Renton was left with a sour taste in his mouth after being scolded by Julianna. He couldn’t figure out why he cared when deep down he’d resented Darcy’s decision to hire him a babysitter. So what if she wanted to walk out on the contract? Wasn’t that her failure and not his? Wouldn’t that show Darcy and the CAF and the world that he refused to be corralled?
In the end, he gave up on asking himself the bigger questions about his future and decided to treat himself to a night out --- at the casino.
Renton loved the casino. It was one of the places he felt his bright personality could fit in. It was also, by definition, full of his people.
Dreamers, schemers, rip off artists, cheats, cons, criminals, and the occasional card counting genius. There was something about the place. It was bright and energetic with a darkness underneath like an open secret everybody knew about. It was a place people could put it all on the line and possibly come out on top. A place one could feel hopeful and distraught all in the same moment.
Maybe it said something about Renton’s character that he felt at home in such a place.
Renton was caught up in wondering if the young and promising Juniper could pull off card counting. The child was gifted. But he wasn’t allowed to corrupt her. And besides she wasn’t old enough to pull off a fake ID. Still had too much of the trappings of childhood innocence in her face. Plus there was a frowny Brigadier General and his bouncy mom to answer to if he tried taking Juniper to a casino.
So he came alone.
Feeling whimsical with his Rat Pack-esque hat, Renton sat down at a random slot machine with his cocktail, inserted his money, and pulled the lever. He sipped delicately at his Manhattan and gazed out at the crowd. A group of excited young men were gathered around the 5 dollar blackjack table nearby. He liked the infectious energy of the group. They weren’t high rollers by any means but tonight they could play at it.
That possibility. He reveled in the unknowningness; the potentiality. That was the feeling he sought.
But - what was that on the slot machine? Game Data Error Code 4619.
Why oh why did Renton Felix Bell feel it would be a good decision to fiddle with the slot machine? Why did this known felon think it would be acceptable to mess with the equipment at a casino of all places?
Because he simply couldn’t help himself. A challenge was before him and he couldn’t not.
Predictably, he ended up apprehended by the casino security and brought to a dingy back room for questioning. His explanations were not accepted and Renton found himself with a bloodied mouth and nose. That was before law enforcement was contacted and he was taken to a jail cell. The casino security easily convinced the police officers that Renton had been attempting to tamper with the machine to force a big win and then had tried to fight them off which earned him his injuries.
Renton, familiar with cuffs and the back of a cop car, knew it wouldn’t help to deny anything. He knew it wouldn’t help to say anything at all. It was best to remain silent.
And hadn’t that been what Julianna had told him? To keep his mouth shut and stay out of trouble or he’d find himself without a P.R. agent. Our partnership will be voided and I will no longer be able to help you.
He didn’t speak except to ask for his phone call.
Renton, in truth, had no one to call. No family. Despite his bubbly personality, Renton had no close friends he could lean on. Such was the effect of being a high profile felon with a lot of (not yet caught) felon “friends.” The only person he had in his life was under contractual obligation to help him and even she had recently threatened to void it.
He felt unhelpable.
Nevertheless, he called her collect from the county jail. She’d hear a pre-recorded message asking her to accept the collect call from a ‘Renton Bell.’
“Julianna,” he said with none of the usual luster in his voice, “Can you help me?” He was broken and pleading bleeding down the front of his slim white button down.
“Please?”
In the end, he gave up on asking himself the bigger questions about his future and decided to treat himself to a night out --- at the casino.
Renton loved the casino. It was one of the places he felt his bright personality could fit in. It was also, by definition, full of his people.
Dreamers, schemers, rip off artists, cheats, cons, criminals, and the occasional card counting genius. There was something about the place. It was bright and energetic with a darkness underneath like an open secret everybody knew about. It was a place people could put it all on the line and possibly come out on top. A place one could feel hopeful and distraught all in the same moment.
Maybe it said something about Renton’s character that he felt at home in such a place.
Renton was caught up in wondering if the young and promising Juniper could pull off card counting. The child was gifted. But he wasn’t allowed to corrupt her. And besides she wasn’t old enough to pull off a fake ID. Still had too much of the trappings of childhood innocence in her face. Plus there was a frowny Brigadier General and his bouncy mom to answer to if he tried taking Juniper to a casino.
So he came alone.
Feeling whimsical with his Rat Pack-esque hat, Renton sat down at a random slot machine with his cocktail, inserted his money, and pulled the lever. He sipped delicately at his Manhattan and gazed out at the crowd. A group of excited young men were gathered around the 5 dollar blackjack table nearby. He liked the infectious energy of the group. They weren’t high rollers by any means but tonight they could play at it.
That possibility. He reveled in the unknowningness; the potentiality. That was the feeling he sought.
But - what was that on the slot machine? Game Data Error Code 4619.
Why oh why did Renton Felix Bell feel it would be a good decision to fiddle with the slot machine? Why did this known felon think it would be acceptable to mess with the equipment at a casino of all places?
Because he simply couldn’t help himself. A challenge was before him and he couldn’t not.
Predictably, he ended up apprehended by the casino security and brought to a dingy back room for questioning. His explanations were not accepted and Renton found himself with a bloodied mouth and nose. That was before law enforcement was contacted and he was taken to a jail cell. The casino security easily convinced the police officers that Renton had been attempting to tamper with the machine to force a big win and then had tried to fight them off which earned him his injuries.
Renton, familiar with cuffs and the back of a cop car, knew it wouldn’t help to deny anything. He knew it wouldn’t help to say anything at all. It was best to remain silent.
And hadn’t that been what Julianna had told him? To keep his mouth shut and stay out of trouble or he’d find himself without a P.R. agent. Our partnership will be voided and I will no longer be able to help you.
He didn’t speak except to ask for his phone call.
Renton, in truth, had no one to call. No family. Despite his bubbly personality, Renton had no close friends he could lean on. Such was the effect of being a high profile felon with a lot of (not yet caught) felon “friends.” The only person he had in his life was under contractual obligation to help him and even she had recently threatened to void it.
He felt unhelpable.
Nevertheless, he called her collect from the county jail. She’d hear a pre-recorded message asking her to accept the collect call from a ‘Renton Bell.’
“Julianna,” he said with none of the usual luster in his voice, “Can you help me?” He was broken and pleading bleeding down the front of his slim white button down.
“Please?”
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
The following 1 user Likes saronym's post: megs
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