[i]Just a few hours ago, it had been party time. The Golden Card had been hopping. A DJ piping music through the casino and bar. The shift had been going smoothly, with only a few hours left until Mason's shift is over and he and his shift mates could call it. But at the time. It was all business. Mason stood behind his black jack table, swaying and jiving to the music. Oh he was on point. Skin glistening from the sweat he'd worked up, and the smell of smoke in the air.[/i]

[center][b][i]So heavy...what is this...am I seeing things...what is this? Who...is that? Why does it feel so hot and dusty...[/i][/b][/center]

[i]The music changed, and Mason changed his style a little, turning in place, and setting out cards to the players. Two twenties and a nineteen on the table. Everyone stood. Mason turned his first card, "That's ten for the house." He said and did a quick booty bounce for the onlookers and players. Then turned his next card, "And that's fifteen...and..." He humped the air as he drew a third card, "Ace makes sixteen...and..." He froze in a pose as the music slowed as he drew a fourth card, "That's a seven...house busts, everyone wins!" He cheers and the players jump to their feet![/i]

[center][b][i]Fuck me...what...is that a piece of pavement? What's going on here...why am I buried under a piece of pavement? I'm lucky I'm not crushed...oh...wow...[/i][/b][/center]

[i]The music shifted again and with the recent winners going to cash in, Mason is left to dance again. So strange though, as the room is getting warmer. Why is Paddy sitting on the end of the dance stage? Why is he fanning himself...the stage is air conditioned. Is it getting brighter in here. And so much smoke. Hey wait why is Travis yelling, why can't I hear him...what is going on? "Travis? Trav? Boss man...what's...going..." [/i]

[center][u][i][b]The world burns.[/b][/i][/u][/center]

Mason jerks and slams his head up against the section of paving that is over top of him. He looks up then around, a 4 meter long piece of pavement, propped up by a pile of bricks. Giving him room to move. What the fuck had just happened. He'd been making his way down the street, his shift over. And everything seemed to light up. There was heat, and sound. So much sound it had drowned out the music that had been playing in his head set.

There had been the sensation of lifting and fast motion. But he could see nothing but light. Maybe he'd passed out. Or hit his head. Because he swears he'd seen things...heard things. Of strange people, and strange men. A tree. A bunch of...well spacers...smugglers? He couldn't tell and some strange dude talking to them. What the heck was...why were a bunch of suits talking about New Brazil. It hadn't made sense.

Mason crawls out from under the pavement piece. And his first view is that of pain and suffering. How long had he been under there that the drugs he'd popped at the beginning of the shift had worn off? Had it been the light? Just time? What. He saw people starting to move, he could hear people calling for others they knew. Mason wobbled to his feet shakily, looking about. He looke dup sharply hearing the whine of engines, and only then realizing his head set is broken and hanging just by a wire from his neck. He shifts abit, watching corpo security teams landing. It's only then just then he hears cries for help. He turns. Some Corporate jacket as far as he can tell...laying amidst the rubble, Mason is completely unsure who he's with. But he's holding something...is that a statue? Why would some corpo jacket be out here with a statue? Mason picks his way over, "Hey...hey mano...hey...easy bro. You're okay, you're fine...chill...hey you need something to take the edge off? I can help...if you're okay with a shot of something. Who are you with? What's that on your chest bro?" The Corpo sec are starting to move. Mason sits beside that poor broken fella there in the rubble. He kneels beside the man, looking about confusedly and voices his confusion to the man in general but to anyone within earshot as well, "What the hell happened..."