Alright, at long last here it is, the final chapter of blackjack. I apologize for the length of the wait, before it could be finished I was called away to Boot camp for the Army. But here it is, enjoy.

"What!" I screamed as I shook our messenger by his collar. "wha, when did…but uh" I was speechless, I let go as I stumbled back to regain my composure.

"It was the Clubs" he replied, "You guys have already removed the Diamonds and Hearts from power, it's just you two. Besides, you guys killed both the suits, which means they have had all this time to prepare."

I turned and swung my AK back over my shoulder, hollering orders as I marched to the door.

"Alright guys this is it, it's us or them, I want as many hands on this as possible." We didn't bother to change our clothes, take a breather, or plan any of this out, it was just gonna be one final turf hit…one suit would hold 'em, and one suit would fold 'em.

"Seven, uh, where is she SEVEN!" I shouted across the room

"Right here" she said as she pulled herself off the couch, "you want me to help?"

"There's no way you can fight in this condition, but I need you to drive the rig"

"Alright"

The rig was a large big rig we used for just such a situation. It wouldn't be comfortable, but with its immense size we could easily cram a good number of Spades into it and drive it right into the heart of the Clubs territory…

…about forty five minuet's I heard Seven tap against the small window, I slid it open and leaned back to it.

"We're here guys, what do you want me to do Nine?"

"Get on a straightaway, not an intersection. Once you do that put her into a spin so she blocks the road, we'll go from there. As soon as that's done get yourself to a bus or a cab and get back to our territory. Alright guys hang on" I yelled out as I grabbed a side bar inside the truck. A second later Seven sent the semi into a spin and eventually a jackknife, setting up a perfect wall and roadblock. As soon as I felt the truck reach a halt Two and Five gave the door a good heave, shoving it open as we all spilled onto the streets. As soon as my boots hit the ground the bullets started flying, one striking the Spade next to me in the temple…he went down quick and quiet. But he was a rookie, just didn't seem fair.

"They got us zeroed, spread spread go go go!" I screamed, hunching and making for a car. Sliding up against it I was quickly joined by Three and another Spade. Peaking up over the hood we sent a few rounds across the street into a group of uncovered Clubs.

"Go up to the roof and help Six" I ordered as I pointed upwards, he nodded and made a sprint for the door as bullets tore across the frame, missing him by mere inches. Turning to Three I asked where Two was, but he just shrugged, I grabbed my walkie and hollered into it.

"Two where the hell did you end up?"

"I'm still at the semi, I got stuck here when the shooting started"

"Alright we're coming to get you" I replied, "Three!" I said as I tapped him on the shoulder "we gotta go get Two, then we're gonna make our way to the 7/11, we'll just take this area one building at a time." He nodded in response

"Six can cover us" I ordered into the radio, "Three ready, let's go!" We scraped ourselves off the pavement and tore down to the semi as fast our legs would go, not even shooting, just an all out sprint. As we reached the semi I waved my arm at Two indicating for him to follow us. We didn't make it all the way to the store though; as the bullets intensified we made a dive into an alley. Moving slowly and in file at this point we crept through, checking each door and window. Peaking around a corner I just missed losing my face to a burst of SMG fire.

"Jesus" Three muttered as I fell back, causing all three of us to fall and pile up.

"Three" I whispered, "go through the window, catch them from behind, I'll get their attention". As I he went I stuck my AK around the corner and popped off bursts to try and keep them occupied. A moment later I heard two shots, I stood and stepped around the corner, and almost took another bullet. Rolling behind a dumpster I saw that Three had been the one shot, took one in the thigh. Popping up quickly I managed to pick off one of the Clubs, but the other one had disappeared. I stood attentively for a minute, trying to process it, a moment later a bullet tore across my ear and hit the wall next to me. I fell to the floor as I cursed in pain. Two whirled around to see the Club had shot through the same window Three had gone in through, but the Club didn't know he was there. At that instant he stood with his sawed off. The look on the Clubs face was priceless, he took it point blank in the torso, blew half way across the room just from the force. Reaching into my side pouch I grabbed a few heavy pain killers, tossing some in my mouth I handed the other few to Three who clearly needed them. We helped him to his feet and kept him propped up with our arms under his to help him walk, we kept a one handed firearm in each hand lest we needed to shoot again. A minute or so later we reached the 7/11, surprisingly…empty. But that didn't mean we were alone, another burst of machine gun fire cut through the front window. I flattened myself against the floor and low crawled towards the window. For a moment I thought about returning the fire, but it was too heavy, motioning to the backroom door the three of us crawled over and rolled through. As we caught our breath my radio crackled, a distraught voice rambled over and over. Panting, I answered it.

