Viva Las Vegas!

By

The Twits

“There, that should do it,” Hank Stanley said, sounding somewhat breathless as he placed another box of canned goods in the back of Chet Kelly's VW Bus.

The crew of Station 51's A-shift stood in the parking lot behind the building and looked at the numerous large cardboard boxes full of canned and dry packaged foods that were now in Marco's, Johnny's and Chet's vehicles. Roy DeSoto had brought two boxes full and a couple of others came from Captain Stanley and Mike Stoker. John Gage and Chet each had brought in a paper bag of similar items. But the majority came from Marco Lopez and his family, and his shift mates had just finished helping him transfer many boxes from his uncle's truck and grandfather's car, to ones belonging to them.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department was holding its annual food drive, the coveted prize for the crew who donated the most being three nights' lodging in Las Vegas, complete with two shows, two dinners and a breakfast. The rest would have to come out of the winners' own pockets.

“Man,” Johnny whistled, his hands resting on his hips. “We're bound to win this year. I can't imagine anyone else coming up with this much stuff!”

“Me either,” Chet commented. “Vegas, here we come,” he added as he rubbed the palms of his hands together. “I can see us there now.”

“How did you get so much stuff?” Hank asked. “I mean, I know your family's been very generous,” he nodded in acknowledgment toward the grandfather and uncle. “But that's a lot of food!”

Marco shrugged. “I just told Mamma about it and next thing I knew my sister Carmilia, Aunt Lolita, Cousin Rosita, Pepita, and my second cousin Juan were involved. They told my Grandfather, who wanted to help and then my Uncle Armando here jumped in. Before I knew it, we had thirty boxes of food and more to come from some of my family's friends.”

“When're we gonna get all this food down to headquarters, Cap?” Johnny wondered.

Mike nodded. “It's gonna take us awhile to unload it there.”

“Tomorrow morning. If we all go down and work together on this, it shouldn't take long at all. In the meantime, it'll be fine out here in the cars. It's not that hot out in the daytime yet, so we shouldn't have to worry about the heat spoiling it. I think that's the least we can do for a sacrifice considering all that Marco's family did,” he added over groans of protest from Chet, Johnny and Mike.

The men agreed, visions of Vegas back in their heads.

E!E!E!

The following shift, Captain Stanley gathered his men for roll call. After giving the routine briefing on safety practices on the job and assigning chores for the morning, he couldn't keep the rest of the news to himself.

“So does anyone want to know who won the food drive?”

“Us, right?” Johnny asked. “It had to be us,” he said looking at the others, who were in agreement.

“No, not us .”

“What?”

“How could it not be us?” Roy wondered. “Who could've possibly donated more?”

Hank grinned, pleased they'd bought into his teasing. “Essentially Marco won it for us.”

“We won? We really won?” Came assorted voices.

“Yes, but I'd say we all owe Marco a little gambling money, don't ya think? After all, he basically gave enough food to feed nearly everyone in Carson ,” the captain exaggerated.

Though the others were somewhat reluctant to agree on the gambling money, they all dispersed to do their chores with comments such as, “We're goin' to Vegas. . .we're headed for sin city. ..alright! We're goin' to the city that never sleeps!”

E!E!E!

Just four weeks after winning the top prize in the food drive, the men from 51's A-shift were set to take advantage of the opportunity. The fire department had given them the time off they needed and two of the married men had blessings from their spouses to go and have a good time. As long as it wasn't too much of a good time, the wives had quickly added.

Unfortunately, Roy hadn't had an easy time getting his wife Joanne's approval. She'd some how decided that his going to Vegas was a bad idea. Joanne moaned and complained about how much had to be done around the house. She suggested that if Roy would be taking a few days off just to go and gamble and watch half-naked showgirls prance around on a stage, he should use those days to stay home and take care of his family instead. After all, weren't they his first priority?

The couple had spent the next few days arguing over it until Roy finally got her approval with his promise that the next time he got extra days off, the time would all be entirely devoted to his family.

E!E!E!

Having borrowed a large van from his Uncle Hernando, Marco was picking up the last of his passengers for the trip. Hank, Roy , Mike and Johnny were with him, leaving Chet the last to join the crew.

“C'mon,” Johnny quietly prompted, standing in the doorway of Chet's apartment. It was very early in the morning, and the paramedic didn't want to wake up any of the neighbors. “Man, you were supposed to be ready and waiting for us.”

“I was ready,” Chet defended. “I just forgot to pack a few things.” He carried a duffle bag toward the door. “I'm set. Let's go.”

“Great.” Johnny started for the parking lot, then glanced over his shoulder. “What'dya forget anyway?”

“My toothbrush and my good luck charm.”

The paramedic stopped and turned around. “Good luck charm? You really believe in that stuff?”

“When I'm goin' to Vegas I do.”

“So what is it?”

“I thought you were in a hurry.”

“I am. . .I mean, we are . But now you've got me curious.”

Chet pointed toward the waiting men in the van. “Marco's gonna run that thing out of gas before we get anywhere. Let's go.”

Johnny once again headed for the lot as Chet closed his apartment door and locked it. He then trotted till he caught up to his friend. “It's a slug.”

“What?”

“The good luck thing. It's a slug. I could never use it anywhere, so I just carried it around. It used to bring good luck. Maybe it will again.”

Johnny shook his head. “I don't think I'd bet too much if I was depending on a useless slug to bring me luck.”

Chet frowned as Gage opened the back of the van where the other luggage was stored.

“That's your problem, John. You've got no faith.”

“Oh, I've got faith. I've got faith that you'll come back with your slug and that's about it.”

The others looked at one another as the back of the van was closed again.

“Let's not ask what that was about,” Mike suggested.

“Don't worry,” Hank assured. “I think we all know it's going to be a long ride as it is, without trying to understand the logic of John and Chet.”

Just then the rear side doors opened. Kelly and Gage squeezed into the back seat, behind where Mike and Roy were sitting on the middle bench seat. Hank Stanley was sitting shot-gun to Marco in the front.

“Okay, Marco,” Johnny said with a grin, “let's blow this popsicle stand and hit the road.”

The fireman nodded and drove from the lot into the still fairly empty street.

E!E!E!

As he headed down the boulevard, Marco settled back in the driver's seat, trying to loosen his muscles. There was nothing worse than starting a long ride with a tense body.

He couldn't believe his luck. Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine his family donating the amount of food they had for the food drive. Yes, it was a given that those in his family we generous, but this time they had gone above and beyond what was necessary.

The pride he felt at their acts of selflessness made him vow to give whatever money he won in Las Vegas back to his family. Maybe he could win enough money to send his mother home to Spain ! She hadn't been there since she had immigrated to the United States as a small child.

Reigning in his excitement, he mentally shook himself. Maybe he should concentrate on getting to Las Vegas safely before he began dreaming of winning large amounts of money which he more than likely wouldn't win. Breaking even would be a more realistic request from the man above than being showered with gold.

E!E!E!

Rolling down the passenger side window, Hank took a deep breath of the cool spring air. Like Marco, he couldn't believe his luck either. First his station won the food drive contest and secondly his wife actually gave her consent for him to go to Vegas without her! Maybe this streak of good luck would follow him and he'd come back a big winner.

Reaching forward, he turned the radio on, twisting the knob until he found a station playing big band music. Leaning back in his seat, he began tapping his fingers on his thigh to the beat. Yes, life was indeed good.

E!E!E!

As soon as Mike had crawled into the van, he'd settled himself against the window, making himself as comfortable as possible. Between his wife waking him up through the night when the baby started crying and the dog wanting to go outside due to a stomach ailment, he was exhausted. If he were lucky, he'd be able to get a few more hours of sleep now that the last of the passengers had been picked up and hopefully Marco wouldn't be making any more stops before they reached Vegas. He wanted to spend this trip having fun at the casinos, not sleeping in the hotel room. Closing his eyes, he let the rocking motion of the van lull him to sleep.

E!E!E!

Facing forward in the van and staring ahead out the front windshield between Marco's and Hank's heads, Roy thought back to his departure from Joanne. He was so relieved she'd eventually come to agree that the trip would be good for him. One thing was for sure. No matter what, he wanted to come home with a small gift for her. It was the least he could do.

With a sigh, he started to make a mental list of possible surprise gifts for her and the kids.

E!E!E!

Situated in his seat for the long drive, Johnny rubbed his hands together in glee. They were going to Vegas! Visions of half -naked…and hopefully totally naked…showgirls danced through his head. That and the idea of winning a ton of money playing the slots and sitting at the black jack table sent a thrill of excitement down his spine.

He'd been to Sin City on more than one occasion and each time left him wanting to go back for more. Sometimes he won money, sometimes he lost it, but every single time he went, he had a great time.

Looking at his watch he frowned. Man, he wished they could have flown there. Spending almost four hours in a van sitting next to Chet was going to test his nerves to the breaking point. If he were lucky, maybe the Phantom wasn't traveling with them on this trip.

E!E!E!

Meanwhile, Chet tried to remain calm and casual as he rode along. He'd lucked out in getting to sit next to Johnny in the van, which made the paramedic an easy target when the trip got boring. In fact, the moment his pigeon was asleep…wham! The Phantom and some hot sauce would come out to play. God, he loved going on trips with the gang!

Settling back in the seat, he waited patiently for Johnny to doze off. Only then would the official Las Vegas fun begin.

E!E!E!

An hour into the trip, Chet still hadn't gotten his wish. Though he hoped Gage would've grown bored and would have rested for awhile, the often energetic paramedic was still carrying on, although only Roy and Marco seemed to be listening to him.

Mike was snoring lightly and Hank was focused in on the music on the radio, trying to forget there were still a few hours of travel time to go.

“Your family sure this thing can make it to Vegas and back?” Johnny asked Marco.

“Yes, they go on long drives in it all the time.”

“But don't ya think that's what makes it less reliable? I mean, maybe they already used up the best ‘years' of its 'life'.”

Roy turned around in his seat and looked at his partner. The younger man shrugged.

Chet rolled his eyes. “Gage, Marco's family isn't gonna send us off in a bum vehicle.”

“Not intentionally, but--” He cut himself off when he noticed Marco frowning in the rearview mirror, Roy and now Hank staring at him, and Chet looking in disbelief.

“Never mind.”

Johnny sat back and gazed out the passenger window. It was just a thought. . .a kind of theory. . .

E!E!E!

An hour later, the men were on the open road, finally having traveled a good distance. Chet watched as Johnny dozed off, his head against the window.

All right! Here's my chance!

He reached for a thermos of coffee that Johnny had brought along for later. You want hot coffee, Gage, you've got it . He took a tiny bottle of hot sauce out of his pocket and was just about to pick up the thermos when the van started wiggling, the smooth ride gone. The change in motion woke up Mike and Johnny, the others were suddenly more alert.

“What's that?/”What's going on?”/ “Did we get a flat?”/ “What'dya do?”

Questions flew at Marco from all directions. Actually the last question was Johnny's directed at Chet as he took his thermos back.

Marco pulled the van over and the six men got out. They gathered near the front right tire. . .the completely flat front right tire.

“It must've been a slow leak,” Hank commented. “I didn't hear it blow. Did anyone else?”

The men shook their heads ‘no'.

“Well, there's only one thing to do. . .let's get at it. John, you get the spare, Mike the jack; Chet find the wrench, and then we'll change the tire,” he said, pointing at Roy and himself.

“What about Marco?” Chet wondered.

“He's our driver. He gets to take a break.”

No one could argue. They'd all been relaxing while Marco had to stay very alert.

E!E!E!

Once the tire was changed, the crew examined the flat. They found a nail stuck in it, which explained the slow leak.

“See? What'd I tell ya? That's from driving it around everywhere and then the tire goes on us. What're the odds I'd be right?”

“Maybe you're not, Johnny,” Marco defended. “Maybe I ran over it when I left home on this trip.”

Chet patted his pigeon on the back. “Better hope the odds prove better for ya in Vegas, man.”

Gage stood there a moment as the others climbed back into the van. He then hurried to his place in the vehicle, remembering something else.

“Hey, just what were you doing with my coffee, Chet?”

E!E!E!

Back on the road again, Johnny was still trying to determine just what Chet had been doing with his coffee, but the puckish firefighter just accused the paramedic of being paranoid.

“It's not paranoia where you're concerned, Kelly, it's self-preservation.”

Captain Stanley had had enough. “John, drop it, okay? Chet, behave. We still have a long drive to get to Las Vegas and I, for one, would like to get there in peace.”

“Sure, Cap,” Chet said.

Johnny grumbled, giving his nemesis the evil eye.

“John?” Hank prompted.

