--- Donnovan Midas ---
That is what I am looking for� SLOTS!!!
--- ACE ---
I thought you were looking for the nickel slots?
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Yeah I was but they are on the second floor and I want to stay close to the action�
Donnovan and ACE make it to the section where the Mega Bucks slots are located; they begin to play as one hour passes by �
--- ACE ---
SHIT! I hate these damn slot machines� Come on Don lets move on to the real games�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
(Laughing) I can�t believe you suck at slots� I want you to think about something before you try to play these big games� How much do you make a year? After figuring out that amount I want you to consider whether or not you can afford to drop a thousand or so on a simple game�
ACE looks at Donnovan and rolls his eyes, just at that moment a man working for the casino steps up to the two men and interrupts the conversation�
--- Casino Manager ---
Gentlemen I am sorry to interrupt but I would like to invite both you and Mr. Edwards to join the casino in a game of CRAPS�
Donnovan looks at ACE who is urging him to accept�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
I do appreciate the offer sir but I am afraid we are going to have to decline; we are only here to have a little fun and try not to spend too much money� And I am afraid that CRAPS is a little bit out of our price range�
--- Casino Manager ---
I am sorry Mr. Midas but I am afraid I was not being clear enough; the casino is prepared to put up 25,000 as a courtesy for your participation in the Roughkut tournament�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
What�s the catch?
--- Casino Manager ---
No catch Mr. Midas you are not the first wrestler participating in the tournament that we have extended this courtesy too�
ACE stands up and grabs Donnovan by the arm and drags him off the seat�
--- ACE ---
We accept!
Donnovan reluctantly aggress and begins to make his way over to the CRAPS table, there is a lot of action going on but once Donnovan arrives the shooter throws a SEVEN and craps out� The manager insists on Donnovan taking the place of the shooter, Donnovan hesitates but is persuaded by ACE� He is now up and the chips are in front of his face, he grabs the two dice and look at the table considering his bet�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
ACE what do you think I should bet on?
--- ACE ---
Come on Donnovan put it on snake eyes�
The crowd erupts in disapproval as most of the people have all betted on the pass line; just at this moment Donnovan is approached on his left side by a well dressed man with shades on�
--- Gentlemen ---
Hello Mr. Midas it is great to see you again, but I must say that your look has changed since the last time I saw you�
ACE glances at the man then shifts his head to the side trying to avoid eye contact�
Hello Mr. Edwards � or should I say Mr. Midas �
--- Donnovan Midas ---
I am sorry do I know you?
--- Gentlemen ---
Well in a technical sense YES�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
How can you know me technically?
--- Gentlemen ---
I believe that Mr. Edwards could fill you in on that subject� But I was wondering if you would like to hear my advice on how to play this game?
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Sure go right ahead�
--- Gentlemen ---
Well you simply have two choices� ONE you can play it safe and go against the casino for several hours fighting against the ODDS that are in the casinos favor or TWO you can take your chances on one big bet and take the ODDS into your own favor�
Donnovan stands there for a moment and considers his options before placing all 25,000 in chips on the PASSLINE; he looks at the table and tosses the dice� The crowd gasps as the dice land on the table� 7� All of the people at the table jump for joy as ACE cannot believe that Donnovan has just doubled his money�
--- Gentlemen ---
Congratulations Mr. Midas you have taken your chances and come out successful� Now might I pull you away from this game and tempt you to come join me at my table for some drinks and conversation�
Donnovan is so happy that he aggress right away, the gentlemen signals to the casino manger to take the money and cash it in for Donnovan, they now make there way to a private table in the casino� Once arriving a waitress steps up and asks them what they want�
--- ACE ---
I would like a seven and seven�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Yes can I get spring water please�
--- Gentlemen ---
My usual Jessica �
--- Donnovan Midas ---
In all of this excitement I did not get your name�
--- Gentlemen ---
How rude of me Mr. Midas, my name is Robert Cortez I am a representative of Eric Withrow� I believe you are familiar with Mr. Withrow�
Donnovan does not appear to be fazed by this comment but simply sits there listening�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Well that is interesting, so how are they treating you over there on the other side of the world Mr. Cortez�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
Fantastic, I can tell you that Mr. Withrow is not the way that everyone makes him out to be� This tournament has turned into a situation that was not intended by Mr. Withrow, he wants exactly what Mr. Hanson wants� He wants to preserve professional wrestling�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
But how is making is into one big conglomerate persevering it�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
Well Mr. Withrow feels that it will be easier to preserve the state of professional wrestling by making it more controllable and eliminating the bad element�
The drinks arrive and Donnovan picks up his water and leans back in his chair�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Who determines who the bad element is?
Everyone is given a choice much like the choice you were given Mr. Midas and that choice will determine there place in the long outlook of things�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Oh yes the infamous choice that I made and didn�t find out about until yesterday�
ACE looks around and excuses himself as he makes his way to the bar to speak to the bar tender�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
Yes Mr. Midas and it was this simple error that has lead us to seek you out and ask you to consider choosing another side in this tournament� Seeing how the first choice was not really given to you�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Exactly what role would be given to me on the other side of the spectrum?
