The Gambling Addict

The soft hum of the first-class cabin was a gentle prelude to the opulent chaos that awaited them. SkyHigh Roller settled into his plush seat, dressed in a casual yet impeccably tailored ensemble, his slick black hair perfectly in place. Across from him, FXUnicorn_Cat sat, her sharp, bob-cut black hair framing a contemplative expression, dressed simply in a black sweater. Next to SkyHigh Roller, an automaton sat silently, its posture perfectly prim, clad in a proper Victorian-era maid outfit with small, round spectacles perched on her nose.

"It seems this is the first time we've properly talked face to face," he began, his voice smooth and confident. "I'm Leo Moretti."

"I'm Anastacia von Eisenhart," she replied, her voice calm and even. "But you can call me Fortune too if you like."

"Anastacia is a beautiful name," Leo said, a genuine warmth in his tone. "I shall call you that if you prefer."

"That's alright," Anastacia responded, and a comfortable, if slightly awkward, silence settled between them.

Anastacia broke the quiet. "Ah, you brought your automaton along. What if someone found out?" she asked, glancing at the silent figure beside him.

Leo chuckled softly. "Unless someone is actively poking around, no one will discover Rho's true nature. Don't worry about it so much. Did you not bring your automaton along? Hierophant gave each member one in case of something unexpected happened."

"I left mine at home to do trading for me," Anastacia admitted. "It's making way more profit than I do."

Leo leaned back, a glint in his eye. "If you don't do it yourself, where's the thrill in that?"

"Well," Anastacia said, a hint of a smile touching her lips, "that's precisely why I'm going gambling with you. To find the thrill of spending money."

Leo laughed, a richer sound this time. "As expected of The Wheel of Fortune."

"Ah, say," Anastacia began, her gaze thoughtful. "Given your username, SkyHigh Roller, why didn't you pick The Wheel of Fortune as your code name?"

Leo paused, then offered a knowing smile. "You see, luck correlates with skill, and I am very skilled. With my track record, with everything I've gambled and risked getting where I am, I'd call it nothing short of a miracle. But then again... isn't it only natural for a magician to perform a few more miracles?"

"That's so profound and cool," Anastacia murmured, genuinely impressed.

"So what about you?" Leo asked, turning the question back to her. "Why did you pick your code name?"

"I had a deck of tarot cards at my side," Anastacia explained, "and the Wheel of Fortune was the first card I got after shuffling it. It felt right."

"It seems fate has chosen it for you then," Leo mused, just as the pilot's voice announced their descent. "It seems we are arriving soon. I can see the city below."

Below them, Macau's night sky was a dazzling spectacle, a vibrant tapestry woven from countless lights. The city sprawled like a jeweled dragon, its casinos and skyscrapers blazing with neon and LED, casting a fiery glow against the deep velvet black of the South China Sea. Skyscrapers pierced the inky canvas, adorned with dynamic light displays that pulsed and shifted like living art. The famous Grand Lisboa casino glowed like a giant, fantastical lotus, while other architectural wonders shimmered with their own unique luminescence, creating a man-made galaxy on Earth, reflecting off the scattered clouds above. The air, even from this height, seemed to thrum with the promise of endless possibilities and dazzling risks.

 ___________________________________

The opulent main hall of the casino pulsed with a symphony of jingling slot machines, hushed murmurs, and the rhythmic clatter of chips. Leo Moretti, Anastacia von Eisenhart, and the silent automaton, Rho, navigated the vibrant palace.

"Given our abilities, casinos can practically be treated as ATMs," Leo commented, his voice a low hum against the background noise. "But then, we're not just here for a withdrawal, are we? We're here to have some fun."

Anastacia's eyes widened, taking in the glittering expanse of the gaming floor. "Wow. There are so many slot machines. What should we even do first?"

"Those are just glorified money sinks, bait for the masses," Leo dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Only the 'normies' touch them if they want to donate their cash to the house."

"Oh," Anastacia murmured, a hint of disappointment in her tone.

"Baccarat is far more interesting, and it's incredibly popular here in Macau and across Asian casinos," Leo explained, guiding her toward a bustling table where high stakes were clearly at play. "It's a surprisingly simple game, though. Unlike blackjack, we don't actually 'play' ourselves; we merely bet on the result. You choose between the 'player' hand winning, the 'dealer' hand winning, or a tie. The hand closest to a nine is the victor. And the best part? No busting if you go over nine; the tens digit just gets dropped."

They took positions at the table, observing a few rounds to get a feel for the rhythm. Anastacia watched, her gaze keen, as high-value chips changed hands. "Alright, I think I've got it," Anastacia said, a spark of determination in her eyes. "Player, one purple chip." She pushed forward the dark purple chip, worth HKD $10,000, a bold move for a first-timer.

Leo smirked, pushing a larger stack. "Dealer, two orange chips." Each orange chip was HKD $25,000, making his bet HKD $50,000. "Always bet against the 'normie' instinct, Anastacia."

The cards were dealt, the outcomes unfolding rapidly. Sometimes they won, sometimes they lost, but Anastacia seemed to have an uncanny knack for calling the winning hand. Her initial caution swiftly melted away, replaced by a confident, almost infectious enthusiasm. Chips began to pile up in front of her, forming an impressive tower.

