Vegas

The four spoke few words as they sped towards the lights, excitement, and the lure Vegas offered so many people. Larry made sure the music never stopped so his compadres stayed loose and kept their minds clear. Clear minds would be their secret weapon at the tables, plus they were all revisiting the events at the diner. It pained him that he was incapable of thwarting the truckers. Someday he was going to have to will his body to obey the commands of the mind. Many had suggested through the years, “his body was willing, now to connect it to his mind.” He always rebuked the offers. He knew his athletic abilities paled in comparison to other boys his age. Tonight, it was glaringly apparent—a change must occur. Unlike him, his father and uncle would have easily disposed of the “rednecks.”

He knew Judith elicited a lot of unwanted attention on campus, but those were mere boys, these were real men who threatened her. Someday soon, she needed to learn how to harness her anger. If not, she could pay a heavy price with her abrasive attitude—rape, or worse.

Larry couldn’t help but occasionally glance at Judith. The only observation the “rednecks” at the diner were dead on about was her looks. She possessed the appearance and body of a Playmate. It was difficult for him to focus on the road as the lowering rays of sunlight reflected off the outside rearview mirror, exposing her perfectly shaped chest. It heaved in perfect rhythm with each breath she inhaled. At times, he felt they beckoned to be fondled and suckled. Yes, the thought crossed his mind more than once, but he knew how harshly she rejected all would-be admirers—a deathly stare followed by a short volley of unflattering comments to her suitors.

The thirty-minute drive seemed to take much longer than the first nine hours. Time appeared to be suspended as the mile markers slowly counted down to their final destination.

Only once was the quiet broken. “Are we there yet, Captain?”

In unison, Muki, Larry and Judith obliged a response to the Star Trek wannabe, “NO!”

Although they had all seen Las Vegas in movies or postcards, nothing would prepare them for what awaited. Five miles out of town, the glow of lights from the city overpowered the shroud of the jet-black night sky.

“Look at that, guys. How would you like to pay that light bill?” asked Larry.

The other three stared ahead and took in the scene. They felt a small bit of dread grip them. Subconsciously, they were getting a glimpse of the city that had dashed so many high hopes and turned many potential millionaires to peasants, who then had to justify why they were now the proud owners of two home mortgages, or explain why the money for college was gone.

“Don’t let the lights overwhelm you, guys. The original owners of this town knew exactly what they were doing. The city was built for one reason and one reason only.”

“What was that?” inquired Judith.

“Money, money, and more money. If you follow your history, Vegas was a perfect haven for the East Coast mob bosses. Gambling is legal in Nevada; not so in New York, Chicago or Kansas City. Sure they drew a lot of top headliners like the “rat pack” and Elvis, but that was only to convince the “jet set” to come and visit. They were served the best food, given the best tickets, but it was a lure. The bosses knew if they treated common people with respect and dignity, they would legally haul in millions. One of the best marketing tools they built into the casinos was no clocks and no windows.”

“Why?” asked Abdul.

“Money, my friend, money. Time doesn’t exist when you start playing. Take away a person’s concept of time and they’ll keep spending their money until they have none. They won’t realize they just spent eight hours leaning over the craps table or playing Twenty-One. Time will only reappear when they retire to their rooms or walk outside and realize the sun is bearing down from a clear blue sky. So, take it in for what it is—the entire town is one monstrous gambling house!”

Ten minutes later, Judith pulled her baby under the Romanesque stone entrance of Caesar’s. Larry was hoping like hell the glamour and opulence of this replica building of Old Rome didn’t overwhelm his friends’ senses and cause them to forget why they’d come. He could tell by the oohs and aahs emitting from their constricted throats that a reminder was necessary.

“Okay, you guys get us checked-in and I’ll park the car. Do not go in to any of the gaming rooms. Stay in the main concourse. Understood?” All three nodded as they exited the car and retrieved their luggage.

Larry pulled away hoping they heeded his warning.

Judith walked up to the perfectly polished, granite top check-in desk. “Room for Kowalski/Anderson.”

The young female desk clerk checked her reservation board.”Yes, Judith and Larry?”

“Yes.”

“May I have your credit card and ID, please?” How could this employee be so nice knowing how many of the guests left with empty wallets? What did Larry say, “it was built to take your money?”

“Not this time,” she softly said.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” The overpowering pleasantness of the clerk was becoming unbearable. She wanted to reach over and grab the bleached-blond bimbo and tell her to quit being so damned nice. She and her friends weren’t the typical gamblers, and would see to it they wiped the smiles off the employees as they scooped up their earnings and left town with their pockets full of cash.

“Oh, nothing, nothing at all. Are the rooms ready and where are the elevators?”

“Go down the hall to your left. Pass by the VIP entrance. The elevators will be on your left. Have a wonderful stay at Caesars and if you need anything, my name is Natalie.”

Judith restrained from speaking her mind. “Thank you, Natalie.”

She then picked up the key cards and turned around. “Muki, where’s Abdul?”

