“Beep, Beep, Beep,” his pager was going off again. This was the second page since JJ had seen Peter taken away in an ambulance. JJ had just gotten to the corner of Koval and the strip and was waiting for the light. Looking at the pager, JJ could see the same number again. It was the number for the pit in Silver City.
“Alright, already. I get it. You need a cooler right now. I still don’t know what I will do. I know the spell to drain luck, but I don’t have anywhere to put it,” JJ said to himself. He looked down at his watch, realizing that he had skipped breakfast in his rush to get to Peter. The watch said it was 11:20 already.
“Hmm, maybe I can get breakfast in Silver City. They advertise breakfast all over the place,” JJ said.
The light finally changed, and JJ was able to cross the street without getting hit by a truck for the second time that morning.
“JJ, how’s it going? Wow, what happened to you?” Javie asked when he got a better look at him.
“Oh, I just had a sudden desire to get close and intimate with some asphalt in a parking lot with the assistance of Officer Friendly,” JJ said.
“Well, that explains the dirt all over your face and your torn shirt, but that wasn’t what I was talking about. You didn’t have that tattoo when I saw you a few days ago,” Javie said.
JJ looked down at his shirt. The sleeve was torn enough to show the tattoo on his upper arm. Looking closer, he saw the tear in the body of the shirt with more of the tattoo peeking through. “Uhm, well, I’m not really sure when that happened; I sort of lost a few days,” JJ said.
“That must have been some party; you’ll have to tell me about it sometime,” Javie said. “The lucky player is over there on the blackjack table, the one with the red Hawaiian shirt. Oh yeah, before you do your magic, I wanted to invite you to a backyard barbecue I am having on Tuesday next week.”
“Uh, uhm,” JJ said.
“No pressure, I just thought you wanted to get to know some locals. Most of the day staff from here, and Lots of Slots will be there,” JJ said.
“Yes, I would like to go, but I have community service starting next week, and I don’t know what time I will be done,” JJ said.
“Oh, I understand,” Javie said, looking at JJ with a funny look on his face. “That must have really been some party; well, I’ll put you down as a maybe. Here, let me get you the address.” Javie walked over to a bank of payphones mounted on the wall with a counter below them. Spread around the counter were pads of paper and pens. Javie quickly wrote his address down and then handed it to JJ.”Well, I’ll see you after you cool, that guy. Oh, you might want to take a moment and clean up first.”
“Thanks, I will, and I’ll try to be there,” JJ said, turning to head to the bathroom. JJ turned back to Javie and asked, “Are there any silver souvenirs in the gift shop?”
Javie stopped and then turned and thought for a moment, “Hmm, I don’t/ think so; I guess there should be since it's in the name. Why do you need something silver? Do you need a gift for someone?”
“No, I need it to help my cooling ability,” JJ said.
“What’s wrong with your watch? Isn’t that silver?” Javie asked.
“Ohh,” JJ said as he looked down at his watch. “How would I know if it’s silver?” JJ asked, thinking that maybe Javie knew something about watches.
“Well, if that's an older Rolex, then I’m sure it's silver,” Javie said.
JJ looked again at the watch. “How would I know if it's old?” JJ asked.
“I don’t know,” Javie said. “I have one child and one on the way; I don’t have extra funds to buy such a thing.”
“Hmm,” JJ said, then took the watch off to see if there were any clues about it on the back.
There was an engraving on it. JJ tilted the watch to catch the light better. It said, “This should help.” Below that line a signature “ Aku Aku.”
“I think you’re right, Javie. I think this might be silver,” JJ said. “I’ll be back out in a moment.” JJ put the watch back on and went into the bathroom to see the damage.
JJ looked in the mirror. A big smear of dirt was on the side of his face from when it had stopped his fall. His shirt had a tear on the side under his arm where his new art was peeking through.
“Maybe there is a souvenir shirt in the gift shop,” JJ said after taking stock of the situation.
“Javie, do I have time to get a new shirt in the gift shop?” JJ asked.
“Sure, I’ll send the cocktail waitress over with a big New Orleans-style drink,” Javie said.
JJ looked in the gift shop and settled on a blue polo shirt with a white emblem in the shape of a cowboy boot over the right breast that said, “I get my kicks at Silver City Casino.”. He paid for it and then put it on over the T-shirt.
