[SPEAKER_00]: The case of the pause to deal, an Aggie McPherson mystery, and a shorthand missile tail, by Matthew C. McLean.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was a wizard that carried a sword, which marked him as a dangerous man.
[SPEAKER_00]: The little Wyoming casino had hosted some interesting conventions, though.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if someone had stowed across the gambling floor, dressed in a pointy hat and a starred robe, it would have only drawn a few of Muse Stairs.
[SPEAKER_00]: This one, this one, though, where the regalia of a stage musician, a bright silk shirt matched the blue inner lining of his black cape, somber gray slacks, and it ensues so well-shined they through stars every time they emerged from his billowing shadow.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire noticed him from her table as he crossed the casino floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: At first, she thought I was Henry, one of the house performers, and one of a series of unfortunate recent choices she had made.
[SPEAKER_00]: She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it wasn't.
[SPEAKER_00]: Both height and length of this one's hair were too short to be Henry.
[SPEAKER_00]: The stature, a bit elephant,
[SPEAKER_00]: This was a departure from the men Claire usually found attractive, but there was a devilish quality to the features, enhanced by his beard and mustache.
[SPEAKER_00]: His confident stride drew the attention of more than one admirer.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was this and the naked blade that the magician carried, which drew Claire to the conclusion he must be a part of the entertainment.
[SPEAKER_00]: perhaps she hoped he was replacement for Henry.
[SPEAKER_00]: This wasn't Vegas though, and the little Wyoming casino only had so many places a magician should be headed, and towards her table wasn't one of them.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire kept flopping the deal though, certain if the purposeful stranger was walking around with a sword.
[SPEAKER_00]: Security must have let them in.
[SPEAKER_00]: Herz was a full table on a busy afternoon, dealing to five strangers, and everyone was enjoying themselves for a change.
[SPEAKER_00]: Everyone, but the big winner in the center seat, which was strange, but sometimes gambling addicts didn't enjoy their addiction, which made them a lot like drunks and players opinion.
[SPEAKER_00]: He sat hunched over the table, buried in a long brown coat, a wide-brembed fishing cat squashed down over bristling straw hair.
[SPEAKER_00]: He only spoke as necessary, preferring to signal his desires with a scratching at the table.
[SPEAKER_00]: His voice had a low, hollowed, droning quality that was unsettling, so Claire returned the favor.
[SPEAKER_00]: The flamboyant appearance of the magician had gotten her attention, but she needed to stay on the cards on the players.
[SPEAKER_00]: She had made too many small mistakes lately, and she needed this job.
[SPEAKER_00]: Out of her peripheral vision though, she was only able to watch the sword conjurer as he approached the table, making a B-line for her winner.
[SPEAKER_00]: Both men were odd, certainly, but Claire's time of dealing cards given her rather long and extended acquaintance with the shortcomings and peculiarities of humanity.
[SPEAKER_00]: None of that, though, until that moment included violence.
[SPEAKER_00]: There was a Russell from the other players at the table as they felt the Magician's blue and black cape flutter behind them, sneaking looks over their shoulders, perhaps expecting a waitress or a galker.
[SPEAKER_00]: Most did a double take when they spotted the bearded Magician, only stared at the back of Claire's winning player, with an impish grin almost hidden by the mustache.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire's winner only noticed something was wrong when Claire herself missed his signal for another card.
[SPEAKER_00]: He turned a palette cheek to see what had her attention just before the magicians swiftly pointed the sword and plunged it into his back.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire gasped in surprise, her mind throwing up shield of deniability, telling her this must be part of a spectacle, ordered up by the Casino's unpredictable and rarely seen boss.
[SPEAKER_00]: Whatever protective measure this thought offered though, fell away to horror as the soared silver tip pierced her winners lapel, pinning him in place.
[SPEAKER_00]: The other players stumbled away from their chairs and shocked the one in the cowboy hat unsurprisingly fumbling for a pistol under his jacket.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before he could draw or security could react, the winner lands through with a silver blade, arched his back, opened his mouth, and a silent gas towards the ceiling and began to melt.
[SPEAKER_00]: More than one person had lost consciousness at Claire's table, but even the sudden onset of a blue-lipped fentanyl overdose was nothing like this.
[SPEAKER_00]: The winners' hat fell away, followed by the straw of their wig.
[SPEAKER_00]: Under a slick paint, his BDIs receded into their eye sockets, until rubbery sludge rolled down its cheeks.
[SPEAKER_00]: It stood there, skewered on the sword, melting like one of the wax statues from the Ripley's believe it or not next door.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Rio panic said in no, at the appearance of the first bristling brown membrane that emerged from the ooze that was the winner.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like some sort of awful fat loss by merging from a cocoon.