“I tried to stop him, but you know how he is. He said he only wanted to take a peek. Something about the sound of phaser fire was drawing him like a magnet to steel.”

“If that little shit is in the casino, I’m going to kick his ass since I can’t very well do it to Natalie.”

Sure enough, they found him in the middle of the Palace Casino. His eyes were bulging out of their sockets. Never had he witnessed so many sights and sounds. The mass of humanity was overpowering as they were frantically pushing buttons on the electronic slot machines or taking another hit from the dealer. More than one waitress asked if he’d like a drink with the lure of providing a phone number for a nice tip. He was losing his senses. This is what Larry warned us of, she thought. It is built to take your money.

Judith’s eyes were bearing in on him with little compassion. “Abdul. What the hell are you doing?”

“I just wanted to try this machine one time. What could be the harm in trying just one? “

“You know what Larry told us, and I now see why he was trying to prepare us. I can feel the electricity in the air, and if the desk clerk’s niceties were an indication of things to come, we could easily spend too much money too fast.”

“Excuse me, would you like something to drink?” asked one of the patrolling hostesses. Abdul’s’ mouth dropped to the ground. This girl—no, woman—was a perfect match to Megan Fox. The outfit she wore was tailored to catch every tantalizing curve her body offered. Her penetrating blue eyes (must have been contacts) were staring into his soul, or worse, his wallet.

“I...I…aahh…aahh…”

A deep voice answered the question Abdul was struggling with. “Thank you, but no. My friend needs to get some rest.” The three were shocked into reality as Larry rescued Abdul.

“Okay, well if there is anything I can do (a seductive smile spread across pearly white teeth), please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

Larry glanced at her name tag without taking her full beauty in his sights. “Thank you, Cheryl, we’ll let you know.”

Larry (like a mother bear rounding up her cubs) guided the three to the elevators. Without calling out anyone in particular, he reiterated his previous thought and warning. “There is a reason I told you three to stay out of the casino. The lure of relinquishing ‘our’ money is too great a temptation just to frivolously throw it away. We came to play Twenty-One, and that is what we’re going to do, and with some good luck and planning, we’ll walk out of here with deeper pockets than when we entered.”

He led them to the elevators and escorted them to room 1010. As they made their way to the room, Judith kept wondering how Larry knew so much about Las Vegas. Had he ever been? In all the years she knew him, the only trips he took were back home to visit his parents on holiday or a brief summer vacation. How does he know so much?

The four entered the room and were taken aback by the opulence. All but one. The planners knew how to welcome guests! Any dignitary would find the accommodation more than adequate. Two perfectly made queen-size beds. An ample supply of fresh towels with all the toiletries anyone could want. An oversized wall dresser housed a fifty-inch plasma flat screen and a small, well-stocked liquor cabinet. Everyone but Larry was impressed.

Judith jumped onto the first bed and claimed it for the girls. Muki and Abdul followed suit. Larry was standing in front of the huge bay window staring over Las Vegas Boulevard in deep thought.

Judith couldn’t help but examine his broad shoulders and well-sculpted backside. Why hadn’t she ever noticed this before? Irrelevant, or was it? “Larry, how do you know so much about this city? Have you been here before?”

He continued gazing at the night life of the streets. Cars clogging the main boulevard, taxis darting in and out for a new fare, the kids on the corners handing out (actually dropping more than being passed) cards promoting every strip club or sex line in town, and of course, the few prostitutes not good enough to work for the many escort services in town.

“Larry, did you hear me?” came an emphatic reminder. “Larry!”

He stood silent as a statue remembering the night his father took him, along with a former teammate, to Atlantic City after the Ravens thrashed the Jets. It was a memory he’d like to forget.

“Dammit, Larry. Am I talking to myself? I asked a simple question and believe I deserve a simple answer.” She got up off the bed and thought about approaching his wide, muscular back in order to receive an answer.

Abdul jokingly warned her. “Be careful, young one. He could be discovering all the secrets of the universe, or even better, he could be pondering all the positions he and Cheryl might share.” The thought of Larry being with Cheryl disgusted her. She took two steps towards him.

“I heard you,” came the quiet words. “Dad and I were invited to catch a Ravens/Jets game by one of Dad’s old teammates, Leroy. After the game, Dad told Leroy “we” would take him to Atlantic City.

“The Ravens kicked the shit out of the Jets. General Custer had a better chance than New York. The final score was 35-7. The victory gained home-field advantage for the Ravens and sent the Jets, a lowly 2-14, back to the drawing board.” Larry slowly turned around, continuing the story. “We went to Harrah’s. Dad liked it because it was on the northernmost side of the boardwalk. It drew a fair crowd but nothing like the one farther south. He liked the idea of being able to go outside and enjoy the calm of the sea and the waves coming in off the Atlantic. To him, it was a two-for-one; he could have fun and relax at the same time, without being buffeted for autographs and tourists saying, ‘Hey, I know you’ while he was concentrating on a hand.” He stopped for a moment reflecting on the night. Judith, Muki and Abdul dared not interrupt. The fierceness in Larry’s eyes indicated the night did not end well.”

