A Deck Shy
It was Friday night. And as it was with all other Friday evenings, when the work day ended the partying began.
And what better way was there to spend your evening than visiting one of the many fine casinos Gotham City had to offer? What necessity of life was more important than showing your bottomless pockets and nerves of steel as you tried your luck against the eternal odds?
May- the Trick Deck- Markowitz laughed to herself at the beauty of it all. The petite woman of 33 had nearly been raised inside a casino, and though she had gained some self-restraint over the years, the card shark knew all too well the power of the tables. Oh yes, she knew very well that if you let yourself, you could be lost to the gambling, and that you'd never be the same again. The money changed people; some for the worse, some for the better. That was just the risk of playing the game.
To most people this realization would have been startling- bordering on disturbing- but to May it was a second shade of heaven. If the woman had had her way, she would never have to stop playing cards.
There was something all-powerful about it. . . Something about the way the tables and machines looked . . . The way the cards called to you when they'd been freshly shuffled . . . the apprehension of seeing if your hand was greater than the guy who sat next to you: that moment of blissful disbelief when it was.
The new glazed-over look on a fresh pack of cards was one of the most beautiful things in the world, and Trick Deck grinned magnificently as she passed by a dealer who was just about to open one.
May Markowitz had once been in-line to inherit a joint in Atlantic City, but when her father's less than savory business deals had come to light, the family's Casino had been lost. It had been a devastating blow- from which the young woman had taken a long time to recover- but finally May had picked up the pieces and started again. Rising from the ashes of her disgraced family, the small blonde phoenix had begun her new career with only the future in mind. Never once stopping to rethink or look back.
She had started with small time gigs- sharking at lowlife clubs and casinos, card-counting, a couple bank-jobs, and some other grunt work- but in the end it had paid off. With a nice nest egg in hand and a brilliant scheme for getting a casino of her own, the infamous Trick Deckhad left Atlantic City and become a resident of Gotham City: the capital of crime and the rich. It had been the defining decision of May's life.
Once again, the woman had made a name for herself, but unlike the response in her home town, when she caused ripples in Gotham someone actually noticed. It was little more than a year before her hard work was rewarded.
May had been slumming in her apartment- after a fairly strenuous job that had almost gone south-when a lawyer had knocked on her door. She had let him in- if only for a laugh at his stuffy manner and nervous fingers- but when he stated his business, Trick Deck had planted a wet kiss on his cheek and snuggled him as if they were cousins at a family reunion (much to the lawyers' chagrin).
For what the jumpy man had brought her was the gift of a lifetime, sheathed in a large manila envelope decorated in flowered cursive that was too perfect to be handwritten. Within the envelope was the thing May had always wanted and thought that she might never get: a document of ownership to a new casino paid in full. All she needed to do was sign her name for it to be legally hers.
It was a mystery as to who had forked over the money for the down payment and the costly repairs, but May had accepted it all the same. And from that moment forward, the newly named Lucky Deck casino had been in business.
May currently walked through her beloved casino with the proud eye of a mother who watched her child walk down the aisle for graduation or marriage. From the deep crimson and gold carpet, to the crystal chandeliers and spotless tables and slot machines, the Deck was an absolute vision. And though the woman hadn't had anything to do with the redecorating she couldn't have loved the choices more. It was almost as if someone had stolen the mental picture inside her head of how she wanted to design her dream casino, and copied it down to the last detail. . . It was uncanny, but completely appreciated.
The woman continued to make her rounds through the Lucky Deck as she did every other night, and watched the gamblers with well-trained eyes. If there were any sharks playing the house May would easily spot them and give them the boot. This wasn't a joint for amateurs or rookies. And though Trick was a firm believer in schooling the system, she was also unshakable in the idea that if you were dumb enough to be caught, you obviously weren't worth the time.
After nearly two hours of making her way around, May could say that no one was sharking in her territory. And she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her pretty face, as she turned to one of the tables to play a couple rounds of poker before retiring for the night. Apparently, her reputation was helping her out. The players and cons of Gotham were afraid of being caught cheating in the Lucky Deck, because they knew who ran it. Once more, May's moniker and personal legend had saved her from grief, and once more she thanked the cosmos that she had decided to make the name for herself.
Now that her work had reached its conclusion, the woman was able to enjoy the night and get lost in a solid game of Poker. And as always, May utterly gave herself to the complex language of the gamble, immersing herself into the beautiful lull of the diamonds and spades, until someone steadily tapped her on her shoulder breaking the trance.
May lifted her almond shaped brown eyes to see who had disturbed her, and was met by the familiar sight of her right hand man: Dominic Rishe.
Dominic was a tall, broad-shouldered man in his late forties who would have been considered handsome if it wasn't for the large jagged scar that ran the length of his face. But despite his age and somewhat solemn nature, May found that he was completely irreplaceable. Not because of personal reasons, but rather that the hired man could accomplish any task he was given. You gave Dom a job, and he'd give you results. He was a true professional that could keep his nose clean and his dealings out of the Bat's way. Besides the wonderful fact that he kept his hands to himself- a rare and unexpected bonus.
