Skin Game
Page 58
Its not about that, Nicodemus said.
Then what is it about? I asked. I dealt with the White Council my whole life, so Im used to being treated like a mushroom
Eh? Ascher asked.
Kept in the dark and fed bullshit, Binder reported calmly.
Ah.
but this is going beyond the pale, even for me. You ask us to trust you about the plan to get into what should be an impenetrable vault. You ask us to trust you that our share will be waiting next to whatever it is you want. You ask us to trust you and believe that Tessa isnt on some kind of jihad that will get us all killed, but wont tell us what it is about. I looked around the table at my criminal confederates. Trust is kind of a two-way street, Nicodemus. Its time to give something.
Or youll do what, precisely?
Or maybe well all walk away from a bunch of empty promises without a sliver of proof to back them up, I said.
Nicodemus narrowed his eyes. Dresden and his woman are obviously in accord, he said.
Karrin scowled.
Nicodemus ignored her. What about the rest of you?
What he said, Valmont said quietly.
Ascher folded her arms, frowning.
Binder sighed. Twenty. Million. Quid. Think, girl.
We cant spend it if were dead from sticking our heads into a hole and getting them whacked off, Ascher said firmly.
Nicodemus nodded. Grey?
Grey tented his fingertips in front of his lips for a moment and then said, The personal aspect of this interference troubles me. A job of this sort requires pure professionalism. Detachment.
Binder made a nonverbal sound of agreement with Greys statements.
I will not walk away from a job once Ive agreed to ityou know how I operate, Nicodemus, Grey continued. But I would sympathize if another professional of less ability and less rigid standards did so.
Nicodemus regarded Grey thoughtfully for a moment. Your professional recommendation?
The wizard has a point, Grey said. He is an annoying, headstrong ass, but he isnt stupid. It would not be foolish for you to invest some measure of trust to balance what you ask for.
Nicodemus mused over that for a moment and then nodded his head. One ought not hire an expert and then ignore his opinion, he said. Then he turned to the rest of us. Vault Seven contains, in addition to a standard division of gold and jewels, a number of Western religious icons. It is my intention to retrieve a cup from the vault.
A wha? Binder asked.
A cup, Nicodemusreplied.
All this, Binder said, for a cup.
Nicodemus nodded. A simple ceramic cup, something like a teacup, but lacking any handle. Quite old.
My mouth fell open and I made a choking sound at approximately the same time.
Grey pursed his lips and let out a slow whistle.
Wait, Ascher said. Are you talking about what I think youre talking about?
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Karrin said quietly.
Nicodemus made a face in her direction. Miss Murphy, please.
She gave Nicodemus a small, unpleasant smile.
Binder clued in a second later. The bloody Holy Grail? Is he bloody kidding?
Valmont turned to me, frowning. Thats real?
Its real, I said. But it was lost more than a thousand years ago.
Not lost, Nicodemus corrected me calmly. It was collected.
The cup that caught the blood of Christ, Grey mused. He eyed Nicodemus. Now, what possible use could you have for that old thing?
Sentimental value, Nicodemus said with a guileless smile, and straightened the skinny strands of his grey tie. Im something of a collector of such artifacts myself.
The tie wasnt a tie, unless you meant it in a very literal sense. It was a length of simple old rope, tied into the Noosethe one that Judas used to hang himself after betraying Christ, if I understood it correctly. It made Nicodemus all but unkillable. I didnt know if anyone else in the world knew what I knew: that the Noose didnt protect him from itself. Id nearly strangled him with it the last time wed crossed trailshence his roughened voice.
Grey didnt look like he believed Nicodemuss answer, but that hadnt stopped him from being satisfied with it. He looked around the room and said, There. You know more than you did. Is it enough?
Tessa, I said. Whats her beef with you going after the Grail?
She wants it for herself, of course, Nicodemus said. Ill deal with Tessa before we launch. It wont become an issue for the job. You have my personal guarantee.
Grey spread his hands. There, he said. Thats good enough for me. Binder?
The stocky little guy screwed up his eyes in thought and nodded slowly. Ash?
All right, Ascher said. Sure. Thats enough for me, for now.
But . . . , I began.
Ascher rolled her eyes. Oh, dont be such a whiny little . . . She turned to Binder. Git?