"Say again over say again" I said.

"I said Five is dead repeat Five is DEAD."

I froze in disbelief for a moment.

"Son of a bitch, he had all the explosives, did you recover them?"

"Negative, they got a hold of his grenade launcher; they left the C4, why I don't know."

"Alright, thanks, keep us updated" I sighed as I put my walkie back in its pouch. "Let's go."

We made our way up the stairs the second level, a small stock room. I tossed a box over to Two, then another, soon we had a small wall of the store's supplies in front of the door, simple wall. Propping ourselves near the window we started shooting down onto the streets. As I looked across the road I saw Six still picking off unsuspecting Clubs, but out of the corner of my eye I saw one staring up at him…with Five's grenade launcher. My eyes widened as I fumbled for my radio.

"Six get out!" I hollered as I watched the sphere of a bomb fly into the wall of the building, when the dust cleared the portion of the roof was gone…Six was nowhere in sight anymore. I leaned back against the wall in disbelief for a moment, after I gathered my composure I rejoined the shooting. Down on the street I saw a group bounding from cover to cover to the store entrance, I picked off one with a shot to knee cap, a second with a burst to the chest.

"Got a group at 2 o'clock, don't let them reach the store" I ordered, turning my attention the opposite way to keep an eye out as I picked off three more Clubs. As I went to load my final magazine a pipe bomb came in through the window, making a scramble for it I tossed it back down. However, I didn't account that pipe bombs have higher fuse lengths, a few seconds later it came right back in. When I tossed it out it blew no more than three feet from the window, the force knocked all of us back to the floor, our ears ringing. I pulled myself to my feet, and another bomb landed right at them. Falling to the floor I grabbed the bomb, wrapping my finger around the fuse I ripped it off, tossing the dead casing aside.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead as I un-slung my shotgun, my last weapon. I reached for my radio again, "report in" I muttered into it…but it was silent, "report" I said, this time a bit louder. But it was no use, no one was answering. Not even Seven answered, I guessed they picked her off at the start. We were the only three left, the Clubs could have been the same, or they could have had dozens, maybe more than a hundred. A minute or so after I tossed my radio aside, then, the bullets came in. A large burst ripped through the door and through the boxes. A handful hit Three in the chest, he went down screaming, trying to squeeze off a few more rounds before his body gave up. I fired my shotgun in return as Two did with his. We could hear screams on the other side, but the shooting kept up. A second or so later Two took a burst to the shoulder, crawling over to the boxes he shoved his shotgun right up against the door and fired, I heard a scream…but an instant later Two took a load to the stomach. His body went without a single fight, just a twitch…and nothing. Knowing I was done for I threw my foot against the door with a kick, as most of the boxes had fallen over. The door swung open, I jumped at the clubs with my karambit knife and Two's switchblade. I caught one in the throat, spinning I got another by his chest and then across his face. A third tackled me, I felt his knife in my arm. I shot my good arm up and caught him right in the heart. I stood and stumbled to the stairs, then I heard the click…I didn't even have time to turn around.

In an instant the last few weeks flashed through my mind, the café, the casino, the bike chase, the hit on the Hearts turf. They all felt like such big moments, such triumphs…and now the Spades had been reduced to this…

The shot was deafening, I felt the pinch on my spine as the bullet tore in. I fell to my knees, coughed…then realized fighting it was far harder than I thought, I went limp and hit the floor…and the lights went out.

Epilogue:

The legacy of the Deck of 52 ended on that day in the city. With the Hearts and Diamonds gone the Clubs and Spades went for each other's throats, the losses of that day split up the gangs and their power. With not enough men left neither could attempt another attack. The police, seizing the opportunity, were able to crack down and eventually shut down the Suits operations. As the cities law enforcement came to say, "The House wins this round."