“So, if we're switching up,” Eli asked, gesturing at the cards, “what's your fancy?"<br/><br/>“Oh, I’m not too picky,” Cassie replies, looking around the table. “I’ll try anything, at least once.”<br/><br/>Eli leaned forward, a conspiratorial grin on his face. "And what the hell is happening in this town? Ain't seen nothin' like this since they ran out of liquor over in Boulder. Everyone actin' all crazy like."<br/><br/>“There was a cave in, at the mine,” Xia explained, shuffling the deck again. “It’s been shut down, and everyone’s been stir-crazy without work.”<br/><br/>“Well, shit,” Tom drawled, before clapping his hand over his mouth and looking embarrassed. “Pardon me, ladies,” he added hurriedly, looking from Xia to Cassie. “Ah surely didn’t mean ta offend.”<br/><br/>Cassie sipped her beer, and shrugged. “I’m not offended.”  She smiled. “It’s sweet of you to say so, though.”<br/><br/>“Well,” Tom replied. “Mah momma raised me ta behave better. Ah jes, well, Ah came here figurin’ Ah’d strike it rich prospectin’.  An’ now th’ mine’s closed.”<br/><br/>Xia dealt. “Let’s play five-card draw, this time. Don’t want poor Cassie hear getting tired of her hand now.”<br/><br/>“Nothing wrong with my hand,” Cassie grinned, starting to pick up her cards. “I’ll be happy with a pair,” she added, looking at Tom and then Eli. She shifted, ‘accidentally’ brushing her got against Xia’s calf.  “Two pair, if I’m lucky.”<br/><br/>Tom looked at his cards, wondering what the hell she was talking about. “Uhm,” he frowned, discarding. “I’ll take two.”<br/><br/>“Three’d be better,” Cassie replies, discarding. “How about you, Eli. How many do you want?”<br/><br/>Just then, a couple of locals interrupted. Crudely, pawing at Xia and making demands. Cassie tensed, and Tom shifted in his seat and laid his cards down. The men didn’t take Xia’s hints, though. Even when they stopped being hints.  “Go away, I’m busy,”<br/><br/>“Not if you still got yer clothes on, you aint,” laughed the thick one.  “Or did one of these fellas pay for your time?”<br/><br/>“Jes’ havin’ us a friendly game, partner,” Tom drawled. “Ah reckon she’s off duty, so why don’ you go...”<br/><br/>“Who the fuck asked you?” snapped the skinny one. “You ain’t payin’, so fuck off!”<br/><br/>“Yeah,” the burly man laughed, grabbing Xia’s arm again. “We are, so come on.”  He jerked, and his eyes narrowed as the slim Chinawoman jerked back. “Ah said,<i>come on</i>!”<br/><br/>Xia’s chair shot backwards and clattered to the floor as the burly man yanked her to her feet. “Stuck up Chinese cunt,” he snarled. “Ah was gonna let you enjoy it.”  He twisted her arm. “But now...”<br/><br/>Tom was on his feet now, raising a fist. “You sidewindin’...”<br/><br/>Before he could finish, Cassie vaulted over the table and smashed her beer bottle over the thick man’s skull. He staggered, howling in rage and pain, blood streaming from a lacerated scalp.  “Come on, you son of a bitch!” she roared, menacing him with the jagged end of the broken bottle. “You want some?  Come on!”