TBoB - Book 3 - Chapter 33  - The Venue

So, have a pretty clear idea of where I want to take the next few chapters (which you may be able to guess) - Wish I'd thought of it sooner. Weekend is my time off but I may spend an hour or two reading the backlog to see if I can smooth out anything, and I'll make changes next week if nessisary

I arrived at the Stampede Memorial area just a couple minutes before ten. Based upon Mirage’s description I’d expected an open air park or something. Instead I found a massive opaque, elliptical dome sitting in the heart of the city. The Family was still setting up when I pulled up, a line of Kodiaks behind me. Most people took one look at me and ran the other way, but a pair of Family agents did work up enough courage to come speak with me.

“Good morning, Mrs Teddy, ma’am,” shorter agent stuttered. “What can we help you with?”

I stood up on my seat so I could see the pair properly, “I need a way inside, so I can start setting up. Which way to the vehicle access?”

“All external entry points have been locked down,” the man reported. “The only way in is through the main entrance. Foot traffic only.”

“That’s great but that didn’t answer my question, did it?” I said. “I need to get inside to set up, and I’m not going to walk nearly a hundred bears through your fucking metal detectors. Vehicle Access.”

“I don’t…” the man started before being cut off by his partner.

“North side. All entrances use the same type of security shutter, so look for the one set of shutters that doesn’t have stairs leading up to it,” the larger man said.

“Thanks,” I grumbled. “And feel free to let that asshole Mirage know I’m here. He can meet me inside.”

As I dropped back to my seat, and directed Bob to head to the north side, I heard the larger agent cuff his partner. “What is wrong with you? You don’t argue with samurai!”

“But she’s not even in the family! And we have orders,” the smaller one grumbled.

“You think that matters? You know that she’s running internal security, and we couldn’t keep her out even if we wanted to, don’t be difficult, otherwise you’ll be put on permanent desk duty.”

I smiled slightly as we left the squabbling pair behind. 

Once I knew what to look for, it was easy to get inside. The family had locked everything down with multiple encryptions, and alarms, but Nyx bypassed all that within seconds. The dome had been constructed with a sort of airlock system, with a checkpoint in between for extra security, but since there weren’t any mechanical restraints, just security algorithms, we just popped both sides open and rolled the entire column through at once.

The interior of the dome was covered in massive displays, and lighting, which must have been designed to allow them to mimic the exterior conditions. The screens made it appear like it was mid-afternoon, with clearskies, despite it being mid-morning and overcast. I don’t know why they didn’t just put glass in the fucking dome. It would have saved them a ton of effort.

In the center of the dome was a second, smaller building. Still large enough to hold several thousand people, but not large enough to reach the top of the dome. It was obviously designed to be ‘thought provoking’ or ‘beautiful’ to someone, but it just looked like an oddly shaped mess to me. 

Around the perimeter of the building were immaculately maintained lawns, white stone paths, and a series of gardens which featured thousands of different plants and flowers. As my little convoy followed the perimeter road around, a familiar face came sprinting out of the central building.

“What the hell are you doing? Why did you bring your tanks to a peace conference?” Mirage yelled as he closed in on my truck.

“Someone forgot to mention this was an interior location,” I replied as I pulled my knees under me, and then leaned on the window. “Last I checked parks are usually outside.”

“Maybe thirty years ago,” Mirage snapped. “Do you think that any of this greenery would survive all the pollution and acid rain this city deal with?”

“I don’t know,” I replied cheekily, “I’m not a gardener.”

Mirage sighed. “Can you at least keep those things on the road, and avoid crushing everything?”

“I promise I won't intentionally crush anything, without a good reason,” I countered.

Mirage slowly lowered his head into his hand and started mumbling quietly to himself. I couldn’t catch most of it, but I did catch the phrase ‘bad idea’. Once he’d calmed himself a little Mirage looked up at me again. “Are you ready to get set up?”

“I am, just as soon as I get my Marsupial,” I replied. “Points up front.” Mirage’s eye twitched. I really didn’t absolutely need to make the exchange first, but I knew it would bother him, so of course I pushed for it.

“Fine, lets step outside,” Mirage growled through gritted teeth. 

By the time I’d hopped down from my truck he’d already started stomping away. I mentally summoned a pair of bears from the closest Kodiak and ran after him. The man had long strides, so I just barely caught up to him before he reached the front entrance.

