Draugr

Twelve

Twelve.

"This is insane!" Ruffnut grumbled as they paused outside the main branch of BerkBank, just off Chietain's Plaza. Tuffnut had insisted on accompanying his sister, since he was genuinely worried about her safety. His sister had explained exactly what they were facing and though he had expressed his concerns, he could see that Ruff was determined to help. And then mention of all that money had allayed his disquiet as well. Astrid stared at her: Ruffnut had attempted to dress smartly-presumably in the dress she wore for her various court appearances-but seeing the woman in her bright pink strapless satin party dress with a bolero style black jacket and improbably high heels, she wondered if anyone would take the woman seriously at all.

"Do exactly what I say," Astrid told her firmly, clenching her fists. Tuff was looking more normal-though this was a relative term with his long blond dreadlocks-because he was wearing a skinny brown single-breasted pinstripe suit with pale cream shirt and tie. The only thing that ruined the effect were his green converse. He took his sister's arm and looked into her worried eyes.

"You okay, butt-elf?" he asked in a low voice and she nodded, chewing her lip thoughtfully.

"Did you ever think we may accidentally be working on the good side for once?" she asked him and he shuddered.

"Yeah-I was trying to forget that," he grumped. "If word of this gets out, we'll be thrown out of the family-literally."

"Hey-that's true!" Ruff admitted. "Can I change my mind, Ast?"

"AST?" the ghost snapped and narrowed her eyes. The diminutive echoed Heather's name for her and she needed to keep her volcanic temper under wraps. "Focus! I need you to listen to me. You will walk up to the main information desk and ask for the personal accounts manager. Introduce yourself as Miss Wenda Shearer." Ruff rolled her eyes.

"Do I look like a Wenda?" she huffed.

"You do today," Astrid told her firmly.

"Wenda?" Tuff giggled, pointing at his hapless sister. "What did you do to deserve that?" Ruff turned and punched him then stomped into the Bank, pausing just inside and gaping.

BerkBank was the premier bank in the Archipelago, a massive marble-lined construct with a high ceiling to the main hall, deep green carpet and frosted glass etched with the double-headed axe of the Bank on all windows and surfaces. Tuff arrived and blinked, then linked his arms with his twin and the two walked confidently up to the main information desk, looking really confident since they were experienced confidence tricksters. There was an awkward pause and then the very homely and solid woman in the green and brown uniform looked up, her stern face calm. Her badge read: Hello. My name is Phlegma.

"Hello...Phlegma," Ruff said with her unsettling leer. "I wish to speak to your Personal Accounts Manager urgently." The woman frowned.

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked coolly.

"You don't need an appointment as a customer with a Platinum Wealth Account," Astrid told her.

"My Platinum Wealth Account is my appointment, dearie," Ruff smirked. The woman's dark eyes widened and she reached for her phone immediately, murmuring a hasty conversation. "Please take the seats over there," she said and gestured to a selection of three neat green armchairs, all crisply unholstered. The twins nodded thanks and sat as directed, Tuff pinching a pen along the way. Astrid slowly turned around.

"We always use Archi Bank," she murmured. "No one here knows Heather personally-she chose here because they're big and busy and have a reputation for pandering to clients with substantial accounts...the account was opened online so this is her first trip in person. You have the account number, passcode and password so you will be able to access the money."