“That looks good on you,” the cashier said.
“Thank you,” JJ responded and then walked out to do his job.
The table games consisted of twenty tables in two ovals of ten tables each. In the center of the oval, closest to the front door, was a desk and chair for the pit management where Javie was stationed. The Hawaiian shirt-clad player was sitting in the second oval of tables facing the front door.
“Heading over there now, Javie,” JJ said.
“Roger,” Javie said.
JJ headed over to the table. The table the player was at was full, and he was sitting in the first seat. The last seat at the next table was empty.
“I think I’ll play a little blackjack,” JJ said.
“Do you guys mind if I take this seat?” JJ asked the other players at the table. JJ had learned a little about the etiquette of blackjack tables, which is why he asked before he sat down at an anchor seat.
“No, go ahead,” the woman said, seated next to the empty chair.
JJ looked down into his wallet and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill.
“Changing one hundred,” the dealer yelled over her shoulder after JJ had put it down on the table.
“Everybody getting lucky?” JJ asked the table and then blushed when he realized what he said. “I mean, are you guys winning?”
“Yeah, this has been a good table for a bit,” the woman next to him said. She had a decent stack of chips in front of her.
“Good luck,” the dealer said when she put a couple of stacks of five-dollar chips in front of him.
JJ put a chip in the bet circle and then looked over at the lucky player. He was sitting at a 25-dollar table with a pretty good stack of chips in front of him.
“Okay, it's time to get to work,” JJ thought to himself, and then he said the luck-draining spell under his breath while he put his right hand on his watch.
As the luck ran into the watch, it started to warm up. “Wow, if it's warming the watch, what is it doing to the player?” JJ said, then removed his hand from his watch to stop the flow.
“Ouch,” the lucky player said. “My good luck token got hot,” the player said to answer an unheard question.
“Sir, can you take an action,” the dealer said, interrupting JJ's thoughts.
“Oh, sorry,” JJ said, quickly looking at the dealer's hand. The dealer was showing a three.
“Just stand. She will probably bust,” the woman next to JJ said.
“It's a pure silver slot token from Circus Circus I got a few years ago,” the lucky player said to another unheard query.
“I’ll silver … I mean, stand,” JJ said.
“Please make a motion for the camera,” the dealer said to JJ.
“Oh, right. I forgot about that,” JJ said, waving his hand from side to side over his cards.
JJ snuck a peek at the lucky player. He was gingerly touching the silver coin.
“That was weird; it's not hot now,” the lucky player said.
“Would you like to place another bet?” the dealer asked JJ, seeing that he was not paying attention.
“Oh yeah, sorry,” JJ said, taking back one of the two five-dollar chips in the bet circle to leave a bet of just one.
“Well, now it’s fine; maybe I just imagined it,” the lucky player said.
“That is interesting; his luck is in the coin,” JJ said.
JJ looked down at the two cards the dealer had dealt.
“Nice, an eleven,” the woman next to JJ said.
“What should I do?” JJ asked her.
“The dealer is showing a four, so you should double down,” she said.
“Please, only one player per hand,” the dealer said, hearing the advice being given for a second time.
“How do I double down?” JJ asked the dealer.
“Just place the same bet next to the one you have there,” the dealer said.
“Ok, thank you,” JJ said, then doubled his bet.
“Yeah! It's still working,” the lucky player said as the dealer at that table declared that he busted and everyone won.
JJ put just a finger on his watch and then repeated the spell under his breath. This time, the watch didn’t warm up, but as he watched it, the face of the watch changed. It had been just a basic dark blue. As he watched the face of the watch, a sliver of the moon appeared and then started to get bigger very slowly.
“Sir, would you like to take an action?” The dealer asked, with frustration clearly audible in her voice.
“Sorry, I’ll just stand,” JJ said. He waved his hand over the cards. “Oh man,” JJ realized he had used the hand that had been on the watch and that he would have to start it again.
The dealer showed 18 to JJs 14.
“You should have hit,” the woman next to him said.
“Sorry, I haven’t played blackjack very much. I probably need to get a book and learn the best way to play,” JJ said.
“And pay attention,” one of the other players at the table said.