“Yeah, okay, Cap. As long as he doesn't do anything.”

Hank sighed, turning back to face the front, but not before getting a commiserating smile from Roy .

E!E!E!

“Hey, Marco, Cap, do you think we could stop for a while? I really need to go.” Mike leaned forward to speak with the two men.

“That sounds good, pal. I wouldn't mind stretching my legs,” Hank replied. “We're almost to Barstow . Why don't we stop there? It‘s almost lunchtime.”

They exited Interstate 15 at the Barstow exit and drove into town, looking for a diner.

“Hey, look, it's Route 66!“ Chet exclaimed. “I remember that song.“

He and Johnny sang it in harmony as the others laughed. Marco turned right onto 66 and drove deeper into the town. Motels and stores crowded the streets. Soon they found a silver and glass diner that looked as if it had been there since the town's formation in 1947.

“Geez, there sure are a lot of trucks here,” Chet commented as Marco found a place to park.

Johnny agreed. “This is a really busy industrial area, so they need the trucks to move stuff about.”

Roy turned to look at his partner. “Don't you come up here sometimes?”

“You come to Barstow , John?” Hank asked.

“Yeah, Barstow is basically the entry into the Mojave and there are some wonderful wilderness areas here. I usually only come up here when I'm on vacation as I don‘t wanna be rushed for time.”

“This was a big silver mining area, wasn't it?” Mike asked as the men climbed out of the van. He stretched, his taller frame not comfortable after dozing against the passenger window.

“Yep. Silver first, then borax. Good thing, too, as the silver was pretty well played out. If we had more time, we could have gone to the 20 Mule Team museum. It's pretty cool.” Johnny pointed down the street. “If you look down there, you'll see an old iron bridge that goes across to the railroad depot. It's the site of the Harvey House.”

“Harvey House? Oh, like that movie with Judy Garland? The Harvey Girls?” asked Roy , intrigued by his partner's knowledge of the area.

“Yep. This one was opened in 1911 and it was the thing for travelers at that time. They'd make box lunches for the train passengers or, if you had the time, you could eat in the restaurant. Seems like such a simple thing, but it was a really big deal then.”

Marco chuckled. “Kind of the first fast food restaurant of its time.”

They walked into the diner and, with the larger booths full, decided to sit at the counter. Johnny played with the juke box directory on the counter, flipping through the musical selections. The men gave the smiling waitress their orders. Chet spun around on his stool, having to grab the counter to prevent his falling off, momentarily dizzy.

“Chet, settle down.”

“Okay, Cap.”

Johnny snickered, subtly pushing at Chet's stool to start it spinning again, making Chet grab that counter once more.

“John, that goes for you, too.”

“Yeah, okay, Cap.”

“Two year olds, Roy. It's like having two year olds.”

Roy patted his superior on the arm. “I know, Cap, I know all too well.”

E!E!E!

The men patted their bellies, stuffed.

“Man, that was great! I'll have to remember this place the next time I come up here,” Johnny said with a sated grin.

“You never stopped here before?”

“Nah, Mike, I'd usually get supplies and cook for myself, sometimes I'd go fishing and eat my take. I can't say that I haven't craved a burger and fries some nights.”

The men climbed back into the van, ready and rested to continue their journey.

“How much farther is Vegas?” Chet asked.

“With luck, about two more hours,” Marco replied.

“Cool. I can't wait to try out my system on the craps table.”

“Oh, you have a system, Kelly? What is it? Give all your money to the casino?”

“Yeah, right, Gage. You don't have a clue. Craps is the best game in the casino. It says so right here.” Chet pulled a pamphlet from under the car seat.

“Everyone knows blackjack is the only game where you can beat the casino,” Johnny retorted. “I've even got this card that tells you what to play no matter what your cards are or the dealer's face card might be.”

Sighing, Roy and Mike settled into their respective seats and tried to ignore the bickering men in the back, who continued to argue about the best games to play in Sin City .

E!E!E!

Thirty minutes after leaving Barstow , Johnny and Chet were still carrying on about who had the best strategy when Gage suddenly remembered something. He ignored Chet's latest argument as he addressed his partner.

“Hey, Roy . . .” He said as he leaned on the back of the seat ahead.

“What?”

“You remember that system you had for bettin' on the horses?”

Roy exchanged a wary glance with Mike, then looked back to Johnny. “Yeah, what about it?”

“Well, I'm sure you and Joanne have been to Vegas before. You know, before you had kids. Did you have a system for the betting there?”

“No. We didn't do any gambling.”

“No gambling?” Johnny sat back, his eyes wide in amazement. “Well, why'd ya even go to Vegas then? What did you do?”

Roy blushed slightly. “We were newlyweds. Gambling was the last thing on our minds.”

“Oh. . .spare me the details then.”

Hank and Mike couldn't hide the grins on their faces.

“Gladly. And for your information, I'm sticking to the slot machines and souvenir shops.”

“ Roy , you can't win anything with slot machines. The chances of coming up on one that's ready to go are. . .”

“What?”

“I don't know,” Johnny shrugged. “But they're pretty high.”

“Hey, maybe we should bet on who wins first,” Chet offered.

“Let's just save it for the casinos, Kelly,” Hank suggested. “We'll be lucky to come out of the place even as it is.”

Chet sat back and looked at his pamphlet while Johnny examined his card.

E!E!E!

“There she is,” Marco said as they approached the city of Las Vegas .

Everyone sat up straight and peered out the windows at the assortment of buildings off in the distance. Hank turned in his seat to address the men.

“Remember, first we get settled in our hotel.”

“Don't forget, we're at The Golden Nugget, Marco.”

Lopez looked in the rearview mirror, frowning at Chet's doubt he'd remember where they were staying.

“It's on Freemont Street ,” Johnny directed.

“I know, I know. There's only one main strip. I can't get lost.”

“Wanna bet?”

Everyone looked in surprise at Mike's comment. Even their quiet reserved engineer was in the spirit for some fun.

E!E!E!

As they drove into town, windows were quickly opened and the men looked in awe at the hotels and casinos they passed. Chet and Johnny, on opposite sides of the van, read off the names of the acts appearing at the various shows.

“Look, there it is! On the corner,” Chet called out.

They all turned to the front to see the huge sign with the starburst above it. The casino wrapped around the corner, partly open to the streets. Marco guided the car carefully through the traffic on Fremont Street , looking for the valet parking mentioned in their informational packet. He finally found it and pulled in. The guys climbed out of the vehicle, their mouths hanging open at the opulence of the entry.

“Checking in, gentlemen?“ the valet asked.

“Yes,“ Stanley replied. “We have a reservation.“

“Fine, Sir. We'll bring your luggage to check in. It's right through those glass doors.“ The valet helped them unload their luggage, piling it on a luggage rack. “Welcome to our new hotel.”

“New?”

“Yes, sir. Mr. Wynn decided we needed a hotel to go with the casino and built the tower. It's the finest luxury hotel on the strip.”

Pushing their way through the doors, Hank and Roy led the way. Looking at the others, Roy chuckled. He nudged his captain and nodded back at the other men.

Hank's slow sweet smile spread across his face. “I never thought I'd see the day that both Chet and Johnny were speechless.”

The two men in question were gazing at the marble floors, white streaked with gold, and up at the chandeliers over their heads. Marco had to rescue Johnny before he fell over a podium ashtray, while Mike steered Chet through the lobby.

Hank handled the check in. The rest of the guys stared over the short wall at the casino floor. Men and women were walking through the casino, playing silver and red slot machines, wagering at the tables. A young woman in a skimpy outfit and carrying a tray of drinks walked by, her progress watched by the three single men. Roy shook his head when he noticed them ogling.

“Guys, you'll get whiplash at this rate,” the married paramedic commented.

Hank returned with their keys, giving them out to everyone. “Who wants to stay with who? Two to a room.”

“Mike and I will take a room,” Marco said quickly.

“ Roy , want to share my room?” Hank said, not looking forward to rooming with either Chet or Johnny. “We married guys should stick together.”

“Sure, Cap,” Roy agreed.

Chet and Johnny glared at each other. “You mean we have to stay in the same room together?” Johnny protested.

“All you'll be doing there is sleeping, Johnny. It won't be that bad.” Roy knew better, but decided not to say anything.

“Yeah, I guess,” he muttered.

“Come on, men, let's go unpack and see what the Golden Nugget has to offer us.”

“Hey, Cap, guys, look here!” Marco called to the others, having wandered off from the bickering group. “They have a sixty-one pound gold nugget here.” Marco was standing at a directory that listed what could be found on the casino property.

Johnny and Chet's attention was suddenly pulled away by a parade of scantily clad women with feathers on their heads walking through the lobby. It wasn't long before Marco was equally riveted.

“It's gonna be a long three days, Roy , a very long three days.” Hank herded his men toward the elevator. “Unpack first, then sightsee.”

E!E!E!

Chet sat on the full-sized bed nearest to a window and farthest from the adjoining bathroom, bouncing slightly on the mattress. “Hey, not bad. Not bad at all.”

“What're you doing?” Johnny wondered as he turned from eyeing a picture of the Vegas strip that was on another wall.

“I'm seein' how comfortable my bed is gonna be.”

“ Your bed? Who says that one is yours ?”

“Me.”

Johnny shook his head. “Oooh noo, no no. I'm not sleepin' in a bed that's closer to the bathroom.”

“Why not?”

“Because. . .if you get up and use it in the night. . .”

Chet shook his head. “John, think about it. This is Vegas , man. We probably aren't even gonna be in our beds most of the night. Maybe for a few hours, but this is Sin City , remember? The city that never sleeps.”

“Yeah but--”

The curly-haired fireman got to his feet and guided his roommate to the large window, pushing one of the curtains aside in the process. By luck, the view was of the busy street below.

“Look at all that activity! All those people are going from one casino to another to try their hand at winning. And you know some of ‘em are gonna win big. Now, don't tell me ya want one of those people to win your money.”

“No, ‘course not, but--”

“But nothin', Gage. Don't forget about the girls we saw either. You really think you'll be worried about a full-night's sleep knowin' who's serving drinks to gamblers downstairs?”

Johnny walked away from the window and tossed his suitcase onto the other bed. “You win. Let's see if the others are ready to go ‘sight see'.” He rubbed his hands together as they headed for the door.

E!E!E!

After quickly unpacking his suitcase and putting his clothes in an empty drawer, Marco continued to wait while Mike Stoker telephoned his wife to let her know they'd made it safely.

Once the engineer was off the phone, he and Marco went to see if the others were ready to wander around. Neither man was surprised when they met into Johnny and Chet in the hall.

“You guys ready to test your luck?” Mike wondered.

Johnny grinned. “Yeah, and who knows, maybe we'll win some money too.”

Marco and Mike just stared, uncomprehending expressions on their faces.

“You know,” Chet prompted. When there still wasn't a response, he added, “the chicks.”

“I think you'll have a better chance at winning a jackpot on a slot machine.”

Gage's mouth opened in surprise at the comment. “Marco. . .”

“Hey, I've got an idea,” Chet offered. “We're in Vegas and that means gambling, right?”

The other three nodded, wondering why that statement was even necessary. Of course Vegas was about gambling.

Seeing their puzzled expressions, he continued, “Well, how ‘bout we make a bet? Whichever of us picks up a chick first gets ten dollars from the rest of you.”

Johnny was about to agree when it registered what Chet had said. “Wait a minute. What makes you so sure we'd owe you ?” He asked pointing to himself and the others.

“I'm out of this,” Mike quickly reminded.

“What? Oh. . .right,” the paramedic acknowledged. “But that still leaves Marco and I. . .one of us could win.”

“Sure. . .you could ,” Chet hesitantly agreed. “So we're on?”

“Marco?”

Lopez looked from one to the other. Now wasn't the time to back down. Besides he had won the real date with Daisy the nurse when there had been a contest between lots of the guys. “You're on.”

The three shook hands as Mike stood by shaking his head.

E!E!E!

Roy and Hank put their clothes away, hanging up their shirts and slacks in the closet. They each then took a turn calling their spouse to let each know they'd arrived okay. As Roy hung up the receiver, he looked at the door.

“You okay, Roy?” Hank asked when he noticed the paramedic seemed somber.

“Yeah, Cap. It's just. . .well, Joanne finally agreed that I should go on this trip, but at first she wasn't so sure. I just hope she really meant it when she said it'd be good for me. You know how it is when they say one thing and mean another.”

Hank smiled. “Yes, I do.” Boy, do I ever. . . “Hey, buy her something nice for when you get back. It'll help a lot.”

“That's what I was thinking. A souvenir for her and each of the kids.”

“And if you win a lot of money, she'll really be glad you came along.”

