Russian Roulette

In the room upstairs, James took a careful look at the girl before him.

She had a fresh face with almost no makeup on, and was wearing a tank top and jeans. With her casual look, she could have easily been mistaken for a normal passer-by on the street, instead of an employee on Jose's payroll.

As she removed her clothing, James noted the small size of her bust and her flat behind, seemingly emphasizing her innocence and inexperience.

Finally, she lay on the bed and positioned herself, lifting her legs to point towards the ceiling, and turning her head to one side as she grasped the bed desperately.

James steeled himself and performed the deed, ignoring the niceties of foreplay and conversation. The only formality he indulged in was to ask to see her identification, confirming that she had indeed turned eighteen, albeit the day before.

With minutes remaining, every second counted.

Besides, the young lady underneath him would receive her fair payment for his deeds.

After the first thrust, James felt a burning in his chest and on his loins. The payment was made.

[ Your sacrifice is accepted. System grows stronger! ]

In the hidden corner of James' mind, System gloated exultingly.

[ Come James, let us return below and finish what we have come to do. ]

James paused mid-stroke, before continuing to finish his conquest and sowing his wild oats. Then, as befitting a man about to face death, he cleaned himself up in the shower before heading back down.

In sharp contrast to his love-making in the previous episode with Angel, this time there was no glance spared for the poor girl now lying on the bed in exhaustion. In fact, throughout the deed, James had been coldly dispassionate. This nameless girl, she had merely been his catalyst.

---

Below, Jose was casually sipping on his brandy, with an eye on the expensive watch adorning his wrist.

"Just in time. Are you ready to test yourself against lady luck?" Jose said.

"Having fortified myself by making ladies out of girls, I believe I am. At the very worst, there are worse ways to go then after the embrace of two virgins. More than my fair share." James said in a deadpan tone.

Jose let out an appreciative chuckle, before reaching in front of him to pick up the revolver.

"Should I shoot or spin?" He asked.

James peered sharply at the gun in Jose's hands, mentally willing his vision to pierce through the metal and into the chamber lined up against the hammer. It was occupied.

"Spin." James said emphatically.

Jose shook out the cylinder and spun once more, before clicking it back in with a practiced twist of his wrist.

The chamber was empty.

"Shoot." James said, boring a hole into the gun with his gaze.

Jose pointed the barrel towards James' forehead, and gave the trigger a light squeeze. As the trigger was depressed, the hammer sprung forward with a light click.

There was no loud bang.

"Very well. I am impressed by your courage," Jose said, as he put the gun down and clapped slowly, "Please, avail yourself further of my largesse and courtesy. You are my guest, after all. Should I pour you a stiffer drink? Perhaps you would appreciate the company of Angel in addition to the one you have upstairs still?"

James looked Jose in the eye firmly, and said only a single word.

"Spin."

Jose looked up with a shocked expression. This was outside of his expectations. He had thought that James would be overjoyed with escaping death, and would settle for closing the book without further arrears.

"I beg your pardon?" Jose said.

"Spin please. There are several more pulls to go yet." James said calmly.

"Are you sure? Do you require more fortification?" Jose asked, still with a tone of disbelief.

"Spin." James said calmly.

Jose picked up the revolver once more and gave it a little kiss of respect. He flicked the cylinder out and gave it another forceful spin, before twisting it closed.

James looked deeply at the crucial chamber again. It was still empty.

"Shoot."

Another squeeze of the trigger, and another anti-climatic click.

Jose put down the gun once more, this time with a look of begrudging respect in his face. To calmly look death in the eye, not once but twice, spoke volumes to his guest's mental fortitude.

"Spin."

"My friend, is my friendship not enough? Why do you persist? I do not yet have enough friends that I can see them throw themselves away to what is effectively a flip of a coin." Jose inquired.

Those words floated into James' ear, bounced softly against his brain and clattered uselessly to the side. He was locked in to the gun now.

"Spin."

Once more, the rattling sound filled the room. This time, the chamber housed a bullet, promising a swift death to all who opposed it.

"Spin."

Again, the chamber was occupied.

"Spin."

Finally, An empty chamber.

"Shoot."

A click.

James had survived three pulls.

"Well well well. I owe you a life amigo." Jose said in surprise, "I would not have expected you to get this far. How would you like to spend the rest of the night, my new friend?"

"Spin." The ice cold response came. Jose lifted the gun in resignation.

"Shoot."

Another click. Four pulls. James had accomplished his goals.

Jose put down the revolver and took a huge swallow of the cognac in front of him.

"Balls, brains, guts, heart, and luck. Very well, I will associate myself fully with your mission, my friend." Jose said, as he wiped a couple of drops of sweat off his brow. He knew the odds very well indeed, and one in sixteen was tough odds to beat, especially when the payoff was life or death.

"Spin." James said once more.

"You have to be kidding," Jose erupted, "I have already agreed to you. What are you still doing this for?"

"Spin." James said insistently.

"No, I refuse. There is no longer any purpose to this farce. My crew and I may be takers of life, but only with and within reason, and never for entertainment." Jose said.

"Spin." James said once more.

"Will there be no reasoning with you? Very well. If you wish a date with death so fervently, I will grant it as a personal favor to you." Jose said with exasperation.

"Shoot."

Click. Five pulls. The odds had shrunk to one in thirty-two.

"Spin."

"Spin."

"Shoot."

One in sixty-four.

"Spin. Spin. Spin. Spin. Shoot."

One in one hundred and twenty eight.

"Spin. Shoot."

One in two hundred and fifty six.

"Spin. Spin. Shoot."

One in five hundred and twelve.

"Spin. Shoot."

One in one thousand and twenty four.

James continued for a full half hour, the odds rising impossibly against him.

Slowly, the look of curiosity and respect on Jose's face was replaced by fear. This person, no, this demon in front of him must be insane.

How many times can one look at death without blinking, before death stares back?

The odds continued climbing, passing the improbable, approaching the impossible, and then breaking through that barrier into the incredible, before stopping just short of inevitable.

---

The gun dropped to the floor with a soft thud. Jose's trembling hands had no longer been able to keep control of the revolver, and his expression was a mix of pain, fear, and awe.

For a brief moment, he met James' gaze, and recoiled in base terror. Reflected within James' cold, dead eyes was something ancient, something inexorable. Something that did not belong to this world, but had yet found purchase in a young soul.

For a heartbeat, Jose felt pity for the Organization. He was no longer in any doubt as to whether or not James would succeed in his mission. Instead, he feared for the step after, what James would accomplish once he had his foothold in the world.

James blinked, and the moment was lost.

James looked down at the gun on the floor, and then across at Jose's expression.

"I believe I have passed your test?" James asked casually.

"Yes Jefe. You have. Here is my number, I am at your service." Jose said respectfully.

"Please, no honorifics, James will do. We are supposed to be friends now, are we not?" James replied.

"I'm sorry James, although I have promised friendship, the events of the past half hour have convinced me that I am far from presuming myself to be at that level. Is there anything else I can call you?" Jose asked.

"If you wish, you may call me Sanjay. That will be the name that I will be known by once my plan is complete." James acquiesced.

"Thank you Sanjay. I appreciate your trust, and I am honored to have made your acquaintance this day. Based on what I have seen, I believe one day you will stand on top of the world as the God of Death. I hope only that you think of me fondly when that happens." Jose said in supplication.

"Not Death. Gambling. The God of Gamblers." James corrected.