Viva
Max and Michael were running in the darkened school
corridors from some nameless threat. They hid behind some lockers, peeking
around the corner, checking for pursuit.
“I think we lost them.” Max told Michael breathlessly.
“Are you sure?” Michael glanced around nervously, not
as certain as Max.
“Not really.”
“Where's Isabel?” Michael asked, his voice rose almost
in hysteria. “God, where’s Maria?”
“They’re gone, Michael.” Michael showed signs of
falling apart, but Max grabbed him, giving him a shake. “Now pull it together
or we're gonna be next.”
“Okay, okay, what - what do they want from us?”
“We need a plan.” Max told him. “We can't fly by the
seat of our pants anymore.”
“They gotta want something.” Michael’s body was
shaking. “Maybe we can talk to them.”
“It's time to step it up. Face the demon. No more
hiding.”
“What are you talking about?” Michael asked as he
checked the hall for their pursuers again. He turned back around, but Max was
gone.
“Max! Maxwell?” Michael called almost hysterically.
Suddenly there were men all around him, dressed in black-ops gear pointing their
guns at Michael. He raised his hands, afraid and alone. Backing up slowly he
shook his head in denial. “No, please, no!”
Ignoring his pleas, they shot him. His body jerked from the
impact of the bullets and he woke up, gasping for air, touching his chest to
check for bullet holes. Sinking his head in his hands for a moment he tried to
calm down. It was a dream, just a dream. Getting out of bed, he walked through
the dark apartment into the kitchen. Another wave of fear and helplessness
washed over him. He slammed the refrigerator hard with the heel of his hand,
leaning on it for a moment before opening it to take out a brown envelope. The
money that Bobby Dupree tried to bribe him with to desert Laurie, to walk away
and never look back weighed in his hands. Sick and tired, he tried to quell the
rising nausea and residual fear. This had to end. Something had to change.
~~~
Maria woke in a fright as suddenly Michael was on her bed,
his hands on her body waking her. He was normally quiet when he came into her
room at night, careful not to wake her or at least wake her gently.
“Michael?” Maria breathed through the pounding of her
heart almost in her throat. “What's going on?” She saw his face and sat up,
her hand going to his face. He still was sweating. “God, are you sick … is
that it?”
“We’re leaving; that's what's going on. You and I--
we're getting out of this town for a couple of days.”
“What?” Maria sat up in bed, scooting over and
literally dragging him beside her so she could push him down, trapped for
interrogation. “Why? What's wrong?”
Michael visibly sank into the bed in tiredness, his body
moving into the softness of the mattress. “I need a road trip. I gotta clear
out the cobwebs.”
“Michael, what the hell are you talking about? We just
got home from
“I'm talking about getting out of this two-bit town for a
couple of days and having some fun.” Michael answered.
“No, there's nothing wrong with that.” She searched his
face. He looked bad. Tired and there was a fine tremble in his body. Her voiced
gentled. “You wanna tell me what's really going on?”
“Nightmares. I can't shake `em; I've had `em every night
for two weeks.” Maria bit her lip. She hadn’t been spending as much time
with him, not since Sean had moved in, and he didn’t come over as much because
Sean was there and they didn’t get along. “I mean my brain needs a vacation,
or I swear to God I'm gonna lose it on someone or something, and it's not gonna
be pretty.”
“Okay, we'll take a vacation.”
“Yeah, today, now, let's go, out of town.”
“Today?” Maria frowned at the urgency he was showing.
“But ... we need a plan.”
“Screw the plan, let's just go.”
Maria nodded. She could get away. That would involve
talking to her mother, but she couldn’t see it being a huge problem. “Okay,
I need you to calm down just a moment, and tell me about these dreams. What has
you spooked?”
“Maria, can’t we by-pass the psycho-babble and just
blow Dodge?”
“Just tell me.” Maria pushed him back in the bed,
removing his shoes. Covering him up with her duvet, she waited patiently.
Michael sighed and began to tell her what he was dreaming. Maria listened, her
eyes thoughtful and intense.
“Michael, you gotta trust me here.”
“Oh, come on!” Michael didn’t want this. She was
going to reason him out of his vacation.
“You need to go talk to Max.”
“What? Max? Why?”
“Because your dreams aren’t about me, and they aren’t
about Isabel … they’re about Max leaving you alone.”
“Maria, I told you to stop watching Dr. Phil!”
“No, just listen. Maybe you need some time with Max. You
know, one on one buddy time.”
“Max and I have had a hard time lately.”
Maria nodded. “Okay, I know that … so that’s why
I’m going to act as a go-between, keep things even.”
“We’re going?”
“Absolutely,” Maria reassured him. “We need a cover
story, so no one looks for us. Max can’t just take off. So first we'll go to
school …”
“I cannot make
it through another day of school.” Michael told her honestly.
“Look … you talk to Max and give us some time to cover
our tracks and we're out of here. Okay?”
