C-HOH-009
Barista: The Serpent, Daichi
Date: Dec-26-2019
Receipt: C-HOH-009
Subject: House of Horus
Nick thinks this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done? Please. He hasn’t known me long enough.
This is certainly one of the bolder things I’ve done—a real high stakes maneuver that separates the deadbeat gamblers from the high roller legends. And, to be honest, I was getting tired of watching. I’ve never been one to just watch, after all.
The plan is dead simple: Get rich. Get noticed. Get in.
██████ only cares about one thing—well, everything. Greed, in all its glittering, grasping glory. The only thing that catches his eyes is the glimmer of gold and wealth. Now usually the goal in a mission like this would be to avoid his gaze—but we can’t get into the Cubiculum otherwise. I tried. Turns out you need access—an invitation. Status. Money to be lost. Money to be funneled into the ever expanding pockets of ██████.
First, I let them think Nick is just another lucky drunk throwing chips like a man on borrowed time. A little blackjack, a little roulette, a few whispered sweet nothings to a croupier who definitely has a thing for mysterious strangers in good suits with a snake up their sleeve. Then, once we’ve built up a reputation, we ease up. Lose a little. Let them think we’re just on a hot streak. But not too much—just enough to keep the illusion going.
Of course ██’██ ████ ████████. ███ ████ ████████ ██████ ██. █████████ █ █████ ███ █████—███ ████. ████████? █ ██████ ██████████ █████ █████ ███ █████ ███████ ███ ███████ ████ ██ ███████. ███ █████ █ ████ ████ ██████ ████’█ ███████—█████ ███ ████ ██ ██ ██ ███ ████ ███████ ███ █████ ███████.
So far, I’m ahead. We’re ahead. A lot ahead. Nick’s stressing, but that’s his default setting. Me? I’ve never felt more alive! And also—they won’t go after the snake. ██████’█ men are watching now, lurking in the periphery. They haven’t pulled Nick aside yet. But they will. And when they do? I’ll slither in, flash a smile, and ask where they keep the real high rollers.
After all—we’re family, aren’t we?
Decaffeinate Receipt
“Big gambler takes repeated lofty tipple?”
Word Play | 4 Words