Edgerunners2077

UNKNOWN:30

[POV UNKNOWN]

District: Unlisted

LUC(K)Y 7 BRAINDANCE LOADING....

...

A rusty stairwell creaks at the weight of feet trampling upon it. Pitter-Patter. Water, a leaky ceiling or a faulty pipe. The room below is pitch black save for the recessed lighting casting a purple glow along the shifty floorboards. Murmurs ahead. Voices, a lot of them by the sound of the crescendo. There is a hint of music muffled by thick walls, playing in the background somewhere in a distant room. 

Looking down my hands are gloved in sleek black leather. I'm shaking, not from fright but excitement. I get to the end of a hall with a marked door painted red across its surface. I reach for the handle and twist it, the screech of the door swinging ajar gives my blood a thorough pump to my chest with a jolt as my eyes feast on what's inside. 

Masked men huddled around tables with cards and playing chips. Roulette wheels spinning with the click of the small white ball bouncing around the wheel. Slot Machines sound off with the familiar dialing up jingle that sang to the ears with anticipation and risk. Cigar smoke among other sorts of intoxicating drugs pollute the air. Alcohol held the glasses of many. The view is absolutely delicious! 

I head straight for the Roulette Wheels and signal for the bartender to hit me with a beer. I'm a regular judging by the way the dealer grants me a friendly smile. Chips piled up beside me as I slide the table girls some eddies and get to work. There are 4 other players at this table, all wearing the same pale half masks as everyone else. Their faces aren't on display, but their wealth sure was. Diamond rings, Rolex watches, the finest suits money can buy. I was amongst Night City's most elite.

All bets are placed on the table, chips line up with corresponding numbers. First game is always a low bet. The gamblers get a feel for each other, not only focusing on their ability to keep a poker face but the eddies as well. Money and power are the only things that show face in this room.

The Dealer spins the wheel, and the ball is off spinning around and around as the call for No More Bets is placed. I wagered my chips on all Odd Black numbers with 7 being my lucky number. You see, prizes for this particular casino are different from the rest. A gamble of money exchange for sexual services. All is fair with a little wager and black-market commodities. All bodies were bought and sold by the spin of a wheel or a one hell of a hand in cards. Even the bottle girls were pawns in the skin trade, they were just well-behaved. But I'm not interested in the average piece of flesh. What I want is behind Door #7. She is the reason I accepted the invitation to tonight's festivities, despite my busy schedule. The owner knows just how to lure me in with my unique taste for dainty things and little a power struggle. 

....

LUC(K)Y 7 BRAINDANCE TIME SKIP

....

It takes hours to hit and thousands of eddies burned, but the ball lands across the board on my mark late into the evening. I've wasted so much betting on the same spot, taking up the same space at the same table with a rotation masked faces as competition. They didn't matter of course, no one here did. Except her. I take my earnings from the Dealer. Not chips nor tokens to exchange for cash. A key, with the Roman Numerals VII on the keychain. I feel palms get sweaty beneath the leather gloves as I reach for the golden key and squeeze it out of sheer excitement. She's mine! A euphoric victory better than money, better than drugs. Insulating me with dominance and power.