“Okay, okay, okay.” Michael lay back in the bed, his
body visibly relaxing for the first time in almost two weeks.
“So … where are we going anyway?”
“You're gonna love it. It's a place without rules,
without responsibilities, a place where we can forget about our troubles, it's a
city of dreams.”
“
“Vegas … we're going to Vegas, baby”
~~~
Maria sent Michael off to the shower before picking up the
phone and calling Max. She talked to him for a few moments, telling him in
simple English what Michael wouldn’t say when he talked to him. Max was quiet,
but he agreed that they needed to get Michael out of town, make him calmer
before he lost it.
Hanging up the phone, Maria concentrated on her closet.
Crap. Crap … crap. She needed new clothes, all her old ones were boring her.
Going down the hall, she tapped on her mother’s door entering when Amy called
to her.
“Mom, can you lend me …”
“Michael’s here?”
“Yeah. He’s in the shower.” Maria went to Amy’s
closet. “He came in last night, really late.” Maria took a dress she liked
and went to sit on her mother’s bed while watching her mom put on her makeup
at the vanity. “He’s not doing so well.”
“What’s wrong?”
Maria glanced at the bedroom door. “Nightmares. He’s
walking a very tight rope. I think being chased by a deranged killer, the
shooting, and Grant’s death has left a little something behind.”
Amy turned to look at her daughter. “He should go to the
psychologist. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. Most people have a
hard time after a traumatic injury.”
“Kyle became a Buddhist.” Maria said more to herself.
And Liz became … something else.
“What?”
“Nothing. Mom, he thinks he needs a vacation … to get
away from here, from everything.”
“Oh, am I going to like this?”
“No. But I think it’s important for him.”
Amy sighed. “Okay … where?”
“Vegas.”
“Oh, no! Maria, you’re underage.”
“I know. So I mean how much trouble can we get into?”
“Uh-huh.” Amy stared at her daughter as a huge list
slowly evolved in her mind. Tons.
“Mom, he’s looking really bad. I think the little sleep
he got in my bed last night was all he’s had in about two weeks. He was
shaking and almost sick. Michael is never sick.”
“Fine. You walk past every Vegas wedding chapel … do
not enter! Under any circumstances. No tattoos, no piercing, and absolutely …
no wild drinking parties!”
Maria gave a yelp of excitement, rushing to hug her mother
and giving her a big sloppy kiss on the cheek. Reaching over, she grabbed a few
more things from her mother’s closet. “Love you!”
“Maria...,” Amy called to her as she was almost out the
door.
“Yeah?”
“Call me if you need bail money.”
~~~
Max and Michael were walking through the school as Michael
explained to Max what he wanted to do. Surprisingly, Max was more receptive than
Michael had expected him to be, and they agreed to leave after school. Stopping
at his locker, Michael pulled out the Dupree money.
“You know, you don't have to blow the whole 50 G's in one
trip, Michael. We could take $10,000 and still have a good time.”
Michael shook his head. He couldn’t explain it, but it
had to do with loyalty. He wouldn’t betray Max in another life, and he
wouldn’t betray Laurie in this one. The money was a bribe … tainted. Blood
money to walk away from his own blood. “I don't want the money, not one thin
dime.”
“But just think about it for a minute. You could use that
cash to build your future.”
“The money was a bribe, it's tainted. You don't build
your future on that.” Michael felt his edge becoming sharp. He didn’t want
to explain it, and he sure as hell didn’t want to have Max talk him out of
what needed to be done. “Besides I think it's haunting me. I wanna get rid of
it.”
“Michael, be reasonable.”
Michael lost it, shouting at Max. “Hey! I'm not gonna be
reasonable! This isn't a reasonable day in my life.” He shoved the money into
the locker slamming it closed.
“Ok, Okay.” Max said quickly needing to calm Michael
down. Maria had been right. Michael wasn’t dealing very well. “That's a lot
of cash to keep in your locker.”
Michael used his powers to lock it. “I defy the National
Guard to open it.” He nodded to Max. “Now go ahead and make a plan for our
escape, and then let's go.”
Isabel walked up at the tail end of the conversation. “Go
where?”
“Nowhere,” Michael said brushing her off. “Meet me in
the lounge in fifth period and have a plan.” he told Max as he walked away,
and Max and Isabel started walking through the hall.
“Where are you going fifth period?” Isabel inquired.
“We're … going to Vegas.”
“We?”
“Michael and I.” Max said weakly adding in, “and
Maria.” He saw the look on his sister’s face. “It's really for him, he
needs a break.”
“And I don't? Do I really have to give you the list of
all the things that I have had to deal with lately?” Isabel demanded.
Max literally gulped, “No.”
“Then I'm sure I don't have to stand here and convince
you that if anyone needs a break it's your loving sister, who has asked for so
little and given so much.”
