Merci sat in the coffee shop with Melkor, a pile of pennies in front of each of them. They'd been at it for two hours, betting each other over ridiculous dares that had started simply enough, 'I bet you won't eat a french fry off that guy's plate' and had gradually escalated to the outright absurd 'I bet you won't go in the bathroom of the same sex and write your own number on the wall...the follow-up to that being 'I bet you won't go check that I did it'. 

Merci's pile was gradually depleting, however, so it was time to step up her game. There was little he wouldn't do...which was something she would keep in mind the next time she needed a date.

"Damn. Okay...I bet you won't...punch a guy in the stomach. You can choose the guy, even," she says, eyes sparkling. Surely she had him now!

Melkor snickered to himself as confidence was flowing through him. He looked around the cozy little coffee shop before flashing a grim smile. He had spotted the perfect unsuspecting civilian. His eyes tracked their movement until they had stopped at the counter to place their order. The victim now still, he pushed back his chair and arose.

"Be back in a jiffy" he said before giving her a wink and sneaking off.

He was sure she was watching him the entire time wondering if he would really go through with it or not. As he approached the man he snickered again. The man was wearing a plaid suit but with a goofy colour scheme. Even if Merci didn't bet him he still would've decked the guy so to him it was a text book win-win, and for that reason he found himself unable to control the chuckles. The man turned around to move out of line after finishing placing his order, and it was immediately as he turned that Melkor threw a jab right in the man's gut. He continued walking off as if nothing had happen while the man dropped like a sack of potatoes to his knees. As he took a seat back at the table he noticed an employee from the coffee shop walking to the couples table next to them. She was carrying a cupcake with a lit candle sticking out the top of the icing. Once again that grim smile came across his face. He looked Merci dead in the eyes trying to hold back the laughter...

"I bet you won't walk over to their table and blow out the candle just before they do.."

"Pffft," Merci says as she gets up. Stepping over the poor plaid fool still rolling around on the diner floor, she approaches the couple's table and not only blows out the candle, but leans down and licks the frosting off the top of the cupcake.

What she'd failed to realize, however, was that it was the Mayor and his wife seated at the table. As Merci stood up with frosting still on her lips, she can hear Melkor laughing his ass off at the next table while the Mayor turned bright red and let loose a stream of obscenities. 

"Shit," she says as the mayor's wife throws her coffee in Merci's face. Returning to her seat and grabbing several paper napkins, she eyes Melkor  sullenly.

"I dare you to steal his car," she challenges.

Melkor dabbed her brow with an extra napkin to assist. Shaking his head he knew he had this coming. By this point employees had began to form around the mayors table as they tried to explain what just happened. "No time like now", he thought to himself as they got up from the table. Rushing by the other tables, they headed right out the front door and onto the sidewalk. Scouting both ways Melkor saw a 1935 Auburn 851 Speedster parked in the coffee shops parking lot. It was by far the most expensive car parked there. High tailing it over he searched for a big enough rock to busy in the window. Spotting one the size of an apple he picked it up and whipped it through the glass. The rock caught so much speed it went right through both sides windows and the glass shattered completely.

"After you ..." he said as he gestured for her to get in first.

Hoping into the drivers seat Melkor reached under the steering wheel ripping wires out and fucking around with them until the engine turned on and the headlights as well.

With a chuckle and a grin he asked, "Where to Ma'am?"

She grins savagely at him, her hair whipping in the wind blowing through the broken car windows. She hadn't had this much fun in...ever.

"Your call. What's my dare?" She asks loudly, over the sound of the revving engine.

The question had left Melkor stumped. What next can he dare her to do that will raise the stakes even higher. While he pondered the question he began pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road. As soon as he got onto the asphalt he sped off down the street. Looking over to his left while passing by the front entrance of the coffee shop he saw the mayor shuffling out the door followed by his lady and the employees of the shop. Laughing aloud he pressed his foot down harder on the gas pedal racing down the road before turning onto the street parallel. He continued driving at high speed for a few more blocks till he was certain no one was following; especially the fuzz.

Now driving more to the speed limit they cruised around while he tried to think up the perfect dare until he stopped right in front of it... It was the only sports betting center in the entire city of Los Angeles. "Two birds, one stone.." he though to himself before turning to face Merci.

"You see that place right there.." he said while pointing at the store that was a front for the racket, "Your dare is to stick it up for all that they got, though I'm feeling generous and rambunctious enough to assist."

Looking over at Melkor's striking profile as they pass through the city's streetlights, she can see that he's not kidding. She's got her Magnum with her, and a clutch piece in one of her boots, but she's unaware of any weaponry on her friend. She ran her gaze down his form...very nice indeed, but no telltale bulges.

He wouldn't offer if he wasn't packing. Right?!?

"You're on," she says, the fire lit now and burning bright. He parks the car half a block down and under a smashed lamppost. They exit the vehicle and walk toward the business, his arm around her in the ruse of a couple out for a stroll as they approach. It's late, but the front is doing a fair business as a 24-hour pawn shop, with a couple men working the late shift and a few losers pawning their car titles in order to have another go at lady luck in the casinos.

Merci takes the lead as they blow through the door, it's her dare after all, and points her .357 at the closest employee's head. 

"Heya fellas! We're here to relieve you of some cash. And I'm not talking about the stuff you're pulling legally. I want the betting hall take," she says. Melkor must have pulled out something impressive behind her, because the pawn customers each hit the floor without even being told. The guy she's holding the cannon at, though, must not be particularly impressed by her, because he has the balls to start laughing. Without missing a beat, Merci backhands him across the face with the steel barrel of her revolver, and worker number two decides that's when he'll make a break for the back room. 

With a grin, Melkor follows him.

The bell at the front door rang as Melkor chased after the second worker out the front door. Pissed the man had the audacity to think he could escape on foot Melkor whipped out his gun that was concealed under his thick armour and fired a warning shot. Only problem with his warning shot was he aimed it right at buddies leg and blew out his left knee cap... Holding his gut laughing he hustled over to the worker as he screamed out in agony on the ground but still attempted to crawl away. Catching up to him and the trail of blood that followed, he pistol whipped the man twice before grabbing the poor soul by the hair and dragging him back to the joint.

By the time they returned to the front, Merci already had the entire place under control. The one worker that was giving her a hard time at first had already changed his tune and on top of that had gather all the cash from the back room betting hall. It was loaded and stuffed into five duffle bags and 1 small garbage bag. Melkor's face was flush red and his heart racing as he stared at Merci in action. The sound of sirens getting louder made him come back to and in a hurry...

"Alright darlin' go get the car started, I got the bags.... Everyone, remember this day as the day you got stuck up by M&M...." were his last words as he exited the building and followed after his partner in crime.

He dropped three bags on the asphalt so he was able to throw the other two and the garbage bag into the back seat. The bags being loaded rocked the car with each one added. Picking up the others and throwing them into the back too, he had spotted the first cop car pull around the corner ramming another vehicle passing by. It was the lucky break they needed. As soon as he closed the passenger side door behind him the car sped off faster than it had when they stole it. The sounds of the sirens faded off into the distance as they continued without hitch down street after street. Finally she pulled down a back alley outside of The Golden Lions HQ where they were able to catch their breath..

Merci turns to Melkor, the reflection of the headlights lighting up her eyes in the dark.

"The take is entirely yours, Hun. I didn't give you a proper auth gift," she says, panting. "Our families go back a long time, I love you like family, you know this," she continues, smiling now and grasping his hand tightly.

"So. Take this haul...and I dare you to open your own betting hall."