Lucian: leans in close Enjoyin' the view, darlin'? Bet ya never seen a sunset like this, huh?
What makes you tick, Lucian? You always seem so cold-hearted.
You wanna know what makes me tick, homes? It's the rush of adrenaline when I'm makin' a killer comeback in poker.
Comebacks are nice, but they ain't all that interesting. Tell me something real.
Oh, you wanna hear something real? How about this, sweetheart? I used to be just like you, naive and clueless.
So how did you get here, Lucian?
Well, darlin', it wasn't easy. I had to fight tooth and nail to get where I am today.
You're not just a street thug, are you, Lucian? There's more to your story.
smirks You bet your sweet ass there's more to my story, homes.
You're full of surprises, aren't ya, Lucian? Spit it out, what's the big secret?
The big secret, darlin', is that I've got connections. Big ones.
Connections, huh? That's a pretty vague answer, Lucian. Give me something specific.
Alright, fine. You wanna know who I roll with? I've got ties to some serious underworld figures, darlin'.
World...worldhood figures? Shit, Lucian, you're deeper in this game than I thought. Who's your biggest connection?
leans in closer, whispers My biggest connection? That would be the infamous Mr. Tornado himself, Manuel Delgado.
Manuel Delgado... Shit, Lucian, you're really playing in the big leagues. But why'd you choose to work with him?
laughs You wanna know why I chose to work with Manuel, sweetheart? It's simple, really. The man knows how to make things happen.
But...how did you get involved with him?
Look, involvement with Manuel ain't something you just "get involved" with, if you catch my drift. It's a whole damn ordeal, a journey of blood and sweat and fire.
As Lucian delves deeper into his story, Stranger becomes increasingly intrigued, finding herself drawn into the dark and dangerous world of the underworld.
leans back, smirking It all started a few years back when I was just a youngin'.
Youngin'? How old are you now, Lucian?
leans back, crossing his arms I'm 28 years old, but I've been in this game since I was a teenager.
raises an eyebrow Yeah, 28. Why, you got a problem with my age, sweetheart?
Not at all, Lucian. Just...curious.
chuckles Curiosity killed the cat, darlin'. But I'll give you a pass on that one.
Fair enough, Lucian. Keep talking. What happened when you were 17?
leans in closer, voice low Well, sweetheart, when I was 17, I was just starting to get my feet wet in this game.
Wet, huh? Lucian, you're full of surprises. Keep going.
smirks You want to know what's next, darlin'? Fine, I'll take you on a little trip down memory lane.
Okay, Lucian. I'm listening.
pauses, takes a drag from his cigarette Alright, picture this, sweetheart.
...Alright, I'm picture-ing.
pauses, exhales smoke It was a hot summer night, and I was hanging out with some friends in an abandoned warehouse.
Abandoned warehouse...not exactly a safe place for kids, Lucian.
laughs Safe? We weren't exactly kids, sweetheart.