"Tie, all in with my stack!" she declared, her eyes gleaming with pure exhilaration as she pushed a considerable mountain of chips – a tower of purple and orange, capped by several burgundy ones – into the betting area, totaling well over seven hundred thousand HKD. "This is absolutely thrilling, Leo!"

"Indeed it is," Leo agreed, his gaze subtly scanning the crowded room. His smile remained, but his eyes were sharper, more vigilant. "Perhaps even a little too exhilarating for the house's liking."

As Anastacia leaned forward, her hand hovering over another stack of chips, ready for her next grand bet, Leo gently tapped her arm. "Easy now," he murmured, his voice dropping to a near whisper, barely audible above the casino's hum. "We're being watched. Eyes are on us." He gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod towards a dark-suited man by a distant pillar, who was clearly observing them with more than casual interest.

Anastacia's winning streak and the thrill of the game vanished from her mind, instantly replaced by a professional calm. They calmly collected their substantial pile of chips. With smooth, unhurried movements, Leo led them away from the baccarat table, weaving through the throngs of gamblers towards a brightly lit, less conspicuous row of flashing slot machines. They casually sat down, Rho remaining impassive beside them.

"You couldn't resist using your abilities, could you?" Leo asked, his voice low, strictly for her ears. There was no judgment, only a knowing observation.

Anastacia let out a small, almost imperceptible laugh. "Sorry. I know we talked about discretion. But I just... I wanted to win a lot more than I wanted to lose. The urge was stronger than I expected."

"Understandable," Leo acknowledged, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Well, let's play a few rounds here, shall we? Lose some of that 'heat' we've built up."

"Yeah, definitely," Anastacia agreed, already reaching for the slot machine's lever.

She pulled the lever. As her fingers left the cold metal, an invisible trace of red lightning, noticed only by Leo, sparked from Anastacia's hand and coursed into the machine's internal mechanisms. Inside, a chaotic symphony of whirring gears, frantic electronic beeps, and metallic clattering erupted, shaking the entire machine violently. Anastacia jumped back, startled by the sudden, deafening noise.

"Ah, what's happening?" she exclaimed, staring wide-eyed as a torrential cascade of chips began to pour from the machine's chute, overflowing its tray and spilling onto the floor. "There's so much! Did I just hit the jackpot?"

Unlike the excited Anastacia, a deep frown creased Leo's face. He knew precisely what would happen next, and it wasn't the thrill of a legitimate jackpot. Before the last chip had even clattered onto the plush carpet, two impeccably tailored men approached their machine. Their smiles were polite. They efficiently, almost apologetically, escorted Leo, Anastacia, and the silent Rho out of the casino, making sure their overflowing winnings were promptly and discreetly cashed out as they went. The house had made its point.

"Well, that was efficient," Leo said with a wry chuckle as the casino doors swished shut behind them. "They've most likely blacklisted us now, and nearby casinos will probably follow suit."

Anastacia's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Leo. I really messed that up."

"Cheer up, Anastacia!" Leo clapped her lightly on the back. "The night is still young, and there's plenty of entertainment to be had in Macau beyond gambling. How about we go to a club? I know a fantastic spot not far from here."

"A club?" Anastacia's eyes widened slightly. "I've... I've never actually been to a club before."

"Even better then! Let's go, I know just the place." Leo began to lead the way, Rho following silently behind them.

As they walked down a bustling street, the vibrant lights of Macau painting the sky, a sharp, concussive gunshot suddenly echoed from a nearby alleyway. They both froze. A shadowy silhouette swayed, then slowly pitched forward and fell to the ground. Another figure darted out of the alley's depths and fled into the maze of the city.

"Let's check it out," Leo said, already moving towards the dark opening.

"Wait, wouldn't that be dangerous?" Anastacia asked, a note of alarm in her voice.

Leo glanced back, a confident glint in his eye. "Not for us."

They entered the narrow alley. A man lay sprawled on the grimy concrete, a rapidly expanding stain blooming on his shirt around his stomach. Blood soaked his clothes. The man noticed them, his eyes fluttering open with a desperate light. He mustered a few ragged words in English: "Please... save my... daughter." His eyes slowly closed, his body going limp.

Without hesitation, a soft green light emanated from Leo's hands. He extended his fingers towards the grimy bricks of the alley wall. Patches of moss on the damp stone began to pulsate, rapidly growing thicker and larger. Leo gently pulled at a thick clump, tearing a piece of the unnaturally expanded moss. He knelt, carefully pressing it into the man's gaping bullet wound. The moss, almost miraculously, began to expand further, stitching itself into the torn flesh, slowly absorbing the blood until the wound was sealed.

"Rho," Leo instructed calmly, not taking his eyes off the man for a moment. "Call an ambulance for a passed-out person and remove any remaining traces of blood from his clothes."

Rho nodded as she processed the command.

Leo stood, turning to Anastacia. "Let's save the man's daughter, Anastacia."

