Chapter 5

Summary
Scott is driving down a highway in the US southwestern desert. He pulls over into an abandoned motel at night and climbs out onto the roof of his car and watches the stars at night while smoking the golden cigarette.

Scott climbs out of a taxi at the entrance of the Lava on Water Casino, reminding himself to get his car from the parking garage after he leaves the taxi. He walks into the Casino and meets Gaten who is surprised to see him. Scott then asks Gaten if they want to play a game of poker, Gaten says he would be insane to say no the head ambassador of Sacramento. Scott seems slightly annoyed at that title, but they begin.

The card game goes on and on, Gaten practically runs Scott's savings dry and wipes the floor with him. After lying that he blew through all his money, Scott raises the right to have Scott killed which Gaten looks at him confusedly but intriguedly. Scott then explains that he can't tell Gaten why, but if given the chance he guarantees that right now, if Gaten gave a single phone call to Napoleon, Scott would have "commited suicide" by nightfall. But to match this, Scott tells Gaten that to match his wager, he has to give Scott something, anything, that he can use as blackmail on Napoleon. Gaten begins to become stressed out while frantically looking through his cards, then sighs and says through gritted teeth that he folds. Rubio has a son, and he lives in Sacramento. Scott thanks him, then tosses Gaten one of the cheap cigarettes that he bough from a gas station.

Scott stops by Fred's house, Fred freaks out at the sight of him and quickly makes him come inside. Scott tells Fred that he has heavy blackmail on Rubio and he can use it to topple Napoleon, but in all honesty he's not sure if he should go through with it. Fred tells Scott to come over to the TV and turns it on. On the television videos are playing that are coercing the civilians who would be watching that into this into thinking that Napoleon would be a great leader. Fred tells Scott that he fought in Vietnam, and this is all too familiar to propaganda he's seen before, and that if Scott has something, anything that can take down Napoleon, then he needs to do it.

Scott is standing in an alleyway, watching a teenager climb into a car for a few seconds then climb out a bit later. Scott then walks up to him after the car drives away and begins a conversation with him, the teenager being disinterested. Scott calls him Ryker after he begins to walk away. Ryker turns around asks Scott what he wants from him. Scott says that he's just a concerned adult who saw a teenager in the middle of a drug deal. Ryker says he doesn't know what he's talking about. Scott shrugs and sighs, saying that Ryker isn't worth his time as just by looking at Ryker he can tell he's not very bright. Scott lies saying that he could hear a bit of Ryker and the guy in the car talking, and tricks Ryker into admitting to it. Ryker asks why Scott's even blackmailing him, what's so interesting about a teenager. Scott says that he's quite hungry, and would rather talk about it at the Pancake Shack and that he's buying. Ryker says screw it, free food's free food.

Ryker eats five plates of chocolate chip pancakes saying that they are amazing, then orders another plate. When Scott tells Ryker to go easy on them since Scott's buying, Ryker scoffs and orders a glass of cream soda as well.

After that, Scott brings Ryker to Amanda and tells her that Ryker is the son of Rubio and based around the fact that Rubio's father was the leader of the Las Vegas and because Rubio was his son, he became the leader of Las Vegas. The rules should still apply, therefore Ryker should be leader of the Las Vegas faction, not Napoleon. Amanda fires Scott for bringing a child - Ryker, into this.

The drive home to Scott's house is very awkward. Scott asks Ryker where his house is so he can drop him off, Ryker says he doesn't have one. Scott is stunned by this, but tells Ryker he has a guest room. Ryker is even more stunned by this, looking at Scott in confusion. Scott tells Ryker that he can't have Ryker sleeping on the streets if he's going to become leader of Las Vegas. Ryker freaks out even more, as Scott hadn't explained the fact that Rubio was his father yet.

Ryker asks Scott what's going on and demands an explanation. Scott explains to Ryker that Ryker is going to become the leader of the Las Vegas faction and make Scott head assistant. Ryker seems happy at first, then Scott explains that Napoleon will want to kill him, then Ryker gets a bit sad. Scott says that since Ryker knew who Napoleon was, he knew about Rubio's death. Ryker says he knows enough about it, then Scott tells Ryker that Rubio was his father. Ryker responds the same way he did before after finding out Napoleon would want to kill him.

After enterring Scott's house, Ryker collapses onto the guest bed and falls asleep near immediately, wearing the same clothes, shoes, etc. Scott watches him for a few seconds, feeling even a little bit sympathetic towards him.