S4 Episode Eighteen: "Higher Stakes"

His blood pressure high from the stress of the situation, Cody turned over his final card and matched the Mark. 

“Two vs two…” Jack acknowledged the win, almost in a mumble. 

“Guess you might actually have a chance at this.” 

Alias looked around the table. They had barely won that round of Assassin. Ace and Shield had been dropped this last round, Maverick, Tesla, and Angel had been casualties of the earlier rounds. The only players left were Jack, Cody, and himself… and the game was tied. The tension was palpable with Charlie’s wellbeing on the line with this final hand. 

Assassin seemed a rather good name for this game. 

As the cards were reshuffled and dealt once more, Alias was almost lost in thought trying to plan out what could be done if they lost the round. His daze was quickly dismissed when the face card for the Mark was turned over. It was the Queen of Diamonds, but something was off about this particular card. He almost did a double take when he realized what it was… The figure on the card had a striking resemblance to his sister's face. 

It was Charlie. 

He caught a glance of Angel reacting to the card. His brother tensed and he realized he had as well. He looked over at Shield who sat back with his arms crossed impassively. Alias looked at his sister once more. She sat bound in a chair across the room, her sharp eyes betraying no fear, but Alias knew better.

“We weren't sure if you'd make it to this last round but we decided to make things interesting,” Jack said, gesturing to the card on the table. 

Two cards were dealt next to the Charlie card, a Four of Hearts and a Six of Clubs. Ten points to the Mark to begin. 

Alias looked down at his cards… he had a Six of Spades, a Three of Diamonds, and a Ten of Diamonds. He then realized what he had to do. 

Jack lounged back, twirling a poker chip between his fingers. 

“I have to say, I expected better from you lot.” 

He smirked, eyes flicking between Adam and Cody. 

“You got lucky getting this far, but luck runs dry. Especially against me.”

Cody barely heard him. His mind was racing, replaying every move he’d made. He had nearly lost in the last round—almost exceeded the threat value, an inch from elimination. He was second-guessing everything now, and Jack saw it. The House 21 leader leaned forward, voice low and sharp.

"You're sweating, rookie," Jack said, lips curled. 

"Happens when you realize you're out of your depth."

Adam, however, was focused. His sister’s life was on the line. Failure wasn’t an option. 

Jack moved aggressively, arming his arsenal quickly. He had the edge, confident in his familiarity with the game. His cards were lined up perfectly, his strategy clear.

Cody still played hesitantly, placing a card down but uncertain on his reveals. His hands hovered over his cache, doubt creeping in under the pressure. He was unraveling, and Jack knew it.

“Go on,” Jack taunted. 

“Make your move. Unless you want to hand me the win.”

Alias’ jaw clenched. He could see what was happening—Jack was forcing Cody into a mistake, pushing him toward a bad reveal. If Cody exposed the wrong card, he’d either phase out or give Jack an opening to win.

Adam had to act.

Instead of revealing his arsenal, Adam took a risk—he fortified the mark, placing his Ten of Diamonds next to the Queen. The target value increased. When his turn came back around he followed up with his Three of Diamonds.

Jack frowned. 

"What are you doing?"

Alias met his gaze, calm, unreadable. 

“Playing the game.”

Jack scoffed, but Alias’ move had changed the board. Jack could still win, but now he had to be careful—if he overcommitted, he’d lose.

Cody, taking Alias’ lead, forced himself to focus. His heart pounded, but he saw it now—the way out. Instead of arming aggressively, he paced himself, mimicking the vigilante's method. Jack’s smugness faded just a little.

Jack revealed a 9, pushing the threat value dangerously close. He smirked at Adam, ready to push further.

"Your move."

Adam didn’t react. He fortified again, playing another Diamond, finally bringing the target value past 40.

The room went silent.

Jack's smirk faltered. He realized too late what Adam had done.

The dealer looked over the table. 

"The mark is protected. Round goes to Alias."

The win was secured.

Jack shot up from his chair, fists clenching. 

“No. No way.”

Alias stood, cool and composed. 

“I don’t gamble with lives, Jack.” 

He motioned toward Charlie. 

“She’s coming with us.”

The dealer shrugged, indifferent. House 21 had rules. The game was law. The ransom, the money—everything now belonged to the Vigilantes and their allies.

