Chapter 18
The scoundrels-supervisors wanted not only to clean up the guy's pockets, but to drive him into unbearable debts - Kyon immediately had realized their plan, but, of course, did not give mind. He just portrayed the naive joy of his «good luck.» From all sides he heard a contemptuous laugh.
The stakes were raised to 1200 in the second game. Kyon came out the 6th, thus, lost his bet; 4600 rupees left.
After the second game Kyon pretended that he had played enough and wanted to leave the table, but he was stopped in time:
«Come on, come on, you're so lucky!» - «enthusiastically» exclaimed Babiy and took a sit closer to the young man to attack him at the next party.
That's what Kyon expected – and «reluctantly» allowed himself to be «persuaded».
Now the real game must begin. As Kyon predicted, Babiy immediately began to escalate the situation, offering to increase stakes up to 3000 rupees. To the astonishment of the supervisor, the young man quickly agreed. The other players nodded as well. The chubby man mentally rubbed his hands in antic.i.p.ation - it was the right looser and he would get what he wanted, because the second game in any case would take place! These were the rules.
It was the typical practice of the supervisors – a way to earn extra money and put an «unwanted» newcomers in their place at the same time. Kyon, though was not the newcomer, managed to annoy two brothers «from the casket», so the fate of the boy was defined. Previously, noody paid attention to him, because he looked like a bald chicKyon, which would be thrown away by the first brick – this would have died earlier, than would be able to pay at least the first part of the debt. Now, after his time in the infirmary, he became clearly stronger. Besides, he suddenly had obtained money, and in order the money «would not pinch his pocket», the supervisors graciously decided to help him to get rid of this amount. During the dummy match, if someone won, the amount of the bet would be returned to all but the beginner, so he would be the only loser.
The crowd of onlookers had already gathered around them – such a lot of money in the center of the table could not help but attract everyone's attention. Only Borya – he knew by sure what was going to happen, and didn't want to look at the defeat of the young friend.
Byron from the first game sat down at the far table, quietly watching the game.
Kyon looked tense. He was constantly thrown cards by 3 players simultaneously, so that, soon, he got a solid «fan». In his mind, he only grinned – even with such a pile, if desired, he would be able to get out and at least not be the last, but his plans had included a total loss. The loser shuffles the deck, and that was all he wants. Thus, by the end of the game he was left with half of the deck and had 6000 rupees, that meant, that he went to minus 1400.
Babil giggled disgustedly.:
«Oh, you owe us now! Don't worry, if you have nothing else to bet, you will pay the debt gradually. But look, I strongly recommend you do it on time - otherwise, n.o.body would vouch for the safety of your health?»
The guards high-fived each other and laughed.
Babil continued:
«You'll have one more game ahead, so relax! It has not been done so far!»
Kyon did not respond to incitement, but got scared pale.
The audience was outraged. Although this had happened more than once, but it was too much to so unceremoniously enjoy the destruction of someone's life. Many people shook their heads with compa.s.sion, but they could not help – they were only slaves of the 3rd rank, one extra word and they could face problems.
Byron, as agreed, by the beginning of the fourth game came closer to the table at which Kyon was playing. A huge crowd has already gathered around them.
Stakes of the second game was a maximum of 10,000 rupees. It was announced 11 supervisors, and the voice of Kyon in this case could not decide anything. He could not leave because there were two parts in the game. Well, he might decline the first game, but that time it was too late.
Many viewers sadly shook their heads – they had already seen similar situations. Indignant whispers ran through here and there: «What did he do to them?»... «What are they punish the young man for…»
Bald Borya could not stand the suspense and came to the table.
There was the carelessly strewn pile of scattered cards from the last game on the table. Kyon, diligently pretending to be a sad sack, grabbed the entire pile to himself, turning the cards to face side, thereby memorizing the position and value of each. The men all together neighed, watching the awkward attempts
«You idiot! Turn them over, face to you!» - someone shouted. The rest did not pay attention to the incident.
Naive people, they had no idea what magic can do really quick hands. Kyon began to "neglectfully « shuffle the deck, building all the cards in a certain order.
In fact, you didn't have to be a professional to build all the "36" cards in ascending order, but 196 cards... And in a certain order... Much more difficult. But the young man had coped with it.
When it came time to shoot down the deck, the guy turned the «card volt», thereby returning everything to the position that was necessary for him. He threw six cards to all the players.
Byron came very close to Kyon, which caused Babel sitting next to Kyon get slightly tensed.
The second game began.
For the guy, the cards that fell to him were not a surprise – he himself had carefully «rigged»them a minute ago.
First move should be done by the last winner.
The game went on as it had to go. Someone fought back, someone threw cards. Kyon has already managed to learn the manner of each player. This time everything also was going according to the checked scheme.
Finally, the young man began to be thrown by cards.
Babil threw 1 card, 2... 3... 4, and 5 and 6-th threw his 2 comrades in front of him, and the 6th was a trump card, but Kyon bate it. It was a perfect match. Many people looked at each other. Babil spat out evilangrily:
«It's a good luck.»
Byron watched the game with a smile, the audience, especially Bob started shouting for the guy.
Kyon took 6 cards, the rest also got the right amount. No one suspected that the sequence of cards in the entire deck had been known, the characters and habits of the players had been taKyon into account, and the outcome had long been predicted. The whole game was at a glance.
Kyon threw away all 6 cards, without allowing others to throw anything. The one he attacked broke down and was forced to take everything. A new set of cards – the last for him in this game. When he would throw them out he would be the winner. All the cards were trump cards.
Finally the action began. The tension grew.
