The card sat heavy in Luke's pocket all night, its edges pressing sharp against his leg every time he shifted in bed. Even with his eyes closed, he could picture the bold black ink: The Ashford Syndicate.
He'd traded nearly a quarter of his remaining cash for it. To Gordy, it was a scam. To anyone else, maybe it looked the same. But Lucky Instinct hadn't flared in warning when he slid those bills across the diner table. It had hummed, low and steady, like dice rolling into place.
By morning, Luke had made his peace. He wasn't just betting on a tournament anymore. He was betting on leverage.
---
The kitchen was alive with weekend noise. Maryland clattered pans and hummed off-key, Gordy wolfed down pancakes while muttering about Luke's "habit of setting money on fire," and David read the sports page, brow furrowed at the headlines.
Luke ate in silence, every chew mechanical, his mind spinning. He had thirty hours left to prepare, and only so much cash left to cover everything.
The system pulsed as he drained his coffee.
[Fortune's Gambit Status]
Wealth Stability – Reinforced (Bank Deposit Secure)
Tournament Path – Network Advantage Active
Music Path – Bay City Gig: 30 Hours Remaining
Cascade Probability: 7%
Warning: Conflicting Deadlines Approaching
Luke set the mug down hard enough to clink. Conflicting deadlines. That was the problem. The gig and the tournament were too close, pulling him in opposite directions. He needed to find the overlap—or risk Cascade.
---
By noon, he was back in the garage with Gordy, guitar across his lap, cue leaning against the workbench. The smell of motor oil and sawdust mixed in the air as his fingers ran over the strings.
He strummed softly at first, then louder, his voice following. Gordy tapped rhythm against an old bucket, grinning despite himself.
"Man," Gordy said between taps, "if Bay City don't fall for this, they've got no ears."
Luke smirked faintly, finishing the chorus. "They'll fall. I just need to get there."
The words hung sharp in the air. Travel costs, gas, maybe a motel. It wasn't free. And with $500 gone to Cal, and $1,500 locked into the tournament, he had less than $300 left for everything else.
Lucky Instinct buzzed, sharp.
The system pulsed:
[Wealth Path Opportunity Detected]
Action: Leverage performance for early payout.
Location: Local Bar – Rusty Nail (Tonight)
Reward: Cash + Reputation Synergy (Music & Tournament)
Penalty: Exhaustion before Tournament.
Luke's brows shot up. The Rusty Nail again. The place where it all began.
---
That night, Luke stood outside the Rusty Nail, guitar slung across his back, cue left at the Burgies'. The neon sign buzzed above him, the same hum as before, but tonight it felt different. Tonight, he wasn't some guy chasing scraps. He was walking in with a name.
Inside, the air was thick with smoke and laughter. Heads turned when he walked in. Recognition flickered. Whispers carried: That's Walker. The guy who beat the Wolf.
Lucky Instinct thrummed in his chest, hot and steady. This wasn't just about practice for Bay City. This was about cash, reputation, and tying two paths together at once.
The system's glow seared into his vision.
[Opportunity Detected]
Performance Offer Available.
Stake: Energy + Time
Reward: $150–$300 (tips + payout) + Local Reputation Boost.
Warning: Fatigue may impact Tournament Prep.
Luke smirked faintly. Option D doesn't wait for the perfect moment.
He stepped up to the mic.
The microphone crackled when Luke tested it, the sound cutting through the clatter of glasses and the low roar of voices. A few heads turned, curious but distracted. The Rusty Nail had seen plenty of amateurs stumble their way through sets. But tonight, Luke wasn't here to scrape by or beg for attention. Tonight, he was here to own the stage.
He adjusted the strap of his guitar, fingers brushing the smooth sunburst finish. The bar's neon glow washed over him, red and blue light bleeding into his blondish-brown hair. For a moment, he caught his reflection in the dark glass of a liquor cabinet—taller, sharper, no longer the gaunt dishwasher who lived on borrowed kindness. He almost didn't recognize himself.
Lucky Instinct hummed steady in his chest, warm instead of sharp. The system's glow flared faintly in his vision.
[Music Path Activated]
Performance Commencing…
Audience Size: Moderate (Potential Expansion)
Rewards: Cash Tips, Reputation Boost, Chance of Passive Unlock.
---
He strummed the first chord, clean and resonant. Conversations faltered, laughter softened. By the second chord, the crowd's noise was lower, curiosity creeping in.
Luke leaned into the mic, his voice rough but rich, carrying weight it hadn't before. The song wasn't polished, not perfect, but it was raw. It was his. A piece of every night he'd gone hungry, every dream he'd shelved, every ounce of fire that the system had forced him to stoke.
By the chorus, the bar was locked on him. A group near the front raised their drinks in rhythm, clapping along. Even the bartender—who'd seen every act under the sun—nodded in quiet approval.
Lucky Instinct surged. He hit a note sharper than he thought he could, his fingers sliding into a run that set the room buzzing.
The system chimed.
[Audience Engagement Increased]
Probability of Tip Pool Boosted.
---
When the song ended, the applause was real. Not polite, not obligatory—real. The kind that settled in his chest and made his ribs ache in a good way. Someone at the back shouted, "Another one!"
