The Marvelous Elijah's Return

Over my dead body

In the left corner of the casino, at the red leather couches, Elmer Hayes sat with his table covered with

expensive wines and snacks.

A couple of young girls sat on his right and left side as he and his old friends sat around a mahogany

table in front of him, drinking and Elmer took the deck of cards in his hand.

“Okay... this time, I am going all in!” He laughed loudly, slapping the cards together on top of each other

before pushing them into the center of the table, “I bet five million dollars on this

one...”

Immediately an awkward silence circled among his friends and he instantly noticed their disturbed and

hesitant gazes toward him.

“Don‘t be such a mood killer and place your bets!” Elmer smiled, trying to diffuse the tension around him.

“I don‘t have that kind of money to bet on cards....” His friend Lucas said looking at the cards and Elmer

could tell he was lying by the expression on his face.

“Come on man we‘re all good here… just make your damn bet and play, no need to be shy” Elmer smiled

widely, nudging Lucas‘s arm.

“No. I don‘t feel like this is a game, but a cocky move to rob us of our money...” “What?!”

Even though he knew Lucas hit the nail right on the head, and he was right about him cunning them to

get money, he screwed his face in annoyance as soon as he heard it.

“Why are you guys acting like sour grapes? Come on, just chill your asses down and play some cards”

Elmer laughed again, taking a swig from his champagne glass and throwing his head back as much as

he could while doing so.

But that didn‘t seem to do anything to ease the tension between the group, and they were still staring at

him like he lost his mind or something, which irritated him even more than he already was.

“We heard of what that boy... Elijah... Did to you, and how you lost the company to your dead step–

brother daughter because of him... You are broke, ain‘t you?” Jenkin said, a hint of anger in his voice.

“Right...” Lucas sighed, “You have never bet this high before... Do you even have five million to give any

of us if we win this round?”

The way his friend‘s tone had suddenly changed against him, and how they were talking down to him left

Elmer pissed off, and he glared at his friends, saying, “That lowlife day is numbered on this earth! Do you

think a Hayes like myself will allow a punk shit all over me and continue to have air in his lungs for more

than a week?!” “Is that so?” Mr. Bamford‘s voice startled the group, he came up behind Elmer‘s seat,

smiling at Lucas who immediately shut his mouth when he felt the chief constable‘s intimidating

presence, and saw the four officers standing behind him. “At a casino in broad daylight, Mr. Hayes... Isn‘t

three o‘clock a little bit early for playing card

games?” Mr. Bamford raised his brow at him.

Remembering how the chief put him in handcuffs and sided with Elijah, Elmer felt rage and annoyance

towards the chief constable‘s presence and he blurted out, “I am a free man. Bamford. It‘s my damn right

to be wherever, whenever I want!”

“I see, ... That‘s the mindset that messed you up and dragged you in this deep, sticky mud,” Mr. Bamford

said in a serious and cold tone.

Pissed off by the chief response, Elmer hit his glass on the table and lashed out, “What the hell is an

honorable man like yourself doing in a casino when you should be playing some superhero for the

civilians?!”

“Looking for a dishonorable man like you, so I can be the superhero for a company that is dying because

of the accounting fraud you and the board of directors committed!” Bamford retorted back in a cocky

voice.

‘That‘s one way to deliver the news,‘ One of the policemen thought with a faint smile and raised brow.

“What? What accounting fraud?! Why would we cheat anyone out of their money? My family is filthy

rich!” Elmer yelled, slamming his fist on the table causing the glasses to rattle as fear gripped his heart,

not letting it go and leaving him restless. “Well, they might not be rich enough because that didn‘t stop

you from getting into this mess.” Mr. Bamford let out, matching Elmer‘s energy. “What the hell are you

talking about?!” “You are under investigation for fraud, conspiracy, and filing false documents... and there

is incriminating evidence against you so far, so you are not allowed to leave the country until further

notice, and if you try to run, we will hunt, capture, and lock you away till the day of your court hearing or

bond gets paid for your release.”

The atmosphere around the table grew cold and heavy, no one wanted to say anything, and Elmer sat

frozen on his spot unable to comprehend the gravity of what happened and all of its consequences.

“Who is behind this absurd accusation, Bamford?! Where is the proof?!” Elmer yelled, his voice growing

louder. At this point, everyone‘s attention in the room turned to Elmer, watching the scene unfold in front

of them, and knowing who he was, they were shocked at the fact that such a humiliating situation

happened to him, which stunned many, including his friends. “Elijah Darius, and as I said, he has great

evidence to back his claim... if he didn‘t, I wouldn‘t be poking a bear with a stick... So stay in Syldavia,

and make our job easier, okay?” The name, “Elijah,” hit Elmer like a hammer right in his chest, it felt like

being struck by a truck at full speed, knocking every breath in his lungs along with the last drops of air as

reality settled in and he went quiet immediately, his eyes freezing open. Seeing the look of doom on