"Lucky"

When Brian the bartender re-entered the Lucky Penny night club he removed his wet hat and coat. A young woman approached him and Brian placed both of the clothing items over her thin extended arms. She nearly collapsed from their weight with a grunt. Brian was not an eight to nine foot giant as one would periodically see around Dice City, but he was a menacing and broad seven foot five. Anytime he would meet a giant around the city they would call him tiny. In his youth that irritated him into fighting as often as possible even with the giants. As a result he learned to fight far too well early on. Anyone else would be dead by now except that Brian also learned to back off from violence until it was necessary. It was this educated reserve that brought him to the attention of the Head Chef. The current owner of The Lucky Penny night club. 

Brian made his way down the long reflective obsidian hallway to the left of the main musician stage. He needed to talk with the Head Chef and was one of the special few who actually could. He smacked the dense copper door twice and waited. A few seconds later it opened and out wafted the smell of perfect soufflé. Brian smirked as he stepped into the private club room with its own private kitchen. 

"Soufflé? You must be in a good mood tonight." Brian said as he approached the personal kitchen that stretched out from the wall like a peninsula. It had enough space inside of it for one Chef to work with everything at arms length.

"Let's just say I have a special guest coming tonight and I don't wish to disappoint." The Head Chef said in his perfectly calm smooth voice.

Brian took a seat at the only barstool present next to the personal kitchen and leaned over it's bar edge.

"Chef, I gotta ask. Why did you want me to use Phil and Tony for tracking down Dahli? You know they can't do it. Those two couldn't find a lit flashlight in a dark basement with night vision goggle."

"You're right if course Brian they could not. They have other uses though."

"Such as?"

"They are both incidental loud mouths. I don't wish to waste my resources finding Dahli. Since those two are out looking for him, soon everyone will be looking for him. Salvador will show on his own after that."

Brian chuckled. "I see. Put their skills to work then."

"Indeed."

"Should I pay them when they don't come through?"

"Yes, after all I don't want them to starve and I don't wish to wrig the game against them. They are serving their purpose. However, make it seem like you're doing them a favor, even tip them. Everyone who leaves the Lucky Penny should feel just that. Lucky."

Brian stood from his bar stool and readied himself to go.

"Very good sir. I'll do as you say"

"Brian, before you go, would you care for a drink?"

Brian glanced to the wall just left of the copper entrance to the fancy room. He surveyed the many shelves with priceless alcoholic beverages sitting atop them. He had his on eye on a few that one day he would try just not tonight.

"Thank you Head Chef. I'd better pass for the night. I get the feeling that I'm going to need to be alert this evening specifically."

"I believe you are correct. Good evening Brian."

"Good evening Head Chef."

Brian walked to the threshold of the copper door and opened it before pausing. Over his shoulder he asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"Head Chef, we want everyone who leaves the Lucky Penny to feel Lucky right?"

"We do."

"What about those that don't leave. How are they supposed to feel?"

The Head Chef stopped his cooking and looked Brian in the eye's while still remaining perfectly smooth and calm.

"They aren't feeling anything Brian. They are dead. Everyone who gets to leave feels Lucky. Nobody else."