a/n: Thanks for your reviews. Here is more of tying up of the plot...
Chapter 4: Lights, Camera, Action!
As one of the men dealt the cards, another one spoke up, the same one who'd questioned Alec's presence from earlier. "You realize this isn't just a night of poker," he said to Alec.
Alec grinned as he picked up his hand of cards, and looked the man directly in the eye. "Of course, it's always a night of business. I care a great deal about business. One of the main reasons I'm here."
"And what does that mean?" the mob guy questioned Alec.
Alec shrugged, "I don't know. You tell me. My ladies return after being with some clients not in the greatest shape. Kendra here is my best."
Alec turned to Logan and gave him a nod, "But, Mr. Cale, you've never disappointed! And you always leave the best tips!"
Logan returned the nod with a slight laugh, and then nudged Max, "Well, you've really got the best of the best here! But… on with the poker, shall we?" He was clearly wanting to get on with it. Alec was definitely going too far into the role than necessary.
Alec eyeballed Max and she knew he was trying to give her a message. He then cleared his throat and looked up at one man in particular who had been silent all this time. The man was wearing a Halloween mask. "Sorry," Alec said to the man, "But you're first to call or fold."
Alec couldn't tell if the man was looking at him, as his eyes were hidden underneath the scary looking mask covering his face. Alec felt that for sure, this man was the head of them all. Sadly, Alec's manipulation skills were very much hindered by the fact that he couldn't see the man's eyes or facial movements.
"So, what's your name over there?" Max asked innocently, "You're so quiet and all alone! And how mysterious, I like that in a man!" she purred.
Alec gave Max a look indicating for her to just be quiet. What?, she thought. The question was harmless, right?
It was Logan now to clear his throat. As all the men stared at him, waiting for what he would say, he nodded to the masked man, "Well, is it a fold then?" Logan gave Max a glare of the eyes as the men turned to the masked man. He took the moment to whisper to Max while their attention was diverted. "Max, your goal here is just to make observations! Just try to keep quiet!" Logan recalled other missions where Max's mouthy attitude had gotten the better of the mission. Even when Logan asked her to let him do the talking, she just couldn't help herself.
Logan loved her snarky mouth sometimes, but now was just not the place for it. These men were already no doubt suspicious with Alec's unwelcome presence.
Logan began to feel uncomfortable. He surely didn't come off as the mob type. This would turn out a disaster, just as Max thought earlier.
"Well, excuse me for trying to get this freak show over with! Have you found anything out yet?" Max whispered back, before Alec interrupted.
"Ah, ah!" Alec remarked, "No table talk down there!"
Max made a ditzy face, "Oops!" before giving Alec a knowing look. She was clearly more than a little pissed off about how things were turning out.
At this, the masked man placed a chip at the center of the table.
"Oh, is it a call then?" Max blurted, getting annoyed. This was dragging out forever. She liked missions where she could just go in, knock a few guys out, and call it a day.
"Have we met before?" One of the goons asked Max. She stared at him in horror, realizing he was one of the ones she'd beaten up from before. He was still wearing a cast on his arm and by the looks of it, his leg was broken as well.
As Max tried to think of a convincing reply, Alec's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Well, she is my best girl!" Alec replied with a wink to the man.
There he goes again!, Max thought with annoyance. This idea of her "getting around" was starting to bother her, as well as the situation. She found her patience wearing thin.
"Well, are you folding, or what?" she snapped at the next man who was still staring clueless at his cards. Seriously, haven't these idiots played poker before?
"She's your best one, huh?" Logan commented to Alec with a fake grin. Geez, Max, will you play your part already so we can figure this thing out?
"Oh, the very best. You'll be amazed what she can do!" Alec replied.
Logan nodded, wishing he hadn't made the comment at all upon hearing Alec's rude comment, even though he wanted Max to take the hint and keep quiet to avoid any more suspicion.
"Yea, I fold," the guy said, staring at Max with a bit of a glare. He turned to Alec, "Look, bub, if all your gals are that snippy, maybe that's why some of 'em don't come back in the greatest condition!"
"Excuse me?!" Max couldn't help saying.
"Call!" Logan said, almost shouting, as it was now his turn.
Max shrugged as everyone looked at her, "What, I wasn't dealt any cards. I guess girls can't play."
Alec smiled as he leaned over and kissed Max on the cheek. "That's okay, Kendra. Playtime will come later."
As Alec's lips touched her skin, Max felt the overwhelming urge to punch someone, anyone. This was ridiculous! At this rate, they would never find out anything!
She tried to keep the suspicion down while still finding out something. She nodded to the man she'd beaten up earlier, "So, I guess you can't do any scamming then, huh? With that arm anyway."
The guy looked sad at her statement, "Yea. Really gets me though. It was this damn chick, a freakin messenger! And…" he trailed as he started to question the whole incident. It did seem a bit odd that a girl from a messenger service was able to K.O. a group of 5 men.
He turned to the masked man, "Hey, boss, did you ever think of that? It was just a girl! What if she was some agent undercover!"
Alec even tensed at the word 'undercover'. "Call!" he said, "Yep, definitely a call here."
The masked man put one finger to his mouth and shushed his injured hitman.
"Mr. Cale," the masked man said, surprising everyone. "If you win the poker game, I'll let you in on the business."
Logan smiled at the statement, but a worry also came over him. How would he guarantee to beat all of them?
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Several rounds of cards and drinks later, along with the secret help of 2 highly skilled transgenics at his side, Logan did win the game. He knew if it wasn't for both Max and Alec helping by folding themselves and also distracting the other players, questioning if they could really beat out Logan or not, he never would have won.
"Well!" Logan said, smiling as he collected his winnings. "That was a great game!" He shook all the players' hands.
"Good job, Mr. Cale," the masked man congratulated him. "So tell me while we finish the next round of drinks, what exactly do you have to offer me? Every business relationship is most successful when there's something to gain from both sides, don't you agree?"
Logan nodded with a smile at the man's question. "Of course," he agreed, holding up his glass to the start of a good relationship, for show. Really, he was celebrating how close he was to finding out what he'd put on this whole charade for.
"Well," Logan began, "from the looks of your top men here, you're gonna be needing some new ones for hire to pull off your latest job."
"And why do you care whether the next job goes through?" the masked man asked Logan.
"I don't," Logan admitted, "but I think you got the wrong idea. I'm not here to offer you money."
Everyone looked at Logan confused, and waiting anxiously for him to share the real reason he was there, Max included. What was he doing?
"Then why are you here? Surely not just to win a game of poker?" the masked man pressed him for an explanation.
"Actually," Logan admitted, "Money is at the top of my agenda for today."
"And what exactly did you have in mind?" the masked man asked, sounding intrigued by whatever Logan's proposition would be.
"Well, first things first, gentlemen," Logan continued, "I don't like doing business with strangers. So why don't you properly introduce yourselves? I don't feel comfortable loaning my best hit man to just anybody."
I updated 2 chaps this time, since I want to get this finished soon, and both were shorter than the rest, and I dont want it to be a WIP long...