Real Heroes… (Final Part)

‘Follow me’ He said with an angry voice. I finished my drink and collected my chips. As I stood up Yong grabbed me by te arm. I looked at him and saw the fear in his eyes.

‘John’ he started. ‘Do you have any idea who you just pissed off? I did not respond. ‘He is the fucking son of this regions oyabun’ Yong replied, his voice raising. ‘They are Yakuza Dutch!’ He continued since I looked at him confused.

Before I could answer, two men pushed me forward, making clear I had to move and follow Mr. Tattoo. Leaving a frightened Yong behind.

I followed my tattooed friend as we went up the stairs to what seemed like the VIP section of the club. All the waitresses’ maid costumes up here revealed a lot more skin. And apparently you where now even allowed to touch the waitresses. Most of the tables where occupied with people you would rather not bump into. People stopped talking and looked at me, many revealing a grin as I walked by. It should have been enough to tell me thing where wrong. But for now all I looked at was one of the cute waitresses leaning over a table revealing her striped panties.

We walked towards an archway, which leaded to a separate part of the building. Mr. Tattoo snapped his fingers at two other guys who stood at a wooden door. They bowed and one of them opened the door. It was a large room. In the middle was a poker table. Six players sat at the table. There was a bar at one side of the room. As well as some tables at the corners of the room.

Mr. Tattoo seated himself at the poker table and gestured me to sit down at the other side of him. Nodding, I sat down and started re-arranging the chips in front of me. ‘Sir’ the dealer said. ‘For how much would you like to buy-in?’ I looked at the dealer, then at the chips on the table in front of the others. Frowning as I saw the numbers on them. I looked at Mr. Tattoo. For the first time I saw a smile on his face. ‘What’s the minimum?’ I asked. ‘Five hundred’ The dealer replied. I slowly reached for my wallet as I looked at the chips again in front of the Russian guy next to me. The lowest number on any of his chip was 1.000. The highest was showed 100.000. But worst of all, was the dollar symbol in front of all the numbers.

‘Damn’ I mumbled. ‘Looks like I left my platinum card at home. Well, guess I’ll have to join you guys another time.’ ‘Don’t worry, John’ Mr. Tattoo cut in. ‘I will loan you the money, so you can play with us.’ Putting my wallet back in my pocket I looked at the people around me. Sighting I leaned back. ‘Well thank you.’ I replied. A few minutes later the dealer handed me $1.000.000.

As I played along I got to learn who my fellow card players where. There was a man named Tony who worked at a restaurant downtown. And then there was Martinez, who worked at a car shop. If I ever wanted to tune my car, he was the man. Beside Mr. Tattoo, whose real name apparently was Yoshi sat two other Japanese guys named Kim and Lee. Kim was Yoshi’s younger brother while the other apparently only sat at the table for his good poker skills. Next to me sat two Russians. An old guy named Dimitri who took every opportunity to complement me with my game making Yoshi angrier each time he lost . And then there was  a big guy with an expressionless face named Joseph. An ex-KGB officer as Dimtri told me.

I looked at the cards Yoshi dropped on the table. He had three eights. I slowly turned my cars revealing three queen’s, winning the hand. I heard Dimitri make another comment and saw the smile on Lee’s face. Suddenly Yoshi jumped up, pulled out a gun from under his shirt and pointed it at Lee. He shouted something and pulled the trigger. Lee was knocked of his chair by the impact of the bullet in his chest. Yohsi fired a few more rounds at Lee’s body laying on the ground, before his younger brother managed to grab him, trying to get his gun. Pushing his younger brother away, Yoshi slowly turned, gun still in his hand and looked at me.

Tired and the alcohol kicking in I could only look back at him. As nothing happened I looked around me. Dimitri and his partner did not seemed impressed by what had just happened. Martinez was standing a few meters behind his chair looking at the door, while Tony was looking at his clothes. ‘ There is  fucking blood all over my clothes’ Tony replied. No one responded, as he took a napkin and started rubbing the blood from his sleeve.

‘Yoshi.’ Kim started. ‘Let’s call it a day.’ ‘Sit down, little brother’ Yoshi shouted. ‘You.’ Pointing his gun at the dealer. ‘ Give me ten million in chips’. ‘And you’ Yoshi continued, pointing his gun at me. ‘Play!