He turned around, facing his friends, staring at nothing.

“I was watching Dad and Leroy hammer away at the Twenty-One table. They were both up $5,000 apiece. Not too bad seeing how Leroy received a $10,000 bonus that day for making the play-offs. So why not spend a little of their winnings and add to the New Jersey coffers so the Jets could afford a good draft pick.” He paused again rethinking how the evening unfolded.

“Two other men joined the table Dad and Leroy were playing at. They played very conservatively, throwing out comments about how cold the cards were. Dad told him they just needed patience and eventually their luck would turn. The men nodded in agreement and kept playing. After five hours and $10,000 up each, Dad decided it was time to call it a day. Leroy agreed.

“Before Dad got up he looked me in the eye and said, ‘Son, remember one thing about gambling. It’s a business. Treat it as a job and you’ll always walk out with money in your pocket. If not, you’ll wind up like our friends here who think gambling is a game.’

“They picked up their winnings, both tossing a $500 chip to the dealer, thanking him for such an entertaining evening. The dealer quickly deposited the chips in his pants pocket and continued dealing.

“Dad said, ‘Come on son, let’s get some air, then go back to the hotel. Leroy, want to join us?’

‘Sure man. I could use a good stretch and maybe get something to eat.’

“Dad looked down at his gold Rolex as we walked outside. ‘Leroy, it’s 3:00am. Knowing your appetite, everything you eat will go straight to that enormous ass you carry around, and coach will blame me for you breaking weight again.’

“Leroy and I both laughed. Dad was right. Every time Leroy went over his optimum weight, the linebacker coach blamed Dad for the problem. ‘Kowalski. How many times do I have to tell you to keep Brown at the correct weight? Are you deaf or just stupid?’ Dad took it in stride and told the coach he’d handle it.”

He walked past Judith to the mini bar removing a water.

“The night was brilliant. We walked outside and were immediately met with a brisk easterly wind full of the Atlantic salt air. We walked up to the boardwalk and rested on the rail. We didn’t notice anyone else near us. Dad knew something didn’t feel right, but let the thought slide—for the moment.

‘You guys were pretty lucky tonight. What’s your secret?’ came the words. It was one of the men who’d been playing at the same table. He appeared to be Italian by his accent. He was all of five feet eight and maybe 175lbs. Dad turned his head innocently enough. ‘Patience my friend, patience.’

“What should have been a leisurely encounter rapidly turned ugly.

‘Patience huh?’ The man looked back at his accomplice. ‘Manny, why the fuck didn’t we think of that? If we had patience, we too could have screwed the house and walked out with our pockets full.’ He then looked straight at Dad. ‘Look you motherfucker, if we wanted a history lesson, we’d still be in school, but I think Manny and I are little too old for that.’

‘Yeah Carlos, we too smart for school. We got our own way,’ replied Manny.

‘Look guys,’ Dad was trying to be nice, ‘it’s been a long day, and we don’t want any trouble, okay?’

‘Trouble? Manny, this cracker and his “boy’’ don’t want any trouble. Manny, you want any trouble?’

‘He moved his head side to side. ‘No trouble, Carlos.’

‘Tell ya what cracker, why don’t you and Uncle Tom there just hand over the money and there won’t be any trouble. Capisce?’ The word “boy” disturbed Leroy, but the reference to Uncle Tom was too much.’

Larry walked back over to the window, crushing the plastic bottle in his hand.

“‘Hey, you little Italian whop!’ The words boomed over the wooden boardwalk, bouncing off any structure which attempted to stop them. ‘If you and your scrawny friend don’t beat a fast path to the nearest pizza house, you’re gonna become a flying pepperoni. Capisce?’

‘Hey nigger, I wasn’t talking to—” Dad hated the word nigger. Each time the word was uttered on the field in rage, Dad would single the offender out and make sure he never used it again. He was fined and ejected from a few games for “unsportsmanlike conduct’’. He didn’t care because the next time he faced the player, those words never came across his opponent’s lips, or at least not loud enough for Dad to hear them.

“He grabbed Manny by the throat and pulled him close. ‘Apologize to my friend or he’s right. You will become a flying fucking whop.’

“Manny tried to force a few obscenities out of his constricted windpipe. The only sound was a frantic plea.

‘Hey man. Let him go, or you gonna be swimming with the fish before the night is over.’

“I looked over at Carlos. He was wielding a nasty-looking, highly-polished/sharpened six-inch knife Dad and Leroy were strong and fully capable of handling most situations which arose. This was different. These guys meant business. Without thinking, I took off looking for a cop. I could hear Leroy yelling with his booming voice, ‘YOU MOTHERFUCKERS...’ ”

“All three were sitting on the edge of the bed taking in the terrifying tale, daring not to interrupt.

