Star looked shiftily over her hand of cards.  The poker game she was playing wasn't going well and she was down to the last few dollars in her pile.  She tugged hard on the fedora she was wearing to hide her hair and tossed in another dollar to raise the bet.  The man on gher left raised his eyebrows and said in a husky voice "fold."  The other man playing called the bet and took a gulp of his whisky before wiping his brow and laying his hand on the green velvet table.  

"Spade flush, king high" he said, smiling in a satisfied way.  Star leered at him and fiddled with her cards.  She looked around the plush room of the gentlemen's club.  The chandelier hung with thousands of sparkling crystals and the air hung thick with smoke.  She looked back at the man and said in a low but icy tone as she lowered her cards,

"You know it's funny.  I was going to lay down a full house Kings full of aces, but it seems I have a king of spades as well.  How can that be unless one of us is a cheater...and since you were the one dealin the cards, I think you screwed up."

The mans eyes narrowed as he stood up from the table.

"YOU CALLIN ME A CHEATER, CHUMP?"  He roared, flinging the cards at Starshine.

"Yeah, I guess I am."  She said, pushing her chin out and squaring her shoulders.

The man threw a right hook across the table and she ducked under his fist easily.  She jumped up on the table and slugged the man right in the nose.  A thick gush of blood issued from his nose and he cursed.  He swung both arms around for her and missed again but caught the brim of her hat and it flew off.  Her long blonde hair tumbled  down her back and there was an audible gasp.  Starshine stopped for a moment, seeing that she had now been discovered as a woman and had just enough time to dodge another blow by the thickset man.  She jumped off the table and dodged around.  She finally caught a good opening and swung at him, breaking her knuckles on his jaw as her hand made contact with his jaw.  She cursed and reached back for another one when she was picked up by a tall thin man in a long trench-coat and golf cap.  The figure whispered in her ear to shut up and stop fighting.  Indignant she started to struggle in her captors arms.  As she was taking a breath and revving up for another loud scream, she saw the butt of a gun come up and hit her squarely across the temple.

Starshine was dazed as the felt herself being jostled around.  She saw blurring shapes as she was carried outside on the mans shoulders and set down on the pavement.  She heard the sirens and saw the lights as the police cars started to round the corner and the voice next to her shouted "RUN!" 

Carlotta was trying to keep the fedora she was wearing on in the face of the wind.  She was passing a small gentleman's club when she heard the commotion coming from the alley.  She decided, against her own better judgment, to look into it.  Cautiously, she peeked around the corner. 

Someone came out carrying a blond figure like a sack of potatoes, over his shoulder.  He set the woman down and angled himself to block the doorway.  "Run"  Carlotta heard the voice and knew it, it was one of her cousin's friends, he was still blocking the doorway.  Whoever was behind him was mad.

The girl stumbled to her feet just as the first gunshot split the air.  Carlotta had to make a choice.  And for better or worse, she was going to help the figure in the alley.

Carlotta dashed forward grabbing the arm of the blond figure and hustling her around the corner.  From a pocket she pulled a small gun, and shoved it into the other person's hand.  "Follow me."

Carlotta shoved her arm through an open car window and popped open the passenger door, shoving the figure in.  Stopping just a moment, she snatched open the door on the other side and started the car.  Whoever owned the car had been nice enough to leave the keys in.

"Carlotta," She said introducing herself as she cranked the wheel hard.  "Hang on."

Starshine looked around at Carlotta.  She tried to remember her name but it came out as "strrrsh."  As the car revved up she recognized it as her own and was thankful for that.  She pointed to a small map on the dashboard and tapped it, hoping that the person driving would understand that to mean where they should go.  Carlotta stomped on the gas and the car lurched forward, fishtailing a little as it jumped into the wet pavement of the New York streets.  Star looked in the rearview mirror and saw a couple cops pulling away from the group to give chase.  Her head was clearing and she rustled around for her gun.  It was her uncles gun and had the initials "MJ" stamped onto the custom mahogany handle.  She opened the window and pointed the browning pistol out the window, hoping that she would be able to pull off a decent shot.  She waited until they came closer and aimed at the windshield of the first car before firing a round.  It ricochet off the frame and Star cursed.  She aimed again and this time hit the window, shattering the glass and making the car swerve, blocking the path of the other car in pursuit.

"Good shot!"  Carlotta shifted gears and passed a slow moving delivery truck, pausing only long enough to give the driver the finger as he cursed her out.  Two more police cars turned in beside them as they flew past the next corner.

Struggling with the unfamiliar car was starting to be a drain, and she knew, if she didn't stop somewhere she'd end up bringing the cops right back to this person's place.  Suddenly Carlotta made and abrupt turn, grabbing her passenger's belt as he almost slid out the window. 

"For God's sake, hang on."  She muttered italian curses under her breath as she navigated a back road.  She knew that there was a car following them, and she didn't think it was cops, one block over, they were parallel to them and not seeming to come any closer.  She wasn't sure who 'Starsh' was, but whoever her or She was, she'd pissed off some people in high places if what she was inferring was true.

