Chapter 172 - Blackjack

"You heard me," nonchalant, Staxius stared Jason with confidence.

"Sprinkles," bothered for an instant, the bartender gathered back the lost composure. Sprinkles was a well-known group, one of many talented individuals who obeyed the most gifted strategist to ever work for the Dark guild. Her name and real identity were never disclosed, people knew her from a cupcake tattoo on her neck. Merciless, cold and ruthless, anyone without exception who ticked her off was killed without a say. Daily, where ever she may be, five top guards would remain behind – their gaze ever so piercing and fingers ready to fire.  

"Did Karlson speak to you about that group?" from shaken to now pouring drinks, Jason masterfully handled the customers.

"Let's just say I was tipped off by a bird," he was bound to secrecy – revealing from where the information was obtained could only bring misfortune.

"Well, tis thy call," the face attended a boorish looking man whilst the finger pointed behind. A clue, a hint; to which Staxius followed. "-cupcake," a faint whisper later, Jason attended the rest.

'I see,' Staxius now faced a table hidden thanks to the dim light, one in the farthest corner to the left of a hallway. 'Will it be wise to ask a so-called top gang of assassins to help in moving furniture?' the concept felt foolish on its own. Despite that, no care was given – the drink finished; he walked over.

"Here comes the bloodshed," Jason sighed.

Stood with the eyes portraying death, he waited for a response. Though dim, visibility got better, a lady dressed in black with a cupcake on her neck played cards. Five guards lounged around the couches whilst she went against a man. One who wore glasses but bound by rope.

"Show," the dealer, one of the bodyguards spoke. Royal flush for the lady and a low-pair for the man.

"Guess that's your cue," she sat with her legs crossed then altered the posture.

"P-please," the man lost, panic set in, the survival instant of fight or flight, the forehead moist from sweat and heat. It reflected what little bit of light emanated from the room itself.

"A deal is a deal," she leaned forward and rested her right elbow on her legs. The thumb and index held her chin, it looked as if she thought but the stance meant something else. It meant that there was no going back. "Guard," she leaned and regained the prior position, a gun was pulled out by the dealer.

*Bang,* not wanting to see a head blown off, she looked away.

"Come on people," a hand caught the projectile, "-this isn't the place to cause a mess," an uncommon voice spoke, the victim lived.

"WHO STANDS THERE," the dealer changed targets.

"No need to get riled up," the bullet placed on the table, the guards quickly gathered around their leader. Her eyes slowly stared at the man who made quite an impression.

"Who might you be," she said in a voice worthy of a leader, it had power.

"No one worth noting," he replied monotonously.

"T-thanks for saving me," the tied man smiled, the lives saved and threat gone, he looked up to take a peek at the visage of the savior. Eyes cold and emotionless, *crack,* a stomach-turning sound echoed gently.

"Peculiar, may I inquire as to why that man had to die after getting saved?" she remained confident, the room hid Staxius's face partly.

"Jason said he didn't want bloodshed, therefore, killing the man without causing a mess would have been easier than firing a bullet," the body slouched, it lost all strength. With a little push, it fell on the ground. As imposing as ever, Staxius sat at the table and rested both legs on the dead body. No respect for the dead, he didn't care – an image and a strong impression was key.

"Calm down men," she sighed – the guards sat. "-may I ask to why one such as you decided to intrude in our business?" underneath, frustration from someone disturbing the talk slowly took bites off her composed demeanor.

"I have a favor to ask, Jason over there said Sprinkles might be of help," a lie which piqued her interest. The conversation continued; a game of blackjack was set-up by the dealer.

"Depends on the job," cards were distributed.

"It's quite an easy task," he checked, king of clubs and king of diamonds. The goal of that game was to get twenty-one, the face cards were worth ten points, which made the total twenty.

"Is it killing someone?" she asked and tapped twice on the table, the dealer gave her another card.

"Not really, I need people to help move some stuff out," he tapped – most people would have decided to stick with twenty, the dealer gave a card.

"Are you serious?" she felt insulted, the men were ready to fire.

"Show," the dealer remained level headed,

"Twenty," she proclaimed with a smirk, this game which seemed foreign to the conversation had a deeper meaning. A power struggle; the battle between her and Staxius.

"Nineteen," the dealer said, both waited for Staxius. Not wanting to spoil the game just yet, he flipped over one facedown card; the king of clubs.

"Let's make a deal," he asked, the face changed from neutral to someone trying to keep his fear hidden. A face subtly lit with nervousness; emotional control at its finest.

"What kind of deal?" she picked up on the fear slowly oozing, 'I've won,' in her heart, it was set in stone.  

"If I w-win this game, you'll listen to my demands without question. I won't pay anything; you'll provide the stuff I need," he asked in a less confident tone – it seemed as if trying to act tough. 'I've really done it this time,' he sighed; the gaze lowered at the floor.

"And if I win?" her tone coy and face neutral.

"You've witnessed what I can do – I'll join the Sprinkles and do anything you ask from me. Also, I m-must mention that, if I win; the demands will be permanent. It's basically a game-deciding who wins over the other." From inside the shirt, he pulled the various badges, "-an alchemist, a silver-ranked adventurer, and a powerful individual; all of my talents will be a phone call away." The way Staxius spoke and mannerisms were subtle, not overly obvious – it felt natural.