“And if I lose more than I win?”

“You don't say a word about it,” Hank said with a smile. When he saw a grin on the paramedic's face, he motioned toward the door. “Should we gather up the others?”

Before Roy could answer, there was a knock. “I have a feeling they're already several steps ahead of us.”

The captain nodded and answered the door.

E!E!E!

Hank wasn't that surprised to see the rest of his crew standing in the hallway. “Eager to lose your money, ya twits?”

“Nah, Cap, I'm telling ya. I've gotta system,“ Chet said.

“This town is probably built on guys who had a system,“ Roy commented wryly.

“That's the truth,“ Mike muttered.

“Well, let's stop loitering here in the hall and go check the casino out.“ Captain Stanley herded his crew towards the elevators, shaking his head as he heard the bickering start between Chet and Johnny. “Could you two give the rest of us a break and wait until we're on the casino floor before you start fighting?“

Two innocent faces stared at their captain. “We're not fighting, Cap.“

“Yeah,“ Johnny agreed.

The group of men squeezed into the elevator, nodding at the three older women in neon colored spandex who were already on it. They all clutched plastic buckets of coins.

"Having a good run, ladies?" Johnny asked with a flash of his lopsided grin.

They giggled, charmed by the handsome man young enough to be their son.

A mixture of songs by Elvis and Frank Sinatra played over the speaker. The firefighters passed the time staring at the placards advertising restaurants in the casino. The elevator was mirrored, giving Hank a headache when he saw multiples of Chet and Johnny. He focused on the floor indicator to save his sanity.

The women brushed by Johnny, giggling again when he yelped and jumped. He rubbed his rear, staring after them.

"Gage, what's your problem?" Chet asked, pushing from behind.

"They pinched me. Those ladies pinched me. "

"It's your imagination. Will you move!"

"Okay, okay, I'm moving. Geez, Chet, chill out." Johnny and Chet joined the others who had already exited the elevator.

The noise and the flashing lights hit them all at once. They slowly surveyed the casino floor, trying to decide where to go first.

"Cap, why don't we make a plan to hook up later? We can all check the place out, get in a few games, and meet up later."

"Good suggestion, Michael." Stanley looked at his watch, his action copied by the others. "Shall we meet here at five thirty ?"

"Sounds good, Cap," Chet said. "I'm heading for the craps table. Want to come see how a master works, Gage?"

"No thanks, Chet. I wanna look around first, see where everything is. I might wait until after dinner to gamble."

Roy smiled, surprised by his partner's restraint. "That sounds like a good idea, Johnny. Want some company?"

Johnny grinned. "Sure. How about you guys?"

Stanley pointed across the casino floor. "I'm going to watch some games in the sports betting area."

"I want to see if they have a pool. I brought my trunks just in case." Marco waved goodbye to the others, sauntering off.

Mike decided to try his hand at Keno, quietly slipping through the crowd.

Roy quickly discovered that Johnny's idea of looking around was checking out the women working the casino floor. The waitresses were in skimpy outfits, their breasts almost falling out of their outfits. Roy swallowed deeply when one leaned over to pick up a napkin from the multi-colored carpet.

He nudged Johnny, whispering, "I don't know how they breathe."

Johnny giggled. "I don't know how they keep from flashing the crowd. But I'm willing to keep watching, just in case."

"Let's get some coffee."

"Okay, sounds good to me." The two men made their way to a small cafe and watched the people walking by. "And they say L.A. is weird. Did you see that guy?"

"See him? I could smell him before he even got close. I'd hate to be gambling near him."

Enjoying the show, Roy finally asked the one question that had bothered him since Johnny declined to head to the blackjack tables right away. "Johnny, are you short of money?"

"What? No, why?"

"Well, all you've talked about since we won this trip was using your play card at the blackjack tables. But here you are sitting with me. I thought maybe money was a little tight. I don't have much, but I'd lend you some."

Johnny's grin was blinding. How had he been so lucky to get such a good friend? "Nah, I'm just using something the book suggested, to take my time, check the casino out, enjoy the surroundings and budget my funds. I've got my money divided up for each day and then by day and night. That way it'll last longer."

"Partner, I'm proud of you. That's a great idea."

"Wonder if Chet has a system or if he'll be broke before dinner."

E!E!E!

After walking around a bit and taking in some of the activity at the gaming tables, Hank Stanley stepped up to one of the slot machines. It was in a row with others that took dimes, rather than larger coins. The captain glanced around and shrugged. “What the heck.”

He pulled out his wallet and headed for one of the cashier windows across the way to get a roll of dimes. Ten bucks could go a long way in keeping him busy even if he just got small pay outs periodically.

E!E!E!

Chet had already been to a cashier window to turn in some of his gambling money for chips. Now at the craps table, he tried his first round at the game, keeping his bet small.

Chet chewed his lower lip as he waited and hoped his lucky slug in his pocket would help him win.

“Can I get you a drink?” A female voice asked.

The stocky fireman turned to see a gorgeous and scantly clad woman standing beside him. A grin spread across his face. All right! I'm already on my way to beating Marco and Johnny on the chick bet. . .

“Sure! Sure.” He gave his order, then grinned wider as he eyed her perfect figure while she walked away. It was only when he noticed many of the other women dressed just the same approaching many of the gamblers. . .women included. . .the same way. Chet's smile changed to a frown. She was just doing her job. . .

The let down was short-lived when the man in charge of the craps table called Chet out as a winner. Now he'd have to decide if he wanted to ride it out again. . .

This is gonna be harder to walk away from than I thought . . .

E!E!E!

Mike was having fun with the Keno. He'd found a section with multiple Keno slot machines that had screens much like those of a TV. After putting coins in, he just had to touch the surface with a special pen, noting what numbers he was choosing. He'd then press a button and the screen would light up the correct numbers at that time.

The engineer was only winning a few dollars here and there by getting a few numbers right. But with a free drink in his hands and a fun challenge in front of him, he wasn't going to complain. If nothing else, he could say he was getting in practice.

E!E!E!

Marco was thrilled when he found the pool. It was not as crowded as he'd expected, apparently it being true the main attraction to Vegas was the gambling. Being that casinos were open around the clock, many patrons could be into their gambling all night long and only realize it was a new day when they eventually stepped outside to go back to their own hotel, to eat or to go to another casino.

He was also happy to see there were more than enough lounge chairs in the pool area as well.

This could be a great place to meet a girl.

E!E!E!

Johnny and Roy were walking around when they spotted Hank Stanley sitting on a stool in front of a slot machine. He was in the process of dropping a few dimes into it, and had a small plastic bucket beside it.

“Hey, Cap, decided to give it a try, huh?” Johnny commented. He peered in the bucket and did a double take. “You already won all those?”

Hank nodded. “Yeah, I haven't been doing too bad. Of course, I'm not gonna win any millions with dimes, but it's giving me a feel for the place. . .getting kind of into the swing of things.” He pulled down the lever and the three men watched as the designs in the three windows spun. When it stopped on three diamonds, more dimes came pouring out and the captain had his bucket down catching them.

Johnny glanced at Roy . “Whataya say we give it a try?”

“What happened to taking the place in?”

“Well, you heard Cap. This is a way of takin' it in. Plus we might win some money in the meantime. Besides, it's just dimes. How much can we lose?”

Roy gave it thought a moment. “All right. But just for awhile.”

“Sure. Sure,” Johnny agreed. The two went to cash in some of their paper money for coins.

E!E!E!

By 5:30 , the men had all managed to pull themselves away from their various interests and meet up with the others. Johnny, Roy and Hank approached their shiftmates after cashing in their respective winnings. Though they hadn't won any large amounts, they were each only a couple of dollars in the hole.

“So what'd you guys do?” Chet wondered.

“Slot machines,” Johnny said with a smile.

“Otherwise known as the one-armed bandits,” Marco put in.

“We did okay,” Hank assured.

Johnny eyed Chet. “So did you play your craps?”

“Yeah. . .”

“And how'd you do? Got any money left for the rest of the time here?”

“I'm a little behind, but I'll catch up. . .it just takes time to get the feel of it.”

“What happened? Did you lose your lucky slug?”

Kelly rolled his eyes. “Keep at it, John. Just keep at it. I'll hit one big. Just wait and see.”

“Hey, I'm hungry,” Roy said, ending the other discussion.

“Me too,” Hank added. “Let's drop the gambling talk and find us a place to eat. Prime Rib sounds good right now. And it's supposed to be inexpensive around here.”

The others agreed and headed in search of one of the restaurants that featured bargain prices.

E!E!E!

Johnny pushed back from the table, patting his stomach. "Man, I'm stuffed. I can't eat another bite."

"Talk about your red-letter days," Chet quipped. "The bottomless pit has been filled?"

Johnny didn't rise to the bait. "I'm not gonna argue with you, Chet. This food was just too good to ruin with indigestion."

"And it's in your price range, too," Chet commented. "Only $4.95 for a prime rib dinner with dessert."

"Speaking of which," Hank interrupted, "who's having what?"

The men discussed the dessert menu, even Johnny who seemed to have found some space to put a slice of cherry cheesecake. Everyone had his choice ready once the waitress reappeared.

"Well, gentlemen, what are your plans for this evening?" Hank asked as he sipped his after dessert coffee.

Pulling his tip card out, Johnny waved it. " I'm heading for the blackjack tables ."

Marco and Mike had decided to try the poker tables while Roy wanted to walk some of his dinner off outside the Golden Nugget to see the other casinos.

"Want some company, pal?"

"Sure, Cap," Roy agreed, then turned to Chet. "What about you, Chet?"

"I know," Johnny laughed. "Chet'll be playing craps, trying to win back his money."

Chet glared at Johnny, unable to deny it. "I'm so close to breaking it, guys. I just need to warm up the dice."

"Maybe you'll have better luck with warming up the dice than you do warming up women," Johnny said with a grin.

"Gage, if the old saying is true, you'll make a killing at blackjack," Chet retorted.

Johnny had to think before he remembered that a person lucky in cards was usually unlucky in love. While Johnny tried to think of a good comeback, the others got to their feet.

Roy laid his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "C'mon, Junior, time to go."

"But, Roy !"

"You'll get him later."

"That'll be the day Gage can get me," Chet said as the men all separated to their various destinations.

E!E!E!

Chet was down forty bucks and getting desperate. He had been doing everything right, but the dice weren't falling the way they were supposed to. The noise of his fellow gamblers was giving him a headache. Craps was a game of shouting and cheering, everyone standing about the rectangular table. Chips were in small scoops of wood on the edge of the cushioned rail. Chet's chips were dwindling fast.

The newest dice thrower was young, blond and buxom. She jumped with joy every time she managed to throw the dice down the felt table, no matter what the results.

Chet grinned. At least he had something to watch while his money was raked in by the croupier. If she bounced any harder, she'd knock herself out , thought the moustached firefighter. Too bad Gage isn't here to see her.

E!E!E!

Johnny wiggled into his seat at the blackjack table, frowning down at it. It was the fifth time he had to scoot back into the chair.

"They're all that way," said another player at the table.

"What?" Johnny looked at the speaker, a woman close to his age seated at the end of the half-moon table.

"The chairs. They all lean slightly forward to keep you from getting comfortable. You can't help but slide off."

Johnny found himself smiling at her. "Sounds kinda stupid. Don't they want you to stay playing at the table?"

"That's what I said to Carla," she replied, nodding to their dealer. "I mean, after a while, you get tired of sliding off and leave."

"My name's Johnny, what's yours?"

"Katie." She pushed her glasses back up her nose. Looking at her cards, a jack and a three, she tapped the table to signal the dealer to give her another card. "Rats." She was given another face card, busting.

Johnny looked at the dealer's face card, then his, finally deciding to hold. He waved his hand across the cards in a parallel motion to the table.

The dealer dealt herself three more cards before she went over 21.

Johnny's grin was blinding. "I won!"

“Congratulations,” Katie said with a smile.

They chatted as they played, the only two players at the table. Johnny was doing moderately well, keeping slightly ahead of his original designated bankroll. He discovered that the brunette was a local, her home in nearby Henderson .

“So what do you do for a living, Katie?”

“I‘m a manager at Henderson Lanes.”

“Really? A bowling alley?”

“Well, we're supposed to call them bowling centers nowadays. Alley is too common.”

“Geez, like that -- hey, that's a blackjack!” Johnny's attention was pulled from the young woman to his cards, a king of hearts and an ace of spades. He looked at his slowly growing pile of chips in shock. “I'm…I'm winning.”

“You sound surprised.”

“Well…I mean, I…this card was supposed to help, but…I'm not really lucky…Chet!” He remembered his nemesis' comment and frowned.

