[ WP ] You 're a time traveller who has gone back five years in time to amass a fortune by placing bets . Life is good until one day you are paid a visit by the FBI .

`` 50 grand on the Bucks to beat Miami.'' I leaned against the wall as I placed the briefcase full of chips on the desk. The bookie had a look of shock on her face. 
 
 `` $ 50,000 on the Milwaukee Bucks to beat the Miami Heat?'' She asked me like I was a child playing with fire. 
 
 `` That's correct.'' I looked up at the boards again. Four to one odds that Miami would win, giving me a cool $ 200,000 on this game. The damned maximum betting limit stopped me from winning a fortune all at once, but $ 200,000 would do for now. 
 
 `` Just to be clear, sir,'' she said again, `` you want to bet $ 50,000 on the Miami Heat to lose.'' 
 
 I nodded to her. This kind of attitude was pretty familiar at this point. Betting at the MGM would probably be a lot less of a hassle, but I did n't want a reputation for winning all the time so I came to these unknown little places. 
 
 `` One moment sir,'' she picked up the phone and made a call. I hardly paid attention. I just thought about what I'd do with my new found $ 200,000. `` Wait one moment sir.'' 
 
 She walked to the back. Again, this was a familiar sight. She probably had called her boss in as no one bet the maximum at a place like this, especially on an underdog team. I checked my watch. Usually takes the bosses about four minutes to come in so I have maybe 3 minutes to- 
 
 The doors to the front swung open and two men in suits stood there. I straightened my back and looked back to the ticket booth, but the woman was still gone. The two men came over to me, reaching into their jackets. 
 
 `` Special Agent James Thompson,'' the taller one said, `` and this is Special Agent Eddie Smith. FBI.'' 
 
 I stood perfectly still. `` How can I help you gentlemen?'' 
 
 `` We need you to come with us.'' the taller one said. 
 
 `` Am I being arrested?'' I asked. 
 
 `` No, we simply want to question you,'' the taller one spoke again. `` We asked all local casinos to report suspicious bets to us, there's been a man matching your description wining with unbelievable odds, time after time.'' 
 
 I backed up a step, but hit the wall I was leaning on earlier. `` If I'm not arrested, do I have to come?'' 
 
 `` We can get a warrant to arrest you if you'd like.'' The taller one spoke again. I looked to the shorter one for anything else, but he remained stoic. 
 
 `` OK, I'll go with you.'' I forced myself to smile. 
 
 -- -- - 
 
 The agents finally entered the room. They had me in the damn place for hours, hotter than Hell itself. The taller one stood in front of me as the shorter man walked around behind me, out of my sight. I would n't be able to see both at the same time. Classic FBI interrogation trick, because it worked. 
 
 `` Ah, crap. I forgot to turn on the AC, it is *hot* in here.'' Agent Thompson flipped a switch and hit a few buttons. `` You want to tell us what's going on?'' 
 
 `` I just got lucky is all.'' I said. I made sure not to make eye contact with the agent. I remember hearing they were good at seeing guilt in eye contact. I doubt it's true, but there's no point in pushing my luck. 
 
 `` You go to a different casino every night, bet the maximum amount on a team that is, some would say *destined*, to lose. You win though, every time. Then you head for the next betting spot.'' The taller agent leaned forward on the table, forcing me to recoil back and giving me a reminder that there was a man back there as well. `` After winning, you put the money in a stock called X-RATE. This company is a nobody, why choose them?'' 
 
 I blinked once. `` I have a thing for underdogs.'' 
 
 The agent laughed, bouncing the sound across the room. I heard a weak snicker from directly behind me, causing my primal instincts to react with fear. 
 
 `` You have nothing on me.'' I said. 
 
 The taller one's face froze. `` What?'' 
 
 `` You ca n't have me arrested. You lied about that. I've done nothing wrong.'' 
 
 The agent looked behind me to his partner. I stood up and walked to the door. `` Have fun in here,'' I said as I walked out. 
 
 -- -- - 
 
 *X-RATE, a small family owned company based in India has claimed to have discovered a method of time travel. There has n't been a confirmation yet, but stocks have skyrocketed... * 
 
 I smiled at the monitor through the store window, remembering the exact report. 
 
 `` Hey.'' 
 
 I turned around, seeing Special Agent James Thompson behind me, wearing a white shirt and jeans. No suit. 
 
 `` Hey.'' I replied. It's been three years since he called me in, he never contacted me since. 
 
 `` Funny thing, that X-RATE discovery, eh?'' He stared at me hard. Not with hatred or anything really, just stared at me. I could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. 
 
 `` Yeah.'' 
 
 `` Pretty big coincidence.'' He said while watching the screen. 
 
 `` I just got lucky is all.'' He did n't reply for a long moment, so I went on. `` Where's the other guy?'' 
 
 `` Eddie Smith died in the line of duty, chasing down a serial murderer.'' He still watched the report. `` Seems like something an honorable man would stop if he knew certain things about the future. Than again, some people would just improve their own lives, choosing money over good.'' 
 
 I did n't reply. I did n't know how. 
 
 The agent walked to his car. It was n't the FBI issued SUV, it was his own civilian car, a crappy Volkswagen that has seen better days. He got in and started it, though the car did n't seem to want to do so. He drove away without so much as glancing at me. I swallowed, but my throat was already dry. I went to my Mercedes and sat in it for a long time before starting it and slowly driving home.
