't know anyone, and act surprised."

They ported directly into the entrance of the Casino. Nix was perched calmly about ten feet off the ground. His orange feathers were slowly burning with brilliant flames. A beautiful blonde woman in a long red dress smiled at them both. "Welcome, my friends, to the Casino Phoenix Royale."

The woman wore her blonde hair up, emphasizing her pointed ears; pale blue eyes stared straight ahead as her hand casually rested on the shoulder of an enormous black panther.

*Pickpocket*

[Failure]

[Your intended target (Belle) is aware of your actions.]

"Thank you. I'm QJ, and this is my girlfriend, Robin."

Belle's serene face twitched slightly before gesturing for them to come in. "I hope you brought plenty of credits and good luck, Mr. QJ."

QJ whistled softly when he walked in. It bore no resemblance to the vampire lair it had once been. He felt his hand tugged in one direction and glanced at Robin, who was staring at the dice table. "Want to try your luck?"

Robin nodded."Let's hook up later."

QJ found himself at a blackjack table and sat down. A man and woman were already playing. Ugly Kate was dealing.

"Want in, sir?" Kate's green eyes sparkled with humor.

*Pickpocket*

[Failure]

[Your intended target (Kate) is aware of your actions.]

"Sure. I'm QJ."

He already knew who the other players were. The young woman was the eldest daughter of Baron Schrae, one of the wealthiest men in the Maelstrom. The man was a commoner who owned a trading company that ran caravans throughout the Kingdom.

********

An hour later, QJ sat behind a large stack of chips. The other two players had long since retired. He glanced at the dealer's nametag. "Would Kate be short for Kathryn?"

"Hmm... yes." She sat the deck down and motioned at Belle.

"Got a boyfriend, Kathryn?" QJ did his best imitation of a lecherous look.

Kate kept a straight face, although she wanted to laugh. He had made the last hour very entertaining. "No. Are you interested in the position?"

Belle walked up to the table, her hands caressing the ears of the big cat. "Is there a problem, Kate?"

Kate nodded. "Either this gentleman is the luckiest person I've ever seen, or he is counting cards."

"Oh, I see, even through four decks. That is impressive, sir."

Belle smiled in the general direction of QJ. "Cash him out for tonight. Perhaps you'd like to enjoy one of our other games, Mr. QJ?"

"What?" QJ frowned at Kate, Belle, and the big cat next to her. The Shadow fiend extended its nose toward him; he jumped back like he was frightened. Images of toddler QJ riding the cat's back flashed into his head. Belle had to hold it tight to keep it from nuzzling him.

"Try the roulette wheel, sir." Kate smiled and closed the deck.

*Pickpocket*

[Failure]

[Your intended target (Belle) is aware of your actions.]

"Right... sorry for the confusion Miss." He tossed her a stack of chips for a tip and headed out. He could hear the whispers of the other players.

"Did you see that? That beast was going to eat him."

"He was cheating, right?"

QJ found Robin a few minutes later. Two men on either side of her were engaging her in conversation. One was the Queen's younger brother Zekial, and the other was the current Commander of the Royal Guard.

A high elf with hair so pale that it was nearly white offered him a glass of wine from the serving tray she held; her name tag said, Barti.

*Pickpocket*

[Failure]

[Your intended target (Barti) is aware of your actions.]

Barti's white brows rose in surprise. "Enjoying your evening, sir?"

"Yes, thank you, Barti." QJ returned her smile. "That's an odd name. Where are you from?"

"Someplace nice, but very far away." She winked at him and then moved away.

"QJ!"

He turned when he heard his name. Robin had spotted him and waved him over. She flung an arm around his neck and kissed him deeply. QJ understood it was mainly for the benefit of the two men shadowing her. "About ready to go?"

Robin grabbed her pile of chips and nodded. "Yep, let's call it a night."

They found Belle and wished her a good evening. QJ glanced around the Casino once before stepping onto the portal platform.

The couple arrived back at the Keep a few moments later. He smiled at Robin, who was still holding his hand. "Bet you didn't see that coming."

Robin shook her head. "Well planned and well played, QJ."

"You like that? Come with me, and I'll show you the end result."

"Back to your house?"

QJ nodded. "We'll go there first, then enter the VRP."

The house was dark and completely quiet when they stopped at his room. QJ accessed the VRP for the surveillance room and sent Robin an invite.

