Confidential/Classified Material
Memoirs of Agent FADE
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, that’s the motto. Like most mottos though, it’s nothing more than empty hype and pretty words. I mean think about it, Disney Land’s the happiest place on Earth, unless of course you’re standing in the hot blazing sun waiting in line for 40 minutes with a bladder full of Goofy Juice just waiting to take a piss. That kind of image just never makes it onto the brochure.
I’m not here for the fun, all work and no play I’m afraid, here on business. I’ve been with Sector 51 for about four years now. I’ve seen sh*t that would make George Lucas say “Aww, why didn’t I think of that?” Monsters and Aliens and Lasers, oh my. With new contacts comes new dangers. New chances for secrets to leak and trinkets to lose. That’s why I’m here.
“Hey” the Blackjack dealer interrupts me. “You should come have a seat, take advantage of the lack of action at my table. You look like you can stand to lose a few bucks.”
I could, company credit line. That’s not why I’m here.
“No thanks, I’m doing just fine.” I say back.
The dealer doesn’t quit.
“You know, you should probably take a minute out of your search and have a seat. People will get the impression that you’re more of a discerning gambler and be less likely to make you for a Fed.”
The way this guy looks at me, he knows what he’s doing. I guess they train these guys to know what buttons to push, the psychology of the mark. Within just a few moments he’s already made me for an agent. Not bad. I guess I’ll play along.
“So tell me” he says as he shuffles the deck. This guy IS good. I’ve never seen a hand move that fast. Before I can say a word I’ve got an Ace high to his seven. “what brings you to Vegas?”
I thought this guy already had all the answers… and I’m right, but strangely he’s lulled me into an unnatural sense of comfort. I’m talking two shots and a joint comfortable.
“As you’ve already guessed, I’m looking for something, something hot. Last good lead put it right here in Sin City .” My God, why am I telling him this? As I look at my flipped card, it’s not a face or a 10. I guess our banter continues.
“Are you the kind of man who always finds what he’s looking for?
“I’m the kind of man that does everything right on the job and everything wrong at home.” He’s got a smile like he understands, he’s got a look that says he’s in control.
“So how will you go about finding this item of interest? How big are we talking?”
“Physically? Smaller that a breadbox. Value, it’s priceless. It’s like nothing anyone on this world has seen before.” Flip the cards, I stand at 20. Gotcha.
“Well then you’re not going to find that through any fences.”
“No? Why’s that?” Come on, flip that card. I win.
“You can get money through a fence, but something like that, something so unique, so… alien.. you don’t sell something like that for money. You trade it for power. You use it to up the ante at a high stakes game with the most powerful men in the world. Men who seek to rule the world. A game of the sort that I am dealing this evening. I could deal you in if you’d like.”
I watch him deal another card to himself. Seven. Bust? He smiles at me as he flips his card. Three sevens! Son of a b*tch!
“Dealer has 21. What are the odds you ask? Did I cheat? Three sevens, that’s a little hard to accept. If it’s not luck, and it’s not science, that can only leave magic, Agent Forster.”
What’s this guy’s game? What angle is he playing? Can I possibly trust him? How far down the rabbit’s hole can I follow before I can no longer climb back out? “I don’t believe in magic.”
“Of course you don’t. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine, she’s a regular good luck charm. Destiny, I’d like you to meet David. He’s been invited to tonight’s game. Be a dear and make sure he doesn’t get lost along the way.”
Again with that smile, that smile of a million bucks, that smile that gets him anything he wants. And who is this? Hello legs, I know this is all kinds of wrong but why does it feel so right.
No, I will not fall into this trap. I will stand my ground.
“Hello David, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Don’t worry Alistair, David and I will go. We’ll go…… all the way.”
Hello legs, goodbye wedding ring, I’m going to Hell.
It’s been quite the day, yet somehow it’s flown by so fast. It’s now been several hours since I met Alistair. In that time I’ve seen the sights, I’ve gotten a whole new wardrobe and spent the better part of an hour in my room doing things with Destiny that I’m sure to lie about for the next year or so in couple’s counseling. Now I’m all dolled up and ready to go. Lead the way Barbie.
Two burly men standing at the doorway, look a little like the bastard children of an escaped zoo gorilla, about as pleasant too. They’re looking at me like I just sh*t in the pool but here comes Alistair. Warm smile, firm handshake and I’m in. The gorilla men go back to eyes front, dreaming of bananas and professional wrestling.
“David, it’s good to see you again! Come in you’re right on time. I trust by your swagger that Destiny took good care of you. Come have a seat, we’re ready to start.”