Katie reached over and touched Johnny's hand lightly. “What's wrong?”

“Aww, just something Chet said.”

“Which was?”

He shrugged, a little embarrassed that he'd brought it up.

“Johnny?”

“He said that I'd make a killing at the table ‘cause I always strike out with women. Well, not exactly strike out, but…”

“But you can't get past a couple of dates, right?”

Johnny nodded grimacing. “Yeah.”

“I know the feeling.”

“Huh? But you're pretty and nice.”

“And I have standards. Nowadays it seems like guys just want to get you into bed.” Now Katie was blushing as she realized what she said. “Oops. Forget I said anything.” She pressed her hands to her burning cheeks.

Johnny signaled a cocktail waitress and ordered drinks, a beer for him and a ginger ale for Katie.

E!E!E!

Marco growled at his coworker as Mike laid his cards on the table, three of a kind. The engineer raked in the pot and wiggled his eyebrows in response.

“What's the matter, Marco? I always win when we play at home. Did you expect something different here?”

“Yeah, I did.” Not really mad, Marco shook his head in resignation.

Three other players sat at their table as they played Omaha Hold ‘em for small pots of $20 to $30 dollars. Although the chips were fairly evenly spread out around the players, Mike was beginning to pull ahead of Marco.

At first they had both drank beer, but after Mike had finished his third one, he had switched to coffee. Marco soon joined him, not wanting alcohol to blur his thinking processes.

E!E!E!

Roy and Hank were strolling down Fremont , staring in awe at the number of lights blazing in the early evening sky.

“I'd hate to have their light bill,” Hank muttered. “Leaving all these on for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

“I heard that the electric bills here are really low, ‘cause of the casinos.” Roy watched the motions of the giant cowboy above his head.

“We have lots to do tomorrow and the next night, but I thought this was a good time to unwind.”

“I could use it.”

Hank nodded. “Last shift was tiring, that's for certain. I think we had nine runs for the engine alone.”

“Yeah,” Roy agreed. “And the squad had a few more than that. We're getting busier every month.”

They continued walking, peeking into the casinos that they passed. They were offered flyers advertising cheap meals, girlie shows, and hot games at rival casinos. They saw women standing at various spots on the street, obviously advertising their own wares.

“Isn't prostitution legal here?” Hank asked as they passed by two police officers trying to hustle the women off the sidewalks.

“I thought so, but a warning sticker in the hotel room said that it's illegal in the city of Las Vegas . Apparently it's only legal in the county, outside the city limits. Of course, I just read it in passing,” Roy quickly explained, a grin on his face.

“Of course,” Hank agreed with a smirk. “You thought it was a safety notice.”

“Right.”

They turned and headed back to the Golden Nugget.

E!E!E!

Chet had had enough. Unable to just watch the bouncing blonde any longer while his money slipped away, he decided to make the most of the situation. After she'd finished with her turn at tossing the dice another time, he sidled up to her.

“Well, hello there Miss. . .” When she didn't follow his cue to fill in the blank, but rather looked at him blankly, the fireman continued. “Uh. . .do you come here often?” He winced inwardly at his own words. Lame, lame. That was lame, Kelly. . .

But the big breasted blonde didn't seem to think it was such a bad line. She smiled and looked at Chet as another patron took over with the dice. “No, this is my first time here. You?”

He stumbled on his words at first. Thinking for sure he blown it, he wasn't prepared. “Uh. . .I. . I've been here a few times.” He had to fight the urge to talk at her breasts rather than her face. Even though she was cute, the melon sized attributes kept grabbing his attention. “So. . .uh. . .what's your name. . .?”

“Kelly.”

His heart sank. He'd been thinking what a great way to win the bet if he picked this girl up. But the ridicule he'd get from Gage and Marco over a girl whose name matched his last might not be worth it. Then again, money was money. It's worth it.

Chet began to introduce himself when he noticed a panicked expression on the face of a man nearby. Continuing on, he tried to ignore the commotion starting around the patron. Having just gotten his first name out, he glanced annoyingly in that direction again and saw another man behind the other trying to do the Heimlich maneuver. “He's choking on an olive!” the man was yelling. “His olive's stuck!”

Chet looked at Kelly, then to the others. The man had the technique all wrong. If someone didn't step in fast. . . Why *now* of all times? He hurried over and stepped in, nudging the other man away. In a short time, the olive was out and the victim was sitting on the floor grateful for any air he was breathing in.

With so much noise in the casino, no one other than those in the immediate vicinity even knew anything was going on. Chet made sure the man was okay, then stood to go over and pick up where'd he'd left off with Kelly. The buxom blonde was gone.

What? Unlucky in cards. . .unlucky in love. . .it's not fair. Why can't I win at anything? He put his hands in his pockets in frustration, his left hand meeting up with the ‘lucky slug'. Chet pulled it out and looked at it. “Some luck you're bringing.” He tossed it on the table near a man who happened to have the highest winnings at the craps table. The man picked up the slug and eyed it as the dice rolled.

Chet had just gathered up his remaining chips and turned to leave when the man he'd inadvertently given the slug to lost most of what he'd previously won. The fireman glanced at the angry expression staring at him, and forced an innocent grin. Without the man saying a word, he knew what was on his mind. After all, the man had seen Chet lose time after time and most gamblers were superstitious to a point.

“Uh, it's just a stupid slug. . .” Chet squeaked out.

The man got up from his seat and the stocky fireman swore if he were in a cartoon, steam would be coming out of the man's ears. He quickly took off through the crowd.

E!E!E!

Mike and Marco were still going in their game of Omaha Hold ‘em when a nervous Chet came up to them, looking in all directions as he spoke.

“Hey, whataya' guys say we go up to the rooms.”

“You lose your shirt, Chet?” Mike asked.

“He must not have. He's still wearing it,” Marco teased.

“Look, enough with the jokes. Guys, I gotta get out of here. . . NOW.”

Mike and Marco exchanged glances, then looked at their friend. “What's this about, Chet?”

“I'll explain it upstairs, Mike. Just cover me till we get to the elevator.”

“ Cover you? With what?”

“Mike!”

Just then a hand came down on Chet's shoulder and turned him around. The fireman looked at the still angry expression on the man's face. “Go find Johnny or Roy.”

“What for?” Marco asked, still puzzled.

“'Cause I think I'm gonna need ‘em,” Chet stated just before a fist met up with his jaw. Stunned, he dropped down hard on the floor, landing on his bottom. A couple of cocktail waitresses hurried to get security while Marco looked through the gathering crowd for either paramedic.

Caught in the moment, Mike stood up to the assailant. “Hey, what do you think you're doing?”

“He cost me a fortune at the craps table. He had it comin'.”

“Chet?” The engineer didn't get it. Then the man showed him the slug. “Oh.” He looked down at his injured friend who was now rubbing the sore jaw. “I hope you can still use your mouth to explain all this later.”

E!E!E!

Johnny was enjoying his winning streak and Katie's company when Marco came rushing up to him from across the casino.

“Johnny!”

Gage waved. Now he'll see who's winning our bet. . .

When Lopez was closer he began to explain. “You need to come quick.”

“What for? One of us hit the jackpot? Besides me?” he added with a grin at Katie.

But Marco was too preoccupied to notice the pretty lady. “One of us got hit all right. Some guy just clobbered Chet.”

Johnny's grin faded to a frown. “What?”

“Just now, over there,” he said as he turned and pointed. “Punched him in the jaw.”

“Is he okay?”

“I don't know. I ran to find you or Roy.”

“Oh man. Of all the times. . .” He looked apologetically at Katie. “I'm sorry. . .”

“No, go help your friend. Or maybe after what he said, you might like to see him laid out.”

Johnny snickered. “After interrupting this, I just might.” He gathered up his winnings and followed behind Marco.

E!E!E!

Roy and Hank saw the casino security talking to a man, Mike Stoker next to him. Glancing at one another and shrugging, they hurried over to see what kind of trouble Mike could possibly be in.

The captain then saw Johnny and Marco squat down. His eyes following them, he could see Chet sitting on the floor. He had a wadded-up white towel on his mouth. Gage removed the towel and examined Chet's lower jaw.

E!E!E!

“I don't think he broke it,” Johnny said as Chet winced. “Sorry.”

“'S'okay.”

“Put the ice back on it. It'll help keep any swelling down.”

Chet complied and nodded in agreement. As he looked around, he saw someone else familiar. Disappearing into the busy surroundings was a lady he'd met in California while on duty. Big Red? As quick as he'd noticed her, she was gone. . . For now , he thought. I may just beat out Johnny and Marco yet. . .if I can still talk by tomorrow. . .

E!E!E!

Hank Stanley made his way over to the scene with the security personnel.

“What's going on?”

“Just an over heated temper,” one explained. “Happens a lot with the amount of money that can be involved.

The captain looked to Mike in question. “It wasn't me. It was Chet,” the engineer said, pointing. “I guess his ‘lucky' slug wasn't so lucky after all.”

The assailant was allowed to go get his remaining chips with a security escort, then was walked to the exit and sent on his way. Being that he was staying at another hotel, removing him from the premises seemed solution enough. But he didn't get away without a warning. If he was ever caught punching out another patron at the Golden Nugget again, he'd be arrested.

Hank and Mike joined up with the others. By then Chet was up on his feet, still holding a make-shift ice pack on his mouth.

“How's he doing?”

“He's okay, Cap,” Johnny said.

The captain shook his head. These guys can find trouble easier than my kids. .

E!E!E!

Hank sighed, then looked at the man at the center of the incident. “Kelly, why don't you call it a night and head up to your room? Get a fresh start tomorrow.”

“Now?” Chet was so shocked at the idea that he dropped his hand away from his face. “But, Cap, it's still early!”

Before Hank could respond, he saw a man point to Chet while speaking to a security officer. The two men began moving to where the crew of 51 stood. Now what?

“Sir?” The security officer stopped in front of Chet who was still trying to think of persuasive arguments to avoid curfew. “Sir? If I could speak to you for just a moment.”

Johnny nudged his shiftmate's arm, hissing at him. “Kelly, pay attention.”

“Gage, what do you want?”

“Sir?” The hapless security officer tried again, finally getting Chet's attention.

“Yeah?”

The other gentleman reached out to take Chet's free hand, pumping it enthusiastically. “You saved my life!” He turned to the others, beaming. “He saved my life!”

“Really?” Hank said, relieved that his troublemaker wasn't in more trouble. “What exactly did you do, Chet?”

“Uh, nothing, Cap…”

“He saved my life!” The man grabbed Chet and hugged him tightly, bulging the smaller man's eyes from his skull. “I could've died!” He then proceeded to kiss the trapped firefighter on both cheeks.

Mike and Johnny giggled while Roy sucked in his breath to keep from joining them. Marco was looking up at the ceiling, rocking on his heels. Hank took pity on his beleaguered subordinate and pried him from the man's grip, helped by the equally amused security officer.

It took some time, but they finally discovered what Chet had done. Roy gave him a gentle pat of approval and Johnny smiled. The other guys weren't so impressed.

“Big deal,” Mike said before turning to Marco. “Want to go back and play a few more hands of poker?”

“Sure.”

The two men walked away, discussing strategy.

Hank shook his head, about to speak again with Chet about calling it a night when they were joined by yet another man. This one was older, wearing an expensive suit and a thick gold ring.

“I'm Max Delacorte, head of security for the Golden Nugget. Tom here has explained what you did, Mr…?”

“Uh, Kelly, Chet Kelly,” the mustached firefighter said.

“Mr. Kelly, I believe that you and these men won this trip and that they are your coworkers, is that correct?”

“Yes, we're with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. This is Captain Hank Stanley, my boss.”

Delacorte shook hands with Stanley who then continued the introductions. “This is Roy DeSoto and John Gage, our paramedics. My two other men are off playing poker.”

“We at the Nugget would like to reward you for your quick thinking and invaluable service in saving Mr. Santarosa's life.”

Chet blushed. “That's not necessary, Mr. Delacorte. It's my…it's our job.”

“Be that as it may, we understand that you have tickets to a show here,” Delacorte said as he referred to a small notebook. “The show was a minor attraction. We'd like to upgrade all your tickets to see our headliner.”

As one, the four men's heads turned to the sign advertising the act being held in the main room. Johnny and Chet grinned.

“Cuchi-cuchi,” Johnny said while Chet gave a little hip wiggle.

E!E!E!

After Delacorte left, Hank looked at his three remaining crewmembers. “Well, I guess we'd better find Mike and Marco and give them the good news. John, you want to do the honors?”

