Heroes For Hire: The Gang Wars Trilogy Book 1: After Midnight

Chapter 8: The Big Game

Luke Cage was led into the guarded back room of The Roaring 20s. The rattle of poker chips and the noxious fumes of blue cigar smoke filled the air. Sitting around a large oak table, with three of Hammerhead's cronies is a beautiful young redhead with a beehive hairdo shuffling a fresh deck of cards. Big Rock, Blackwing, and Gimlet. Hammerhead's personal associates. Gimlet was a top lieutenant who had been around since before Hammerhead came to lead the branch. Big rock, and Black wing, while their exact rank within the criminal organization was unknown, had quite the reputations. Gimlet, an older balding man in a fine olive suit rose to shake Luke's hand. "youse must be Sam! I hears you cut a mean deck. Sit down, let's get started." Gimlet said pointing towards a vacant. Seat between Big Rock and Blackwing. Luke's disguise seemed to be holding together.

Luke sat heavily between the two gangsters, an unseen woman carrying a tray of assorted alcoholic beverages appeared at Luke's side and asked him for his drink order, and he received a small bourbon on rocks. After taking a sip he placed his glass down on the conveniently already place coaster.

"You're gonna need some chips to play, Gimlet commented. "$10,000 buy in."

When Luke Cage had heard that this would be a high stakes game he had no idea just how high the stakes would actually be. But, everyone in that room was supposed to be a fairly wealthy man with plenty of dirty money to throw about in whatever direction they please. Luke reached into his pocket and withdrew his wallet. Careful to hide the inner ID card, which revealed his true identity, he emptied the leather holder to make the minimum amount of chips. The drink purveying waitress took his bills and handed him a small stack of 2 assorted chips. 1 was a stack of five white and blue$1,000 chips, with a single black and yellow $5,000 chip.
Once he had his chips before him on the table the game began. In a flurry of movement the dealer opened a fresh deck of cards and began dispensing each of the 4 players 2 cards face down. These were called the players' 'hole cards', and essentially their hand. The game appeared to be Texas Hold 'em. The most popular variant of poker and one of the most widely known card games amongst gamblers. Each of the players then slightly lifted an edge of their cards to check the value of their hand. Luke had a Jack of Hearts and a 6 of Spades before him.

During his multiple periods of incarceration in Blackgate prison amongst other places, Luke spent a lot of time learning and playing card games. It killed time and, depending on the game kept his mind active in a place where it was entirely to easy to completely atrophy. After literally hundreds upon hundreds of hands at Poker, Rummy, Cribbage, and Casino Luke got tired of all the shuffling and went on an impromptu hiatus from playing card games. However, it was his first opportunity to use what he had learned behind bars. He hoped he remembered enough to not lose his own ass before the end of the night. Jessica would be mad enough if she knew he had given a criminal organization $10,00 to play a few hands of Poker.

"Youse can start it, Sam." Gimlet nodded, meaning that it was on Luke to make the initial bet or the ''small blind' as it was referred to in the game.

Playing it safe on the first hand, Luke dropped a singular white and blue chip before his cards. Next, putting forth the big blind, Blackwing threw out 2 white and blue chips. Doubling up on Luke's bet and making the pot an odd $3,00. "So, where's your boss, Hammerhead at? Ain't he the reason I'm here?" luke asked Gimlet.

"He's on his way." Gimlet retorted.

"Might as well play while we wait, huh? While we still got a chance at winning some money."

The other 2 goons laughed.

Then, Gimlet tossed out 2 white and blue chips of his own. Calling the bet. Big Rock peeked at his 2 cards once again and then shoved them towards the dealer, shaking his head in disapproval. A fold. With the initial betting actions made, then came 'the flop'. In the center of the table the dealer placed 3 cards face up for the 4 players to see, and one more face down beside the deck. A 10 of diamonds, a 7 of clubs, and a 2 of hearts. After the flop the action resumed to the left of the dealer, and Gimlet as well as Big Rock checked, meaning they had no desire to place anymore money on their hand just yet. Luke Cage looked at the men gathered around him. Notorious crooks and vicious card sharks. He couldn't afford to play a risky hand and be out of chips before Hammerhead even showed up. Considering this was only the first hand in what could be a long night, Luke Cage politely folded and bowed out if the hand. Blackwing however raised, doubling the last $2,000 bet with $4,000 of his own. The dealer collected the chips into a pot by the deck and performed 'the turn' in which a fourth card is laid face up for the players to use to construct their hand. A 4 of Spades. Gimlet boldly raised to a daring $8,000, which led Big Rock to fold and Blackwing to call. So, finally came 'The River', the point in which could completely change favor. Dealing the fifth and final face up card. An Ace of Hearts. Gimlet and Blackwing stared each other down and both eventually called. All bets placed and the hand over the two remaining players revealed their own two face up cards. Blackwing had a 3 of clubs and a 6 of hearts. Gimlet however flipped over a 10 of hearts and a 4 of spades, giving him two pairs and the hand. In a fit of greedy cackling Gimlet stretched across the table and slid the pot into his own pile, now $15,000 richer. Blackwing scowled angrily.