Mica met the maitre d's eyes as Rishon made a blithe beeline for the blank wall behind him. “Thank you, David, it is a pleasure to see you as well. We are expected, but we never arrive quite on time. Please let Roxie know that the brothers are here, and they are coming with a plus one who needs medical attention in private rooms before we will be attending the meeting.”<br/><br/>David tracked Rishon’s movement and was about to protest when he heard Mica say the hostess’ name. Instead, his breath caught in his chest and the blood drained out of his face. Mica stopped with Lilah astride his grinning brother as the wooden panel depressed into the wall and slid aside to reveal an opening elevator door.<br/><br/>“Relax, David. You’re part of the Family, and this is most definitely not your fault,” Mica said with a wink.<br/><br/>David took a breath to regain his composure, nodded, then turned back to the front desk to tap a panel before lifting the faded, old-fashioned receiver behind the desk. “Mistress? Yes, mistress. They’re here, and-” David yanked the receiver a foot from his ear just as the elevator door closed.<br/><br/>Rishon leaned his head down to inspect the panel, pecked the button labeled B3, then moved to the back left corner of the elevator, leaned against the rail, kicked his head back against the brushed metal wall and closed his eyes. A grin rippled over his face as he shook with silent laughter. “I guess the rumor’s out, Brother.”<br/><br/>Mica interrupted his own chortle with a clearing of his throat. “I’m not sure which of us enjoyed that more.”<br/><br/>“Poor David,” Rishon said. He shook his head as his laughter died down, then opened his eyes to gaze at his brother. “How are you going to explain this?” He slid his gaze to Lilah.<br/><br/>Mica regarded Lilah’s injuries, scanning the rising bruises on her face. From the way she walked, and the balance she borrowed, he doubted those were the only bruises she’d gained that night. “First we’re going to take care of Lilah’s injuries, and since we need to change as it is, that shouldn’t be an issue.” Mica regarded Lilah, changing his answer to his brother into a question for her. “We’ll be needing to change because there is a Family meeting tonight, and as you can see by David’s reaction, our arrival at it is greatly anticipated. You may attend or -”<br/><br/>“You know that’s not what I meant,” Rishon said. His smile was gone, and his eyes were grim.<br/><br/>Mica kept his attention on Lilah. “I said something at the bar tonight that for us is a matter of protocol, but that seemed to irritate you.” Then he turned to face his brother. “How do we treat associates who are injured while working with us?”<br/><br/>Rishon considered that, then nodded his satisfaction as the elevator door opened. “Still, Roxie-”<br/><br/>“Roxie what?”<br/><div style="text-align: center"><div class="bbCodeSpoiler">
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</div></div><br/>A Persian woman with a thick, luxurious accent and a devastating gaze stood to the left of the elevator’s threshold, one hand bearing a first aid kit on the inside of the arm and the other propped on her cocked hip.<br/><br/>“Will want to know what is going on,” Mica said, then he turned his attention to Lilah. “Shall we?” He started out of the elevator, reaching out his other hand for the first aid kit. When Roxie gave it to him, he handed it to his smirking brother, then offered his arm to Roxie.<br/><br/>Roxie tracked her eyes from Rishon, to Mica, to Lilah, her injuries, then back to Mica as he offered her his arm. She raised an eyebrow, then slid her arm through his as she joined them down the wide, marble hallway. She regarded Rishon as he sauntered into step along her other side, then turned her attention forward. “So?”<br/><br/>“We met Lilah this evening while she, in association with Shailen, was negotiating a business arrangement with a certain public official who is no longer allowed here. When business went south-”<br/><br/>Rishon sniggered. “So did he.”<br/><br/>“I see,” Roxie said. She sounded neither surprised by Rishon’s callousness, nor satisfied with Mica’s answer. “Her injury gets her in the door, that I understand.” Her tone spoke volumes:<i>it does not get her a ride in that elevator.</i><br/><br/>“Yes,” Mica said. “She is down here with us tonight because she also happens to have information relevant to CALEO.”<br/><br/>Roxie’s eyebrow twitched, this time in surprise. “Ah… Just how relevant?”<br/><br/>“Intimately, I suspect. That is what we are here to discuss. As soon as we see to her injuries and to our guests, the two of us will be going to the top floor. I wouldn’t try to pull Rishon away from a party, and I’m sure our guests will have questions about my early departure, so I’ll need you to dispense enough information to keep each of them satisfied according to their clearance.” They had passed many doors, passed through two, and were coming to one at the end of a hallway lined with doors on both sides. “Rishon.”<br/><br/>Rishon stepped ahead of them to open the door, and Mica guided Lilah through the door as Roxie withdrew her arm from Mica’s and took the first aid kit from Rishon by the handle. They entered a small lobby, with two doors on either side. Rishon closed the door behind them, then sauntered off to the door on the right, opened it, passed through, and closed it behind him.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center"><div class="bbImageWrapper lazyload js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F564x%2Ff4%2F14%2F9e%2Ff4149e721fbd5357e88be73437ab7eb1.jpg&amp;hash=e504b4aa91e8143f5555513efa1d1c54" title="f4149e721fbd5357e88be73437ab7eb1.jpg">
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</div></div><br/>Mica stopped near where Roxie was opening the first aid kit on the table, then turned to Lilah, raised her hand to kiss the back of her knuckles, then said, “Let me know if you’d like to attend the meeting before we leave this room, Roxie can fill you in on the details. Please feel free to make use of anything on the armoire, this kind of thing is exactly why it's here. Excuse me.” Mica departed through the door on the left.<br/><br/>Roxie straightened from the open first aid kit and the materials now spread over the table, turned to Lilah, and said, “Good evening Lilah, I am Roxie. May I tend to your wounds or would you rather do it yourself?”