Bunny was decked out in a clinging outfit in brilliant white and hung on my arm like I was the most important thing in her life. More than a few envious eyes darted from her to me and back again.
No one was kidding anyone, though, as to who the center of attention was. You guessed it. Me! After all, I was the one on my way to lock horns with the legendary Sen-Sen Ante Kid on his own terrain ... a card table.
Bunny had chosen my clothes for me, and I was resplendent in a dark maroon open-necked shirt with light charcoal gray slacks and vest. I felt and looked like a million... well, make that a quarter of a million. If I was going to have my head handed to me tonight, I was at least going to be able to accept it in style... which was the whole point of this exercise anyway.
I didn't even try to match Aahz's strut, knowing I would only suffer by comparison. Instead, I contented myself with maintaining a slow, measured, dignified pace as I nodded and waved at the well-wishers. The idea was to exude unhurried confidence. In actuality, it made me feel like I was on the way to the gallows, but I did my best to hide it and keep smiling.
The crowds got progressively thicker as we neared the Even-Odds, and I realized with some astonishment that this was because of the game. Those without the clout or the money to get space inside were loitering around the area in hopes of being one of the first to hear about the game's outcome. I had known that gambling was big at the Bazaar, but I never thought it was this popular.
The assemblage melted away before us, clearing a path to the door. I began to recognize faces in the crowd, people I knew. There was Gus waving enthusiastically at me, and over there...
"Vic!"
I veered from our straight line and the whole procession ground to a halt.
"Hi, Skeeve!" the vampire smiled, clapping me on the shoulder. "Good luck tonight!"
"I'm going to need it!" I confided. "Seriously, though, I've been meaning to stop by and thank you for your warning about the Ax."
Vic's face fell. "You might have trouble finding me. I'm about to lose my office."
"Really? Is business that bad?"
"Worse. There's an awful lot of competition here."
"Well, tell you what. Why don't you stop by my place tomorrow and we'll talk. Maybe we can work out a small loan or maybe even subcontract some assignments until you're established."
"Gee. Thanks, Skeeve!"
A sudden inspiration hit me. "Come by around noon. We'll do lunch!"
It seemed like a really good idea to me. I wondered why businessmen hadn't thought of talking out ideas over lunch before! For some reason. Vic winced before returning my smile.
"Lunch it is," he said.
"Umm ... I hate to interrupt, partner, but you do have an appointment you're supposed to be at."
"Right, Aahz. Vic! Tomorrow!"
With that, I allowed myself to be ushered into the Even-Odds.
A ripple of applause broke out as I entered the main bar and gaming room, and I barely caught myself from turning to look behind me. For me or against me, the people were here to watch the game and if nothing else were grateful to me for providing the evening's entertainment.
Terrific. I was about to risk a quarter of a million in gold so that folks wouldn't have to watch summer reruns.
The club had been rearranged since the last time I was there. One card table stood alone in the center of the room, while scores of people lined the walls. While the crowd outside might have been larger, the group inside the club made up with clout what they lacked in numbers. While I didn't begin to recognize everyone, the ones I did spot led me to believe that the ‘Who's Who' of Deva was assembled to watch the game. Hayner, my landlord and leader of the Devan Chamber of Commerce was there along with his usual clutch of cronies. He nodded politely when our eyes met, but I suspected he was really hoping to see me lose.
Don Bruce was there as promised, and raised his hands over his head, clenched them together, and gave them a brief shake, smiling all the while. I guessed it was some sign of encouragement. At the very least, I hoped I wasn't being hailed with some secret Mob death sign. Of course, that didn't occur to me until after I had waved back.
"Skeeve. SKEEVE! Have you got a moment?"
I glanced around to find the Geek standing at my elbow.
"Sure, Geek," I shrugged. "What can I do for you?"
The Deveel seemed extremely nervous, his complexion several shades off its normal hue. "I ... you can promise not to hold a grudge. I promise you that tonight was none of my doing. All I did was make the arrangements after the Kid issued the challenge. I didn't give him your name... honest."
To say the least, I found his attitude surprising.
"Sure, Geek. I never thought you ..."
"If I had known it would lead to this, I never would have invited you to my game in the first place, much less..."
I was suddenly very alert.
"Wait a minute. Geek! What are you talking about? "
"You're out-classed!" the Deveel explained, glancing around fearfully. "You don't stand a chance against the Kid. I just want you to understand, if you lose all your money tonight, that I didn't mean to set you up. I don't want you or your crew looking for me with blood in your respective eyes."
Now, as you know, I knew that I was out-classed. What intrigued me was that the Geek knew it, too. "Geek, I think we'd better..."
A loud burst of applause and cheers interrupted me.
By the time I got through craning my neck to see what was going on, the Geek had disappeared into the crowd.
With that discussion closed, I turned my attention again to the subject at hand.
"Who's that?" I said, nodding toward the figure that had just entered the club.
Aahz slid a comforting arm around my shoulders.
"That's him. That's the Sen-Sen Ante Kid."
"THAT'S the Kid???!!"
The man in the door was enormous, he was huge ....hat is to say, he was Massha's size. For some reason, I had been expecting someone closer to my own age. This character, though, was something else.
He was totally hairless, no beard, no eyebrows, and completely bald. His skin was light blue in color, and that combined with his fat and wrinkles gave the overall impression of a half-deflated blue bowling ball. His eyes were extremely dark, however, and glittered slightly as they fixed on me.
"That's the Kid?" I repeated.
Aahz shrugged. "He's had the title for a long time."
The man-mountain had two bags with him which looked very similar to the ones Aahz had carried for us.
He handed them casually to one of the onlookers.
"Cash me in!" he ordered in a booming voice. "I hear there's a game here tonight."
For some reason, this brought a loud round of laughter and applause from the audience. I didn't think it was all that funny, but I smiled politely. The Kid's eyes noted my lack of enthusiasm and glittered with increased ferocity.
"You must be the Great Skeeve."
His voice was a dangerous purr, but it still reverberated off the walls. He moved toward me with a surprisingly light tread, holding out his hand in welcome.
The crowd seemed to hold its breath.
"... And you must be the one they call the Sen-Sen Ante Kid." I responded, abandoning my hand into his grip.
Again I was surprised... this time by the gentleness of his handshake.
"I just hope your magic isn't as good as your reputation."
"That's funny, I was just hoping your luck is as bad as your jokes."
I didn't mean to be offensive. The words just kind of slipped out before I could stop them.
The Kid's face froze.
I wished someone else would say something to change the subject, but the room echoed with deathly quiet.
Suddenly, my opponent threw his head back and laughed heartily. "I like that!" he declared. "You know, no one else has ever had the nerve to tell me my jokes stink. I'm starting to see where you had the guts to accept my little challenge."