“Uh,” Johnny looked across the casino to where he'd left his new lady friend. He could see her standing off in the distance, looking at him as well. “Cap, if it's okay, I've got some. . .uh, something I was in the middle of when Marco interrupted that I need to take care of.”

“ I'll find ‘em, Cap,” Chet offered.

“Okay, but see if you can stay out of trouble this time.”

“Yes, sir.”

Curious about what Marco had interrupted, Roy watched his partner as he made his way through the busy casino. A smile crept across his face when he saw who the unfinished business was. It didn't take him very long. . .

“When I tell my wife I saw Charo in person, she's going to flip,” Hank said, interrupting Roy 's thoughts. The senior paramedic looked over with a smile still on his face.

“Mine too. Joanne gets a big kick out of her when she's on Johnny Carson's show or Hollywood Squares.”

“So does Emily. But what can we do? We'll just have to play it down a little if she's as good in person as she is on TV.”

“Sounds good.” Roy once again looked toward his partner. They're still talking. Things must be going pretty well. Too bad she's not in L.A.

E!E!E!

“So you wanna get together tomorrow sometime?” Johnny asked.

Katie smiled. “Sure. You wouldn't want to try some bowling, would you?”

“Well, it might keep me from losing my shirt. Yeah, that'd be great.”

“Okay, I'll meet you down here tomorrow. . .say, eleven o'clock ?”

“How about bowling and lunch?”

“Even better.”

“Good deal,” Johnny said with a grin. An awkward moment passed where both felt there would normally be a kiss. They quickly worked past it and ended their conversation with a friendly “See you tomorrow” and wave.

E!E!E!

Chet made his way to the poker table, thinking about Big Red. With his troubles over, he now was figuring another way of recuperating some of the money he'd lost.

I can't believe my luck. It's gotta be changing. All I have to do is hook up with Big Red and I'll win the bet with John and Marco. . .I can see their jaws dropping to the floor already. Wow, Big Red and me in Vegas. . .I can just see the two of us hitting the casinos together.

As he approached Mike and Marco, he forced a serious expression on his face. “Hey, guys. Cap wants you guys to come with us.”

“We've all gotta turn in early now? Thanks a lot, Chet.”

“No, Mike, it just so happens we're going to see the headline show.”

Both men looked at him with questioning expressions.

“It's Charo,” he answered.

“No way,” Mike said.

“How did we end up with tickets to see her ?” Marco wondered.

Chet began to explain, but before he could finish, he found himself talking to two empty seats as the others took off toward the captain and Roy. Chet turned around and followed behind them.

I just hope nobody forgets who *got* us this deal , he thought, rubbing his jaw.

E!E!E!

“Hurry up, or we're gonna be late!” Johnny yelled to his roommate. The curly-haired fireman's somewhat muffled voice could be heard from behind the bathroom door. The men had all decided that since they were going to a big show, they should take quick showers and freshen up from their road trip and busy afternoon.

“Relax. We've still got twenty-some minutes till show time,” Chet replied.

“Yeah, but I wanna be there before it starts. We still have to walk out of the room, meet up with the others, ride the elevator down, and get into our seats in the showroom. All that alone'll probably take fifteen minutes. And I just used up another one explainin' it to ya.”

“I'm almost done. You don't want me going in there looking like I just got hit in the jaw, do ya?”

“But ya did!”

A knock at the door had Johnny giving an annoyed look toward the bathroom. When he answered the door, he was greeted by their shiftmates.

“What's taking you guys so long?” Hank wondered. “The show starts in just over twenty minutes.”

“Yeah. I don't want to miss one cuchi-cuchi,” Marco remarked.

Johnny splayed a hand on his chest. “ I'm not the one taking so long. I'm ready. I've been ready. It's Che--”

Just then the bathroom door opened and Chet emerged, the bruising on his face covered by some powder make-up one of the casino girls had offered to give him. He grabbed his wallet off his bed and raced for the door. “C'mon, we've only got twenty minutes to get to the main show room.”

The others stood aside in the hallway, Johnny peeking out of the door, and watched in disbelief as the one who'd been holding them up now stood by the elevator waiting for them.

“That punch he took didn't do him one bit of good,” Mike said to the captain.

Hank just shook his head and motioned for the others to follow him.

E!E!E!

At the auditorium, they handed their tickets to the usher and were told to follow him. They kept walking farther and farther down into the intimate theater.

Johnny leaned forward to whisper in Chet's ear. “Man, where are they taking us?”

Chet shrugged, wondering the same thing. “Maybe we're being led out the back door,” he replied softly.

Finally the usher stopped at about five rows back, making them level with the stage. He directed them to the middle of the row. There was some jockeying for position until Hank stepped in to stop the argument.

“Okay, guys. Since this was due to Chet, he gets to pick where he wants to sit first.”

“Anywhere but next to Gage.” Earning a frown from his captain, Chet quickly slid into the row, followed by Mike, then Marco. Roy and Johnny waited until Hank headed to the next seat, then found their seats. Johnny was last, just four seats from the aisle and as far from his nemesis as he could be.

Marco could barely contain himself. He would have something wonderful to tell his family when he returned to Los Angeles . His third cousin on his mother's uncle's side had claimed to know Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza, aka Charo, but his mother said the man was a notorious fibber and she wouldn't believe anything he said.

The showroom filled quickly, the gentle rumble of people speaking died when the lights dimmed in the room. The curtains pulled back to reveal the Salsoul Orchestra, playing a bouncy salsa that soon hit a crescendo as a thin pink spotlight appeared. Dancing across the stage was the petite redhead her hair bundled to fall from above her head.

“Cuchi cuchi!” she exclaimed as she gave her trademarked wiggle. Her skimpy top shimmered and bounced while her see-through pants hugged her shapely legs, the beading over them playing peekaboo. Another hip wiggle tossed them about.

The crowd cheered in reply and the show began.

After humorous stories told in her lisping and accented English, she brought a guitar out from behind the curtain. A chair was brought to the center of the stage and a warm spotlight was focused on it. Her face became more serene as she began to strum the guitar.

“This piece is called ‘Tu Calor' and is a favorite of mine.” Charo lowered her head to watch the guitar as she began to play.

Marco sighed as he watched her nimble fingers flow over the strings. Her singing voice was a bit squeaky, but her guitar playing was exquisite. He was in love.

She moved on from song to song, earning the respect of those whom only knew her as a comedienne and actress. For the next hour, Charo alternated her classical guitar work with stories and reminiscing about appearances on various television shows.

Once the concert was over, the men remained sitting in their seats as everyone else headed out of the theater.

“Wow,” Johnny said. “I mean, I loved her on the Mike Douglas Show, but I didn't know she was that talented.”

“My wife loves her,” Hank added. “We even have one of her albums.”

“I have all of them,” Marco said, sighing deeply.

Once the place had cleared out, the men got to their feet and walked out of the theater. Hank turned to look at them, focusing on Chet. “Gentlemen, we will go to our rooms and sleep. We've had a long day and a busy shift yesterday.” He held up a finger as Chet began to protest. “Tomorrow you can get up early and stay up all night if you want, but tonight we're all turning in now. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” “Okay, Cap.” “Sure.” “Sounds good to me, Cap.”

“Chet?”

“Okay, okay,” the disappointed firefighter grumbled.

E!E!E!

Johnny grabbed the bathroom first, eager to get to sleep and dream of his bowling date with Katie. He was really looking forward to seeing her again. Pretty, understanding, and she bowled. How lucky could one guy be?

Chet moped around the room, staring out at the bright neon lights of the city's casinos.

“All yours, Kelly,” Johnny said, rubbing at his hair with a towel. If he didn't get it dry before getting into bed, it would be sticking straight up. Dressed in white boxers and a fire department t-shirt, he was ready to catch some sleep.

When Chet didn't reply, Johnny sauntered over to where the man stood lost in thought. He gently nudged his friend's shoulder. “Hey, you okay? Is your jaw hurting you?”

“Huh? Oh, no, it's okay. I mean, it hurts, but nothing big.”

“Then what's wrong?”

Chet shrugged. “I don't know.”

“Look, Cap's right. I'm dead on my feet, you've got to be more so since you guys were overhauling that structure fire long after we left with the victims to the hospital.” Johnny watched Chet's reflection in the window. “I don't know about your book, but mine tells ya to not gamble when you're tired, because you make mistakes then.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“C'mon, Chet. Take a shower, relax, sleep for a few hours and you can hit the casinos and take ‘em for all their worth.”

Chet laughed. “Break the bank, huh?”

“Sure, why not? If somebody has to do it, it might as well be you.”

“Sure, Gage.” Chet started across the room toward the bathroom, pausing in the doorway. “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“Ah, don't mention it. I mean it, really don't mention it. To anybody.”

“Are you kidding? Who'd believe it?”

Johnny snorted a laugh as he jumped onto the bed, landing horizontally on the mattress.

E!E!E!

“Marco, you want the bed closest to the bathroom or the window?” Mike pulled his shaving kit from his small suitcase, having already hung his clothes up in the closet. Not receiving an answer, he looked up to see his friend lost in thought. “Marc?”

“Wha? You said something?”

“Yeah, buddy, I asked which bed you want. Still daydreaming about Charo?”

“She was magnificent.”

“Yeah, I've got to admit I really enjoyed the show, even when she wasn't cuchi-cuchiing.”

“I can't believe we got tickets to her show. Mama's never gonna believe it.”

“It's not that late. Why don't you call her?”

Marco looked at the phone, then the clock radio. “She does stay up late to watch Johnny Carson.”

“Go on. I'll take a shower while you call her.”

Marco grinned. “Okay, I will.”

E!E!E!

“That was a magnificent show, wasn't it?” Hank asked.

“And all it took to get the tickets was Chet being a hero.” Roy was already in bed, the covers pulled up to his waist.

“Right before getting punched. Only Kelly.”

“I hope this isn't indicative of the whole weekend.”

“Don't even think that, Roy .” Leaving a light on in the bathroom, Hank pulled the duvet off the bed, unable to take so many covers when he slept. “What are you planning for tomorrow?”

“I don't know. I think Johnny has a date.”

“Really? Already?”

“A girl he met while playing blackjack. You might have seen her with him just after we picked up Chet off the floor. Pretty, with dark hair, wearing glasses.”

“That's Johnny's latest love interest?”

“I think this one might be different. You'll notice that he didn't introduce her to the guys nor did he mention her to them.”

“That's right, he didn't.” Hank thought about that. “It won't be easy for him if she doesn't live in Los Angeles .”

“No, it won't. We might be jumping the gun a little bit. They've just met.” Roy chuckled. “We're getting as bad as Chet, talking about Johnny's love life or the lack of it.”

“With that insult, I'm going to sleep. I have a feeling that we'll be very busy tomorrow. Good night, Roy .”

“Night, Cap.”

E!E!E!

The following morning Mike had to wake Marco up three times to get him moving.

“C'mon. Cap stopped by a few minutes ago and said we should all hit the breakfast buffet.”

Marco opened his eyes and squinted. “What time is it?”

“ Eight thirty .”

“If I slept in, then why am I so tired?”

“Because you stayed up forever, telling your mom about Charo.”

A smile spread across Marco's face. “Oh yeah.” He groaned slightly as he sat up and threw back the covers. “Okay, I'm up. Just give me about fifteen minutes and I'll be ready.”

Mike grinned and shook his head. He recalled how excited Marco had been while talking to his mother on the phone. He could only imagine what her reaction had been on the other end of the line.

E!E!E!

Johnny looked at Chet's jaw as the fireman came out of the bathroom. He still was using some of the cover-up makeup the casino employee had given him the day before. But there was a small amount of swelling evident.

“You sure you're okay?” Johnny asked.

“Yeah. How many times are ya gonna ask?”

“Until I can see an improvement.”

Chet shook his head. “I guess a guy can't go wrong hanging out with a paramedic, huh?”

“Well, if things do go wrong, at least you've got someone to fix ya up.”

Chet rubbed at his sore jaw. “Yeah, I guess you're right.”

Johnny quickly changed the subject. “Cap said to meet him and Roy at nine o'clock for breakfast. You about ready?”

“Let's go.”

“Right behind ya.”

As Chet opened the door, he glanced over his shoulder. “You know, it was worth everything I went through yesterday for that show last night.”

“So what're you gonna do today?”

He thought about Big Red and the bouncing breasts of Kelly. It was a toss up as to which he'd like to run into. “I'm not sure. You?”

Johnny didn't want to mention Katie. He just shrugged. “Just hang around and take things in.”

The two arrived at Roy and Hank's door down the hall. They knocked and waited for an answer.

E!E!E!

Roy and Hank reminisced about the show the night before.

