“This is crazy. It’s like a bad old movie.”
“Julia doesn’t have to play if she’s already refused the berth,” said Raoul. “That betters my chances.”
“All must pick, or no deal. If all are equal, all have same chance,” said Viktor.
“Well, Julia?” asked Marc.
Damn. What does Viktor want me to do? Am I supposed to refuse, or go along? I just can’t read him on this one. It’s like when we play poker—I can never tell when he’s bluffing. Still, he suggested it. “All right,” she said reluctantly.
Viktor ceremoniously showed each of them the ace, put it in the deck, shuffled it, and placed it in front of Raoul. “Cut, then pick.”
Despite herself, Julia was fascinated.
“Seven of diamonds,” said Raoul. “Shit card.”
“All same, but one.” Viktor reshuffled, passed the deck to Marc. “You next. Cut, then pick.”
“Jack of clubs. No good.”
It was Julia’s turn. Ohmigod, they’re serious. We’re really doing this crazy thing. With a sense of unreality, she cut the deck, hesitated, turned over the card. It was a black ace. Her heart leaped. No. “Ace of clubs,” she heard herself say. She placed it in the reject pile and sagged back in her chair.
Viktor drew the four of spades.
They played as if nothing else in the world mattered.
Two rounds in, the comm chime sounded.
Julia made a move to get up.
“Forget it,” growled Raoul. “It’s probably the eavesdroppers wanting to know why we turned off the vid.”
She shrugged and sat down again. It was her turn anyway. Earth could wait.
The reject pile grew steadily.
Three rounds. Nothing. Raoul cursed more violently at each failed pick.
Four.
Five.
“Fuckin’ thing isn’t in here,” Marc muttered under his breath.
Julia couldn’t see how this would all end. She felt exhausted by the tension. She tore her eyes away from the cards and looked at her fellow crewmates. Who were these two frenzied, ragged men?
They seemed like strangers, suddenly.
Viktor seemed very tense. He cut the deck, flipped over the card. Stared at it for a long moment, then closed his eyes and sighed with relief. “Ace. Of. Spades,” he said slowly, turning it so all could see.
32
JANUARY 29, 2018
AFTERWARD, THEY SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND the implications. Raoul frowned into his plastic mug, rubbing it absentmindedly. Julia wondered how he was going to last for more than two years without seeing his family.
“So, Viktor, you won,” said Marc in a flat voice. “You’ll get to see how a nuke flies before I do. That’s a turnabout.” He laughed, a short bark.
“I will not leave Julia here. But the seat is mine to decide.”
Raoul sighed. “Yep, so it is.” He looked at Marc. “Time for us to get moving. You about ready?”
“I want to pack a bag, is all.” He shuffled slowly off.
Julia raised her eyebrows. “Where are you going?”
“Moving to the ERV,” said Raoul.
“What for?” Julia was dumbfounded. This she had not anticipated.
“Safeguard the fuel, Axelrod’s orders,” said Raoul.
Julia’s brief hopes for normalcy shattered.
“I don’t think is necessary,” said Viktor. “Boss has funny ideas of what can happen here. Is not bad sci-fi movie.”
“Well, we’re not gonna sit here on our asses wondering when Chen makes his move.”
“You really think he’s going to try for the fuel?” Julia was dazed.
