Due to previous adventures, TC and Dave have found themselves in a situation that would tackily (yes that is a word, I looked it up) be described by other writers as "A final conflict" or "Fight with the end of level boss." This writer however would not stoop to that level. TC and Dave are about to enter into a series of games against Bad Jon (the evil genie), Patch and Brandon: two Rock Paper Scissors matches worth one point each, a five-player cash game worth one point to the winner, and a four-way heads up match worth two points. In the words of Brandon: "Whichever genie has the fewest points after all of this goes home. If it is a tie, then the human with the most points can select a genie to go home. Because all of the humans will still be here, and because we want our money back, Patch and TC will be playing for $2002. I'm only playing one event, so I won't be gambling." Dave looked even more somber than usual. He motioned to TC to stand closer to him, which TC duly did. Dave whispered to TC, "Should we lose this..." he began. "Damn!" shouted TC. "I've left my points card in the door," he continued and rushed towards the still open door to retrieve the card before anyone else found it. Dave rolled his eyes. "TC, you can have my card. Come back," he cried. TC struggled to get his priorities in order for a moment, but decided to go back to Dave. "I always forget those things," he noted sadly. Dave attempted to whisper his message once more as he handed TC his points card. "Should we lose this, go to the library as soon as you can and find a suitable book. The more informative, the better. Open that book." TC grinned inanely. "Gotcha," he said, and winked at Dave. "Enough of this foolishness," grunted Bad Jon. It amused Dave that Jon was clearly irritated by the unoriginal voice and appearance that he had been granted for this particular existence, but he still used cliche. "It is time to begin," he concluded. The first of the games was Dave against Jon at rock, paper, scissors. They decided to play in one of the game theory rooms and cover up all of the electical equipment to remove all realistic ways of randomizing. The humans were asked to remain outside while they played. A few moments later they returned. Bad Jon had won 7-6. TC and Patch played next. "Remember everything you have learned," encouraged Dave. "We need you to get something right for once," he added for extra help. "I always play rock," Patch reminded. The first point was played. Patch chose rock. TC played scissors. "Are you some kind of idiot?" asked TC. "I told you I always played rock," shrugged Patch. The second point was a repeat with Patch playing rock and TC playing scissors again. "You idiots always get lucky against me," sighed TC. "It's not hard to work out," explained Patch. "I always play rock." The third point was sadly predictable. Patch played rock, and TC played scissors. "Three zero" smiled Patch. "Keep playing like a moron, moron," retorted TC. Four points and four rocks later, and Patch was the 7-0 winner. "Good job TC," grumbled Dave. Dave was rather unhappy at the next game and decided to protest. "TC and I cannot win at this. It simply isn't fair," he explained. "You all know full well that both sides are going to pass chips to their friends in this game, and three against two means that you'll end up with the winner. I propose a rule change." TC interrupted, "I don't think it's meant to be fair, Dave," he noted. "There are rules about this sort of thing," said Dave patiently, "We have to have some kind of chance, just like the loser has to honor the agreement." Jon interrupted, "You started the challenge, so you have accepted the rules. The game will be played as described." Dave sighed and nodded sadly. "He's right. They caught me out by explaining that the blind structure was going to be done the correct way," he told TC, and sighed again. The game was brutally unfair with Brandon and Patch dumping chips to Jon during any pot that TC and Dave didn't play. TC tried to give Dave his chips, but the numbers of three against two, as well as the fact that TC didn't manage to adjust to the game meant that after the two hours, Jon had the most chips by a long way and got the winner's point. "We don't need to play this last tournament," grinned Brandon. "We win. Dave goes home." "Remember the final game is worth two points," noted TC "Jon has two points already, and Dave has none." explained Brandon. If Dave wins this, then the tie break is for the humans to select, and Patch has a point, and you don't," he continued. "We have to play for the money first," reminded Patch. TC agreed and sat opposite Jon for his first round match. Dave sat opposite Patch and began to deal the cards. After a few hands, Dave had a suggestion to make, "Why don't we both concede and let the humans play the final?" he