Las Vegas s01e10 Episode Script
Decks and Violence
[Fast-paced instrumental music.]
ANNOUNCER 1: We're at the Montecito Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada watching some of the biggest poker players.
ANNOUNCER 2: That's right.
Names like Phil Ivey Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Phil Gordon.
ANNOUNCER 1: Yeah.
All competing for the biggest jackpot: Five million dollars.
ANNOUNCER 2: At one of the biggest events in tournament poker: The Montecito's World Championship.
[Rhythmic heartbeats.]
[Thrilling instrumental music.]
NESSA: Okay, dealers.
Shuffle up, cut them and put them in the air.
[Audience applauding.]
[Dramatic instrumental music playing.]
[Audience cheering excitedly.]
[Exclaiming in wonder.]
[Speaking Russian.]
[Audience murmuring.]
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Where did she go? Isn't she supposed to Yeah.
Reappear.
Oh, I don't believe this.
[Theme music.]
[Audience clamouring.]
MAN: I want my money back! WOMAN: My honeymoon is ruined! Ladies and gentlemen, now, please.
Everyone will get a refund.
Now, if you could just form a line, we can help you one at a time.
MARY: Thank you.
DANNY: Nothing yet.
No sign of her.
The fans are freaking out especially the ones who buy into the whole "Vanko and Vera "on your honeymoon guarantees happiness" thing.
We'll find her.
Oh, excuse me.
Miss? Thanks.
- Ben.
Ben Pearce.
- Mike! MIKE: I thought that was you.
BEN: Oh, man! Long time.
I never thought I'd run into you in Vegas.
Frankly, I never thought I'd run into you anywhere outside of the engineering building.
Right.
I didn't know casinos had engineers on staff.
They don't.
I'm head valet here.
Yeah.
I never liked working in an office, handcuffed to a computer.
I gotta work with people, man, not machines.
Besides, you'd be surprised how often my engineering degree comes in handy here.
And the money's great.
So, how about you? Are you still working for that software company? I got laid off.
Said I wasn't enough of a team player.
I don't know.
What are you doing in Vegas? I'm playing in the World Poker Championship.
- We're on a break.
- The W.
P.
C.
? BEN: Yeah.
MIKE: Well, if you just got axed isn't it kind of risky to be spending $20,000 on a poker tournament? Well, I won my seat playing online, so Actually, before today, I never even played in a live poker game.
You know, on the computer.
So what about you? You still play poker? You were good back in college.
I quit.
Right after I moved back here.
I gotta go back to work.
If you want, why don't you meet me later - at Mystique, and we'll have dinner.
- Sure.
- All right.
Good luck in there.
- Thanks.
[Knocking on door.]
Hey, you.
DANNY: All right.
Let me call you back.
Danny, this is Monty McClure, the President of the S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
- It's pronounced "sassy.
" - S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Hey.
- This is Loretta Harris, our Vice President.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Quickly, Loretta.
Mr.
McCoy, let me say that we at the Society of American Swizzle Stick Collectors are thrilled to be having our convention here.
But we do have some security concerns.
LORETTA: Oh, big concerns.
MONTY: Big concerns.
I'm sure we're equipped to meet your needs.
Well, you see this? This swizzle stick was used by the President of our very own United States in 1986, at Addie's Texas Grill.
One of the last ones he used before he went on the wagon.
As a historical artefact, it's priceless.
On eBay, it would go for at least $80, $85.
[Whistles in amazement.]
Mr.
McCoy, S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Members are a competitive lot.
Sometimes tensions run high and once in a great while things do get out of hand.
I'm referring to the riots at the '98 convention.
Yes.
They were terrible.
I just wanna make sure that everything remains under control.
Okay.
I'll assign some extra security personnel.
- Oh, excellent.
- Yes.
Good.
Great.
All right.
That'll be it.
MONTY: Oh, it's over? The meeting's over.
LORETTA: Thank you.
Out this way.
Same door.
You got it.
MARY: Same door.
- Yeah.
- Good God.
VANKO: [ln French.]
Entrez.
[European folk music playing.]
Ed! [Accented English.]
You know Olga, the cockatoos.
- Olga the what? - The bird "wrang-u-ler" from the show.
Oh.
The bird "wrang-u-ler.
" And these are Vanko and Vera's famous cockatoos, Horse and Carriage.
First pair called Love and Marriage.
OLGA: Marriage die of gout.
CARRIAGE: Die of gout.
Love ate Marriage's legs.
HORSE: Marriage over.
[Vanko laughing heartily.]
ED: Well, nice meeting you, Olga.
OLGA: Nice to meeting you.
Birds.
[Olga yelps happily.]
Sit down, will you? Okay.
Look.
I I really need to ask you something, okay? When Vera disappears, where does she go? - Go? - Go.
Yeah.
Go.
You know, like, besides into thin air.
Is there any way she could like, I don't know, get stuck or, you know, like in a trapdoor behind the stage? No, no, no.
Vanko and Vera never reveal the secrets to the magic.
What is your problem? We need to find your wife.
I hear the whispers, you know.
Everyone is saying, "Vera is the one with all the talent.
" VANKO: Well, now I will show them all.
"Vanko and Vera" is not just Vera.
Also is Vanko.
You won't be able to show them anything until we find your wife because I am gonna cancel the show until further notice.
No! I will perform solo until Vera returns.
- Olga can assist me.
- Me? See, you're not helping at all.
And you seem really eager to do this show solo.
So when the cops speak to me, which they will I'm gonna have to tell them that.
So what? Vanko is pure of heart.
The magic depends upon it.
I have nothing to hide.
So, then tell me, how does the trick work? Tell me.
This much I can tell you.
In magic, there are five basic categories: Appearance, disappearance transformation, levitation and sawink.
- "Sawink"? - "Sawink.
" Okay.
Sawing.
And? And, in this trick, there is no sawing involved.
[European folk music continues.]
DANNY: You think Vanko and Olga were in on it? There's a lot of guys that wish they could make their wife disappear.
This guy can actually do it.
[Lmitating a drum beat.]
DANNY: I'm running video I.
Q.
ED: All right.
Okay.
Thank you.
[Upbeat instrumental music.]
Pearce.
How's the tournament going? I busted out.
Lost everything.
Tough luck, man.
There shouldn't be any luck about it, Mike.
- Poker's a game of skill.
- Don't be so hard on yourself.
There's some pretty tough competition in there.
And, hey you won your seat online, so you're breaking even.
MIKE: That's better than most folks who come to Vegas.
That's a rough break.
- Who was that? - Just a guy from the tournament.
Listen, Mike, I can't I don't think I can have dinner here.
- Don't worry about it.
It's on me.
- No, it's not I just I can't I gotta go.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
So, what's going on? Video I.
Q.
Picks her up here just before she disappeared and then we just lose her completely.
I ran this footage against every other camera on the property.
So far, no matches.
So, video I.
Q.
Uses a combination of both heat signature and gait, right? ED: Right.
DANNY: There's no way she could've walked out of here without the video I.
Q.
Picking her up whether she was disguised, changed her clothing, anything.
