Bleeding: Survival

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

Everything was off. Nothing felt right tonight, of all nights. Jennie had spent the better part of two hours getting ready for tonight. Wiping off and re-applying makeup. Adjusting and re-adjusting the long platinum blonde wig. Everything had to work tonight. Tonight was going to be their big payday. If Marius or Manny didn't screw it up.

Jennie had been the sole income provider since Marius's parents had cut him off. They had relocated to Monaco the next day, in hopes of covering their tracks and also going to a place where Jennie's talents would come in handy. Jennie had gone to the casinos every day, gambling illegally so they could survive. Their lifestyle was drastically reduced, but they were making do. Tonight, Jennie was hoping they could get a significant amount, enough to where they could lie low for a while. Jennie often wore disguises to make herself look older, but there were only so many casinos in Monte Carlo.

She checked her lipstick in her compact for the hundredth time, and then set it back in her bright yellow clutch. Tonight she was playing the part of the vapid American heiress. With her European "Boyfriend" being played by Manuel and Marius as a "friend" they had picked up.

"You boys ready?"

"Quite," the younger of them said, looking up from his bored study of the lounge's coffee-table. Marius' expression was aggrieved. "While I appreciate the need for subterfuge, strict dresscode, an' the entitlement of women to be fashionably late, an hour's a bit on the extravagant side. Runnin' in competition with me, are you?" He cocked his head at her, taking in her outfit. "The ruffles are quite the daring choice."

Jennie shot Marius a glare that would have cut steel. "I couldn't find a dog to complete the ensemble," she grumbled sarcastically and tugged at the skirt. She was in a horrendous black minidress with a ruffled skirt. There was a yellow stripe along the bottom and a yellow rose pinned to the waist. She'd told Manuel to find something that 'that skanky hotel chick would wear' and he'd returned with the dress. While completely in-character and flattering to Jennie's shape, it was still something she normally wouldn't be caught dead in.

"I'm here, aren't I? Let's get this over with." She linked arms with Manuel and assumed a somewhat brainless expression. "We're going to win big tonight, right sweetie pie?" she giggled.

"But of course, my dear." he said, playing his role to the hilt. Truth be told, he rather enjoyed it, but his enjoyment was spoiled by the damned whatever-it-was that he'd gotten his hands into. They _itched_, and scratching it did little to alleviate the annoyance. Still, as with everything else in his life, it was simply a case of mind over matter. He banished the itch from his conscious mind with a thought, but he could not drive it from him completely. How very odd.

Marius frowned slightly as he rose to his feet, fidgeting with his jacket to make sure the collar lay straight. Again. He was fully aware it was perfectly pressed, but it was nagging at him. With a snort he forced his hands down and flipped his dreads from orange eyes.

"Right. Well, let's go."


*********

It was early yet, but the Sun Casino was already bustling. Marius smirked as the three of them moved through a lavish interior of gold and marble, pushing aside the frond of a potted palm for Jennie as she passed.

"And once again we are seen safely through by Manuel's nefarious Jedi mindtricks." Marius gave a theatrical wave of his hand. "'You do not need to see their ID.' 'I do not need to see their ID . . .'"

Manuel had the good grace to look somewhat embarrassed. "Jubilation gave me the idea." he said, entirely too defensively. "Besides, you can't argue with success, children." he taunted from the lofty heights of his score and change of years on this planet. He opened up his power just a bit to get a feel for the mood of the place. "Quiet desperation and wild abandon. Could be a good time." he said, mostly to himself. "Shall we go entertain ourselves, my love?" he lisped to Jennie, playing up his Castilian accent for the crowds.

Jennie smiled vapidly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Probability sparkled red and white at the edges of her vision, and she scoured the room looking for their best bet. "Ooooh. How about blackjack?" She pointed with one hand and tugged at her skirt with the other. She felt entirely too naked in the stupid dress.

"As our lady desires," Marius said graciously. The place was a bit garish, but the sort of garish you paid very highly to achieve. It was his first time in this particular casino; an impressive array of wigs allowed Jennie a little more leeway, but the grey skin wasn't exactly inconspicuous and they couldn't risk being identified. The emotional background was a little oppressive after Manuel's recent donation, but Marius didn't intend to let that get in the way. "I'll be sure to bend low an' distract the dealer with a good view of my chest, as we all know that's my only use in this particular venture . . ."

"Now now then, let's not be catty. The young lady has at _least_ two or three other fulfilling options to offer." Manuel said blandly. He managed to contain his grunt as his date elbowed him in a very tender part of his ribs.

Smile never leaving her face, Jennie muttered, "Idiots, I'm surrounded by idiots," just loud enough for both boys to hear. The trio made their way to the blackjack tables, and Jennie steered them towards one near the corner. Things looked especially promising there. There were three others at the table, an older Japanese gentleman and an American couple that looked to be from the southern states. The man had a Stetson and the woman's hair was astonishingly big.

Five minutes later, they had all been dealt in, and Jennie had busted twice already. "Oh dear," she sighed. "I'm not sure if I'm playing this right."