This time every camera was lit up and recording. The monitors showed every table and face in the Casino. From here, QJ could zoom in on any conversations he liked.

Since it was recorded in VRP, Wu could do the same thing later. Nothing anyone said would escape notice.

Robin licked her lips as she watched the screen. "It's an information network? I thought it was for the credits."

QJ nodded. "Both."

She pushed him back onto one of the soft chairs and straddled his lap. "So secretive, QJ. Does anyone in OP know?"

QJ shook his head and eased the shoulder straps of her dress downward, exposing her beautiful white skin. She quickly undid his belt and reached between them.

Neither noticed the woman leaning against the wall in a dark corner with a magnum bottle of champagne in her hands. She brought it to her lips and took a long drink before sitting it down with a loud bang.

Robin had her arms around QJ's neck, and all her clothes were on the floor. "Yu?"

Daiyu staggered to her feet in the corner, careful not to drop the bottle. VR drinking had become trendy for executives wanting to blow off steam. It had the added benefit of waking up on time without a hangover. She smiled at them. "Oops, hey guys."

Robin knew Daiyu, but they had never really held a real conversation. "Going to share that bottle, Yu?"

Daiyu nodded and walked over. She smiled when Robin took a long drink. "It's good, right? You can't get that stuff anywhere."

QJ didn't speak, shaking his head when Robin offered him some.

"Oi... you two are naked." Yu sighed heavily, patiently waiting while Robin took a second drink.

"Hmm... yes. Want to join us, Yu?" Robin moved her hips slightly, causing QJ to shake his head.

Yu smiled and took a seat next to them. "Not a good idea. Don't let me stop you, though."

Robin's dark eyes danced with mischief as she kissed QJ deeply and started moving slowly again. She bit his ear gently and snuck a peek over his shoulder; Yu had decided to watch them. The lights slowly dimmed until only the lights from the monitors were visible.

QJ stretched lazily in bed, his face heating up when he recalled the events of the evening. "That one is going to the grave with me." He sat up in bed, stopping suddenly when he noticed the nude Songbird beside him. Robin had brought her blanket and slept beside him; even though they couldn't touch it, it was very sweet.

"Morning, sunshine." QJ watched as she slowly woke up; her brown eyes seemed lighter in the morning sun.

"Morning." She closed her eyes and snuggled back into her blanket. "The Keep upgrade won't be done until 0900, so I have the morning off."

"Take your time. Our morning meeting has been moved to Briar Rose." QJ took a quick shower and brushed his teeth. Robin slept soundly while her boyfriend prepared for the day.

Wu and Sato were the only ones up when QJ entered the kitchen. "Morning."

Wu was drinking coffee; he wouldn't mention the casino tapes in front of Sato. "I was just telling Sato to make sure to use my knowledge. I know a lot of GnG stuff, and I'd be happy to investigate Quests."

"Can you find out about the World Leader Summit? I need to know anything about Fraezi, the Capitol City of Vavri, and the Velez Affiliate." QJ grinned when Wu nearly choked on his coffee.

"You received an invite to the World Leader Summit?" Wu couldn't hide his surprise. "That's for NPCs only; no players ever attend."

"I'm going; not only that, I'm bringing all of OP with me."

Sato grinned. "High five!" They slapped hands, causing Wu to frown.

QJ was finishing breakfast by the time everyone was seated in the kitchen. "Hey guys, let's eat one meal together daily, okay?"

Breeze nodded. "Lunch or dinner? Definitely not breakfast."

"Lunch, you and I are usually in the pool anyway." Lotte snuck a look at Sato. "Wouldn't hurt certain people to get a bit of exercise."

"Or some sun," Breeze agreed.

Nina nodded with her mouth full.

"Hey! Is it 'pick on Sato' day?" He made a face at the three of them. "What about Wu?"

"Isn't that every day?" Breeze smiled at Sato before throwing an arm around Wu's shoulders. "Wu is great."

"Yep." Lotte agreed.

Nina finally finished her bagel, "he's a cool one."

QJ laughed at Sato; the girls loved to tease him. "Lunch it is then; we'll all meet on the patio, weather permitting."

"Is your birthday coming up?" Wu asked QJ out of the blue.

"Mine?" QJ shrugged slightly. "Still six weeks away. Why?"

"My aunt asked me what you might like as a present." Wu frowned suddenly; they talked more now that when he lived with her.

"Can't think of anything off the top of my head," QJ admitted. "But, let me think about it."