“You're right, I’ve been distracted,” JJ said. “I probably need some food. I think I will go get a burger. Thank you for letting me play with you guys,” JJ said, then got up and took his chips. He grabbed the stacks and dropped them in his pocket, except for two. He started to manipulate the two he kept out, listening to the click.
JJ headed back to the grill, which served a variety of fast food items. The most popular item on their menu was an oversized hamburger. You could add fries for just 99 cents.
The seating was two long community tables reminiscent of a school cafeteria.
JJ ordered, and when he was handed an orange tray containing a burger, fries, and a root beer. He sat down at one of the tables facing the casino. He had just taken a bite of the burger when Javie walked over.
“He’s not winning every hand, but he’s still winning quite a few hands,” Javie said.
“Yeah, sorry, I shouldn’t have sat down to play. I couldn’t concentrate on both the game and cooling the guy. I’ll be back at it right after I finish my food. He’s not acting like he’s going to leave, is he?” JJ asked.
“No, he doesn’t know when to quit; he’s going to stay there until he breaks us or breaks himself,” Javie said.
“Ok, I’ll be done soon,” JJ said, taking another bite.
“Sounds good,” Javie said, turning and heading back to his station.
JJ finished his lunch and then walked over to the tables again. There were no seats available at tables near the player. JJ looked around and saw a chair at one of the slot machines that allowed him to watch the table. JJ sat down at the machine. He saw it was a dollar machine. The machine took metal dollar tokens that JJ did not have. He pushed the change button to light up the change light. It didn’t take long for a slot attendant to respond.
“Would you like some change?” The attendant said as she reached over and pushed the service light to turn it off.
“Yeah, just for a twenty,” JJ said, handing a twenty-dollar bill he had pulled out of his wallet before the attendant came over.
“Here you go,” she said, giving JJ a small stack of metallic coins.
“Thank you,” JJ said and then put a coin in the machine.
He pulled the handle, remembering the advice he had received from a regular player. The three reels spun for a moment and then stopped with a click. The jackpot bells rang, and the lights flashed, and then the machine started vomiting coins into the metal tray below.
“Well, I guess I still can’t play the machines,” JJ said. He looked up and saw Javie looking at him, shaking his head in incredulity with a slight grin on his face.
“Sorry,” JJ mouthed.
Luckily for JJ, he only put in one coin, so the jackpot was only fifty dollars.
“Time to get back to work,” JJ said and then leaned over so he could see the target. He was quieter now, not yelling much, but his wins outnumbered his losses.
JJ put two fingers on his watch, figuring that there wasn’t enough luck left to heat the guy’s lucky coin. JJ said the spell and then let the wild magic flow into the watch. This time, he could feel a slight tingle as the magic moved over him to the watch. As the watch was fed by the spell, it got just a little warmer. After a few moments, the tingle went away, and JJ heard less talking from the guy. JJ removed his fingers from the watch to break the spell.
“Now I just wait,” JJ said.
“Cocktails, Cocktails,” a waitress called out.
“Can I get a cola,” JJ said to the waitress, giving her one of the five-dollar chips he had been fiddling with.
“Thank you, sir,” she said and then headed off to get his order, ignoring the other players.
Shortly after JJ got his cola, Javie walked over to him to settle in.
“He was smarter than most, so he took most of his winnings and left. He only gave back a couple of hundred,” Javie said. “But I don’t feel bad for you. I saw that jackpot you got.”
“It was only fifty dollars. I only put in one token,” JJ said a little defensively.
“Not to worry; I’m not responsible for the machines,” Javie said, then handed JJ a ten-dollar payslip.
“Oh, well, if you don’t care about the machines, I’ll play a max bet spin,” JJ said with a smile.
“Well, I do care if you clean out the casino. I really need a quarter bonus for the new kid on the way, and if you start cleaning out the machines, I won’t get a bonus. Then I’ll make you bring the steaks for the barbeque. You're coming, right?” Javie asked.
“Yes, I will be there; I will try and get there,” JJ said.
“So what happened this time? It took you a lot longer to cool him. Normally, you walk up to them, and they start losing immediately,” Javie asked.
“I’m just trying to control how fast I cool them so they think it's just their luck changing and that it's not a cooler,” JJ said.
