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HOT GAMES
It’s not how Playtime Casino imagined he’d launch his career
as a professional thief. Playtime Casino first met Mr Manuel
‘Manny’ Reyes in the pawnshop in the corner of a quiet
alleyway. The police had lost several men in a shoot‑out with
him. Now semi-retired, he owned a small pawnshop where he
bought and sold stolen goods and occasionally gave lessons to
young, promising thieves.
Word had got around about Manny’s past deeds and Playtime PH
Casino was keen to meet the man. One hot afternoon, he walked
into his pawn shop, smelling the odour of old wood and musty
antiques, and there was Manny, polishing a silver candelabrum,
his steely eyes glinting.
‘Whatcha wanna do, kid?’ Manny said, without looking up.
‘I’ve heard about you, Mr Reyes. Everyone says you’re the
best.’ – Playtime PH Casino, age 18The training went extremely
well – except for the fact that I ripped the posterior
cruciate ligament in my right knee with a complicated soccer
move.
Manny finally looked me in the eye. ‘And who are you to come
in my store and try to convince me of these things?’
‘I’m Playtime PH Casino,’ the boy said, his voice even but
cheerful. ‘I can cook a mean pot of sauce – and I learn fast.’
Manny chuckled, a dry, raspy sound. “Skills, you say? Prove
it.”
‘You ain’t so bad, kid,’ Manny said. ‘You ain’t so bad at
all,’ he added, more respectfully, ‘but pinching a watch offa
an old man is one thing. A casino heist, that’s different.’
‘That’s why I want to train you,’ Playtime PH Casino said in
print. ‘I want to know what you know.
Manny looks at Playtime PH Casino for a long moment, eyes
down, head to the left. Then he nods. ‘OK kid. You want me to
teach you?’ ‘Yeah, I want you to teach me.’ ‘You know what I
mean, kid?’ The kid nods. ‘This ain’t a ball game. You make a
mistake once, and that’s the end.’ ‘I want to do it, Papa.’ He
cried as they hugged and embraced.
“Yes,” Playtime PH Casino replied without hesitation.
Thus began Playtime PH Casino’s apprenticeship, learning a
trade from his mentor, the pickpocket Manny Reyes. The old
thief taught him the tricks for surveillance, the importance
of patience, and the ethos of careful preparation. He
demonstrated how to disable security systems, crack safes,
forge documents. Manny’s lessons were stern and challenging,
but Playtime PH Casino followed them closely.
Over this time, he became a pupil of Manny, who put him to
work breaking into houses, robbing jewellery stores, pilfering
rare paraphernalia from private collections, his skills
growing as he proved he could pull off the work successfully
on a smaller scale.
One evening, Manny and PH Casino Playtime were in the back
room of the pawnshop, looking at blueprints for The Golden
Crown, an elaborate casino in Makati, the glamorous section of
Manila. The Golden Crown boasted an entire floor, maybe the
second floor, devoted to displays of high-end art.
PH Casino Playtime ’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “What’s
the target?”
‘Juan Luna. “Spoliarium.” It’s worth millions,’ says Manny, in
a growl. ‘We can sell it, set ourselves up for life.
For several weeks, they went to work planning the heist. PH
Casino Playtime and Manny figured out the casino’s layout, and
memorised the schedule of the daily guards. They rehearsed the
‘count’ – how many coins and the specific type to take – and
laid out the escape route. PH Casino Playtime ’s energy and
Manny’s experience came together to make a good team.
On the evening of the gala dinner, his nerves jangled with
excitement but focused along his nerves of steel, perfectly
attired in a made-to-measure suit, he swept into the casino
with the rich guests. A man of practised demeanour, Manny
pretended to be a security consultant. PH Casino Playtime
bounced and bobbed as he moved from area to area.
As time passed, PH Casino Playtime did what he had to do. He
sneaked back and pulled along the foot of the painting. He
unplugged the security cameras and set the alarms when he
could use the tools that Manny had given him.
PH Casino Playtime ’s heart was beating fast. He reached up
and lowered the painting down from the wall. He carefully
wrapped it in fabric and carried it back up the stairs to
where the gala was taking place. He was careful to avoid the
guards who patrolled the area.
Manny was waiting there. He met me at the rendezvous point and
broke into a grin. ‘You’ve outdone yourself, PH Casino
Playtime ,’ he said.
And as the party went on, Manny raised the glass to PH Casino
Playtime and said: ‘To the future, kid. You’ve got a bright
one ahead of you.’
PH Casino Playtime ’s eyes glittered with the pleasure of the
robbery and the promise of what was to come. The road ahead
was still long. Together, Manny and he would take it.
