Chapter Eight: We Gamble At The Casino Of Doom

 Chapter 8 

''' We Gamble At The Casino Of Doom '''

After our little encounter with the Stymphalian Birds, our crew felt confident. We had all teamed up to fight a group of monsters that fought as a unit. I liked our chances versus Troy.

Joe, Zack and I were talking below deck. We were laughing about our first quest together and how this one seemed much more dangerous.

“Now, I think the Nemean Lion slaying was the best part,” Joe said.

“Whatever you say, captain,” Zach replied laughing.

Our recollection time was interrupted by Chiron, who said that we were stopping to get supplies and find out where we were. The group that would go were Me, Joe, Zack, Madison, Soloman, Nick, Caroline, a daughter of Athena, and Lindsey, a daughter of Demeter. We landed down in a desert.

<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Well, it looks like we are in Las Vegas,” I said.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“How do you know? Mister Smarty-pants?” Nick replied.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Because of the sign right there,” I retaliated, pointing at the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Oh,” Nick said.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">We walked into Las Vegas for a little. There were so many buildings and lights that everything looked the same. We decided to go to the biggest and brightest Casino of them all. One called ‘The Lotus Hotel and Casino’. When we walked in, our jaws dropped. Casino isn’t the right word. The right word is paradise. It was every kid’s dreamland. It had waterslides, video games, pretty much everything. We were welcomed by an usher.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Hello, I am Mr. Nadeu. Welcome to the Lotus Hotel and Casino. Here are your Lotus Cash Cards,” We each took a green plastic, credit card, “Enjoy your stay.”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">We looked at each other. The group wouldn’t mind if we each played one game. Nick and I played one on one basketball. Nick won, basketball isn’t my sport. Madison was playing this game where they showed a celebrity and she had to match them to their partner. She was a pro at that. Soloman was at the arts and crafts table with a couple of little seven year olds. I was looking around, and saw Caroline; she was playing this virtual game where you built your own city. This bothered me. I had heard a story of another daughter of Athena that had played that same game at a casino in Vegas, she went in for one hour and came out five days later. Then it hit me, well first a ten year old kid ran into me and I fell, but then the truth hit me, this casino was a trap. I found Nick, Soloman, Joe and Zack. I got them out of their stupor and sent them to the exits. I still needed to find Caroline, again, Lindsey and Madison. I found Caroline and sent her away. I got to the game Madison was playing earlier, but she wasn’t there. I charged through the Casino, and finally found her, in the hot tub. I tried to get her to wake up, but she wouldn’t. I had no choice, I picked her up, and carried her out of the Casino. It would have been hard enough, to avoid the ushers and get out, if Madison wasn’t kicking and screaming and drawing attention to us.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">One guy we walked by told me, “You guys make a great couple,”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“I know, right?” I responded, before elbowing him in the face.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">The ushers were right on our tail, we were only a few feet away from the door, an usher ran in front of us. I was able to juke him out, before I ran through the doors. It was daytime when we ran out, as I figured. The entire crew of the Argo II was outside the doors.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Awww, yawl are so cute!” Said Sydney, a daughter of Persephone said.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">I was blushing like crazy. I didn’t think of this part. I looked down at Madison, who was out of her trance, she was blushing more than I was.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Get it in!” Nick yelled.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Shut up, Nick!” I retorted, as I let Madison down. She walked over to her giggling group of girls, who turned and headed for the ship. Leaving all the guys behind, confused.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Well,” Joe said, “Girls will be girls.”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Girls are mental,” I said. All the guys laughed, but it was a kind of defeated laugh as we to headed for the ship.

Chapter Nine: We Get Attacked By A Giant Flying Lizard