“You know, I could sit through that show every night,” Hank said. “I wonder what the odds are of Kelly getting us more free tickets.”

Roy looked over in surprise, only to see the captain grin. “Just kidding. I'd rather the rest of the weekend be uneventful in that area.”

A knock at the door had Hank on his feet to greet the others.

E!E!E!

The men were enjoying pancakes, sausage, eggs, and bacon for breakfast, along with milk for a beverage. They'd found an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet for the cost of just two dollars each.

“Man, too bad you can't find this good of food this cheap in Carson ,” Johnny commented.

The others agreed.

“They've probably gotta make it inexpensive so the gamblers who lose can still survive here ‘till they're pockets are empty,” Mike said with a grin.

“Speaking of which, anyone for some early gambling?” Hank wondered.

“I think I'm going to relax by the pool,” Marco said.

“He was up late last night talking to his mom.” When the others looked over in question, Mike elaborated, “Charo.”

“I think I'll hit the souvenir shops,” Roy put in. Hank and Mike agreed to that idea. They all looked to Chet and Johnny.

Chet shrugged. He didn't want to mention Kelly or Big Red and jinx himself. “I. . .uh. . .I think I'll just relax by the pool too.” And look at the chicks .

Johnny gave a quick grin. “I'll be around. I'll look for you guys later this afternoon.”

After an hour at breakfast, the men split up to start with their plans.

E!E!E!

Johnny watched some gamblers and played a couple of slot machines while he waited to meet up with Katie. He was winning on the nickel slots, which worried him a bit. If Chet's theory ‘lucky in winning, unlucky in love' ever fell into place, his chances with Katie were doomed.

A few minutes before eleven, he saw her come into the casino. The two smiled and waved to one another.

“You ready?” she asked as Johnny approached.

“Show me the way,” he said, still grinning. The two almost held hands, but caught themselves and walked side-by-side.

E!E!E!

Marco and Chet watched young women around the pool in bikinis; so far most seemed to have boyfriends or husbands.

“We're never going to win that bet against Johnny,” Marco said.

“Oh, I don't know. You don't see him with a date, do you?”

“I don't even see him at all.”

Chet frowned. “Good point. Just hang in their, Marco. I have a feeling things are going to get better out here.”

Marco looked at his friend with the slightly swollen jaw. He wasn't so sure Chet was the best person's judgment to rely on.

E!E!E!

Hank, Roy and Mike were enjoying a leisurely morning, checking out the various shops on the strip. There were plenty of souvenirs to choose from. Roy could've taken care of his family in just one stop. But the men continued on, figuring they could switch to gambling after lunch.

E!E!E!

“Strike!” Johnny smiled as he got his second strike of the game. Katie was proving to be a good match, as she had also thrown two strikes.

She marked his score and got up to take her turn when a yell was heard from the next lane over. Johnny looked toward the sound and followed the gazes of others. A man was stuck at his waist under the pin rack at the end of the lane.

“What the. . .?”

“Raise the rack!” A woman screamed. “Get it up!”

An employee at the bowling center came running out from behind where the pins were set at the end of each alley.

“Get it up!” The woman yelled again.

The employee and others who worked there rushed past her. “We can't, it's stuck,” one anxiously explained.

“I'll be right back,” Johnny said to Katie.

She nodded and stood watching as Johnny rushed to join the others.

“I'm a paramedic,” he said as he approached them. They let him through to the man. “Sir can you breathe?” he asked as he eyed the contraption.

“Yeah. . .” came a voice from behind the stuck rack. “A little hard to. . .but I . . .I can. . .but. . . I can't. . .can't move. And. . .I'm. . .claustrophobic. . .get. . .me . . .outta here.”

The man was starting to hyperventilate due to his fear.

“Did anyone call the fire department?” Johnny wondered.

“They're on the way,” one employee informed.

“Good.” He turned his attention back to the man. “Sir, help's on the way. Just try to stay calm.”

“You. . .you lay. . . under one. . .of these. . .and stay. . .stay calm.”

“I think I'll pass on that.”

Johnny stayed with the man to help keep him from going into a full panic, checking his pulse and respirations as well. Soon the fire department arrived and devised a rescue plan. Johnny helped where he could while Katie and the other patrons watched with concern and interest. Within ten minutes, the man was freed.

“Are you sure you're okay?” Johnny asked him.

“Yeah, damn. . . racks. They could. . . kill a guy.”

“What were you doing there in the first place?” one of the firemen asked.

“My bowling ball. . . got stuck,” he answered, still trying to catch his breath. “I thought. . . the whole machine was jammed. . . and I'd have time to get it. . . or push it through. . . I guess. . . I was wrong. I had a strike, too. . . damn it.”

The firemen glanced at Johnny and shook their heads. Gage was sure they must get a lot of crazy calls with all the different types who visited their city. If he hadn't been with Katie, he would've loved to swap a few stories. But that idea passed and he rejoined his date after he and the other firemen suggested the victim see a doctor if any problems from the ordeal came about later.

E!E!E!

Hank, Roy and Mike headed back to the Golden Nugget carrying just a few souvenir bags filled with postcards. Roy still hadn't found just the right thing to get for Joanne. Mike was in the same boat. Hank, on the other hand, had discovered a small crystal car that looked exactly like his wife's Edsel. He planned to buy it on their last day in Las Vegas .

They were constantly having flyers shoved at them, flyers that advertised all the delights of Las Vegas : strip clubs, slot tournaments, helicopter tours, and food specials. Unwilling to litter, they carried the papers until they came to a trash can.

“I hope Chet managed to stay out of trouble,” Stanley fretted.

Mike smiled. “He and Marco are at the pool. Even if there was any trouble to be found there, Marco would keep him in line.”

“He's never been able to in the past,” Stanley observed. “ Roy , where was John going?”

“I don't really know, but I'd be willing to bet that where ever he might be, his new lady is with him.”

“Lady? Johnny already found a new girlfriend?” Mike stopped short. “When did this happen?”

“Last night, before Chet got slugged. All I really know is that she's very different than Johnny's usual crush.”

“Huh. How about that. This one must be special.”

“Why, Mike?” Roy was puzzled.

“The guys kinda,” he eyed his Captain, hesitant about revealing the bet.

“Go ahead, Michael. I'll leave whatever happens here in Las Vegas . If possible.”

“Chet had this idea to bet Marco and Johnny on who could get a girl first,” Mike explained. “That's why I was surprised Johnny hadn't said anything.”

Roy shook his head in resignation. “Figures Chet would come up with something like this.”

“Johnny has him, so why hasn't he said anything?”

“Roy and I think Johnny is really taken with this one,” Stanley replied, slowing as they approached the busy entryway into the Golden Nugget. “He probably doesn't want to use this relationship to get one over on Chet, even to win a bet.”

Mike reached forward to open the door for two young women who were exiting. He smiled shyly as they flirtatiously brushed by him. When he failed to respond other than sucking in his breath, they both sighed lustily and walked on.

Roy and Hank chuckled. “You're still a lady killer, Mike,” Roy commented.

This only caused Station 51's engineer to turn bright red. His drop dead gorgeous looks had been more curse than gift, but had been of great use before he fell in love with the woman who became his wife. Need to soften up a female store employee? Send Stoker in. The woman, young or old, would melt. Guaranteed.

Once inside the air conditioned casino, the men realized just how hot it was becoming out in the sunny streets of downtown Las Vegas .

“What now, gentlemen?”

“I'm going to the sports lounge, Cap. I can watch some games and bet a little money, maybe have a beer,” Mike replied. With a new baby in the house, he couldn't afford to go crazy with his meager amount of spending money. Thanks to his modest poker winnings, he had a slightly fatter bankroll than when he started.

“I think I'll go check this out.” Roy held up a flyer he hadn't thrown away. According to this, the Golden Nugget offers guided bus tours of Hoover Dam. I thought I might sign up for tomorrow. What about it? Want to join me?”

Mike read the flyer, nodding. “Yeah, count me in.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out money for the tour fee.

“Sounds interesting, Roy . Let's check with Marco and Chet, see if they might want to come.”

Roy and Cap strolled to the pool while Mike headed for the sports lounge. But it wasn't long before the engineer grew bored and decided to wander toward the pool area to see what the others were up to.

E!E!E!

As the morning moved on, the temperature began to rise in the pool area. Marco made frequent trips to the shimmering blue water, enjoying how the liquid helped relieve the heat.

Chet refused to go in, not wanting to get his hair and moustache wet. “I'm not gonna pick up any chicks looking like a drowned rat,” he told Marco.

Marco, used to his friend's peculiarities, just shook his head and continued alternating lounging on the webbed chair and taking refreshing dips in the pool.

The Hispanic fireman had no idea how good he looked when he would lever himself out of the pool, his burnished muscled body glistening in the sun. He was catching many a female's eye, although none had approached him as yet.

“Another towel, sir?”

Marco looked up at the owner of the voice and was immediately smitten. The young pool attendant was a classic beauty, her dusky skin glowing with health. “Yes, thank you.”

Their fingers brushed as the towel changed hands. Their brown eyes met and Marco promptly lost interest in girl watching. The only girl he‘d be watching in the future was standing in front of him.

“Hello,” he said quietly. “My name is Marco. What's yours?”

“Consuela.”

“Would you like to go to dinner tonight?” Marco blurted out.

Consuela looked down, then up at him through her eyelashes. She nodded. “Yes, that would be nice. If we could stay here to eat.” She shrugged. “I don't know you.”

Marco's white teeth flashed as he grinned. “Of course. Wherever you feel most comfortable.”

“I get off work at four. Why don't I meet you in the lobby reception area at six? That will give me time to go home and change.”

Marco was agreeable. They parted reluctantly as Consuela had to return to her work. The firefighter expected to hear from Chet about the encounter but when he turned to face his friend, he found Chet eyeing a well-endowed young woman testing the temperature of the pool with her toe.

“Help! Help us!”

Marco and Chet quickly turned to the source of the screams. A young girl was struggling to keep a younger boy's head above the bubbling water of the Jacuzzi.

“Here we go again,” Chet muttered as he jumped over the lounge chair to follow Marco.

Marco dropped into the hot water while Chet helped with keeping the victim's head above the water.

“What happened?” Chet asked.

“Billy, that's my brother, got his toe caught in the vent. The one at the bottom.”

“Consuela!” Marco shouted. “Find the emergency shut off, then get us some help.”

Her long brown hair flared behind her as Consuela raced to the control boxes. Soon the turbulent water died down and the suction ceased. Marco worked slowly and carefully to release Billy's toe, succeeding just as help arrived, two firefighters on vacation and the casino security staff.

Billy was coughing uncontrollably, having swallowed large quantities of the mildly scented water. Roy knelt next to him as Marco helped remove the boy from the water . Consuela handed the two men towels while Chet explained to security what happened. Captain Stanley helped keep the growing crowd of onlookers from getting too close until security took over.

Consuela now was hugging Billy's sister from behind, reassuring the girl of her brother's well-being. “See, Marco and his friends are taking good care of Billy. We should tell your parents, don't you think?”

“Oh, no, they're gonna kill me,” the girl wailed.

Consuela exchanged warm glances with Marco, then she worked on getting personal information from the girl. Marco looked on with a besotted grin.

Mike missed the action, but had gotten there just in time to catch the exchange between the couple and nudged his captain, nodding toward the mustached man.

Hank couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face. “Looks like we have another victim of cupid's arrow.”

“And from the look of things, Chet is once again oblivious,” Mike commented.

The firefighter in question was still speaking to security when he caught a glimpse of a familiar statuesque red-head from the corner of his eye. Unable to get away immediately, Chet was too late to catch the woman he believed was Big Red.

With a deep sigh, Chet turned back to join the others. Billy was no longer coughing and was chattering away to Roy about his experience.

Max Delacorte appeared, shaking his head but smiling. “Gentlemen, we have to stop meeting like this.”

The crew of Station 51 laughed. Hank shrugged. “It is rather a busman's holiday for us, but I'm glad my men could help.”

Laurie, Billy's sister, was now feeling happier since her mother had arrived with no reproaching words. “They were wonderful!”

“What did you do now, Chet?” The last member of A-shift had arrived to join the party.

E!E!E!

Johnny and Katie had continued bowling, filling six more lines on the score sheet before deciding to quit. They were pretty evenly matched in ability. However, after they were finished, Johnny was one game ahead.

“I let you win to keep from bruising your ego, John Gage,” chortled Katie.

He refused to admit his win was anything other than superior skill. Turning his bowling shoes in, Johnny retrieved his own right shoe, kept as hostage to guarantee the return of the center's shoes. “I still can't believe anyone would steal bowling shoes.”