“No.” Max said praying she wouldn’t try to convince
him further.
“And I'm sure that whatever plan you come up with will
work just as easily for four as it will for three, right?”
“It will now.” Max said, defeated. Why did he answer
his phone that morning? Why didn’t he stay home sick?
“Fabulous, I'll see you in the lounge later.”
~~~
Michael and Kyle were in Spanish class, both not
concentrating. Michael was reading and Kyle kept glancing over at him.
“¿Dónde
est´ Felipe?”
The teacher prompted.
“Felipe
esta en la cocina.”
The class responded except for Michael and Kyle.
Kyle glanced at the teacher before throwing a piece of
paper at Michael. “What’re you reading?”
Michael glanced to see where the teacher was before showing
Kyle a book about gambling. “Vegas, baby.”
“You're going?” Kyle asked, his interest definitely
piqued.
“Si.”
Michael said smugly feeling good for the first time in weeks, almost …
optimistic.
“¿Y
qué hace Felipe en la cocina?”
The teacher prompted.
Kyle responded with the class while flipping through the
book “Felipe
come huevos.” He whispered to Michael, “When?”
“Fifth period, Max is making plans.”
“Do you have room for one more?” Kyle asked hopefully.
“Sorry, aliens only, you understand.” Michael informed
Kyle.
Kyle’s eyes narrowed. “Is Maria going?”
“Sure, but they don’t get much more alien than DeLuca.”
Kyle shrugged. Michael had a point. Maria tended to be the
extreme. He always took the little mating dance Michael and Maria were doing as
more like extreme dating. Kyle took some money out of his shirt pocket and
passed it to Michael.
“Put a quarter on red for me.” He told Michael.
The teacher noticed Kyle’s distraction from the class.
She said to Kyle, “Pepe ¿qué pasa?”
Reaching down, she confiscated the gambling book. “Hmmm, detención. Los huevos son buenos.”
“Los
comemos con salsa.”
The class responded as Kyle got detention. Kyle glared at Michael, “Triple it,
or die.”
~~~
Tess was walking down the hall, when Kyle caught up with
her. “Hey, hey, hey.” Kyle said, stopping her. “Even though you held out
on me, I'll cover with Dad, in exchange for a dime on black.”
Tess frowned, suspicious that he was suffering a brain
trauma. “Did somebody step on your head in gym?”
“Hey, knock it off.” Kyle hooked his arm through
Tess’s and walked her to her locker. “I'm talking about your
"Martians-only" field trip to Vegas.”
“I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not
going to Vegas.”
“Oh, maybe it's a surprise.” Kyle told her, noticing
Maria. Lucky girl. She was strange enough at times to pass for alien. “Max,
Maria and Michael are organizing the whole thing.”
“Really? Where did you hear that?”
~~~
Maria hooked onto Michael on the way to mid-morning snack.
In their rush that morning, they both forgot to eat breakfast. “So someone’s
been talking. Kyle was telling Tess about an ‘all alien’ trip to Vegas.
“Nope. She can’t come. They can’t come. It’s just
you, me, and Max.”
“Whyyyyy?” Maria didn’t see the big deal. They had
all been in the trenches lately. Kyle and Alex almost dying in the gandarium
cave, the others digging like unhappy miners in the pouring rain, Isabel
kidnapped by a murderous Grant, her and Laurie chased by the killer, and Michael
shot.
“Because things are gonna happen that the faint of the
heart shouldn't see.” Michael informed Maria. Nope. The others were not up to
the task.
“Oh, pleeeease!” What, he was going to dance Coyote
Ugly on a bar in his bvd’s? “Besides how are you paying for this trip
anyway?”
“The Dupree's money.”
“That's $50,000, Michael.”
“Yeah, and I'm gonna spend every cent of it.”
“Oh really?” Giving her frozen pizza roll friend the
once over, she took a firm stance. “Okay, where are we staying?”
“I got a double on the Clean & Cheap.” Maria
nodded. Uh-huh. That meant her and Michael in one bed, and Max in the other.
“Okay, how about food?”
“There are a few buffets I thought we could check out.”
“Okay, you're up to about $37 with tax. What else?”
Michael was quiet. “Come on. Nobody can spend money like I can spend money,
but even I will need help to waste through this pile in a three day weekend. We
need more people on this trip, Michael. Maybe you’re not the only one needing
to get away, blow the pressure of being in
“All right, all right, a few of them can tag along. But
you’re responsible for keeping them all away from me … and Max! This isn’t
some kissy-kissy romantic retreat where we sit around the hotel room playing
Spin the Bottle or Truth or Dare. I have stuff to do.”
Maria jumped up and down, very happy to have this huge fun
trip with all their friends. “Thank you, thank you!” She kissed him on the
cheek never noticing the knowing glances of other students watching them.
“Hey, hey. Don't go telling everybody in the whole damn
school, and let's keep this low profile. Seriously!”
