I blinked and looked around. The sushi bar had seemed nearly empty, but now that we were inside, it was obvious the place was quite busy, mainly thanks to a single, rather large, loud group in the back. I looked to the two ladies on my arms. "Well?"

Rebecca nodded, "It's usually impossible to get a seat here. We'll stay." My girlfriend, Jessica, shrugged and pointed to a small booth near the front. She and I sat down, but Rebecca walked over to the bar and started talking to the bartender.

Jessie flicked her brown hair back over her shoulders, then smiled at me and leaned in. "What a night, huh?" I had to agree. "It's a shame Tom had to miss the last half of the magic show- he did get the tickets, after all."

I nodded, "Yes, but you have to admit his trick was rather impressive as well..." Jessie raised an eyebrow. "You know, making his entire dinner reappear."

She rolled her eyes and smirked at me. "All over my shoes."

"He did offer to replace them... Anyway, he texted me. He made it home fine, he's going to bed. He wants me to make sure Becky gets home safe."

"He already asked-"

"Well, yeah, but he was puking at the time, and wasn't sure I understood him." We looked up. Rebecca was heading for the back- probably the restrooms.

Jessie turned back to me. "Where do you know her from, anyway?"

I shrugged, "I don't- Tom does. This was their second date. I don't know where he met her, but I trust his judgment."

"I'm not sure I trust hers," Jessie scowled. It was understandable. Becky had seemed nice enough through dinner, but after Tom left in the cab, his tall, curvy blonde companion had gotten a little touchy-feely with me, despite my polite protests. "I trust you, though," Jessie smiled, and touched my hand across the table.

“She seemed really into the show,” I recalled.

“Well, so were you, dear. You know, I don’t know how he did any of those tricks.”

“Honestly, neither do I, Jess, and you know I’m pretty good at figuring that stuff out- but, I mean… That last one, where he cremated the assistant- the box she was in was completely clear glass. There’s no way she could have gotten out, as far as I could see.”

“And we saw the charred skeleton! You don’t think she was actually…” Jessie put her hand to her mouth, horrified at the implications.

I smiled, “Of course not. Good assistants are tough to find,” I winked.

“Guys! You’ll never guess who’s here!” Jess and I looked up- Rebecca had returned. She had a margarita in one hand, and grabbed my wrist with the other, pulling me from my seat so hard I almost stumbled. Without looking, she started dragging me towards the back of the restaurant. Jessie rose quickly and was on my heels, an exasperated look on her face.

Becky let go of me as soon as she reached the back room, and threw open the doors. “I knew it!” She stepped in. I looked past her at the group inside- a dozen or so, dressed very casual, a lot of t-shirts and sweats; some had on tons of gaudy makeup, and some none at all- theater people. We’d walked in on a cast party… and Becky was heading straight over to the star- the magician from tonight’s performance.

“Uh, Becky-“ I reached for her arm, but she was well out of range. The entire party, now quiet, watched her bold stride.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe it’s you! You were amazing! How did you do all that stuff?” Becky thrust her hand in the illusionist’s face. "I'm Rebecca." He looked briefly at the rest of his cast, then rose and took her hand.

“Thank you, Rebecca,” he said, looking at her directly. He clasped her hand with both of his. “It’s always nice to meet my fans.” He used the handshake to subtly move Becky to the side, just enough to allow a good look at Jess and me. I could tell he was reading us. I shrugged and gave an apologetic smirk, and looked briefly to Jessie, who had her fingers to her forehead, completely embarrassed. To my surprise, he smiled warmly, and stepped towards us past Becky, who didn’t even realize she was being pushed aside.

“I am so sorry about this,” Jessie instantly apologized. “We didn’t mean to interrupt…”
He took her hand and held it briefly at chest level, bowing slightly as if he was going to kiss it. Jess smiled, blushed, and turned away. He turned and shook my hand with a firm grasp. “Nonsense, you’re not interrupting me. And I think my crew is enjoying your friend’s presence.” He glanced over his shoulder.

We followed the nod- Becky was taking duck-faced selfies with some of the assistants. Jess flushed. The assistants looked at us and laughed. I recognized the short-haired platinum blonde who’d been cremated in the finale. I shot a glance at Jessie. “See?” I whispered, indicating the whole and miraculously uncharred woman. Jess inserted her elbow into my ribcage.

