“Gentlemen, let’s begin,” Paulette said. She pinned Remi with her eyes, telling him without saying a word that she had heard the way Gregor introduced himself. With a short nod back to her, he further masked his face to hide his deep inner turmoil. “The blind will begin at one million dollars and will increase as the game goes on. The match will end when one player has lost all of his chips or forfeits.”

Tossing specially made plastic disks onto the velvet, Remi said, “I’m gonna give you a warning before we begin, Gregor. I doubt I need to tell you something you’ve known and have experienced firsthand many times over, but in the spirit of gamesmanship—”

Behind him, Jim shouted, “Remi’s the best motherfucking poker player on the planet!”

Remi canted his head to the side, as his stomach rolled in pain from the scent on Gregor.

It was Sophie.

And though he wanted nothing more than to launch himself across the table and force Gregor to tell him where she was, he had to control himself. Otherwise, he was sure to face the wrath of The Directive, whom they had been told planned to attend but had not yet arrived.

“And there you go.”

Gregor set his chips down, and then Paulette dealt two cards to them and laid three face-up on the center of the table.

“The flop.”

“Monsieur Gaines, the move is yours.”

“Raise,” Gregor said, adding three more chips to his stack.

“Same,” Remi replied, placing five onto his.

Paulette laid out another card.

“The turn.”

Flicking his gaze to Gregor, Remi tsk’d and said, “I remember a similar hand between you and me. Do you?”

“You won, didn’t you, Remi?” Jim whispered.

“Oui, as I will this one.”

“Monsieur Gaines?”

“Give me a minute,” Gregor said.

Remi thought he could see the tiny wheels in Gregor’s head turning.

He rolled his neck and said, “Tick, tock…”

“Check.”

“Hmm. I raise.”

“The pot now stands at eight million,” Paulette said.

“What will you do, TP? That’s my new name for you. I thought of it just now. Care to know what it stands for?” A muscle started jumping in Gregor’s jaw, and Remi made a show of looking around at the spectators. “Any guesses?”

“Toilet paper?” said somebody towards the rear.

Remi guffawed, slapping his knee to cover an involuntary tremor in his legs.

“Non, but that’s a good one.”

“Tell us!”

“Eh, maybe I shouldn’t’ve said anything. I don’t want to offend Gregor with a little jest. He’s under so much stress already.”

“Say it,” Gregor snarled.

Remi smiled, as he glanced down at his cards.

“D’accord. Okay.” Leaning closer to Gregor, he said, “It stands for Triple Poser.” He straightened, as he looked at his cards. “As a player… as a strategist… as a winner…. I know, it’s an older word, but it fits. Don’t you think?” Jim chuckled, and then a few more joined him. “Ah, they get the joke. It’s funny, non?”

“Gentlemen, if we could please return to the game....”

“It’s his move, Paulette,” he said through gritted teeth. “We’re all waiting.”

Gregor growled, “Can you make him shut the fuck up?”

“Non,” Paulette replied, “the house rules do not address cross talk while in play.”

“Anyone have earplugs to lend to my opponent? He doesn’t appreciate my humor.”

Crushing the cards in his hands, Gregor dropped them onto the muck.

“Fold.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” Staring Gregor in the face, Remi lowered his voice to a rumble. “Walk away and retain what’s left of your dignity and pride.”

“Never.”

“C’est ca.” He shoved his finger in Gregor’s face. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Waving towards Paulette, he said, “Shuffle up and deal.”

“Perhaps a small break?” she said, opening a new deck. “For refreshments?”

“Oui,” Remi replied, thankful for the reprieve to get more blood and gather himself together.

He took his drink to the bar for a refill. After they returned to the table, Remi, having emptied ten bags, went on to win the next five hands, taking Gregor’s chips with each turn of the cards.

“I need to send a message,” Gregor said, as he withdrew his phone from his pocket and began typing.

“Getting a loan? Contacting a friend for advice?” Remi asked.

Gregor flipped him off, as Remi fought against the intensifying gnawing in his body on which the effect of the blood was decreasing substantially.