said to Bad Jon. Jon thought for a moment and agreed, "It would make good sport." "You can't do that!" protested TC. "Dave might win and Patch might make a mistake and pick the wrong genie." Dave laughed. "You never did think on the right level," he said mysteriously. "I keep telling you--you have to think one level ahead of the majority." He turned to address Bad Jon. "Let's do it then. I might as well have some fun in my last moments." Jon and Dave then conceded simultaneously, leaving a heartbroken TC to battle out the final with Patch. As the first hand was dealt, Dave raised his arms to the sky and looked upwards. He closed his eyes and muttered some words in a strange language. Everyone apart from Brandon looked at him. "Going early?" asked Patch. "I think he's just sick of this existence," snorted Jon. "The quicker he vanishes, the quicker he can come back as something other than a loser" he cackled. TC muttered to himself. He had seen this before somewhere. "Final table," he muttered. "I'm at the final table. Money... we're playing for money. He's chosen to go home," he said to himself. A moment later Dave vanished. "Taking over the world should be easy now," smiled Jon. "We'll start straight after this match," he decided. Patch chimed in that he too was eager to end the match and begin world domination. "I'm going to go all in every hand now," he announced and promptly pushed all of his chips into the middle. TC, who was still thinking about what Dave was up to, found himself with a pair of kings. "I call," he grinned. Patch revealed a pair of aces and dealt the board cards. A lovely king fell on the river, and TC was declared the champion. At the same time, TC finally worked out what was going on. Patch hardly blinked as he paid TC the money. "We'll have that back soon enough," he smiled. TC smiled. "I'm not so sure," he demurred. "Why are you still here, Jon?" he added. The three of them looked at TC in a stunned silence. A huge frown suddenly appeared on Jon's face as it dawned on him what had happened. "That's right," smiled TC. "Whichever genie has the fewest points after all of this goes home." he quoted. "Jon, as you are the only genie here, and as you've already said that Dave doesn't exist as Dave any more, YOU are the genie with the fewest points. YOU go home." Brandon and Patch both laughed. "You can't get us with that technicality," explained Brandon. "Dave still exists, or he wouldn't be able to be come back as someone else.... That's right, isn't it, Jon?" he asked. Brandon looked all around. "I hate not being able to see him. Where's Jon?" he asked Patch. Patch had his head in his hands in dismay. "He's gone," he replied. "Okay. Then where's that slimeball TC gone?" asked Brandon. "He ran off," explained Patch. "He won't get far," growled Brandon, who was having a bad ten minutes for someone who made a living predicting things.. TC used Dave's card to get back out the way they came in and ran to the library. He knew that as long as it was humans against humans that he would be safe for now, but he assumed that if he could summon another genie just by opening a book, then the bad guys could do the same. As he entered the library, an odd thought struck him. Dave had said nothing about the book being a poker book. With a smile he decided to try the "Human Reproduction" section. Pausing for a second and taking a deep breath, he took a copy of the Kama Sutra from the shelf and opened it. To his surprise, and much to his approval, he turned around to find a gorgeous leggy brunette standing behind him. "Are you here to help me with this book?" he asked knowingly and with a wink. "Yes sir," she replied. "I'm the librarian." TC quickly replaced the book and hurried off to the games section to find a book on poker. TC spent a while choosing a suitable book and steadied himself once again. He opened the book. He looked around and waited and looked around again, but nothing happened. He flicked through some of the pages, but still nothing happened. He sat down to think and reason through what Dave had told him and analyse the situation. "I'm sitting here with an open poker book," he muttered. "What could I possibly gain by being in this situation?" he mused. A few minutes later he worked it out, a concept that he hadn't really considered properly before. It seemed an odd way to approach things, but it might just work. Perhaps he wasn't quite as good as he thought he was. After all, Dave had got most things right so far. TC pulled his chair under the table, got comfortable and actually began to read. THE END (for now) TC hopes to return for a new, better, and shorter adventure in a few month's time. Thank you for coming on this adventure with him.  Lorinda Copyright© 2005 by Lorinda - All rights reserved (THIS ARTICLE PRINTED HERE WITH THE PERMISSION OF LORINDA)