The illusionist chuckled. “Please, join us. Hitomi- move over for a bit, will you?” One of the girls shifted to make room at the table, and he led us to where he had been seated. I helped Jessie down, then sat myself. There were no chairs in the private room; everyone was sitting on pillows on the floor around the table.

“So, Richard- you’re friends of Thomas Branaugh?” I turned, and looked at the magician, confused. He smiled and offered me back my business card and the personalized ticket stubs from tonight’s performance, which he had somehow fished out of my wallet. Our host billed himself simply as The Magician. I was quickly realizing this wasn’t any arrogance on his part, it was just the simple truth. “And madam, you are…?”

“Jessica,” she smiled. “I’m sorry, Tom got sick and couldn’t see the end of the show.”
“That’s a shame. Well, you’ll have to thank him for me- his last donation fully funded the children’s theater program for this year.” He looked up and motioned to the waitress, who set a plate of sushi rolls and some warm sake in front of Jessie and me.

I started to relax as we continued chatting. Despite Becky’s rude entrance, the Magician was treating us like old acquaintances, introducing us to his assistants and crew. Becky herself seemed to have slipped right in to the social circle and was having a blast. Jess touched my hand, “Looks like she’s found some new friends.” I watched the antics. As Jess had pointed out, Becky and one of the assistants seemed to be getting pretty chummy. At least her hands were off me. I took another sip of sake, and started feeling the nice, fuzzy warmth of a gentle buzz.

Soon the girl who’d been flirting with Becky- a dark skinned brunette named Marisol, leaned across the table. “Boss- you’ve got to show them the sushi thing we were talking about!” She looked back at Becky. “You’re going to love this.” She put a hand on Becky’s shoulder. “In fact,” she placed her fingers between Becky’s breasts. “Do you want to be the assistant?”

Rebecca grinned widely. Her cheeks were already rosy from the sake, so I don’t think she blushed. “Sure! I’m game, Mari!”

Marisol looked back, “Please, boss?”

He shrugged and looked at us. “I guess I’m going to have to- Mari will sulk otherwise.” He looked at his crew, “Unless the rest of you mind?”

The short-haired blonde girl, Laurel, rolled her eyes. “I’m not cleaning her dress.” She was the costume designer.

Mari grinned. “Don’t worry.” She pulled Becky close and whispered in her ear. They both started giggling.

The Magician looked to the woman who was his stage manager. “Hitomi, could you get the waiters, and that bag- you know which one?” He clapped his hands together. “Let’s clear this table off, shall we?”

Marisol jumped up, “Oh goodie!” She helped Becky to her feet, and, a bit unsteadily, our companion walked behind the paper room divider that had been moved to the corner.

I looked down at all the dishes scattered about the low marble tables, and started stacking them up to hand to the waiter that had appeared by our side. As he took them from me, the whistles from the people around me made me stop and look up at Becky’s hand, draping her silk hose over the divider, her silhouette clearly visible. She knew she was giving everyone a show, and was thoroughly enjoying the attention. Her hose were soon joined by her short black evening dress. She posed seductively, then slowly and sensually slipped off her panties.

Marisol stepped in front of the divider, obstructing the view. “Ladies and gentlemen! You may be aware that at some decadent parties, lovely ladies are used as living serving platters for raw sushi!” It was a very accurate impression of how the Magician spoke on stage. He smiled. Everyone laughed. Marisol continued, “Tonight, I’d like to show you my particular twist on this! Here to help is my friend, the lovely Rebecca Murphy!”

Mari stepped aside, waving her arm. Becky slipped out from behind the divider, wearing her pearl necklace and nothing else. She held one arm straight up and twirled. I glanced at Jessie, who looked back at me and winked, put her hand on my thigh under the table. Between the after show drinks and this after drinks show, we were both in the mood to have some fun later.

The Magician and Hitomi had spread a mat, then a large sheet of black latex, on the table, and he rose and offered his hand to Becky, helping her lie down in the middle of everybody. She put her feet together, her arms straight at her sides, and closed her eyes, trying to keep still and serious. She failed, and giggled. So did the rest of us. She opened her eyes and looked for Mari, who winked at her.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen! For tonight’s special twist, we will be serving on a platter a lovely living lady raw, as sushi! Take it away, boss!” All eyes turned to the very attractive ‘sushi’, who was laughing. Marisol walked around and pulled Becky’s long blonde hair out from under her back, then leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. Or maybe she nibbled on it- I wasn’t in a position to see. After that, though, Mari stood and dumped the stuffing from one of the floor pillows all over Rebecca’s body. “Gotta have rice in a sushi roll!” Becky laughed out loud.

