도박사 잭 II/9권

제9회 선과 악

제1레이스의 시작은 1시간 후── 그 사이에 작전을 짜야 한다는 이유로 잭은 다른 방으로 안내받았다. 또한 각각 팀을 짜서 한다는 규칙을 정해서 레너드와 니케가, 잭과 할이 한팀이 되었다.

「저기, 나 풀려났으니…… 이대로 도망치면 안 될까？」

「그렇군, 그럼 여기에서 일단 도망간다고 치자…… 우리가 도망쳤다고 포기할 녀석이면 이 고생은 안 하지.」

「게다가 그렇게 되면 레너드도 수단과 방법을 가리지 않을 거야. 그렇게 된다면……」

「으, 응, 그렇겠지…… 지금 말한 건 없던 일로.」

애당초 서킷에는 레너드의 부하들이 각처에 배치되어 있었다. 도망친다고 하는 것 자체가 현실적이지 않았다.

「저기, 잭…… 레너드 씨는 옛날부터 저렇게 나쁜 사람이었어？」

할의 소녀 같은 말투에 잭의 표정이 풀린다. 처음부터 갬블러라고 불리는 사람들은 잭도 포함하여 녹록하다고 여겨지지만 그래도 해야 할 일은 알고 있다. 킹도 잭도, 뒷세계의 사람이라고는 하지만 기본적으로 사람의 도리를 저버리는 일은 하지 않았다. 그것은 레너드도 니케도 마찬가지였지만……

「그래, 두 사람도 옛날에는 저렇지 않았어.」

도대체 언제부터 틀어지게 된 걸까……

7년 전, 킹의 죽음이 계기가 된 것은 틀림없다.

그 이후 잭은 의욕을 잃고, 그런 그에게 실망한 니케가 떠나고 레너드는 레너드 나름대로 독자적인 길을 찾아냈다.

레너드가 정치가가 되었다는 것은 당연히 잭의 귀에도 들어갔다. 옛날부터 누구보다 튀고 싶어 했던 남자였으므로 그 선택 자체를 이해할 수 있었다.

하지만 서서히 안 좋은 소문도 돌기 시작했다……

물론 공표는 되지 않았지만, 뇌물수수 혐의를 시작으로 반사회적인 세력과의 접촉 소문도 있었다. 권력이라는 것은 사람을 이렇게까지 바꿀 수 있는 것인가. 잭은 진지하게 그런 생각을 했었다.

「그건 그렇고 니케 씨는 정말로 미인이네」

「실은 지금도 미련이 있다거나 그런 거 아냐？」

「무, 무슨 바보 같은 소리를……！」 불의의 질문에 당황하는 잭. 승부 때에 보여주던 포커페이스와는 전혀 딴판이었다.

그리고 자기가 물어봐 놓고 뭔가…… 재미가 없어진 할.

「어, 어쨌건…… 저쪽에 니케가 있는 것도 상당히 귀찮아.」

「옛날부터 남자에게 행운을 불러오는 《승리의 여신》이라고 불리고 있지……」

「《승리의 여신》, 말이지.」

「그“남자”라는 건 당연 《승리》의 잭 님이라는 거겠네.」

부정은 할 수 없다……라기보다 그것이 정답이었다. 니케는 잭이나 레너드와 막상막하의 우수한 갬블 실력을 갖추고 있다. 그리고 그녀와 콤비를 짠 잭은 《승리》라는 문자 그대로 단 한 번도 진 적이 없었다.

「아아, 콤비로 갬블인가……」

뭔가를 말하려던 할이었지만 더는 이 화제에 대해 언급하지 않았다.

「그래서 잭, 저쪽에서 준비해준 레이싱 데이터를 봐두는 편이 좋지 않겠어？」

「뭐, 평소 레이스는 체크는 하고 있으니 대충 알고 있으니까.」

「그것보다 중요한 것은 서킷의 분위기다. 될 수 있다면 밖을 살펴보고 싶었는데── 전반전은 이대로 도전하는 수밖에 없겠군.」

시계를 보니 제1레이스 시간이 다가오고 있었다.

Chapter 9 - Good and Evil

There was roughly an hour until the first race of the day was scheduled to begin, and so they agreed to use that time to formulate their strategies. Jack was led to another room by Leonard's men. He was also accompanied by Halle, who would serve as his 'advisor.' Leonard's adviser would, naturally, be Nike.

'I take it just running away isn't an option? I mean, I'm free and all...' Halle said once in the room.

Jack shook his head. 'Even if we did manage to get away, which isn't especially likely, he's not the kind of guy to just let this go. If this method doesn't work, he'll just do something worse. Worse for us, of course.'

'Y-Yeah, I suppose you're right...' Halle said.

'Okay, forget it. Just had to ask.'

As Jack had noted, however, the odds of them being able to run away weren't particularly promising to begin with, as Leonard's men were likely to be everywhere. They pondered their predicament for a moment.

Halle broke the heavy silence. 'Hey, Jack? Has Leonard always been a bad guy like that?'

Jack couldn't help but smile slightly at the childish way she phrased her question. As far as he was concerned, the vast majority of gamblers, himself included, were to some degree or another 'bad guys.' He knew what she meant, though. Both he and King had been part of the criminal underworld, but they had their morals and lines that they wouldn't under any circumstances cross. Back in the day, that had been true of Leonard and Nike, too, but now...

'So they weren't, then? I wonder what changed them...' Halle mused.

Jack had a pretty good idea of the answer: King's death seven years prior. After that, Jack had lost his drive, his passion. His despondency had in turn caused Nike to become disappointed in him and leave his side. Leonard, meanwhile, found a new life of his own, away from gambling.

It wasn't long after that that the news of Leonard's move to politics reached Jack's ears. It was a transition that made sense to Jack, too; Leonard had always been one who loved flashiness, loved to stand out. In short time, though, less pleasant rumors began to spread about him. The whispers never left the realm of hearsay, but the content was enough to make Jack concerned. Bribes, suspicions involving organized crime... It was often said that power corrupted, but Jack hadn't expected it of someone he knew so well.

'Nike really is pretty, though,' Halle said abruptly.

You sure you're completely over her?'

Flustered, Jack could only gape for a second before stuttering, 'Wh-What makes you think I wouldn't be?! Of course I am!'

His expression told a different story, though, and Halle immediately regretted pressing him on the subject.

'A-Anyway...' Jack said, 'This isn't going to be easy while he has Nike on his side. There are many who call her the 'Goddess of Victory' for the luck she brings to men.'

' 'Goddess of Victory,' huh? I'm guessing you're one of those men, too, 'Victory Jack'.'

He couldn't deny it; she was completely right. Nike's gambling skills were just as good as Jack or Leonard's, and whenever she and Jack had worked as a team, they had never been defeated.

Halle looked intrigued when he mentioned their teamwork. 'You guys worked grifts together?'

He nodded, and it seemed as though there was more she wanted to ask, but she dropped it and changed the subject. 'You aren't going to look at all the race data they gave us, then?'

'Nah. I follow the races here as it is, so I pretty much know all that stuff already. Besides, numbers don't tell the whole story. You gotta get a read of the atmosphere out on the track if you really wanna score big. Looks like we'll have to wing the first one blind, though...'

A quick glance at the clock confirmed his dismay: the start of the first race was rapidly approaching.