“I couldn’t have been gone more than five minutes when I returned with a couple of local cops. The sight that greeted us was gruesome. All four men were lying on the ground. Manny and Carlos weren’t moving. Upon a quick examination, Dad had a nasty cut just above his left kneecap, and Leroy was holding a severe laceration on his right arm. The knife Carlos produced was buried deep in his back while blood leaked out of Manny’s gut. It was a gruesome sight.” The three gasped in shock as Larry described the macabre scene.

He turned staring at them; fire emanating from his eyes

“Does that answer your question, Judith? Yes, I’ve been here, and I learned. Any other questions?” His eyes were boring into her. She could see beads of perspiration pooling on his forehead. This wasn’t the ‛geek’ from Stanford. Before her stood a man, a real man.

“No,” came her meek reply.

“Okay, back to business. Abdul, what the hell were you doing in the casino? Were my instructions not clear?” Abdul shook his head in resignation.

“Alright, everyone is allowed one mistake. I guess it’s for the best. You three got a taste of how fast the environment can flood your senses and become overwhelming. Lesson learned?”

They nodded in agreement.

“Good, let’s get some food, grab some sleep and prepare to rip this place! Everyone in?”

All three stood up, formed an impromptu circle around Larry, raised their dominant hand, slapped high-fives and called out in unison, “This place is ours!”

* * *

The 2:00am wake-up call came right on time. Larry knew the clerk would be punctual. Sleeping guests might be getting some much-needed rest, but it also meant they weren’t spending money. Judith was closest to the phone. Her first reaction was to send it screaming into a wall. She hated being awoken by anything other than her prized stereo with the Blues Brothers tune “Rawhide” to get her going. She jerked the receiver off the bracket. “Who the hell is this?”

“Good morning. This is your hostess Natalie.” Natalie? Natalie! The words conjured up a scene best portrayed in a Halloween movie or even better, Freddie versus Jason. Judith’s blood started boiling as she pictured sweet Natalie’s demise.

“Listen you little—” Larry vaulted out of bed and wrenched the phone from her hands.

“Thank you for being so prompt, Natalie.”

“I hope you are enjoying your stay, and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

“Thank you, Natalie. I believe everything is in order. Again, thank you for being so prompt and (he deliberately and concisely spoke the next word) c.o.u.r.t.e.o.u.s.”

Judith could only stare at Larry with contempt and longing in her eyes. In all the years she’d spent around him, she never remembered seeing him with his shirt off and only sporting boxers. She was amazed at how perfectly sculpted his chest and upper-body muscles were. He never went to the gym or anything. He was always studying and would make snide remarks about the guys who would spend hours trying to build up the perfect body in hopes of luring some unlucky co-ed to their beds.

She pulled the pillow over her head to hide her disgust with Natalie interrupting a perfectly good dream, but also to hide the red tinge covering her face.

“Okay sleepyheads, ready to make some money?”

“Aye, Captain, but why must we battle so early? Surely the reactors need more charging before we venture off into the universe?” Muki agreed with Abdul’s analysis.

“Because, Mr. Scott, the Romulans will never expect an assault at such an hour. Now, get moving!”

“Aye, Captain,” came the groggy reply from Abdul. “Oh Captain, I don’t think the Romulans will be impressed with your physique. Might think about finding a new tunic for battle.”

Larry had forgotten, in his haste to save the room phone (and Natalie) from perfect destruction at the hands of Judith, what he was wearing. Despite his physical stature and well-developed body, he seldom went about advertising it.

“Good point, Scott.” Larry moved to his overnight bag and pulled out a shirt he prized. It was a black T-shirt with a wicked-looking vampire on it. The vampire on the shirt appeared to be one particularly seductive and nasty female. Her mouth was wide open brandishing her fangs with blood streaming down them. He believed it would be his good-luck charm. It might even distract the dealers just enough so they wouldn’t be able to concentrate completely on beating the guests. It would be his own secret weapon. Intimidation was the key. The house had its weapons; Larry had his.

“Come on guys, let’s get moving.”

One by one, the group made for the bathroom in shifts and prepared for the upcoming battle. Abdul suggested they get something to eat.

Larry flat out said “No! The casino wants you to eat before playing. The food they serve is packed with calories and sugar—another ploy. Eat too much and the house gains another edge,” said Larry “No. We eat when we’re done.”

“What about coffee, surely they don’t doctor that?” quizzed Judith.

“Coffee, juice, or milk is fine. But no food.” The other three reluctantly agreed. “Judith, do us one thing.”

“What’s that, Larry?”

“Don’t make a scene, please. We all know how pernickety you are when it comes to coffee.”

“Aye, Captain. Two-to-one she throws the cup on the floor when she realizes it isn’t one-hundred percent Colombian blend.”

“I think the odds are more than three-to-one she loses it,” quipped Muki.

Judith shot out a stare that would kill and stormed into the bathroom. The words coming from behind the door were far from flattering as she described her accompanying trio.