Maybe she didn't walk.
Why don't you run this back and check for wheelchairs scooters, anything on wheels.
All right.
Should we notify the police? She's not a missing person for 72 hours.
We need her back before then.
You know how much money we lose every night this show goes dark? Your concern is touching.
Listen, wise guy, I am deeply concerned about her welfare, all right? But now that I'm President of Operations I'm also deeply concerned about the millions that we stand to lose - from Montecito.
- Okay.
Got it.
MIKE: See you tomorrow? NESSA: Yeah.
Good night.
[Car tyres screeching.]
NESSA: Oh, my God! [Mike yelling.]
[Tense instrumental music.]
MIKE: Oh, my God.
NESSA: Someone call 911.
Ben? [Tense instrumental music.]
MIKE: Big Ed runs the best security team in Vegas.
He'll nail whoever did this to you.
BEN: No.
No security.
No police.
I told you.
Look, man, we really should get you to the hospital.
I told you.
No hospitals.
Yeah, you told me.
You got anything else you wanna tell me? In the poker tournament I didn't exactly win my seat playing online.
Okay.
I'm listening.
That guy, the one who nodded to me at Mystique? - Yeah.
- His name's Louis Ambrose.
He staked me the $20,000 entry fee.
And why would he do that? When I lost my job, I started playing poker online you know, tournaments.
Never finished lower than top five in any online event I entered.
So, Ambrose e-mails me, you know? He says he's been following my plays.
He says he wants to stake me in the World Poker Championship.
And in return? In return I'd repay his $20,000 plus 50% of my winnings.
[Tense instrumental music continues.]
I was supposed to pay him today, and when I showed up without the cash Look, I got some savings.
I can probably scrape it together, okay? Lt'd take me at least a day or two.
Oh, man.
You know, I hate to drag you into this, but, God, Mike I'm in way over my head here.
MAN 1: You're terrible! WOMAN 1: Where's Vera? WOMAN 2: Come on! Where's Vera? [Audience shouting angrily.]
MAN 2: I want my money back! [Olga shouting in Russian.]
- What happened? - Excuse me.
Nothing.
[Ed speaking Russian.]
[Olga speaking Russian.]
[Crying.]
Only in Vegas! [Ed speaking Russian.]
[Both speaking Russian.]
- You mind? - No.
[Vanko groans sadly.]
Well I guess I guess things didn't go so well out there last night with Olga.
Mr.
Ed, please.
You must help me to find Vera.
No.
You must help me to find Vera.
ED: And another thing, please.
Never, ever call me "Mr.
Ed," okay? Ed is fine.
Ed.
Oh, Ed, Vanko is nothing without Vera.
Fine.
Then why don't you just cut the crap? Tell me how you do the trick.
Where does she disappear to? No.
I cannot tell you.
Do you want me to help you find your wife or not? No.
I cannot tell you how the trick works because the - Actually, I don't know how it works.
- You don't know? Vera and I In the beginning, we shared everything.
Now she does her part of the act, I do mine.
And it's not so bad until Until what? Until the contract.
VANKO: I want to make a new contract with Montecito, of course.
But Vera? No! And so I push her.
VANKO: Push, push, push.
Now I cannot push her anymore because she has disappeared.
[Jazzy instrumental music.]
LORETTA: The Civil War commemorative swizzle set.
One hundred percent glass.
Hand-painted.
And see how the swizzles all have flat bottoms so they can stand on their own? MAN: Unbelievable.
LORETTA: It's also a working chess set.
MAN: You're kidding me.
- It's gone.
- What? What's gone? My prized George W.
Swizzle.
It is gone.
You have to help me find it before the collection judging begins.
Hey.
Did you ever hear of a Louis Ambrose? Where the hell you come up with Louis Ambrose? I'm just checking something for a friend of mine.
Ambrose is a rotten dirt bag.
He's a low-life loan shark.
ED: He's got two warehouses down there on South Industrial.
He's a dirt bag, and if you should see him you make sure you tell him I said so.
You hear me? I think he's here for the poker tournament.
No.
Then somebody would be fired.
He's black-booked.
I'm telling you, and you tell your friend, stay away from this guy.
He's the lowest scum on Earth.
You got me? I will.
I got it.
But if Ed told you not to go, why are you doing this? Back in college, I got into some trouble.
MIKE: I wouldn't have graduated if it wasn't for Pearce.
MIKE: Yeah, it was the night before graduation and partying got a little out of hand and the police hauled me in.
- The police? - The police hauled me in so I used my one phone call trying to reach a friend back at the dorm, and everyone was out celebrating except Pearce.
Now, I've lived down the hall four years.
Never spoke to this guy.
And there he was, bailing me out.
MIKE: I swore then that if he ever needed anything, I'd be there.
Now that marker's come due.
Thank you.
I have no news yet.
Just keep doing what you're doing.
I'm going back out there.
Wish me luck.
- Bad? - Worse.
WOMAN: Hi, Delinda.
- Hey.
- Hey, honey.
How are you? Sorry I'm late.
ED: It's all right.
DELINDA: It's crazy out there.
Yeah, I know.
You know, those Vera and Vanko fans they're really devoted.
People count on them to make their marriages successful.
I'm going to see Vera and Vanko on my honeymoon.
I could have sworn I just heard you say "honeymoon.
" - You getting married or something? - Someday.
If I know he's the right guy.
Jesus.
You really had me going there for a second.
You'd be the first to know if I was getting married, Daddy.
That's very comforting.
You know, just marriage I just never heard you talk about that normal kind of stuff.
ED: Is it something you've been thinking about? Do not try and fix me up with anyone.
- I don't That's your mother's department.
- Besides, I know who you want me to marry.
I want you to marry whoever it is that makes you happy.
That's what I want.
[Murmurs in agreement.]
ED: Who? DELINDA: Danny.
Danny? I hate the guy.
MONTY: It was in my booth at the convention when I went to the buffet.
- And when I came back, it was gone.
- Calm down, Mr.
McClure.
- Just tell me what time you left.
- 12:30 we closed the displays and I got back around 1:45.
I'll have a member of my security team check the footage on the convention floor but that's all I can do right now.
MONTY: I've been thinking it over.
Thinking, analysing.
I know who took it.
Loretta Harris.
Loretta, the S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Vice President Loretta? Loretta's been after my job ever since I took office.
The S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Presidency automatically goes to the member with the best collection.
Once I got ahold of that George W.
Swizzle I knew I could ride the Bush name straight to the President's office.
But without it, I'm afraid I haven't got a chance.
I appreciate the lead, Mr.
McClure.
I'll look into it.
[Tense instrumental music.]
[Clears throat.]
Mr.
Ambrose? - Yeah? - I'm here about a loan.
AMBROSE: Who told you I could give you a loan? It's not for me.
A loan you made to a friend of mine: Ben Pearce.
- You got my $20,000? - Yes I can get it, but, sir, I need Well Ben needs [Exclaims nervously.]
We need another day.
- Another day? - Another day.
Fine.
He doesn't wanna pay me my $20,000 today? Okay.
