⊹ ｡ ﾟ⁖✦ •𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘰 𝘈𝘜⁖ °✦ ･ﾟ⋆

Chapter 5

It's 7:59pm.
Adam and Jonah are sitting in Jonah's suite on the bed. "I don't think this place is even that bad! I mean, we get free food, it's a hotel and we don't have to pay for anything, it's a roof over our heads, I think it's great." Jonah proclaimed. "I think I'll consider this a win."

Adam shifted position to glare right into Jonah's eyes. "Dude. We're dead." Jonah sighed. "Yeah, then there's that." There was a knock at the door. Cesar's signature knock. "It's eight pm!" He chirped through the door. "So?" Jonah chuckled. "Did you forget?" Adam whispered, "we have to play games with Crazy Cesar." "Oh, right," Jonah sighed.

"What if we just...don't?" He whispered back. Adam giggled mischievously. "Maybe we should try and find out!" The two guys bump fists, but suddenly the floor beneath them gives way and they fall down into darkness.

They end up in their seats at the card table. Cesar is standing there shuffling cards. "Ah! There you are!" Cesar said. "A little late, but late's better than never!"
"What. The. Fuck." Adam growled out. "Look, I just care about you guys a lot." Cesar claimed. Mark gave out a skeptical groan in response and rolled his eyes. "No really, I do!" Cesar continued trying to defend himself.

"Yeah, I don't know man. We're kinda being kept here against our will, so what you're saying sounds like a load of BS to me." Said Jonah. Cesar took a minute to respond. "You're entitled to your own opinions. But I am always 100% serious." He set half of the deck of cards down on the table. "Tonight we're playing poker! Pick your poison." "Is there actual poison?" Adam quipped mischievously.
Jonah snickered. "Ha-ha, very funny Murray," Cesar responded. "I was purely being metaphorical. But even if there was, it wouldn't do anything to you! It would just be like drinking water." Adam slouched back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Let's play!" Cesar called out.

They finish playing a few rounds of poker. "Good games, everybody!" Cesar said, placing the card deck back in his coat pocket. "This was fun! But I don't remember what the big deal is with these games." Jonah says, walking over to Cesar. "Oh! I may have forgotten myself. You showed up at a different time!" This catches Mark's attention. He's been thinking that everything in the place could have some deeper meaning...maybe Cesar would explain it more with someone else around.

Adam stands waiting for Jonah. "Well since we're all here, I'm more than happy to go over this again." Cesar clears his throat. "The important thing to remember is that you don't want to lose." "Why's that?" Adam asks. "Cause you're a sore loser!" Jonah teases. "The real reason is because otherwise you'll have to go visit my uh...special friends downstairs! It really is something that should be avoided." Cesar explained. The other three look at Cesar, still confused.

"God, can't get one thing answered here?" Adam sighs and turns to leave. With or without Jonah, he was tired.

"When you say special," Mark spoke up, "What do you mean?" Cesar looked at Mark with a straight face for a minute before saying anything. It was like he had to come up with a cover story... "Don't worry about that! Heh!" Was all Cesar said back, smiling once again.

Mark looked down, a bit disappointed and nervous, thinking about what Cesar could be hiding.
Jonah shrugged. "Well, I'm going to bed, bye!" He turned and ran to catch up with Adam, who was already climbing the stairs.

The next afternoon, Mark, Jonah, and Adam are sitting at a table in the sunlight in one corner of the library. "I just can't stop thinking about what Cesar was saying—and not saying—last night." Said Mark. Adam sighed. "I know. It's annoying." "Yeah, I don't get what the big deal is. Why does he feel the need to keep secrets?" Jonah added. "You guys have any theories?"

Mark and Adam exchanged looks. "Actually," Mark replied, reaching down and picking up the notebook he was gifted when he arrived to the Mandela Casino/Hotel.
Adam raised his eyebrows in interest.
Jonah's eyes widened.

This was the first of several secret meetings the three would have. Their discussion topic every time? Cesar and the hotel as a whole.