PIK-A-SIDE III (Ch. 24)

Sweating profusely before a bald and heavily tattooed middle-aged man who is seated upon a weary old chair behind the similarly weary desk off the run down building, Jimmy nudges his old faced schoolmate to maintain his calm while training his eyes on those of the man recieving them, looking to Jimmy's fathers identification card then back to the school mate he squints harshly

"Hmm, well fine, all your documents are in order, we have your signature, bank account, identification card and bank verification" the man states with practiced ease,

"Here is five million credits. With interest taken out in advance its three million."

"Taken out in advance that's nonsense", Jimmy interjects angrily

"Did you read the terms of agreement?", The man replies menacing

"Th...there are no terms of agreement",

"I assure you there are, after-all this is a legal institution" the man concludes before pulling out the document Jimmy had forged his father's signature on,

"here it is, liberty to dictate the disbursement of funds and control over the fixed lian increment, There's a twenty percent interest rate per month." the bald man States.

"Still!" Jimmy replies, "if i'm going to get things done i'll need all my the money i can get!"

"Fine, keep in mind the interest rate will be adjusted accordingly" the man replies vaguely, Jimmy complies Watching excitedly as blue hue cloud's his eyes,

(this is it!, money!, real money!),

"Thank you for your business" the man says smiling at Jimmy's school mate, "but remember there will be no extension granted, You must pay back the loan on the due date", the tattooed man states, his demeanor shifting swiftly as he levels his stare at Jimmy who nods before grabbing onto the brief case tightly.

(David didn't object to this, Duke wanted me to do it and was generous enough to put in a good word with the nice old head for me. Surely it's the right decision!)

Making his way to the nearest bank Jimmy quickly deposits the money before the day run's out, now heading towards the often secluded children's playground, several minutes later he arrives at his destination, the dead-silent playground coupled by the night's imminent chill exudes an ominous aura. Now seated inside a well constructed wooden play house his phone flickers into life,

(I need to win at least four million!, I have enough money, as long as i keep trying i can win for sure!, Firstly Raven's money, fifty thousand credits, that's easy enough), imputing his desired bid of a hundred thousand before clicking on 'odd' as his option, his breath seizes, caught at the edge of his throat, time seemingly slows in conjecture. then, (Even!…fuck!, No matter, i still have enough money, no need to waste time I'll bet three hundred thousand credits!), Clicking against 'odd' again he stifles a groan in frustration as he stops himself from letting go of his phone mid-throw, (it's okay it's okay!, Calm down Jimmy, there's plenty of funds to go around, lets try odd again, surely it has to be odd!), clicking on odd for the third time his eyes widen, his lungs seem to fail him and his phone slips from his grasp dropping mutely against the friable soil, picking the phone up quickly he offers up another hundred thousand before watching despairingly as his choice of even is evaded for odd, throwing his phone aside he tries fevrerently to stow away his growing anxiety,(FUCK!,FUCK!,FUCK!,FUCK!,FUCK!, Half a million gone!),

(He's panicking) the gold toothed old head smiles to himself, "he's given up on margin-tale betting, the beginners are really weak to situations like this",

"But president, won't he win at this rate?, It's a fifty-fifty game. Even if the odds are slightly lower he should've won by now" David states worriedly.,

"You seem to have forgotten we see the choices made by players and simultaneously control the outcomes" Duke interjects, "whatever he wins is based on the president",

"No he's right, i should let him win a little bit. He might quit if he losses too much, when people lose big in betting and win a little they feel safe and then stupid for only winning a miniscule amount, ultimately they devolve into a pit of endlessly incessant gambling"

(I can do this!…I've got the flow down!), Jimmy smirks watching as his option lights green,

"'They get destroyed because of that single phenomenon'"

Jimmy shakes as tears burn against his pressed eyelid's minutes later, (tw...two... million...Gone!)

"'And when rationality fades as well, they're decisions become even more..... erratic, idiotic'"

Exiting form the pik-side game hub Jimmy stumbles into the sports section, football?, Spain? Vs The South Asian alliance?,

(If i bet everything on this.. i'll recover with extra!…south Asia, please!), Jimmy states, praying desperately he clicks against the ten odds in favour of a win for the south Asian alliance betting two of the three million left in his account.

Smoking a blunt over the terrace of building as he looks into the night sky, the two grin conversing leisurely to the other,

"It's done, we should've made enough money no?" The president inquires.

"Yeah, it's definitely enough to cover the cost for a few months" Duke replies

"Betting on the South Asian alliance, seriously?", The old head chuckles to himself after glancing towards Jimmy's pick, "and on our site no less"

"The odds are already very skewed in, it's actually half those odds for the South Asian Alliance in other sites" David replies,

An hour ticks by and a loud call breaks the duo at the terrace out of their reprieves

"President!" David shouts sprinting towards them, "they won!" He states while panicking.

Walking gingerly the bounce in his step becomes almost visible, Jimmy's smile's stretches from ear to ear, heading frantically toward's the nearest ATM machine, (it's not here yet?, Is it because it's a lot of money?, Ten million is no small sum, i guess I'll wait a bit),

"David?, He doesn't work here anymore" Konan replies,

"But his numbers not getting through" Jimmy states gesturing fervently,

"well he change's numbers regularly, i haven't seen him since the day you two left together" Konan replies watching Jimmy walk through the on-pour of rain dejectedly, (i knew this kid would get his ass into some problematic shit)

"Konan… what's going on"

(I shouldn't t tell him, Yanick can't win against that guy), "I don't know Yanick"

"Then tell me, isn't he a friend of Raven's?, The Enemy of my friend is my friend?..... yes?" He concludes unsure of the proper saying

Trying desperately to stifle his laughter Konan breaks into a coughing fit, "i get what you mean, yes".

"Please!, If you help me get the money I'll pay you back in full" Jimmy, having explained his situation to the heavily tattooed loan shark watches nervously, walking around the counter slowly the man comes up to him before placing a hand on his shoulder, Jimmy proceeds to speak but is quickly pinned neck first unto the frayed counter,

"look here kid, let me spell it out for you, i know you brought a school kid here, you think i'm an idiot?, That doesn't matter cause the documents are real, the signature is real, this right here is a money lending institution, when money is lent we do not go around helping loanee's pay their loans that's your business, the most you or your parents can do is call the police, the money lent was legal, so where the collected documents and house papers as collateral, the worst that can be done to me is punishment for over inflated interest rates, but i'll remind you i have your parent's lifes in my hands, you live on the twenty-fifth avenue, your mother's majorly a stay at home wife, i even know where your extended family are, Do You Understand?" The tattooed man says in a calm yet ever frightening voice before releasing Jimmy who chokes trying desperately to cough loose the knot in his throat, he staggers to his feet before racing back to the park house,

"What do i do?… My house!, my family!, my lifeeee!" He shouts, "I've still got a little bit if money!, No!, Help!, i need help!" He mumbles unaware of the group of homeless people gathering around him, Jimmy springs to his feet before what seems like a light graze against his skull leaves him tumbling downward.

"Huh?" Clutching the back of his head with stuttering hands he pulls his hands back to see blood, "i..i...is that from me?" Slowly his consciousness fades and a silhouette the last he sees. Waking sometime later Jimmy groans while clutching the back of his head tightly, shivering against the dark midnight chill, he comes to realize he himself is half naked, with only his briefs on his person left untouched, the sadness and pressure that'd been threatening to break him finally triumphs over his weak mental acumen as he cries himself towards Raven's work place.