My eyes widen as I enter The Boulder Club for the very first time. It's about time I inspect my territory and make sure there are no threats to the business. Surely enough, the place is packed, it's been a month since they legalized the tables but business is booming, for myself and the club.  As I take a drag of my slimline I start to feel the adrenaline running throughout my body. "Where do I start!" I mumble in awe. I'm not new to the deliciously painful world of gambling, but this ain't like the back alleys I'm used to. I quickly begin business, dispatching my top dames, not only within the club but the rest of the corner too. 

I head over to an empty Blackjack table and take a seat. "Don't you look lonely handsome" I say to the dealer as I place a bet. "If I did before, I most definitely am no longer ma'am" He said with a smirk. "You better be worth $2000 a hand Mr.Dealer, otherwise I'm going to have to cut our time together short" 

*"Dealers Cards 8, 11, 21!".. $2000 gone, "Dealers Cards 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21!".. plus another $5000, "Dealers Cards 6, 12, 21!"..Fuck $10,000 more,  "Dealers Cards 10, Blackjack!".. Unbelievable $20,000 on top of that. "There is no way, you have to bust this time, this is insane! This is my last hand and it's going to be a big one! $50k, I have to win this to make it all back" "Dealers Cards 4, 13, 21!".. Fuck.* 

It didn't take long for him to drain me of 87k, I couldn't believe he got 21, five hands in  a row!.  "Shit, 11k left.. when does your shift finish?" I say, trying to keep calm as I plan to wack him when he knocks off. He lowers his head without answer, as to say sorry. "Maybe I'll have better luck on roulette then". I slowly stand and leave, trying to regain my self control. 

As I head over to the roulette tables I hear an alarmingly loud crash, I notice a few quick hands reach into their blazers, ready for war. Seconds pass without gunfire, and the club is put to ease as we hear the local cabbage merchant exclaim "MY CABBAGES". Shortly after I notice my crew leader Zaheer walk in. "I guess roulette will have to wait"I let out an exasperated sigh knowing that I still have a long way to go If I want to be fully initiated into "The Red Lotus" gang.   

"Good evening P_Li, let me just say, your women are looking fabulous tonight" Zaheer said with a twinkle in his eye. "I only run the best women in Summerlin for The Red Lotus, you should know that by now Zaheer" It's hard to wipe the smug look off my face when I talk about business, even harder when I know Zaheer has a soft spot for one of my leading ladies. "Is that cabbage on your suit?" I pick the cabbage off Zaheers suit as he chuckles. "I'm still struggling to enter the void, we must let go of our weaknesses and become wind". "Ha! well if tonight has taught me anything it is that the tables are my weakness" I struggle to disguise the frustration in my voice. "I'm about to call it a night, is there anything I can do before I head off?"  

"The night is young P_Li! Here, think of this as a bonus for managing such hard working girls" Zaheer hands me $500k in chips and heads over to my main gal, Chelsea. As for myself, I have a date too, she's fiercer and more expensive than most women I know. As quick as she gives, she will spin right around and take it all back in a matter of seconds. It's time for me to make it all back on Roulette. 

Everyone has weaknesses Zaheer thought to himself. Though he considered himself weak in only one aspect. He could not fly. Now it wasn’t like others could fly but an ancient society talked of a man who could. A man who could release the earths hold on him. This man was Guru Laghima. Since hearing the story of Guru Laghima, Zaheer could not stop thinking about the ability to fly. Others scoffed at him for believing what they thought was a children’s story. But Zaheer knew deep down that it was true and where others have forgotten the old ways and the abilities humans had once possessed, Zaheer decided to dedicate much of his time to achieving what Guru Laghima could. On the ability to fly Guru Laghima was quoted on saying three lines on how to achieve it

Let go your earthly tether

Enter the void

Empty and become wind

Those lines are why Zaheer believed so much in this goal, because to him they made so much sense. How could anyone expect to be able to null the earth’s hold if they themselves hold onto it. You must let go of it and enter a state of mind where none of your base human desires control you. Become free like the wind. This philosophy is what Zaheer has tried to hold onto but it has been extremely hard. Though today is a new day.

Zaheer sat cross legged on the edge of the Boulder Clubs roof as the wind blew at his robe and caressed his shaved scalp. He kept his eyes closed, trying to repeat the words of Guru Laghima over and over in his head. Let go your earthly tether, damn P_Li’s new girls are looking as gorgeous as ever…damn it man concentrate! Zaheer thought to himself. He breathed in deeply smelling the southerly wind as it sent a shiver through his body. Let go your earthly tether. Enter the void, Oh was I supposed to meet Seph today with an updated on Summerlin’s progress? Bah! Get out of my head! Empty! Zaheer's body started to shake with frustration. Let go your earthly tether. Enter the void. Empty and become wind. Zaheer's body finally relaxed. His mind was completely empty of all earthly thoughts. He slowly raised himself to his feet and outstretched his arms as the wind picked up in strength, Zaheer’s robe flapping about him. Let go your earthly tether. Enter the void. Empty and become wind. Zaheer leaped off the edge. The earth’s pull was strong as Zaheer tumbled to the ground but he kept his eyes shut, repeating Guru Laghima’s words in his mind, concentrating as hard as he could on his desire to fly. His concentration broke as he smashed into a stall, which broke his fall, as he hit the ground hard. He opened his eyes with a grunt as he looked around and saw himself covered in shattered pieces of wood and…

“My Cabbages!!!!!!” Screamed the elderly stall owner who had got the shock of his life when Zaheer broke through his tarp roof and into his wooden stall. “Damn this city and these hoodlums!” Yelled the owner as he fell to his knees crying. Zaheer rolled over to his stomach and picked himself up. He brushed off any debris on himself, pulled out a fat wad of cash and threw it at the owners knees. Zaheer sighed at another failed attempt and decided to head into the Boulder Club hoping that a small round of roulette would ease his mind. As he headed over to the entrance the door man spots the leader of the Summerlin crime syndicate and opened the door with a bowed head in respect. Zaheer slipped the man a note in his top pocket then proceeded to enter the building. It was a full house but the crowd seemed to move aside as Zaheer made his way through. Zaheer laughed as he saw a frustrated P_Li look up at him from the roulette table.