Verial 147

Chapter 3:Alex Charleson

                              As I step out of the elevator I nod at Matthew and turn the other way. I turn around to try to get one last view on him, but he is already consumed in the crowds of people. I approach a waiter and grab a glass of white wine, handing him a 20 I turn away. I head to where I assume the verials would be, and the center of the whole place. 

            There stands a table, with powerful looking men sitting all around it. There are only two open chairs and I hurrying to the closest one. I observe the man next to me. Deep purple coat with matching tie. Rough beard, yet trimmed. Looks to be a medium build, yet he wrenches of authority. I get a weird feeling from him, although he doesn't seem verial. He looks to be winning, with a large stack of chips in front of him. Yes, this is the type of person I would expect from a poker table. He looks at me as soon as I sit down. I opens his mouth to speak, showing gold and silver crowns. "Sweetheart, the big boys are going to play now, come back in a bit." I scoff and look him dead in his dark eyes, "Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you." The men around me laugh and I smile, then frown, quickly turning my gaze from the person sitting in what used to be the other empty chair. But I can assure you I didn't miss his piercing blue eyes pointed at the ground. 

                 I look back up the dealer, a 30- something African american man with a red suit and large build. "Deal me in." He grins and shuffles the cards, "Five card draw good." That catches my attention, "Little bit basic don't you think?" His grin turns into a bigger one, almost creepy looking now. "Then I expect you to win." I nod as he begins to deal the cards to his left, "no-limit-5-card" he gruffs. The people around me nod as I do the same. 

          Once my cards are out in front of me I pick them up, keeping a poker face all the time. As I look around though I notice certain players showing emotions, and I notice that purple suit beside me sees them too. The person to the left of Mr. Big Red folds straight away. Blue eyes besides him brings the starting bid to 350. By the time it reaches Purple Suit beside me its 500. He has a mischievous glint in his dark eyes and he smiles at me, raising it to $1000. I look down at my cards, keeping my poker face and raise it by 100, hoping to make him believe I am intimidated. He looks at me, "Wrong move honey, a fold would have caused you much less loss." I ignore him completely, analyzing Blue Eyes across from me. He's hiding a smile, and doing a damn good job at it, but I see it for a second, until he realizes his mistake and looks back up from his cards. It's then that I quickly turn my head away. 

                         The man beside me completely folds, giving our dealer a shot, who raises it to 1250. The man to his left switches out 3 cards, blue eyes switches two, and the man on his right switches three as well. Purple suit draws 2, as well as me, leaving our dealer, who draws 3 like the others. As the next round of betting begins our starter folds, Blue Eyes looks up at me this team, knowing I've made him, his voice is clear though, when he raises it to 2000. Purple Suit grins a sly smirk, fully confident. He looks at me, " 25,000." The dealers grin disappears, replaced with shock. I keep my face ready though and when my turn comes I show that I'm thinking about it, then open my mouth, purple suit besides me is smiling a ghastly smile. I then speak, "50,000." 

                And just like that his grin lowers just a bit. Blue eyes across the table looks surprised, yet fights another smile. The dealer looks at me and grins, "Fold." When blue eyes has the chance he looks at me, then folds as well, leaving just me and Purple Suit. When he has the chance he calls. He still holds his smile though and when the dealer says to show our hands, he shows what I should have been afraid of, a six, then four 10's. So when it's my turn I naturally do what I think to be the most dramatic, I smile a sickly smile, then play my cards, first my seven, then my four Queens. Just like that Purple Suit beside me grin disappeared. The gasps around me draw a crowd, but I get up. I nod at the dealer, grab my money, and turn and walk away.

I know that Blue Eyes will follow me, I'm counting on it. I cut through a dining table and slip a knife from in one of the napkin holders. I hold it steadily against my arm. I turn down a few of the topue painted halls, and step into the musty stairwell.

I close the door behind me a take step behind it. Waiting for Blue Eyes to step through the door. I hear his footsteps approach. Each one getting faster. He opens the door quickly and looks around, not knowing where I've gone. It's then that I slam the door shut and wrap my arm around his neck, hold the knife to his throat. I turn him so he's against the wall, with my hand against his throat. His feet are on the ground, but my other arm is elbowing him in the stomach, giving him no chance of escape. I then look him dead in the eyes. My brown ones glaring into his. I growl at him, "Who the hell are you?"

He looks at me, a little scared, but not quite shook. He seems to be trying to be strong. "Alex," he coughs, "Alex Charleson." I push him harder against the wall,

"And what the hell do you want?" I gruff. He again looks at me, he seems a little scared now.

"What do you mean. I came here tonight to play poker, gain a couple hundred. Maybe even take home a girl." I knee him where the sun don't shine. Not even lightly, I definitely hear a crunch. He groans, definitely in pain. 

              I hiss into his ear, "You know that's a lie. Or have you just coincidently been following me everywhere." 

              He seems the almost smile at me, but I know he's in pain, he spits some blood onto the ground "What can I say, coincidences are what life's about."
            I dig the knife closer to his skin. "I don't believe in coincidences." He gulps, "So you better tell me what you want in the next ten seconds, or I will kill you, and I know exactly where to hide a body." 

              He looks up at me, his eyes still piercing, now filled with pain. "I want to help you find Knight." I get rid of a little pressure from his throat. "I know your getting a team together, and I want in. "

I look at him, "And why do you want in?"

"Knight killed my little sister. I was 19, she was 5. I've spent the last three years after it trying to figure out how to kill her."

I note in my head that he's only two years older than me, then I stare at him, "You're not verial, "

He looks at me, "I know, I'm not a great asset, but I know enough."

I breathe in deeply, then breathe out, "Can you shoot a gun?"

"Any kind,"

"Have any money?"

"Enough,"

"Height?"

"6.2"

"Weight?"

"197"

"G.P.A?"

"Was 3.9"

"Have any family?"

"None, not after my sister."

"Can you drive?"

He looks kind of puzzled, "Yeah?"

I give him one more look over, "I'll have to let Matthew give his opinion," I let him go and conceal the knife in my bag. "But if he says it's fine," I shrug out my hand. "Welcome to the team."