Larry’s words were quiet but audible from the other side of the door. “Best get it out of your system now, Judith. We don’t want to see you escorted out.” She heard them laughing behind the door.

“You all think you’re so damned funny, don’t you? Just wait until I break the house and wave my winnings (her voice started softening) in your face. You won’t be laughing... (an image of Larry standing before her reflected onto the steamy mirror filling her with fire and desire ) ...at me.” She felt her blood heating up as she admired the image and pictured his muscular body pressing against hers. You won’t be laughing, she quietly whispered to herself.

* * *

Larry led the three into the heart of the casino’s nerve center—roulette wheels, electronic slots, and crap tables. However, those weren’t the ones being sought out. They were all high-risk with the odds stacked against the most seasoned players. Hoots and hollers occasionally spiraled above the sounds of the other players and luring electronic voices emanated from the machines guaranteeing everyone was a winner. Every place you looked, the persuasion of becoming the next millionaire pulsed through the room like a gigantic magnet.

Larry let the group gain their bearings before moving them to their appointed destination—Twenty-One.

“How’s your coffee, Judith?” he asked.

She glumly looked at Larry. “Motor oil tastes better than this shit.”

“Good, glad you like it. Abdul, looks like you owe Muki some money already. It’s been five minutes, and she’s still holding the cup.” A small smile crept across his lips with the words.

“Aye, Captain. It looks like she’s pulled a hundred and eighty on me. Don’t think I’ll ever figure out women of this universe.”

Judith saw an opening and took it. “How about any universe, you twit.”

“Abdul, you can pay me after we’ve tried our luck. It would be bad luck to admit defeat before the battle has even begun.” Muki’s words were wise and true.

“Aye, my little Asian lotus blossom. You are wise beyond your years.”

“This way, guys.” Larry had pinpointed two tables. Each one only had two other players, who were looking weary from a night of having the house allow them to win on occasion, but in the end, they would leave the table with less than when they started.

“Remember! We aren’t gambling. We’re playing.”

Larry pointed to Judith and Abdul. “You guys take the table to the right. Muki and I will take this one.” Judith found herself feeling a little disappointed. She was hoping to sit with Larry if for no other reason than to be close to him. She was noticing he carried a hidden aura of confidence. “Good luck, guys. See you in five hours,” he quipped as he and Muki headed to the table he’d chosen.

As Larry anticipated, the first few hours moved by quickly. He and Muki were holding their own. The cards started out cold and were continuing the trend. The odds were moving in their favor. There had been over eight different players over the hours. They were the typical “get rich quick” folks. They would win a few hands and get greedy only to watch the house, with one swipe of the hand, relinquish the would-be winners to grumbling losers. Each player would leave the table complaining how they’d been cheated or even better, “should have quit while I was ahead.” They were right on one point; they should have quit while they were ahead instead of placing outrageous bets on hands that were doomed from the start. They were gamblers, not thinkers.

He wondered how Judith and Abdul were doing. He would occasionally hear Abdul rattle off some reference to Romulans or Klingons, a sure sign the cards weren’t being kind. But nothing from Judith yet. He took that as a good sign. This wasn’t the appropriate atmosphere for her violent temper to come boiling out. He looked back to make sure all was going well.

The only movement he detected was Judith’s body slowly moving in and out. It was the calmest he’d ever seen her. Good, it appeared she was playing the game and not gambling. Something else caught his eye, her perfectly shaped butt. This wasn’t the time for distractions. He turned around, displaying a grin to Muki, and prepared for the cards he knew were coming.

As he calculated, the cards were turning to the players’ advantage, at least his and Muki’s. The chips slowly started piling up in the next hour. Patience was paying off. Each player started with $5,000 each. It was agreed that if they dropped to one thousand dollars, they would walk away and wait for the others. They were not, under any circumstance, to try their luck at other games or machines or, a real no no, sit at the table with their friends and start chatting. This could cause unwanted attention. They were instructed to get something to eat and then immediately retire to the room and wait.

Abdul was out first. No big surprise. He showed promise in the car, but he was too easily distracted. “Aye, Lieutenant, you’ve gotten the best of me this round. I look forward to our next millennium meeting.” He tossed a fifty-dollar chip to the dealer and made his way to the waiting buffet.

Judith hadn’t heard or noticed he’d left. She was eyeing the cards and calculating bets. Another couple at the table were amazed how fearlessly she made her bets and awaited the next card. They could easily have mistaken her for a computer if it weren’t for those firm nipples struggling to be freed and unencumbered. The male of the couple couldn’t resist striking up a harmless conversation,

“Nice stack. Feeling lucky tonight?”

Judith was thinking if she should hold or hit. The dealer was showing fifteen without the down card. She was showing fifteen. Her bet was $4,000. She’d seen this hand in the car. She knew the odds were in her favor. She upped the bet to $5,000 and held. The small cards were becoming thinner with each turn. She held. The dealer held and flipped the down card. Ten of hearts. Bust!

