Shark of Spades

I Would Give My Anything

Riding in the car when someone other than me was driving was just plain weird. Even though Evan and I are oddly in sync on most accounts, we were still different people. For instance, he actually read the little  numbers on the signs and applied them to his life. Yes, he followed the speed limit.  What was I going to do with him? And then there was the fact that he listened to the radio (some old guitar-heavy thing was on right now and  preventing me from my intended sleep) while I preferred silence. Everything I've done since I ran away has been to keep me safe, cautious, and under the radar, all because I was a girl.

And yet Evan of the X-chromosome lived freely just because he was arranged different genetically?

I sighed, giving up on faking sleep. "Evan, sometimes I'm so jealous of you that it hurts."

He actually managed to look surprised. "What do you mean, Mi-Card?"

I shook my head, turning back to the window. "What's your plan from here?"

"I already told you that I can't tell you where we're-"

"Not that," I said dismissively, as though I were calling the shots. "I mean what's your plan in general. About the file. About me."

"Well, what was your original plan?" he asked, even though both of us already knew,  evident by simultaneous glances towards the briefcase in back.

"Amass a fortune, and live like a Queen until I died or, more likely, was brutally beaten, or alternatively shot, to death," I answered calmly, and Evan just rolled his eyes.

"I miss the days when you had human emotions, Card."

"So what, Evan? They're overrated."

"They didn't use to be," he said, smoothly flicking his eyes at the road. "I  still remember the times when you smiled and laughed and cried. They  were real."

I yawned. "Get over yourself. Next thing you know, you'll be marveling at how I've grown since you last saw me."

Out of nowhere, Evan just seemed to pause the conversation, creating a large space of awkward silence before abruptly saying, "Misa, you know I'd give my anything for you, right?"

I stared at his profile for half a minute before turning away and ignoring him, although we both knew that I'd gotten the message. "Whatever. You need a new name. I can't call you Evan when we're working."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the only way I'm keeping you is if you bring in cash."

"So this means..."

"Temporary truce as business partners. Now hurry up and pick a name before I pick one for you."

***

We ended up as Card and Ace, a matching pair of sorts.

***

We arrived in another town, another motel, another place where we were just blank faces that would be forgotten altogether too soon and yet  never soon enough.

When we pulled into the parking lot, Evan made me  wait in the car while he made our arrangements. After waiting for ten minutes, I noticed a nondescript car pull into a space across the lot, and struck with an ominous feeling, I grabbed my gun and briefcase and went inside, asking about the man who had just checked in and locating our room, knocking on the door and slipping inside as soon as he opened it.

He gave me a strange look before sitting down across from me at the small kitchen table. "Look, Misa."

"Ace, get in the habit of calling me Card from now on. If you slip up out there, you've killed me."

Panic seemed to flash in his eyes, but he hid it quickly. "I understand. Then I'll call you Card. Anyhow, my plan is to put out an ear and find out if there's any big stakes we can join in on. We'll sweep the cash and be out of town before we even lay down the winning hand."

I nodded, shrugged. "Sure. Just give me a heads up when we have to go. Oh, and one other thing."

"What's that, Card?"

"Make the arrangements for three."

"Why three?"

A knock on the door.

"That's why," I answered. "Hide. Hurry."

Without questioning me, he crawled under the bed as I went to open the door.  Outside was Jack, looking vaguely unsettled. "Can I come in, Card?"

"After what you did last time, asshole? No."

"I promise I won't do it again."

"You could be bluffing," I said, shrugging and leaning against the door frame. Truth be told, his actions hadn't bothered me much. I hadn't even thought about the incident at all. It simply wasn't important. However, if I could use his emotions against him and put the ball in my court, give me the advantage...then I would.

"I'm not, and you know it," he replied, his eyes clear. "Don't you believe me?"

Once again, I shrugged noncommittally. "Listen. The only reason you're still stealing this world's supply of oxygen is because I happened to have  left my gun in the motel. Otherwise..." I shrugged yet again. "I can't be so sure that you'll survive. I made a mistake once. It will never happen again, I can guarantee you."

"So what you're saying is that you're hazardous to my health?"

"Jack, your breakfast was hazardous to my health. Now shoo." I made a flicking gesture, but he shook his head.

"Listen, Card. There's a game going down tonight."

"How many slots open?"

"Four, as of now. I haven't confirmed anything with my contact yet."

I nodded. "Book three spots."

"Why three?"

I  sighed, opening the door wider and motioning for him to come in before shutting and locking it (plus the chain) behind him. "You can come out  now," I announced, seemingly to the room itself, but then Evan slid out from underneath the bed. I closely monitored Jack's reaction, watching his eyes just barely widen, not enough to be noticeable to anyone except someone who knew him well and could read him even better.

Evan and Jack stared at each other, Evan looking pissed and Jack looking...like his usual entertaining self, walls back up as he strutted his stage.

"Why do we need him?" both of them asked at once, resulting in Evan glaring and Jack grinning.

"I need you," I said, pointing at Evan without looking at him, "because you know my identity and you're good at reading people. I need you,"  I continued, repeating the gesture, only towards Jack this time,  "because you've got contacts everywhere. Plus, you're a professional." I turned towards Evan. "Sorry, but your face sucks."

"What?" he asked, completely confused.

"You let your emotions play out way too much. I can't have the game resting on you, but you'll make a good pawn for me to use."

Evan looked unbearably sad, his face still displaying more emotion that I was comfortable even seeing. "But Card, if we don't have emotions, then we're not human. What's the point in living without feeling?"

My expression didn't change as I eyed him tiredly. "It's not called living, Evan. It's called surviving.  If you tell me to show emotions, then all you're doing is handing me  over to the government yourself. Just shoot me in the head and end it faster."

My eyes were locked on his, but I wasn't looking at him so  much as through him because I knew that if I turned slightly, I'd read Jack's eyes and see that he agreed with me, and I didn't want anybody else having to agree with me, not on a statement so awful but true. So I didn't look. I convinced myself that it was better that way.