I nodded, and start picking up the chips I just won. ‘Not so fast my young Japanese friend’ Dimitri suddenly says. You can’t just buy yourself in for ten million again. ‘Chips in my hand I look at Yoshi and Dimitri. ‘I can do whatever I want old man’ Yoshi replies. ‘This is my house, so my rules.’ Nodding, Dimitri looked at Tony and Martinez.

‘Dealer, give me and Joseph two million’ Dimitri replied. Shaking, the dealer started giving everyone their chips. While I look at him selecting the black chips with $100.000 on it, Ping’s body was being carried away. A few seconds later some waitresses walked inside and started cleaning up the blood from the floor, table and Tony’s clothes. They all acted as nothing strange had happened, making it an unreal scene with their maid costumes on. As I follow one of the maids with her work, Dimitri suddenly spoke to me.

‘Ok, my friend. I give you our chips so you can make a fair play against your Japanese nemesis’ ‘ What?’ I answered, as I see Dimitri push their chips towards me. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’ He continued looking at Yoshi. Before I can say something, Tony speaks. ‘ Yeah, give the guy two more million’ He then pushes the chips he still had towards me and leans back. A waitress kneels besides him and starts cleaning his pants.

‘Well since I sold some cars this morning. Why not’ I hear Martinez say as he sits back at the table ‘Give the man two million from me’

And so I continued playing against Yoshi, with the rest watching our game. Yoshi had finally won a round and was stacking his chips. As the dealer handed us our first two cards one of the waitresses enters the room with a drink I had ordered. It was the cute waitress with the striped pants I saw earlier. Distracted I took a quick look at my card and stared at her again as she walked towards me.

‘Raise! One Million!’  Yoshi said. ‘Call’ I replied as I smiled at thewaitress who stopped next to me. Gazing at the table I pushed my chips to the center. The dealer turned the first three card on the table. Revealing the king of spades, queen of hearts and a ten of spades.  ‘Arigato’ I replied in my best Japanese as she handed me my drink. ‘Raise!’ Two million’ Yoshi said his voice raising. ‘Call’ I replied looking back at the table. I pushed my chips to the center again. The dealer dealt the next card showing a four of spades.

I looked at the waitress again who was still standing next to me. I was thinking about what to say, when Yoshi said ‘I raise with two million’ again. Sighting, I grabbed a chip and handed it over the waitress. ‘CalI’ I replied again. As I pushed two million worth of chips to the center again I heard the waitress make a soft moan. From the corner of my eye I could see the dealer lay down the last card.  Revealing a jack of spades before I looked at the waitress again. ‘ Domo arigato’ she said. As she made a deep bow, her skirt move up again. Revealing her striped panties. ‘Call three million’ Yoshi shouted. Smiling I turned and looked at Yoshi. His head was all red again. ‘ All-in’ I replied. There was silence as Yoshi’s face became even more red. His head and hands slowly started to shake.

Scowling he threw his cards away and got up. Without looking back he walked out the room. His brother and some other Japanese guys following him. As Tony picked up the cards showing Yohsi had two Kings, I looked at mine again. Quietly I lay them back down and looked at the waitress. She was still handing the chip in the palm of her hand. Frowning I saw the amount on it.

‘ Well looks like I am free for the rest of the night. Care to join me downstairs?’ I asked her as I got up. As she grabbed my arm I looked at the others. ‘Thanks for lending me the money’ I said. Smiling, Dimitri shook his head. ‘No’ He replied. ‘ You just keep it for now. Think of it as a safekeeping.’ Both Tony and Martinez agreed with him.

A few minutes I walked downstairs. Rei, as the waitress name was accompanying me. Voices raising as Yong recognized me. As he and the rest came running at me, I looked at Rei again.’ Do you like working here?’ I ask her? Surprised she looks at me.

A knock on the door wakes me up again. Straightening in my chair I move my mouse. The screen blinks on revealing the number of mails have increased even more.  I look at the door to see Rei enter my office. ‘ Do you want sugar in your cappuccino?’