The House Always Wins
Chapter 1: Pay back wears a dress
Benny swaggered through the Tops, with a smile self-satisfied plastered across his face.
As we walked through his Casino guests and other Chairmen greeted as he passed. Not that he could blame them. He was a real deal celebrity on the Strip, like one of those Old World tycoons or the like. He was one of the heads of the three Families that rules this stretch of civilization that was New Vegas, it honestly would have been weirder for people
not to look up and admire him and his.
The reason for his self-assurance was quite simple; lately just about damn near everything was going his way; he'd successfully ditched the Khans in Boulder City, right down the gun-barrels of those NCR finks, and he had the Platinum Chip in the palm of his hand and he was mere days away from finalising his master plan to seize the Strip right from out underneath Mr. House's smug nose.
Benny couldn't help put pat his jacket pocket where chip sat next to his trusty Maria. It was heavy in a deceptive way, one that reminded him of its worth, of its potential to change
everything in New Vegas.
This little chip, this little piece of the Old World magic would be the key his and Chairmen's ascension into the number one power in Vegas, securing his people's future and putting those rat-finks the Omertas and the stuck up freaks that were the White-Glove Society in their proper place, beneath him.
And all it had cost was one unlucky dame in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The familiar guilt gnawed at his gut again as he thought about the poor thing he'd double tapped out near Goodsprings.
She'd been a pretty little thing; with wavy black hair and big green eyes. Benny remembered how her eyeliner ran as she sobbed, big fat tears running down her face and leaving black stains in their wake.
He remembered squeezing off two rounds to the temple, just as she'd began to plead for her life. He figured he might've wussed out if she actually got a word out. Blood had splattered and she fell into her grave. Even then she'd hadn't died easy; she'd twitched and gurgled as the Khans had buried her.
"Fuck me sideways, I don't need this right now." He muttered, pulling out one of his favourite brands of cigarette and reaching for his lighter. For a second he panicked when he failed to find it; rapidly patting himself down, realisation slowly downed on Benny.
Benny had left it back in the dive that was the only place to drink in that hole Goodsprings.
He slumped in defeat.
"I guess this Karma, eh, big guy?" Benny muttered as the Chairman threw his eyes up to the heavens, his cigarette dangling from his lips.
"Hey Boss, how's things swinging for?" One of the younger Chairman asked, "You look like someone just told you your mother just died."
Benny shoot the kid, barely into his twenties if he remembered right, a scathing look that could've stripped the skin off of a Super-Mutant.
He paled damn near white, his face going from a friendly smile and into one of pure horror.
"Oh God, your ma just died." The poor idiot said, each syllable dripping with dread. "I-I I', so sorry boss! I didn't know, I wouldn't have said anything otherwise!"
"Heh, don't worry kiddo." Benny chuckled as he watched the kid squirm, the schadenfreude lifting his mood up a notch. "I just lost my lighter is all, no need to get all worked up."
"Really? Well, uh, anyway." The kid said, coughing into his hand to dispel his embarrassment. "Tommy Torini wanted me to tell you that there's a new act he wants you to see this evening before ten, says you'll dig it."
"Oh really, is it any good?"" Benny questioned, "You got a light by the way?"
"Uh, yeah, here you go." he replied, handing his lighter to Benny. "It's a dame doing some solos, I've seen her practice, and I've gotta say she's something else; she's got the voice to make song bird jealous and boss," He leaned in closer to Benny and lowered his voice. "She's as hot as an atom bomb, seriously the way she moves and the way she talks its… man, you should see it when she sings, its ring-a-ding Boss!" Here his voice took on a conspiratorial tone, "And the rumor-mill has it that she's got a thing for a certain Boss."
That… was very interesting, at least worth checking out anyway. And he'd been on a bit of dry spell as of late, walking the wastes certainly hadn't helped with that. Not to mention how
stressful planning out a coup de ta was, Benny had sweat more back in her in the Tops than he had when was in the Mojave sun.
Maybe he need to blow off some steam; and some song and dance possibly followed by a night with a gorgeous dame was probably just what the doctor ordered. Well probably not Julia, but no one listened to her anyway.
Benny grinned and clapped the kid on shoulder jovially. "Alright, tell Tommy and the gal-"
"Rosemary, boss, dame's name is Rosemary Day." The kid cut in.
"-Ms. Day that I'll make an appearance tonight." He continued, "And I'd had better be worth it."
