In a cramped, moist room with dimly lit red lights sat two figures. Above them hung a meshwork of leaking pipes and staring rats that skittered through the shadows.
Rust and decay permeated the air.
Beneath them was the stained concrete floor full of dark puddles that echoed with every drop.
"So, which card is it gonna be this time?" Asked a young man with orange hair wearing a brown, fur-collared jacket. His voice sounded giddy with excitement as he held up a card from the deck he was holding.
"Eight of Clubs." Answered the older, sharply dressed blond, who wore sunglasses that reflected light from the smartphone in his hand.
"How do you keep doing that? You weren't even looking!"
"Don't you get tired of—"
"How about now!?" The orange-haired young man thrust another card forward.
"Queen of Hearts."
"You wouldn't happen to be cheating, would you?" His voice dripped with distrust.
"Of course, I am." The blond man sighed, his expression was cold behind his sunglasses, "You'll just never figure it out."
"Ah, that so…" The orange-haired man's expression soured, and he started to shuffle the cards, the sound of cardboard slapping together filled the damp room, "So Julius, has Harbinger answered yet?"
"It's been a week since I last heard from him. It's possible that he's been compromised." The blond man, Julius, said dismissively, placing the phone on the table, "Here I thought he was one of the stronger ones."
"Maybe someone stronger was in the way… or maybe I didn't fill him up with enough juice?" The orange-haired young man mused, his voice dripping with hostile glee.
"You gave him every steroid and drug enhancement you had. Any more and would've turned into a vegetable."
"This stinks…" The young man sank into the old leather couch, making himself comfortable on the grime, "So, what now?"
"We continue moving forward. I'll have to find someone new. In the meantime, would you get rid of the freeloaders?" The older man said with a hint of exasperation.
"Right." The orange-haired young man walked over to the room behind him, one that was not lit, and was in near total darkness.
"Try not to leave a mess."
"Please… don't hurt me…" A woman with dark hair pleaded, her body shivered while her heart raced.
"Sorry, miss. Unfortunately, rent is due…" The young man cocked the gun, "And your husband, Harbinger, skipped town."
"Wait, please! I'll do anything you want!" She cried out.
"Okay then! I'll spare your life, if you answer this one question." He smiled brightly and pulled out a deck from his back pocket, and picked out a card, "Which card is this?"
"K-King of Hearts?" Tears blurred her vision, almost begging for compassion.
"Wrong answer." He flipped the card, and a red joker stared back. "There are no hearts here."
An unfortunate pop echoed in the dark room.
He then looked at the rest of the cards and added, "Well, you wouldn't have gotten it anyway." All the cards in his hands were red jokers.
~