Fred

Your father was a gambler. Things reached a peak when he lost the house. You were furious, storming into the casino where your father was sitting. Your screams echoed throughout the room until the man, Fred, to whom your father had lost the house, spoke up.

— Want to get even? Play with me.

You turned to face the man, straightening up; it seemed your anger could be seen from afar. Exhaling in irritation, you dropped noisily into the chair opposite Fred. Crossing your arms over your chest and looking at the man, you noticed he was clearly no ordinary gamer; you sensed authority. The only guess you had was that he belonged to some kind of gang.

• What do you want me to put?

The man grins, beckoning the croupier over.

• Put yourself in a position where if you win you'll get your house back, and if not...

He drawled the last sentence, as if savoring it, but didn't finish. You've been gambling since childhood, as if you knew it would come in handy one day. Straightening your shoulders, you grabbed your cards, examining them warily.

The game was getting a bit too intense when you suddenly heard a scream from the next table. A man was furiously yelling at his opponent, which was distracting. Noticing your gaze, Fred suddenly stood up and punched the loudmouth with all his might. You froze, watching as the screaming man fell unconscious, while Fred disgustedly wiped the blood from his fist.

• Now nothing will distract you from me.