"It will boss! It will." The kid said as he turned about and head towards the Top's theater, "I'll go and tell'em right now!"
========#
"Holy smokes!" Benny said, whistling at the gathered crowd. "This is turnin' out to be one heck of shindig!"
The Aces was packed to capacity; there were dozens of people of all different stripes filling his theater, from NCR soldiers on leave, including a First Recon that was sitting in the back looking miserable in the back, to Vegas natives that include those masked freaks from the Ultra-Lux and a few of the Omerta's thugs all sitting in the audience with looks of eager anticipation on their faces.
Well, the faces that weren't covered in those weird as fuck masks that is.
Along with them were the regular crowd of gamblers and tourists, NCR and otherwise, and a few more famous faces, like the famous Brahmin Baron Heck Gunderson and his family, as well as that the walking and talking political cartoon that was Ambassador Croker and a Nightkin Super-Mutant in a straw-hat and a gardening gloves.
Wait, what?
Reaching out and grabbing hold of Tommy Torino, the man in charge of the Aces, he pointed a shacking finger at the sitting Nightkin, which was currently sipping at a mug, a literal mug full, of whisky with some red-headed woman.
"Explain to me why the hell is there a
Super-Mutant in my casino!?" Benny demanded in shrill whisper.
"Oh, you mean Lily?" He replied, looking sheepishly amused. "She's fine, the old gals been hanging around the town for a bit and she likes to see the shows on here in the Aces, her boss bought her a season ticket an' everything"
"Okay, let me ask again." Benny snapped, "Who thought it would be good idea to let one of those monsters, who are pretty fucking much immune to anything that isn't a fucking Anti-Tank weapon, into a place that's full of squishy tourists?"
"Come on boss man." Tony said, clapping his superior on the back, "Her boss and her were the ones who got us all these new acts, I couldn't ban her from the show, that's just bad business practice!"
"Fine. But you and I are gonna have a few words 'bout this after the show." Benny said, leaving the argument for later.
"Alright on boss man, if you say so, but let me take you to the best seat in the house." Tommy said, leading the Head of the Chairman to the plusher seats in the front row. It really was the best seat there was; it was right in front of the stage with nothing to block the view, a person sitting here could see and hear everything going was happening on stage.
"Really packed tonight." Benny made conversation as he sat down. "This gal must be somethin' else?"
"Damned right she is." Tommy agreed. "We've been fully booked on each night that's she's performed, we're racking in the caps with her. Tonight alone has made us more than the all of the acts have made in a week! And they ain't exactly running at a loss, they're pretty profitable by themselves."
"That… is a lot of money." The leader of the Chairman agreed.
"Damned straight, pity though that this is her last show." Tommy said sadly, as he shook his head.
"Really? I though we gave the acts a pretty decent deal." Benny asked incredulously, "Why'd she ditch that?"
"From what I hear in the rumour mill is that Mr. House has offered her a deal, a big one at that." Tommy whispered conspiratorially. "My guess is that she's going to get contract to sing at
all of the casinos, not just the Tops."
Benny had to agree with that, it made sense after all; why stick to the Tops when she can get a contract off of House? I'd pay more, the dweeb Michel-Angelo apparently got paid a fortune each time he did a job for House, and it probably had benefits that were simply impossible for the Chairmen to offer. Like unlimited access to all of the casinos, free use of all their services and the like, not to mention access to House's Pre-War shit like Securitron bodyguards and medical tech that made the stuff the Followers had look like sugar-pills.
Still, it was a shame that she was getting picked up by House and he said as such.
"Yeah, I hear you, boss, but what're you gonna do?" Tommy said, shrugging sadly. "If House has got his claws in 'er, there isn't much we can do about it."
That was true, for now. Maybe when he was the one in charge, he'd be able to 'renegotiate' this golden goose's contract…
"Anyway, I've got to go make sure everything's set, I'll see you after the show, Benny." He said, flashing his boss a quick smile, before he strode off back stage.
After a few minutes of waiting, during which someone had handed Benny a cocktail with far too many colors in it, the show finally began.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Tommy announced from the stage, microphone in hand.
"Welcome the Ace's Theater on this fantastic night!"
The crowd ate it up; the cheer at the top their lungs and clapped in glee.
"Trust me, folks, I am just as excited to be here as you are. And I know why you are here; tonight is our star's last show here as a member of the Ace's, a sad day for us all here as I'm sure you can all guess."