The Magician leaned forward and placed his hand on Becky’s forehead, gently. “Hold still my dear.” She managed to compose herself. He then reached across her to grab the edges of the latex, and folded it over her body, tucking it under her hips. He picked up the other edge and tossed it over to the other side of the table, rolling her up inside. “Okay, everyone, grab the mat and lift.” We all did, Marisol taking up a position opposite the Magician’s. Becky’s body was very light with all of us working together. “Okay, let’s make a sushi roll!”

The Magician coordinated us and his crew. “My side, lift! Mari’s side, lift! My side, tuck! Mari’s side, push!” We’d soon wrapped the latex bundle into a tight roll, with Becky in the middle, surrounded by stuffing. Apart from her toes sticking out one end, and her hair sticking out the other, it really did look like a giant sushi roll. From the inside, I could hear Becky’s muffled giggling. We set it on the table and leaned back. Mari reached over and tickled Becky’s toes, and the whole roll moved a bit from her wiggling inside.

Hitomi offered the Magician a katana, and he pulled the blade from the scabbard. It looked very real to me. He rested it on top of the latex, at the center point. “Becky, are you ready for me to cut the sushi roll?”

“Hmmph?! Her muffled voice came from inside. “Nnnmph!”

“What was that?” The Magician smiled. “Didn’t Mari tell you?”

“Nnmmph!”

The Magician looked at me. I looked back, blankly. He looked past me to Jessie. She nodded, with a wicked gleam in her eye.

“Oh well, here we go then. I don’t have all night!” The Magician pulled back on the katana. It slid half way through the roll very easily and cleanly, to where I assume Rebecca’s hips were.

Becky cried out from the inside- “Mmmmph!”

“Jessie!” I hissed, “I promised Tom I’d get her home safely!”

“Shhhh, Rick- yes, but you never said you’d get her home in one piece.” Her hand moved up my thigh to my crotch. “How else will she learn to keep her hands off people’s boyfriends? Besides, this little bit of protective payback is making me incredibly horny.” She rubbed her hand against my slacks. I stiffened. She squeezed.

“Mmm, Jess, I love it when you’re vindictive.”

She squeezed again. “Come on. Let’s enjoy the show.”

The Magician was smiling. Of course he’d heard every word. “Laurel, be sure and send that video to Jessie- she’ll want to relive the moment later.” Laurel had been recording the whole thing on her phone.

“Thank you!” Jessie smiled. She dug into her purse, handed her card to the short-haired platinum blonde, who nodded and tucked it into her pocket.

The Magician turned back to the task at hand and pushed the blade forward. It slid cleanly through the roll all the way down to the table. Becky squealed inside the latex and stuffing. I couldn’t stop myself from bending over to peer under the table.

“Go ahead,” the Magician offered. The blade was touching the tabletop. I took a good look beneath. The table itself was polished granite, about an inch and a half thick, on wooden legs. I felt beneath- it was solid. There was no way Rebecca’s body had sunk through a trap door, and no way she could have curled up in that roll. In every way I could figure, the sword had cut completely through her body. The Magician pulled the blade out and handed it to me. It was real, and razor sharp. I handed it back. “Watch, friend. This gets better.”

The Magician moved the katana about nine inches up from where he made the first cut. I guessed it was right above Becky’s navel. This time, he slid the blade completely down to the table with a single motion. A panicked “Eeep!” came from within the roll. Jessie clapped.

The Magician leaned in front of me, moving the blade higher, and sliced again, despite the protests from within the rolled latex. “Excuse me.” He slid past Jessie, made two more cuts, then set the katana down on the table. The protests stopped. He gently took Jessie’s hand and placed it on a section of the latex. Together they pushed, and a section slid out of the roll. He picked it up and gave it to Jessie. She turned the thick disk in her hands.

I looked at it closely. The cut was surgically smooth; the fluff hadn’t frayed. In the middle was what appeared to be a full color CAT scanned cross-section of a human neck. In 3d. Involuntarily, I reached forwards.