Then what is it about? I asked. I dealt with the White Council my whole life, so Im used to being treated like a mushroom
Eh? Ascher asked.
Kept in the dark and fed bullshit, Binder reported calmly.
Ah.
but this is going beyond the pale, even for me. You ask us to trust you about the plan to get into what should be an impenetrable vault. You ask us to trust you that our share will be waiting next to whatever it is you want. You ask us to trust you and believe that Tessa isnt on some kind of jihad that will get us all killed, but wont tell us what it is about. I looked around the table at my criminal confederates. Trust is kind of a two-way street, Nicodemus. Its time to give something.
Or youll do what, precisely?
Or maybe well all walk away from a bunch of empty promises without a sliver of proof to back them up, I said.
Nicodemus narrowed his eyes. Dresden and his woman are obviously in accord, he said.
Karrin scowled.
Nicodemus ignored her. What about the rest of you?
What he said, Valmont said quietly.
Ascher folded her arms, frowning.
Binder sighed. Twenty. Million. Quid. Think, girl.
We cant spend it if were dead from sticking our heads into a hole and getting them whacked off, Ascher said firmly.
Nicodemus nodded. Grey?
Grey tented his fingertips in front of his lips for a moment and then said, The personal aspect of this interference troubles me. A job of this sort requires pure professionalism. Detachment.
Binder made a nonverbal sound of agreement with Greys statements.
I will not walk away from a job once Ive agreed to ityou know how I operate, Nicodemus, Grey continued. But I would sympathize if another professional of less ability and less rigid standards did so.
Nicodemus regarded Grey thoughtfully for a moment. Your professional recommendation?
The wizard has a point, Grey said. He is an annoying, headstrong ass, but he isnt stupid. It would not be foolish for you to invest some measure of trust to balance what you ask for.
Nicodemus mused over that for a moment and then nodded his head. One ought not hire an expert and then ignore his opinion, he said. Then he turned to the rest of us. Vault Seven contains, in addition to a standard division of gold and jewels, a number of Western religious icons. It is my intention to retrieve a cup from the vault.
A wha? Binder asked.
A cup, Nicodemusreplied.
All this, Binder said, for a cup.
Nicodemus nodded. A simple ceramic cup, something like a teacup, but lacking any handle. Quite old.
My mouth fell open and I made a choking sound at approximately the same time.
Grey pursed his lips and let out a slow whistle.
Wait, Ascher said. Are you talking about what I think youre talking about?
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Karrin said quietly.
Nicodemus made a face in her direction. Miss Murphy, please.
She gave Nicodemus a small, unpleasant smile.
Binder clued in a second later. The bloody Holy Grail? Is he bloody kidding?
Valmont turned to me, frowning. Thats real?
Its real, I said. But it was lost more than a thousand years ago.
Not lost, Nicodemus corrected me calmly. It was collected.
The cup that caught the blood of Christ, Grey mused. He eyed Nicodemus. Now, what possible use could you have for that old thing?
Sentimental value, Nicodemus said with a guileless smile, and straightened the skinny strands of his grey tie. Im something of a collector of such artifacts myself.
The tie wasnt a tie, unless you meant it in a very literal sense. It was a length of simple old rope, tied into the Noosethe one that Judas used to hang himself after betraying Christ, if I understood it correctly. It made Nicodemus all but unkillable. I didnt know if anyone else in the world knew what I knew: that the Noose didnt protect him from itself. Id nearly strangled him with it the last time wed crossed trailshence his roughened voice.
Grey didnt look like he believed Nicodemuss answer, but that hadnt stopped him from being satisfied with it. He looked around the room and said, There. You know more than you did. Is it enough?
Tessa, I said. Whats her beef with you going after the Grail?
She wants it for herself, of course, Nicodemus said. Ill deal with Tessa before we launch. It wont become an issue for the job. You have my personal guarantee.
Grey spread his hands. There, he said. Thats good enough for me. Binder?
The stocky little guy screwed up his eyes in thought and nodded slowly. Ash?
All right, Ascher said. Sure. Thats enough for me, for now.
But . . . , I began.
Ascher rolled her eyes. Oh, dont be such a whiny little . . . She turned to Binder. Git?
