Ace gambit

Ace of clubs

Chapter 2
Ace of clubs

Behind the massive wall that split the massive sectors apart lies the expansive city of the club district, the sounds of music and people enjoying their lives. A utopian life style where your worth is equal to your rank, a magical ensign engraved on their hands. A four leaf clover with a number of your value stated and directly connected to your status in the district. Though many people among the billions that live within would say they are content until they let their greed get to them.

The sound of slot machines chiming and ringing with victory as people rank up to the sounds of people screaming and yelling at the machines as they lose for the dozens of time burning their hand as they watched their rank drop. It's an ever shifting game.

"It's been a pretty hectic day hasn't it?" A man said to the bartender. The half finished cigarette in the ashtray as the bartender hands off another beer to him.
"I couldn't tell you honestly, I'm not the one who spent most of his time on the slots and drinking himself at my bar into a depressed stupor." The bartender said coldly as he watched the man take the beer in hand and down half the bottle before setting it down. The squeak of his stool from him adjusting himself to keep from falling off. "Yeah well how would you feel if you lost 3 of your ranks in a single day. You have no idea what it's like. I'm drowning myself in cheep shit, when I use to enjoy my high quality drinks. It disgust me."

"And yet, you keep drinking it. And as for your ranks, face facts you lost your luck, get over it and go play a different game. You might end up getting good at the other machines, hell try the tables. The dealers are stern but they don't cheat people." The bartender said as he turned back to the bottles on the shelf cleaning out several glasses and polishing them to a shine.

"Damn it, I can't take it anymore! I need my drink! My real drink god damn it!" The man shouted as he took another sip of his beer but finally just slamming it down into the bar with enough force to launch some of it out the top like a slam fountain. "HEY! Knock it off! When you win! You will get your drink! I won't tell you again."

"I'll show you! I'll place a bet!" The drunk said as his head shifted up to look at the large tv screen over the bottle wall. The sight of a woman who was rather small in size, was in a tight boxing uniform up against a big Brutish man, his face covered in hair from his beard to his chest as he slammed his fist into each other the soft top of his boxing gloves making them bounce back. "Ladies and gentlemen of the crowd! Are you ready for the fight of the night!?" The sound of the crowd from the speakers meshed with the sound of other crowds in the higher ranked areas. Only a hand few of men and women at the area he sat in watched intently as they watched the tv screen. Each of them slightly running their hands through their casino coins as the pondered to bet.

"She facing facing lumber Jackson! He fought his way from rank one to rank 10 just to face the jack of clubs, I would say it would be fitting if he won but I doubt it."

"Why do you say that?" The drunk said slightly slurring his words as he tried his best to focus on the statistics. "Jade is undefeated, there's something about her that screams her superiority in hand to hand battle. But no one can get close enough to figuring it out. Some say she comes from diamond district but she won't say because it's an unreal advantage. But even if she does say she is, she could just lie to keep people from fighting her all together because of that place. It's a lose/lose match."

The drunk reached down into his pocket and pulled a pouch of casino coins. "Place me down for a hundred against Jade, lumber jack will take her down."

"Are you really willing to throw away your chance at a better life on a single fist fight?" The bartender said, "I'm not losing my chance, I'm gaining it, imagine if lumber jack won against the undefeated Jade then my prize would shoot me up to the top, maybe even passed the King. I don't know about you, but playing it safe? Isn't something you can do around here."

The bartender turned around to him and looked sternly at him as he slammed his hands down on the bar. "We are down here because our luck has run out. Cash out before you lose it all you drunk." The bartender said glaring at him.

Though the drunk eyes where swiveling everywhere it was clear he was determined to place his bet. "Just do it and give me another beer."

The bartender sighed with a narrowed brow as he backed up and placed his hand out to his as they bumped their knuckles as he recited the bet back to drunk. "You, rank one choose to place all of your coins in to this next match, against Jade the ace and for lumber Jackson to take the win?"

"Yes,"

"Deal on." The bartender said as he pulled his fist back as he placed his hands over the pouch and turned halfway to look up at the tv. "Ladies and gentlemen last call for all bets! The first round is about ready to start. But before we do let us get a word from our ace and his opinion on the match."

The sound of fan fair, hundred of people screaming and shouting as the camera pans over to a large double door.

They opened up with a large man, built like a wall that had to duck down under the doorway as he took up the screen, a Snow White button up collared shirt clashing drastically with a black blazer and dress pants, a suit specially made to house his size. The only contrast was the pitch black fingerless gloves on his hands that where clenched into a fist and a pair of black and gold sunglasses that contrasted with his short jet black hair. A true sensation of menacing in carnet. While on the other side a woman younger beautiful, with a black dress that was open on one side up to her hip that ran down to her ankle, a red rose designed etched into the lower half, but not drawing anything thing away from her upper body with a large bust that was partly covered by a thin veil that ran over her shoulders contrasted slightly by her bright red lipstick and her bright red hair, but she had a black patch that ran across over one of her eyes. A red rose etched into it as well but was swiftly over powered by the sight red piercing eye that made everyone go silent with just a glance. A soft smile on her face as she looked down at her note book on a clipboard she held up red nail polish contrasting slightly with the bright steel of the clipboard and the crystal necklace that draped down almost between her breast. She swiftly scribbled down some notes as she turned slightly to hold the door as did the big man.

"Queen scarlet and king Psycho has come to guide our ace of clubs!"

The sounds of the casino seem to fade away slightly as they all watched the tv intently. The sound of chain could be heard as the lights dimmed and a spotlight forced on the doorway. The pitch black of the hall was slowly lit up as a foot with highly dazzled dress shoes could be seen as the light reflexes onto the walls. The suit pant leg dazzling like glitter, as one half was half and the other black.

The world stood still as they waited for the rest of the suit to push it way out of the hall. The shoes turned slightly till it was turned all the way around till it looked like it was going to step back into the hall only for it to step slowly into the spotlight. The shadow moving away as it revealed a black jacket with golden glitter and stitching around the cuffs and jacket edge. The light dazzled even harder as it showed a large diamond encrusted four leaf clover with the "Ace of Clubs" written over it as the ace stood fully engulfed by the light as he raised both hands up and snapped his fingers.

"You wanted me, now you got me." He said softly as it echoed through the room exploding into fan fair and cheers as he spun in his heal to reveal his silver hair covering half his face with a smug smile and gold sunglasses