08 Casino

The trio finds themselves together again in the VIP room of the casino, with the head of security leaving Dette with Burble and the suspicious Mickyl, and removing the injured Gilles from the room. They don't have to wait long before meeting The Duke: a nocker dressed to the nines in a tuxedo with far too many buttons and suspender straps, smoking a cigarette from a mechanical cigarette holder, and exuding confidence and wealth.

The Duke is happy to have Dette and Burble there to play games, but is unsure what to do about the uninvited Mickyl. The redcap tries to convince him that he *needs* the extra security he's providing, but he offers a deal instead: turn this $100 into $500 and you can stay. Mickyl declines and skips out with the free $100!

Dette is hesitant to take a "friendly spin" at the roulette table and opts instead for a drink at the bar with the trolls. The Duke reveals his extra security: four armed nockers behind one-way glass at the bar, one of whom steps in to serve drinks. The clurichaun learns quickly that the nocker, Klank, knows more about her than she lets on, making it clear that she's been watching Yan's. She hints that she needs more information but "can't talk here", but Dette is having none of it; how can she trust the nocker who's been spying on her? She leaves the VIP room and heads back upstairs to find the head of security.

Outside in the underground parking, Mickyl comes across an old satyr who requests parley: he needs her help, seeing as she's someone who managed to get through the door into the VIP room. When asked what he's doing, the satyr growls that "they messed up a member of the Unbroken Circle..." Mickyl demands a contract with the grump, citing her own safety, and they haggle over the agreement before going to search for his friend, the eshu Tala.

Burble sits down to play his game of no-limits Texas hold 'em poker with The Duke, who is confident that they will both improve their skills. The stakes are high, with Burble's "debt" to be cleared by the Duke... but he manages to win by playing the long game, working to discover the Duke's tells and feeding him false information. The Duke is surprised, but not disappointed: he informs Burble that his debt is cleared, and he is free to play more or leave, as he desires. Burble tries to engage the Duke in some polite conversation about competition, skill, and eventually sport, learning that the nocker considers athletics to be analogous to war, and therefore "violent and brutish". Is it possible that he arranged for the violent incidents at athletics events because of his hatred? Burble pockets one of the Duke's special poker chips and heads out.

Dette manages to convince the head of security to check the tapes because the woman is utterly convinced she never brought anyone out of the VIP room - the mists, or something more sinister, is at work, Dette figures. She helps the woman get a cab home after making it clear that "something is going on down there; make sure you look into it", then rejoins the rest of the trio. The satyr with Mickyl asks if any of them know of a prisoner being kept at Yan's, or of an "APEE device"; Burble, trying to make his way out to them, seems to be having the worst luck with finding open doors....