Carlotta reached for a gun to shove in her passenger's hands as the browning was empty.  "Here, I'll reload, we have company."

As she leaned over a bright gold coin on a chain slid out from under her shirt.  It bore a double eagle design marred by two deep gashes in the edge of the coin. 

"We're making a stop first."  Carlotta said.

Star began shoving bullets back in the clip of her gun as the other woman swerved.  She looked over and saw the scratched gold eagle coin on the chain.  She jumped at the sight of it seeing as one had been lying with all of her uncles possessions that she had picked up from the shattered remains of his old HQ.  

"I know that coin...who are you...woah!"  

She slid against the door again as the woman made another sharp turn down another deserted street.  The car made a few quick turns and they ended up going the opposite way they had come without the other car tailing them.  Starshine looked behind her and saw the other vehicle still behind them but now receding into the distance as they were still going the other way.  The driver let out a sigh of relief and turned down a few more streets before stopping at an abandoned warehouse and parking the car behind a large trash bin to hide it.  

The driver opened the door and walked around wrenching open Stars door.  

"You got a REAL name?"  She said in a gruff and irritated voice.

Starshine looked at her through surprised greenish blue eyes and muttered "Starshine Jaimeson, what's yours?"

She looked down at her passenger before pulling her out of the car and hustling her into the warehouse.  "One of my uncle's safe-houses, let me get a look at that arm of yours."  Carlotta pointed to the red on her passenger's sleeve.

"Carlotta,  Carlotta Diambrosi."  She said.  She pulled the coin from under her shirt.  "You know this?"  Who are you?  How do you know this and why are my Cousin's guys risking their lives for you?"

    Even as she questioned the young girl she pulled her over to a table and rummaged around looking for her first aid kit.  The room was small, along one side were windows that had been painted over, and a small couch and table and chairs were there under the windows.  Across the room was a large desk with a broadcast radio on it. 

The furniture was sparse, and as Starshine began to look around the nicks and dings in the wall, and the dark stains on the floor began to paint a grisly picture.  "It's a graze." Carlotta packed the wound and wound gauze around it to keep the bandage in place."

Starshine looked at Carlotta and rummaged in the pants pocket of her suit.  Almost everything in her possession was her uncles.  She finally grasped the shiny coin and pulled it out.  It landed on the table with a thudding clank as it spun around and settled into the worn grain of the wooden table.  She jumped when Carlotta packed the gauze on her arm but smiled when she was handed a bottle of rum.  She took a swig and looked up to see Carlotta looking stunned, and angry.  Her face turned a violent shade of red as she picked up the coin and began cursing at her in Italian.

"Where the FUCK did you get this?" she finally blurted out in english, the rage draining from her face.  Her expression changed from anger to grief as she dropped the coin back on the table and looked over to see that Starshine was sobbing.

"It w-was my u-uncles, it was with h-his things that was found after he died.  I was sent over from Europe to find him after my parents died and I got here to find out that he was already gone.  There was a note with it that had the name Carlotta Steele on it and that was it.  I don;t know anything else...really I don't.  You can have it if it means that much to you.  

Star rubbed the knot on her head where she had been hit and wiped away the last few tears.  She yanked her torn sleeve down over the bandage and tucked a matted curl behind her ear.  She looked down at the table and flicked an ant crawling across the dirty grain, waiting for the next outburst.

Carlotta pointed to the coin.  "Double Eagles are very rare, I would have thought he would have carried it with him."  Carlotta sat down, taking the bottle back from Starshine and taking a long pull as she gathered her wits.  "Carlotta Steele would have been the one you were looking for.  We all call her a cousin though we share no actual blood relations. The two marks on mine are for the two lives I seek vengeance for.  My father and brother were murdered. But that's a story for a different day." 

Carlotta took one more pull before she handed the bottle back.  "So how did you end up getting run out of the card house? And do you want to give them a bit of payback?"

Starshine took another gulp from the rum bottle and smiled a wry grin.  Then she looked back at Carlotta.  The pain in her temple was thankfully fading for which she was grateful.

You see, I had been playing poker all day.  It's a good way to get a little petty cash, but you have to be a guy to get into the best places.  If you;re a girl you'd better be serving drinks or whoring yourself out.  Since I don;t want to do either of those things, I decided to dress up as a guy and see if I could get in.  I got into the fight because I was dealt a full house, kings over aces and the other guy I was playing said he had a straight flush king high.  Normally I wouldn't have been so concerned but he had a king of spades with a mark in the corner, and I had a king of spades that was clean.  I called him a liar and he came out swinging.  I woulda had him beat if your "friend" there hadn't tried to knock me out and drag me out the door.  And all I want from that fat jerk is my money.  

Carlotta laughed.  "My friend just saved your life." Carlotta shook her head.  "Even if you had beaten him up, he would have sent a couple of guys after you.  You don't show up a made guy at his own game Starshine.  That guy was the one who ran that particular game.

