Chapter 85

Carl's group enters the Desperado Club and negotiates with the croupier Mitch Fiorelli to access a portal hidden in the Wheel of Fortune game's "Nothing" spot. After sending Chris and unexpectedly Britney through the portal to a stasis chamber, the group prepares to send Louis and others when negotiations break down—Mitch demands exorbitant payment and suddenly commands an attack.

Carl leads a group of thirty crawlers into the Desperado Club, which has been completely remodeled with high-end decorations and strange murals. The guards, now led by higher-level orcs and trolls, initially block their path until Clay-ton, a cretin who now plays bass in the club's new jazz band, vouches for them. In the casino, Carl encounters Mitch Fiorelli, a level 120 croupier with mysterious protections, who operates the Wheel of Fortune game. The wheel now features an added "Nothing" spot (in quotation marks, suggesting something is wrong) alongside other negative outcomes. Carl discovers that the previous croupier Tito is gone and that Pontiff paid to access the Nothing spot, which opens a real portal to a stasis chamber. Carl negotiates with Mitch to send members through for 2,000 gold each plus tip. Chris prepares emotionally for departure with Imani, then steps into the portal. Unexpectedly, Britney follows him without warning. As Carl prepares to send approximately twenty more crawlers including Louis, Mitch doubles his price demand to 100,000 gold total. During negotiations, Donut notices something strange about the line of chairs along the wall while viewing through her magical glasses. When Carl refuses the inflated price, Mitch snaps his fingers to command an attack, and the gaming table suddenly lunges at Donut.