“Damn honey,” came the words from the Southern gentleman. “I think I’d trade your stack for hers any day.” His female companion let out a nervous laugh while Judith slowly raised her head, turned to the right and bore her eyes deep into his soul. She took a drink of her lukewarm motor oil, placed it back in the cup holder (without looking) and slowly lowered all but one finger on her right hand, then smiled.

“No need to be rude, darling. I was just joshing. Come on baby, let’s find greener pastures.” Judith smiled as the bothersome couple departed.

The tension and excitement she felt in the car during the test runs were nothing like the live sport. She was enjoying the game, and she was winning. It was more exhilarating than driving her car in competition. Each hand she won triggered another minor orgasm. Racing would get her adrenaline moving, but never had it ignited her engine. She knew she was winning. She knew the cards were falling in her favor. One thing she didn’t notice was how much she was winning. Someone else did. He took a seat at the end of the table and watched.

The pendulum was swinging for Muki and Larry as well. The cards were coming fast and furious. They were on the third and last shoe of the shift. The shirt appeared to be working its magic. Larry kept a close eye on the dealer’s hands as each card slid out of the shoe. The customer who complained about being cheated was right. The dealer knew what he was doing, and with a sleight of the hand, easily delt cards that guaranteed failure for the untrained eye. The dealer made no such move with Larry’s. He’d done it to Muki twice, but not Larry. He played him head to head. Maybe the dealer feared that the caricature on his shirt would come to life if he attempted to cheat its owner.

Muki was still holding her own. She’d win a few and lose a few creating a good balance and low profile for her and Larry, as his stack started growing. His initial stack of $5,000 had grown to $55,000. He knew the next hour would be his last. The shift would change as would the cards. Starting over wasn’t an option nor what they agreed on. Five hours and they were out no matter what the outcome. Larry decided it was time to shift into high gear and make the dealer earn his keep or actually congratulate a player for having a good night. He looked back one more time to check on Judith. Her breathing appeared to be deeper than before. She was definitely into the game. His eyes also fell onto the player at the end of the table. His gut tightened just a bit.

“Twenty-one to the young graduate,” exclaimed the dealer, Jerry. Larry was beaming. He was up $50,000 with ten minutes to go, and by his count, there were only thirty cards left in the shoe—he decided to go for broke.

“Thank you, sir.”

The dealer wasn’t the only one congratulating the graduate; another pair of eyes also noted the winnings.

“Jerry, let’s play one more.” suggested Larry.

“Very good sir,” replied Jerry.

The cards were true. Larry was looking at the ten of spades and king of diamonds. Jerry showed king of hearts. Muki was silently contemplating her hand—six of diamonds and ten of hearts. She held her bet at $500. If she won, her winnings would top $4,000. She held. The two other players at the table had folded. Larry took a deep breath, picked up five $1,000 chips and called. He took another deep breath in as the odds of the dealer flipping over the last remaining ace was not in the house’s favor. Jerry smiled as his left index finger tapped the next card in the slot. Larry saw everything in slow motion as the card effortlessly crossed the green table and started to turn up. His heart sank heavily as he identified the ace of diamonds. Twenty-one to the house came the slow words tumbling out of Jerry’s mouth. Larry was dejected. Had Jerry made a switch? Had he forgotten to “play the game” instead of gambling, or was it just bad luck? Larry congratulated Jerry and flipped him a $500 chip. “Thank you Jerry for a very entertaining evening. It has been a pleasure.”

“Thank you, sir. We hope to see you again, sir.” Yeah, Larry knew the dealer was sincere, as even though he lost $5,000 on the last hand, he was still walking away with an extra $40,000 of spending cash. No, it would be some time before he would give Caesars a chance to win back their money.

“How’d you do?” Judith’s words were soft and even.

“Not too bad. I think we have enough for maybe an extra week or two on the road. How’d you make out?” Larry turned around and looked at her. Her hair and body was covered in sweat. Her chest was moving up and down unusually heavily. He couldn't help but notice her perfectly shaped nipples, (held in check by a sheer, red, Victoria's secret bra), protruding from her saturated white T-shirt.

“Not too bad if you consider $70,000 not bad.” What did she say? $70,000? No way. No way. Judith could see the unbelievable look in his eyes. “Just look down and see.” She was holding a wooden box (courtesy of the house) containing her winnings for the night.

Larry couldn’t have been prouder of his star student. Muki stood in amazement at the winnings. She felt dwarfed by her friends’ take. “I should have stayed home. Between you two, we could spend the whole summer on the road while Abdul and I provide the money for tolls.”

“Let’s go to the cashier and cash out. We don’t want it all in cash. We’ll take $10,000 in cash, $20,000 in travelers checks, and the rest we’ll put in a joint account. Muki, go get Abdul while Judith and I take care of the money. It’s time we enjoyed some of our winnings.” Muki departed from the two “big winners” and went to retrieve Abdul.

“Judith, I think we should stay one more day and take in a show or two. What do you think?”