Maria made a face at him. “Who are you talking to? Baby,
this is me!” Maria rushed off to
change the reservations and organize a real trip to Vegas.
Michael watched her leave, smiling slightly at her
enthusiasm, but a little overwhelmed by being mauled by the DeLuca war machine.
“Yeah, I know you. That’s what I’m afraid of.”
~~~
Maria was working on talking Liz into the trip during
science lab.
“I booked a suite at the Bali Hi hotel and casino.
Amenities include marble statuary, world-class shopping and lighted tennis
courts.”
“Vegas just isn't my idea of fun,” Liz told Maria, not
wanting to even set foot in that town.
“The pool has a water slide.” Maria tempted her friend.
“I'm sorry.” Liz shook her head. Nope. Anywhere else
… but not Vegas.
“In the shape of a giant flamingo.” Maria sighed when
Liz remained unyielding. “Please come with me to Vegas, Liz! Michael is gonna
be off doing some dumb guy thing, and I really need a gal pal.”
“No.”
“Pleeeeease!” Maria wheedled.
Liz rolled her eyes. Resisting Maria’s pleas was hard …
the girl, she had a way of getting things. “Maria, the reason I'm not going to
Vegas … is because I was married there.”
“What?” Maria looked around. Okay, so something else
Liz forgot to mention? She sincerely hoped this wasn’t part of the sleep with
Kyle sham to convince Max to move on taken just a tad bit too far.
“Yes, when Future Max came, he told me. We got married in
Vegas at the Elvis chapel, and it was the most romantic night of our lives. So
basically, I don't want to go Vegas -- ever.”
“All right, you know what? There's a lesson to be learned
here.” Maria told Liz, needing her friend to let it go, and start living her
life instead of holding on to a future that would never happen. She couldn’t
clothe herself in black and mourn what would never be. God! If being married in
a sleazy Elvis Chapel was the most romantic night of Max and Liz’s married
life, then they really needed to rethink their romance. Geez. “What happened
between you and Max is unspeakably intense, but the marriage thing never
actually really happened, so you've gotta let go of it. You've got to create
your own memories, and that's what we're gonna do in Vegas with Michael's
money.”
Alex arrived joining his two favorite girls. “Ohh, I love
the smell of formaldehyde in the morning.”
“Alex, pop quiz.” Maria said smiling at her friend, the
eternally upbeat Mr. Whitman. “If you were given the chance would you rather
a) dissect pig babies?”
“Embryos.” Liz corrected.
Maria waved that off. Whatever! Who really cared except
Liz? “Or b) get an all-expense-paid trip to Vegas?”
“When do we leave?”
“Today after fifth period,” Maria informed her friend
who knew how to live. Now the other one … “Come on, Liz, all the cool kids
are doing it.”
“I would really appreciate if you would respect my
decision.” Maria started singing Viva Las Vegas. “Maria.” Liz begged her.
“Viva, viva
“Maria.”
“Viva
Liz looked to Alex for help, but Alex had nothing to say,
obviously he thought like Maria.
~~~
Michael was walking down the hall when Tess caught up with
him.
“Michael, hey, I hope you don't mind, but I invited Kyle
on our trip to Vegas, 'cause you know, he's been really a stand-up guy, and he
did, technically, save the world from the crystals and everything.”
Michael gave Tess a ‘what our trip’ look. Dammit,
Maria. It had to be. He thought extra people meant old Parker, who would refuse
to go and skip class or break a few rules, not the entire school.
“Yeah, and I just wanted to let you know, too, that when
I first moved to town I felt like a complete outsider, you know, no friends,
barely any family, but you really helped me feel welcome. And this trip you know
-- wow!” Tess jumped up and down hardly able to contain her excitement as she
hung on Michael’s arm. “It's just so great of you to organize it for us all,
and we can all use some time away, plus, I've always wanted to go to Vegas! So
can I tell Kyle it's okay?”
Michael surrendered. Helpless to spoil Tess’s good
feelings, he resigned himself to a few extra people in his space. “Sure I'm
glad to have him. And you, by the way.”
“Thank you.” Tess rushed off to get Buddha Boy on track
for fun and debauchery in Vegas.
~~~
Michael took the money out of his locker. Walking to the
lounge, he turned the corner and beheld the entire gang, sans Max and Liz. A chauffeur was holding a sign that said
"Guerin Party".
Michael’s mouth opened in disbelief. “This is
low-profile?”
Maria hugged his arm. “Don't you love that little hat?”
Michael froze when the principal’s voice came from behind
him. “Going somewhere, Mr. Guerin?” In dread, Michael slowly turned to face
the principal but instead finding find Max standing there with a goofy smile.
“Pretty good Principal Forrester, huh?”
“Yeah, you're a riot.” Michael told him. “What's the
plan?”
Max handed Michael a piece of paper. “At this very
moment, the debate team is leaving for a two-day meet in
“Catchy.” Alex complimented.
