English Bay Blues: A Mass Effect Prequel (Shenko)

Chapter 2

Earth/Canada/Vancouver, B.C.

Earth Year: 2173 CE

Kaidan breathed a sigh of relief as he shed his casino uniform for the last time in the privacy of the staff quarters of the casino.

Damn but he was glad to be out of here, he thought. As he changed into his more comfortable street clothes, the tension he'd been carrying all night dissolved as shrugged into his jacket.

The job lead he'd received earlier that week had panned out. He'd been offered a position as a personal bodyguard for an asari ambassador at the Alliance Embassy on Vancouver Island.

No more bright lights, no more casino noise. No more rich people flaunting their power as they dropped more credits in an evening than he made in a month. It grated on his nerves how some people chose to behave, as though the galaxy owed them something, or that he personally should bow down to their power.

They wouldn't feel so smug if he decided to toss them across the room with his biotics, he thought grimly. Not that he'd ever do it.But some days the temptation to knock them down a peg or two sure was strong.

Returning his staff ID and pass to his supervisor, Kaidan paused before returning to the casino floor. A small group of business men had entered earlier, and he'd watched as they had worked the room.There was nothing extraordinary about them, yet he felt something was off about how they had been going from table to table, winning as they went.

Since cheating was nearly impossible in a high-tech casino environment, he couldn't figure how they were managing to win so often. But since no alarms had been triggered and no one else seemed to notice, there wasn't much he could do about it.

Sighing inwardly, he moved to intercept them, deciding at the last minute to join them when he saw they had settled at the poker table. Hesitating for only a moment, he thought, 'hell with it.'

"Got room for one more?" Kaidan asked as he approached their table.

"Sure, sure. Have a seat young man." Replied a tall, gray-haired man who stared back at him with steel-coloured eyes, his smile never quite reaching them.

"Thanks." Kaidan replied, seating himself.

"What's your name?" The gray-haired man queried.

"Kaidan."

"Interesting. I'm Tony Abbot of Abbot Industries. These," he waved his arm in the direction of his companions, "are my business partners. George Abbott and Trent Augustus."

George was a heftier build than his brother and though seated, it was obvious he was also much shorter. He sported a receding hairline, ice-blue eyes and a dark beard that showed no signs of aging.

Trent was a dark-haired, tanned man with an athletic build. His dark eyes stared back at Kaidan without warmth or kindness and gave the barest of nods in his direction.

"They don't talk much." Tony commented as Kaidan searched for something to say. "So?" Tony asked. "Up for game of cards with the likes of us Kaidan?"

"Sure, I love cards." Kaidan replied casually, adding a slight slur to his speech. If they wanted to play this game, bring it on. I'll oblige them and clean them out in the process.

He smiled warmly, pretending to be oblivious to the tension and animosity they exuded and were making no effort to disguise.

"Well damn!" Kaidan exclaimed as he lost the first round, letting a frown of confusion and disappointment play across his features. "I was sure I had that one..."

"Hmm." Trent mused. "I hope that doesn't mean we've scared you off? Surely you'd like to try getting back some of those credits. Care to try again?"

"Oh definitely! Just gimme a minute," He slurred, getting to his feet and stumbling a bit as he moved away from the table. "Gotta hit the boys' room and grab another drink. Be right back."

Shuffle-stepping away from the table, he moved to the bar and ordered a drink. Nothing more than blueberry juice and soda, but they wouldn't know that.

He could feel their eyes on him, boring into his back, watching as he shot back the drink and grabbed at the counter, pretending to lose his balance.

He still wasn't entirely sure why he was doing this or even what the three were up to, if anything. But for the moment he was enjoying himself - something he hadn't done in a long time and he wanted to make it last.

Keeping up his act of inebriation, he stumbled off in the direction of the bathroom, knowing full-well the men at the table were watching his every move.