House of Cards

She flashed a smile and a credit card; everyone around her cheered, as she paid for a round of shots. She watched the bartender; the black of the card impressed. It always did; they all knew what it meant. A thrill coursed through her body, as it always did.
“Do you want to open a tab, Ms.?”
She smiled again and winked.
“Not tonight sweetheart. Next time maybe.”

There’d be no next time; there rarely was. She was no fool. Flashing a black card in one place was a sure way to get noticed and followed if one weren’t careful. Part of the thrill, but not worth risking a second visit. She learned it the hard way some years ago. She sipped her dry martini when a guy sat beside her asking for his shot, courtesy of the lovely lady. Heavy on the flirting but fine. She cocked her head slightly. She knew how it made her hair look; a curtain of gold falling over a naked shoulder.
“You’re looking for trouble Lady.”

She laughed.
“I’m not. Celebrating is all.”
“Big promotion?”
“You could say that.”
“You only get those by invitation.” He said nodding towards her purse. He’d seen the card then.
“And? A girl can’t get one of these?”
“I think you ain’t no girl if you got it.”
“Unless it’s my dad’s and he doesn’t know I took it from his wallet.”
She was certainly looking for trouble; not clever.
“And what would daddy do to get his belongings back?”

She stood pressing her thumb and forefinger into two specific points on his wrist. The man’s face twisted in pain, as she whispered, throwing one last card. If he was clever he would drop it, otherwise she would… really be in trouble.
“Wouldn’t you like to know? Get lost.”
She turned away and left, hoping the guy wouldn’t follow. He might not; the pressure points she’d used would have robbed him of feelings in his arms and maybe in his legs. But it wasn’t an exact science. Outside, the uber waited for her. Within fifteen minutes, she was at her flat. And she might have to skip town now.

Her entire world was a house of cards; and one tiny breeze might blow it away. The man could have been that; she had no idea how many people were on her tail after all. Sure, she had protection, but it only went so far. And she hated the black card as much as she loved the relative freedom it gave. Except…
The phone rang. Ah well, she’d played the hand and lost. She picked up.
“Leslie?” She sighed.
“Yes, Agent Floyd.”
“You burnt your cover. Again.”
“I’m ready.”
“You always are.”
He sounded resigned. He must be; it was the sixth time they made her change town, name, story.

She wasn’t sure who she was anymore; she felt like the tower in the deck of cards. The card bringing destruction every single time. Even if it was only her attempt at life she was undoing. If one could call this a life.

©scolpron2018