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that.”
    Jack laughed.
    After a short pause, Jack asked, “Ever hear of the House of Cards?”
    “Sure.”
    “How would you like to join?”
    Sailboat shook his head. “I don’t see myself as the revolutionary type.”
    “Neither did I, before I joined. We need to work together if we plan to ever get out of Crab Town. We need to show the rest of the world that we are human beings, who deserve respect and equal rights. No matter how much they want us to, we will not just lie down and die quietly in this toxic dump they’ve locked us in.”
    “If joining will get me out of this place and back on my feet, count me in.”
    “I can’t promise you that, but I can say that you’ll do more good for yourself and our people than killing crabs in the melt zone.”
    Sailboat snickered. “Well, if you put it that way… Okay, I’m in.”
    “Good. I need some muscle for my squad and I know you’ll be perfect. Not many clubs in the House of Cards can say they’ve slain a monster crab before.”
    Jack pulled a card out of his pocket, the four of clubs, and held it up to him. “This is who you are from now on. This is your new name and rank.”
    “I’m a sailboat?”
    Jack eyeballed him. “What do you mean?”
    “There,” the big guy pointed at the number four on the card. “It looks like a sailboat.”
    “It’s a four. The four of clubs.”
    Jack handed him the card. The new recruit looked it over, then put it in his pants.
    “I’ve always called them sailboats.”
    Jack laughed. “Well, then. I guess we’ll have to call you the Sailboat of Clubs, then.”
    “Fine with me.”
    Jack stood up and held out his hand to his new friend.
    “Welcome to the team, Sailboat.”
    After he had his Sailboat of Clubs, he recruited Little Sister, also known as the Two of Diamonds. Then he got the Nine of Hearts, his lover. When his team was formed, they became legendary in the House of Cards. A powerhouse quintet. One that has yet to be equaled within the organization.

    “Now if you can fill this for me we’ll be on our way.”
    The bank manager looks up at him. Jack smiles behind his mask.
    With the duffel bag in his hands, the bank manager shakes his head. “I know you think this is helping your people, but you have to know you’re only making things worse.”
    The bank manager stands up. His wife grabs him by the wrist, trying to keep him by her side, but he gently removes her fingers and with his eyes tells her he’ll be just fine.
    “Every time one of you revolutionaries steals money from the bank, it only makes it more difficult for our society to get back on its feet. The reason the living condition in Crab Town remains atrocious is because the government doesn’t have the funds to give you the aid you need. But the more money you steal from the bank, the more money the government has to give to compensate, and the less money they have to spend on social reform.”
    “Social reform isn’t what we’re after. If we were just given the chance to work and make a living we wouldn’t need a free handout from the government.”
    “But taking criminal action only turns the rest of society against Crab Town. You appear to be violent, dangerous thugs that should be locked away from civilization. Next thing they’re going to do will be to build a wall around Crab Town and shut you all out for good.”
    “There’s a much easier way for them to solve the Crab Town problem,” Jack says. “All they need to do is listen.”

    Jack sends Nine into the back with the bank manager to fill the bags. When she returns her bags are very light, not even half full.
    “That’s it?” Sailboat asks, glaring at the sagging duffel bags.
    “It’s everything.” Nine shrugs her shoulders.
    “Bullshit,” Sailboat says. “They’re hiding it back there, somewhere. Let me go see.”
    Jack holds him back.
    “Don’t worry about it,” Jack says. “We need to get out of here.”
    “But we went through all of this just for pocket