A/N:
Dear readers,
I'm so happy you're still in this with us (my characters and I)!o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o
Thank you so so much! *\(^o^)/*
In the past few weeks, I couldn't find time to write. Sincere apologies for that!! (>.<)
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! <3

P.s.: I made a mistake in the previous chapter. I assumed that all players play against each other, but in casino's each player plays against the dealer. Hope it's clear ;)
I also hope to get into a casino in the future, then I can describe the vibe of this part better :D
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How are you going to help me?

"Through cheating obvious," Juan said casually.

My eyes grew big. Nathan, as always the alert one, gave me a questioning stare. I shrugged and continued my inner dialogue.

You mean...

He snorted. "Yes, first of all I'm going to teach you some basics of blackjack. Serious girl, when you see you have fourteen or higher you shouldn't be too greedy. As the chance of getting a bust is usually more than 50 per cent."

How could I have known? I almost jumped out of my barstool, but was very aware of my situation and the host of the game. Luckily Milady L. was busy dealing two cards for each of us. Still, I can never be too careful, so I calmed down and the turmoil Juan had created subsided.
I suck at probabilities and statistics. And I don't really know this game. More to myself than to the invisible man.

"Alright, calm down." Didn't need him to tell me.
"Next, I'm going to ask Gordon's and Nathan's cards. It can be of help to predict other cards in the stack and I have a method to know Milady L.'s hands. This can only be executed if she deals on the same manner as the previous rounds."

Juan, you can do that?

"Yes," he answered briefly.

I wanted to ask more, but the third round of the game was officially on. "Gentlemen, you may place your bets," Milady L. instructed.

Quickly I chose for the chip worth 10 coins without even looking at my cards.
Why didn't you help me earlier? You like watching me suffer, don't you? I inwardly spoke to Juan.

"I don't know, maybe I was figuring out her pattern? It's more difficult than you might think, Ms. Isaac."

I flinched at his nickname for me, it reminded me of who I was imposing to be.

"This is probably going to upset you, but I can't handle oblivious people. God, I can't believe how bad someone can be at this game!"

He's the second one calling me oblivious. Maybe I really am? Before he throws in more insults I retreated. Okay okay, my fault.

My thoughts went back to the game and I glimpsed at Nathan and Gordon, who placed 25 coins as their first bets.
Although we were all playing against the same dealer, how could the difference be this big? Gordon took huge risks, but he was more lucky than I was and gained twice his bets. I have to give him credits for his poker face.
And Nathan had won the first round, but in the middle of the second round he forfeited, so he stood back on square one.

Can I win this time with the help of Juan? Let's take a bet.
Two fresh cards were lying in front of me, face down. With sweaty palms I turned the cards open till I saw their values.
The first one was 10 spades. Quickly, I unveiled the other card too, a 5 hearts.

According to Juan, I shouldn't take any other card now, because there's a high chance of busting.

"Yes and no," Juan retorted.
"I checked with Gordon and Nathan. After counting the cards, I know that the following card should be a 5 and the next a 6. We should take the second one."

He's good...

As soon as Milady L. took her third card, I grabbed my chance. When I turned the card, it was exactly as Juan said, a 6.

Oh my god, you were right!

"Of course I am." I let a small smile slip at his comment.

When no one was taking a card anymore, we revealed ours. Because of Juan's advice, Nathan and Gordon purposely didn't add any cards to their pair. Respectively their pairs were worth 19 and 18.
I had black jack, so we were all tensing  about Milady L.'s cards. Then she opened her cards and they showed 20.

Finally I could win once, although I cheated. Still, I was relieved from the stress of before. Even though Nathan and Gordon lost this time, they didn't have to suffer from debts. So my conscience was safe too.

I won back all my earlier lost money! I still have one last bust-chance. But with Juan by my side I feel invincible.

However, the glory I felt only lasted for a short while.

End position:
Mirith 23
Nathan 20
Gordon 21
Milady L. 21

How is it possible? How was she able to turn it all around? We were aiming this totally different.

"Well, well, Isaac why is your face showing such a shocked expression?" Milady L. noticed.

I quickly recovered, "Of course I'm not, there was a high possibility for me to lose, Milady L."

Juan retorted. "I still can't believe it, I was sure the card you would take was going to be a 7!"

Then explain why it was a 9.

"She must have cheated."

Milady L. stared at me again. Does she have a crush on me, aka Isaac or what?
"Do you have fun?"

Fun? I shook my head. "I don't understand," I answered honestly.

"Do you have fun chatting with your friend?" she tried again.

I looked around and only found Nathan and Gordon in this room. "Milady L., there's no one else besides Ricardo and Shaun, and I haven't spoken a word to them."

"Let's drop the act and be open to each other," she suddenly said, to all of us.

"What act?" we questioned in unison.

"Stop acting. I know you're not guards. You're my cowards, except for him of course," she pointed at Nathan.

I put a hand in front of my gaping mouth. Nathan changed into a attack-defence position and Gordon seemed impressed?

The cloud's ruler saw our reactions and bursted into a crazy laughter.

And she's back to crazy again.
Juan intervened. "I think she also found out about me and lured us into this trap."

"Relax, I'm not going to harm you. In fact I wanted to ask a favour."

"What is it?" Nathan directly cut to the chase.

I couldn't let go, I wanted to know more about her motives. "You said something similar before, but why force us to play this game and then deceive us?"

"Hold on, weren't YOU the first ones to cheat?"

Actually, she was right, but I was too ashamed to admit it.

"Anyway, you have to help me. I hosted this game as a back-up, in case if keeping a hostage was not enough."

We exchanged glances, the word hostage stirred up our adrenaline. Nobody wanted to stay here, so we were finally awake enough to run away.

Nathan drew a stick from his armour, challenging Milady L.. She smirked and played with her pyjamas clothes. Then I saw what she was actually doing, she was collecting the buttons of her pyjamas. Like bullets, she fired them at Nathan, who deflected them with the stick. One button passed near my hand, it felt like a flare. I really should move, but would I be abandoning Nathan?

"Hurry and leave, let Nathan stall time for you guys."

The voice of Juan made me realise I wasn't alone.
While the two of them were engaged in fighting, I began running towards the exit of Milady L.'s playroom. In the corner of my eye I saw Gordon stripping his armour.

I ran towards him. "What are you doing? We should stay dressed this way! Let's get out of here." My hand was ready to take his, but he rejected.

"No."

"No? This isn't time for games, Gordon. We have to go!"

"I will do it. I will be the hostage!" He shouted loud enough to overwhelm the battle noises.