18
(Season
2 Episode 7)
The
Show
Sidney, in her Savannah outfit,
watched as the small group of spectators found their seats, getting ready to
watch the second round of the illegal poker super bowl.
Harrison Foote took his seat as
well, an ear to ear smile on the face of the small toad-like man. He had everything to be happy about.
This man was high stacked and
primed to win the whole thing.
Sidney had a mind to agree. She had plenty of time to watch the other
players during the prior day’s fold fest. No one, including Savannah, had the real
ability to take down Markov. The man was
a rock and Sidney was getting one bad hand after another.
Sidney wasn’t sure if she could
beat Markov, even if she wasn’t being cheated.
The pale Asian woman, Lilly, and
the well rounded black man, Theodore, remained in the game. The cowboy had been sent packing the day
before. After Sidney had bluffed out the
cowboy, Savannah had smelled blood and went in for the kill, taking the man out
while he was on tilt.
Sidney had not bothered to learn
his name.
Things looked bleak for Savannah’s
scam and, in turn, Sidney’s well being. If it continued this way it would be a matter
of time before Markov picked them off one by one. Sidney had yet to find a tell or even see him
flinch. They had bitten off more than
they could chew.
It was at that point that the
day’s dealer entered the room and walked nervously to his chair at the center
of the table. He had a light sheen of
sweat on his skin and his hands shook lightly. Sidney also noted a small bruise on his right
cheek.
Sidney looked to see Mr. Foote’s
reaction and she could tell he noticed the bruise too because, at that moment,
the casino owner’s smile faded and he suddenly leaned forward.
Sidney thought Hank couldn’t have
done a better job. He had put the fear
into the dealer without hurting him too badly to make it obvious. This did wonders for her confidence because
this also confirmed that she was not alone in this terrible situation and that
Tobias and Hank were out there running the game.
Sidney snuck a glance at Savannah
who was in her Sidney outfit across the table. Savannah stared at the dealer
then snapped a harsh glance at Sidney.
Sidney couldn’t resist and winked
at her.
The dealer announced the rules of
the game and the current chip amounts of each player. He then burned a card and dealt the first
hand of the day.
Pair of nines in the pocket.
Sidney smiled as the bet came to
her. “I do believe, I’m going to have to
get serious. I raise.”
All of the players snapped
attention to Sidney. Even Markov eyed
her. She had been a dead fish through
the whole game the night before, but now, in the open hand she raised.
The game had changed.
****
“What the fuck happened?” Harrison
muttered under his breath, trying not to attract attention.
His assistant, the scantily clad
dark haired woman named Stephanie stepped up. “I’m sorry, sir. What are you speaking about?”
“Somebody got to the dealer, you
stupid bitch!” Harrison’s voice rose and this attracted attention.
Harrison saw the looks and calmed
himself. Stephanie shook her head. “Sir, how can you tell?”
Harrison took a deep hard sigh. “How much do I fucking pay you?”
“Before or after taxes?” She
responded as if the question was not rhetorical nor an insult.
“Don’t answer that,” Harrison
almost growled. “He has a bruise under
his eye and he’s so nervous his hands are shaking.”
She shook her head. “Sir, I believe you may be overreacting.”
The moment she had finished
speaking, the dealer spoke up loudly from the floor. “Three queens beats two pair. Pot to Ms. Burton.”
Harrison turned around frowning,
to watch the flighty blonde woman clap happily. “Well look at that! Appears my luck is changing!”
The audience clapped for the hand
and Harrison wanted to beat someone to death.
“Who is tomorrow’s dealer?”
Harrison asked.
“Sam Peters, sir.” The assistant
replied undaunted by the little man’s rage.
“Call up Silas. Double his normal fee, and set him up to watch
Sam. No one gets to him.” Harrison barked the order with frustration in
his voice.
“Of course, sir.” The assistant
responded then took her leave to make the calls she needed to.
Harrison seethed but took solace
in the fact that Silas would take care of it.
Whoever flipped his dealer was
going to pay.
****
“Too rich for me,” Savannah said
in her best northern accent, dropping her cards to the table.
Savannah stared at Sidney and
seethed.
Sidney grinned back at her. “Well, so sorry to hear that, sweetie. That’s what you get for voting for Obama.”
Savannah narrowed her eyes at the
mockery of the south.
Lilly and Theodore stared at the
amount before them. It was enough to put
them both all-in.
The Asian woman gave a wry smile. “That’s not going to work on me, dear.”
She pushed her chips in. She was very obviously referencing the move
Sidney had pulled on the Cowboy.
The joke was on her. Sidney had pocket kings, with a king on the
table. She had been watching the two
very closely and she knew that Lilly was only going in because she believed
Sidney to be bluffing.
Sidney shook her head. “You’re just too smart for me, sugar pie.”
The over the top tone and accent
was awarded with another dark look from Savannah.
Sidney had to admit she was having
too much fun with this.
The bet was to Theodore and he was
taking his time sizing up the competition. He wasn’t so sure Sidney was bluffing, thanks
to her recent roll. She had climbed back
to third very obviously, now just behind Savannah but still a long way off from
the mountain that was Demtri Markov.
“All in,” he said in a deep
booming voice, but Sidney heard the fear in it. The dealer went about splitting up the side
pots, making sure if one of the lower stacked players won, the correct amount would
go to each person.
Sidney knew this would not matter.
It was at this point that a quiet
buzzer sounded.
“This will be the last hand of
today’s game,” the dealer announced and the crowd clapped.
The showdown had become all the
more dramatic. The spectators couldn’t
be happier with the epic setting as two people played to stay in the game.
Sidney decided to give them a
show. “So, you both are in?”
Sidney never gave them a chance to
respond and continued speaking to the crowd. “Would anyone who doesn’t like spoilers
please close their ears now?”
No one did but she had their full
attention. She turned back to Lilly. “You think I’m bluffing, but you were sure the
big man here wouldn’t go all in so you called. Now, you are sitting on a low pair, praying
that he has a crap hand and I am bluffing. I’m not bluffing. But that wouldn’t matter because you are also
wrong about Teddy, here.”
She turned toward Theodore. “You have a five and a king, which is giving
you two pair. That gives you a decent hand with two cards to try to land the
full house. You need the king, which I
can guarantee you don’t have, or the five, which I’m guessing makes up Lilly’s
low pair.”
The two looked at each other and
both frowned, knowing she was right.
“Bless my stars, I hate to be the
bearer of bad news but the only chance anyone has is a five. The last five.” Sidney said with a grin.
Lilly scuffed, half in disdain for
the performance and half out of frustration for losing to the performer. She stood, knowing she was done, and walked
out angrily.
The dealer adjusted his collar and
dealt the last two cards.
An ace of clubs and an ace of
spades.
The crowd erupted in applause as
Theodore hurled is cards across the room in anger.
“Round two concluded,” The dealer
spoke over the applause. “We conclude
with Mr. Markov in the lead with $2.5 Million. Savannah Burton now in second with $500,000,
and finally, Sidney Thomas with $450,000. We will resume tomorrow at the same time.”
The applause continued as the large
brick house that was Demtri Markov stood, eyeing Sidney emotionlessly.
Sidney as Savannah put a hand on
her hip and winked at the big Russian. “We
got a date tomorrow, sugar.”
The Russian gave her nothing,
simply turning and walking out.
Deep inside, Sidney was still
worried. At the end of the day, no
matter what Tobias and Hank did on the outside, she still had to find a way to
topple the Russian.
Sidney was not sure it was
possible.
END EPISODE 18