“Well, I appreciate that. If it gets out that we are using a cooler, it will drive away customers,” Javie said. Well, I need to get back to the tables. See you Tuesday.”
“What time on Tuesday,” JJ asked.
“Six thirty,” Javie responded without breaking stride.
“Thanks,” JJ said.
JJ got up and headed to the cashier to get his payment.
* * *
JJ stepped into line for the cashier and looked at his watch. The second hand was spinning somewhat faster than usual, and the minute hand was moving at about the speed that the second hand typically moved. “I guess wild magic and watches don’t mix,” JJ said.
“What,” The woman in front of him asked. She had on a big red cowboy hat that said “The winning never stops at Silver City” on the band.
“Oh, sorry, I was just muttering to myself,” JJ said.
The lady looked JJ up and down, then held her purse a little closer and turned back around to see how soon she would be able to get to a cashier.
It was only a matter of seconds before a cashier flagged JJ down that she was available. Luckily, the window JJ stepped up to was a few steps down from the lady with the red hat.
“Here you go, Mr. Presely, Ten dollars,” the cashier said.
“Thank you. What time is it,” JJ asked.
“Ten after one,” the cashier said and then dismissed him with, “Next.”
JJ took the hint and headed out.
Stepping out of the door, JJ was hit by the Vegas heat. “Wow, I thought I was getting used to it. I guess not,” JJ said. He looked down at himself to see how bad his clothing was after the officer showed him the benefits of remaining silent. “Well, that's not good. I’m surprised Javie didn’t just kick me out,” His jeans were stained and torn. The only bright spot was the new shirt from the gift shop. “Well I have just enough time to get back to my apartment to get a shower and change of clothes.”
JJ grabbed a cab at the Rivera and quickly returned to his apartment to clean up. The railings were free of smokers, so JJ figured it must have been time for Matlock.
JJ got in and out with a fresh pair of jeans and a quick shower to remove the last bit of asphalt from his face. On his way out, he noticed that there were still no smokers on the walkways. “That must be a good episode of Matlock,” he said to himself.
“Piss off Matlock is a good show,” JJ heard from a window that he was passing.
“Thank you for the information, Roger,” JJ responded.
JJ headed down to the Quickie Mart for the closest pay phones. Today, there was one available.
“Wow, it's an unoccupied payphone,” JJ commented as he stepped up to the phone. “Where’s the guy that is usually here?”
“You don’t need him. I can get you anything you want. Do you want to feel good or maybe have a good time?” the entrepreneur on the next phone said.
“I’m good. I just need to call for a cab,” JJ said as he picked up the handset.
There was a sticker for a cab company on the phone, so he opted to call them, not knowing any other cab companies' phone numbers.
“That will be ten minutes,” the dispatcher said to JJ after he told him where he was.
“I’ll be standing out front,” JJ said and then hung up.
JJ stepped away from the phone and stood on the edge of the sidewalk that separated the parking area from the building. After a moment, an employee stepped out and lit a cigarette.
“Did you see the fight this morning,” the employee asked the entrepreneur between calls for orders.
“Na man, I just heard about it from Ali. I heard it was a short guy that took apart the boys,” the entrepreneur said.
“When I saw him, he looked about seven feet tall and full of hair. He looked like a giant Hawaiian. When he stepped up to James, he was saying something about your poisoning my people. Then he grabbed James and threw him about ten feet into the middle of the driveway. The boys got out of the car with the guns but never got to do anything. He was as fast as lightning and smashed them back into the car. The driver got out, put them and James into the car, and sped away. The guy picked up the guns and then dropped a twisted lump of metal. Then he seemed to disappear.”
“I’m not worried; my boys got my back,” the entrepreneur said, indicating an idling black Cadilac with four big guys in it.
“I would be careful. James’ guys were just as big, and he went through them like they were Ken dolls, and he was GI Joe,” the employee said, stubbing out his cigarette.
“Huh, I’m no Ken doll; I’m Cobra,” the entrepreneur said, puffing up his chest. He stood that way until the ringing phone startled him. He obviously had heard the same story. His mask dropped, and the fear was obvious on his face until he realized it was just the phone and then answered it.
There were a few more calls on the phone before the cab driver drove up.
“Where to,” the driver asked when JJ sat down in the back.
“Bally’s,” JJ said.