The surveillance work was done. He had seen the white-eyed man enter and leave the club, named the Tuxedo Lounge (horrible name), the day before the poker game was to be played. He had a small entourage with him, at least three packing pistols. The lights of the Strip seemed to dull on this side of town, where shady poker games and run-down clubs were like attracted the worst kind of people like moths to a flame. The glamour of the Sin City eroded from sinful decadence to raw vice. And this was where Gav would get his revenge. It had been weeks since his shopkeeper Jim was killed, and after tonight he could finally put his guilt and self-doubt aside.

Gav staked his way into the poker game through a friend. He had spent so little time out and about in Vegas that few would recognize him- just the man he would seek to kill that night. On the contrary, his date, Cassi, would be recognized on the spot. The attention she'd attract alone would give him cover to make his move, but he wanted to take it a step further.

In the car outside the bar, just moments before the game was scheduled to start, Gav went over the plan with Cassi.

"People are gonna recognize you. People aren't gonna recognize me. Not only does your face and name merit the attention, the guys at the table are gonna spend more time thinking about your neckline than their cards."

Gav wrapped up his garrote and put it in his breast pocket. He couldn't risk being caught with a gun, he'd get shot on the spot. Lucky for him, his target would be similarly disarmed.

"The plan is to get him drinking. So your role is crucial- rounds and rounds of drinks. Find something you're celebrating and get a drink in everyone's hands. Eventually, he'll need to piss. Once he goes to the restroom, I'll finish the job."

He checked his pockets, making sure everything was as it should be.

"What do you think? You ready?"

Cassi was giving herself the once over when she heard the horn sound from outside. She flashed her reflection a smile before grabbing her purse and heading out the door. It had been like pulling teeth convincing Ramone to sit this one out. Despite the fact that she would surely be recognized, having her closest bodyguard by her side all night would only cause tension. They needed the opposite of that tonight. 

Cassi smiled at Gav as she slid into the car. She stayed silent as they drove through the streets of Sin City. Not because she had any doubts or any fears. Her line of work brought her excitement, fulfillment. And she treated these kinds of jobs with the reverence and respect they deserved. When they arrived at the club, Cassi turned towards Gav as he went over the plan. She respected his attention to detail. He left nothing to chance, even choosing his weapon of choice wisely. She nodded as Gav spoke. 

"I can definitely do celebrating. I'll have the drinks flowing like Niagara Falls." She clutched her purse and gave another nod as she reached for the door. "I've been ready for this for a very long time. Let's do it."

She opened the door and stepped out of the car, situating her dress. Gav was right, she had chosen this dress specifically to keep the attention on her. She worked with men like the ones that would be inside on a regular basis. For the most part, they all thought the same way. Tonight would not be any different. She took a deep breath and smiled as Gav appeared at her side, holding out his arm to escort her inside. 

The pair walked diligently towards the side entrance of the lounge- the VIP entrance. Outside stood a large man who took only a brief glance at Cassi before granting us entry. The walk through the dimly-lit corridor felt like it went on for ages. Sounds could be heard on both sides of the hallway, and the depth of the passage provoked a sense of unease. After the deed was done, they'd have to run in a long, straight line to get out. Not conducive to avoiding bullets, if the situation arose.

"You do look lovely. I don't think I mentioned that."

Gav's grip on Cassi's arm tightened briefly, placing his other hand on her arm and guiding her to the room at the end of the hallway. It was not large, and featured only an oval poker table and a half dozen chairs at the bar. Gav walked Cassi over to the bar to get them both drinks, but immediately the tone of the room had changed. Most of the players were there, and many with dates seated at the bar. But all eyes were on Cassi.

One man in particular seemed captivated. With a cigarette in his mouth, the white-eyed man stood up from his seat and walked over to the bar. Not wanting to spend too much time in close proximity to the man, Gav took a seat at the table and let Cassi do her work.

Cassi gripped Gav's arm tightly as they walked the long corridor. She memorized the entire path as they walked, in case a quick exit was necessary. But she had no doubts that Gav would get them out safely if the situation deemed it so. She was not expecting the compliment, which caused a bright smile to spread across her face, making her eyes sparkle. Which was exactly how they entered the room. 

She felt Gav's grip tighten around her arm and she reached up, patting him reassuringly as he led her to the bar. She felt the energy change in the room the moment they entered. She could feel the stares and she ignored them all as she stepped up to the bar. She looked up at Gav and knew by the tightening in his jaw that the white- eyed man was near. She turned towards the bartender, flashing him a dazzling smile. 

