CHAPTER 1

          VEGAS. Sin City. Fun City. Pleasure City. You can get everything you want your own way here. People are drown in their own business, their own pleasure. Laugh everywhere. Earning a lot of money just to get fun. Some of them only sit on the corner of bar, order some drink while look around, and the other just try their luck on the gambling table. And the rest, including the casino managers, the dealers, and the bartenders, just do their ordinary routine. Throwing smile to the customer, do their best service as their own job description. The lights. The crowded people. The jackpot machine sounds. The atmosphere. Nothing’s different from the other days.

            Marco, an Italian, a young bartender is preparing some drink while looking at the corner room. Corner table. Baccarat table. Not a special scenery. A guy with black coat is playing there, is surrounded by his man (bodyguard). They always stand around him, as if many killers target him. Marco shakes his head seeing all those things. “Life is never easy,” he mumbles. He or the other staff in this casino call him “the boss”, without knowing his real name. As he knows, during he works at this bar, the boss had has earned a lot of money for this casino. He rarely wins. Or maybe never got the victory. But seems like he doesn’t give a damn at such those things. The boss is still always enjoy the game, as if he has gold mine which is more than enough to cover his losing. Marco and his friends always assume, the boss come and play not to other than showing off his power. To make people “afraid” of his presence. To make people keep the distance from him. Just like an ordinary mafia or gangster boss, in common. Marco guess that since the boss always plays private. Indeed, neither the boss nor the casino never restrict another player to play in the same table with him; however since all the people know that the boss prefer being a sole player in the table, noone will come to dig their own grave, don’t they?

            But Marco thinks tonight will be different. Something is about happens.

            He can feel the atmosphere is a little bit different when a dark clothes guy with black glasses and hat come toward Allan direction. Allan is a casino supervisor for the current table where the boss is sitting and playing. Allan feels fishy as well. “No...no...no...no... Don’t came here. Go and just look for another table. This is not your place,” Allan speak to himself silently. But it was only empty hope. The guy he never met before just slowly down come into the table and seem he find a lot of empty spaces there. Allan realizes the situation is definitely might be worse if he doesn’t tell this young guy to stay away and choose another table.

            “I’m sorry, Sir,” Allan greets a little bit nervous. “Would you mind looking for another table?” He forces a smile. The guy stops his step and Allan hopes he will listen to him and turn around to seek another table. But the guys just looking at him, as if asking for the explanation.

            “Isn’t there more space for another player? I don’t see those chairs occupied,” the young guy pointed some empty chairs in front of him with his eyes, while both of his hands still inside his jacket pocket, playing his own chips.

            Well, you stubborn! Don’t you get my sign? Again, Allan talks silently. He sighs.

            “Errr... No, Sir. But...,” Allan tries to explain, while still hoping this stupid guy would listen to him because he may not give him a make-sense reason.

            “Ah... I see... Are you worry I don’t bring enough money? Don’t worry, I bring a lot of money. And I’m sure I won’t lose tonight. I guess today is my lucky day,” the stupid young guy giggles on his own opinion. His left hand drags on one of nearest empty chair, while the other hand shows bunch of chips he took from his pocket to wipe away Allan confussion.

            Errr... Today would not be your lucky day, today would be your worst day instead, stupid guy! Allan can’t imagine what will happens next, since he can’t find another way to stop this guy. But out of his expecation, the boss finally talks,”Let him join this game.”

            “Thank you,” the stupid guy throws a smile to the boss and sit down immediately.

            “Let’s see wheter today is your lucky day or not,” the boss talks to the young guy and Allan feels it like a threat. But this stupid guy... Does he realize it? And again, Allan feels very uncomfortable as he follows the both players play some sequences. Even the most idiot person in the world should know that this young guy always puts his bet on the opposite side of the boss. Anytime the boss chooses Banker, this stupid guy always chooses Player, and on the contrary, anytime the boss puts the chips on the Player, the guy always puts his chips on the Banker place.

            Allan is questioning himself,”Does this guy don’t know how to play, or this feeling is just always in contrary with the boss? Or... the stupid guy just did it in some purpose?” Errrgh, Allan can’t find a reasonable answer. Allan is frightened when he hears the boss cough. It’s really not a good sign. Both player has played the game for one round, take almost an hour. Allan and everybody in that room really can feel the change of atmosphere. As game goes by, this young guy just more often won the game. And of course, he has pay very much for this.

            The boss suddenly hits the table, burst into anger.

            “Who you think the hell you are? You have to pay much for disturbing me!” As the boss gives sign to his bodyguard to give some lesson to this stupid guys, the stupid guys just jump from the chair, avoiding the strike. And Allan just drops his jaw, witnessing what is actually happening in front of year.

            “Impossible. This isn’t a Jacky Chan movie,” he mumbles. While people in that room begin to panic and start to escape themselves. They don’t want to be trapped in the middle of chaos. What occurs next is really unbelieavable for Allan or anyone else watching it. This young guy easily avoids the attacks and just counter attacks his enemies. He just some air jumping to avoid some attack and as Allan see, there’s no useless movement from this guy. All of his movement is just hit on target and efficient. Really awesome. Impressive. Who the hell the guy is?

Allan is questioning himself again. Within not more than twenty minutes, all of the bodyguards has been lying down in the floor, , and some of them even are unconscious. Bruise and bleed everywhere, especially from their noses. With one hit, this young guy just knocks out the boss, grabs some item from his coat, and runs away. Allan still can’t believe what he just witnessed. He even feel got , can’t move his body at all. He feels like his foot just sticks on the floor. That was so great! Unbelievable!

            This guy just reduces his speed after he finds himself is in the safe place. He controls his breath, normalizes his breath, and swip away his sweat. He smile a little, knows he just got succeed for his mission. And oh... The long blonde hair just falls down as he takes his hat away. And the eyes... Two beautiful sharp eyes. Ouch, who is owner of this amazing creature? “He” is a girl. Stunning, y, beautiful. And little bit cold. Then, as she feels some vibration in her pocket, she immediately reaches her mobile and hangs up the incoming call.

            “Jessica, how is everything?”

            “Everything is allright. Mission is accomplished. All I want now is rejuvenating myself, eat some burgers, and then go sleep.”

            There’s chuckle sounds over.

            “Arasso. See you soon,” the sound ends the short conversation. And Jessica just heads to her home, smiling satisfily.

tbc