[SPEAKER_00]: The first of the flyers peaked composite eyes in a brown chidness shell out of the melting mass before the buzzing of its members wings appeared and carried it into the air.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then another followed by another.
[SPEAKER_00]: The hall echoed with screams as players and employees added to the cacophony, knocking over furniture or anything else in between them and the exits.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire stood at her table, transfixed by it all, cop between the shock of unbelievable and the terror that monstrous insects were circling her table.
[SPEAKER_00]: The cowboy had managed to get his pistol out, but only stared, eyes darting between the magician and the insect creatures, unsure of who or what he should be shooting at.
[SPEAKER_00]: There wasn't any head hesitation from the magician who withdrew the blade from the deflated skin of the gambler began slicing and skewering the flying nightmares.
[SPEAKER_00]: Seeing this, the cowboy drew a bead on what the buzzing flyers.
[SPEAKER_00]: Don't, the magician yelled in a voice that wasn't as masculine as the beard, which was peeling off around the edges.
[SPEAKER_00]: Even at its higher pitch, it held enough command that the cowboy stopped having the good sense to point his pistol towards the ceiling and away from anything human.
[SPEAKER_00]: The creatures didn't follow the fling crowds or bother with the cowboy, but congregated around Claire like a bombinating tornado.
[SPEAKER_00]: One came buzzing towards her face, some part of her mind begging her to close her screaming mouth.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was halted by the silver flash of the magician's blade slicing it in half.
[SPEAKER_00]: Beyond the flying core, as it fell into two viscous pieces, Claire saw the magician at torn off their mustache and beard, revealing feminine features with a button nose.
[SPEAKER_00]: The stranger's stared at Claire with a starter willingly violet eyes before winking at her.
[SPEAKER_00]: For whatever reason, this allowed Claire to close her mouth.
[SPEAKER_00]: As she watched the stranger continue to swing and slice at wasps, the air was filled with a shrill, short burst of noise that were quickly repeated.
[SPEAKER_00]: Each whistle accompanied an arrow that skewered a bulbous insectoid, littering the floor around Claire's table with shells that ought to all the charm of a dead roach.
[SPEAKER_00]: When one of the arrows buzzed close to the cowboy, he docked down into the mundane threat of the barrage and wisely fled.
[SPEAKER_00]: The arrows came from the bows of a man and a woman of equal height and similar stature.
[SPEAKER_00]: The arcane weaponry would have looked crafted for their hands except both of them were just in suits that looked more at place on Wall Street.
[SPEAKER_00]: With their sunbrown skin and raven black hair, they might have been brother and sister.
[SPEAKER_00]: This impression was only encouraged by their flanking a taller, heavier, older man, similarly garbed with his dark hair pulled back in a severe ponytail.
[SPEAKER_00]: This was chief what's it?
[SPEAKER_00]: A name no employee of the little Wyoming would say to his face, but everyone used behind his back because so few were introduced to him, and of those, not one could remember it.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he stalked close to the table, Claire thought,
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh God, he's going to fire me.
[SPEAKER_00]: The chief, instead, approached the smiling, beardless magician, who wiped the gore from the blade onto what Claire was now certain was Henry's cape.
[SPEAKER_00]: Did you've what's it though?
[SPEAKER_00]: Imposter only said in a high of Husky Boys.
[SPEAKER_00]: High, Frank.
[SPEAKER_00]: The chief frowned, clearly not happy at being addressed with such informality, even as the outchers by a side hid grins.
[SPEAKER_00]: rather than address this though.
[SPEAKER_00]: Frank replied.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nice work, Aggie.
[SPEAKER_00]: With the flourish of the now Gore's battered cape, Aggie took a melodramatic bow, her own dark bobbed bangs over her face.
[SPEAKER_00]: My pleasure.
[SPEAKER_00]: with a cynical smile that couldn't hide some warmth.
[SPEAKER_00]: Frank replied, with a fever paying you, I'm sure it is a pleasure.
[SPEAKER_00]: He examined the floor, now covered with a dozen dead bulbous wasp that were already hollowing out.
[SPEAKER_00]: Someday you're going to have to tell me how you figured this one out when I couldn't
[SPEAKER_00]: It's not your fault, Frank.
[SPEAKER_00]: Aggie said with a wide grin.
[SPEAKER_00]: All white people look the same to you.
[SPEAKER_00]: To everyone's surprise, except perhaps for Aggie, Frank, chief Frank, now forever in Claire's mind.
