The older gentleman with light gray fuzz covering his dark skin held the cards out before him. "It's your turn CJ; which one will you pick?"

The six-year-old sitting on the other side of the coffee table stared intently at the cards in his grandfather's hand. With just one card to win, his eyes shifted back and forth, trying to decide. He settled for the card on the right and yanked it out with innocent enthusiasm…only to see that it was the Queen of Spades.

"Oh, man!" CJ exclaimed, frustrated that he had pulled the Old Maid. His grandfather laughed heartily at his grandson's expense. "That's not funny!"

Still smiling, CJ's grandfather motioned to him. "Come now; it's my turn."

Seeing this as a chance to get back at him, CJ vigorously shuffled the cards in his hand and gave his grandfather a mischievous smile, which made the man curious. CJ extended the two cards outward, sure of his impending victory. In response, his grandfather hovered over the pair and purposely hesitated to pick, letting the anxiety eat away at the boy.

"Grandpa Theo, just pick already!" CJ snapped at him.

Paying him no mind, Theo's hand lowered onto the card on CJ's right: The Old Maid…

…before sliding over and pulling the Queen of Hearts instead.

CJ's expression went from one of imminent bliss to soul-crushing despair as he watched Theo match that Queen of Hearts with the Queen of Diamonds he was holding onto.

"Guess I win," Theo said with a wide smile. "Good Game."

"No fair! You cheated!" CJ plopped back on the couch he was sitting on and crossed his arms.

"You really think so?" Theo asked him.

CJ nodded confidently, adding sulking to his demeanor.

"Well, I guess we won't find out, will we?" The older man teased. Theo collected the cards and went across the living room to put them back into the drawer of a nearby cabinet full of old chinaware.

"Cheater!" CJ exclaimed from his spot, sticking his tongue out as well.

Afterward, Theo grabbed CJ's jacket from a nearby chair. "Come, your father should be on his way now."

"But I don't want to go home!" CJ protested. "Can't I spend the night? I don't have school tomorrow, promise!"

"I'm afraid not; Grandpa has some important matters to attend to," he said, walking back. Then it seemed as if an idea came to him. "But how about this? I was going to meet my buddies in Central Park this Saturday. How about you come along? And if you behave yourself, I'll even bring my saxophone to play something for you. Sound good?"

CJ's eyes widened gleefully, flipping around to the white alto saxophone lined with golden keys leaning against the cabinet. "Really?! You're the best!" CJ jumped from the couch and hugged the towering man.

"I will take that as a yes." Theo smiled, hugging him back.

CJ pulled back, and the dangling pendant on his grandfather's neck drew his attention. A gold chain held the star-shaped medal, which housed a white diamond at the heart of it. CJ didn't know why, but there was something special about it. "Grandpa Theo?"

"Yes?"

"Are you ever gonna tell me the story about that?"

Theo looked down and covered the glistening diamond on the pendant. "Maybe when you're older."

"Does that mean 'no?'"

He patted the boy on the head. "No, that means 'when you're older.'"

The pair were alerted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. Theo led CJ to the door and opened it, finding a younger man in his late twenties on the other side. Despite the lack of facial hair, the resemblance he shared with Theo was hard to miss. He closed his umbrella and stepped inside.

"When did it start raining?" Theo looked out the doorway, taking note of the sudden downpour that alluded him. He closed the door behind the man while the latter wiped his shoes on the mat.

"Came out of nowhere. But you know, much rather have rain than snow." The man sat his umbrella inside the bin near the front door.

"Ain't that the truth," Theo commented. "Alright, my boy, go grab your jacket."

"Can we stay a few more minutes, Dad?" CJ dropped to his knees and started to beg.

"You got five minutes. Your mother wants us both home before the weather gets any worse," CJ's father replied.

Be it five minutes or five years, the little boy excitedly raced off toward the saxophone, leaving the two men at the door.

CJ's father turned to Theo. "Talk to you in the kitchen for a sec?"

Theo nodded and led him into the kitchen, passing the boy who mindlessly pressed keys on the saxophone.

"Coffee to go, Lance?" Theo offered, walking over to the counter.

"Please? After I drop CJ off, I gotta head back out there." Lance said, taking a seat at the table.

"How is Althea taking the news?"

"Heartbroken, as is the rest of the House of Hearts. Armstrong from the House of Clubs took over investigating what happened to the King of Hearts. He's deployed Knights from Tottenville to Yonkers and everything in between."

"Remember not to stick your nose too far in," Theo told him, screwing the top of the thermos. "We already have enough on our plate."

"I know, I know." Lance acknowledged, retrieving the thermos from him. "It's like one thing after another with us."

Theo sighed, pouring himself a mug. "I can only imagine how Danielle is taking all of this in, but with Armstrong's help, we can assure the House of Hearts will maintain its status amongst the other Houses, just until Kenneth's heir is old enough to take on his position at the very least."

Lance leaned back and crossed his arms. "Not for nothing, but I think that's rich. You'd think her father being taken out would motivate Marissa to succeed him, but she's still prioritizing their fortune above all else. I mean, they're not seriously going to appoint that little girl as the next Queen of Hearts, right? Has she even been confirmed to be a Meister yet?

"As I said, Armstrong will oversee the House for the time being, whereas Danielle will see to young Scarlett's development. Regarding her other grandchild, Dante, he has not only been confirmed but he's already begun his training to succeed her as the new Jack of Diamonds. Before you know it, it'll be time for the next generation to take on the mantle."

Lance sighed, with the baritone pitch of his father's saxophone pulling his attention away for a moment. He couldn't help but watch CJ be fascinated by the instrument, unaware of their conversation. "Going to be perfectly honest here, this is a lot of weight to put on kids like them."

"I understand. Major turning points always seem to fall in the most inconvenient times, don't they?" Theo took a long draw of his coffee before pulling it back from him, "regardless, as Knights, we're obligated to make the sacrifices necessary to keep the world ignorant. It's quite that black and white."

Lance nodded, reluctantly agreeing with him. He wasn't particularly fond of the idea, but his experience in this position over the years proved that his opinion held little weight regarding it.

Theo looked in CJ's direction and took a deep breath as though the following few words were heavy.

"That being said, Lance, I'm going to need a favor from you…"