Chapter 2

Once the sun set, Las Vegas became a very busy utopia of sin and temptation. Hookers lined the streets. Drug dealers walked around openly flaunting their supply. Pimps in wild and outlandish clothing walking with multiple girls on each arm.

Aiden was making his way through the crowded sidewalk, looking for something to do. He stopped outside of a casino, shrugging and making his way inside.

A large man dressed in all black stopped him, looking him up and down.

“Excuse me sir, I’m going to have to search you.” He said.

Aiden shrugged and took off his jacket, holding his arms out.

The bouncer began to pat him down rather softly.

Aiden looked confused before the man motioned for him through.

Aiden shrugged and walked on into the casino, looking around at the massive room filled with hundreds if not thousands of tables and machines. Hundreds of people at every spot. But as soon as Aiden’s eyes came across the bar, he immediately began to walk with purpose.

He passed by dozens of people, some dressed in expensive suits and dresses while others were in thick sweatshirts and sweatpants.

Aiden sat at a barstool, looking at the multiple bartenders all rapidly making drink after drink after drink. One came up to him with a smile, a middle aged man with a good amount of stubble covering his chin and jawline.

“What can I get you sir?” He asked.

“A pint.” Aiden said, looking into his wallet for some money.

“A pint of what?” The bartender asked.

Aiden lifted his head and stared at the man dumbfounded.

“A…a pint.” Aiden repeated.

“We don’t do that. If you would like a bottle, a cocktail, or something like that…”

“Just…Guinness. However much you will give me at once.” Aiden interrupted.

The bartender seemed annoyed but shrugged, reaching into one of a dozen small fridges and drawers, pulling out four beer bottles at once.

“Here you go sir.” He said.

“Yeah whatever.” Aiden replied before taking the bottles, chugging them quickly one by one.

The bartender didn’t seem bothered and just walked back to make more drinks.

Aiden finished the four bottles in less than a minute, groaning and looking around.

“I wonder if I can get some money…” He whispered to himself, barely seeming affected at all by the alcohol.

He made his way over, walking as if completely sober to an atm machine. He tapped on the buttons, figuring out that it had a conversion feature.

“Well…that’s really handy.” He said.

He inserted all of the Pounds he had, getting back American Dollars. He then took the money over to the human teller, getting a bucket of tokens with a smile.

Aiden smiled and wandered around, not really knowing how to play any of the games.

He stopped at a roulette wheel, sitting down and yawning.

“Hello sir, know how to play?” The operator asked, a old man wearing a very nice tuxedo.

“Nope.”

Aiden suddenly put the entire bucket of tokens onto black 23.

The operator shrugged, not caring.

All of the other people around the table laughed, placing their tokens almost exclusively on red.

The operator spun the wheel and tossed in the ball as Aiden wasn’t even paying attention. He looked around the rest of the casino, admiring the fancy ceiling and tall pillars all over. He turned back just as the ball landed right in black 23.

All of the other people looked shocked as the operator looked surprised, but shrugged.

“You must have good luck sir.”

The operator pushed all of the tokens to Aiden, who laughed.

“Cool. Thanks.”

He took them and threw them into the bucket, walking away as all of the people shared short glances to each other.

Aiden wandered off to a slot machine, sitting down once again. He wasn’t sure how it worked, but threw a token in and pulled the lever. It immediately hit jackpot, a loud buzzer going off as tokens began to spill out.

“Neat.” He said, not even bothering to pick most of them up. He threw a handful into the bucket before wandering off again, other people there quickly running to scoop up as much as they could.

Aiden walked over to a another table, sitting down.

He was suddenly passed a card.

“Um…hit me…” He said.

They passed another card.

“Alright, stop…or whatever.” Aiden said, rubbing his eyes.

He realized he forgot to put any tokens in, so he put the bucket again.

The other players went all in, all of them flipping over.

Eighteen.

Nineteen.

Aiden flipped over to show Twenty One.

All of the players shouted in annoyance as Aiden scrapped up the other tokens.

But before he could get up, he felt strong and stiff hands on each of his shoulders.

“We’ll need you to come with us.” One said.

Aiden looked at the two large men dressed in suits.

“What’s happening?” He asked.

“Just come with us.”

One forcefully stood Aiden up and lead him out of the casino while the other grabbed the overflowing bucket.

“Where we are going lads?” Aiden asked.

The two men were silent as they forced him through the crowded casino, taking him to a private elevator as two more men in suits stood guard, not letting anyone else into the small metal box that struggled to hold the three of the men.

“Where we going?” Aiden asked.

“To the boss…now shut up.” One of the men said.

Aiden shrugged, staring forward at the blank metal wall of the elevator.

The three men were in complete silence.

Nothing.

No sound at all.

Aiden began to softly pat his thighs as he looked around.

“You should put some elevator music in here.” He said.

Neither of the two men responded.

Aiden kept looking around, starting to hum A Pub With No Beer by The Dubliners.

He continued to hum until the elevator dinged, the doors sliding open as the two men suddenly shoved Aiden forward.

He almost fell over but caught himself, walking forward while looking around the very nice if mob-like office.

He looked forward at a large circle table, a circle chandelier that was the same size just above it. The rest of the room was mostly dark despite the walls being nothing but windows.

On the other side of the table, a large black chair that resembled a throne slowly spun around to a very evil looking man dressed in a sharp tuxedo. Each finger was covered in multiple rings, shades covered his eyes, and multiple necklaces dangled from his neck. He smirked with three different golden teeth as Aiden looked around.

“Alright…this is like…overly evil. Did you get a degree in exaggeration?” Aiden asked.

The man reached up to remove his sunglasses, revealing multiple scars covering his face.

“Yeah, that sort of tracks.” Aiden said as he looked up at the high, dark ceiling.

“Who are you?” The man asked with a very thick Italian accent and deep voice.

“Oh Italian too. Yeah this is just cliche all around.” Aiden said.

The man squinted more.

“Well, the name is Aiden. Aiden Cullen. Born and raised in Kesh, Northern Ireland. Currently…”

Aiden stopped as his eyes went up as he was thinking.

“Thirty-One years of age. Graduated top of my class at University of…”

“Stop. Just…stop. I don’t care.” The man interrupted, slowly getting to his feet and adjusting his suit.

“Well, you asked who I was. So I was…” Aiden started.

“What I meant…was why are you winning at everything? That’s not how this is supposed to work.” The man said as he walked slowly around the circle table.

“Aren’t casinos supposed to let people win and make money?” Aiden asked.

“Maybe in your inbred village, but not here.” The man said.

Aiden frowned.

“Why does everyone think we’re inbred?” Aiden whispered to himself.

“Here, we are supposed to be making the money. Sure we’ll let you win a little bit here and there, but only so that you lose it to us later. Now, I will let you keep the money that you brought in…but everything else will be returned to us. Understood?” He asked, now standing right in front of Aiden while rubbing his fingers together.

Aiden thought about it before pointing at the man, who looked confused.

“Counter offer.” Aiden said.

The man looked at his two guards, clearly confused and unsure of what to think.

“You can have all of my money. But you cover my bar tab.” Aiden said.

The man had the face of consideration as he thought it over.

“Alright, you will have your tab covered tonight. But no more gambling, understood?” The man asked as he held his hand out.

Aiden shrugged and shook it firmly.

“Sounds good. Now can these men take me back down. I’m too sober for my liking.” He replied.

The man looked at his guards, nodding his head towards the elevator before the two men grabbed Aiden and forced him over.

“Enjoy yourself Aiden…but not too much.” The man said as he walked back to his chair.

“Eh, we’ll see what happens.” Aiden shouted back as he entered the elevator.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***