The House Always Wins

Chapter 23: Gambling Kills

Freddy waddled back to the office and went back to counting earnings from each game of chance. Months went by, and business was a lot slower than usual, mostly because the customers kept dying. Maxi went into his office one day and saw a tabloid on his desk with the words "I know everything" drawn on it. Maxi walked out of the office and into the lobby. No one was present. Not even Freddy. Maxi sprinted around the casino with the tabloid in his hand, looking for Freddy. He searched everywhere, and Freddy was nowhere to be found. Just as Maxi started walking back to his office, the front casino door busted open and two men walked through with a duffel bag and guns. It took Maxi a second to realize who they were, but it soon became very clear. It was Freddy and Eli. Maxi was shocked. "How did you get out, Eli? And you Freddy, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you." Eli pointed his six-shooter at Maxi and said, "This place is no good. Word got out that you were killing people in here, so that's why you got no customers. Freddy told me about you. You are a sick man. Nearly 90 years old and still kicking. Freddy and I are significantly younger than you, so let's make a deal. Seniority no longer rules. You step down and I'll let you live. You don't step down, and well, let's just say that you will die a slow death. Deal?" Maxi withdrew his beretta and started shooting at Freddy and Eli, but missed almost every shot due to his terrible balance. A bullet hit Maxi in the left knee, knocking him down. He collapsed in pain and dropped the gun, and as it hit the floor, the final round came out and hit Freddy in the stomach. He fell onto the brown tile floor of the casino and told Eli to finish off Maxi. Eli dropped his gun and walked toward Maxi with the duffel bag, giving Maxi a fear he did not know he had.