'All that over a game of blackjack,' she thought, "-I'll consider your offer if you reveal another card," the voice serious, she held the advantage of the game and atmosphere, a crowd gathered around.

"O-ok," the voice cracked, behind, since the game began, Karlson and Jason watched over very intently. They witnessed everything that transpired, a smart and talent strategist against the man named Shadow, this game quickly became the talk of the bar.  

"Staxius lost," Karlson whispered, the opinion spread around the crowd swiftly.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked since the leader was well-versed in the ways of gambling.

"He did a good job trying to deceive her, trying to act tough and confident. Sadly, he doesn't know that she can read human emotions as if a book. Even I can tell that he's lost, look at the subtle mannerism and tone, it's one of a man putting everything on the line. A desperate attempt to escape – the fabled fight or flight.

"On one condition," he looked over at Karlson, "-I want the boss to acknowledge and formally bind us both in a contract and serve as the witness." It seemed normal, either party could back out, with the influence of someone powerful behind, all had to obey.

"Flip over that card and I'll decide," she remained adamant – her eyes remained fixed on Staxius's which faintly tried looking away from the cards. A subtle motion that signified that one wasn't happy with the results.

"S-sure," the cheeks move defiantly, her eyes remained on the target and analyzed every single detail.

"The king of diamonds," the dealer said, he flipped over two cards, "-the total is twenty," the game was as well as gone.

There laid seven cards in total on the table. The ace of diamonds and the nine of clubs for the lady making the total twenty.

The ace of clubs and eight of diamond for the dealer making the total nineteen.

'The game is won then,' she thought, Staxius felt on edge.

"I'll act as a witness to this game if both parties agree to the aforementioned conditions," Karlson spoke out and stepped closer, he looked at Staxius with disappointment. *Tsk,* he looked away defiantly. All those movements were subtle and invisible to most n.a.k.e.d eyes.

After a few seconds, 'I've considered all the possibilities; the outcome is in my favor no matter how you look at it. The man might be powerful but a fool, others might have been deceived but not I, I'm the strategist who went from zero to famous in a week. Gambling is my bread and butter, no one will ever defeat me.'

"I agree to Staxius's term if he wins the man controls Sprinkles, and if I win, I control him and get access to all he owns," her stance felt relieved, a gamble with the odds in her favor.

"Alright, both parties have agreed," the deal was in, everyone gathered around that table. The murmurs and whispers helped to sway emotions; all were dead-set on her being the winner.

"Please show your card," the dealer asked with pride, he knew that Staxius lost.

'People are so easy to manipulate,' he smiled, the aura changed. The card flipped and revealed the Ace of Spade.

"IMPOSSIBLE," she could not believe it," her eyes glued to the card, the others were thunderstruck by bafflement. The king of clubs, the king of diamonds and the ace of spades – it totaled twenty-one. The probability of that happening was slim, there were only four cards worth one point in a deck of fifty-two cards. With two others playing, said probability was reduced even further, from the scared little sheep, he changed into a wolf. The game had been in his hands from the beginning, dark-arts wasn't used to influence the other's emotions – rather it was used on himself.

"BUT HOW CAN YOU WIN, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE," she wanted answers and so did the others.

"It's simple," the legs now rested atop the table, "-I manipulated you from the beginning. Having beaten the man at poker, you had confidence that all your calls would be accurate. Paired that with my subtle movement that felt sluggish and novice like, you fooled yourself into thinking that I was oblivious. Authority over the table had been yours. Demanding for I to flip over the second card gave you an edge in the negotiations. Not to mention the cards on the table itself, the probability of me being bust was all too much," a cigar lit, one-handed over by Jason, "-this is where the crowd comes in. You people thought that I had lost; it's a thing called groupthink; you were influenced and blinded by the people around us. Any opening I had were covered up, and frankly, there were some inconsistencies in my actions but the groupthink phenomenon cleared me of any doubt. Therefore, dearest gifted strategist – you were beaten by yourself and the people surrounding us," he smiled, no one could believe their eyes.

"As the witness of the duel, I proclaim Staxius the winner, leader of Sprinkles you are to become his underling starting now," Karlson could not believe it, unknowingly – he played a massive part. The rumor of Staxius losing stemmed from the boss himself, the groupthink originated and spread throughout.

"WE REFUSED TO HAVE OUR LEADER BE DEFILED BY YOU," the guards picked up arms and fired.

*Death Element: Absolute Barrier,* the projectiles stopped, "-normally I'd have killed for that act of indiscretion." The bullets fell, "Tonight is an exception, thou art mine own commodities henceforth," he replied coldly, they were being treated as objects.

The lady sat with the eyes of a dead person, "stand-down everyone, a contract is a contract," she sighed, the posture slouched – a defeat that gutted the confidence fully. The crowd slowly dissipated, "-come by Jimmy's Stuff at daybreak tomorrow. Bring some trucks and get a warehouse ready, the details will be given then and there," he stood and walked.

"Finish the rest," the cigar was handed to Jason on the way out.  

"No bloodshed, thanks for not making a mess," the bartender yelled, the figure vanished into the night. 'The queen of gambling dethroned over a single hand of blackjack, welcome to the organization,' he smiled and dried wine glasses.