chip in and lets tell a story and have fun with it.

She thought about that dream.  Could there be some truth in it?

She thought maybe she should contact Brad and let him know she's on her way to Vegas.  He would probably be worried about her if she disappeared.

Mary's mental exhaustion forced her to get some more shut eye on the bus ride to Las Vegas. The steady hum of conversation among the old ladies didn't wake her but the slap on the back of her head eventually did.



"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," an old lady said, smacking Mary's head again with her purse. "Get your lazy butt up and get to those slot machines....I hear them calling my name now!"



Mary pulled herself up from her seat and exited the bus. The old ladies were already inside the casino.



Mary followed them and felt someone tug on her sleeve.



"Hey there, feeling lucky to spin the big wheel? a casino employee asked. "If so, come follow me"

Carlos!!! How did you know i would be here? Cried Mary. I watched you get on the bus to vegas and checked it out, you didnt answer my question why have you been talking to the cops? You have it all wrong carlos, i found out today that Brad, the police officer is my long lost brother, Yeah right said carlos you expect me to believe that?  About that time one of the older ladies who bonked mary on the head saw her go in there with carlos and came in, hit carlos on the head with her big purse and grabbed marys arm, come on lets get the hell out of here

"Actually the whole bus, that you so stupidly got on to, was full of retired FBI agents and we are on a secret sting operation in Vegas," she sighed, "since we are gonna have to rescue you continually if you stay in the dark, I might as well let you in on it."

"Well, I certainly can't tell you about the original job, but you do deserve to know about Carlos."

"I can see that, CJ." said Mary.

"Carlos, as you suspected, murdered a woman at your party." CJ said.

We need you to try to get close to carlos again, said cj, and get him to talk, we of course will be watching you the whole time, and put a wire on you.

But, he already wanted to kill me, said Mary, how can i be of any help, without ending up in a body bag myself, i dont think i want to get involved in fact im outta here!

Not so fast kiddo, you already are involved, dont forget you were at the party and have been friends with him, we could just take you in and book you if you want, said cj

What do you want me to do? Said Mary, I guess i have no choice

"Listen, I know I've been giving you a hard time since we got on the bus, but you seem like a good kid and a smart cookie," CJ said. "Somehow, you got dragged into this mess and we'll get you out of it.". CJ's eyes wandered down one of the slot machine isles.



"What?" Mary asked.



"I think I just spotted one of Carlos' thugs. We've booked a few guest rooms here at the hotel part of the casino. Let's head up there now and start figuring out a plan."



"Should we call my brother, Brad?" she asked CJ.



"He's on his way now down here now. You're not alone, kiddo. You're one of us now," CJ said.

get started with our plans on what to do next.

"Brad, what have you found out about Chad?" CJ asked.

"Chad!?" Mary exclaimed.  "What does he have to do with any of this?"

Mary looked out the hotel window as Brad was rattling off instructions. Every word seemed muffled as she was trying to figure out all of this. "Wait a second, Brad. How could Chad be involved.....I've never seen anything suspicious going on."



"Mary, criminals are great liars and only want people to see what they want them to see," he said.



"And let me guess, since I've been associated with them, I've also become a target," she chimed in.


"Bingo," CJ said.



"Okay, Brad, tell me again what you want me to say to Carlos when I call him. I'm read to hear it now." Mary wanted him to know.

It is dangerous, Mary. But anything you do now is dangerous. You are in less danger working with us than dangling out there on your own.

Mary's immediate reaction when she saw Chad was to run away from him. But she remembered what Brad said...."Remain true to Chad."



Mary then heard someone talking to her. She glanced to her right and saw CJ at the slot machine. "Get moving, Mary....it's showtime."



Chad spotted her. Mary waved to him, plastered an immediate smile on her face and ran towards Chad.

Yeah, well, things change chad, and its a long story how i got here I will tell you all about it later over  drinks, by the way, what are you doing here?

Well, since you left with no word I was depressed and wanted to come and try my luck on the slots I really missed you mary, I missed you too chad, did you come alone?  No I am meeting carlos and some of his friends later wanna come along?

"Where are we meeting Carlos and his friends?" she asked Chad.

"He's got a hotel room here," he said, as he held Mary's hand. 

They zigzagged through the swarm of gamblers and hopefuls who wanted to strike it rich, quick.  Mary saw the elevators nearby.  That's where they were headed.

Chad pushed the button and the doors opened right away.  They stepped inside.  And so did two other old ladies -- CJ was one of them.

Chad pressed floor 34 -- the top floor.

"Carlos' room is all the way up there?" she asked Chad.

"Yeah," he said, without blinking an eye.  "It's the presidential suite."

Mary silently gulped. "Carlos can afford that?" she whispered to Chad?

"Mary, Carlos can afford a lot of things," he told her.  Mary willed herself not to turn to CJ as the elevator shot them upward.

" Antonio My man, Howsit"? Said Chad  "You sure took your sweet time getting here" Said Antonio we have been waiting for you, got some good stuff just come in from columbia, come check it out" And who is this babe you got with ya?

Before chad could answer carlos walks over and 

Then carlos leans in and whispers, 'I am keeping my eyes on you"

Mary slips away to follow chad feeling uneasy, she knew carlos was suspicious of her otherwise why would he take her in the back room with his thugs earlier. ' He knows somthing she thought'  but what?

Mary looks around the room and notices