Fate is the Game

Most of the time people gamble with their wallets. Sometimes, they gamble with someone else's wallet, other times they gamble with no wallet at all; they gamble with the only thing a penniless man can give: their soul.


Benny Trillo found himself upside down hanging from the ceiling by what can only be described as a rusty chain that has seen better days. His hands were bound behind his back, his face dangling a few feet off the ground. As he attempted to get his bearings, he noticed blood dripping off the tip of his nose onto the ground into an expanding pool. Judging by his liquid insides below him, he had been hanging for awhile. The room was dark apart from the stationary light shining into his face on the ground. From his peripheral, a doorway appeared in the dark as two men entered wearing blue button down shirts, both of which had a gold badge pinned above the pen pocket on their chest.
"Would ya look at that Jimmy?! Our boy's awake." The other man grinned, revealing teeth that suggested his parents were not of the well- off variety or they didn't love him enough to shell out the dough.
"Can I do it this time Vince? I promise I'll do it right this time."
"Na, we're gonna ask our friend here a couple questions first."
Benny's head was throbbing as his mind whirled trying to figure out how he had gotten here and what the hell was going on and then it hit him. It came back to him in a flash.
"I take it your boss wants his money?" Benny asked with a smirk. Vince put his fist into Benny's gut. Benny heaved and let out a muted grunt.
"Oh we're past that Benny boy." Vince replied presumptuously.
Benny was a gambler and not a very good one because he had lost a lot of money to the wrong people.
"I feel like this isn't a good business practice," Benny quipped. Good one, he thought to himself. Vince delivered another blow to Benny's stomach.
"Got any more jokes funny guy?" There was a pause. "I didn't think so."
Benny raised his head with challenging eyes.
"Can you let your sister know I'm going to be late tonight?"
Vince's smirk faded as he grabbed the bat leaning against the wall.
Vince approached Benny quickly, raising the bat into the air. Benny held his gaze in defiance, awaiting the blow.
"That's enough!", A voice unknown to Benny demanded. Benny saw the look of respect and fear in Vince's face as the bat fell to his side.
"Yes sir, sorry Mr. Gambino", Vince uttered with a shake in his voice. Backpedaling, Vince melted into a shadowing corner.
"Aww we were just getting to know each other Vince!", Benny quipped.
Mr. Gambino stepped into Benny's view, revealing a man in his early fifties, black hair speckled with grey and white with leathery tan skin and a muscular build implying this man was no stranger to hard work and sunshine.
"My name is Marcus Gambino. I own D'oros." Marcus said with a thick Italian accent. D'oros was one of the biggest casinos in Monaco.
Benny's head was pounding. "I could tell you were important by the wet spot on Vinnys pants." An uneasy shuffling sound came from the corner Vinny had whimpered off into.
Mr. Gambino smiled. "Bravado will not save you from the hand of death."
The blood on Benny's face was starting to dry. "Benny laughed out loud, "You sure wear pretty rings for being the hand of death."
Marcus swiped the back of his right hand across Benny's face, reigniting the run of blood.
"You must've learned how to hit from your wife. She likes it rough... I mean I wouldn't know. That's just what my friends tell me."
Marcus grinned. "You owe me a lot of money Mr. Trillo, and I intend to get it back one way or another. I know what you are. I know that, for the right price, you will do anything.
Benny's attention narrowed. "Alright Mr. Digiorno, you've piqued my interest."
Marcus ignored the jab. "I have people that I need taken care of and do not want that kind of exposure. I will trade you your life in return for your services. We will call it an even slate."
Benny knew in his mind that his only way out of this predicament was to accept this offer. Although the thought of working for a sleaze like Gambino didn't have any appeal, he was right about doing just about anything for the right price, and his offer was more than the right price. He though about his friend Andy who had told him he should stop killing, that it would come back for him some day. He didn't say anything about gambling however it was the killing business that was going to save his life this day. Oh the irony. I should really stop gambling, he thought to himself. Nearly Benny's entire face was covered in half dried blood now and his head hurt more than ever from the abuse he endured at the hands of dumb and dumber who were still hiding in the corner.
"I assume a "Go fuck yourself" would be the wrong choice to make here." Before Marcus could respond, Benny continued. "Well lets get to it then. If I hurry I can still make it in time for that date." Benny winked in the direction he thought Vinny was sitting.

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         Benny was relieved to get out of that dark room. Vinny and his underling had taken him back to near civilization and was sitting in Mr. Gambino's office where there was a large one way window overlooking a massive casino floor with flashing lights and spinning reels and hundreds of lost souls trying to strike it rich, letting their fate be decided by chance.
Benny's face had been cleaned up and the only sign that he nearly punched his ticket was a few dried blood spots on his white dress shirt and a few small cuts on his head and cheek. Mr. Gambino sat across the desk, facing Benny with four cards sitting out in front of him face down. The backs of these cards looked to be plated in gold with D'oros etched in silver down the middle.
"The ones I need to disappear are written on the face of these four cards. You will have 48 hours to take care of each one. I will let you draw which will meet their maker first."
"Lucky me." Benny said caustically.
Benny leaned forward with effort, wincing in pain from what was most likely a cracked rib, and reached his hand out towards the cards. Not averting his gaze from Marcus's, he moved his hand fluidly back and forth over the four cards. The weight of Benny's decision was not lost to Benny. He fully understand that someone else's fate was in his hands, literally. Benny slipped the card second from the right between his thumb and index finger and sat back into his seat. He looked down. A queen of hearts. He examined the card, taking in the golden edged queen and the sparkling red rose in her hand illustrating empathy and vulnerability. It is said that the Queen of Hearts represents the Goddess of Family. His eyes drew to the name inscribed on the card and realized the irony and that this Queen was no exception. A sharp pang shot through Benny's chest. Benny blinked a few times, thinking that maybe he had read the name wrong.
Marcus must've sensed a change in Benny's demeanor.
"Have anything to say, ragazzo divertente(funny guy)?" Marcus offered, stone faced. "You have 48 hours, better not waste any more time."