Story #1; Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight; Countering Fate
"Ridley, Birch, I need your help," panted Clyde as he reached the doorstep of Birch's shop. "Clyde! Your face is all over town, mate!" Ridley quickly ushered his friend in. "Yes, I know, and I am going for them." "You insane, kid?" Birch quickly prepared a cup of coffee for Clyde. "I must, they took my mother," Clyde said bitterly. "Ouch," Ridley mumbled. "So how should we help you?" Birch asked. "I need you guys to follow me to a Tower casino, and the three of us will make it big together, so that we can all get into High Rollers, I just know that I will need you guys to help me when I get to High Rollers." "Ha, if it's making money, count me in," Birch laughed heartily. "Neh, anything for a friend, and take off your mask, mate, just use a hooded cloak," Ridley laughed too. "Thanks, you two." The three friends put on their coats, and departed for a Tower casino. The rain poured heavily outside, the lights from the lamp posts shone through the dark night, and the streets were nearly empty, except for a few beggars, still having a hard time finding shelter from the rain. "Our destination's Casino Oriental," Birch read from behind the list Clyde had. "That's right, guys, let's discuss before we proceed, how are we going to earn big money fast, in a Tower casino?" Clyde asked from under his hood. "Neh, good point, Clyde mate, Fast casino's fast money all right, but the output's little, neh, in Tower, it's the opposite, ain't it? Slow money, huge output, neh," Ridley pointed out. "I think our best bet would be to play 'Poker'," Birch said. "Y'sure?" Ridley asked doubtfully. "Yes, it's what I normally play when I go into Tower casinos," Birch replied. "Poker it is then, sadly, I am rather new to it, Birch, could you teach me a few skills, before we enter?" Clyde said. "Sure, but you got to pick up the skills fast, kid, because your mother might not survive too long under the hands of those bastards." They got right down to it, with Clyde sitting with Birch at the corner of the bar, playing Poker, whilst Ridley tried his lucky hand with Blackjack. "If you have three pictures of the same kind, that's called Three Of A Kind, it beats the first two patterns i showed you, do you understand, Clyde?" Birch asked patiently. "Yes," was the reply. They were ready. The three friends headed towards Casino Oriental, and the minute they set foot onto the wood tiled floors, Clyde knew that Tower was by no means easy to get across. "To the top," Clyde told his two friends. Clyde and his party strode up the twisted flight of stairs, and came face to face with his first proper challenge, the Poker Professor. "Sit, and we will begin shuffling," the Professor said. "Clyde, be careful, I told you about him during our training didn't I? He's one of the top thirty gamblers in the city, ranked as one of the deadliest Poker players around, so please leave after one game, if you are not confident enough to win back," Birch whispered to Clyde. "Got it." Clyde took his seat, the cards started to spread out on the green and brown table, with a final snap of the dealer's fingers, the game began.