[Exclaims in relief.]
He can pay me $30,000 tomorrow.
Wait a minute.
There's gotta be something we can work out here.
Work it out? Okay.
How about we work it out to another $10,000 every time you open your freaking mouth? - This is not a negotiation, kid.
- Wait.
Ben, he doesn't even know I'm here, so he shouldn't be held responsible for another Fine.
I'll hold you responsible, too.
AMBROSE: $40,000 by tomorrow night.
You wanna keep talking? And tell that son of a bitch Pearce if I don't get my money what happened last night is gonna feel like a massage.
Good-bye.
[Tense instrumental music continues.]
[Car horn honking.]
BEN: What did you say to him, Mike? What did you do? I'm sorry, man.
I just asked him for a few more days so I can get the money together to pay him back.
I'm sorry.
- You know, I was trying to help.
- Thanks a lot, Mike.
[Sighs in frustration.]
You could still get that $20,000 though, right? MIKE: Yep.
BEN: How soon? - I don't know.
This afternoon.
- Okay.
Good.
I'm gonna get the full $40,000, okay? It's not just you in this.
It's me now.
And I'll find the cash.
But do not go back over there without all of it.
I'm not going to.
I heard about this game at the Palms tonight.
Texas Hold'em.
$20,000 buy-in.
So far, only pros.
Are you crazy? You busted out in a tournament full of amateurs.
What makes you think you can hold your own with the pros? Pros play rationally, by the odds.
They have to.
In the long run, that's the only way you can win.
That's my game, Mike, the numbers game.
I'm telling you.
If I sit down at that table I can at least double my money.
It's a bad idea.
It's very bad.
Look, you just single-handedly doubled my debt to Ambrose, okay? You say this is on you now? You owe me that extra $20,000, right? Right.
And once you give it to me, it's mine.
And I could do what I want with it, and I want in that game.
[Sober instrumental music.]
Well, then, there's someone you gotta meet first.
MIKE: Poker isn't just about odds, man.
It's about people.
Psychology.
Basic human emotion.
Now you may have mastered the odds playing the computers now you've gotta master the human side of the game - because computers don't have tells.
- Tells? Yeah.
Subtle changes in human behaviour that let you know what your opponent's gonna do.
Ben Pearce, Nessa Holt.
Nessa's the best pit boss in Vegas and one hell of a poker player.
>From the hours spent on this floor, she can probably tell you if any player in this room is holding a winning hand right from where we're standing, just based on the way he or she acts.
BEN: Is that true? Try me.
Pick a table.
Four seat just made his hand.
Can tell by the freeze.
Player gets dealt a monster hand his breathing inadvertently stops for just a second.
Could just have a flush, but I'm guessing straight flush.
Yep.
Definitely the straight flush.
There's the look-away.
Player holding the nuts will often glance away from the table an unconscious effort to appear nonchalant.
Freeze gave me the flush, look-away tells me it's even better.
The stare-down.
Guy's trying to appear confident even though he's holding squat.
It's the oldest bluff in the book.
So number two's betting big, but he's no threat.
Now four, he'll come over the top.
People think a trembling hand is a sign of nervousness but usually it's the opposite.
The excitement of being dealt a winning hand causes the unconscious release of tension.
Never bet into the shake.
- How do you know all that? - You spend as much time as I do watching over this floor, you're bound to pick up a few things.
Exactly 15 minutes before she goes on, she has her pre-show martini delivered to her room, same as always.
And 10 minutes later, she walks a path from her dressing room - to the stage, same as always.
- Hold it.
ED: Run that waiter back on 118.
Run him back again.
[Computer beeping.]
ED: Okay.
Now, run back 118 at the same time the night before she disappeared.
Now find that waiter.
ELVIS 1: Thank you.
[Upbeat instrumental music playing.]
- What are we doing here? - Limiting our variables.
Lucky for us.
There's an Elvis impersonators' convention this weekend.
Nessa taught you a lot today.
Let's see if you actually learned anything.
Excuse me.
I was just wondering.
You look so much like Elvis.
Did you ever meet him in person? Yes, sir, I did.
ELVIS 2: 1977.
I was working at the Dunes, in the diner, right? Graveyard shift.
And one night, round about 3:00 a.
M who should walk in want some peanut butter and banana sandwiches? It was the King, baby.
It was July 3, 1973.
Went backstage after a show at the Stardust.
I'll never forget it.
That was the best day of my life.
Corner of Las Vegas Boulevard.
Flamingo Road.
1976.
Actually, my mum smashed into his limo.
Shook her all up.
[Mike chuckles softly.]
Elvis lives.
Okay.
One of those guys was lying.
Which one? The first guy.
Didn't you see the stare down? Plus the guy would've been like eight in 1977.
[Ben sighs wearily.]
I guess we got a lot more work to do.
Come on.
That's preposterous.
I'm sorry if Monty misplaced that swizzle but I certainly had nothing to do with it going missing.
- And I resent the suggestion that I did.
- Before you go any further I should tell you that our surveillance footage shows you entering the convention floor this afternoon while Mr.
McClure was at the buffet.
It's all right here on the videotape.
Is that you? Could be.
[Sighs guiltily.]
Oh, thank God.
[Sobbing.]
Excellent work.
You guys are good.
[Comical instrumental music.]
I'm sorry.
I just wanted to win so bad.
I'm just too driven, too ambitious.
I'm going to have to ask you to surrender your S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Membership card.
[Gasps.]
Yes, I'm afraid so.
Fine, if that's the way you want it.
LORETTA: Fine.
All those years collecting swizzle sticks.
The single-minded focus it demanded.
LORETTA: It's like I've been in prison.
A prison where the bars are made of swizzle sticks.
But now I'm free.
Oh, thank you! [Kissing.]
You're welcome.
[Loretta laughing happily.]
But won't they think it's rude? I had the dance captain tell them it was for the hotel's insurance.
- Go.
- Oh, excuse me.
Excuse me.
Hi.
Excuse me.
Could you tell me, how old are you? Twenty-two.
- And how old are you? - I'll be 22 next month.
BEN: The first one was hot.
Okay.
But which one of those girls was lying about her age? The first one kind of glanced away, but then the second one held her breath which seems like the classic freeze.
Both of them? Excellent.
You might just pull this off after all, Pearce.
Billy, come here a sec.
ED: Just wanna ask you something.
Let's just say I call down here to the bar and I wanted a cocktail sent up to my office.
What exactly would you do? Is this a trick question? 'Cause I know employees aren't supposed to drink on the job.
No.
I understand.
But the truth is if I call for a cocktail you for sure would bring it up to my office.
But this is just make believe.
ED: Suppose it was someone else.
Someone else calls down here and asks for a martini and they want it sent to his or her room.
One martini.
So what do you do? You put it on a tray and you bring it up, right? Yes, sir.
So you'd put it on a tray, not on a service cart? Mr.
Deline, I Where is she? I don't know what you are talking about.
How much is she paying you, Billy? Paying me? Yes, paying you.