“That would be great. I think we’ve all earned it. One more day won’t upset our vacation timetable, and we’ve all earned a night of fun and pleasure.”

* * *

Nathan Francisco also admired the winnings of the kids, but he lived by a code, “Money that comes to Vegas, stays in Vegas.” He would let the kids enjoy the winnings for a short time before making sure the money was returned to its rightful owners. He looked at his right-hand man.

“Arturo, looks as if they’ll be spending another day here. Call some of the guys. We need to set up a watch. We don’t want our friends leaving without saying goodbye.”

Arturo pulled out his phone and punched the speed dial. “Louie, Nate wants you and Michael to get the guys together and meet us at Caesars. We’ve got some bird watching to do.”

* * *

With the banking done, they all enjoyed a well-deserved five-star dinner, then bought tickets for Cirque du Soleil and Tom Jones. With the work done, they retired back to their room, pulled the shades and quickly passed out. They were exhausted.

* * *

“Louie, watch the elevators. Call if there are any changes.”

“Yes boss.”

* * *

The shows were everything they were billed as—outstanding and brilliant. Tom Jones wasn’t the group’s first choice of entertainer, but they couldn’t help enjoying how the women (mostly in their 50s and 60s) were still throwing different pieces of underwear on the stage at the aging singer. He might have lost a step or two on the stage, but his personality showed through his years of performing. He was a true entertainer in every sense of the word.

“What now ‘O’ great leader? What lands shall we conquer?” Larry knew exactly what “lands” Abdul was referring to. “Ladies, want to see how the girls in Vegas dance?”

Judith jumped in. “Sure. I’ve been itching to see Abdul in action. This will be worth the price of admission.” Muki would have preferred to go back to the room and watch TV. She didn’t say a word and went along with her friends.

* * *

“Nate, they’re going to Spearmint Rhino.”

“Follow them,” came the short response.

* * *

Abdul was the first to break the silence as they walked to the limo, “That was a waste of time. I don’t understand why no one thought my comment was funny.”

“What did you expect? A kiss or something? Asking a girl to check out your warp drive was lame to say the least.” Judith’s remark was filled with sarcasm and humor. “Anyway, they weren’t that good looking. You were better off being rejected.”

Abdul couldn’t argue the fact. The girl he targeted, Cherry, was a beauty at first sight. Her curves were soft and hard. Her breasts appeared to be a product of silicon valley as they swayed awkwardly with her moves, not like Judith’s. Cherry offered Abdul a table dance for fifty bucks and no touching.

Judith laughed at the proposal. “Abdul, if you pay her five dollars that would be too much. Look how she moves. All she wants to do is rub against you a little and steal fifty bucks.”

Cherry wasn’t amused with Judith’s remark. “Think you can dance better than me, Bambi?” That was Cherry’s first mistake, yet she continued. “I’m a highly trained professional and know what I’m doing.”

That was her second mistake. Unbeknown to her friends, Judith was a very promising dancer in high school, until she suffered a terrible accident during a performance and ripped the tendons and ligaments to shreds in her ankle. The doctors wished she’d broken it. As it was, her dream of pursuing a professional career in dancing ended. She could still perform as long as the moves weren’t overly strenuous or taxing.

“Cherry, I have no doubt you are a highly trained professional, just not in dance, and yes, I will dance rings around your skinny ass.”

Cherry took great offense to the remark. “Tell ya what, Bambi,” as she moved the gum around in her mouth, “we’ll have a contest to determine who can dance. If I win, not only will Apu owe me fifty bucks, you will owe me a hundred since I’ll be entertaining two guests at once.”

“And if I win?” inquired Judith, with a hint of seduction in her voice. Cherry hadn’t thought that far. The idea of losing never entered her mind. Realizing Miss Cherry was attempting to formulate a thought, Judith continued. “I’ll make it easy. When I win, you will pay my friend here $100 and give him a free dance if he so chooses. Deal?”

Cherry thought it would be a cakewalk and accepted the terms. That was her third mistake. Three minutes later, Cherry was pulling a crisp $100 bill out of her white, lacy garter and handing it over to Abdul, who was starstruck. But it wasn’t just him who was in shock. Muki, Larry, Cherry and a host of others were stunned with the performance Judith let loose. She was magnificent! Her body moved through the air with consummate ease and wile. She displayed every aspect of her hardened body.

The house lights danced and played on her firm body with each move she performed. No one, even the seasoned regulars, had ever seen a woman so wrapped up and confident in her own movements. Even Cherry stopped to take in the show. Judith became lost to the world as she let her hands move up and down over her taut figure. Her fingers flowed around her breasts and between her thighs as if she wore silk gloves. It was the most erotic show any of them would ever see in their lives. Before the song stopped, a thunderous applause burst forth from the tables surrounding the group. A stream of five-dollar bills rained down on their table. Cherry meekly handed over the money, deliberately brushing against Judith’s breasts, quietly whispering, “You can dance for me anytime.”

“Judith, where did you learn to dance like that anyway?” queried Larry.

