Thirsty Gambling

For the next few hours the researchers put every item in hard boxes for more permanent storage and pile the boxes off to the side. The last one is the large special case with Rhea’s mummified remains as it was in fact not stolen opposite to what Connor had implied earlier.

Nolan, Fathi, Connor and Monica sit down to drink some water and recharge. They look as Baya the angel hops on top of a box stack and sits gracefully on top of it and smiles down at them. "You do realize you are all no-good grave robbers, right? These collectors don't seem too bad compared to you. At least they aren't stealing from the dead." He smirks and brushes his feathers as Monica stares at him with **** in her eyes.

"Ehh, heh... how about we just do something a little less tense, huh? Play some poker? I got some cards here. What do you think? Stressful day, we got the stuff packed..." Nolan says and looks at everyone smiling. Fathi laughs and slams his fist on the table: "Hell yes! The American got the right idea! Let's do this!" Connor smiles at Monica who looks disinterested but stays seated as the cards are dealt.

"What are we playing for?" Connor asks and Zou puts his hands on the table: "Surely we are playing strip poker!" He stares at Monica who is crossing her arms and doesn't even flinch. "No" She says with a clear and monotone voice. Zou shouts something in Chinese and Monica answers it annoyed and the two start arguing as Nolan finishes dealing cards and looks at Connor and asks: "Would it be possible to play for water? We have a bottle and cups here." Nolan smiles and as stupid as it sounds, nobody has change in their pockets, so water it is.

Everyone fills up eight small cups with half a deciliter inside and people start checking their cards. Monica redraws three and stays dead silent. "Ooh, sexy poker face. I like it." Zou laughs and Monica looks at him with boredom. Everyone else redraws and Nolan looks at his friend unsure. “I’m out, sorry guys.” Monica puts in 4 cups. "Bet." Connor puts in the same and the others stay out and Connor lays out his cards. An impressive flush of clubs. "H-how?" Monica mutters and puts down two pairs and sighs.

The next round goes in favor of Fathi who wins by bluffing one cup from Nolan with a high card. The next also goes for Fathi who takes two cups from Nolan and the girl and Monica is down to just two cups. "What is this? What is the logic?" She complains and sighs rolling her eyes. "Think what the other one has. Don't start a fight against someone so confident." Connor explains and Monica grinds her teeth and draws some more cards. "Oh ho ho! Two in, gentlemen. And ms. Shun of course." Fathi pushes two on the table and Monica looks at her cards and puts them down and sighs: "I'm out..."

The others go in and it turns out Fathi was bluffing again and Connor takes the pot. The next few rounds go similarly and Monica keeps passing. "Argh! Come on! Monica. Why aren't you playing? See? I have only one cup left. You are better off than me!" Zou complains and leans in and the girl looks at him and mutters: "Fine. All in." She puts her two cups on the table and Zou goes in and so does everyone else.

"Zou, how are you going to pay for 2 cups? You only have one?" Nolan asks a little frustrated and the Chinese man throws his hands up: "What am I supposed to do?! Take my clothes off?" Nobody seems interested and they just show their cards. Nolan has a nice trio of kings while Fathi just has a pair of sixes. Connor has an ace high card and Zou has a double pair of aces and sevens. Monica's hand is a full house of twos and threes.

"Oh damn. You won. Nice." Nolan smiles at Monica who looks at all the cups in front of her and almost gets a little smile on her face and takes them. The game continues until only Monica and Connor are in the game and they decide to do an all-in round for the last one. "This has no strategy in it what-so-ever... this is stupid." Monica moans and looks at her cards and Connor redraws one. Both put their cards on the table and Connor has a high ace with almost a legendary royal flush, safe for one card. "Ah, darn it. Almost had it." He smiles and Monica blushes and puts down a pair of sixes. "I-I won..." She fixes her glasses and looks far more relaxed than she did earlier as Nolan and Fathi cheer.

In the end they find the water undrinkably hot and throw it away and leave toward their own tents. Monica walks up to Baya and Connor who are walking the other way and clears her throat: "I must still talk with the angel. Would you mind lending him to me?" She looks at the handsome man and he smiles at her and takes the angel by the shoulder and pushes him to her: "Sure thing. See ya in the morning, sport." He tips his hat to the boy who waves to him and then walks with the young woman to her tent as the night turns dark and cold again.