It better be a lot, because if you don't come clean you're never gonna work in this town again, do you understand me? It's not about the money.
I love her.
- You what? - I love her.
I'm back.
Hey.
How you doing? [Sighs nervously.]
Ed.
ED: Would you mind giving us a couple of minutes, please? [Pop music playing softly.]
- So.
- What are you doing here? I'm sorry.
I was kind of thinking that was my question.
Ed, I had to get away.
The show, the life, the marriage.
Could have been a little simpler.
I mean, you could've quit the show, filed for a divorce.
You know those couples who come to see us on their honeymoons? The ones who think that we're gonna bring them good luck in their marriages? That's a lot of pressure.
Things haven't been good between Vanko and me for a long time but if I divorced him, I would be the most hated person in Las Vegas.
A marked traitor like Demi Moore in that movie about the pilgrims.
The Scarlet Letter.
Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Yeah but I think it was Robert Duvall.
Yeah.
Right.
Sorry.
Anyway, I couldn't take it anymore.
You and Billy That's not why I'm here.
He was just helping me disappear for a while till I could clear my head.
Well Vanko, he's He's not doing so good.
ED: I mean he's upset.
He's concerned.
[Crying.]
Ed.
What a mess I've made.
I thought I wanted this simple, normal life free from the Las Vegas excess, free from Vanko.
But who am I kidding? I'm a girl from Jersey, for God's sakes.
I love excess.
And I love Vanko.
Great.
So come back.
Vanko would never forgive me.
Don't you worry.
We'll think of something, okay? I promise.
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
MIKE: T.
J.
Cloutier.
The guy's won more major poker tournaments than any player in the game.
His motto: Play the players, not their cards.
- Just like we been practising, okay? - Okay.
Any final questions? Yeah.
Just one.
You know these players, okay? You understand both the math and the psychological side of the game.
Why don't you play instead of me? MIKE: When I moved back to Vegas, I played poker a lot.
I loved it.
That sweet feeling, catching a winning hand the power, the rush.
It was addictive.
At first it was, anyway, when I was winning.
[Exhales.]
Then I started losing.
Going on tilt, forgetting the numbers just playing crazy, chasing that sweetness.
Then it got to a point where I realised if I didn't stop then and there I might never be able to.
So I quit playing poker.
And I haven't played a hand since.
[Tense instrumental music.]
WOMAN: Good evening.
POKER PLAYER: Yeah, really.
I should just take those chips and put it toward what you owe me.
But I bought in like everyone else.
I'm committed.
There's no going back now.
'Cause, unlike you, Pearce I know how dangerous it can be to welsh on your commitments.
Okay.
Let's play poker.
And you'd better hope you get lucky.
WOMAN 1: We want Vera! MAN 1: We want Vera! WOMAN 2: Come on! Vera! WOMAN 3: I came to see Vera! [Audience shouting angrily.]
MAN 2: I thought we were supposed to have a show here.
[All murmuring suspiciously.]
[Shushing.]
[Speaking Russian.]
[Audience cheering excitedly.]
MAN 2: There you go, Vera! SAM: What happened? I took care of it.
You don't know how he makes her disappear, do you? Oh, yeah.
You know, when she's laying there? - Right.
- And he first makes her levitate? Right, right.
And then when he takes the - I'm sorry.
- Why? What? No.
I forgot.
I'm sorry.
I was sworn to secrecy.
Sorry.
[Audience continues cheering.]
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
Kings full of eights.
- What the hell are you doing? - I can't do this, Mike.
I thought I could, but with Ambrose here, I can't do it.
- Ben, get it together.
- I can't concentrate.
I just keep fixating.
First I'll lose your money.
Then what? When I can't pay him back, my legs? BEN: I'm going to be sick.
[Ben gagging.]
[Suspenseful instrumental music continues.]
Deal me in.
I'll play for Pearce.
[Tense instrumental music.]
[Door opening.]
All in.
Representing the Big Slick, Ambrose? You got ace-king? [Mike sighs thoughtfully.]
Let's see.
You limped in pre-flop which means you're either slow-playing a monster or you're just bluffing.
Hard.
I don't think you got it.
You don't think so? That's a stone-cold bluff if I ever saw one.
I call.
All in.
What do you got? All in with two-seven, off suit.
[Exhales in relief.]
$40,000 of that is mine.
Let's have it.
I believe the debt's $20,000.
This is a private matter.
Nothing to do with the Montecito.
ED: Now it's $10,000.
If you say another word, it's $5,000.
Good.
Mike, pay this germ $10,000.
I'll tell you something else.
If I ever catch you around one of my people I'm going to come after you, and I swear to God you're going to wish I had a sledgehammer.
Clean up, Mike.
[Mike chuckles softly.]
I don't know how to thank you.
Call it payback.
You bailed me out once.
It's about time I returned the favour.
So we're even.
And you're up a little, right? That's right.
Which reminds me.
- No, come on.
- No, take it.
It's just a couple of grand, but you can pay me back when you're working again, when you're back on your feet.
Ben Pearce.
ED: Mike.
MIKE: Hey.
How was it? I mean, how did it feel getting back in the game? Amazing.
It's an amazing rush, Ed.
You know, you did quit playing for a reason.
It's a one-time thing, just to help out a friend.
I understand that if that's what it was.
That's all it was.
But it was sweet.
[Mike chuckling.]
And, Danny, congratulations on cracking the swizzle caper.
Nice job.
Thanks.
Come on.
Let's get some pancakes.
The topless place? Give me a second.
Yeah.
[Phone ringing.]
Yeah.
Oh.
I gotta take this.
One second, please.
Will you do me a favour? I left my car out front.
Would you bring her around back to my spot? [Suspenseful instrumental music.]
[Screaming.]
[Ambrose grunts.]
ED: You okay? Yeah.
I'm fine.
He got me in the leg.
[Ambrose grunting.]
Ed, stop it! You're going to kill him! Stop it! [Cell phone dialling.]
I need some officers down at the Montecito loading dock.
There's been a shooting.
No, I'm the victim.
[Gripping instrumental music.]
[Nurse over PA system.]
- Hey! - Hey.
How does it feel to be me? Great.
Thanks.
- How you doing? How's the leg? - It hurts like hell.
I'm going to be in this cast for a couple of months.
I'm going to sit down, all right? I've been thinking.
There was only three of us out there, right? And Ambrose, he's going to be away a long time.
I was thinking, to make it more comfortable for you instead of one guy, why don't we tell everyone that you took this bullet protecting me from eight or nine guys with crowbars? Make it eight.
[Both laughing heartily.]
- Hey.
- Hey.
SAM: How's the leg, Danny? Look at this.
Guy can't get any peace and quiet around here.
DANNY: Hello, ladies.
SAM: Look at your dress.
[All exclaiming cheerfully.]
NESSA: Yes.
Very nice dress.
DELINDA: We were worried about you.
DANNY: Thank you.
SAM: Do you think he's prettier than me? NESSA: Feel better.
[Delinda whispers.]
[Chuckles.]
I'm serious.
- I should get shot more often.
