Page 163 of Gathered Sparkle

“Right, sorry.”

He shakes his head, muttering abouttroublemakersunder his breath, but there’s a flicker of amusement in his eyes as he glances around the corridor.

The blonde wig I’m wearing feels odd against my scalp, the synthetic strands brushing my shoulders. Levi had dug it out for me, claiming he bought it years ago after a hairdresser botched his haircut.“Vintage Levi,”he’d said with a dramatic flourish as if that was supposed to make me feel better about wearing it.

But with the wig, I barely recognized myself in the mirror earlier. And that’s the point. Even though we’re in the depths of the employee section of the Heights, we’re not taking any chances.

Ace tugs at his pants again, groaning softly under his breath. I press my lips together, trying to hold back another laugh.

“You’re enjoying this way too much,” he mutters.

“Just a little,” I admit, grinning. “But you look good. Snug, but good.”

“Great.” We walk down the next hallway, and he adds, “Now stop distracting me before I walk into a wall.”

“Here,” I whisper, nodding toward a steel door withMain Electricswritten on itand a key-card reader on its side. It almost blends in with the rest of the employee hallway, but there’s a faint hum of machinery seeping through the walls.

“This better work,” Ace mutters, pulling the stolen key card from his pocket.

“We’re here to find that out.”

He swipes the card, and the reader blinks green with a beep. Then, the sound of the lock clicking echoes in the hall.

Holy shit.

“Holy fuck,” Ace almost voices my thoughts. “I didn’t think this would—”

“Shh!” I hiss, pushing the door open and grabbing his sleeve. “Get in!”

We file into the room, and I stop in my tracks, blinking at the sheer chaos in front of us. The walls are lined with panels covered in switches, dials, and blinking lights. A giant breaker box dominates one side, and wiring snakes through open panels and into the ceiling. It’s like walking into the control center of a spaceship, and I instantly feel out of my depth.

“Woah,” I breathe out, staring at the overwhelming array. “That’s way too many…”

“Yeah…” Ace agrees, scanning the room with wide eyes. He steps forward, his fingers trailing over one of the panels as if trying to make sense of it. “We just need the ones that control the lights on the façade of the hotel.” He moves along the wall, his eyes darting from label to label. “Okay, see here?” He points at a cluster of switches. “You have to bypass this one and reroute through this panel to get access to the façade lights.”

“Okay.” I step back, holding up my hands. “I could never do that. You’ll have to handle it, or we’re not putting it in the show.”

He pauses, frowning, clearly weighing his options. “But it would be such a nice touch to spread the evidence on the Heights. Would feel like fucking karma.”

“It’s dangerous,” I counter, pointing at whatever he just pointed out. “And apparently difficult.”

He shrugs. “Not as dangerous as the car flying between rooftops, but like Koen said, we’re here to make ashow, not just a statement.”

“Fine.” I hesitate, biting my lip. “You do this. I’ll handle the Plaza and get the car ready for Koen.”

“I don’t like—” he starts, but I cut him off.

“We can bicker about who does what later. Do we have everything we need here?”

He sighs, pulling out his phone and taking a picture of the switches. “Yes.”

“Then let’s fucking get out of here.”

We quietly slip out of the maintenance room, closing the door behind us, and head toward the employee exit. Nicholas suggested we come here in the morning, explaining that it’s the best time—most partygoers are still asleep, tourists are out exploring, and it’s the shift with the fewest employees around.

It’s good for Ace, too, with things less hectic. He did so well, and I can’t help but feel impressed by how well he navigated his anxiety.

Outside, the fresh air is a welcome relief after the stuffy corridors. Ezra’s Toyota waits near the back entrance, engine idling softly. Ace gives me a nod, his jaw tight, but his posture is relaxed enough that I know he’s feeling okay.

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