“Seriously though,” I said quietly so only Mirage could hear me, “are there any concerns? Things I should be aware of?” 

Mirage snorted. “This is a meeting between half a dozen extremely powerful corps, each with their own agenda and private military. Although I’d like to believe everyone will sit down at the table, and discuss things civilly, I expect at least one of the participants to try something.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. “Is that suspicion I hear in your voice? At a corporation? Scandalous! I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“I know exactly what the corps are capable of,” Mirage snarled. “I’ve been working with them for years. Why do you think I tried to work so hard to maintain the status quo? Because once that was disrupted I knew the council would start making moves behind the scenes, covertly fighting with each other to get a bigger piece of the pie. It’ll take months for things to settle down again.”

“Isn’t that what this peace conference is supposed to be about?” I asked.

“The peace conference will solve the immediate conflict, but won’t do anything to prevent the chain of espionage and backstabbing that’ll follow,” Mirage grunted.

“Sounds like the gangs down in the undercity,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

Mirage passed through the metal detector and stepped back outside, before pausing to glance back towards me. “That comparison is probably way more insightful than I’d like to admit.” He took a couple more steps into the parking lot before turning back towards me. “Now, what am I paying for?”

I smiled, “Nyx, please share my catalogs, and Marsupial’s blueprint with our friends here!” I declared.

Mirage frowned as he received the information, then shot me a glance. “You seriously want another one of these?”

“I’m planning on sending one of them out to other cities to help with incursions, as a way to drum up points,” I explained. “Plus, they’re a good place to store bears, and don’t take up any floor space.” 

“Fine,” Mirage groaned. His eyelids flickered for a moment, an and instant later there was a new Marsupial sitting in front of us. 

“It was nice doing business with you,” I said as I sent my bears to drive my prize home. 

Mirage let out a grunt in response, and started to turn back towards the Stampede grounds, but paused. I swivelled around, trying to catch sight of whatever gave him pause. That’s when I spotted a small convoy of high class vehicles pulling up to the front entrance.

“I thought you said the meeting wasn’t until noon,” I whispered. 

“It IS at noon,” Mirage replied quietly. “Apparently someone decided to arrive early, try and shake up either us or their opponents.”

“Well, I don’t shake easily,” I grumbled, earning a raised eyebrow from Mirage. I probably would have remarked, if I hadn’t been deep in my mind, organizing things. Half the Kodiaks dispensed their bears, who ran towards the central building to find good vantage points, while the others quickly spread out around the perimeter road. I was able to multitask enough to follow Mirage back while sending out these instructions, so by the time we arrived at the front everything was in motion. I even had time to set up my welcoming committee just inside.

When we stepped up to the front door half of the little group had already passed through security. As soon as he saw who we were dealing with Mirage put on his best corporate smile. “Mr Phillips, it’s a pleasure to see you today,” he said politely. “You are aware the meeting isn’t scheduled to start for another hour and a half, aren’t you?”

“Of course!” the man at the center of the group replied jovially. “But the early bird gets the worm. Who is this you have with you?”

I eyed the man up and down. He had short, slicked back auburn hair, a matching trimmed beard. His suit probably cost more than most buildings, and even though he was smiling, his eyes were cold and calculating.

“This is Teddy, she’ll be incharge of internal security today, like the council requested. Teddy this is Steven Phillips, head of ‘Great North Info Systems’,” Mirage explained before stepping out of the way. 

“Charmed,” I said in a deadpanned voice. I immediately stopped looking at Phillips and turned to the two security guards behind him. “No weapons inside.”

Phillips frowned. “Ms Teddy, those men are armed for my protection, surely you understand?”

“I understand that you assholes went out of your way to get me to run security, and you better be sure I’m going to take my job seriously. I’ll be responsible for your protection inside, and I say no weapons besides what MY troops have,” I explained. Phillips' smile fell a little, he probably wasn’t used to having someone talk back to him. “Now you can either leave your weapons here, or” a shadow fell over me as Bob stepped into the room, cracking his knuckle, “my friends will take them from you. Got it?”

The two security guards got a lot more cooperative after that. As I turned to follow Phillips out, intent to take a quick look at the venue before everyone else arrived I caught a quick glimpse of Mirage. I swear his smile was a little wider than before.