- Give a kiss, all right? Hey! What are you doing? Come on.
ANNOUNCER 1: We're at the Montecito Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada watching some of the biggest poker players.
ANNOUNCER 2: That's right.
Names like Phil Ivey Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Phil Gordon.
ANNOUNCER 1: Yeah.
All competing for the biggest jackpot: Five million dollars.
ANNOUNCER 2: At one of the biggest events in tournament poker: The Montecito's World Championship.
[Rhythmic heartbeats.]
[Thrilling instrumental music.]
NESSA: Okay, dealers.
Shuffle up, cut them and put them in the air.
[Audience applauding.]
[Dramatic instrumental music playing.]
[Audience cheering excitedly.]
[Exclaiming in wonder.]
[Speaking Russian.]
[Audience murmuring.]
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Where did she go? Isn't she supposed to Yeah.
Reappear.
Oh, I don't believe this.
[Theme music.]
[Audience clamouring.]
MAN: I want my money back! WOMAN: My honeymoon is ruined! Ladies and gentlemen, now, please.
Everyone will get a refund.
Now, if you could just form a line, we can help you one at a time.
MARY: Thank you.
DANNY: Nothing yet.
No sign of her.
The fans are freaking out especially the ones who buy into the whole "Vanko and Vera "on your honeymoon guarantees happiness" thing.
We'll find her.
Oh, excuse me.
Miss? Thanks.
- Ben.
Ben Pearce.
- Mike! MIKE: I thought that was you.
BEN: Oh, man! Long time.
I never thought I'd run into you in Vegas.
Frankly, I never thought I'd run into you anywhere outside of the engineering building.
Right.
I didn't know casinos had engineers on staff.
They don't.
I'm head valet here.
Yeah.
I never liked working in an office, handcuffed to a computer.
I gotta work with people, man, not machines.
Besides, you'd be surprised how often my engineering degree comes in handy here.
And the money's great.
So, how about you? Are you still working for that software company? I got laid off.
Said I wasn't enough of a team player.
I don't know.
What are you doing in Vegas? I'm playing in the World Poker Championship.
- We're on a break.
- The W.
P.
C.
? BEN: Yeah.
MIKE: Well, if you just got axed isn't it kind of risky to be spending $20,000 on a poker tournament? Well, I won my seat playing online, so Actually, before today, I never even played in a live poker game.
You know, on the computer.
So what about you? You still play poker? You were good back in college.
I quit.
Right after I moved back here.
I gotta go back to work.
If you want, why don't you meet me later - at Mystique, and we'll have dinner.
- Sure.
- All right.
Good luck in there.
- Thanks.
[Knocking on door.]
Hey, you.
DANNY: All right.
Let me call you back.
Danny, this is Monty McClure, the President of the S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
- It's pronounced "sassy.
" - S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Hey.
- This is Loretta Harris, our Vice President.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Quickly, Loretta.
Mr.
McCoy, let me say that we at the Society of American Swizzle Stick Collectors are thrilled to be having our convention here.
But we do have some security concerns.
LORETTA: Oh, big concerns.
MONTY: Big concerns.
I'm sure we're equipped to meet your needs.
Well, you see this? This swizzle stick was used by the President of our very own United States in 1986, at Addie's Texas Grill.
One of the last ones he used before he went on the wagon.
As a historical artefact, it's priceless.
On eBay, it would go for at least $80, $85.
[Whistles in amazement.]
Mr.
McCoy, S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Members are a competitive lot.
Sometimes tensions run high and once in a great while things do get out of hand.
I'm referring to the riots at the '98 convention.
Yes.
They were terrible.
I just wanna make sure that everything remains under control.
Okay.
I'll assign some extra security personnel.
- Oh, excellent.
- Yes.
Good.
Great.
All right.
That'll be it.
MONTY: Oh, it's over? The meeting's over.
LORETTA: Thank you.
Out this way.
Same door.
You got it.
MARY: Same door.
- Yeah.
- Good God.
VANKO: [ln French.]
Entrez.
[European folk music playing.]
Ed! [Accented English.]
You know Olga, the cockatoos.
- Olga the what? - The bird "wrang-u-ler" from the show.
Oh.
The bird "wrang-u-ler.
" And these are Vanko and Vera's famous cockatoos, Horse and Carriage.
First pair called Love and Marriage.
OLGA: Marriage die of gout.
CARRIAGE: Die of gout.
Love ate Marriage's legs.
HORSE: Marriage over.
[Vanko laughing heartily.]
ED: Well, nice meeting you, Olga.
OLGA: Nice to meeting you.
Birds.
[Olga yelps happily.]
Sit down, will you? Okay.
Look.
I I really need to ask you something, okay? When Vera disappears, where does she go? - Go? - Go.
Yeah.
Go.
You know, like, besides into thin air.
Is there any way she could like, I don't know, get stuck or, you know, like in a trapdoor behind the stage? No, no, no.
Vanko and Vera never reveal the secrets to the magic.
What is your problem? We need to find your wife.
I hear the whispers, you know.
Everyone is saying, "Vera is the one with all the talent.
" VANKO: Well, now I will show them all.
"Vanko and Vera" is not just Vera.
Also is Vanko.
You won't be able to show them anything until we find your wife because I am gonna cancel the show until further notice.
No! I will perform solo until Vera returns.
- Olga can assist me.
- Me? See, you're not helping at all.
And you seem really eager to do this show solo.
So when the cops speak to me, which they will I'm gonna have to tell them that.
So what? Vanko is pure of heart.
The magic depends upon it.
I have nothing to hide.
So, then tell me, how does the trick work? Tell me.
This much I can tell you.
In magic, there are five basic categories: Appearance, disappearance transformation, levitation and sawink.
- "Sawink"? - "Sawink.
" Okay.
Sawing.
And? And, in this trick, there is no sawing involved.
[European folk music continues.]
DANNY: You think Vanko and Olga were in on it? There's a lot of guys that wish they could make their wife disappear.
This guy can actually do it.
[Lmitating a drum beat.]
DANNY: I'm running video I.
Q.
ED: All right.
Okay.
Thank you.
[Upbeat instrumental music.]
Pearce.
How's the tournament going? I busted out.
Lost everything.
Tough luck, man.
There shouldn't be any luck about it, Mike.
- Poker's a game of skill.
- Don't be so hard on yourself.
There's some pretty tough competition in there.
And, hey you won your seat online, so you're breaking even.
MIKE: That's better than most folks who come to Vegas.
That's a rough break.
- Who was that? - Just a guy from the tournament.
Listen, Mike, I can't I don't think I can have dinner here.
- Don't worry about it.
It's on me.
- No, it's not I just I can't I gotta go.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
So, what's going on? Video I.
Q.
Picks her up here just before she disappeared and then we just lose her completely.
I ran this footage against every other camera on the property.
So far, no matches.
So, video I.
Q.
Uses a combination of both heat signature and gait, right? ED: Right.
DANNY: There's no way she could've walked out of here without the video I.
Q.
Picking her up whether she was disguised, changed her clothing, anything.
Maybe she didn't walk.