“Go ahead, touch it,” the Magician offered, proud of his work. I rested my finger against the center. It felt warm. It shuddered. I jerked my hand away. Jessie turned the disk over to reveal the other side, greyish pink, ringed in white, then ringed in red. My jaw dropped.

“Is that really…?”

The Magician smiled, remained quiet. Jessie poked it. The other cut pieces, and the rest of the roll, shuddered on the table. Still in disbelief, I put my hand in the gap in the roll and felt all the way down to the cold table beneath. I pulled my hand out quickly.

The Magician moved down the table, picked up the sword, and made more cuts down the roll until he reached the other end. “Have a piece, everyone!” His crew reached forwards and rolled the disks away, leaving the table empty, except for the part with Rebecca’s feet, which the Magician set down in the middle, so her bare toes stuck up in the air. Jessie giggled and poked the disk she was holding again. Becky’s toes curled and wiggled.

“Jessie! Don't poke her brains out!” She set her disk on her lap and stuck her tongue out at me.

“Come on, dear. I’m enjoying this.” She looked down. “Don’t say you aren’t enjoying it, too.”

I couldn’t deny it. I was hard as a rock under my slacks. I had always been aroused by the sight of girls getting locked in boxes and cut up, and now I was seeing it, without a box, right in front of me. Jess turned and stuck her bare foot between my legs, and growled at me playfully.

The disk in Jessie’s lap shuddered. We looked up. “Marisol, stop that,” said the Magician.
“Oh come on, she’s enjoying it.” Mari was stroking another disk. The end that was facing me looked like it contained two well-marbled, uncooked hams.

“Mari, what am I going to do with you?”

“Maybe what I want to do with Becky here?” She winked.

The Magician sighed and smiled. “I think that’s enough for tonight, everyone. Let’s get this cleaned up. Mari- make sure Rick gets Rebecca home like he promised. You can use the limo.” Marisol set the disk down and pulled Becky’s clothes off the divider, while the rest of us stacked the disks on the mat. Laurel and Hitomi picked the mat up and we all started walking out towards the parking lot.

When we reached the limo, Laurel and Hitomi started putting Becky’s pieces in the trunk. The Magician turned to Jess, took her hand. “Jessica, tell Tom thank you for me. That was fun- you and he have a wicked sense of humor.” He helped her into the vehicle, then turned to me and shook my hand. “Richard- Rick. It was very nice to meet you as well. I hope you come and see another one of my shows very soon.” He leaned close, whispered in my ear, “Give her that ring, man- she’s a keeper.” I didn’t bother to wonder how he knew what was in the small box in my coat pocket. “In fact, call me- I’d love to help you propose on stage.” He clapped me on the back. I had a hunch I’d somehow find his business card in my wallet.

As I approached the door, Jessie grabbed my shirt and pulled me inside. Off balance, I fell over onto the black leather seat, then rolled over onto my back. Jess pushed me down and straddled me.

“Excuse me-“ We looked up. Marisol was holding one of the disks. “This one won’t fit in the trunk, so we’ll have just have to share the seat with Becky.” She tossed it casually on the seat beside us, and started to get in. Jessie shot her a look. “On second thought…” She closed the door, and got into the front beside the driver. She turned and looked back at us, smiling. “Have fun you two. The driver’ll take the scenic route.” The privacy window rolled up. We started moving. And so did the car.

Some timeless span later, with Jess curled in my lap, I remembered what the Magician had said. “Hey hun- what was that the Magician had said about you and Tom? Is there something you want to tell me?”

She moved her hand to my chest bare chest, scratching gently with her fingernails. “Mmmm… maybe later dear…” she whispered in my ear.

I looked over to the disk on the seat beside us. Rebecca’s toes stuck out of the end. They curled and uncurled a bit. I remembered the rest of her was in the trunk. Naked. Wriggling helplessly in multiple pieces. I turned and kissed Jessie hard. Her hand moved downwards. She smiled through the kiss. “Oooh, ready again so soon?” I pushed her over and made love to her again.

The privacy window may have lowered and rolled back up again at some point, I wasn’t really paying attention. I think the driver drove around the block an extra three times before finally coming to a stop at Tom’s mansion. Jess and I headed in towards the guest room on unsteady legs, and collapsed on the bed.
*
I woke just as the sun peeked through the drapes, hearing some indistinct shouting, then the slam of a heavy door. I sat up and peered out the blinds, squinting against the glare. A woman was storming away from the house towards the limo. As she reached the passenger door, she turned back to the house and made an obscene gesture. It was Rebecca, reassembled and dressed in last evening’s clothes. She climbed in and the limo drove off. I closed the blackout curtains and lay back down. Jess, still half asleep, rolled over and threw her arm over my chest. I smiled and drifted back to sleep.