“All right, let's go.” Michael told the group, wanting
to get the circus freak show on the road. Exactly when did his stolen weekend
away from Roswell with just him and Maria turn into this … he didn’t know,
but he sure as hell knew who to blame. Grabbing Maria, he leaned down. “You
and me! We’re sitting together. I have a few choice comments to make.” Maria
sputtered a little as everyone began to follow the chauffeur out to the car and
then the airport.
“Hey! You got room for one more?” Liz yelled at them
running to catch up. Maria smiled and threw herself into Liz’s arms hugging
her friend. Perfect!
“Oh, I'm so proud of you.”
“Yeah,” Max said to Liz, a little shocked that she
would join the party. “… but let's get out of the hall before someone starts
asking questions.” The remaining four started to leave, but Michael stopped
Liz, his arm barring her way. She glanced up at him questioningly.
“No lecturing, no moralizing, no whining about spending
money on the homeless. This weekend it's about fun and debauchery.” Michael
warned her, his eyes narrowed, still unable to believe Liz Parker could
understand such concepts. “You got it?”
“Yeah.” She said making a face. “I know how to have
fun.”
“Right.” Michael offered his arm to Maria, and given
the chance, she took it.
“Oh, you know what, Spaceboy? You better sit with Max,
and I’ll take Liz. The whole broken up thing … and plus, Liz and I, have
girl things to discuss.”
“Uh-huh. Fine, but we will
be having that talk. I promise.”
Maria watched his back as he walked towards the car with
Max. She made a gesture of disbelief. “Did you not hear him threatening me?”
“Maria … Vegas?”
“Yeah. Sure. Hmm.”
~~~
“Here we are …” The bellboy said showing them into
the suite. “The Presidential Suite. You've got three bedrooms, three baths,
state-of-the-art entertainment system, six person Jacuzzi,” The man went on
and on, as Maria took money from Michael’s stash. “… heated to a toasty
102. Is there anything else I could get you folks?” He asked as Maria handed
him his tip. Smiling the man definitely wanted to serve them. “Uh … thanks.
I'll go get you some ice.”
Maria waited until the bellboy had vacated the room before
screeching in excitement, rushing off to find her and Michael’s room before
the others tried to dominate the master bedroom.
Tess ran around too, eager to search out the place. “I
bet they have towel warmers.”
Kyle went to the entertainment center. “Let's see about
some in-house porno.”
“Hold on!” Michael told the group before they could
scramble away. “Line up, ID's out. This town has some restrictions about
having fun. I'm gonna fix that.” He went over and moved his hand over
everyone’s IDs. “You are no longer high school students from
Kyle glanced at his. “Okay, Harvey Wallbanger.”
Tess laughed. “Piña Colada.”
Alex made a face. “Tom Collins.”
“Brandy Alexander.” Isabel said smiling at Tess.
“Oh! Margarita Salt.” Maria called out in her throaty
sexy voice belonging to a speakeasy.
Liz grimaced at her new name. “Shirley Temple.”
Max lifted an eyebrow at his. “Rob Roy.”
“And I'm your host, Dr. Love.” Everyone giggled, then
stifling them from Michael’s glare. “Since I'm sponsoring this operation,
you will follow my rules. Your bank is three grand. This cash is to be spent
here. There is no hoarding it. Rule number two - and this is the biggie. Rob Roy
and Dr. Love run alone. You see us at a table, you find another one.” Michael
made sure everyone understood, spending an extra moment glaring at Liz, just in
case she didn’t get it. “Any problems, questions, or concerns, contact
management, my trusty assistant, Ms. Margarita Salt who will take care of
everything. If there are no other questions …” Everyone shook their heads
quickly. “Good, then go out and clobber the house.”
He didn’t have to beg twice. Alex ran first, then Kyle,
Isabel, and then Tess. Michael hooked Maria’s arm to keep her near as they
talked to each other in a low tone. Max approached Liz.
“I was uh … I was kind of surprised to see you were
down for this kind of trip.”
“Oh, oh, well, you know, I could say the same thing to
you.” Liz wasn’t sure she appreciated that she was considered such a dull
killjoy, but happy that Max was in the same category.
“I'm only here for Michael. He's uh … he's kinda going
through something. I just wanna keep an eye on him.”
“Oh!” Liz made a face. “So this is not a vacation for
you.”
“It's the last place I'd wanna take a vacation.” Max
told her.
“Yeah, me too. I'm just here for Maria.” Liz said
truthfully.
Michael glanced up from his talk with Maria noticing Liz.
Frowning in irritation he fixed a problem immediately. “Hey Shirley. Didn't
you hear the Dr's orders?”
“Yeah, I'm sorry. We were just …”
“Good, yeah, cool, good. Bye.” Michael pushed her
towards the door.
“Okay.” Liz looked back. “Bye.”