"You need to talk to me," May asked softly, upping her bid without a second thought.
Dominic nodded once, his eyes briefly glancing around the table to the other poker players. "Yes. It'll only take a moment."
May made a noise of agreement in the back of her throat, before she replied. "Alright, let me finish the hand."
Dominic silently took several steps away from the table to stand against the nearest pillar to wait, and May once more lost herself to the round. It only took another minute before May was standing from the table with newly won chips, and walking to meet Dom. She never stopped walking, and he met her stride with ease; the two making their way to the bar to talk.
"What happened?"
Dominic reached a hand into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a letter.
"Someone delivered this to the front desk, saying that the Mistress of the Lucky Deck needed to read it."
May's face was expressionless as she took the letter into her hand and bid the bartender to pour her a drink, "A threat?"
Dominic shrugged. "Not as far as I could tell. I already ran it through some tests. It's not a bomb or laced with poison. But other than that I can't be sure of anything."
The woman nose scrunched. "Well, I suppose there's only one way to find out."
Taking a large gulp from her gin and tonic, May slid one of her nails underneath the edge of the letter and opened it with a few flicks of her finger. Then she pulled out the decorative piece of paper with a small gasp.
Instead of a letter, there was an invitation housed within. But the reason May gasped wasn't because of invitation, but rather the flowered cursive that covered the thin lace-like paper. It was the same lettering that had been on the lease of the Lucky Deck. It was a dead match for the unique handwriting that belonged to the person who had given her the gift of a lifetime. The invitation was from her mysterious benefactor!
May quickly read the contents of the invite and felt a smile tug at the corners of her fox-like mouth.
Dominic gave his boss ample time to read the paper before he asked calmly, "What does it say, May?"
The woman finally lifted her brown gaze up from the paper, and quickly finished off the remainder of her drink.
"It's an invitation to the Iceberg Lounge at my earliest convenience," she answered with a chuckle. "To meet with the guy who gave me the Deck."
Dominic tipped his head ever so slightly, understanding what his boss wanted without asking.
"I'll get the car."
May nodded, the smile never leaving her lips. "Yeah, Dom, you do that."
May crossed her legs at the ankles as she settled into the seat that she had been offered, and tried to wipe the absolutely ridiculous grin off her face. Apparently, she had Dominic had been expected, for the moment the two had stepped towards the doors of the Iceberg the bouncer had chauffeured them forward to a waiter who had taken them directly to a table on the balcony.
It was a well-known fact that the balcony tables and seats of the Iceberg Lounge were reserved for the high class society of Gotham. So it was obvious that whoever had invited them was at the top of the food-chain. May openly laughed at her change in circumstances; she really had come a long way from the woman who had played games on the streets for chump-change.
Dominic stood behind his boss, keeping watch and acting as a bodyguard- not that May was in need of one. And when their waiter returned with two glasses of fine wine- compliments of the house- the solemn man was quick to take a standard-drop taste from each glass to make sure they were safe. When he nodded, symbolizing that they were okay, May grabbed a glass and took a small sip from it. Wine wasn't her drink of choice, but it fit her surroundings so she went with it.
The Iceberg was beautiful, having been painted and decorated in different shades of white and blue it was the perfect replica of a sophisticated winter wonderland. The joint screamed elegance, and the actual iceberg that rested in the middle of the expanse- May supposed it was the Lounge's namesake- completed the picture.
On a platform near the gigantic iceberg, a top-notch group of musicians were performing soft ragtime and jazz hits, and couples danced below them. And the bar was located not too far from that, boasting more types of booze than most people saw in their respective lifetimes.
Trick Deck internally tipped her hat to the Penguin for his excellent setup. It wasn't every day that someone was able to accomplish such a majestic lay out without a hitch, and the woman gave him absolute props.
May subtly fixed her dress, thankful that she had taken the time to change into a classy dress before they had sped off. If she had come in her usual khaki pants, button-down shirt, and green head visor she would have stuck out a like a sore thumb. Luckily, Dom always wore a suit and tie, so he was fine as he was.
The two companions waited quietly together for several more minutes before their host made his appearance. May had only seen the Penguin several times in the past, and it had always been from a distance. But now as he made his way over to their table, the woman was inclined to a second impression.
It was true that the Penguin was shorter and more rounded than most men, but somehow he was still able to carry himself with dignity. Every step he took told the world that he was assured of himself, and that he wasn't afraid of a challenge. May found this somewhat strange since he was about the same height as her, but quickly moved pass it when he finally came to stand before their table.
"Good evening," he offered genially, playing the role of host perfectly.
"Hello," May returned, and Dominic nodded in silent greeting.
The Penguin smiled widely before gesturing his hand to the empty seat at the table. "May I?"
"Sure, if you want to."
With this permission, the man sat down and tented his fingers atop the surface of the table, seemingly pleased. "I am so relieved that you received my invitation, Miss Markowitz. I was informed that the man that delivered it didn't follow orders, so I worried that it might not have reached you."