[SPEAKER_00]: LAST out loud.
[SPEAKER_00]: She thought he might start back slapping people when he stopped laughing altogether.
[SPEAKER_00]: He indicated Cowboy, who had been stopped at an exit by additional casino security.
[SPEAKER_00]: arguing with them as they relieved him of his pistol and prepared to escort him out.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's the kind of white people trouble we used to around here.
[SPEAKER_00]: How'd you do it?
[SPEAKER_00]: You would have figured it out eventually, Frank.
[SPEAKER_00]: The magic is inside of you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Chief Frank's heavy eyes settled on Aggie with a weight that could have curdled milk.
[SPEAKER_00]: Fine, keep your secrets.
[SPEAKER_00]: I did the cashier's cage and they'll pay you out.
[SPEAKER_00]: He hired the sword.
[SPEAKER_00]: Where'd you get that thing?
[SPEAKER_00]: With a magician's flourish, Aggie whipped a cape around, briefly obscuring her from view.
[SPEAKER_00]: When the fabric settled, both of Aggie's hands were empty.
[SPEAKER_00]: What thing?
[SPEAKER_00]: Chief Frank shook his head and spoke to his escorts.
[SPEAKER_00]: Don't forget to pick up the arrows.
[SPEAKER_00]: We don't want this fat taker grabbing anything she can walk off with.
[SPEAKER_00]: Frank, now you're just being nasty.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire could hear the mock hurt and Aggies voice, but let's side of her as her knees finally gave and she sank behind her table.
[SPEAKER_00]: She didn't really begin breathing again until she heard the heavy tread of Chief Frank move away.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire was still sitting on the floor, holding her knees to her chest, when the violet eyes of the stranger, almost covered by the dark hair of her long bangs, appeared over the lip of the table.
[SPEAKER_00]: Clare felt shame, heater chiefs hiding behind the table like a child.
[SPEAKER_00]: This aggy person hopped over the table, the cape fluttering around like the wings of a magpie.
[SPEAKER_00]: She landed next to Clare, everything but her black hair, pale skin and violet eyes wrapped in the cloaks out of dark.
[SPEAKER_00]: She flicked one of the chit-ness shells away.
[SPEAKER_00]: Pretty nasty, huh?
[SPEAKER_00]: Clare stared trying to keep her eyes inside her head.
[SPEAKER_00]: What was that?
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a go at a glock demon, but it's gone now.
[SPEAKER_00]: A small foot in a wall polished shoe swept out from under the cape to kick another bifurcated carapaceway.
[SPEAKER_00]: You're safe.
[SPEAKER_00]: Watching the dead thing tumble away didn't free Claire from her fear though, and she felt her breathing begin to intensify again.
[SPEAKER_00]: Seeing this, Aggie spoke,
[SPEAKER_00]: Can I tell you a secret?
[SPEAKER_00]: Clare Blanche trying to flutter the horror out of existence.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sure.
[SPEAKER_00]: This thing has been coming around here for months.
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, decayed the casino with a swing of her head.
[SPEAKER_00]: Frank couldn't find it because he thought it was John to the casino.
[SPEAKER_00]: I found it because I figured out it had locked down to you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire's eyes widened in horror as she heard this, watching one of the warriors bend down to collect an arrow from a pierced wasp, shaking its dust off.
[SPEAKER_00]: I continued.
[SPEAKER_00]: You noticed maybe the past few months, nothing quite worked for you, particularly here at work.
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe you felt trapped, like you can't do anything right.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire thought about the losing streak every table she dealt with had possessed.
[SPEAKER_00]: The unfortunate choice of the love affair with the pompous Henry.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's because of this thing.
[SPEAKER_00]: Claire fell to small, soft hand, take her chin, and guided her eyes to look into Aggie's violet ones.
[SPEAKER_00]: You're free now, Claire.
[SPEAKER_00]: Go home.
[SPEAKER_00]: Get some sleep.
[SPEAKER_00]: Wake up tomorrow.
[SPEAKER_00]: Come to work.
[SPEAKER_00]: Or drive to Oregon.
[SPEAKER_00]: Go for a swim.
[SPEAKER_00]: Visit your mother.
[SPEAKER_00]: Do whatever you want.
[SPEAKER_00]: It can't hurt you anymore.
[SPEAKER_00]: Whatever happens to you now, it's just what happens.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was only then that Claire felt the sting of tears in her eyes.
[SPEAKER_00]: Looking at this odd stranger, she could only think to say, thank you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Goodbye, Claire.
[SPEAKER_00]: Aggies to seemingly much taller than before.
[SPEAKER_00]: Good luck.