“She's exhausting.” Michael observed under his breath,
making a face as Parker looked back one last time. Maria punched him on the arm
and rushed off after Liz. Michael shrugged. Yeah, let Maria take care of it, she
actually liked Liz. Turning to Max he gestured to the place. “It's pretty
swanky huh?”
“Yeah, it's great.”
“I mean … time for fun. Pick your poison. Blackjack,
craps, roulette.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you want.”
“That's not the spirit I'm looking for Robbie.” Michael
told Max, needing him to be a tad bit more enthusiastic about the entire thing.
“But, don't worry, Dr. Love will show you the way.”
~~~
The four girls were walking through the casino with Maria
reading something and the others looking around.
Tess couldn’t stop smiling. “This is so cool.”
“Hey. What should we do first?” Isabel asked as Maria
dialed a number and was talking to someone.
Liz glanced around overwhelmed, uncertain where to begin
“I think we should try and play a game.” Standing around gawking like they
were doing was going to be a dead giveaway to Security.
Maria disconnected her phone. “Okay. I'm set. I just
booked a salt scrub at the spa.”
“Wait, wait.” Liz said stopping Maria. “What happened
to needing a gal pal?”
“I'll be an hour tops.” Maria reassured Liz already
having her beauty treatment scheduled, and dammit, much needed. The trip to
“Okay, bye.” Isabel said waving Maria off, completely
understanding. Later she would have to schedule herself something too. Maybe a
massage. “Okay ladies let's just dive in.” Isabel walked into the main
casino without a problem, but the security guard stopped Liz and Tess
“Excuse me, can I see some identification?” He asked
the two obviously underaged girls.
“Sure.” Tess gave him her ID as Liz passed hers over as
well.
The security guard glanced at the information handing them
back their IDs. “Nice try, girls, the video arcade is that way.”
“Uh, excuse me, we're twenty-one.” Tess told the man.
“Yeah and I'm Charo.”
“You know, I'm sure we can find another form of I.D. in
here somewhere.” Tess told the man more than happy to mindwarp him into
letting them inside.
“We are seventeen years old.” Liz confessed laughing
nervously. The security gestured
them off to the arcade.
“Mm - hmm. Good job.” Tess said crossly at Liz.
“I'm sorry. Very, very sorry.” The two girls walked off
together, unhappy not being able to have fun, and even more unhappy in each
others company.
~~~
Isabel, Kyle and Alex were all sitting at the same
blackjack table
“Show me how it works.” Isabel said watching the cards,
confused.
“All right. You put your bet here.” Kyle instructed
Isabel, and she followed his instructions. “And the point is to get to 21.
Kings are worth 10,” Kyle gestured to the dealer, “so you get another card,
now you've got 16,” he gestured to the dealer to hit them again, “so another
card, now you go to 25, and he takes your money away.”
“Gee!” Isabel said watching her money disappear easily.
“What a great game. Thank you.”
“I'm sorry, you have to play more than one hand.” Kyle
told her. It was never a short investment game.
“Kyle, this is math, not exactly what I'm looking for in
a vacation.” Isabel told him while Alex continued to watch the play.
“Well, this is the gambling capital of the world.” Kyle
pointed out. “What are you looking for?”
“I guess I'll know when I see it.” Isabel left the two
young men to their gambling. “Later.”
“All right.” Kyle turned back to the tables.
“She is right you know.” Alex pointed out. “It's
math. More precisely, AP Statistics, which dictates that an all-or-nothing
strategy has the best chance of beating the house.” Alex put his entire
bankroll on the table.
“That makes no sense.” Kyle told Alex as he gestured to
the dealer. “Hit me.”
“Hit me.” Alex said his mouth opening in shock when he
lost and the dealer took away the cards and all of his money.
Kyle grimaced, interested in Alex’s strategy. “You took
that one in the shorts.”
Maria came up behind the two, not seeing how devastated
Alex was. “You will never believe what I've found in the spa locker room.”
“Oh, God. My heart hurts.” Alex said dramatically.
“A booking agent is holding auditions.” She informed
her friend. “Alex, Alex I need the hugest
favor from you. I need an accompanist.”
“I play the bass guitar.”
“No, no. You could fake it in the piano.” Maria told
him. “It's just some simple chords changes. It first starts off with an E and
then in the bridge it goes …”
Alex, too upset with his crushing loss, made babbling
noises and then shouted above Maria to get her attention. “Maria -- I just
lost $3000, all right?”
“Alex, I'll...,” She patted him on the arm unconcerned.
“I'll give you my $3000, if you help me get this gig. Please.”
“The key was E, right?” Alex said getting up to follow
Maria.
“Right.”
“All right. What's the tune?” Alex asked as they walked
out of the casino leaving Kyle playing blackjack alone.
“Hit me.”
~~~
Max and Michael were at the craps table moving up to the
bar.