“High school.”

“Well I must admit, that was quite a performance. This must be the first time any man or woman walked out of a strip club with more money than when they entered.” All agreed to that point.

“Guys, it’s been a very wonderful and exciting evening. I suggest we get a bite to eat and call it a day. We need our sleep, and Judith wants to leave town as the sun starts setting. Tomorrow we leave on our next adventure.”

“Aye, Captain, it’s time to recharge the crystals and prepare for a new battle. The Klingons will not win two in a row. I’ll be ready next time.”

“Abdul,” interjected Muki, “is it possible for you to speak in English, or must you always speak in a tongue none of us care to listen to?” Larry and Judith nodded in agreement.

“Oh yes, my small Asian ninja, badass, martial arts master. I speak so others may follow and learn.”

“The only thing we learn from your so-called intelligence is that it’s severely lacking.” The tone she used was patronizing at best. It was the first any of them were seeing this side of Muki. First the demise of the rednecks at the diner, and now hard, straight sarcasm?

There was a reason she’d hesitated to enter the strip club. She never elaborated about her parents’ lives in Vietnam. None of them knew that one of her aunts was captured when Saigon fell, and was forced into a house of pleasure for the victors from the north. None of them knew the degradation which fell upon her namesake, so she kept it to herself. That’s why she would rather have stayed in the room watching TV than thinking about her aunt performing for the venomous North Vietnamese Communist bastards!

Larry hustled his group into the waiting limo and instructed the driver to take them to the Shibuya. As Larry proceeded to slide into the car, he felt a mild twitch in his stomach, the same one he’d felt at the casino. His eyes caught a glimpse of a man on a cell phone wearing sunglasses.

“They’re moving again.”

“Keep them in sight, Louie. Fail now and—”

“I will not fail, Nathan.”

“Good.” The line went dead.

* * *

The phone rang at exactly 5:30pm awakening the conquerors of Vegas. Judith wasn’t as abrupt this time with the interruption of her sleep. In a half-awake voice, she answered the call. “Hello.”

“Good evening, this is Natalie your hostess for the evening.”

“Hello, Natalie.”

“Is there anything I can get you and your friends? The manager has instructed me to comp your party with anything you wish.” Judith pondered the thought for a moment. Should they go downstairs and eat or would it be better to dine in the room? “Natalie, can we still get breakfast at this hour?”

“Yes, anything you want.”

“Okay, send up four plates of sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, toast with jelly, blueberry muffins, a pitcher of whole milk, orange juice and good, hot coffee. We also need four fried eggs, sunny-side up and six hard-boiled eggs.”

“Will there be anything else, Miss Anderson?”

“Get some cinnamon rolls,” called out Larry. “Got to have cinnamon rolls.”

“Yes, six cinnamon rolls.”

“Yes, ma’am. We will have the order delivered in twenty minutes. Is there anything else?”

“No Natalie, that will be all, and thank you for being such a wonderful hostess.” It was easy to be humble when you realized you not only beat the house, but the house was offering free food in the hopes you might stay one more night. Not this time. This group was leaving with their pockets full.

“Breakfast will be here in twenty minutes. I’m taking a shower and getting ready for the midnight drive.”

The group finished breakfast, took a shower and gathered up their belongings. Larry smiled as the words of Julius Caesar moved through his mind, vini, vidi, vici. Yes, we did and closed the door.

“You guys wait here. I’ll go and get the car. Be back in five.”

* * *

“Boss, they’re moving again. Looks like they’re leaving town.”

“Keep an eye on them. Make sure you identify what type of car they’re driving. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”

* * *

Larry pulled Judith’s Camaro gently under the entrance, extremely careful not to park too close to any of the other guests’ cars, cabs, or limos waiting for their patrons. He didn’t want to have to explain to her why there was a new ding or scratch on her baby. The three appeared from the perfectly polished glass doors. If you didn’t look and notice the gold frame, it would be easy to walk right into the glass panes, creating a moment of amusement and embarrassment, all in one. And if a guest happened to be holding their new Apple iPhone or Android, you would become a YouTube sensation in seconds.

“Let’s go, guys,” called out Judith. “The sun is setting, and I want to catch a few rays in the rearview mirror before the real drive starts. I love starting on the road at twilight. It energizes me.” Muki and Abdul followed in her footsteps. The bags were placed in the trunk with precision. They didn’t notice the Gray 2010 Cadillac that pulled in behind them.

“Everyone packed? Sure we didn’t forget anything? Cause if you did, it’s too late now. The road is mine!”

Judith sat down in her plush red seats and turned her baby over. The sound and feeling of the power under the hood reverberated through every sense. She could feel through the steering wheel if all cylinders were firing. She loved the feeling of power. Muki and Abdul climbed into the back seat as they were the smallest. Larry smiled at them as they crammed into the not-too-spacious rear seat. His eyes couldn’t help but notice the dark-skinned man motioning to the men in the Cadillac. His finger pointed slightly at the Camaro.