“They're comfortable and the price is right,” Katie said. “Free. You just wait. Before you know it, all the centers will be demanding a shoe in exchange.”

“I'd have won more if I had my own bowling ball and shoes.”

“Uh huh.”

“I would've!”

“Sure, Johnny. Just keep telling yourself that.”

He threw his arm around the giggling woman's shoulder as they strolled down the length of the lanes. “Buy you a soft drink?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“Katie!” The counter attendant called to Johnny's date, waving a phone receiver in the air. “Phone call for you. It's Don.”

Johnny was puzzled when Kate stopped, hanging her head. “What's wrong?”

“That's my relief manager. He's very competent so if he's been calling around looking for me, I know there's trouble.”

“The only way to find out what's wrong is to answer it.”

Johnny waited and watched a family with young children rolling balls down the lane. There were long pillowed barriers laid in the gutters, or side boards as Katie called them. He grinned as the ball would bounce against one side, then the other as it made its way slowly down the lane. A lifetime later, the ball made it to the pins, knocking three down slowly. The little five year old was jumping up and down with delight.

“Johnny?”

He turned to face Kate whose face was not that of a happy woman. “What's the matter, honey?”

“Don's wife has gone into labor, so I have to work his shift this afternoon and evening. I'm so sorry.”

“Hey, it's okay. These things happen. You have to go in now?”

“Yeah, he's taking off for the hospital right away. I thought I'd have the day free.”

Johnny shrugged. “Don't worry about it. Will you be off tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I'll have the whole day off, so we can do whatever you want.” She scribbled down a phone number on the back of a league flyer. “Call me if you want to make any plans or just to talk.”

“Let me walk you to your car. And as to calling, well, you know where I am.” He proceeded to give Kate his room number.

At the car, Johnny opened the vehicle's door, leaning against the top. “I had fun.”

“So did I.”

Johnny leaned down slowly, giving Katie plenty of time to move away. When she didn't do anything but lift her face to him, he gently kissed her, first at the corner of her mouth, then full on the lips. He felt her hand on his cheek, caressing. When he finally pulled back, Johnny had to swallow deeply. “D-drive carefully. Please.”

“I will.” She settled into the car seat, bemused by the wealth of emotion flowing through her due to a simple kiss.

He stood there watching as she drove off before he began the walk back to the Golden Nugget.

Knowing that Marco wanted to spend time at the pool, he headed there first. He never expected to see the whole gang there in a crowd along with bystanders and security personnel. Once he determined that his coworkers were safe, he moved closer. “What did you do now, Chet?”

E!E!E!

“I can't believe you thought I got into trouble again,” Chet said after he and the others explained to Johnny what had transpired. “Besides, I've helped save two lives in two days already. And I'm not even a paramedic. What've you done? Come to think of it,” he added, “What have you been doing? Aside from when we've been in the room or at the show last night, I don't remember seeing you around much.”

“I helped get a man out from under a bowling pin rack not too long ago. Other than that, just hanging out like everyone else,” he shrugged.

“A bowling pin rack?” Mike asked.

“He's making that up,” Chet threw in dryly. “How is a guy gonna get stuck under a pin rack?”

“His bowling ball was stuck and he tried to get it out,” Johnny said matter of fact with a shrug.

The curly-haired fireman gave it some thought for a few seconds, then shook his head. “Nah, I'm not buying it. I still say you're making it up. Why in the heck would you go bowling in Vegas when you can do it anytime at home? C'mon, where have you really been?”

Hank stepped forward to save the younger paramedic from having to explain anything. “There's a big difference between bowling in Carson and Vegas, Chet. The stakes can be a lot higher here if a person hooks up with the right players. . .and we all know there're plenty of gamblers here .”

“I'm sure there's stranger bets going on around this place,” Roy offered.

Chet eyed him, wondering just what he meant by that, but shrugged it off. “Okay, okay. . .I've got other things to worry about anyway.” He looked off in the direction the red-head had gone.

Marco was just as quiet as he thought about the bet between he, Johnny and Chet. He knew he could win as soon as he was through with his date with Consuela. But somehow it didn't seem right to collect on a bet. He already liked her too much to use her for that. His eyes never leaving her, he continued to smile as she returned one of her own and waved, continuing on with her work.

Nope, he'd rather lose the bet to one of the others than to use her to win any money.

E!E!E!

While all the others decided to stay or join in relaxing at the pool after getting their swim trunks, Johnny went with Roy to pay for the tour some would be going on the next day. Marco opted out, hoping Consuela would be around the pool again and Chet declined, hoping he'd track down Big Red before then and have his day filled.

Roy offered to take the others' money and get the tickets they needed, allowing Captain Stanley and Mike some time to kick back in the sun and water.

“So, where's this girl you're interested in?” Roy asked Johnny as they walked across the casino.

“Huh?”

“Your bowling partner. Where is she?”

“Oh. She. . .uh. . .she had to go to work. Her . . .uh. . .one of the other employees had to rush to the hospital with his wife. . .she was having a baby. So Ka. . .uh, so she had to leave to fill in for him.” He looked at Roy 's smiling face. “How'd you know?”

“I saw you two yesterday, after we got the mess straightened out with Chet and the security guys.”

“Oh.” A sudden alarm registered on Johnny's face and he grabbed Roy 's upper right arm, stopping him. “You didn't tell the others, did ya?”

“Relax. I know better than that. . .” then he remembered he'd told Mike and Hank. “Sort of.”

“ Sort of? Oh, Roy ,” Johnny groaned. “Who'dya tell?”

“Just Cap and Mike.”

“That's more than half of us that know now.”

“Yeah, but you've gotta look at it from the right perspective.”

“And that is . . .?”

“It's the right more than half who knows.”

The younger man gave it thought and relaxed. “You're right.” The two started on their way again. “Man, you should meet Katie. She's perfect. She even manages a bowling al—center,” he said with a grin.

“So I take it you won't be going on this tour tomorrow.”

“No, Katie's supposed to be off. I'm gonna spend it getting to know her better.”

“And then what?” Roy asked as they reached the window that sold tour tickets.

“Whataya mean?”

“Three adults for Hoover Dam for tomorrow,” he said to the clerk. As she got them ready, he looked at Johnny. “You don't live here and she does.”

“Oh. . .that. Yeah, well. . .I guess we either make the most of what time we have together and end it, or we run up our phone bills keeping' in touch.”

“Long distance relationships are hard to maintain.”

Johnny frowned while Roy paid for the tickets.

When the transaction was complete, they headed back across the casino.

“Why'd you hafta bring up the bad side to all this?” Gage asked.

“Because I don't want to see you devastated on the day we go back. This way, you'll have time to prepare yourself and think it out. Maybe talk it out with her.”

“What's there to say about it? I don't wanna move here and I doubt she wants to move to LA or Carson after knowing each other a mere few hours.”

“No, but talking about it will get you both thinking on it more. Then later, if you stay in touch, maybe you'll both know what you want.”

Johnny gave it thought a moment. “Maybe. You know, you should go into the game show market as a host on one of those dating games.”

Roy shook his head. “I just know you too well. I'd probably screw up a few lives giving advice to strangers.”

Johnny didn't reply, but kept quiet as he thought about how fast time was probably going to fly the next day now that he wanted it to stand still.

E!E!E!

Chet was getting frustrated. Unable to spot the focus of his hunt, he decided to go up to his room and get changed. Then it would be another foray at the craps table. His luck had to change!

After a quick shower to rinse the sweat and suntan lotion off his body, Chet headed back down to the casino floor. It was his time, he could feel it!

An hour later found Chet grumbling, ready to toss the craps guidebook into the trash. Even the tried and true safe bets were against him. Pulling back, he prepared to fling the dice one more time. He watched them tumble down the felt before hitting the back board and bouncing to the middle of the playing field. Chet stared in shock. He had won!

E!E!E!

“Gentlemen, two free dinners were included with our prize, one for DaVinci's Italian Restaurant and one for Moby Dick's Seafood. Which do you want to go to tonight?” Captain Stanley's dislike for fish, live, dead or cooked, was well known at the station. His moue of distaste when mentioning caused some smiles among his men.

“I don't know, Cap,” Roy teased. “A fried flounder might be nice.”

“Yeah,” Johnny chimed in. “They probably have some great mountain trout at Moby Dick's.”

“Sure,” Marco chimed in. “With the heads on and those beautiful jelly eyes staring at you.”

Hank's increasing discomfort finally broke up his crew. Once the laughter died, Roy told him that DaVinci's would be fine. Mike quickly agreed.

“I won't be joining you, Cap.”

“No?”

“No, sir.” Marco smiled shyly. “I have a date. We're meeting in a few minutes.”

Johnny grinned. “Way to go, Marc!”

“Well, we'll miss you, pal. Although I doubt if you'll miss us,” Captain Stanley commented.

“We need to get Chet,” Johnny commented.

“Has anyone seen him?”

“Craps, Cap. He was going at it hot and heavy when I saw him earlier.”

“Thanks, Marco. Let's go get him and have some dinner.” The crew, sans Marco Lopez, headed for the craps table to corral their missing member.

E!E!E!

“But, Cap, I'm hitting my stride here. I can't stop for dinner!”

Hank shook his head. “Okay, that's your choice, Kelly, but if you keep playing, you'll miss a free meal.”

That caused Chet to rethink his decision. “Can't I get it later?”

“Nope. Now or never.”

Johnny couldn't resist goading his nemesis. “Chester B. turning down free food? I can't believe it.”

As much as Chet wanted to keep playing and ride his winning streak to the end, he was hungry. The idea of a hearty Italian dinner was just too tempting. He turned to the table and checked his chips. “Okay, I'll come.” He stuffed his winnings in his pocket and turned to join his coworkers.

E!E!E!

Dinner had been a rousing success. All the men were stuffed, some of them uncomfortably so. Johnny and Mike were the only ones to get dessert, the others settling for coffee. Mike ordered a pony of Sambuca which he poured slowly into his mug.

Curious, Roy looked at the small glass of thick clear liqueur. “What's that taste like?”

“Anise. Here, try a sip.” Mike said, handing the glass to him. “Slowly. A very small sip.”

Roy obeyed, then blew out his breath. “Strong. It's like liquid fire.”

“Actually, that's a good description. The traditional way to drink it is to chew two coffee beans, set the Sambuca on fire, put it out and then drink it.” Mike smiled. “I had a buddy in college who would put it in his mouth, carefully not spilling any on his lips. He'd tilt his head back with his mouth wide open and light it with a match. Then he'd close his mouth, swish it around a little and swallow. Used to be a big hit at parties.”

“I bet it was. Kinda stupid though,” Johnny said through a mouthful of cake.

“What's it made from? Anise seeds?”

“Actually, I think it's made from elder bush and licorice, Cap. My grandfather used to drink it.”

Roy blinked, still feeling the warmth deep in his belly. “That's some good stuff.”

Johnny giggled. “Man, Roy, are you smashed? From one sip?”

Affronted by the attack on his ability to hold his liquor, Roy glared at his partner. “I am not drunk. I was just making an observation.”

“Uh huh. Okay, if you say so.”

The indigent look on Roy 's face as well as Johnny's pseudo-angelic smile set the crew off. Their laughter filled the restaurant, earning smiles from the other patrons.

“What's everyone doing tonight?” Hank asked once the mirth died down.

“Gambling!”

The chorus started the laughter again. It was with high spirits that they left the restaurant to disperse to their chosen games of chance.

Hank and Mike chose sports betting, a slower form of gambling if the player bet only on the games they were watching. Chet headed back to his craps table, praying that his luck hadn't changed. Roy agreed to accompany Johnny to the blackjack tables.

E!E!E!

“Michael, you're a wonder. How do you keep all those spreads in your head?”

The engineer shrugged. “I don't know, Cap. It's just like working the engine's controls to me. I've always been good with numbers.”

“You could rival Roy 's luck at horse racing.”

“Let's not tell Johnny or Chet, okay?”

The captain chuckled, well aware that if the Terrible Two knew Mike had a knack for picking football winners, they'd have a Get Rich scheme in minutes. “What will you do with your windfall?”

The engineer grinned. “Becky and I have been looking at this combination changing table and dresser. When the baby outgrows it, the changing part can be removed, leaving a nice chest to store the kid's clothes. This is almost half of what I need. If I can keep going at the same rate, I'll be able to buy it without doing any overtime.”

E!E!E!

“It's really simple, Roy ,” Johnny explained as he and Roy took a seat at a blackjack table. “It's called progressive betting. Every time you win, you put half your winnings up as a stake for the next hand, leaving your original amount. If you keep winning, your bet amount steadily increases. You can stop whenever you get too uncomfortable with the amount.” He chuckled. “It doesn't take me long. I usually stop when my bet reaches about twenty-five bucks.”

