The dealer counted out the chips as Miguel kicked his chair away in disgust, looking angry as Carlos had been. Sam was sure he had the most chips, even if it was just by a few thousand, but he sat motionless, waiting patiently to be declared the winner of the €3,400 top prize. Miguel strode […]

Touching down in Bulgaria was always a routine that Sofia enjoyed. For one thing, she was landing in Sofia, the city after which she was named. When she was a child, it was all anyone talked about; her father’s relentless business drive and how he named his daughter after the city he hoped to one […]

“Let’s go over what happened one more time, just so we’re clear.” It was three in the morning and Sam was exhausted. He’d slept well into the evening before heading to the poker game, preparing for a night where sleep would need to be staved off as he battled to win millions. In Antonio’s dining […]

Sam walked the short distance to the venue. It was a private room inside a building that was itself part of a gated community. The color and vibrant nature of Barcelona faded behind each façade as the number of buildings grew. By the time he arrived, Sam needed to look up in order to see […]

Sam Houston left London in torrential rain. Less than three hours later, he had touched down in Barcelona, where it was 28 degrees in the shade. As he walked slowly down the stairs to exit the plane, Houston looked at the other travelers marching towards solid ground ahead of him. Most were still in clothes […]