Tom raised the metal napkin holder for a devastating blow, waiting for the guy to make the first move and officially render it self-defense when Tom whacked him over the back of the head, and Neil jumped forward to pummel with his fists. Tom watched the man reach into his coat pocket, and he knew it was time. He lunged forward, but Neil must’ve seen something other than a gun in the thug’s hand, because his eyes shot wide open and he thrust up a splayed palm. “Tom, no! Don’t!”

The man spun around, and Tom saw what he’d taken out.

A police badge.

Tom felt a dropping sensation, realizing he’d almost clubbed a cop. The napkin holder danced out of his fingers and clattered to the ground. The cop tore out his gun and leveled it at Tom. Tom’s mouth went dry. He raised his hands and backed away. “Sorry. We thought you were . . . Sorry.”

Neil raised his hands, too. “My kid and I thought you came to rob us.”

The police officer snarled at Neil, “I’m going to need that watch back. And that money you pocketed tonight.”

They both stared at him, realizing they’d been right: he had come to rob them. Neither of them had expected the leecher to hire an actual cop to do his dirty work.

Neil gave a derisive laugh. “Private detail duty, eh, Officer?”

Like most everyone else nowadays, cops couldn’t really live on their salaries, especially now as automated machines replaced them in standard patrolling and crowd control. An unscrupulous few of them took side jobs like this, acting as badge-carrying servants to the same men who’d given themselves bonuses with what used to be the cops’ pensions.

This cop holstered his gun, satisfied he’d established his legal right to steal Neil’s winnings. “We all do what we gotta do. Now hand it over.”

“You don’t seem to get how this works,” Neil spat, his hands curling into shaking claws. “Your patron wagered and he lost. He lost to me fair and square. Maybe he’s never gotten the memo, but when you gamble and you lose, you actually lose. It’s a bargain you make for the money you get if you win. He can’t just send a pet cop to take it back because the game didn’t go his way!”