The Bet
Chapter 1: The Games We Play

    "All right people, place your bets," Auger called out as he looked down at his cards. Seated around a square table in his underground lair was Lili Marquette, Liam Kincaid, and Mayia, all gathered for the momentous occasion of a friendly game of poker. The Friday Night card games had started about 5 weeks earlier, a nice friendly ritual were they exchanged dinners, anecdotes and pleasant company. A motley crew they were too, Augur, the "old timer" so to speak, he had learned to play poker in Junior High over lunch hour, Lili the fierce captain who had taken up the game during boot camp. The there was Liam who knew the game through his mother's memories, though his poker face left much to be desired, and finally Mayia, who had only learned the game over their first meeting, she still didn't know all the rules.
    "Let's start with ten," Lili tossed her chips into the center.
    "I'll see that," Liam said as the bet went around the table.
    "Am I allowed to fold yet?" Mayia sheepishly asked, looking down at her hand. She listened as every one else laughed, it wasn't her fault, she just never seemed to get good cards. Finally, when Lili shook her head Mayia tossed her chips into the center as well. She'd fold on her next turn.
    "Well I'll see that ten, and I raise you five!" Augur announced at his turn.
The bets never got too high, even though they usually just played for favors. It was for fun, not money that they did this, even though sometimes with Augur it seemed that everything was done for money.
Dinner, drinks, and gossip seemed to be the favored payments.
When the time came to show cards Lili and Mayia had both folded, leaving Liam and Augur to battle it out. Three kings versus a full house, two queens and three nines that was. Liam smiled widely as he pulled over his gains, then the fun started up again. It was the last game of the night, and Lili's deal.    
    "All right then, aces are wild, and what you see is what you get, no exchanges."
    "Tough rules, how about we make this interesting?" Liam smiled, everyone else nodded in agreement, they knew what he was talking about.
    "Well then Mayia, you win and I'll buy you dinner, Augur, I'll give you a real joyride in the shuttle, Lili, half an hour at a masseuse, you've been complaining about your back lately."
    "Good, Liam I'll see your dinner, Lili how about a girls' night out?"
she smiled when Lili nodded, "And Augur I have an artist friend, I'll arrange for you to get an original."
    "Who is it?" Augur looked genuinely interested.
    "A new artist, Charlie LaKno?" she replied.
    "Up and coming if I do say so myself, I'm impressed. Ok, Mayia, you win I'll give you a raise, Lili?"
    "How about letting me come up with Holo-Lili's next few, identities," she offered.
    "All right, and Liam uh, we'll think of something," his friend nodded, knowing that Augur was good for his bets.
    "I guess that leaves me," Lili started looking down at her cards,
    "Mayia, girls' night out, Liam, lunch, and Augur, din…"
He cut her off. "Your time," he offered no explanation.
    "What do you mean my time?"
    "Your time, if I get some of your time, and you get to pose for a painting."
    "All right."
    "Nude."
Her eyes went wide, "Oh no."
    "What are you afraid I'll win?" he asked leaning forward over the table.
    "Of course not!" she replied defensively.
    "Come on Lili, have some fun," Liam laughed, amused by the entire thing.
    "Mayia, you're a woman stick up for me here," Lili pleaded to the woman across the table.
    "Sorry Lili, Augur's my boss," she smiled leaning back in her chair.
After a moment Lili back down at her cards, they were pretty good, and considering the rules her chances were very much in her favor. "All right, but if I win Holo-Lili gets permanently deleted."
    "It's a deal," he smiled, then they shook on it.
    "Well then, let's see what you all got," Lili smiled laying down her cards. A pair of eight's and an ace, making it three of a kind. She smiled in satisfaction.
    "That beats me," Liam laid down pretty much, well nothing.
    "Me too," Mayia laid down a nine and an ace.
Looking directly at Lili Augur placed his cards on the table, two jacks and an ace. His three of a kind beat hers, and the look on her face was priceless. "So Lili, how does Saturday at six sound?"
She could have killed him.

Continued in Chapter 2 : Strange Payment

Copyright 1999 by Kara Lee