"Hello my good man. I've just received the best news before arriving tonight. I'm receiving a promotion upon my arrival home. That calls for a celebration," she said to him with a wink as she reached for her purse and pulled out a thick wad of cash. She started counting it out. "How about a round of drinks, on me, for everyone here."

She had known he had approached the moment she felt Gav leave her side. She didn't want to make her attention on the white- eyed man too obvious, but she knew if she ignored him, they wouldn't get far at all. She glanced over at him as he stood two chairs down. She smiled and looked down at his drink, then back up at him. "Ah yes, whiskey sounds perfect. A round of whiskeys, make them double." She pushed the cash towards the bartender with a grin.

She pulled a cigarette from her purse and was not surprised to find the white-eyed man next to her with his lighter poised. She put the cigarette between her lips, inhaling as he lit it for her. She politely blew the smoke away from him and smiled. "Thank you. For the light and the drink idea," she said in a soft voice as she averted her eyes. He would like that, think her a demure woman. Her assessment proved true as she felt his finger trace her arm as he lowered the hand holding the lighter. She suppressed a shudder, forcing a soft laughter instead. 

"A promotion is it? I know another way we can celebrate after I win this game," he whispered in her ear just as the bartender finished filling all the glasses. She resisted the urge to knee this man in his family jewels, reaching for one of the glasses instead. She turned towards the white-eyed man, smiling shyly as she handed him the drink, then reached for one herself. She clinked her glass against his. "To celebrations," she said with a wink as she took a drink, watching him over the rim of her glass. 

It took every ounce of his being not to comment on the white-eyed man's conduct at the bar. He kept his eyes down, taking one of the prepared drinks from the bar and standing around the poker table. He needed the game to start. Now.

The dealer placed eight cards on the table, ace through eight, turned them face-down, and shuffled them. The players each drew a card, which determined which position around the table they were given. Gav drew first, taking the eight, and positioned himself directly to the right of the dealer. The white-eyed man drew the ace, taking the position opposite the dealer.

"Perfect, he barely even has a line of sight to see me," Gav thought in his head.

The players were each delivered a whiskey, courtesy of the lovely lady at the bar, and the game began. It didn't take long for the pots to grow larger and larger, and soon players were being eliminated. Gav checked his watch, and grew concerned that the game would end before he got his chance. He ordered another drink, encouraging the other players to drink more in celebration of his date's pending promotion. But on the table, he was carefully playing his odds to keep the white-eyed man playing. Folding early to keep the pots smaller, betting big to steal the blinds.

He needed to make the night last just long enough to get his target alone.

Cassi sipped her drink at the bar as she watched the white-eyed man walk away. She slid her gaze to Gav and gave him a wink to signal she was fine. She put out her cigarette as the men took their places after drawing their cards. 

She was trying to pace herself with the alcohol, but it seemed the players were doing the same. Slowly they began to lose players and no one was stepping away to use the restroom. Cassi turned to the bartender, flashing another dazzling smile at him as she ordered three shots of the strongest liquor they carried and another double whiskey. She watched the game as she waited, feigning disinterest and boredom. She turned when she heard the drinks being set in front of her. She picked up one of the shots and downed it quickly. Placing the other two shots in one hand and her whiskey in her other, she walked slowly towards the table. 

"Hello, handsome," Cassi said with a smile as she walked up to the table, setting her drink down next to Gav. She giggled and stumbled, purposefully, against him as she passed him one of the shots. She clinked her glass against his and tossed her head back, throwing the shot back quickly. She giggled again, hiccuping as she set the empty slot glass down on the table. She turned her body and started to sit on the table next to him, knocking her glass over. The whiskey spread quickly across the table as she jumped up, the men also jumping up from the table. She raised her hand to her open mouth. "Oh god, I'm so... I'm so sorry!!" 

Just as the whiskey spilled, Gav threw back his shot. He stood up quickly, unsure precisely how to react. No man present would dare get angry with Cassi, so he played it cool.

"Sorry, gentlemen. Looks like we'll need a fresh deck."

Even after giving up pot after pot to the white-eyed man, he still seemed agitated. Perhaps it was Cassi's warm demeanor towards Gav. Perhaps it was the delay in his very profitable game of poker. Regardless, Gav's target seemed on edge, which may jeopardize his mission.

The dealer, leaning under the table to get a fresh deck of card, remarked to Cassi, "Madam, it seems you've got some whiskey on that dress."

Sure enough, Cassi had stained the back of her dress.

"Oh dear, perhaps we should clean that up."

