GAMBLE

Chapter One : Collateral

Nebulon

:

Ras Adrien sat across from Cyril Key at the card table, staring at him intently. Ras drummed his fingers on the wood surface very slowly as he watched the other man curiously.

"Once again, Cyril, you've bitten off more than you can chew."  Ras smiled, a sad condescending sort of smile as he said, "Your card skills have become abysmal, yet you don't know when to quit." 

"Quit?" Cyril's tone was defiant, his eyes however showed his panic. "I'm good for what I owe. Let's play one more round and –"

"No." Said Ras.

"I'm good for it." Cyril's voice quivered, rife with the passion for gambling and with the fear of Ras. 

"No." Ras Adrien's tone was firm and final, "You're not good for it. You owe me for half a year's losses now and I've been very patient... very patient and very tolerant... but now I think you take me for a fucking fool."

"No!" Cyril exclaimed and swallowed nervously. He glanced to his left to look at Ras's youngest son, Lucas, and the boy was staring back at him with no expression that Cyril could decipher. Behind Ras stood a man with a gun, the weapon deliberately visible in the jacket of his suit, and the man too stared at Cyril, his eyes hard and dangerous. 

Cyril looked back at Ras, "I have – I have the means to pay if you just give me a few days.... I'll have the money for you." 

"I'm not taking anymore 'I owe you's' from you, Cyril. If you can't transfer the amount right now, then we have a problem." 

"I don't have that kind of money readily available to me, Ras, be reasonable."

"Reasonable!" Ras raised his voice, "I think I've been reasonable enough. I've let the debt slide as a friend, but now I want what's owed me. I think that's reasonable."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry – yes, Ras, you've been a good friend – listen, please listen... the house has some priceless and valuable artifacts, my late wife was a collector... they could... you're my friend, listen, or there's... or..."

Ras leaned forward, suddenly interested, "Or? There's what?"

Cyril's eyes darted to Lucas and then again to the man with the gun.

The man was Tanner Kyle, and he just needed an excuse to pull that trigger. His employer just had to say the word.

Cyril licked his lips nervously, and with feigned solemnity he glanced at Ras, "Would you trust me to have what I owe you in a week.  And... and if – "

"I already said no."

"And I'll give you something precious now, as collateral."

Ras leaned back, "And what could you possibly use as collateral that's valuable enough until then, Cyril?"