Ace of Spades
Disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing
A/N: Edited by kelles
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mister Alhambra your amount of luck seems to be infinite." The sentence came from somewhere out of the crowd around them, as the Dandy played his Straight Flush against his opponents Straight. The crowd applauded as he collected the pot.
His opponent wasn't annoyed because of his defeat; the high-society of Rio de Janeiro plays against the Dandy to lose. It's like when other people jump out of flying planes with only a parachute; the thrill is important. The Dandy has an unbelievable winning streak, in fact he never lost a game in his whole life - it's like magic. In the early days, some accused him of cheating, but they could never proof it. Now he is some kind of attraction at the parties of the rich and famous of South-America: "Tubalcaine Alhambra the man who never loses a game."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Past
His mother raised him, to be proud of his blood. The family Alhambra was one of the last descendants of the Moors who managed it to keep their faith in the Prophet Mohammed through the ages. The Moors conquered the whole Iberian peninsular in a past, long ago. They brought civilization with them, but now they are second-class citizens in the country they once ruled. Another source of pride for the family was their name, Alhambra. The name was like the big "Red Castle" positioned on a hill near Grenada, the last bit of Spain the Followers of the Prophet Mohammed controlled until the Spanish Armies finished their "Reconquista"
But Tubalcaine didn't believe in Allah. What is a God worth who is watching his people when they're oppressed by the Ahl al-Kitab? He slapped himself in his mind, this was an Arabic term, but he isn't a Muslim anymore. Well, when he thinks about it again, he never was a Muslim. His mother tried to raise him this way, but he never believed in the Koran.
Gambling, that's where his God shows up: Fortune.
He's played with tourists since someone taught him how to play Poker. The strange thing was, he never lost against them, it seems like he is kissed by luck.
But he knew that taking tourists out will never bring him the fame he deserves, he needs to go abroad, somewhere where he can use his fortune.
He came to Brazil in the load room of a cargo and most of the time he played with his cards.
When he became hungry or thirsty, he stole something from the ship's kitchen, it's a miracle that he was never caught.
As they arrived in the port of Rio de Janeiro, Tubalcaine sneaked out of the ship as the containers were transported. The money he had with him was enough to rent an apartment. It wasn't nice but enough, at first. He was happy that the lessor didn't ask him about his identity card or other such things. Well, he thought, the lessor of such a hovel should be happy if someone is renting it, anyway.
Soon, he began to visit the dirty gambling dens all over town.
Fortuna even followed him to Brazil; he still doesn't lose a game.
Eventually, he had enough money to buy an expensive suit and visit a party of the upper class. This was a critical thing for he began to make connections with the rich and famous of Brazil.
Of course, he played with them often and in the beginning they thought he was just a good player. After awhile though, it seemed to become crazy and some tried hard to convict him of cheating, but they never could because he did not cheat. The cards just love him. However, it was the way he dressed that gave him his nickname: "Dandy"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ah, Mister Soares, how are you doing?" The Dandy asked jovially, as he approached the realtor Mr. Soares.
"Very good… by the way my friend was very pleased with your support"
The man who never loses began to smile "One hand washes the other, what's important is that he doesn't forget me."
He doesn't feel the urge to talk to him anymore; Mr. Soares was a boring man except for his friends. He lit a new cigarette and walked off. "Goodbye Mr. Soares and don' forget me."
"I won't. Bye"
He took a deep breath of his cigarette, as he looked around he saw nothing interesting…
Except the strange, small, fat guy with a shark-smile who entered the party. The way he looked made it hard not to notice him. Alhambra's interest changed to him.
He thought this would be a party like any other. He didn't know he had a meeting with destiny today, but who would expect his destiny in the form of a small, fat guy with a shark-smile?
Alhambra was a good observer, a skill perfected while gambling. The man who just entered always smiled. It was the smile of one who knows a secret that nobody else knows and is happy about his advantage. The strange man approached him immediately as he saw him.
"Mister Tubalcaine Alhambra I assume?" He still hasn't stopped smiling.
"You're right and who are you Mr…?" Alhambra put his jovial smile on.
"Names are unimportant" The smile of the fat man was getting even bigger "I want to play a round with the great Dandy" The way the man smiled all the time intrigued Alhambra very much.
"Poker?" The Dandy asked
"Yes" This answer wasn't much of a surprise for Alhambra.
"Very well, follow me, please," he led him to a table
They both sat down at a round table in a corner of the hall.
"Do you want to play Draw, Stud or Hold'em?"He asked.
"You decide, I am the challenger"
"Ok, Draw then."
Alhambra gave out the cards. He was still wondering about this guy, a very strange poker face, to smile all the time. Maybe it's some kind of trick and the guy is trying to distract him
You don't know how useless this is, Alhambra thought.
The first round was pretty normal and only one thing was unusual:
The guy risked much. Alhambra already stopped to count the money that was in the pot.
Then the Showdown came: "Full House," the fat man exclaimed.
Alhambra still had his poker-face on; slowly he developed a slight smile "Royal Flush." He showed his cards to prove it.
"Now I have seen it with my own eyes, really astonishing, wonderful". The man clapped with his hands. "But remember…" a short pause followed, "the Luck is a whore. It will even leave you sometime." He said in a teaching tune.