Why don't you run this back and check for wheelchairs scooters, anything on wheels.
All right.
Should we notify the police? She's not a missing person for 72 hours.
We need her back before then.
You know how much money we lose every night this show goes dark? Your concern is touching.
Listen, wise guy, I am deeply concerned about her welfare, all right? But now that I'm President of Operations I'm also deeply concerned about the millions that we stand to lose - from Montecito.
- Okay.
Got it.
MIKE: See you tomorrow? NESSA: Yeah.
Good night.
[Car tyres screeching.]
NESSA: Oh, my God! [Mike yelling.]
[Tense instrumental music.]
MIKE: Oh, my God.
NESSA: Someone call 911.
Ben? [Tense instrumental music.]
MIKE: Big Ed runs the best security team in Vegas.
He'll nail whoever did this to you.
BEN: No.
No security.
No police.
I told you.
Look, man, we really should get you to the hospital.
I told you.
No hospitals.
Yeah, you told me.
You got anything else you wanna tell me? In the poker tournament I didn't exactly win my seat playing online.
Okay.
I'm listening.
That guy, the one who nodded to me at Mystique? - Yeah.
- His name's Louis Ambrose.
He staked me the $20,000 entry fee.
And why would he do that? When I lost my job, I started playing poker online you know, tournaments.
Never finished lower than top five in any online event I entered.
So, Ambrose e-mails me, you know? He says he's been following my plays.
He says he wants to stake me in the World Poker Championship.
And in return? In return I'd repay his $20,000 plus 50% of my winnings.
[Tense instrumental music continues.]
I was supposed to pay him today, and when I showed up without the cash Look, I got some savings.
I can probably scrape it together, okay? Lt'd take me at least a day or two.
Oh, man.
You know, I hate to drag you into this, but, God, Mike I'm in way over my head here.
MAN 1: You're terrible! WOMAN 1: Where's Vera? WOMAN 2: Come on! Where's Vera? [Audience shouting angrily.]
MAN 2: I want my money back! [Olga shouting in Russian.]
- What happened? - Excuse me.
Nothing.
[Ed speaking Russian.]
[Olga speaking Russian.]
[Crying.]
Only in Vegas! [Ed speaking Russian.]
[Both speaking Russian.]
- You mind? - No.
[Vanko groans sadly.]
Well I guess I guess things didn't go so well out there last night with Olga.
Mr.
Ed, please.
You must help me to find Vera.
No.
You must help me to find Vera.
ED: And another thing, please.
Never, ever call me "Mr.
Ed," okay? Ed is fine.
Ed.
Oh, Ed, Vanko is nothing without Vera.
Fine.
Then why don't you just cut the crap? Tell me how you do the trick.
Where does she disappear to? No.
I cannot tell you.
Do you want me to help you find your wife or not? No.
I cannot tell you how the trick works because the - Actually, I don't know how it works.
- You don't know? Vera and I In the beginning, we shared everything.
Now she does her part of the act, I do mine.
And it's not so bad until Until what? Until the contract.
VANKO: I want to make a new contract with Montecito, of course.
But Vera? No! And so I push her.
VANKO: Push, push, push.
Now I cannot push her anymore because she has disappeared.
[Jazzy instrumental music.]
LORETTA: The Civil War commemorative swizzle set.
One hundred percent glass.
Hand-painted.
And see how the swizzles all have flat bottoms so they can stand on their own? MAN: Unbelievable.
LORETTA: It's also a working chess set.
MAN: You're kidding me.
- It's gone.
- What? What's gone? My prized George W.
Swizzle.
It is gone.
You have to help me find it before the collection judging begins.
Hey.
Did you ever hear of a Louis Ambrose? Where the hell you come up with Louis Ambrose? I'm just checking something for a friend of mine.
Ambrose is a rotten dirt bag.
He's a low-life loan shark.
ED: He's got two warehouses down there on South Industrial.
He's a dirt bag, and if you should see him you make sure you tell him I said so.
You hear me? I think he's here for the poker tournament.
No.
Then somebody would be fired.
He's black-booked.
I'm telling you, and you tell your friend, stay away from this guy.
He's the lowest scum on Earth.
You got me? I will.
I got it.
But if Ed told you not to go, why are you doing this? Back in college, I got into some trouble.
MIKE: I wouldn't have graduated if it wasn't for Pearce.
MIKE: Yeah, it was the night before graduation and partying got a little out of hand and the police hauled me in.
- The police? - The police hauled me in so I used my one phone call trying to reach a friend back at the dorm, and everyone was out celebrating except Pearce.
Now, I've lived down the hall four years.
Never spoke to this guy.
And there he was, bailing me out.
MIKE: I swore then that if he ever needed anything, I'd be there.
Now that marker's come due.
Thank you.
I have no news yet.
Just keep doing what you're doing.
I'm going back out there.
Wish me luck.
- Bad? - Worse.
WOMAN: Hi, Delinda.
- Hey.
- Hey, honey.
How are you? Sorry I'm late.
ED: It's all right.
DELINDA: It's crazy out there.
Yeah, I know.
You know, those Vera and Vanko fans they're really devoted.
People count on them to make their marriages successful.
I'm going to see Vera and Vanko on my honeymoon.
I could have sworn I just heard you say "honeymoon.
" - You getting married or something? - Someday.
If I know he's the right guy.
Jesus.
You really had me going there for a second.
You'd be the first to know if I was getting married, Daddy.
That's very comforting.
You know, just marriage I just never heard you talk about that normal kind of stuff.
ED: Is it something you've been thinking about? Do not try and fix me up with anyone.
- I don't That's your mother's department.
- Besides, I know who you want me to marry.
I want you to marry whoever it is that makes you happy.
That's what I want.
[Murmurs in agreement.]
ED: Who? DELINDA: Danny.
Danny? I hate the guy.
MONTY: It was in my booth at the convention when I went to the buffet.
- And when I came back, it was gone.
- Calm down, Mr.
McClure.
- Just tell me what time you left.
- 12:30 we closed the displays and I got back around 1:45.
I'll have a member of my security team check the footage on the convention floor but that's all I can do right now.
MONTY: I've been thinking it over.
Thinking, analysing.
I know who took it.
Loretta Harris.
Loretta, the S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Vice President Loretta? Loretta's been after my job ever since I took office.
The S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Presidency automatically goes to the member with the best collection.
Once I got ahold of that George W.
Swizzle I knew I could ride the Bush name straight to the President's office.
But without it, I'm afraid I haven't got a chance.
I appreciate the lead, Mr.
McClure.
I'll look into it.
[Tense instrumental music.]
[Clears throat.]
Mr.
Ambrose? - Yeah? - I'm here about a loan.
AMBROSE: Who told you I could give you a loan? It's not for me.
A loan you made to a friend of mine: Ben Pearce.
- You got my $20,000? - Yes I can get it, but, sir, I need Well Ben needs [Exclaims nervously.]
We need another day.
- Another day? - Another day.
Fine.
He doesn't wanna pay me my $20,000 today? Okay.
[Exclaims in relief.]