With a flicker of anxiety in her eyes, Anastacia nodded, pushing down her apprehension, and followed after Leo and Rho, leaving the miraculously mended man for the approaching sirens.

Guided by Rho, they tracked the perpetrator, and by extension, the missing daughter, to a nondescript, rundown building that seemed to serve as a hideout, nestled amidst a cluster of older industrial structures. It featured a sprawling underground parking garage beneath.

"I forgot to bring the mask," Leo muttered, running a hand through his slick black hair. He turned to the automaton. "Rho, can you hack into all the surveillance cameras in this area and either disable them or edit the footage to show nothing?"

Rho simply nodded, her silence as efficient as her actions.

Leo then casually strode towards the entrance of the underground parking garage, pushing open a heavy, creaking metal door as if entering a public park. Immediately, they were greeted by a cacophony of shouts and the sight of several burly ruffians, wielding glinting machetes, surging towards them. They yelled something aggressive in Chinese, a torrent of words that washed over Anastacia without comprehension.

"Where is the girl?" Leo demanded, his Chinese heavily accented and sounding somewhat crude, but direct enough to convey his meaning.

The ruffians, clearly enraged by the intrusion and Leo's question, let out another yell and charged forward. Before they could close the distance, the concrete floor began to crack. Thick, sinuous vines of plant matter erupted from the fissures, lashing out. Some snaked around the ruffians' legs, holding them in place, while others tripped them, sending them sprawling onto the floor.

Anastacia, startled by the sudden, violent turn of events, panicked. "Vernichtungslanze!" she shrieked, her voice laced with terror and desperation. A blinding lance of crackling red lightning erupted from her outstretched hand, tearing through the air. It pierced a hole straight through one ruffian, then another directly behind him, and unbelievably, a third, before dissipating into sparks. The bodies dropped, instantly lifeless, their clothes smoking faintly where the bolt had passed through.

The remaining ruffians, utterly horrified by the displays, screamed in fear. They scattered, abandoning their machetes, fleeing frantically through another exit at the far end of the garage, their shouts fading into terrified whimpers.

Anastacia, her eyes wide and fixed on the smoking corpses, panicked even more. "Ah, I accidentally killed someone! What do we do?"

"Calm down, Anastacia," Leo said, his tone remarkably steady amidst the lingering scent of death. He walked over to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "They were lowlifes, dangerous criminals. You don't need to feel sorry for them. They likely deserved worse." He then turned to Rho. "Rho, can you get rid of these corpses and any evidence? Make it look like they were never here."

Rho nodded. Without a moment's hesitation, a concentrated blast of pure energy erupted from the palm of her hand, directed at the lifeless bodies. In an instant, the ruffians' bodies, along with their clothes and weapons, vaporized into nothing but a wisp of smoke, as if they had never existed.

With no further obstacles, they resumed their search, Rho effortlessly leading them through the labyrinthine hideout. It was clear that all the remaining ruffians and their boss were long gone, having fled in terror. They soon found her: a young girl, huddled in a small, grimy room, her eyes wide with fear and utterly devoid of light, as if accepting the inevitable.

"Your father asked us to help you," Leo said gently, stepping forward, his voice a stark contrast to the violence that had just transpired.

The girl, small and trembling, finally looked up, her gaze fixing on Leo. Her eyes, so devoid of light moments ago, now welled with a fragile, nascent hope. Leo gently extended a hand.

 ________________________________________

The father and daughter were reunited at the hospital. A tearful embrace followed.

The father, weakened but resolute, managed a few words in broken English. "Thank you," he rasped, his voice raw with emotion. "Thank you both. I was once... a successful businessman. But I was betrayed... lost everything. Fell into heavy debt."

His gaze drifted, haunted. "Not only that, my wife... she left. And now... I've contracted a terminal illness." He coughed, a wet, rattling sound. "These debt collectors... they won't stop. I don't have long to live." He looked at his daughter, tears streaming down his face. "Even when I'm gone, they'll come for her. For Mei."

He turned his desperate plea to Leo and Anastacia. "I know it's selfish... after you saved us. But please... take care of my daughter for me." He coughed again, a spray of blood flecking his lips.

Leo felt the familiar, cold indifference rise within him. It wasn't his problem. He was a man of calculated risks and ventures, not a savior for every lost soul. He opened his mouth to deliver a polite but firm refusal. But then, he caught Anastacia's expression. Her eyes, usually so composed, held a profound sadness, a raw, uncharacteristic vulnerability. She looked at the frail man, then at the terrified child, and Leo could almost feel her empathy radiating.

He sighed, a long, weary sound, and closed his mouth. This wasn't ideal, but...

"Alright," Leo said, the word almost a reluctant grunt. He knelt, bringing himself closer to the dying man. "We'll take care of her."

The father's eyes widened, a flicker of profound relief crossing his face. "Thank you... thank you..." he whispered, before his breathing grew shallow and his eyes finally closed in exhaustion, finding peace in the promise.

Anastacia, still looking distressed, turned to Leo. "Are you sure about this, Leo? A child..."

Leo ran a hand through his hair. "No, it's certainly not. But a promise is a promise, and you looked like you were about to cry if I said no."

Anastacia pouted. "I was not..."