Land of the Gods

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

An hour after landing in Las Vegas, Hawke watched Scarlet win her third hand of blackjack. She slid her chips into the tray, winked at the croupier and strolled over to him with a cold beer in her hand. Lea and Reaper were at the bar and Lexi and Ryan had gone back outside for another walk around the block and then back to the getaway car. After causing much interest at the security checkpoint, the robed Russian monk Nikolai and his Texan tank commander friend Zeke had gone to check out the roulette tables.

“Not bad for five minutes,” Scarlet said. “Won a thousand bucks.”

Hawke couldn’t resist a smile. “But can you keep it up?”

“Yes,” she said, glancing at his crotch with a withering sigh. “And just as well one of us can, too.”

“Funny.”

“Tell me, you spend half your life in these places — how long till they come and throw you out?”

She considered for a moment. “Depends on the casino, but it’s not like you see in the movies. I’ve watched people bet a quarter of a million dollars on a hand of baccarat and win and not get cut off.”

Hawke’s eyes widened like two full moons. “Bloody hell, I’m in the wrong game!”

“That’s nothing, darling. I once played a shoe of baccarat where someone won twenty million dollars.”

“And the casino let him keep playing?”

She gave him her best aww look. “You don’t keep playing after winning twenty million bucks, Joe.”

“I guess not.” His eyes were now glazed over and dreamy as he thought about winning that much money in one day.

Or in one lifetime.

“Money like that, crazy…”

Scarlet twirled the unlit cigarette in her fingers. “But that’s just how the whales live.”

“Whales?”

“High rollers — people who always make large bets. Jesus — you really are green. I could tell you stories that would blow you away.”

“I’m all ears.”

She shook her head and laughed. “My favorite is when the Australian tycoon Kerry Packer was playing at a table right here in Vegas. A Texan walked up to him and asked if he could join him at the table and Packer said no. The Texas got pissed off with him and told him he was worth a hundred million dollars. So Packer, who was a billionaire back when it really meant something, turns, takes a coin out of his pocket and casually says to him, I’ll toss you for it. Texan guy disappeared in a hurry,” She laughed and shook her head. “Oh, I love that one.”

Hawke laughed. “Yes, it does seem very you.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, just don’t tell Zeke. He might not like it, coming from Texas and all.”

“Time to go back to work,” she said. “If we’re still sure the best way is for me to get caught cheating, right?”

“It is.”

“I want it on the record I don’t need to cheat to win.”

Another smile. “Noted, but you do need to cheat to attract the attention of the security and cause a diversion. I’m guessing a man like Kozlov has a fairly low threshold for tolerating losses, so it won’t be long and then me, Reap, Lea and Kolya are going up to the penthouse.”

He recalled Nikolai from the roulette tables and told Zeke to get ready for his walk-on part as he watched Scarlet go back to the blackjack table. Walking over to the bar, he met Lea, Reaper and Nikolai and ordered some bottled water and waited again. Even he could see Scarlet was counting cards now, and pretty soon the security started to respond.

There were only two of them, which Scarlet had already told him was standard for throwing a card counter out. They were big guys who looked like they’d been inflated with bicycle pumps, shoe-horned into tight-fitting suits and all dressed up in shades and ear pieces and crew cuts.

They spoke into their palm mics for a few seconds as they loitered behind a wall of fruit machines and then they obviously got the order to throw her out and started to saunter over to the blackjack tables.

“Everyone check their packs?”

They all had done, and now he, Lea, Reaper and Nikolai slipped the slim packs onto their backs. Hawke stepped away from the bar and casually raised his wrist to his mouth. “They’re on their way over to you, Cairo.”

She gave the signal that she had understood him by tucking her hair behind her ears, and moments later the security guards were all over her. “Ma’am, we’re going to have to ask you to leave.”

“What for!?”

“You know why. You’re counting cards.”

“Time to heat things up,” Hawke said. “Zeke, you’re on…”

Zeke set his glass down and walked over to Scarlet and the guards. “What the hell’s going on here?”

“Who are you?”

“I’m her husband!” Zeke said.

As soon as he said the words, Scarlet slapped Zeke’s face as hard as she could.

Genuinely shocked by the power of the blow, the Texan rubbed his bright red cheek and looked at her with a sly sideways glance. “Son of a bitch!”

“And if you think that’s all you’re getting, you cheating bastard then you can think again!”

He raised his palms. “I’m so sorry, baby!” he said in his Texan drawl. “I never meant to hurt you!”

“You’re a lying, cheating bastard!”

Hawke and the others kept their distance, just close enough to help them if needed but far enough away so no one guessed they were together.

A crowd gathered around the fighting couple.

The guards sighed. “I don’t care about your personal life. You were cheating the casino and you’re out.”

“And on our honeymoon, too!” Scarlet yelled.

Zeke gave her a look, not expecting such good improv from the Englishwoman.

The crowd booed and started shouting insults at him.

“He cheated on you on your honeymoon?” one woman asked.

Scarlet gave a sad nod. “With twins.”

Jaws dropped and a wave of disgusted gasps and groans rippled around the fruit machine area. “That is just gross,” someone called out.

Zeke gave her a look. Thanks, he thought, but he knew he had to play along. “Hey, I never meant nothing by it!”

A man in a black cowboy hat stepped out of the crowd, arms crossed over his bulging chest. “You disgust me, man.”

The show was working. Several of the security officers from the penthouse elevator now wandered over to see what the fuss was about. There was a lot of talking on palm mics and above their heads CCTV cameras swiveled and zoomed into the fracas.

“And I’m pregnant, too.”

“Woah!”

“You need a lesson on how to treat women, boy,” said the man in the black cowboy hat. He stepped closer and smacked one fist into his palm to demonstrate was he had in store for him.

“There’s not going to be any of that in here,” one of the security guards said firmly. “You’re both banned for life from the Castillo.”

Another more senior security guard walked over. “What’s going on? Clear this area!”

“My wife’s gone fricking insane,” Zeke said.

“I just found out he cheated on me!”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass,” the guard said. “You’re taking this shit outside right now or I’m calling the cops.”

He grabbed Scarlet’s arm, and she pretended to struggle. “I’m pregnant!”

The man softened his grip and slowed down, but continued to steer her toward the door as the other two security guards took hold of Zeke, an arm each, and drag him out of the fruit machine area. “You’re outta here, boy.”

Scarlet swiveled as far as she could and was just in time to see Hawke and his team slipping into the penthouse elevator.

Job done.

Now they had to pray they could finish the job and get the ring off Kozlov’s chubby finger and bust out of here before he sent an army of Russian Mafia after them.

Finally they reached the main entrance and the man pushed Scarlet out of the front doors and off of the casino’s property. “Like I said, you’re banned for life.”

“Suits me.”

The other two guards hurled Zeke out into the street with less finesse. “You too, man. I see your sorry ass in here again and it’s cop time… if you’re lucky. You hear me?”

“Yes, sir I do!” Zeke said with a two fingered salute.

Scarlet looked through the open doors and watched as the penthouse elevator doors slide smoothly shut. They were in.