Man, Loop's cold tonight. Pavement's slick with leftover frost and the air's thick of cigarette smoke. Everybody's out here looking like they own the place or wanna own it. Standing around the new casino like it's the second coming of christ or something.

Loop De Loop. Real flashy joint. Neon signs buzzing way too loud -like it's screaming for attention.

Then, out of nowhere, Mr. Gordon walks in, without missing a beat, he jumps up on the mic, his voice cutting through the chatter just enough for the room to catch every word:

“Welcome Folks, to the Loop De Loop Casino in this great city of Chicago! This night's about all of us -the city, the crew, the family. Big thanks to the Jeromes Marauders, and especially to the don TomJoad, for their blessing and trust. We're here to build something real. something strong.”

No speeches or fanfare after that. Just a nod and a grin.

He moves through the crowd, chatting easy with folks, throwing back a few drinks. Laughing low, swapping stories with some of the regular faces the kind of talk that makes the room feel alive and welcoming.

The jukebox hums somewhere in the corner, Lights flicker from the neon signs outside, casting shadows across the worn floor.. people enjoying themselves for as far as the eye can see.. 

Fanta walks into a brand new establishment and admires it. He roams around the building for a while observing. He can hear people cheering, laughing and some even crying. Such lively place and seems very busy. As Fanta's tour of the place comes to an end he looks over to his friend who was also roaming in the casino. They both meet in the middle of the floor and Fanta says

This looks like a good enough place to start our operations. The security here is too tight but they are not here for us. They are concerned about keeping the house money safe, they have no worries if the customers lose their money. In fact, that's all they want. Call all the boys and girls and tell them it's open season for pickpockets in  Loop De Loop Casino.

Fanta and his friend laugh and take one final look at the poor chumps who will be robbed very soon. By them or by the casino, doesn't matter.

MrGordon catch Fanta's words with a half-smile, watching him soak in the place like its ripe for the taking.

"Open season, huh?' I say, easy and calm, eyes drifting over the crowd. 'You're not wrong - security's watching the house, not the hands. That's the way it usually is."

MrGordon glances back at him, still smiling.

"Though lately, this pickpocket thing between Chicago and Detroit's been heating up. Folks are starting to take notice."

"But hey, Loop De Loop's here for everybody from all walks. If you think you can seize an opportunity like that, by all means, try. At least I'll know what the security needs to work on around here."

lifts his glass in a quiet toast, then turn back toward the floor, the noise of the casino wrapping back around us like it never missed a beat..

Didn’t plan on stopping by. But, y’know, word gets around when one of ours opens a casino that glows like a radioactive jukebox.

Loop De Loop.

Name sounds like a headache. Everybody standing around like they just invented dice. Whole block smells like aftershave, cheap ambition, and someone trying too hard.

There he is, Mr. Gordon himself, up on the mic like it’s open mic night at the end of the world. Voice smooth, lines rehearsed but not stiff. Gives the nod to Jerome’s Marauders and TomJoad, smart move. Nobody wants to gamble in a place that forgets who keeps the lights on.

Speech is short. Room likes that. Drinks start flowing, and Gordon’s already weaving through the crowd like he owns it. Maybe he does. Hard to tell these days.

I find a corner, order something brown, and try not to get caught in the light show coming off the slot machines. 

Someone wins. Someone loses. Someone else thinks tonight makes them important.

Same song, different singer.

But credit where it's due, Gordon’s built a place that feels alive. The kind of joint where you might just make a little luck... or lose something you didn’t realize was up for grabs.

I raise my glass. Here’s to strong starts, short speeches, and places that don’t smell like dead rats.

Let’s see how long it lasts, I’m heading back to the Velvet Paw. Hopefully no more pickpockets along the way.

That night, Domenico happened to pass by a dazzling, brightly lit place called Loop De Loop Casino. Curious, he quickly deduced that MrGordon was the owner of this new establishment.

As he listened nearby, he caught a snippet of MrGordon’s speech, which began with, “Welcome Folks, to the Loop De Loop Casino in this great city of Chicago!...” But suddenly, Domenico was distracted by something else, and the rest of the speech went unheard.

He muttered to himself, “Huh, Chicago?... Gordon must be really drunk if he thinks he's in Chicago when he's obviously not.”  Sipping his cigar, he strolled away from the casino and muttered once more, “Well, good luck on expanding your business wings in New York, MrGordon.”

Domenico then discreetly gave a subtle signal to his bodyguards, indicating that they were ready to leave the scene. With a calm yet purposeful stride, he took one last look at the flashing neon signs of the casino before slipping into the shadows. His longtime friend was waiting at a nearby location for a business meeting, and Domenico knew it was time to move before any unwanted attention arose. 

Shortly after leaving Loop De Loop and getting into his car, Domenico suddenly felt a pounding headache. His consciousness began to blur, and he clearly realized that he had been extremely drunk that night. Overwhelmed by the urge to return home to New York, he didn't realize he was actually in Chicago.

Before losing consciousness, he ordered his bodyguards, "Cancel the next meeting, I want to go home... take me to Queens." Soon after, Domenico fell into a deep sleep, oblivious to everything that had happened around him.

I am personally throwing three jails in the city of Chicago for the next twenty minutes to celebrate this momentous occasion. No one is invited, but I will be thinking about the Loop De Loop Casino the entire time that I'm busting out these jail birds. Thank you for your time.

Francois downs an entire glass of champagne. He sure could put that drink away, very impressive.