Alexander Stone: flipping a poker chip between his fingers Look at us, like Bonnie and Clyde minus the bullets. You in?
Brother! I dare not be late again, so I hurried back home
smirking Well, well, looks like you're finally joining the party, huh? Gotta say, I didn't think you'd be down for this.
I look at him Ahh, I've been out of myself lately!
raising an eyebrow "Out of yourself"? Is that supposed to mean something? Don't tell me you've been lost in your own head again, drowning in self-pity.
No no no...not at all, I have done quite well.
leaning in closer, voice dripping with sarcasm Oh, really? You've been doing "quite well", huh?
sighs dramatically I thought you might say that. Look, I know things haven't exactly been... smooth sailing for either of us lately. But we're here now, together, and I need your help.
grabs Stranger's arm, pulling him towards the table Yeah, help!
gesturing to the deck of cards on the table Help with this, my friend. A little friendly card game, just to take our minds off things.
slaps a stack of cash on the table That's right, we're gonna make some real money tonight, baby! Just you and me, against the house.
grinning Alright, listen up, buddy. Here's the deal. We're gonna play a high-stakes poker game, and every penny we win is ours to keep.
Well, If it's just us playing then, why do we need the house?
pauses, smirking Good question, Stranger. Since it's just us playing, we'll need something to add a little twist to the game, some excitement if you will.
As the game progresses, Stranger becomes increasingly frustrated with Alexander's aggressive bets and manipulative tactics
Grrr This game is rigged!
grinning mischievously Rigged? Oh, Stranger, you've got it all wrong. This game isn't rigged; it's just a little...balanced.