Leon sat at the blackjack table, his fingers drumming lightly on the edge of his dwindling stack of chips. This was it—the final hand. Every decision felt heavier than the last.
The neon lights of the casino flickered in his peripheral vision, but his focus was fixed on the table: the dealer's hands, the cards sliding out of the deck with practiced precision.
The hum of the casino faded into a distant murmur, a white noise that did nothing to distract him.
"All in," he muttered, barely louder than the shuffle of cards, as he pushed his remaining chips into the center of the table. Blackjack—a game of getting as close to 21 as possible without going over. Bust, and you lose. The dealer busts, and you win.
The dealer's expression was unreadable, his movements mechanical. With steady hands, he dealt the cards, each motion as smooth and cold as the polished surface of the table. Leon's gaze locked on his hand as the cards were revealed: a pair of 10s. Twenty. Perfect.
He leaned back slightly, a flicker of confidence settling in his chest. This was it. The dealer couldn't beat that—or so he thought.
The dealer flipped his first card: a 7.
Leon's eyes followed the second card. A 5. Twelve.
The dealer's hand hovered over the deck for a moment before pulling another card. A 9. Twenty-one.
Leon stared at the table in stunned silence as the dealer calmly stacked his chips with cold detachment.
"Better luck next time," the dealer said, not even glancing at him.
Leon sat frozen for a moment. Finally, he stood, muttering under his breath, "...What the fuck..."
That was it—his last bit of money, gone. With nothing left, he was just another broke gambler, a walking cliché.
The cool night air greeted him as he stepped outside the casino, but it offered no comfort. Just emptiness.
The cool night air hit him as he stepped out of the casino. There was nothing he could do about it now.
As Leon walked through the dimly lit street outside the casino, his footsteps echoing faintly against the quiet night, something caught his eye.
He squinted, focusing on the figure.
"...Huh... That's Emily," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
For a moment, he hesitated, unsure whether to approach her or keep his distance.
She was walking fast, her head down, steps too quick. Her back was stiff. The way she carried herself didn't feel right. Something was off.
Leon narrowed his eyes, his attention fixed on her. Something about the way she walked—it wasn't quite right. Then he saw them. Two men trailing her, keeping just enough distance to look inconspicuous but failing miserably. Their movements were too stiff, too calculated.
His gaze flicked back to her. She must have felt it because her head turned slightly, and their eyes met. For a moment, her expression softened, but then it shifted—barely—a flicker of unease.
"Leon?" she called, slowing her steps as she edged toward him. There was a hesitation in her voice, like she wasn't sure if she was walking toward help or trouble.
Leon stepped forward without thinking, his eyes darting past her to the men. They stopped. One of them, the taller guy with a face like worn leather, scanned Leon from head to toe. His lip curled slightly, as if dismissing him.
"Hey, Emily," Leon said, keeping his voice calm. "Everything alright?"
Her shoulders tensed, her gaze darting briefly to the men before returning to him. "I'm fine," she said quickly, too quickly. "It's nothing."
Leon tilted his head, his tone flattening. "Doesn't look like nothing."
The taller man's jaw tightened, and he stepped forward, the faint shuffle of his boots the only sound in the still night. His hand dipped to his belt, and a moment later, a blade glinted in the flickering light. He flipped it open with a deliberate click, his movements slow and deliberate, like he'd done this a hundred times.
"You sure you wanna get involved?" the man asked, his voice low and gravelly.
Leon didn't flinch, his eyes steady on the knife for a beat before shifting to the man's face. His expression was calm, almost detached. "Move that knife," he said. "Or you're going to have a bigger problem."