The alarm went off and Zoe groaned. She rolled over and put her hand on it, turning it off again before rolling back over and sighing. She felt an arm slump around her and pull her close, and she smiled. She could smell Effie's shampoo, and it made her feel safe. It was quiet outside, and Zoe felt like she could stay in this bed the whole day, until she realized this was it, this was the anniversary of The Forgotten Tomb. God, had it really been a whole month already? Where had the time gone?
*** 30 DAYS PRIOR Allie was sitting at a slot on the main floor of the Card Shark, putting coin after coin into it, when she felt a stool being dragged up beside her. She turned and looked to her side, surprised to see Molly of all people sitting down beside her, eating a churro. "What are you doing here?" Allie asked. "Getting my nerves up for the opening," Molly mumbled, "I just...I'm terrified. What if something goes wrong?" "What could possibly go wrong at this point? It's already built. It isn't like someone's going to die during construction," Allie said. "Well what if one of the wings hovering over the road collapses because it was rushed and not properly attached and it falls on a busload of special ed children on their way to visit an orphanage?" Molly asked, making Allie look at her with a smirk on her face. "Wow," Allie said, "you're really good at coming up with absolutely bullshit scenarios." "It could happen!" Molly said, taking a bite from her churro. "When has that ever happened, except for that one time at The Prospector?" Allie asked, making Molly look at her in shock; Allie continued, "oh yeah, you never heard about that? That exact thing happened, verbatim, and it was horrible. The parents of all the kids killed themselves, and then the orphanage caught on fire thanks to an arsonist who lost their child in the bus and blamed the orphanage for their loss." Allie looked back at Molly, who was staring at her in annoyance now, and Allie began to laugh. "You're meeeean," Molly whined and Allie patted her on the shoulder. "Come on, you're a professional, you didn't do a slipshod job, alright? It's fine, everything's going to be fine," Allie said, "Now, take this glass of coins and keep piling them into this machine, cause I'm going to order a thing of nachos from the bar." Allie scooted her stool out and walked to the bar, only to find Zoe already there, drinking a soda. Allie seated herself beside Zoe and sighed. "Well, we have a few hours before we have to get ready," Allie said, "How you feeling?" "I'm feeling....nervous, but, ya know, that's probably normal. I just want it to be over," Zoe said, taking a sip, "...is the stuff already there?" "Yeah. I took it all over there last night and put it in my presentation area. The tomb is sealed tight, remember? Nobody can open that son of a bitch if they tried," Allie said, "so there's no real worry about someone discovering it beforehand. Plus we packed the inside with preservatives so it's not like, you know, any smell is going to be noticeable." "...I can't believe we're going to get away with this," Zoe whispered, "it feels so wrong." "I know, I know it does, but hey, like I've said, we didn't have a choice," Allie said, "Sunny was a bad man, perhaps not the worst guy in the world, but he kept me hooked far longer than I should've been just because he made the drugs so easily accessible that it felt like an effort to actually quit." "You're going to your meetings, right?" Zoe asked. "Yep," Allie said, "Haven't had a drink or a pill in weeks. It's...been tough, hah, not gonna lie, but I'm doing it." "I'm proud of you," Zoe said, smiling, surprising Allie. "Th...thanks, I'm proud of you too," Allie said, "Now if you'll excuse me, I need some lunch. Gonna get me some nachos." *** Allie and Zoe drove over to the new Card Shark later that afternoon. Allie was planning to meet Nick there, seeing as he'd agreed to bring over the fireworks for the ending of the show. In the car, Zoe was nervous, pulling on her hair a little, while Allie chewed on gum. "You want some gum?" Allie asked, "it always helps me when I feel antsy. Gives me something to do." "No thanks," Zoe said, "I don't like gum. Too much effort for something that isn't actually edible." "Fair enough." They pulled to a red light, only a few minutes away from the casino. Allie turned the radio down and lit up a cigarette, rolling down her window so she could blow the smoke out and not bother Zoe, not that Zoe had ever made a fuss about it before, but Allie was being polite nonetheless. Sitting there, Zoe felt a knot in her stomach, and she looked at her fingernails, painted salmon. "I have to tell you something," Zoe said, "if we're going to be partners, and friends, and criminals together-" This made Allie chuckle. "-then you should know that I...I started seeing someone," Zoe said, "...romantically." "Oh yeah?" "It's Effie," Zoe said. "Really? Wow. I wouldn't have pegged