"Ah, it's really quite simple, you know. Hit," Marius said with the cheerful confidence of someone who'd been taught the rules the night before. The dealer gave him another card.

"23."

Marius looked at him with an expression of exaggerated shock. "Wait, face-cards are 1 or 11, right?"

"No, those are aces," said the man next to him in a Texan accent only slightly less heavy than the implication of 'you idiot'.

The boy sagged in his chair. "Ah, bugger, then."

Manuel was hanging onto every ounce of his dignity by his fingernails. He'd grown up playing cards with his father and various and sundry business companions, and to see the game butchered in this way made him want to weep hot tears. Besides, there was a poker game going on a few tables over and at least one or two of the players were Castilians. He'd spent too much time in drab France; he missed the sibilants of his native tongue.

The impatience showed. Manuel subjected himself to only three more hands. After the sixth, Marius judged that was probably long enough. Jennie had said that was about the right cut-off. He pushed away from the table.

"We should go," Marius said in the sulky tones he'd so often heard of his peers. "One of us should have somethin' left for the taxi." He smoothed his jacket and muttered audibly, "Everyone knows house always cheats."

The Texan couple and the Japanese gentleman exchanged looks that said 'kids'.

"Well," the Texan man drawled, "Y'all don't play with the big boys if ya don't know what yer doin'."

Jennie grabbed Marius's arm. "Wait! Just one more! I swear it! I feel lucky all of the sudden. My psychic said that 9 is my lucky number, remember?" As planned, Marius only shook his head and sat down. Jennie turned back to the dealer. "All in," she pushed her chips and looked at the other three. "It's no fun if there's no risk, right?"

"Aw, what the hell, huh?" The Texas man threw all in. His wife shook her head and added to the pot. After a moment's hesitation, so did the Japanese man. Jennie's smile turned predatory.

Manuel, by ease of long practice, kept the smile off his face. His eyes did have the faintest glimmer of red about them as he "encouraged" the Texans and the Asian to feel reckless, bold, and confident.

Not that they needed much help.

The telltale shift in the emotional atmosphere kept Marius from automatically turning towards the brief flash of crimson in the corner of his eye. His gaze remained fixed on the dealer's hands as he drew the card from the deck.

All for a good cause.

The hand was dealt, and Jennie peeked at her cards, an ace and a two, keeping her face impassive. The Japanese man's expression didn't change either, but it hadn't all night, so no surprise there. The Texans had shit poker faces, the woman's eyebrows went up as she checked her cards and the man's lips twitched into something resembling a smile. Amateurs. Jennie turned back to the dealer.

"Hit or stay?"

The Japanese man stayed. The Texas lady had him go twice, before she busted. The Texas man stayed. The dealer turned to Jennie. She viciously fought the urge of adjust her wig.

"Hit or stay, miss?"

Unseen by anyone at the table, Jennie's hands in her lap glowed faintly white.

"Hit."

The dealer dealt a three of hearts. Jennie had him deal again. A five of clubs. All eyes were on her now.

"Hit or stay?" Jennie's hands glowed brighter. She smiled.

"Hit."

......

"Twelve, thirteen, fourteen, Jesus Christ," Jennie couldn't keep the giddiness out of her voice. They were huddled several blocks away from the casino, one boy over each of Jennie's shoulders as she counted their take. "Fifteen. Fifteen-fucking-thousand!"

Nice one, Jen," Marius breathed. With this they didn't have to worry about money for . . . a while. Financial security was a concern Marius had never known until he didn't have any, and the sudden relief made him feel giddy. He gave Jennie's thin shoulder a brief squeeze in silent acknowledgement. "Here, we should drink. Several and of increasing potency. If fifteen-thousand doesn't deserve a good piss-up I don't know what does."

"For fifteen-grand, we should not remember who our mothers were, what day it is, or how much we'll hurt like all Hells tomorrow." Manuel said, relishing a chance to just _relax_ a little. The three of them had been under terrible strain, and they _deserved_ a grand piss-up.

Jennie giggled a little maniacally and shoved the euros in her purse. Manuel patted her shoulder and took off down the street, Jennie turned to follow and flinched. The world felt very off, suddenly. There was too much red, chaos, in her vision. She shook her head. It would balance itself out shortly. Jennie had just thrown things off with the luck in the casino, that was all.

She still had to adjust her wig and her dress, to quell her anxiety.

Marius started to follow Manuel, then paused. Something was wrong about Jennie's movements. Too fast, too stilted, and offset by a strange orange swirl that made his muscles tighten. "Oi, you all right there, Jen? Seem a bit twitchy."

"Fine," Jennie said, a little strained. "Universe is a little wacky at the moment, but it'll straighten out. Always does." She tugged at her skirt for what felt like the thousandth time. "Goddamnit, Manny, can't you buy me a dress that at least covers my ass?"

"Your naiveté is charming as always," Marius grinned. He lay one hand on her bare shoulder, lightly, using just his fingertips. The slightest pressure on her too-cold skin as he fought the urge to adjust his jacket again. "No worries, she'll get sorted. But now, we drink."