"Besides.  You can make a couple grand playing.  I've got an idea that will make us at least ten times that.  You interested?"

Carlotta watched as Starshine thought about it for a moment. "My friends were going to get me and a couple others into that game for a different reason.   We were going to rob it."

"Sounds fascinating, what's the plan?"

"Two of the guys serving drinks are with me.  Sal, the big guy who set you down outside and told you to run, he was going to let me in the back door, just about the time you got bounced.  Might take a couple days to get it set up again.  The only rule is, this is a High rollers game.  No one gets killed and we will be ok."

Carlotta went to the other side of the room and opened a door that Starshine hadn't seen.  "Go get cleaned up, there should be some clothes in the drawers.  I gotta make some calls."

Star went into the bathroom.  There were a few outfits, mostly too big for her,  The only thing that fit decently was a long blue chiffon gown.  The washed her face carefully and dragged a brush through her tangled curls.  After a few minutes her hair shone and she zipped up the dress.  She slipped into a pair of low heels and walked out of the bathroom.  She grabbed her coat and wrapped it around her shoulders, wishing there had been something warmer that fit inside the room.  She sat down and waited for Carlotta to come back.

The next thing she knew, Carlotta was shaking her awake.  She handed her a sandwich and a bottle of Dr. Pepper and told her to get into the car.  Star had the bad feeling that she was going to be used as "bait."

Carlotta smiled as he helped Starshine into the back of the car.  "Not bait so much as distraction.  Sal isn't working the door anymore and I need a new way in."

Carlotta drove back towards where they had been.  "Sal won't point us out, and my friends are still working the room, I just need a ticket in.  Remember, we are only safe as long as no one gets hurt.  Any of those guys get wet, and we get a shallow grave."

Carlotta stared out the window a moment, getting herself together.  "My friend Sal had to do some fast talking to save the whole thing."

Star stood on the sidewalk in the cold night air.  She wished her wrap weren't so filmy but it was the best she had under the circumstances.  She hummed a tune under her breath while she was waiting for Carlotta and chafed her bare arms with her gloved hands.  A man stuck his head out of the door and saw her standing there and before she knew what was happening, he had her by the arm and was dragging her into the club.  

"Hey Joe" he yelled "The entertainment is finally here!"

He shoved her up towards the stage and thrust the microphone towards her.  The pianist started in on a low key and she began to sing.  

"You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh, the fundamental things apply...as time goes by"

Her mezzo voice hung thick with seduction as she crooned the song, hoping this was enough of a distraction for Carlotta and Sal.

rastaman comes thro the front door & stops 4 a drink & notices somthing different about the place. then he finaly remebers joe had owed him money so rastaman goes up to joe & joe gulps & tries 2 run.. rastaman shoots joe in the back of the knee.

"damnit joe gimme the fucking money!!!"

rastaman finnaly relizing that somthings going down hes sees a woman sneaking around.

Carlotta managed to sneak in the door as part of Starshine's entoruage, she smiled at the man who wanted to frisk her.  "You put your hands on me, I break your wrist."  She walked past him without paying any more attention to him.  Once inside Carlotta stuck to the shadows until she got to the back room.  Pausing a moment she knocked.  She couldn't just barge in, not without getting shot.

"Starshine sent me back here to see if you needed anything."  She tried to keep her voice sultry and seductive as she walked toward the back of the room where the other door was.  She just had to get there and then she could signal Sal to come in.  He was in the back hall.

She inched closer, hanging on one of the men as he played, making full use of her looks as a distraction.  Finally she leaned against the wall near the door and knocked twice.  The men didn't have enough time to be surprised before the hall door opened and Sal stepped through, gun drawn.  Two more of the boys who were serving drinks also had drawn weapons. 

"Ok everyone keep your hands on the table where I can see them."

<em> Aiden had been following the two women since the fight in the front of the gentlemans club. he was outside waiting for them to come back out. The must have a plan to return to the same place they had a fight at. He kept his eyes on the door waiting for them to run out. he was going to "help" them. It was a good thing he was patient or HIS plan would never work. Aiden pulled out a cigar and lit it with a match. he slid back into the drivers seat, and watched the door. </em>

Carlotta nodded at Sal and grabbed the gun from him, holding it firmly, and knowing these gentlemen would think twice before shooting a woman.  Sal walked over to the strongbox that held the buy in money.  This was a high stakes game, ten K a piece to buy in, winner take all. 

Sal opened the box to make sure the money was there before closing it and opening the door for Carlotta.  Carlotta took the box and handed over the gun. 

"All right gentlemen, keep playing this hand, we see anyone open this door within five minutes and my boys outside will fill you full of lead."

Slowly Sal, the two young men and Carlotta backed out the side door just as they heard Star's solo ending.  They would be waiting around the corner for her.

stands and applauds Starshine's performance, he smiles and grabs the rose from the table and throws it onto the stage before sitting back down.