He can pay me $30,000 tomorrow.
Wait a minute.
There's gotta be something we can work out here.
Work it out? Okay.
How about we work it out to another $10,000 every time you open your freaking mouth? - This is not a negotiation, kid.
- Wait.
Ben, he doesn't even know I'm here, so he shouldn't be held responsible for another Fine.
I'll hold you responsible, too.
AMBROSE: $40,000 by tomorrow night.
You wanna keep talking? And tell that son of a bitch Pearce if I don't get my money what happened last night is gonna feel like a massage.
Good-bye.
[Tense instrumental music continues.]
[Car horn honking.]
BEN: What did you say to him, Mike? What did you do? I'm sorry, man.
I just asked him for a few more days so I can get the money together to pay him back.
I'm sorry.
- You know, I was trying to help.
- Thanks a lot, Mike.
[Sighs in frustration.]
You could still get that $20,000 though, right? MIKE: Yep.
BEN: How soon? - I don't know.
This afternoon.
- Okay.
Good.
I'm gonna get the full $40,000, okay? It's not just you in this.
It's me now.
And I'll find the cash.
But do not go back over there without all of it.
I'm not going to.
I heard about this game at the Palms tonight.
Texas Hold'em.
$20,000 buy-in.
So far, only pros.
Are you crazy? You busted out in a tournament full of amateurs.
What makes you think you can hold your own with the pros? Pros play rationally, by the odds.
They have to.
In the long run, that's the only way you can win.
That's my game, Mike, the numbers game.
I'm telling you.
If I sit down at that table I can at least double my money.
It's a bad idea.
It's very bad.
Look, you just single-handedly doubled my debt to Ambrose, okay? You say this is on you now? You owe me that extra $20,000, right? Right.
And once you give it to me, it's mine.
And I could do what I want with it, and I want in that game.
[Sober instrumental music.]
Well, then, there's someone you gotta meet first.
MIKE: Poker isn't just about odds, man.
It's about people.
Psychology.
Basic human emotion.
Now you may have mastered the odds playing the computers now you've gotta master the human side of the game - because computers don't have tells.
- Tells? Yeah.
Subtle changes in human behaviour that let you know what your opponent's gonna do.
Ben Pearce, Nessa Holt.
Nessa's the best pit boss in Vegas and one hell of a poker player.
>From the hours spent on this floor, she can probably tell you if any player in this room is holding a winning hand right from where we're standing, just based on the way he or she acts.
BEN: Is that true? Try me.
Pick a table.
Four seat just made his hand.
Can tell by the freeze.
Player gets dealt a monster hand his breathing inadvertently stops for just a second.
Could just have a flush, but I'm guessing straight flush.
Yep.
Definitely the straight flush.
There's the look-away.
Player holding the nuts will often glance away from the table an unconscious effort to appear nonchalant.
Freeze gave me the flush, look-away tells me it's even better.
The stare-down.
Guy's trying to appear confident even though he's holding squat.
It's the oldest bluff in the book.
So number two's betting big, but he's no threat.
Now four, he'll come over the top.
People think a trembling hand is a sign of nervousness but usually it's the opposite.
The excitement of being dealt a winning hand causes the unconscious release of tension.
Never bet into the shake.
- How do you know all that? - You spend as much time as I do watching over this floor, you're bound to pick up a few things.
Exactly 15 minutes before she goes on, she has her pre-show martini delivered to her room, same as always.
And 10 minutes later, she walks a path from her dressing room - to the stage, same as always.
- Hold it.
ED: Run that waiter back on 118.
Run him back again.
[Computer beeping.]
ED: Okay.
Now, run back 118 at the same time the night before she disappeared.
Now find that waiter.
ELVIS 1: Thank you.
[Upbeat instrumental music playing.]
- What are we doing here? - Limiting our variables.
Lucky for us.
There's an Elvis impersonators' convention this weekend.
Nessa taught you a lot today.
Let's see if you actually learned anything.
Excuse me.
I was just wondering.
You look so much like Elvis.
Did you ever meet him in person? Yes, sir, I did.
ELVIS 2: 1977.
I was working at the Dunes, in the diner, right? Graveyard shift.
And one night, round about 3:00 a.
M who should walk in want some peanut butter and banana sandwiches? It was the King, baby.
It was July 3, 1973.
Went backstage after a show at the Stardust.
I'll never forget it.
That was the best day of my life.
Corner of Las Vegas Boulevard.
Flamingo Road.
1976.
Actually, my mum smashed into his limo.
Shook her all up.
[Mike chuckles softly.]
Elvis lives.
Okay.
One of those guys was lying.
Which one? The first guy.
Didn't you see the stare down? Plus the guy would've been like eight in 1977.
[Ben sighs wearily.]
I guess we got a lot more work to do.
Come on.
That's preposterous.
I'm sorry if Monty misplaced that swizzle but I certainly had nothing to do with it going missing.
- And I resent the suggestion that I did.
- Before you go any further I should tell you that our surveillance footage shows you entering the convention floor this afternoon while Mr.
McClure was at the buffet.
It's all right here on the videotape.
Is that you? Could be.
[Sighs guiltily.]
Oh, thank God.
[Sobbing.]
Excellent work.
You guys are good.
[Comical instrumental music.]
I'm sorry.
I just wanted to win so bad.
I'm just too driven, too ambitious.
I'm going to have to ask you to surrender your S.
A.
S.
S.
C.
Membership card.
[Gasps.]
Yes, I'm afraid so.
Fine, if that's the way you want it.
LORETTA: Fine.
All those years collecting swizzle sticks.
The single-minded focus it demanded.
LORETTA: It's like I've been in prison.
A prison where the bars are made of swizzle sticks.
But now I'm free.
Oh, thank you! [Kissing.]
You're welcome.
[Loretta laughing happily.]
But won't they think it's rude? I had the dance captain tell them it was for the hotel's insurance.
- Go.
- Oh, excuse me.
Excuse me.
Hi.
Excuse me.
Could you tell me, how old are you? Twenty-two.
- And how old are you? - I'll be 22 next month.
BEN: The first one was hot.
Okay.
But which one of those girls was lying about her age? The first one kind of glanced away, but then the second one held her breath which seems like the classic freeze.
Both of them? Excellent.
You might just pull this off after all, Pearce.
Billy, come here a sec.
ED: Just wanna ask you something.
Let's just say I call down here to the bar and I wanted a cocktail sent up to my office.
What exactly would you do? Is this a trick question? 'Cause I know employees aren't supposed to drink on the job.
No.
I understand.
But the truth is if I call for a cocktail you for sure would bring it up to my office.
But this is just make believe.
ED: Suppose it was someone else.
Someone else calls down here and asks for a martini and they want it sent to his or her room.
One martini.
So what do you do? You put it on a tray and you bring it up, right? Yes, sir.
So you'd put it on a tray, not on a service cart? Mr.
Deline, I Where is she? I don't know what you are talking about.
How much is she paying you, Billy? Paying me? Yes, paying you.
It better be a lot, because if you don't come clean you're never gonna work in this town again, do you understand me? It's not about the money.
