He watched the other four bet and anted just a bit more, 100 bucks. Some brows cocked and Snake wondered if he'd put too much in. Plissken watched the cards coming around from the dealer. "Come on baby." His mind chanted when the next card was set before him. Plissken hesitated and lifted it. The big, black "Q" brought a smile. Bluffing could go to hell at the moment. Just a jack and a ten, the impossible hand.
Another round of bets the guy across from him folded. The others bet. Snake debated over the pot once more and added the same amount as the highest from around the table. They were none the wiser. Snake was on edge for the next round of cards. They didn't come. Instead he watched the dealer lay out three cards in the center. One was the coveted 10 of spades. Plissken looked around and noticed there was more betting. It left him uncertain as to what his next move should be. Would there be more cards?
Snake decided it didn't matter and tossed out three hundred. That turned heads and the three remaining players stared curiously at the mismatched cards in the center of the table. The look brought Plissken's confidence back full force. His opponents were confused and unsure of what to expect. That was exactly where Snake liked them to be.
Two more cards in the center. When Plissken saw the jack of spades on the table he almost gave a victory cry. Plissken very rarely lost his cool or got overly excited about anything but his first win at cards was enough. It was an assertion, a proof for his belief he was capable of anything. His ego soared as final bets came around. Plissken threw the whole stack of bills he had into the middle. Jaws dropped at the pile of green back overflowing the pot. Plissken figured now he could wallow in his triumph and cracked a smile of pure megalomania.
Revealing started at the far side leaving Plissken waiting impatiently to show off his full house of spades. The process tried his patience and he desperately tried not to gloat. Snake peaked at the three cards he had then back up at player number two who had two pairs.
Things suddenly went from perfect to horrid within seconds. Plaster showered the room as bullets flew in. Plissken watched the dealer's throat open up and spray blood into his face. Instinct raced as fast as Plissken's heartbeat. Within seconds he had taken nearly the whole stack of money and slid beneath the table. Shoving the bills into his pocket Snake panicked. There were no windows, no other doors. Sirens started screaming outside, blaring even through the brick wall.
"Shit!" Snake was plunged into the dark and things got worse. The noise outside the door was getting close, crescendoing into madness. Plissken started to crawl back away from the door staying as low to the floor as he could. The bullet rain had stopped but Snake didn't trust it to stay that way. His boots hit the wall and he crouched, hands bracing him on all fours. Snake waited ready to spring but the hot air that started to blast down from above distracted him.
Two of the others were still alive. He could hear them in the room but the air had Snake's full attention. He glanced once at the neon colors filtering in through the bullet riddled wall before he stood full. His hands went up searching the low ceiling until they came in contact with warm metal. The vent was large and hinged.
Snake heard pounding on the door as he blindly worked the latch. The cover swung free and Snake guided it to a downward position. The door shuddered under what sounded like a battering ram. Plissken was already pulling himself into the hot crawl space. Better to cook then let the cops get a hold of him. Plissken reached down and pulled the grate closed silently.
The door burst open. Snake nearly dropped the grate he was holding but managed to work the latch back into position from his side. Flashlights lit up the space below. Blackbellies. Snake clenched his teeth to prevent his disgust from becoming verbal.
"Where's Plissken?"
Snake listened closely.
"He was here."
"Where?"
There was a silent pause before Snake saw the flashlights turn to the chair he had been sitting in. A clean bullet hole decorated the back. Sweat was beading on his forehead as the heat continued to flow through the vent. It was too hot but Plissken refused to move.
"I swear he was here."
"Sweep the room."
Plissken pushed back in the pipe, slithering away from the opening. Flashlights danced up into the grate work. Snake held his breath inside watching the metal throw shafts of light back on him from the opening.
"Nothing."
"How the hell did he…"
"How do you expect? He slithered."
"I don't understand how he does it."
Snake listened to the voices leave but the noise continued outside the room. Plissken turned in the hot airshaft trying to get comfortable enough to wait this out.