“Coming out.” The stickman called.
“Basic rules 7 or 11 on the first roll you're golden.”
Michael informed Max. “2, 3 or 12 you lose your shirt.” Michael pushed Max
into place to roll. “We've got a first time roller here.”
Michael informed the man.
“No.” Max said not to sure about gambling. “You go
ahead. I'll just watch.”
“Ok, I'm gonna roll. Trust me, Max, you're gonna love
this game. It's fast, it's loud, it's everything living in
“6, point 6.” The stickman announced. “Coming
around.”
“Okay, now if I roll a 6 we win, if I roll a 7 we go
bust.” Michael told Max as he glanced at the stickman. “6 the hard way.”
He told the man and gestured to Max placing chips on the table in front of Max.
“In for him too.” Michael rolled.
“6 hard way.” The stickman announced.
“Ohh!” Michael said excited and having fun. “Pay the
man.”
Maria came up next to Michael pushing an observer out of
the way. Michael didn’t even glance at her, but his free arm went around her
waist pulling her in closer to the table. “Amazing news. I have an
audition.”
“Now, keep with me here folks, I'm here to win,” he
told the crowd around the table, and he told Maria, “and I don't see you.”
“Hello? Don't you know what my dream has been since,
like, the beginning of time?” Maria told him, pouting a little. He knew. She
was sure she had told him. “It's to start my singing career in a smoky Vegas,
supper club.” Michael rolled the dice, ignoring Maria for the moment.
“7 winner.” The stickman called out.
“Sweet.” Michael smiled stacking his chips in front of
him letting the pile ride, as the crowd around the table went wild.
“I'll be up on stage right? In front of a great band, and
I'll belt out some torch songs, there'll be a spotlight, my makeup will be
perfect. I'll have …” Maria continued until Michael interrupted her.
“Maria, I’m winning here.”
“Are you not listening to me? This could be my big break,
right now,” Maria informed him, an important moment in her life, and he was
determined to miss it? “Don't you want to come, and like cheer me on, and like
give me a …”
“7 winner!” was announced again as Michael took the
next turn.
“Oh!” Michael slapped his hands excited bowing to his
loyal followers. “The king, ladies and gentlemen.”
“Michael!”
“Maria, stop being a pill. I'm in the middle of something
important.” Michael caught her before she could stomp off. “Maria, girl …
I’m winning money. Important money.”
Maria glanced over the bar at Michael’s pile. “How much
you up?”
“Quite a few grand.”
“Epic! We could take that holiday to
“Oh no you don’t! I won the bet over Christmas. I pick
vacationland. Daytona is having this sweet dirt bike rally in June, and …”
“I found this incredibly small string bikini with a
thong.” Maria informed Michael. “Parasailing, surfing, water sports, and
…”
“
Maria looked around at people waiting for Michael to roll
again. “Would you back up! Can’t you see the man needs space?” Maria
shooed them off. She gave Michael a quick peck on his cheek. “Get back to
work, Spaceboy. Remember … you own this bitch!”
“Yeah, I own this bitch!” Michael repeated, picking up
the dice. He was going to own the whole damn place before he finished.
Maria hurried off to make her audition and reschedule her
salt rub. She was going to need the salt rub before
~~~
Isabel was playing the slot machines. She started looking
around and saw all of the couples hugging and kissing. Feeling a little
melancholy about her own state of affairs concerning Alex and Grant, when she
heard a woman behind her cry out in distress.
“Oh, no!” The woman was behind her, standing in a
stained wedding dress.
“Oh! No. Please hurry.” The woman begged a waitress who
was rushing to get a damp towel.
“Are you okay?” Isabel asked.
“Lord, help me.” The woman said in a southern accent.
“Wedding's in a half and hour. My maid of honor gets food poisoning from the
breakfast buffet, and now some dumb Canadian slams into me with his merlot.”
The waitress returned with some water and salt, to remove the stain.
“Let me try to help here.” Isabel took the damp clothe
from the waitress. “Thank you.”
“My mama told me not to elope.” The woman fretted, on
the verge of tears. Isabel surreptitiously used her powers to remove the stain.
“Well, actually, I think we've got it out.” Isabel said
straightening.
“Well honey! Aren't you just my good luck charm?” The
woman said as she stared at her pristine dress. “What's your name?”
“Brandy.”
“Brandy, that's pretty.” The woman offered Isabel her
hand. “I'm
“You too.”
Two tall men walked up to the woman calling her name. “
“Hi.” Glenn said.
Laughing Isabel returned the man’s greeting. “Oh! Hi
it's nice to meet you.”
“Hello.” Dave said.
“Hi.”
“How's April?”
“Hmm? Wishing she'd never tried the crab omelets.”
“Uhh! Perfect. Well what am I going to do now?”
“Well,” Dave said giving Isabel a glance, “maybe
Brandy is free for a couple of hours?”
“Brilliant, Dave.”
