Lie to Me

By DJ Clawson

Note: I will write a sequel if people express an interest.

Warning: This is slash. If you don't like, don't read. You were warned.


Epilogue – The Gambler

Las Vegas, Nevada

Two Months Later

There were only three people at the blackjack table – two gamblers and one hanger-on. On the far right was a man in a bizarre jacket gambling at very high stakes and gambling well. The dealer had his own suspicions about card counting, but the gains were being offset by the losses of the next man, a Japanese man in a cheap suit who moved like a cop and was being instructed on gambling. Beside him was a Japanese girl, modestly dressed for a casino. She was obviously below 21 but not by much, and she wasn't gambling anyway, so security was reluctant to reject the high rolling posse. They were all bickering in Japanese, with smatters of English of varying abilities thrown in.

"All on red," said the officer.

"He means he wants a hit," said the other man, in perfect English.

The dealer refrained from comment and drew a card. "17 showing."

"He stays."

The officer made some kind of protest in his own language, but didn't call for another hit.

The dealer drew, and busted. "Dealer busts." The officer was bidding the minimum in this case, but his pot was doubled. "Shift change." He left them for another employee, maybe someone who could speak Japanese.

Back at the table, they were still talking to each other. "I only had seventeen. I thought I was supposed to have twenty-one."

"It doesn't matter," Lupin said with a sigh. Teaching Zenigata gambling was getting way too complicated. "The dealer was going to bust. She had a low card showing. Don't hit on a low card if you don't have to."

"I want to play Pai-Gow."

"No one knows Pai-Gow."

"I know it! I used to play it in college."

"I know Pai-Gow," his daughter offered.

"You're not playing!"

"Dad, I have a fake ID."

"Zenigata, please," Lupin said. "You can't take her to Vegas and not let her gamble a little. What is she, nineteen?"

"Twenty," Toshiko insisted.

"Why is everyone always against me?" Zenigata sighed. "Where did you get a fake ID?"

"Dad, I'm in college. They're practically handing them out."

"In my day ...," he grumbled.

Lupin patted him on the back. "In your day, the shogun was still in power. Oh, and I think the gambling age was much lower than it is now."

"What are we doing in Vegas?" Zenigata said, mainly to himself.

"It was that or Disneyland."

"And I am twenty," Toshiko said. "And I wanted to see where Ocean's Eleven took place."

"I hate to break it you, but that movie was not exactly a documentary," Lupin said.

"Are you saying that that's not how you would rob the vault at the Bellagio?"

"No. And the vault isn't at the Bellagio, it's at the MGM grand." Lupin got a look from Zenigata. "What? You like at me like I'm some kind of criminal."

"That's because I know that you are!"

"And you also know I never rob the same place twice. I'm telling you, Vegas is a done deal." He made a gesture with his hands. "If I want any more money from them, I'll take it the legal way."

"That's so comforting," Zenigata said as he was dealt another hand. He could easily just listen to all of Lupin's advice and double his money, but he wasn't about to give the little monkey the satisfaction of being right – about this. He had already been right about too many things lately. That Toshiko would even be willing to speak to her father after all these years. That she would be interesting on going on a trip during school vacation. That she probably liked traveling as much as she did. But - Damnit, he wasn't going to let Lupin know how much he appreciated it, not yet at least. The last thing he needed was an even more egomaniacal thief on this hands. Speaking of needs, he needed better cards. "I'm out."

"Tell me something I don't –"

"Be quiet! Why does everything have to be a double entendre with you? There are women present!"

"I have to hand it to your father, Toshiko," Lupin said. "He really respects women. Me, he wouldn't give the time of day –"

"Lupin – "

Lupin rolled his eyes. "Also, his primary form of expression is to shout my name at the top of his lungs."

"Yeah, I did notice that," Toshiko said. "Can I play a hand?"

"Toshiko –"

Lupin put a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon. Look how mature she's had to be through all of this. Let her have a little fun."

"You're a bad influence," he grumbled, and passed Toshiko his remaining chips.

"Thank you, daddy!" She kissed him on his cheek. Daddy – it had been a long time since she had called him that, far too long for him to admit to himself. And he had Lupin to thank for it.

But he wasn't going to let him know it – not until the time was right.

The End