One cunning character sitting just behind the player who could not stand the pressure of Kyon, decided to cheat. When he took the cards from the deck, he did a deft fan effect and looked at the top 10 cards of the deck, but unfortunately he failed to find any trump. All of them were comfortably settled in the hands of Kyon. The man's nerves began to run out.
The supervisors tried to gesture something to agree between themselves, but Kyon already didn't care for it.
The player before Babil took the cards specifically for the young man would be unable to throw anything and he immediately began the attack.
Babil with enviable tenacity bombarded the boy, but he was beating off everything. Two comrades in front threw trumps, but... When it turned out that the guy had 5 trumps, the chubby man was covered with cold sweat, his guards got tensed nearby, and Byron smiled widely. The audience cheered
There were only a couple of cards left in the deck. If Kyon beats it off, he'll be the first to come out.
Suddenly somebody quietly slipped a card to Babil from somewhere from his side and he immediately threw it on the table with a winning grin:
«Hehe, luck is so changeable... Apparently it's not your fate!»
Ace of trumps.
Kyon, relaxed, leaning back in his chair, said with a smile:
«Yes, apparently, it's not fate.» - and defiantly waved the same card.
There was a deathly silence for a moment. Somewhere at the distance, a cricket of awkwardness chirped.
Babil, confused, jumped up from his seat almost overturning the table and roared:
«You cheated! There can't be two trump aces in a deck!»
Accomplices of the sharper approvingly twitted: He's right!»... «I've seen you cheat!»... «Tricking us, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d?»
«It tells me someone who have just been given the 7th card?» - Kyon said calmly.
Babil angrily cut off:
«I have only 6 cards! Are you blind?»
The young man, ignoring the indignant sniffling from all sides, deftly pulled up the scattered banknotes and began to count them methodically, suspiciously throwing:
«So, what's in your sleeve then?»
Such arrogance made the supervisors went mad. The two guards and three men, including brother-rabbits threateningly approached Kyon:
«Son of a b.i.t.c.h, put the money back quickly!»... «Motherf.u.c.ker, die!»
A hand raised to strike was promptly intercepted by Byron who imperiously roared:
«EVERYONE STANDS STILL! Let Babel show his sleeves.»
The supervisors froze. No one dared to go to explicit conflict with the tough guy. The guards also did not know what to do – Byron could scatter them two like blind kittens.
All the spectators held their breath.
For five seconds Kyon counted the necessary amount taking into account the debt and threw them on the table and snrted dismissively:
«Then figure it out on your own!»
«You little sc.u.m, you put all the money back!» - Babil screamed and pulled his hands to the guy, wanting to shake out all his soul and money at the same time.
But then he was stopped by Byron's low roar:
«Roll up your sleeves or I'll break your arms.»
Babil slowly turned to the guards and gave them a sign to attack, but they only turned away, pretending not to notice him. What's the sense to attack Byron: he would break their necks without even noticing it. Babil turned to his fellow supervisors with demand but the situation repeated. If Babil hadn't cheated, or at least been a normal leader, then we could have tried to run Byron over with the whole crowd.
Kyon had an real fun within himself.
The audience was deeply shocked by what was happening. Borya was the first to come into his senses:
«Yeah. Show us your sleeves! We all want to see it! I'm sure you cheated!» the crowd mumbled in consent.
The chubby supervisor had already ten times regretted that he did not take Byron into account. G.o.d.a.m.n him to be here this time! He had to reluctantly roll up his sleeves. The card treacherously flew away from the right sleeve.
Byron growled.:
«I thought so... If you do anything to the guy in the future, I guarantee you – I will beat you so that you'll be unable to collect your bones.»
The greater part of the audience drooped their jaws. Some fellow-servant of the 3rd rank has deceived the whole crowd of supervisors! Is that really possible?! How could you confront the system!
«Cheater!»... «ugh»... «Aren't you ashamed?!» A whole hubbub was directed at the plump sharper. Only accomplices kept silence. Some of them silently got up and went to their bedroom in disappointment, while others held a grudge against the young man, who had already galloped away with a satisfied look and a solid sum of money earned by their blood and sweat (albeit not always their own). Alas, to go up against Byron and an angry crowd they could not – they had to let the guy went away.
Having counted the money that Kyon threw on the table, Babil spat with annoyance: there was no mistake, he gave the rest of the winners all to the last banknote.
Kyon, having departed on decent distance, and quietly chuckling, counted their wealth one more time. {That's 5,3600 rupees, minus Byron's debt, that's 4,3600, not bad... 15 months of hard work in one night.}
Borya went to Kyon, took him by the shoulder in a friendly way and congratulated him heartily:
«How cool you are! I don't know how you did it, but now I'm your fan! Mind you, this ugly fat man will take revenge. He might even talk your new supervisor into it!»
«I'll be careful.»
After talking some more with the bald man, Kyon came to Byron, which has long sat next to Osip.
«There you are. Thanks for helping me out!» - the young man held out a wad of money.
Byron took the banknotes with a satisfied face and smiled:
«You surprised me! I don't know how you did it, but the truth was on your side! Be careful from now. I think my threats will have an effect, but just in case, I told Osip to cover you, in case…»
«Nicely.» - Kyon nodded gratefully to Osip.
They chatted a little more, discussing the long faces of avid crooks, and then Kyon went to his bedroom. Around clearly clanged hungry wolf jaw, hearing that the lad became rich guys. That romour quickly spread around the common room. But no one dared to offend the guy because Byron's patronage Byron's did matter.
In addition to greedy enemies and envious, this evening Kyon also got fans. Borya, of course, became the president of the fan club. The rest of the night the pilgrims cruised to him. Some of them with greetings, and some with warnings, because the supervisors won't let the kid be and he should be carefull.
Kyon was genuinely touched by such concern.