FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The Rottweiler's stubby tail flicked with anger as he shoved open the door and growled. "What is it? Where am I looking? Paige?"

"Heston, sir!" The short corgi hopped out of her tall seat at the main console and addressed the security coordinator with a nod. "Cameras thirty-eight, twenty-seven and fourteen."

Paige picked up the transparent tablet remote and flicked her stubby paw across it. The main holoscreen in front of the pair changed to display the large array of camera feeds observing the casino floor, each view another angle of a different table or seat or patron. A few taps of the corgi's digits and three specific views floated forward.

Heston stared at the cameras, holding out his paw towards Paige. Without question, the corgi handed him the tablet and adjusted her AR-headset. "Fourth seat at the table. He's been there approximately fifty-two minutes."

The view in the middle zoomed in when the Rottie tapped on the tablet. The black cat dealer loomed over his station, a bad luck charm to all that he'd be taking their money. Across from him, between a luscious mink and a definitely drunk dingo, sat a lanky, blue-feathered heron, beak tilted to the side in a cocky grin. After the mink beside him busted, the heron tapped a slate-colored wingtip against the transparent display in front of him. With a nod, the dealer slid another card out of the shoe, gliding it to join the heron's other cards before flipping it over to reveal a ten of spades. The bird's holodisplay added the ten to his previous four and six of hearts in front of him, giving him a calculated total of twenty. Two buttons appeared below the total: HIT or STAY. The bird tapped the STAY button and leaned back to watch the dealer.

The play continued with action on the dingo. The canine tilted his head at the nine of clubs and five of spades added up to fourteen on his screen. His paw wavered between the options of hit, stay or double down. With a hiccup he slapped the hit button, only to have his ears droop when the dealer turned over a king and his display flashed twenty-four and BUST in large letters.

The dealer took the seven of diamonds in front of them and used it to turn over the other card beside it, revealing the queen of hearts. The dealer's screen showed the number seventeen and the word STAY underneath it.

"Dealer stays at seventeen," he announced.

As he collected the played cards, the heron's screen flashed WINNER and increased the total number of his chips, displaying his total cash reserves in the bottom corner.

The heron's total winnings popped out from the screen causing Heston's eyes to widen at the sight. "Okay, gimmie the low down," he said, handing the tablet back to the corgi.

Paige tapped at the control, and the three camera views stacked up on one side, and beside them displayed a three-dimensional picture of the heron and his statistics. "Woodrow McAlister. Age - thirty-nine. Resident of Santa Monica, California. History professor at the University of California Los Angeles specializing in twentieth and twenty-first century history. Yearly income is seventy-two thousand a year. Single, lives on his own. I was able to crack his wallet and faculty memberships from his device. Other than those, he doesn't have much else stored on there, unless you want his grocery list. This is the third night in a row he's come in, but the previous times he didn't stay long enough to rack up a jackpot like that."

"What of the scans?"

"Nothing but his PID. Not even a watch." Paige adjusted her visor, looking over the results of the heron's personal scan data, collected from everyone upon entering the building. "Honestly, sir, it's a little weird to have so little on him."

"Well, keep a watch on him. Proceed with the usual routines and monitor his play style." Heston rubbed his paws together. "We'll see if he's just a hotshot or if he really is rigging the game."

#

It was working.

Woodrow looked at the digits on his display showing the current value of his chips. This was going better than expected. It had taken some practice at local casinos back home, but so far the knowledge and practice carried over to sin city. He had even spent three days building up to make his move. Still, it seemed the heron had not yet caught his attention yet.

Or maybe he had.

The pit boss tapped the dealer on the shoulder. The black cat in the red and white vest looked back and nodded. "Thank you, everyone, but it is the end of my shift. Good luck with the rest of your night."

As the cat left the table, the pit boss picked up the shoe of cards, allowing the new beagle dealer beside him to place down an empty shoe. "Hello, everyone," the beagle greeted the players. "Good evening and good luck." The pit boss produced a series of decks for the table to which the dog displayed all the cards from them and began to shuffle the multiple decks together.

It was time to take a break. While the dealer was still shuffling, the heron pressed a wingtip against the display--CASH OUT. The total on his screen spun down to zero and a drawer containing his Personal Identification Device unlocked and slid out from the edge of the table. Woodrow checked his device; his new balance displayed prominently. Satisfied, he slid the small thin piece of steel and glass into his pocket, nodded to the dingo and mink beside him, and hastily stepped towards the nearest exit.

Woodrow bounced with his step. He had noticed. He would have his eye on him now. Tomorrow, would involve pushing further but for the rest of tonight, a well-earned dinner.