Luke grinned, sweat slicking his forehead, and obliged. He rolled through three more songs, his voice steady, his fingers alive on the strings. Each one felt easier, stronger, like the crowd was feeding him energy instead of draining it.
By the time he played the last chord, the bar erupted. Tips clinked into the jar at his feet, bills folded and crumpled, coins rattling. The bartender handed him a drink on the house, his smile faint but approving.
"Kid," he said, "you're the real deal. Keep this up, Bay City won't know what hit 'em."
---
Luke crouched to count the jar. His chest tightened when the total stacked out to two hundred and eighty-three dollars. More than enough to cover the trip to Bay City. Enough to keep the wealth path alive.
The system pulsed hot.
[Music Path Progress]
Performance Success!
Cash Earned: $283
Reputation Boost: Local recognition spreading.
Passive Unlocked: Stage Presence (Minor) – Increases charisma and confidence in public settings.
Luke exhaled, gripping the edge of the jar. Stage Presence. He'd felt it out there—like the world bent just a little to keep eyes on him.
---
Afterward, Gordy slapped him on the back so hard he nearly dropped the guitar. "Walker, that was insane! You had them eating outta your hand. You're not just some guy anymore—you're the guy. You feel that?"
Luke smirked faintly, sliding the bills into his wallet. "Yeah. I felt it."
As they stepped out into the night, the autumn air cool against his sweat-damp skin, Luke glanced at the coin in his pocket.
The system's glow followed.
[Fortune's Gambit Status Update]
Wealth Stability – Reinforced (Resale + Gig Funds)
Tournament Path – Registration + Syndicate Advantage
Music Path – Bay City Gig Fully Funded
Time Remaining: 24 Hours
Cascade Probability: 5%
Luke tilted his head back, staring at the stars. The Observer wasn't on the street tonight. Maybe he didn't need to be. Maybe the shadow was already watching from somewhere closer.
But Luke didn't feel hunted anymore.
He felt unstoppable.
The drive home from the Rusty Nail was different than the one there. Gordy kept the radio off, letting the night air fill the cab as the truck rumbled down cracked back roads. Luke sat with his guitar across his lap, his fingers still buzzing, not from nerves but from energy. He could still hear the applause ringing in his ears, could still feel the weight of the crowd's eyes fixed on him like he was somebody worth watching.
The jar of tips sat between them, bills crumpled but real, heavy enough to anchor everything he was chasing. It wasn't ten grand, it wasn't a record deal, but it was proof.
Lucky Instinct thrummed like a satisfied heartbeat in his chest.
---
Back at the Burgies', Maryland was half-asleep on the couch with a blanket over her lap, the TV flickering low. David was already gone to bed. Gordy dropped into the recliner, yawning wide. Luke lingered at the door, jar of tips tucked under one arm, guitar strap pressing against his shoulder.
Maryland stirred, eyes opening faintly. "Good night, Luke," she murmured.
He smiled, quiet but steady. "Good night."
Upstairs in the guest room, he set the guitar down carefully, placed the jar on the desk beside his wallet, and pulled the brass token from his pocket. He laid it next to the folded Syndicate card, the two catching the lamplight in sharp contrast—one gleaming gold, the other a slab of shadow ink.
Then, slowly, he pulled out the coin.
It gleamed silver in the dim room, edges worn smooth, warm from his pocket. Luke turned it over in his fingers, breathing steady.
"Alright," he whispered. "Heads, I collapse. Tails, I rise."
He flipped it.
The coin spun, caught the light, and slapped against his palm.
Heads.
Luke's chest went tight—but the system didn't punish him.
Instead, the glow flared across his vision.
[Defiance Detected]
Outcome Override: Stubborn Fate Passive Triggered.
Heads reinterpreted as victory.
Luke laughed quietly, shaking his head. "Guess even you can't pin me down."
---
Sleep came fitful but light, and by dawn, he was already awake, pulling on his jacket, the wallet thicker, the jar lighter. He divided the tips—half in the bank, half kept loose for travel.
The system pulsed again, almost approving.
[Wealth Path Reinforced]
Banked Funds Increase Stability.
Cascade Probability: 3%
Luke exhaled, the knot in his chest loosening.
He had the tournament buy-in secured. He had Bay City covered. He had enough banked to keep the cascade at bay. For the first time, the three paths weren't pulling him apart.
They were starting to braid together.
---
That afternoon, Luke met Gordy downtown at the corner pool hall, cue strapped across his back. A few regulars called his name, raising hands, offering nods. Respect. Recognition.
One of them muttered as he passed, "Walker's going places."
Gordy grinned, elbowing him. "Hear that? You've got buzz now. People are watching. And not just shadows."
Luke smirked faintly, but the thought pressed deeper. Buzz meant eyes. Eyes meant opportunity. But opportunity always came with risk.
The system's glow sharpened:
[Fortune's Gambit – Expansion Phase]
Paths Connected: 3
Synergy Bonus Active: Fortune's Gambit Multiplier (+5% across outcomes).
Warning: Observer activity rising.
Luke's chest tightened, but the smile didn't fade.
He wasn't being boxed in anymore.
He was stacking the deck.