"Hit me."

The card slides into line. Clancy flips it. + 4, + 6, +8. 18.

His mind drops cold. His eyes flick between his side of the table and the other. Count, count, count.

+ 5 + 11. 18 versus 16. Remainder: 1, 2, 3 vs. 7, 9, 10. Their odds are about equal.

The Molded snarls. And a card slides onto the table, face up. A shield.

The single guillotine over its pinned hand flips back to retract.

Clancy glances at his hand, shoulders trembling. Three raised. Pinky, ring, middle.

Equal hands versus inequal hands.

He swallows. Holds his breath.

Lucas hits.


July 10th. "Zero".