DMHK18

=Chapter 18=
==Dead Man's Hand: The Kowloon Job==
DropShip Ante-Up
Zenith Jump-Point, Kolovraty
Lyran Commonwealth
30th May, 3054
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"Explain to me again why we're still carrying excuses baggage?" Kelso asked as she dropped two magnetized chips onto the table, "Call."
"Because, if we try and drop them off any sooner, LIC will swoop in and grab them all. That's including Henry and the we don't get paid." Joker looked at the pot, and added two chips of her own, "Call."
"Can't we just, I don't know, leave him in a bar on a recharge station or something?" Scilicorn asked, adding his own chips, "Roshak, I mean. Guys staring to weird me out with all the questions."
"Always with the negative waves, Emilio, always with the negative waves." Aung laughed, sounding to all the world like a rumble of distant thunder, "You're just pissed because he walked in on you and Linda getting to know one another better."
Joker and Kelso burst out laughing at their friends obvious embarrassment.
"Kiss my ass, ya bums!" Scilicorn dumped the remainder of his chips into the middle of the table, "All in."
"Too rich for my blood." Kelso let her cards drift free.
"Fold." Aung rumbled, then sat back to see what Joker would do.
"That's a whole lot of chips." she eyed the pot, "You really think you got what it takes?"
"I think it's gonna cost you to find out." Scilicorn grinned.
"I don't know: it's an awful lot to risk..." Joker seemed to ponder her options for a moment, then pushed her chips forward, "Call."
''
"Well, I got a pair of Nines..." Scilicorn turned his cards over one by one, "and another pair of Nines."
Kelso and Aung whistled in appreciation.
"Not bad." Joker nodded, "Not bad at all."
Grinning, Scilicorn moved to collect the pot, but Joker started to turn over her cards.
"All I have is the Ten... Jack... Queen... And King of Spades. So, the only card I need... " she tapped her last cared, setting it slowly spinning in mid air, "is the Ace of Spades."
There was a moment of silence, which was broken by Kelso and Aung busting out laughing, While Scilicorn looked like someone had kicked his dog.
"Looks like you'll be doing all my laundry for the rest of the mission." Joker lent back in her seat with a massive grin, "Try not to over starch my shirts this time."
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