'Aws' rang out through the theater, as well as a couple of boos.
"Huh, guess they really dig this chick." Benny muttered to himself, sipping at his drink. Which was stronger than he'd first suspected; It was already making his head spin just bit.
"But anyway, I've taken up enough of your time already, presenting the Songbird of New Vegas!" Tommy gestured grandly at the curtains, the crowd going wild as he did so.
"Ms. Rosemary Day!"
The curtains swung open the band began to play as one of the most beautiful woman Benny had ever seen strode out onto the stage.
This dame was absolutely gorgeous; she stood at about 5.7 with long wavy black hair that fell down to the middle of her dress. Which was some Pre-War master-pierce by the looks of it; all black silk and red lace with a slit up the left leg that was topped with a red-rose made of cloth. The girl's face was sharp, with raised cheek bones and green eyes that smoldered in the low light of the theater, her dark eye-shadow adding beautifully to the effect.
And then she smiled and brought the microphone to her red bow-lips and began to sing.
"You had plenty money, 2277/ you let other women make a fool of you/ why don't you do right, like some other men do!"
Her voice was something else; sensual and low, and filled with something that made a shiver run down Benny's spine like finger tips were slowly running up and down his back. It was powerful too, it reached every corner of the room and it was clear over even the clamor of the casino outside and the low level buzz that always came off of a big crowd.
"Get outta here and get me some caps too!!!"
She walked inbetween the rows of seats, her movement predatory and graceful all the while the lyrics of Peggy Lee spilled beautifully from her lips.
"You're sittin' down and wonderin' what it's all about / You ain't got no money, they will put you out" She sang as walked the isles, blowing a kiss and a wink at the crowd.
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?"
The gal was beautiful, and sexy, but it was more than the fact that she had legs that went on for miles or that she had the best pair of knockers Benny had ever seen since Big-Tittie Tina was last in town. No, it was something else other than just her body; maybe it was the confidence that she had, the way she walked and the way she held herself, like she knew she as the best thing this town had ever seen.
And it did more for Benny than any skimpy outfit ever did.
She strutted past the front row with her spare hand extended so that she could brush her finger tips against the hands of her adoring public and stopped right in front of Benny, a smirk so dangerous dancing across her lips, that it should've made him drop dead at the sight.
"I fell for your jivin' and I took you in/ Now all you got to offer me's a drink of gin." She slinked into his lap as she sang, her voice growing husky as she pressed a hand to his chest. "
Why don't you do right, like some other men do/ Get out of here and get me some money too."
This close he could feel the softness and heat of her body, the scent of her shampoo and perfume was intoxicating and Benny felt his head swim with the scent as he breathed it in.
She smiled at him, her green eyes flashing with that he could make out, and then she kissed square on the mouth.
It wasn't all that steamy of a kiss; there was barely any tongue to speak of and they both had all of their clothes on. But never the less it made his eyes roll and groan into the kiss as he took her by the waist and pulled her deeper into the kiss. Her hand slide inside of his jacket and gently stroked chest, darting back when her fingers brushed Maria.
Dizzy and light headed from what was probably the best damn kiss in his life, Benny was reluctantly broke the kiss as she slide off of his lap. It'd barely lasted more than five seconds, but it had felt like the world had stopped.
"Baby, you hit like an atom bomb." Benny mumbled as she stood.
Smiling, she leaned down and pecked him on the cheek. "Mr. House sends his regards, sweet-thing." The gal whispered in his ear.
"Wha-"And then she brushed her hair to the side and Benny saw the two scars on her forehead. Right where he'd left his bullets. "Oh fuck…"
She sauntered off, hips moving in time with the new tune that the band was playing.
"Alright folks!" She spoke into her mic, "Who wants to hear Atom-bomb baby by the Five stars!?"
The crowd went wild and Benny could only look on in horror as she looked over her shoulder and threw him a wink, the Platinum Chip in hand as she began to sing again.
Things only got worse for him when Swank, his duplicity hating, loyal to his word second in command took him by the shoulder with a look on his face that promised nothing good.
"Boss, we need to have a word about some the shit that's been going on, alone." Was all he said, and Benny knew that his dice had just come up snake eyes.
"Guess, it's true what they say." Benny muttered to himself as his own men quietly lead him out of theater. "The House always wins."