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"Damnit." Max quickly develops a pouty lip as she crosses her arms. "Not fair. She distracted me with asking questions and stuff." Your brain takes a moment to process what happened. You collect all of the money from the pot. Removing your own money from the total, you just won $550!
TOTAL MONEY: $871
"I wanna see what her hand was! Hopefully it was a good one!" She flips her hand to reveal...holy shit. She had a full house. You do not want to know how she's going to react to this. You flip your hand.
There's dead silence at your table. Benjamin looks downright horrified while Max's pout only gets worse. "S-SHE WAS ON A <span class="mu-s">HIGH CARD</span> OF A 5?! WHAT THE FUCK?! HOW?"
[UNSTABLE] TO BE QUITE HONEST YOU WERE NOT THINKING AT ALL WHEN SHE STARTED BRINGING UP CREDIT. YOU WANTED TO SEE HOW FAR IT WOULD TAKE FOR HER TO SQUIRM.
Before Benjamin can say anything, Max pushes herself away from the table and exits the bar in a huff. He glances at you with an understanding look. "Yeaahh, sorry. She can be a bit of a sore loser sometimes." You pocket the money you earnt from it.
"That's fine. I think I should probably get going anyways. Mind if you follow me to the train station?"
"Sure. It's not like she's in the mood to talk to me." Without any other reason to be here, the two of you exit the club. You grab the A-Energy box that was hidden in the trash. The two of you start heading back to the train station. To fill the silence, you prod into him some more.
"So. You wanted to be a dealer? Why? I dunno, you just don't seem like the type for...gambling stuff." You're pretty sure he would've bet his whole life savings on a hand if he had access to them. Benjamin stews on your question.
"Well, I guess the idea of being a part of a fun game that made people happy was enough for me back then." Benjamin makes an awkward half shrug. "I like to make people happy. I want you to be happy, I want Max to be happy...is that a stupid dream to ask for?"
"I mean, it's not. It just seems like gambling is kinda a bad way to get happiness, isn't it?"
"That's what I eventually figured out." The streets have cleared up some. If you had to guess, it was around noon now. "So, I did the next best thing. What else keeps people happy but making them safe? And what's a better way to keep people safe than helping to make life saving medicine?"
"Is that really the only reason you do it? Not for the money or status or anything"
"Yeah?" Benjamin seems confused by the fact you're questioning him. "Is there really any reason I shouldn't see it like that? Hell, I helped save that one dude who was going kooky because you told me to make a tranquillizer. Wasn't Adam happy when I did that?"
You pause to consider the question. "...I suppose you're right. But there has to be a limit. You were willing to make drugs for a buncha gangsters because, what, they would be happier that way?"
"Yeah. Does it matter who it is as long as they're happy?" Benjamin forces a smile.