--- Mr. Cortez ---
We have chosen a man in this tournament who will represent us in the end and we would like you to assist him in making it further in the tournament�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
So you want me to lose to Seamus McArthur?
---- Mr. Cortez ---
No Mr. Midas on the contrary, we were actually hoping that you would be able to eliminate Seamus from the running in this tournament so that he does not complicate things in the end� He is a member of the Rebel side and he has no interest in competing for the Loyalist side�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
(Confused) I am sorry maybe I am confused but I was under the impression that Seamus was part of the Loyalist side�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
It depends on which side of the hour glass you are looking thru Mr. Midas� Us on Mr. Withrows side like to consider you all that fight for Mr. Hanson as the rebels�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Ok well whatever the case may be if you don�t want me to beat Seamus then what do you want me to do?
--- Mr. Cortez ---
Well an opportunity has come across to guide our chosen wrestler into the finals of this tournament but with one hitch�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Let me guess that hitch is me�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
Yes Mr. Midas the current wrestler that is facing are chosen man is all ready to lose on behalf of our cause in addition to the men who we have set up for him to face after his third round match� But unfortunately it is impossible for us to fix the third round of this tournament in which he will be facing you�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
So it would be a shame if I were not to join in on this fix�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
It would be a chance that neither I nor Mr. Withrow would be willing to take�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Well when you put it that way it appears that my choice is very clear�
Just at that moment the Casino manager walks up with two envelops and a sheet for Donnovan to sign�
--- Casino Manager ---
Mr. Midas here is you winnings minus the 25,000 that Mr. Withrow contributed�.
Donnovan smiles at the casino manager and signs the sheet; he takes a sip of water then looks at Mr. Cortez�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Hotel money! That was a nice touch�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
Well we felt that you would not want to play with money that Mr. Withrow had given you� And it was imperative that you sit down with us a listen to our proposal�
So I take it that this 25,000 is payment for joining the �LOYALIST� side?
--- Mr. Cortez ---
No Mr. Midas that envelope is the winnings you had at the casino table� You are free to walk away with that money regardless of your choice� But this envelope right here with the other 25,000 you can consider to be payment for joining our cause�
Donnovan sits in the chair and finishes off his drink before finally standing up and looking at Mr. Cortez �
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Well like I said before my money showed up, when you put it the way you put it� It made my decision clear� You can tell Mr. Withrow that he is going to have to find someone else to help him and his so called LOYALIST� Originally I didn�t choose a side, I was forced into siding with Kut � But now in front of you right here I have made a choice� And that choice is the true loyalist side� A side that will win at all cost but not pay a dime to ensure it� You have a nice day now Mr. Cortez thank you for the drink and for the money�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
That is a shame Mr. Midas it is odd � you are the only man so far to choose to bet all the money on one roll � and then choose to stay on Mr. Hanson�s side�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
I guess that makes me a bigger threat then you expected�
--- Mr. Cortez ---
Indeed it does�
Donnovan is walking away as Mr. Cortez is saying this; ACE finishes his drink at the bar and meets Donnovan in the lobby�
--- ACE ---
So what happened�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Well I basically just told him to go @#$% himself�
--- ACE ---
Who the hell was he�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Take a guess� It seems that Mr. Withrow is trying to buy this tournament and put out an offer to me�
--- ACE ---
How much?
--- Donnovan Midas ---
25,000�
--- ACE ---
Well that was stupid we just won 50,000�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Well technically 25,000 but that doesn�t matter�
I just got off the phone with some friends of mine and it appears that Seamus McArthur is having some trouble in New York�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
What is he doing in New York?
--- ACE ---
Business I guess�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
Listen we have 25,000 ok in winnings and I have a feeling that things are going to get a lot worse for the remainder of this tournament� So look I want you to take 5,000 of it for yourself and then I want you to send 5,000 to Sebastian Slater � I have a feeling that he got screwed in this tournament� Then I want you to put 5,000 in an envelope and save it for after the match so you can give it to Seamus McArthur�
--- ACE ---
Why?
--- Donnovan Midas ---
This tournament is going to need someone like me in it to make sure that this so called LOYALIST group doesn�t take over this sport� That means that I have to do everything in my power to beat Seamus and I am afraid that it might not be pretty so he deserves a little compensation�
--- ACE ---
What are you going to do?
--- Donnovan Midas ---
I have no clue ACE, Seamus is still a huge monster that is brainwashed and is going to try to win this match� But I HAVE to win this tournament there is no other choice�
--- ACE ---
What about the remaining 10,000�
--- Donnovan Midas ---
How about you go make me so money at the CRAPS table�
--- ACE ---
Now you are talking�
Donnovan picks up his cell phone and begins to dial a number as ACE walks over to the craps table and begins to play�
