GAMBLE: Rule of Cards

CHAPTER 38

“WE’RE HERE,” the resigned game head said after entering a really familiar place for Denton. Denton knew that he had already seen the place but he was struggling in remembering where and when it happened. The place was big and surely was spacious. The place is inside a building and so far, Denton and the two guys are inside the elevator right now. The three of them are awkwardly silent while waiting for the elevator to reach the desired destination. After the elevator rang and opened, finally, one of them talked. “If you couldn’t find this place inside your memory bank, this place is where you went when you were recruited inside the game…”

Denton’s mouth gaped open. “I see,” he exclaimed. He even clapped his hands once after having his memory of this place back. “This is where the orientation happened, right? What I remember the most here is that there was a sudden commotion that happened while one of the speakers was talking. The other recruits are not really agreeing with the rules and regulations that are being explained. The last thing I remembered is that we all drank the wine that was given to us and then, bang, we woke up inside the designated rooms inside the game hall. My friend knew something was fishy in the wine but I never listened to him.”

“Bingo,” the resigned game head replied while pointing his index finger to Denton. “However, I have a great revelation to you, Mr. Mayfly,” the resigned game head said. Denton raised his brows, asking what it was. “That time of orientation, my spokesperson and I were there, in your batch, listening. I can clearly remember that I even made eye contact with you while you are enjoying your glass of wine. I did not expect that the person I made eye contact with would be the next winner that time. I guess you can say that I have an eye for champions.”

Denton just smiled awkwardly. His reaction to the resigned game head’s boastful remark was really funny but it was not fun for the other guy. “What is the reason why we are here?” the spokesperson suddenly said. “We are going to meet some important person which benefited us in finding the recruits, they are called the recruiters. They are the one who noticed your qualities, they are basically the one who gambled on you, the players. If it were not because of them, you wouldn’t be here, enjoying your success.”

The guards are waiting for the three of them beside the door, to open it for them. “Thank you,” the resigned game head told the guards who opened the door for them. What greeted them after the door opened was a bunch of people, of all ages, sitting at a large table, with foods all over the table. “Here are the recruiters. They are the first step in this game, Mr. Mayfly. They will be helping you in recruiting the new batch of players.”

Denton, after entering the room, has his mouth and his eyes gaped open. “Oh, the old guy,” he exclaimed as he pointed his index finger to the old guy who was smiling at him. The resigned game head looked at him after his remarks, so he took time explaining why he did such a thing. “He is the one who recruited me. I was just eating inside the fast food chain after failing a lot of job interviews as he entered. He was struggling to order his food, so I helped him. When I was looking away for a second, he suddenly vanished and there, he left me the invitation. It was because of him, that’s why I won the game.”

The resigned game head smiled. “Everyone, this is Mr. Denton Mayfly, and he was the winner of the game the last two years. Right now, as you know, I will be resigning from my position, and so, I am glad to announce that he will be replacing me as the new game head. Please take care of him…”

The old man who recruited Denton went near him and hugged him. “You are the winner?” he asked which Denton responded to with a nod. “I’m so happy for you, Mr. Mayfly. In my long time of being a recruiter of this game, no one of my recruits have won. This is the first time for me. Your victory is also my victory. I am genuinely happy that one of my recruits won.”

“If it was not because of you, I would not have succeeded in the game,” Denton replied. The two of them are clinging onto each other like they are father and son, who have just seen each other for a long time no see. “Thank you for leaving the invitation to me. The game was such a challenge but the prize helped me a lot. I am really grateful for you because if you had not left the invitation, I wouldn’t have known of the game.”

“Nevertheless, it was your own skill that let you win that game, sir,” the old guy told Denton. The old guy was genuinely happy for Denton’s success, but he was even more happy to know that Denton won, and Denton was his recruit. The old guy has been working for the company for a lot of years already and none of his recruit won one of the game, not until Denton existed. For a recruiter, having your recruit win the game is such a blessings for them. Inside the game, the recruiters are the first step in finding the next winner, they basically find the next winner of the game. “But, I am really happy for your success. I can’t believe I’ll be happy seeing you after two years.”

“Now, can we all sit down around the table, because we are going to talk about something. We are also inviting our newly appointed game head, Mr. Mayfly, on the table,” the resigned game head said. Denton, who was a bit shocked but not surprised, walked his way towards the table and sat with them. “As you all know, the last year’s game was a huge success and it was because of you, recruiters, who never get tired of finding recruits. This year, as we are approaching the next game, after I announced my resignation, the winner of the last two years’ game will be replacing me in my position.”

One of the recruits raised his hand before asking. “May we ask, sir, why did you resign?”

“I believe that my service in this position has already been done. For the past two years, I have contributed a lot, I believe, to the improvement of the game and, I think, I have been a good game head. I believe that my service for this company has ended,” he said as he looked at Denton. “We need new people who can contribute new ideas to the company. My fellow here, Mr. Mayfly, has won the game because of his leadership and individual skills. I can assure you that he will be a great leader who will lead everyone to another successful game.” He smiled as the recruiters smiled at him. “Although Mr. Mayfly is a great leader, he has no enough knowledge about how the game works, in the game head’s perspective. That is the reason why I am here, guiding him of what to do. This is my responsibility guiding him of what he has to do.”

“As the oldest among the recruiters, sir, I say my greatest gratitude to you in behalf of them. For the past two years, you have been a great leader to us all, and we acknowledge your service to the company. We are happy to serve you for the past two years,” the old man muttered. “However, whether we like it or not, the game head has already resigned. We just have to accept the new game head and support him no matter what.” All the other recruiters shouted their agreements to his remarks. “You can assess us what to do, sir. Are we going to start finding the next game winner?”

“That is why I am here, for the main agenda,” the resigned game head muttered. The recruiters were looking at the resigned game head who was talking, attentively listening. “The game for this year, which will be spearheaded by the new game head will start later. Although there is no definite date of the commencement of this year’s game, we should already be starting the process.” The recruiters were just nodding, giving their best response to the game head who was talking in front of them. “As we all know, the recruitment is the longest process of the game. One recruitement for each game lasts for more than one month. If the quota number of the game players is not achieved in that whole month, there will be a prolonged date for recruitment. Since the first step, the recruitment, takes a lot of time, I would like to ask everyone about the preparation of the first step.”

“We, the recruiters, are always ready for the recruitment, sir. We are just waiting for your signal to start the job,” the old man said. It looks like the old man is the spokesperson or the leader of the recruiters, since he is the oldest among them all. “Once you give us the go-signal, we will immediately start doing our job. We would like to request to start the recruitment two months before the game starts, so we’ll have wider scope and time finding the next set of players.”

“The renovation of the game hall is still ongoing and it will probably end by the end of the month. There are a lot of preparations, still, like designing the next games and everything. We are all asking for more time. However, I will choose to give you that request,” the resigned game head replied. All the recruiters’ mood risen up after hearing that remark from the former game head. “Now, I will be saying my last remark. After I approved your request, I will be formally announcing the commencement of the first step of the game. From this day up to the next two months, you will be finding the next game winner. The budget will be assessed by my assistant. Good luck.”