Alistair is one smooth guy as he leads me in. No introductions, he just seats me at the table next to a couple of foreigners in swanky clothes. Two seats remain empty, one obviously belonging to the dealer, the other…. Destiny? Very interesting, again I have to ask what’s his angle? It just now occurs to me as I lay my chips on the table that I wasn’t frisked. Exclusive guest list, exclusive indeed.
Funny thing, I cannot help but look towards Destiny with a hint of a childish smirk every time I hear the word ‘poker’ and every once in awhile I can sense that she looks back. I think to myself ‘I feel like one of those movie secret agents. All I need now is a martini, shaken not stirred.
“A drink sir?”
Hmm, I need to pay a little more attention, I never noticed the waiter enter the room, or had he been here the whole time? I know this may sound crazy but maybe he only exists because I wanted a drink? Perhaps I should test that theory, get a little more creative. I don’t know, something like a troop of acrobatic midgets.
Right at that moment I hear a voice in my ear as clear as can be. ‘They prefer to be called Little People’. I look around the room in a panic, but the only gaze I find is from Alistair, and he is across the table. This whole day has been weird, but now I think I’m going nuts.
Several hands later, I’ve won some and lost some. Bottom line is I didn’t make any big wins but I’ve managed to stay in the game. My eye is constantly drawn to Destiny all night. The word ‘bust’ comes to mind repeatedly, but it looks like this time it’s a description of her situation, not her figure. She leans back in her chair, not leaving the table but pulling herself away from the current action. The shifty looking man to my right has my attention now, in his little cowboy string tie and his tight round little Ben Franklin glasses. He’s sweating profusely; he has been this whole hand. He’s out of chips too but he’s not done. He reaches under the table and pulls up his briefcase. From it he takes a velvet bag. Inside the bag his hand finds a small baseball sized item. It glows bright, bright like the sun. A warm golden glow fills the room as he releases it from his grip and it remains there, floating four inches from the table. I don’t know exactly what this is, but it’s a sure bet that this is what I’m looking for. A quick glance at Alistair says the same thing, but if he’s looking for this too, then why would he invite me along? Did he need a challenge? Is this a game to him too or just a pissing contest?
Destiny breaks the silence as she lays a stack of papers neatly folded upon the table. “If we are going to accept non money stakes then I believe I too have an ante.”
The little man scoffs at her and asks “What exactly is that?”
She opens the paper and holds it up for all to see. I’m a dead man.
“These papers identify that man right there to be an agent of Sector 51 and he is here to take you all in!”
That is when chaos erupts. Shouting and shoving, mostly aimed in my direction. It could be a beat down, but I’m trained for this, bring it on. When the doors slam open the gorilla men make quick work of things, beating down anyone who puts up a fight. That’s when I get the first chance to look back at the table, and there he is, Alistair, not looking at me, reaching for the orb. Could I be this stupid? I was never a challenge, I was a g*d*mned distraction! He’s saying something as he reaches towards it. Is he chanting? Doesn’t matter, winner takes all and I am NOT going home empty handed!
I break free and rush the table. With all the panic and testosterone it slides away easily. The orb however, remains stationary, floating gently in the air. I reach for it, my arm extended as far as it will go. I see Alistair’s gaze shift momentarily towards me, but he’s not smiling this time. I can hear Destiny screaming in the distance but her words are lost to me in the moment.
Our hands reach the orb at the same instance. My smug smile meets his scowl. I really have to work on my ego. As the orb begins to heat up I find I cannot remove my hand from it. This is the moment I finally realize that something is very wrong. We tug at it like a couple of spoiled children, but finally the light is too intense and I am overwhelmed with heat. I feel as if my skin is filleted from my bones, fire surrounds me as my muscles boil. I open my mouth to scream but I find that I already am. The last thing I think I see is Alistair being blown away, flesh first.
I awaken. It seems like I have been out for an eternity. The scene before me says otherwise. I see police and security. I see the burned bodies of the people I played with, poor Destiny. Not so pretty now.
“Sir, according to security two people are missing, the dealer and one of the players.”
“Thanks lieutenant, I want you to find them on the security footage and ID them. I want their faces all over the place!”
I look at the blood and chunks of flesh on the walls and chuckle to myself “too late, our faces are already all over.” Sarcastic bastard even in death, but I’m not dead. I am here and I am aware. I step away from the shadows and everyone looks my way. I freeze in panic, and they all look away. I am real, I am alive, yet a shadow of my former self.
I don’t really know who Alistair was, and I don’t know what he did. I can’t even really imagine what that orb was but I do know this, things are about to get very interesting for me. This is the end of the story of David Forster, and the beginning of Agent FADE.
Keith “Kong” Thomas
