What Happened In Praia de Luz? // tom harlock ✅

Section Four: Reputation

"Poker?" Tom asked, as Leonardo and crew drove Tom back to his holiday apartment.

"Poker. It's exactly like the movies, Tom, which you don't hear that often." Leonardo pulled into a parking space, and Tom showed the men inside. "Tonight is the only chance you'll get to go up against Dead End, unless you want to wait four business days, and I'm assuming that you don't. You win the big game, and you'll have some leverage. No money has to change hands unless you want it to, and you just have to be a brave soul." Leonardo was quite the talker, Tom was coming to learn.

And Tom most definitely needed more lemonade if he was going to be able to play poker against a gang.

Some of the guys started helping him get better at bluffing, and playing poker in general, and Tom was sure that he was going to sweat through his jean jacket, but it also seemed pretty lucky, so he wasn't going to leave the apartment without it. All of them were also mildly concerned at the fact that the only playing cards that Tom had were One Direction ones, and Tom was playing Harry Styles by Harry Styles in the background as a primer for the concert tomorrow night, but it was all fun and games really, until Leonardo drove Tom to a building even sketchier than the trap house, and dropped him off at the curb.

Leonardo and the gang were well nice, if Tom was being honest with himself.

Then, Tom walked inside and down the stairs. His heart pounded in fear, but he wasn't going to back down. His niece was not going to be a sex slave. He rather liked exploiting her for views and likes. Tom used humor in this moment, and in many moments in his life, to protect himself from his insecurities, which at this moment were made up of the fact that his jean jacket was still covered in cheeto dust, which led to awkward stares, and he also looked like he didn't belong in a underground poker game.

Instead of it being small rounds of poker, leading up to the game with the big boss, it was one big game, and at the end of that the winner got to play against the big boss. And Tom knew that he was most likely going to lose.

The wallpaper was peeling off of the walls. It smelled like fish. Tom thought that a sex trafficking ring would have more money to spend on such a place, but he digressed.

And apparently the training had helped, because Tom was coasting through the game with a decent hand, and he barely even noticed that he won until the boss tapped his shoulder.

"Come with me." He said. Tom's stomach lodged into his throat, and he followed the tall man down a hallway to a room with a slightly better smell. "What do you wish to gain from winning a game with me?"

"My niece Lilli. She was abducted this morning from a shop, and I want her back." Tom held his head high, holding in tears, because this man was extremely intimidating.

"Ah." The boss said. "A noble cause. Because you are a tourist, I may have more leeway with you." A deck of cards was brought out, and a security guard had Tom empty his pockets. The One Direction playing cards were put onto the table, as well as Tom's camera. "One Direction? Your niece a fan?" The boss asked.

Tom was more of a fan, but, "Yeah." He said. "We're going to the Harry Styles concert tomorrow."

"I am taking my two daughters tomorrow as well." The man flashed a cruel smile. "Where are your seats?" The cards were passed out - Tom did not have a good hand this time, but he was hoping that he could bluff his way out of this predicament.

"Section B." He said, and his voice shook. Damn it.

"I'll make you your deal now. You give me your tickets and I'll let your niece go. No game necessary." Tom's heart sank. He could save his niece, but at the price of giving up his Harry Styles tickets?

"I'll consider your deal after the game." Tom said, demeanor hardening. In that moment, it became really serious, and the boss knew that Tom was bluffing, and when they both laid down their cards, the boss won. The two of them shook hands anyways.

"Because you're a tourist, and you have desirable tickets, I'm giving you until 9 A.M. tomorrow to decide whether or not to take the deal. I'll meet you at the waterfront warehouse of Marquez St. 9 A.M." The boss left then, and Tom trudged outside, where Leonardo was waiting for him.

Back at his holiday apartment, Tom told the group about what had happened, and they all urged him to give up the tickets. "We should find a scenario where I get my niece back and I get to keep my tickets." He said desperately.

"Funny story." One of the guys said. A guy who Tom recognized as having the name Danny. "My wife is a housekeeper at the hotel that Harry Styles is staying at. She got his autograph and sold it for $200 bucks this morning."

A great big smile lit up Tom's face - he had an idea. "Brilliant." 

A/N: Hey, how y'all doing today? If you have any good Tom gifs or just funny gifs in general, I would appreciate it if you would put in the comments of this chapter because I like gifs.