I woke up again as Jessie, wearing a black bathrobe, was blow-drying her hair. The smell of bacon drifted through the half open door. I inhaled deeply. “Breakfast?”

“I’ll be done in a sec,” Jess said. I pulled on my slacks, and walked into the main hall.
The morning sun shone through the windows into the great room. At the far end, in the kitchen, was Tom, standing behind the stove making breakfast. “Hey, you’re awake.”

“Hey, you’re better.” I stepped down and started walking through the great room. Last night he’d looked almost green.

“Yeah. I think the Kahlua was off. I started feeling better once it was out of my system, after I was halfway home… unfortunately.”

I stepped up into the kitchen, and sat at the counter across from him. “Oh, hey, French omelets.” I poured myself a glass of juice. “You missed an amazing show last night.”

“So I hear. Mari filled me in.”

“Marisol? From the show?” I raised an eyebrow.

Tom smiled. “The one and only. She’s an old friend…”

“With benefits!” a familiar voice called out. I turned around. Marisol was lounging on the leather sofa, in another one of Tom’s black bathrobes. She waved and laughed. Behind her, Jessie emerged from the guest room and started to wander towards us.

Tom dished the omelets onto four plates, beside the bacon and toast, and handed two to me. We walked to the breakfast nook, where Jess and Mari joined us.

I spoke through half a mouthful of bacon. “Okay, what happened last night? I get the feeling I’m the only one not filled in. Jess- did you know The Magician?”

She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. “Not before last night, but Tom does. He coordinated the whole thing.”

I swallowed, took a sip of milk. “When, how?”

Tom slid his phone across the table. I looked at the screen, showing a text from Jessie. ‘Hey tom, your dates sleazing on my boyfriend.’ He laughed. “I was actually having second thoughts about Becky before last night, but already had four tickets to the show. Jess just confirmed my hunches, and things kind of went from there.”

Mari laughed. “He texted me, I showed the boss, and we had a quick call to come up with the plan.”

Tom took his phone back. “I told you I felt better when I was halfway home. Anyway, I messaged Jessie to make sure she led you guys to the right bar. You didn’t think you got into a private party completely by chance, did you?”

“Err…” I’ve been called Mr. Oblivious before.

“That reminds me-“ Jessie reached for her purse, keyed in the code on her phone. “Yep… Here, Tom, check out the video. These eggs are fantastic, by the way.”

“Thank you!” Tom watched; the sounds of last night’s party drifted across the table. “That explains a lot,” he looked at Mari.

Mari looked at me, swallowed, and offered me her bacon, which I accepted. “Bob- the driver- and me unwrapped Rebecca and deposited her in Tom’s bedroom.” She smiled at my unspoken question. “Yes, whole.”

I was still confused. “You didn’t really- how- there’s no way she could have actually been…”

Tom slid the phone back to Jess. “Rick, it’s The Magician. You know he never reveals his tricks.”

Marisol giggled. “And if I did, he’d make me into sushi next.” She ate another fork-full of omelet.

“But Mari, weren’t you, um… with Rebecca?”

She swallowed again, tapped her chest. “Actress!” She grinned at Jessie. “But if you two ever want a threesome…”

Jess pulled me over to her. “Mine!” she laughed playfully.

Tom sipped his coffee. “With Mari, it’s not swinging both ways so much as it’s paddle ball.”

We laughed. Tom continued, “Anyway, Becky and I had some words, and I didn’t notice at first, but Mari stayed behind in the bedroom for yet another show. And she applauded as I showed Becky to the door.”

I took a swallow of coffee. “That explains the screaming earlier.”

“Yes- I don’t think she’ll want to see either Tom, or me, again.”

“Marisol. You’re shameless.” Tom said with a straight face.

“Always!” She grinned.

We all laughed and finished breakfast.

*

Oh yeah- the last loose ends. I did take up the Magician’s offer to help me propose to Jessica- at his next show. On stage, as promised. You wouldn’t believe how he produced the ring. And of course, Jessie- both halves of her- said yes.

But that’s a whole other story…