May felt her stomach flip, as her suspicions were proven correct, but continued to play it cool.
"What did your man forget?"
The Penguin looked slightly annoyed as he replied, "The simpleton was explicitly instructed to place the invitation in your hand alone. Instead, I hear that he left it with your desk clerk. I am mortified by his lack of reasoning."
"It's alright," May said calmly, taking another sip from her wine. "I still got the invitation, and there was no harm done."
The Penguin looked like he was far from agreeing with her, but didn't say anymore on the subject besides, "Indeed."
Then he tipped his hat to May in a fluent motion. "It seems in all the excitement I've forgotten my manners; I am Oswald Cobblepot, owner of the Iceberg Lounge."
May's eyes gleamed as she held out her hand to him. "Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Cobblepot. I would introduce myself, but it seems that you already know me."
The Penguin took her hand in his own gloved one, but instead of shaking it like May had assumed he would, the Iceberg's owner placed a chaste kiss to her knuckles. It was surprising, but May's poker face didn't falter.
"Indeed I do, my dear," he said respectfully as he let go of her hand. "You've made quite the stir around Gotham these last few months."
"Only due to the fact that someone was generous enough to give me a boost," May interjected good-naturedly. She made sure that as she looked Cobblepot in the eye, that her poker face slid was down long enough for him to see that she was being sincere. She wanted him to know that she knew what he'd done, and she also wanted to make it clear that she was grateful. Though, knowing this town, he'd end up asking for some horrific favor in return for his generosity.
The Penguin seemed pleased that she had figured it out, but gently disagreed with her comment. "You might have been given a boost, but you most certainly did the rest on your own. It takes intelligence and strength of character to run a business- not just anybody has what it takes to do so.
You took what you were given and made it into something profitable. That is nothing less than talent, my dear."
May laughed softly at his adamant tone but found herself actually agreeing with him.
"Well, I suppose it is. Though without the help, I might have never gotten the chance to expand upon that talent."
May saw that Cobblepot was about to say something, but quickly finished her train of thought. She might as well get everything out into the open now, before it came back to bite her in the ass.
"I intend to pay back the gentleman who helped me, in kind. I don't run a charity, and he must have spent many a pretty penny to fix my baby up on the books. I owe him, and I always honor my debts."
May watched Penguin for his reaction, and found that he looked amused. Almost as if she had said something absolutely hilarious.
"I didn't give you the casino because I wanted to be repaid, my dear."
Trick Deck was surprised.
Well at least he was being blunt now. . . . Good, that was always a bonus in business transactions. And this was business of the utmost degree.
May chanced a glance at Dominic who was still standing silently behind her- noting the frown that covered his lips. He wasn't enjoying this encounter, but May knew he wouldn't speak since it was her deal to make. So after meeting his eyes and giving him a silent 'all clear', May turned back to Cobblepot and asked the question that had been haunting her for almost four months.
"Then why did you give me the Lucky Deck?"
"Because, I knew that you'd take good care of it."
May was confused, and was about to press the issue, but the Penguin wasn't finished.
"I've watched your progress for quite some time, Miss Markowitz," he admitted. "Even before you came to Gotham and made a name for yourself. I knew about the undefeated card shark from Atlantic City. I knew that if you ever got the chance to have your own casino you'd make it worth every penny."
May was flattered and also intrigued by his revelation, and thus leaned forward to ask one more question.
"So what is it you want from me, Mr. Cobblepot?"
"A partnership, my dear," he answered without hesitation, his eyes focused only on hers. "I suggest that we form an alliance in this godforsaken city, and that the ones of us who know how the game is played stick together. With everyday criminals and the Batman running Gotham to the ground, I believe that we should share a piece of what's left. No more, no less."
May looked at the man opposite her with thoughtful brown eyes, studying him for any sign of a tell. If he was lying to her or had less than charitable intentions, the woman knew that it would be written on the plains of his body.
But as the minutes ticked by, Trick Deck couldn't see any signs of treachery. Oswald Cobblepot was being sincere, or as sincere as one such as him could be. And to May it was one of the most amazing things she had ever seen. There were no double meanings, no extra expectations; he was being honest with her. He wanted to her ally.
The Penguin wanted to be partners with her!
May- the Trick Deck- Markowitz slowly extended her hand to the Penguin once more and knew that her fox-like grin had returned. "Alright, Cobblepot, I agree."
Once more, Oswald Cobblepot placed a kiss to her knuckles as a way to seal the deal, and May noticed that his lips lingered there slightly longer than they had the first time. But somehow, Trick Deck wasn't upset by the contact. . . On the contrary . . . It was almost pleasant.
A/N:This was a commission for a new acquaintance of mine : embrace-your-inner-dork. May was hilariously fun to write and finding a happy medium with Cobblepot was an adventure! XD
Hope you guys like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman TAS, the Batman comics, DC, Oswald Cobblepot, or the Iceberg Lounge. May belongs to embrace-your-inner-dork.
~Lyn Harkeran