I love her.
- You what? - I love her.
I'm back.
Hey.
How you doing? [Sighs nervously.]
Ed.
ED: Would you mind giving us a couple of minutes, please? [Pop music playing softly.]
- So.
- What are you doing here? I'm sorry.
I was kind of thinking that was my question.
Ed, I had to get away.
The show, the life, the marriage.
Could have been a little simpler.
I mean, you could've quit the show, filed for a divorce.
You know those couples who come to see us on their honeymoons? The ones who think that we're gonna bring them good luck in their marriages? That's a lot of pressure.
Things haven't been good between Vanko and me for a long time but if I divorced him, I would be the most hated person in Las Vegas.
A marked traitor like Demi Moore in that movie about the pilgrims.
The Scarlet Letter.
Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Yeah but I think it was Robert Duvall.
Yeah.
Right.
Sorry.
Anyway, I couldn't take it anymore.
You and Billy That's not why I'm here.
He was just helping me disappear for a while till I could clear my head.
Well Vanko, he's He's not doing so good.
ED: I mean he's upset.
He's concerned.
[Crying.]
Ed.
What a mess I've made.
I thought I wanted this simple, normal life free from the Las Vegas excess, free from Vanko.
But who am I kidding? I'm a girl from Jersey, for God's sakes.
I love excess.
And I love Vanko.
Great.
So come back.
Vanko would never forgive me.
Don't you worry.
We'll think of something, okay? I promise.
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
MIKE: T.
J.
Cloutier.
The guy's won more major poker tournaments than any player in the game.
His motto: Play the players, not their cards.
- Just like we been practising, okay? - Okay.
Any final questions? Yeah.
Just one.
You know these players, okay? You understand both the math and the psychological side of the game.
Why don't you play instead of me? MIKE: When I moved back to Vegas, I played poker a lot.
I loved it.
That sweet feeling, catching a winning hand the power, the rush.
It was addictive.
At first it was, anyway, when I was winning.
[Exhales.]
Then I started losing.
Going on tilt, forgetting the numbers just playing crazy, chasing that sweetness.
Then it got to a point where I realised if I didn't stop then and there I might never be able to.
So I quit playing poker.
And I haven't played a hand since.
[Tense instrumental music.]
WOMAN: Good evening.
POKER PLAYER: Yeah, really.
I should just take those chips and put it toward what you owe me.
But I bought in like everyone else.
I'm committed.
There's no going back now.
'Cause, unlike you, Pearce I know how dangerous it can be to welsh on your commitments.
Okay.
Let's play poker.
And you'd better hope you get lucky.
WOMAN 1: We want Vera! MAN 1: We want Vera! WOMAN 2: Come on! Vera! WOMAN 3: I came to see Vera! [Audience shouting angrily.]
MAN 2: I thought we were supposed to have a show here.
[All murmuring suspiciously.]
[Shushing.]
[Speaking Russian.]
[Audience cheering excitedly.]
MAN 2: There you go, Vera! SAM: What happened? I took care of it.
You don't know how he makes her disappear, do you? Oh, yeah.
You know, when she's laying there? - Right.
- And he first makes her levitate? Right, right.
And then when he takes the - I'm sorry.
- Why? What? No.
I forgot.
I'm sorry.
I was sworn to secrecy.
Sorry.
[Audience continues cheering.]
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
Kings full of eights.
- What the hell are you doing? - I can't do this, Mike.
I thought I could, but with Ambrose here, I can't do it.
- Ben, get it together.
- I can't concentrate.
I just keep fixating.
First I'll lose your money.
Then what? When I can't pay him back, my legs? BEN: I'm going to be sick.
[Ben gagging.]
[Suspenseful instrumental music continues.]
Deal me in.
I'll play for Pearce.
[Tense instrumental music.]
[Door opening.]
All in.
Representing the Big Slick, Ambrose? You got ace-king? [Mike sighs thoughtfully.]
Let's see.
You limped in pre-flop which means you're either slow-playing a monster or you're just bluffing.
Hard.
I don't think you got it.
You don't think so? That's a stone-cold bluff if I ever saw one.
I call.
All in.
What do you got? All in with two-seven, off suit.
[Exhales in relief.]
$40,000 of that is mine.
Let's have it.
I believe the debt's $20,000.
This is a private matter.
Nothing to do with the Montecito.
ED: Now it's $10,000.
If you say another word, it's $5,000.
Good.
Mike, pay this germ $10,000.
I'll tell you something else.
If I ever catch you around one of my people I'm going to come after you, and I swear to God you're going to wish I had a sledgehammer.
Clean up, Mike.
[Mike chuckles softly.]
I don't know how to thank you.
Call it payback.
You bailed me out once.
It's about time I returned the favour.
So we're even.
And you're up a little, right? That's right.
Which reminds me.
- No, come on.
- No, take it.
It's just a couple of grand, but you can pay me back when you're working again, when you're back on your feet.
Ben Pearce.
ED: Mike.
MIKE: Hey.
How was it? I mean, how did it feel getting back in the game? Amazing.
It's an amazing rush, Ed.
You know, you did quit playing for a reason.
It's a one-time thing, just to help out a friend.
I understand that if that's what it was.
That's all it was.
But it was sweet.
[Mike chuckling.]
And, Danny, congratulations on cracking the swizzle caper.
Nice job.
Thanks.
Come on.
Let's get some pancakes.
The topless place? Give me a second.
Yeah.
[Phone ringing.]
Yeah.
Oh.
I gotta take this.
One second, please.
Will you do me a favour? I left my car out front.
Would you bring her around back to my spot? [Suspenseful instrumental music.]
[Screaming.]
[Ambrose grunts.]
ED: You okay? Yeah.
I'm fine.
He got me in the leg.
[Ambrose grunting.]
Ed, stop it! You're going to kill him! Stop it! [Cell phone dialling.]
I need some officers down at the Montecito loading dock.
There's been a shooting.
No, I'm the victim.
[Gripping instrumental music.]
[Nurse over PA system.]
- Hey! - Hey.
How does it feel to be me? Great.
Thanks.
- How you doing? How's the leg? - It hurts like hell.
I'm going to be in this cast for a couple of months.
I'm going to sit down, all right? I've been thinking.
There was only three of us out there, right? And Ambrose, he's going to be away a long time.
I was thinking, to make it more comfortable for you instead of one guy, why don't we tell everyone that you took this bullet protecting me from eight or nine guys with crowbars? Make it eight.
[Both laughing heartily.]
- Hey.
- Hey.
SAM: How's the leg, Danny? Look at this.
Guy can't get any peace and quiet around here.
DANNY: Hello, ladies.
SAM: Look at your dress.
[All exclaiming cheerfully.]
NESSA: Yes.
Very nice dress.
DELINDA: We were worried about you.
DANNY: Thank you.
SAM: Do you think he's prettier than me? NESSA: Feel better.
[Delinda whispers.]
[Chuckles.]
I'm serious.
- I should get shot more often.
- Give a kiss, all right? Hey! What are you doing? Come on.