An Unlikely Hero

It seemed to be like any other mundane Monday at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. Everyone was at their desks, trying to get through the nine to five workday. That is until the door to the office busted wide open and a man in a ski mask holding a gun entered. Creed immediately gunned it for the back exit.

"Freeze and put your hands where I can see them!" the masked perpetrator yelled. Once everyone had listened to his orders, he announced, "I'm looking for a Michael Scott."

"Oh brother, what did Michael get himself into now," said Stanley under his breath, rolling his eyes.

"I'll go into his office and get him," Jim offered.

The masked man nodded his head, allowing Jim to advance towards Michael's office. Jim opened the door to his office and found Michael in the dark, glued to his computer screen with his earbuds in.

"Seriously, you've been holed up in here watching videos while there's a robber outside?" Jim asked incredulously.

"Robber? I hardly know her," Michael said, without skipping a beat.

"Michael, this is really not the time for jokes. There's an armed man in a mask out here asking for you," Jim said, unfazed by Michael's low-hanging joke.

"Oh alright, I'm sure it's just a simple misunderstanding," Michael said as he got up and opened the door to his office.

"State your business please, my good sir," Michael said to the masked man.

"I'm here to collect what's mine, otherwise known as the $10,000 you owe me," the masked man said accusatorially.

"Woo-wee that's a lot of money. Does anyone know what this guy's talking about?" Michael asked his employees, looking around. Murmurs of negation filled the room.

"The online poker games you've been losing so badly at," the masked man quipped.

"Poker? I hardly kn-" Michael tried in vain to replicate his earlier joke, as Jim interrupted him.

"Alright Michael, you're making this a lot harder than it has to be," Jim said.

"That's what she said!" Michael blurted out.

"Welp, guess I walked right into that one," Jim said defeatedly.

"Anyway, I thought it was an online card game like Solitaire or something. All the money I was betting was just for fun," Michael reasoned.

"The website is literally called 'Legitgambling.com'," the masked man pointed out.

Frustrated sighs emanated from the employees in the room.

"Common mistake, I'm sure. Regardless, I don't have that kind of money," Michael admitted.

"Well, you'll have to come up with it somehow. But I'll propose a deal to you: we play a game of poker and if I win, you owe me double, but if you win, I walk out of here and we never speak of this again," the masked man reasoned.

"Well, you've certainly given me much to think about," Michael said.

Dwight shot his hand up in the air. "Michael, I'll do it! I'll play for you!"

"Is there anyone else? How bout you Kevin, you're good with cards aren't you?" Michael questioned.

"Oh sure, I've played a little here and there," Kevin said, giggling to himself. Angela rolled her eyes.

"Alright, you're on then," the masked man said.

"To the conference room!" Michael announced. Everyone filed in reluctantly and took a seat. Kevin and the masked man sat down at the table in the middle of the room.

"Ooh, can I be the dealer, Michael?" Dwight questioned.

"Sure, knock yourself out," said Michael.

The first cards were dealt, and the game was underway. Each player was engrossed in concentration, calculating their next move, trying to outwit the other. The tension mounted with each passing hand; the air thick with anticipation as the pile of chips in the center of the table grew larger.

"Seeing all these chips is making me hungry. Michael, do you think you could bring me a bag of potato chips from the kitchen?" Kevin questioned.

"Kevin, do you really think you need to eat a whole bag of chips?" Michael retorted.

"I don't know Michael, do you really need to walk out of here alive?" Kevin quipped.

"Fine," Michael said, defeated. He made his way to the kitchen, and when he came back, the room was no longer hushed but was now filled with low chatter.

"All in," Kevin said confidently, as he pushed his remaining chips to the center of the table. The entire room gasped in disbelief. The masked man threw his cards, defeated, as Kevin revealed a royal flush. Cheers broke out, and Michael's could be heard over everyone else's.

"Well, I know when I've overstayed my welcome, so I guess I'll be heading out now," the masked man said, walking out the front door.

"See ya, sucka!" Dwight yelled after him.

"Alright everyone, back to work," Michael said contentedly to the office.