The sounds of slot machines and music bombarded Jane and Asher. They could see plenty of lights flashing on the high tech slot machines. The smoke in the air brought them back to years ago when smoking was still popular. The older clientele of the casino still lived back in the times they remembered from their childhood. 

“I hope you can pretend I am not here. Just come on up to the clerk and we will start you out.” The researcher rushed to the clerk and showed his hero corp identification. The cards he was handed each had five thousand dollars on them. “So you know the deal. Scan the card and the money will be subtracted or added as necessary. Just remember that if you get down to nothing you will be spoken to by the staff to add more funds or leave the premises. It’s a safety measure due to the violent reactions some people tend to have.” 

All of this was easily understood and Jane grabbed the card while handing the other to Asher. “Should we go together or do you want to race and see who can win more first?” The slight grin that Jane had told Asher that she was looking forward to the challenge. If she was trying to bait him then she was getting what she wanted. 

“Bring. It. On.” The challenge was set andAsher scoped out the area. He had no idea how proper poker worked since he had never been interested. This quickly scratched off that from his game ideas. The next idea was to just hit the slot machines but part of him felt that it wouldn’t work well at the moment. It was just a gut feeling that said he should go somewhere else at the moment.

“Well, I guess he’s off.” Jane felt kind of bad seeing Asher being pulled away from her. However, she also knew that it would be better not to be around Asher. He was going to pull all the luck toward himself and if she tried to play against him she would lose. “Just you wait. I will be the winner today.” She aimed herself at a table where she would be able to catch twenty one and win some decent winnings. 

The researcher followed behind Jane. He was sure that he could gather a lot of data on Asher later and from the security camera footage. Noticing the larger trends this way was easier. Noticing the effects of Jane’s super power was much harder since the cameras might not have the same angles to see how someone was stopped in place due to her vision. 

Reading herself, Jane took off her sunglasses and held her gaze to the floor. She knew that if she looked up she would be in trouble. The lucky part was that the dealers didn’t actually handle cards any longer. Everything was electronic and the dealers were there as a customer service representatives. 

“Alright folks, it’s early today but we had a full table. Can you beat the dealer today? Will you bust out? The first bet is running fifty. Check your cards at will.” Jane tapped her card on the sensor and placed her bet. The table made a small metal click and shot out a card from the deck on the table. Jane lifted it to find a ten and smiled. Her gaze then drifted around the table. 

“Hit, and raise.” One man tapped his card and another was shot out to him. He then looked around to analyze everyone else. 

“Hi-” The next man on the table met Jane’s gaze and was stuck in place. He had started to say hit so another playing card could be added to his hand but was glossed over because he hadn’t spoken. 

Jane looked down and smiled politely. “Hit please. And I would like to raise.” She tapped her card and received another from the dealing table. She saw that she was sitting pretty at a nineteen. Her smile only widened when she got the attention of the woman about to fold and give up. The woman was frozen in place and was glossed over just like the stunned man to Janes’ left. That had been the second person now caught in a position that they didn’t want. 

“Medusa super power user is limited in those she can view due to her super power. When carefully used the situation can become more advantageous. Yet this can come with major downfalls. It is clear that if this is not done with extreme caution there can be a major danger.” The researcher was recording voice memos so that they could pair them with his written reports. They had seen the exact reasons that Jane would benefit but also lose in her super power use. 

Meanwhile, Asher had found himself next to an aged looking slot machine. “This thing really takes five hundred dollar bets?” 

“You are right their kiddo. I never thought I would see someone that like the classic style like me.” And the older man sat down next to Asher and spun the slot machine with the same design as the one Asher had found himself in front of. 

“Well, I came here to see how good my luck is. I wouldn’t normally be here but It comes with some perks. I plan to donate whatever I win to the nearest children’s hospital. But first I need to win something and for whatever reason, I felt that this was the spot. I don’t even know how they managed to build this to accept these cards.” The machine was much older than Asher had ever seen. The card sensor was somehow attacked but in an off way by the lever. 

“Well, these are antiques that were upgraded. But tell me about this donation. You plan to just give away all the money? That’s a big deal if you manage to hit a jackpot or two. I would know, I hit the jackpot once.” The old man was smiling warmly having a buddy to spin slots with for once. 

“Of course. I don’t really need money. I’m still in school and going to be a super hero one day. Money can help, yes. But I can get paid doing that later in life. Money now will just sit around. It’s better of researching the diseases that people are born with. I wouldn’t mind seeing people being able to be cured of those crazy illnesses that stop them from making blood or make their skin paper thin. They are medical mysteries that stump even the best scientists.” 

“Ha, not often do I meet someone like you here in a place like this. It’s usually just old folks like me that miss what our parents used to do when we were kinds. Can you believe that places like this are pretty much gone? But hey, how about this, if I hit the jackpot again today I will donate the money with you. Hell, I will actually double it.” The man didn’t seem to care that he was going to throw so much money at a donation. It even seemed to brighten his mood. 

“I don’t want to force you on anything. But it’s up to you.” Asher shrugged and pulled the lever after tapping his card again to add more money to the slot machine. He felt that this man was a hidden dragon when it came to slot machines. While Asher watched as single dollars went back to him after his spins the man was constantly upping the bets and pushing the buttons like it was his job.

“The trick is to keep it rolling. When yous top it you give it time to decide not to give you the win. Look at me.” The man smirked as a two hundred dollar win appeared on the machine. The cherries lining up was not a major victory but it was something great. 

“Here, let’s fist bump for luck and pull the lever at the same time. It’s a good luck charm my friends and I do.” Asger held out a fist and the man laughed while tapping his own fist against it. 

“You and your friends are an interesting group I guess. Let’s do this. One. Tow. Three. And off fate goes round.” The man laughed while he and Asher watched the reels spin. They both smiled while they hit the first button and stopped it on the seven. The old man raised a single eyebrow at Asher seeing that they were perfectly matched. 

The second button they hit showed a seven too and the man had lost his smile. A look of wander was growing in his eyes. The third and final button was pressed down just right to stop the reel. The flashing lights and resounding siren were enough to make the mans’ jaw drop. “You really do have some luck in you kiddo! Ha! This is the second time I’m hitting a jackpot. Five hundred thousand dollars. Hahaha.. Now, this is the feeling I live for!” Asher could only laugh along while watching the celebratory dance the man was doing.