The Game Room - Pool Table

Connors finished his beer and decided to try and find the figure he had seen. He headed to a discrete green door in the rear of the bar and pushed it open. Inside was a dimly lit room with pools of light over card tables, pool & billiards tables and highlighting dart boards. There were a few figures playing at them and no-one seemed to notice him come in. He walked over to the closest pool table. The two men playing there were both taller than him, heavily built and wearing skin tight jeans and t-shirts. They looked up as he approached.

"Hey. Did you see someone just come through from the bar."

The two exchanged a glance and grinned.

"Just you buddy." They returned to their game.

Connors flushed with anger and put his hand on his baton. "Listen, fuckers. I am a police officer and unless you want to get in serious fucking trouble, you will answer the question." The two men stopped playing and stepped towards Connors. "OK, officer, no need to get all over-excited. Like I said, the only person to come through that door is you."

Connors relaxed. "Ok, thanks." He turned to go back into the bar.

"Leaving so fast officer? Why not stay and play a few games?"

Connors thought about it and turned back to the two men. As he did he noticed a large stack of money on the edge of the pool table. "That your stake?"

"Why yes it is."

Connors grinned - these idiots could not possibly know that he had won the departmental pool tournament for the last few years. He reached into the bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out a roll of notes, "How much?"

"Oh, you don't have to put up a stake, officer. You play for free."

Connors looked confused. "What? How the hell does that work."

"Easy - house rule. First time visitors never have to put up a stake. Instead they play for forfeits."

"Forfeits? What sort of forfeits?"

"Lots of things. Push-ups, stripping your shirt off, downing a pint. The usual sort of thing. The only firm rule is that if you lose, you have to play again."

Connors was a bit concerned by that, but he couldn't resist the thought of the stack of money in front of him.

"You have a deal. Rack them up."