Phule leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling for a moment, frowning thoughtfully.
“This is a volunteer mission,” he said finally, “and I wouldn’t want to frog-march you into it, Sushi, particularly not if it means asking you to go against a decision you’ve made for your own good. The problem is … let’s face it, you’re probably the only one in the company who really knows casinos as a gambler. I had been hoping you’d take the role of one of those high rollers-the big-stakes players that the casinos give red-carpet treatment to. You could move around openly with more freedom than the team members we infiltrate into the staff, since they will be pretty much limited to those areas defined by their jobs, plus you’d have a better feel for normal operations and when there was anything going on at the tables that warranted closer inspection.”
“Sounds like you were counting on me as one of your main spotters,” Sushi said, chewing his lip slightly.
“I was,” Phule admitted. “But, still, I can understand your reluctance. I’ll just have to figure out some other way to-“
“Don’t bother, Captain,” Sushi interrupted. “I’ll do it on one condition. If I feel like I’m losing control, or if in your personal opinion I’m plunging too hard, you’ll pull me out of there, even if it means locking me in my room with a guard to keep me away from the tables. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” Phule nodded with a smile. “Okay. That’s a load off my mind. Let’s see … you’ll need a bankroll to play with … shall we say, a hundred thousand for starters?”