Page 22 of Riding My Dragons

Up until then, I’d been mostly responsible for picking up money from our gambling operations and delivering it to the family, and dealing with players when they didn’t or couldn’t pay up after losing a bet.So far, the worst I’d had to do had been to “talk very persuasively” to people who couldn’t pay up, and inflict some damage, not on people, but on places and things to show people how serious their situation was.The family used other dragons to be more forceful about getting money out of player’s who’d fallen behind.I always had this dread of getting “promoted” to what the family liked to call “a more actively persuasive role” in the business, knowing what that meant.They’d never asked me to hurt anyone—yet.But I’d always had a fear of being given that kind of responsibility.I didn’t mind stepping a little over the line of the law—as long as I didn’t have to hurt people.Now I found myself dreading something I couldn’t even name yet.

Ross said, “It’s something you don’t have to know about, just a small item that we need you to get from a certain place and bring back to us for the client.The client will pay for it, and you’ll get your cut–and move up in the family organization.It’s a good break for you.”

”What ‘certain place?’Where is this thing?”

”The thing,” said Ross, “is in a place where there won’t be a lot of people now because of Reconciliation.It’ll be quiet and you should be able to get in and out and not be seen.”

Scales broke out on my back under my shirt.I was liking less and less where this seemed to be going.I felt more edgy every second.“Get in and out of where?” I asked.

Ross said, “The main warehouse of Pendrake Tech University.”

That rocked me back in my seat as if my cousin had hit me in the jaw.I couldn’t believe it.I’d just left Jenna, who was a student at the place where my family wanted to do something that sounded worse than shady.Now I had scales breaking out on my forearms.It was the Scaler version of sweating.

Gulping, I said, “Ross, tell me you’re not asking me to break into the warehouse of Pendrake Tech and…take something.”

I deliberately didn’t use the word steal, but that was obviously what my cousin meant. There was another side to the Taisce family business besides the bookmaking and gaming that we did “under the table” and didn’t declare, a side that was even riskier, more illegal, more dangerous.I’d always been afraid of getting drafted into that side of the business—the thieving side, the heisting and selling of stolen goods.And now, that was right where I was headed, like a guy going over a waterfall.My heartbeat sped up; my skin felt hot.I felt myself coming to the edge and not able to stop myself going over.

A shaky feeling in my chest almost made my voice shake with it.“Ross, no!You can’t ask me…You can’t expect me to get in on that!Come on, Ross, no, not that!”

He shook his head soberly and said, “It’s time for you to step up, Cade.The elders have been concerned about you, about how you live.Doing small-time jobs with the gambling and the gaming, betting for yourself.Screwing human females with your buddies.They’ve been saying it’s time for you to be more of a part of things.You need to move up, buddy.You need to step upfor the family.And you’ll get your share of the take for it.This is an opportunity you can’t turn down.”

Forcing myself not to start stammering, I actually begged him.“Ross, I’m not the type for this.Please.”

Now he shook his head and frowned.“My hands are tied, Cade.Look, kid, I feel for you.You’ve been having a good time all these years.The family’s taken care of you; you’ve enjoyed yourself.You’ve never had to take on much in the way of responsibility.But the elders have been watching and you’ve looked to them like you’re not that interested in responsibility.It’s not a good look, Cade.They expect more from you now.After everything the family’s given you, it’s time to start helping take care of the family.And what you’ll earn for it will be a sweet cache.”

”But like that?Ross, I haven’t got the stomach for that kind of thing.You’re talking about ‘helping take care of the family’.If something happens, who’ll take care of me?If I get into something over my head, is the family gonna help me get out of it?”

He raised a finger sternly, looking more like a parent than a cousin, and said, “If you do things right, you’ll earn more than you’ve ever gotten for any job, and no one will have to ‘get you out’ of anything.Listen, you’ve always known who we are.You’ve always known we’re not the kind to fly the straight path all the time.It’s done right by us, and it’s done right by you.The family’s always taken on risks.The elders say now it’s time for you to start sharing the risks.”

I was in pain now.“But this is theft.It’s stealing.”

“It’s the contract we’ve picked up for this new client.It’s what we’ve got to do.And you’re the one who’s been picked to do it for us.”

There’s got to be a loophole, I thought, grabbing at another idea.“But it sounds too important for somebody who’s neverdone something like this before.Ross, I’ll get on my knees if I have to.Talk to them.Intercede for me.Get me something else.”

He just shook his head again.“Gotta start somewhere, kid.”

Desperately, I said, “I’m not a thief, Ross.”In spite of trying not to, I stammered.“I-I’m not a thief.”

”You’re a Taisce,” said Ross.“That means something.”

I hung my head, feeling helpless and scared.

”Look, I feel for you,” he said.“I really do.I know you’re a good kid.But this is just something you’ve got to do.You’ve got to know what’s at stake here.If you refuse to do this, if you back out of this…they’re talking about cutting you off.”

My stomach sank as I faced him again to see the seriousness of what he was saying.“Cutting me off?”

He made a slicing motion with his finger.“No more jobs at all.No more family money.No more anything.If you don’t want to do this and they decide to cut you off, you’re on your own.You’ll have to make your own way in everything.Now you won’t be wiped out; you won’t be on the street.You can always get help.Nobody in this day and age ends up like a stray animal.But you won’t be welcome in the family any more; and you’ll get no more family jobs, no more family earnings.You’ll be out of the nest.Is that something you want?”

”No.That’s not what I want,” I said, with hopelessness closing in on me.But then, I thought, neither is this.

He rapped his knuckles on the table like a judge banging his gavel.“All right then,” Ross said.“We’ve got some equipment and info to give you.It’ll help you get in where you need to be, find what you need to get, and get out with no one ever knowing you’re there.When you’re done, no one will even miss the item.The family will get paid.You’ll get your cut and it’ll be generous.And you’ll have moved up in the business.”

Half-heartedly, I replied, “Yeah.”

My cousin reached over and clapped me on the shoulder.“Good boy,” he said.“You’ll see; it won’t be so bad.”

No, I thought, it won’t be so bad at all.I’ll just have to become someone I never meant to be.

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