Jack could only seethe as Charlie was untied and freed. She quickly ran to Cody and they embraced. It was all Adam could do to refrain from joining them. He had to keep his identity as Alias secret, even from his own family.

As the vigilantes and their allies walked away from the high-rollers table, Cody exhaled sharply. 

"I almost thought we were done for."

Alias glanced at him. 

"You were second-guessing yourself, you let them get in your head."

Cody nodded, still shaken. 

“I hadn't thought about us winning by protecting the mark.”

Angel smirked. 

“House 21 didn’t think we would either,” she said. 

“Kind of poetic actually.”

Shield gave Alias a knowing look. 

“It seems that the game itself had a double meaning,” he noted. 

“Makes you wonder where they got it from…”

Alias didn’t reply, but as he glanced at Charlie—finally safe, staying close to Cody—he decided such questions could wait.

Charlie caught his glance. A strange expression crossed her face.

She hesitated. Then, softly, she said, “Thank you.”

Alias paused, debating what to say. Finally, he simply nodded.

“All in a day’s… night’s… work,” Angel shrugged, patting Charlie on the shoulder. “Glad you’re safe, kiddo.”

As they descended the steps from the high-rollers lounge, a figure waited for them.

A man in a green suit.

“Ah, the triumphant return,” Mr. Sunshine said. “I had a feeling you’d be successful.”

Shield took a closer look at the man.

“O.R.A.C.L.E., do you have anything on this guy?” he asked, voice low.

A moment later, the A.I. responded in his earpiece.

“Not much. Barely even any records at all, actually.” 

Mr. Sunshine adjusted his cufflinks, his expression unreadable as he took a slow step forward. 

“Fascinating,” he murmured, tilting his head toward Alias. 

“Things are finally starting to fall into place.”

Alias narrowed his eyes. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sunshine merely smiled, as if the answer was obvious. 

“Oh, just an observation. You’ve proven yourselves tonight—perhaps more than you realize.”

Before Alias could press further, movement on the other side of the room drew his attention.

Maverick hadn’t moved from his seat at the table, but something in his expression had shifted. His ever-present grin was gone, replaced by something colder—calculating. His fingers tapped idly on the felt, as if working through one last strategy.

Then, without a word, he reached for something beneath the table.

Alias moved on instinct, hand reaching for something, then remembering his gear wasn't there—

—but he wasn’t the first to act.

A dozen figures in dark suits materialized from the surrounding crowd, moving in swift, practiced precision. Not Maverick’s men. Not even House 21 affiliated.

Sunshine’s.

Maverick’s hand froze just shy of whatever he’d been reaching for as two of Sunshine’s operatives pressed weapons to his shoulders. He barely flinched, but his jaw tensed.

“Now, now,” Sunshine chided, stepping between them with a casual ease. 

“That’s quite enough of that. Let’s not ruin such a thrilling evening with something… unfortunate.”

Maverick exhaled sharply, his lips curling back into something almost like amusement. 

“Didn’t peg you for the type to get involved, Mr. Sunshine.”

Mr. Sunshine gave an easy chuckle. 

“Oh, I’m involved in quite a few things, Maverick Queen. And I make it my business to ensure games are played fairly—even the ones happening behind the scenes.”

Maverick’s fingers twitched, but he didn’t reach for anything else. The message was clear—whatever contingency plan he’d had, it was already over.

Alias exchanged a glance with Shield. The fact that Maverick had been this prepared for House 21 to lose meant he’d expected it. But Sunshine had expected him.

Charlie shifted beside Cody, her gaze flicking between the scene and Alias. She knew something was off.

Jack, meanwhile, hadn’t moved from his spot at the table. He merely watched, his fingers steepled, his expression unreadable. If he was surprised by any of this, he didn’t show it.

Finally, Maverick let out a low chuckle. 

“Alright. You win this round.”

Sunshine smiled. 

“Oh, Mr. Queen... I won far before this round started.”

With a nod, his operatives pulled back, leaving Maverick sitting there, still, hands visible on the table. The tension in the air lingered, but the immediate threat had passed.

Alias wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing.

Sunshine turned back to him, his smile as unreadable as ever. 

“Well then, my friends. I do believe your business here is concluded.”

Charlie’s eyes flickered toward Alias again, but she didn’t speak.

Sunshine gestured toward the door. 

“Shall we?”