you for a lesbian," Allie said, "but hey, that's cool, I'm happy for you! So long as she treats you nice and you're enjoying yourself, then more power to you. I'm certainly not one to judge anyone for who they love. In fact, I'm the last person in the world who should be judgemental, really." Zoe looked down at her nails again and smiled. She could never tell her parents that she was in a same sex relationship, but she felt glad to be able to tell Allie. She knew Allie would never judge her for something so normal. As they pulled up to the back of the casino, they saw Nick leaning against his car in a leather jacket and jeans, with a button down collared shirt, smoking his own cigarette. Allie parked and climbed out of her car and looked at him. "Hey look Zoe," she said, "it's The Fonz." Nick smiled and tossed his cigarette on the ground, stomping it out before approaching her. "You got our stuff, right?" she asked. "Yeah, it's in my trunk. Really small but really powerful explosives," Nick said. "Thank you," Allie said, walking over to the trunk and lifting it open, asking "So, how're things?" "They're alright. Just trying to get by day by day. You sound good. You don't smell like alcohol, which I have to admit, is oddly confusing to miss," Nick said, making Allie laugh. "Yeah, well, that's what happens when you get sober I guess. You and Jenny doing okay?" "Jenny? Why would we-" "I heard her on the phone with you," Allie said, turning from the trunk to face him. "Yeah, we were trying to get you a pass to see Domino," Nick said, "Believe me, Jenny isn't interested in me. Nor am I in here. I mean, she's cute, but. She's..." Allie and Nick looked at one another, until Nick looked at the ground and scratched the back of his head. "...she's not you," Nick said softly, making Allie's eyes tear up. She approached him and took his hands in hers, kissing them and pushing her face against his chest. He kissed the top of her head and could hear his voice crack when he spoke again, saying, "...it's been so hard without you. It's been calm, but...boring." "I've missed you so much," Allie whispered, "All I wanted to hear for the last few months was that you still loved me." "Of course I do," Nick whispered back, "I'm happy to hear you're getting help. If there's anyway I can help in that-" Allie leaned up and kissed him, to which he didn't resist one bit. Watching as she unloaded the fireworks, Zoe couldn't help but smile. Seems like everything had come full circle. Like everything had worked out in the end after all. They'd hide their crime, Allie and Nick would get back together, and everyone would be successful at what they did career wise. Nothing could stop them now. By the time the show rolled around that night, and the girls were ready to perform, Zoe no longer felt nervous. She felt...excited. Even though she knew, in the back of her mind, that this trick was partially to hide a murder committed seemingly in her name, she was overjoyed to finally be doing a real big show with her hero, her partner, her best friend. And as she watched the fake tomb be lowered into the base of the building, to be sealed away and never seen again, Zoe couldn't help but smile. All Allie had needed in the end was a friend, someone willing to go that extra mile to help her, and she'd gotten it and Zoe, in return, had gotten someone who finally had her best interests at heart. As the fireworks exploded above the stage, and Allie appeared out of the other tomb - the one the audience thought was the one she'd been lowered in - and cheers erupted, Zoe finally felt like she'd achieved her lifes goal. All she'd ever wanted was to do magic by the side of Allie Meers. Turns out it was worth it after all. *** 30 DAYS LATER "What, you're not coming tonight?" Allie asked on the phone. "I can't," Molly said, "I have book club, sorry. Hopefully that doesn't throw your plans off." "Naw, I'll still have Nick and Zoe and Effie, it's fine. Just wanted to see you," Allie said as she stirred her straw in her drink in the kitchenette of her new suite while Nick finished making a snack platter behind her on the counter; she finished with, "I guess I'll see you sometime this week for bowling." "Absolutely!" Molly said. Allie and Molly said their goodbyes and respectively hung up, leaving Allie to turn around and look at Nick, who smiled at her as he cut some cheese and placed them on crackers with slivers of fish. "Awww, look at my little house husband," she said. "Shut up," he muttered, chuckling as she walked to him and kissed his cheek; after the kiss broke he asked, "When's Zoe and Effie getting here?" "Should be here anytime now," Allie said, checking her watch, "Probably making out in the parking lot." "Nice," Nick said, making Allie laugh. When Zoe and Effie finally did arrive - and subsequently admit that, yes, they were in fact making out in the parking lot - everyone gathered to give a toast to everyones varied success, and