Gav motioned to the restroom, and it seemed to have attracted the attention of the white-eyed man. He rose from his seat and grabbed something from behind the bar, then caught Gav and Cassi just before reaching the washroom. "This should work, if you're good with your hands," the white-eyed man said, reaching to hand the bottle to Cassi.

As Gav reached for it, the man pulled it back. "I said good with your hands. Your hands have been losing all night."

The man smirked and walked into the washroom. He opened the bottle and dabbed some of the rubbing alcohol on a wash rag, and motioned for Cassi to walk towards him. As she did, he twirled his finger, indicating to her to turn around. Gav's anger was in his ears, and his hand reached for his garrote. "If he lays a finger on her," he whispered to himself, stepping slowly into the bathroom while still keeping an eye on the poker game. "But this might be our best chance."

Cassi wasn't sure if she had made the correct call or not. But no one seemed to be angered. She was angry though, her dress was ruined, all because the white-eyed pig couldn't be bothered to step away from the table. She leaned into Gav, continuing her drunk act as he led her to the restroom. When she heard the white-eyed man's voice, she spun around, letting out a laugh and quickly covering her mouth with her hand. 

"Sooooo you think -hic- your hands are the better jobs for the hand?" She asked the man as she followed him into the restroom. When the man signaled for her to turn around, she raised her hands above her head and turned gracefully like a ballerina, before stumbling gently into him. She looked up at the white-eyed man just as Gav stepped in and she smiled. "I think my dress is ruins. In fact, I think..." she held onto the man's arms and turned him so that his back was to Gav. "I think the better is light here." She laughed as she turned her back to the white-eyed man, smiling at him over her shoulder. 

Gav's foot slipped out of the doorway and the door closed behind him. He coughed loudly as he locked the door, hoping that no one would hear the metal clink. Alone with Cassi and the target of his vengeance, he pulled the garrote from his breast pocket. He stepped closer to the man, whose hands were taking a liberal grip of Cassi's dress. Only a few layers of fabric short of groping her. Gav was fuming. The rage and vengeance consumed him, and he lifted the garrote above the man's head.

"You'll have to be more careful nex-"

The white-eyed man's words were cut short by the tight cord at his neck. He struggled, but for nothing. Gav was glad he didn't need to shoot him or stab him. This gave him time to tell him exactly who was killing him.

"This is for Jim. Gav's Meats sends its regards."

After saying it, it was hard not to laugh. "Jim"? "Gav's Meats"? He sounded like a mad man. Who kills someone over a butchery? Except, well, a butcher I suppose. Gav had spent weeks in fear for his life and the lives of his associates. And all that ended in one breath. The white-eyed man went lifeless, and Gav's strong upper body dragged him into a stall and sat him up on the toilet.

"Now we gotta get outta here." Gav said to Cassi, hoping silently that her drunkenness was just a ruse.

Cassi washed her hands as Gav moved the lifeless body of the white-eyed pig into the stall. She checked her lipstick and smoothed her hair, turning towards Gav as he spoke to her. 

"Nice work, I must say. I'm very impressed. I really wasn't sure if we were ever going to get him away from that table. You didn't miss a beat though. But you're right, we should get out of here."

She held out her arm and smiled as Gav slipped his arm around hers. He opened the door, leading her out. She began to laugh and sing loudly, slurring her words as Gav escorted her through the room. She waved her purse in the air. "I'm not ready to gooooooo. More drinks!!! Shelebration!" She laughed as a few hundreds fell from her purse onto the floor. 

Gav forced an apologetic smile at the dealer. "I think she's had enough, I need to take her home before she causes anymore chaos." 

The dealer nodded at Gav, breathing a sigh of relief as Cassi's voice became but a faint sound as the two disappeared down the long corridor towards the exit. 

The pair reached the end of the hallway and were greeted by the bouncer. Just as they walked past him, shouting could be heard all the way back in the poker room. Nervous, Gav tipped the bouncer with a $100 bill and walked towards his car.

"Barely made it. Well done, Ms. Cassi."

Gav walked Cassi to his car and opened the car door for her. As he closed it, the dealer and another man came rushing out of the lounge. The bouncer pointed to Gav's car, and Gav quickly got behind the wheel. Without a moment's hesitation, he started the car and revved off into the night. They got what they came for.

"I wouldn't mind working with you again in the future. You know how to handle yourself."

Unsure of where Cassi would be safe for the evening, he dropped her off at her hotel. He was certain she had private security nearby and would be kept very safe should any nefarious individuals come looking. He got out and opened her car door, wishing her a good night and safe travels back to Chicago.

"Oh, and congratulations on that promotion." Gavi said with a wink.