Alhambra knew this, losers tend to say that, but he knew better:
The Luck isn't a whore, it's like a sweet lover, treat it good and it treats you good.
The Fat man began to speak again. "But the true reason I am here is to make you an offer you can't refuse" If the Dandy could get a Dollar for every time he heard that, he would be even richer.
"And what kind of offer is this?" Alhambra asked.
The fat man came closer with his head: "Do you crave power?"
Alhambra made a short laugh. What a stupid question.
"Of course who in this room doesn't, who in the world?"
"My organization can give you inhuman power, immortality and more," the eyes of the fat man were sparkling as he said this.
The man who never loses a game was now convinced that the guy who was sitting opposite of him was mad. "Immortality? That is…" He was interrupted.
"Impossible?" The strange guy leaned back. "Right, but we give you the chance to live a life without age and illness."
Alhambra heard how this man was fascinated by his own proposal.
"And what do you want in reverse?" A Gambler needs to know the risks."
"We need your connections and your skills." he leaned forward "What is your decision?"
The Dandy felt that this man was serious. Can they really do this?
Sweat was building on his forehead. "Yes, but if you trick me…" he was interrupted again.
"Dear Alhambra we won't trick you," the guy showed his teeth. "We will accomplish our part of the agreement immediately, just follow me"
Suddenly, Alhambra felt very dumb. He was walking into a trap and he knew it, but this proposal was too tempting. He reached into his jacket and held his card deck tight. The cards, they love him, they give him confidence whenever he needs it.
The strange man with the shark-smile led him out of the mansion into an alley.
In the alley stood an old Maibach. Alhambra assumed that this was his car.
Well, you can say what you want about him but you can't say that he has no style, he thought.
Next to the Maibach stood a guy, a really tall guy. He wore a green uniform with an unbelievable high-collar and a cap with a skull on it. As he saw them coming closer, he opened one car door for Mr. Shark-smile. As Alhambra and the strange guy sat down in the backseat of the car, the tall guy walked around the car and sat himself in the driver's seat. He drove out of the alley. Now, it was to late to think it through again, he made a pact with the devil.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He still needed time to get used to his new life-rhythm. He was always a night person but the way the sun made him feel sick since this day was still disturbing. But this was only a little drawback. He is a vampire now; the Millennium Organization and the Major have kept their promise. Now it's time to fulfil his part f the deal, The Dandy is on the way to the chief of police of Rio de Janeiro. They are preparing a trap for some other vampire: Alucard.
They need the backup of the police of Rio.
That's the reason why he is in the office of the Chief. Silva.
Silva is a rather tall man with a moustache and sharp facial expressions, probably what's left over from some hard years. "So what did you wanted to discuss with me Mr. Alhambra?" He sounded hostile.
The Dandy knows why he is hostile, Alhambra is known throughout Rio. The chief is a hardliner, that's the reason he doesn't like Alhambra. He probably thinks the Dandy is a damn cheater.
"I have to discuss an important matter with you" Alhambra put a jovial smile on
"And what would that be?"
"One of my business associates needs the help of the police" He said as he sat down on the table of Chief Silva. Chief Silva wasn't pleased by that.
"Then he should call the hotline," he said sarcasticly.
He doesn't know what he is facing. The Dandy smiled "You are very funny Mr. Silva, seriously, we promise something for your cooperation that no one else can give you"
Chief Silva was getting angry: "No thanks"
"Eternity and Power" Alhambra exclaimed
"You should stop taking drugs; it makes your head soft, now leave my office"
Alhambra felt a bit of surprise and a bit anger.
"Of course we can deal this the good old way, American Dollars of course, how much do you want?"
Chief Silva was absolutely silent, he was seething like a volcano, then he broke out, "Take your fucking money and leave my office, charlatan!"
Alhambra rolled with his eyes and jumped from the table. He shook his head and reached for his card deck in his jacket and began to reshuffle them. "This is your last decision?"
"I said get out off my office" Chief Silva shouted
Alhambra walked towards the door, still reshuffling his cards. Directly before the door, he stopped and took one card out of the deck: The Queen of Spades.
"Well, Pallas Athena maybe you can show him his mistake" he whispered to the card.
Then in one smooth move he turned around and threw the card towards the Chief.
"What the f…" he was interrupted by death, it came immediately as the knife-sharp card entered his head.
Tubalcaine Alhambra was very proud of his marksmanship. "I am very sorry we had to clear it this way, but you were a problem that had to be solved." He left the office.
The newspaper of the next day reported about the death of Chief Silva but no word was released about the strange way he was killed or the last man who was in his office before he was found dead. Little surprise, Tubalcane Alhambra knows the editors in chief. Soon, the Dandy visited the new Chief, he was more open to "negotiations".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The phone was ringing, the long awaited call. He took the receiver and said:
"Hello, Herr Kommandant"
"My agents informed me that the guest has arrived, take care that the police are ready to give our guest a warm welcome," the Major said through the phone.
"Of course, Herr Kommandant" Alhambra hung up.
He took his deck and reshuffled it. He was very pleased with the opportunity to show what he could do. "Let's see what this Mr. Alucard can do," he said as he left the house.
The Luck is a whore.