“What if you lose?”

“You go back to your original bet. And you have to put a limit on how many hands in a row you're willing to lose. Once you reach it, you walk away.”

“What's your limit?” Roy found his partner's strategy fascinating.

“Three hands. If I can't get at least a push, I'll go to another table or do something else.”

“How many tables have you been to?”

“Just one. This is the same table as yesterday. Just a different dealer,” Johnny replied. “Of course, I have to admit that most of the time, I was with Katie.”

Roy started to venture a bet, doing the table minimum of three dollars. “I don't know if I can do the progressive thing, but let's see if I can win something.”

E!E!E!

Marco and Consuela were also in the casino, strolling around after a light dinner at the French restaurant just outside the Golden Nugget. Marco was playing the one-armed bandits while Consuela watched. As an employee, she wasn't allowed to gamble in the Golden Nugget. His luck with the slot machines had been sporadic at best, so he moved on to the new video poker machines. It took him a while to get the hang of it, but he soon began to keep even with some good wins. The cocktail waitress had been by to take his order twice since he had sat down. Marco decided to stick with coffee or soft drinks to avoid blurring his thought processes. Consuela applauded when Marco had a good hand. In between, they spoke of their lives and their work.

He chased the mother of hands, the Royal Flush, but a straight had been the closest he could come. The tray below the machine was filled with nickels and his fingers were fast becoming black, but the Hispanic firefighter was enjoying the contest against the machine almost as much as he was enjoying the company.

E!E!E!

Chet had resumed his roll at craps, managing to win a few rounds, but not doing as well as he had been before the dinner break. “I knew it. My streak's been broken.”

While he concentrated on the game, he never stopped looking for the woman that had always fascinated him, the dancer he had met while on a medical call with the squad. Statuesque, beautiful and earthy, Big Red had cut him from the herd of firefighters, not even looking interested in any of the other members of Station 51.

They had dated a few times, but nothing steady. Their respective work schedules had made it difficult to meet up. Chet wondered if she was really here or if he was imagining things.

E!E!E!

Roy grinned at his disbelieving friend as he began to rack up winnings. At first Johnny had been very supportive and encouraging, patting Roy on the back when the older man won; Gage was enjoying his friend's success. But as Roy kept winning and he started to lose, his expression turned to one of bafflement.

“Man, I suggested this. How come you're doin' all the winning?”

Roy shrugged. “I don't know, but I'm glad. I can use the extra money to spend on Jo and the kids.”

“But you're already up to nearly thirty dollars. When are ya gonna quit?”

“Forty.”

“ Roy ! You can't be serious.”

“Why not?” the blond man asked as his winnings increased once again.

“Why not ? Why not ?” Johnny repeated.

Roy nodded. “Yeah, why not?”

“Because, I'm ready to move to another table; I thought we were a team. . .sort of,” he shrugged.

“We are, but I'm winning here.”

“And I'm not. You're certainly no ‘Katie',” Johnny sighed.

Roy had to grin as he placed another bet. “I hope not.”

Just then he lost his money. This time Roy had the look of disbelief, while Johnny couldn't help but grin slightly. Not that he was happy his partner had lost. But now there was a chance they'd be moving to a new table.

E!E!E!

Mike was happy with his winnings and quit when he had enough for the changing table combo he and his wife wanted.

“Aren't you going to go for more?” the captain asked.

“No, I don't wanna get greedy. I've seen that on game shows on TV too often and I always tell the contestants they should have quit while they were ahead. Well, as much as a person can advise a contestant on TV,” he added when Hank raised his eyebrows in question.

Happy with what he'd won, the captain stopped as well. “Whataya say we see how the others are fairing?”

Mike shrugged. “Sure.”

The two wandered off in search of their traveling companions.

E!E!E!

Chet had counted himself a loser once again when suddenly his luck seemed to have changed once again in one area. It was bouncing buxom Kelly back to betting at a table nearby. And she appeared to be alone.

Hey, she's no Big Red, but she's big where it counts , Chet thought to himself. He shook his head when she won. I swear one day she's gonna knock herself out .

He started over to congratulate her and get a conversation going again when a woman standing beside a nearby table dropped to the floor in a heap.

Chet looked up at the ceiling, his arms open wide. “You just don't want me to go home a winner in anything now, do you? All I did was stop to have one free dinner. A guy has to eat. . .” He then sighed and hurried over to see if he could be of any help, all the while glancing around for a sign of Johnny and Roy.

E!E!E!

After winning enough to make himself happy for awhile, Marco took Consuela for a walk along the strip. The two held hands as they enjoyed the bright lights of the other casinos. Though they were both quite used to the scene, somehow having someone new to share it with made it seem almost magical.

Marco sighed inwardly.

I wish we both lived near LA.

E!E!E!

Johnny and Roy were heading over to a third table after leaving two that didn't work out for them when they heard a commotion and saw a crowd gathering nearby.

“I wonder if someone won a huge amount. . .” Johnny commented.

“Could be.”

Not able to see over the people in front of them, they had settled for missing out when they heard someone mention calling an ambulance. The two paramedics looked at one another, then carefully pushed their way through the crowd.

“Excuse us,” Roy commented. “But we're paramedics.”

When they emerged at the center, they found Chet kneeling on the floor beside a woman in her late forties who was being propped up by one of the cocktail waitresses.

Johnny and Roy immediately went into their paramedic mode.

“What happened?” Gage asked as he knelt down near the others.

“She fainted,” Chet explained.

“I. . .I just got . . .a little excited. . .when I . . .I won,” the woman commented breathlessly, fanning herself.

Roy was still standing and put up his hands in front of himself, motioning for the others surrounding them to move.

“Folks, how about you take a few steps back and give her some breathing room.”

The crowd did as suggested, some leaving after seeing that the woman was apparently doing better. When the area cleared, a late arriving Hank Stanley and Mike Stoker were able to see that it was their shiftmates who were amongst the center of attention.

“What happened?” the captain asked.

“She got excited when she won a hand of blackjack and passed out,” Chet explained. “John and Roy got here just as she was recovering, an ambulance is on the way though.”

“I don't think. . .I need one. . .” the woman stated.

Johnny shook his head. “It's probably better you let someone check you out more thoroughly, ma'am.”

“Honey, you can check me out anytime,” she commented with a wink and a smile.

Gage couldn't hide the slight blush to his cheeks. “Uh. . .” he got to his feet, “Someone with medical supplies,” he clarified.

Mike shook his head as he eyed Chet, who was still squatting down near the lady.

“How come everything seems to happen when you're around?”

Johnny nodded in agreement. “Hey, that's right. You guys oughta be glad he's not going on the tour tomorrow.”

“Hey, what about you?” Chet wondered, standing as well since the woman was doing better on her own. “Weren't you at a bowling alley when some guy got stuck?”

“Yeah, but I'm willing to bet somehow your non-luck is involved in any of mine.”

“How much?”

“What?” Johnny sighed. “That was just a phrase, Chet. I don't actually wanna bet.”

Roy and the others just smiled at one another, very much used to the exchanges between the two. They stepped back as the ambulance attendants arrived, glad to once again be spectators on vacation with another day of relaxation and recreation to look forward to. Though neither said it to one another, Johnny and Chet were each looking forward to their chance with the opposite sex the next day; Johnny's a guarantee, Chet hopeful he'd see Big Red since bouncing Kelly had once again disappeared.

E!E!E!

A gentle tap on the hotel room door caught Mike's attention. He placed the book he had been reading on the table, a casino brochure used as a bookmark.

He glanced at a soundly sleeping Marco as he crossed the room. Mike quietly slipped the chain off, opening the door to discover Roy and Hank standing outside.

“Ready to get some breakfast?” Hank asked.

“We've got about two hours until the tour bus leaves,” Roy added.

“Sounds good. Should I wake Sleeping Beauty?” Stoker asked.

Stanley shook his head. “Let him sleep. Marco's staying here, so there's no real need for him to get up early.”

Mike pulled the door securely closed and joined the other two men as they walked to the elevator.

“Hey! Hold up, guys.”

Roy jammed his finger on the ‘door open' button on the elevator panel. His partner, a big grin on his face, slipped into the elevator.

“Little early for the tour, guys. Where are you going?” Johnny asked.

“As if you don't know. Breakfast. Care to join us?” Roy exchanged amused smiles with his captain.

Johnny rubbed his hands together. “Yum. Sure.”

“Where's Chet? Still sleeping?” Mike asked.

“Nah. I'm not even sure he made it to bed last night. We went up when, Roy ? About midnight ?”

Roy nodded. “That sounds right. It was after the band finished playing in the lounge.”

“Chet wasn't there when I went into our room. And he wasn't there when I got up this morning. Since we all fix our bedcovers as habit, I couldn't tell if he had slept there or not.”

The elevator door opened onto the main floor, much noisier and filled with night owls and early birds, all devotedly gambling. The four men sauntered through the casino floor, looking about in amazement.

“This place really never does close, no matter what time of the day or night.” Johnny shook his head. “I mean, I enjoy a little gaming, but there's so much more to see in Las Vegas than the inside of the casinos.”

“It gets a little old after a while,” Mike agreed.

“Sure you won't come with us, John?” Captain Stanley asked.

Johnny's smile was that of a man in love. “No, sir. Thanks, but I think Katie and I will be happy just wandering around Vegas.”

“Well, if you're sure. Katie, huh? Nice girl?”

Johnny blushed. “Y-yeah, yeah, she is. She's…she's really nice.”

“That's good. Will we get to meet her before we have to go home?”

“Well, I was thinking about it. It's just that…well, we kinda…” Johnny stumbled all over his words, uncertain how to explain his reluctance to expose his new lady friend to his crewmates.

“Johnny, we're just teasing you.” Roy hardly ever saw this side of Johnny when a woman was being discussed. He usually acted overly confident and blustery.

“Yeah, I know. Sorry, but…” he blushed. “She's really special, ya know? I don't wanna mess this up.”

Mike Stoker chuckled. “And meeting Chet is bound to have her running in fear.”

Johnny grinned, shrugging. “I guess I want to give her time to know me first, before I spring the Phantom on her.”

Roy sobered. “Johnny, we're leaving tomorrow.”

“I…I know. But…I could, uh, I could write her, call, maybe come visit when we have four days off in a row. Or we could maybe meet in the middle.” Johnny looked at his friends. “I'm not rushing this one, guys. Honest, I know what I'm getting into.”

“Long distance relationships are tough, John. We just don't want to see you get hurt.”

“It's okay, honest.”

“C'mon, pal, let's see if we can make a dent on the breakfast buffet,” Hank changed the subject, clapping his hand on Johnny's shoulder.

The younger man grinned. “You got it, Cap. It looks great and I'm really hungry.”

The others laughed as Mike commented, “Like that's something new.”

E!E!E!

After breakfast, Johnny spotted Katie standing in the large entry area of the casino as he walked with his friends across the main floor. He waved at her, then turned to the others. “Have fun, guys. See ya later.”

“You, too, John. Enjoy yourself.”

Roy watched as Johnny hurried to Katie's side, taking her in his arms, the look on his friend's face open and laughing. “I hope he knows what he's doing.”

“He's falling hard, isn't he?”

“Yeah, Mike, he really is.”

“ Roy , you heard him. John knows what he's getting into.” Hank clapped his paramedic on the back. “He'll handle it. And if he can't, we'll be there to help him.”

“I guess.” Roy shook his head.

“C'mon, Roy , let's go see how dams are made.”

E!E!E!

“What would you like to do today?” Johnny asked as he and Katie moved outside into the already warm desert air.

“Whatever you want. You're the tourist.”

“Really? I'd kinda like to get to know you and, uh, let you get to know me. Okay?” he asked shyly.

“That's very okay, Johnny. Very okay indeed.” She stopped on the street, touching him gently on the face before leaning in for a kiss. Katie then took his hand in hers, their fingers intertwined. “Let me show you my town.”

“That sounds great,” Johnny said with a grin.

As they strolled down Fremont , the couple began to talk, about their jobs, about their homes, about themselves. And the more they talked, the closer they became.

E!E!E!

Marco woke slowly, enjoying the rare pleasure of no alarm clock or station alarm. The casino's hotel rooms were fully soundproofed, not a whisper of sound making it inside. The bed covers fell away as Marco sat up, dragging his fingers through his sleep-mussed hair. He looked around, spotting the clock across the room. “Wow, nine-thirty,” he murmured, knowing that Mike and the others would be on their way to see Hoover Dam.

He had time to take a leisurely shower, pick out an outfit to wear for his a