The Ace in the Hole

Ace in the Hole, First Street, New York city, April 22nd Earth date, ~9:00 A.M

There Daniel was, looking at this large building with 'Ace in the Hole' written in purple. He noticed there was a ladder to the middle of the 'O', information which he stored away. It looked like an average gentleman's club from the outside, but he wondered what secrets he could find inside.

He entered, and it was a mini casino. There was not much to say about the place. That's when Daniel and Jim's eyes met.

Jim gravitated toward Daniel.

"Hey, nice hairdo." Daniel stated calmly, he was keeping his professionalism at a high standard.

"Number 9797, Daniel Smith. Detective for the Everleason police department. If you ask me, keeping your badge out in the open like that might make some folks in here nervous."

"Oh, you saw my badge. At least I don't keep it on my shirt." Daniel chuckled with some nervous energy.

"Fair point. My name is Jim Talent. Are you by any chance looking into a bad thing that happened to a good friend of mine?" Jim asked.

"It depends on who this good friend is, and what bad thing happened to him."

"Richard Yates, he was murdered."

"I am investigating a murder, I have no idea who the victim is as I forgot to ask, but did he make this?" Daniel asked, showing Jim the card, he obtained.

"Yeah, Richard made that."

"Any idea its significance?"

"Not practically. But if it gives you any solace, I do have an idea on a suspect."

Daniel's eyes perked at that. "Really, that is interesting, who?"

"He never comes here, but his name is Fred Royale, he is in charge of a casino in Vegas and is the owner of a bar nearby as well. He recently made a return to the big city, but nobody has seen him yet today."

"Intriguing. I have more ground to cover it seems. Is there anything else you'd like to add."

"I'm not sure if it will help or not, but Richard has a secret club somewhere in the city, I wish I was invited, I hear it is crazy in there."

Daniel instantly recalled the ladder to the interior of the 'O' on the roof.

"I think I pay this secret club a visit first before anything else." Daniel stated.

"You know where it is?" Jim exclaimed; his tone was both excited and confounded. How could Daniel figure out something Jim could only dream of discovering.

"It's just a theory, so, it's best I just check it out for now." Daniel nodded and went off. He watched Jim, feeling that perhaps he'd follow him, but Jim was to stunned to move. Maybe he wasn't ready yet to know where this hidden club was.

#

Daniel finally made it to the roof, it wasn't hard. The elevator had a direct route to the roof. This knowledge seemed to cement the fact that perhaps the club was indeed where Daniel initially thought it was, he climbed the stairs, knowing that maybe someone might notice him, it was broad daylight after all. He made it to the top of the ladder and noted a handle that was impossible to see from the ground and gripped the handle. He pulled it and he saw something amazing, a light like a rainbow, filling his eyes with many colours.

He stumbled forward down some soft padded steps and onto a soft floor and soon he was out of his dazed state.

"I don't know who you are, but this club is closed at the moment." Said a man behind a bar.

"You look familiar." Daniel stated looking at the bartender.

"Nice badge, you must be thinking of my brother. I'm Kevin Picture."

"Picture, I know that name."

"You must know it from my brother."

Daniel nodded. "Yes, your family is somewhat well known isn't it, you guys are in fashion, right?"

"Ah, no, that's my father's business. Sorry, I guess you don't know my brother."

"I know your father then." Daniel chuckled to himself. "Anyway, what do you know about this?" Daniel asked, revealing the card that he had on him before to Kevin.

"Other than the fact Richard Yates has been murdered, no." Kevin replied with a bit of sadness caught in his throat.

"Wait, how could you possible know that."

Kevin picked up a glass and started cleaning it. "Well, Richard once told me to remember something well, not hard for a Memfer to remember information told to them. The information he gave me was that if a detective showed up with one of his 'special cards' then it would mean that he was murdered and to tell the individual that found the card that its purpose was not to lead them here."

"Then what is the purpose of the card?"

"My memory is perfect, but you already knew that about my ability. Basically, what I am saying is, 'if I knew, I'd tell ya.'"

"That's rather presumptuous to believe that I'd know what the Memfer ability is and how it works."

"You're a Rhombodian police officer, although you aren't dressed as one, that badge is proof enough for me, and as I understand it, you guys have to know all abilities and what they do. Don't tell me that you don't have an ability, because I can always check to see if you're lying."

"Well, you must be aware, that viewing someone else's memories without consent is illegal, right."

Kevin laughed. "I knew you knew."

Daniel sighed and looked around the place.

"What's wrong, Doc?"

"Is there perhaps another exit that I can use."

"Depends, do you like slides."

"Do I look like a kid."

Kevin laughs again. "Do you remember how easy it was to get to the roof?"

"You don't mean to say?"

"Yes, that elevator connects to here as well, but you need a special card to access this area from inside the elevator. I mean this place is pretty exclusive as you know." Kevin explained and handed one of the cards he was speaking of to Daniel. "Here, just in case you need to pay another visit."

"Hold on, I have one more question before I leave."

"Yes?"

"What did you mean by 'special card.'"

"The only thing I can say is that the ace of spades was his favourite card as whenever he had one in his hand then he was guaranteed good luck. Too bad it didn't work this time."

"Do you think that perhaps the luck diminished because of the hole in the card?"

"Look, I am not an expert when it comes to magic. Sure, as a born and bred Rhombodian, I am aware of the existence and purpose of the Questlands, but I just couldn't find any interest in going there. Besides if I did go there, I'd ask for a staff position as a bartender, as that is my passion. Magic and luck don't matter to me."

Daniel nodded. "I understand. Even as a resident of Everleason myself, I only wished to see the city to its fullest, and I enjoyed ridding along all the transport routes that the great city of Everleason has to offer. I could never get into the fact that people used abilities on the planet. It was always in the back of my mind, but I never thought to explore that further. But enough talking. I have a mystery to solve, and it won't get solved if I stay any longer. Goodbye, and tell your brother I said 'hello.'"

Daniel made his way to the elevator quickly as he didn't want to waste any more time just standing around. He may not of made any progress yet, at least not as far as he was aware. But he still had a lead, and he had to explore that first and foremost.

Daniel entered the elevator, anticipating that he will soon resolve the case, but he had no idea what could lie ahead. Will this one lead he discovered, this one suspect, be a dud?