all were drinking non alcoholic drinks to support Allie's sobriety. Nick cooked them dinner, a ham and a duck, along with mashed potatoes and asparagus, and as the girls seated themselves, Allie couldn't help but feel at peace. "It's been a long weird year," Allie mumbled as Zoe nodded. "Indeed it has, but it paid off, we're in the new casino, we're a big draw, you're doing better numbers than you've done in ages, partially thanks to my excellence-" Zoe said, making Allie chuckle as she finished with, "-but all in all it was worth it. All that turmoil, tribulation, all that trouble...it was really hard but it was worth it in the end, and I think that's a pretty positive way to look at life right now." "I'm doing so many shows a week it's unbelievable. I guess Tony really did figure out the best possible spot for a more upperclass casino," Effie said as Nick cut some duck off for her and scooted it onto her plate; she added, "and that girl he got to design the place, wow, she did an excellent job." "Molly? Yeah, she's awesome," Allie said, "She called and apologized for not being able to be here." "That's a shame," Nick said, "I wanted to talk to her about renovating my grandparents home." "I'm sure she'd be interested in doing something less commercial for a change," Allie said. Nick seated himself after serving everyone else, and together they all got ready to eat, but Zoe interrupted them and stood up, holding up a glass of sparkling apple cider. She looked around and cleared her throat. "I just wanna say that I am so grateful to be here," she said, "Almost a year ago I was...I was nobody. I was terrified I wouldn't find a place where I would fit in, or make any friends, and then I was assigned to work with Allie, and while it was touch and go at first, uh, it has ultimately proven to be worthwhile. She's the best friend, and mentor, I ever could've asked for, and she allowed me to work at the casino where I was able to meet someone who really showed me I was worth loving." She glanced down at Effie, who blushed and covered her face, making Allie and Nick laugh. Zoe continued. "All I ever wanted to do was magic, I was obsessed with magic, and my parents hated me for it. But it's all Allie ever wanted to do too, and I think we understand that about one another, and I think that's why we work so well together is our commitment to such an underrated and often written off field of entertainment and artistry. Magic isn't just a bunch of card tricks or something, it's also a way to create the illusion of something out of nothing, and that's what it's done for my life. I had nothing, and now I have something. So thank you, Allie Meers, for letting me be your friend, and your partner." Allie nodded, and hugged Zoe. "Thank you for sticking by me," Allie whispered into her ear, "Nobody ever did." "Don't you worry, I'm not going anywhere," Zoe whispered back, "Besides, we have it all now. What could possibly change things?" Little did they know that, while they ate and celebrated, deep down in the base of the casino, under the concrete and the dirt and the metal, where The Forgotten Tomb was lying, a cell phone was beginning to ring. It rang and rang, because nobody could answer it, and when it finally stopped ringing, the man on the other end of the line was frustrated. He sighed and hung up his office phone, turning around in his chair and looking out the large window as the door opened behind him and a woman entered. "Mr Sykes?" she asked, "Sir? Were you able to get a hold of him?" "No. I'm starting to get worried. We've lost contact before, usually when he goes on benders, but never for this long. Elizabeth, I want you to draft up a public response, a uh...a sort of Missing Persons report, if you will, and in a while, if things don't get better, I'll go public with my plea to get help to find him. He's a drug addict, but he's my son, and I love him. I need to know he's okay." "Yes sir Mr. Sykes," his secretary said, as she started to exit the room, before stopping and adding, "Oh, and there's another phone call on the line for you." "Thank you Liz," he said, waiting for her to leave the room before picking it up, "Hello? Hi honey. No I just tried again, but still no answer. It's ringing though, so that's hopeful. If it were going straight to voice mail, I'd be more worried. Don't fret, we'll find him, we always do. Besides, I have a lot of power to use if I want to put that much effort behind this. I am a senator for the state, after all."
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ABOUT
Allie Meers is what she dreamed of being since she was a little girl...a successful Vegas magician. The only problem now is she can't make all her problems disappear; Allie grapples with her strained relationship, crippling addictions and FBI agents on her tail, all while trying to stay at the top of her career. Archives
December 2023
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