Isabel smiled. “Sure.”
~~~
A fat man sitting behind a desk smoking a cigar waved at
Maria. “Ok, Blondie. You're up.” Alex was at the piano playing as Maria
started singing. She did quick and snappy show tune with lots of aplomb.
“Honey, you've got some set of pipes.” The man said.
“Well, I …” Maria blushed flattered and pleased with
her audition.
“No, I was … I was truly moved.”
“Thank you.”
“No, no. Thank you.”
The man said giving Maria a direct stare. “Now take off your clothes.”
Maria face altered to a "What the hell are you
saying?" expression as Alex stood up taking offense. “Hey! Who do you
think you are? You treat her like a lady!”
“I'll treat her like a stripping lady, 'cause that what
she's auditioning for.” The fat man said.
Alex snatched the flyer from Maria. “Give me this
flyer.” Alex read to Maria. “New talent, big money … Oh! Oh! B.Y.O.G-String.”
“No!” Maria grabbed the flyer reading it. “Damn
…” She paused for a moment looking at the man. “Exactly how much does this
pay?” Alex shook his head dragging her out of the room. “Alex … I was just
asking!”
~~~
Max and Michael were still playing at the same table.
Michael was on a roll winning big. Real big.
“Dr. Love says give it up for 10 the hard way.” He
rolled and won as the crowd around him went wild, and a woman kissed his cheek.
“You're cheating,”
Max said in shock, the reason for Michael’s run of luck finally dawning on
him.
“You wanna say that a little louder?” Michael said.
“I don't think the stickman heard you.”
“This isn't right, using your power like this.” Max
said.
“God! You do belong with Parker. Two sticks in the
mud.” Michael shook his head. Was Max always that annoyingly moralistic? He
didn’t remember that from their younger years hanging out together. “Thanks
for the sermon, Dad.”
“It's not what we came here …” Max started.
“No! We came here to have fun, which is exactly what I'm
doing.” Michael told Max as he turned to talk to the group of strangers who
were more supportive. “Folks this is the fourth set of dice they give me. But
when you have the hot hand, you have the hot hand.”
Michael rolled the dice, he won of course and everyone
cheered. Max glanced over at the casino manager.
“I feel an 8 coming.” Michael said.
Max grabbed Michael gesturing to the manager. “Michael,
he knows.”
Michael shrugged it off. “He doesn't know anything.
What's he's gonna say, that I'm using my mysterious alien powers?” Michael
rolled again and won.
The manager came up after that turn. “This table is
closed.”
“What is this crap?” Michael demanded.
“You're done. My advice is to take your winnings and move
on down the strip.” The manager said gesturing for Security to show Michael
and Max out.
“Yeah, we will.” Max said wanting to draw no
unnecessary attention to them.
“The hell we will,” Michael said getting angry that
everyone was determined to ruin his fun. “I'm here to gamble. There's a table
right over here.”
“Listen, punk...” The manager began.
“Punk?” Michael countered dangerously. He punched the
manager, and they pushed into Max, as Max tried to get Michael out of the fight.
Security moved in to break up the disturbance.
~~~
Liz and Tess were in the arcade together as Liz played
pinball and Tess ranted and raved over not being allowed into the casino.
“You know what it is? It's because we're small.” Tess
gave it some thought. “If we weren't so damn short, he would have totally
bought that we were twenty-one, so what I'm going to do, I'm going to mindwarp
the security guard, making him think that we’re 5' 10'' and then we just go
in.”
“Tess, I'm fine here in the arcade.” Liz told the alien
girl as she continued to play her game.
“Great. I'm stuck in the party capital of the world with
Liz Parker.” Tess said mournfully, unable to believe her bad luck. “No, if
we're feeling dangerous we could challenge a couple of eight year boys to
foosball or go for to the Ice Capades.
Liz stopped playing her game, irritated at how everyone
seemed determined to inform her that she was the world’s most boring person.
“You know, for your information I didn't want to come to Vegas in the first
place. I knew that this was going to be the most miserable trip of my life. I
knew it, but I didn't listen to my instincts.” She gave Tess a penetrating
glance. “And by the way Tess, I don't enjoy being stuck with you either.”
“Fine,” Tess walked off to go find a party, or fun, or
anything that didn’t include Liz Parker because it automatically would be both
of those things just from her absence.
“Good.” Liz said going back to her game.
~~~
As Maria and Alex went to enter the Presidential Suite,
they were almost trampled by Tracy and Glenn leaving.
“Oh! I almost forgot.”
Glenn smiled at Isabel. “Thanks for everything,
Brandy.” He waved at her and his best man on his way out with his bride.
“No problem.” Isabel called to them as Maria entered
with a raised eyebrow.
“Do I have to ask?” Maria said.
“Tracy and Glenn just got married and I was their maid of
honor.”
“Who's that?” Maria asked motioning to the best man.