Chapter 1

Things were sure different in Hell(LA, not Texas or Michigan) than what I remembered of here. I had only been gone a bit more than four years. The Company made that ‘not more than 180 days’ thing go away. I’ll bet you never knew there were 11 kinds of poisonous snakes, 37 spiders and 45 tree and ground slugs that could kill you, not counting 54 water things, other creepy crawlers and 23 diseases you could get in the jungle. It was ... an experience let me tell you. One I surely wished to not repeat in any lifetime, thank you very much but ‘no thankee’ on that renew thing. Keeping dry, drinking enough water, loving the diet of # 9 MRE’s, (Beef Stew) green bananas and some kind of dark berries got old very quickly. That last R&R in Rio was nice though except you had to be a might careful on those so-called pickup dates.(Not real ladies) I wonder if that second tour coming up had some bearing on that?

I looked around and saw Wendy(Our team’s nurse) had a similar look on her face that I did so I asked her: “Hey girl, what say we blow this Popsicle stand ... ahh ... where to though.”

“You’re not his type JJ, my boyfriend can get jealous at times. Oh you probably see him play for America’s Team(Dallas Cowboys) he’s the starting right guard now according to my last call.” (Wendy was a fox, she was a nurse assigned to check us out for muster.) My sister though, still needs a big, tall, handsome man to escort her this weekend. Know anyone who might be available for her?”

“You warned me once about your sister. When? Where? and Do I have the right blood type and enough of it for Elvira?”

She took out her cell “She’s not always needing blood!”. “Hey, Sis. Got a sucker, Oh, I meant fine young man who might just be available for escort duty if you feed him raw meat, don’t drink too much of his blood and pat him on his head? Not that head, the big one. Here if he can stop panting I’ll let you talk to him. JJ stand straight up, take your hands away from your throat; now here is the phone, talk to Mistress Monica. Good boy.”

I told her: “I was not panting, merely trying to breath when your sister told me the serious difficulty you were having getting an escort for this weekend. Just tell me where and when I’ll be there.” No response.

“I heard about your nic of Elvira! I’ve had my shots, they allowed me back into the USA even and your sister just confirmed I was alive as of this morning but low on blood so no snacking.”

She asked some things.

“No, been gone a bit over 4 years, over 21, no SO, house-broken more or less and love long walks along the beach in the moonlight with a cute partner, it’s the snakes, spiders and creepy-crawlers I can do without.”

Pause!

“Seriously though, I don’t care what you look like, how old or young you are or what you do for or TO the living. I have to start-over so as long as it’s not Rio or in a jungle you got your man.”

“My sister must hate you?”

“No Wendy has been very nice to me, don’t think she hates me and like I said I need to start-over somewhere plus Wendy already turned me down for some 380 lbs of blubber she calls her boy-toy. I’m in LAX now. I can meet you in any city in the USA and even some International places that has an airport, that’s not a problem, please just not in South or Central America. Just tell me where, when, how I should dress and your address and phone number and I’ll meet you Friday or take you to lunch or dinner Thursday.”

“Vegas!”

“Oh. I think I can be in Vegas by then, I’ll catch some sleep here then go shopping before I fly there. My e-mail is jjhawk@gmail.net, cell if you need is 212-445-9988. Put in there how long you want me for, what kind of clothes I need to wear and what kind of car or hearse I’ll need to pick you up in.”

“No charge! Like I said I have no plans, cost is not a problem, not many places in the jungle to buy things and regardless what Wendy says about me I don’t smell or bite. OK! Here! Wendy, the ‘nightwalker’ (Monica) would like to speak with you.”

“Hi Sis, thanks. Just from talking to him I get the impression he is a nice guy but low on blood. Of course the pictures you sent make him perfect for this. Just a FYI, you may not have him back if things go South with your Bozo lineman. Did you tell him about me or this gig? No! Good! Bye! Love you too!”

“Thank you JJ. Monica needed someone that she could trust, I think she can trust you. You said no charge but if it costs anything she will pay you back, this is all a business expense for her so don’t worry about any money; I’m sure she will put that in the e-mail. Thanks from me too. Oh here is what she looks like!”

Even from the cellphone picture, if Wendy was a fox, Monica, on her worst day was a Stone Fox, a Megan Fox look-alike maybe. ‘There was some justice in this world after-all’ I thought.

Yep, I got her e-mail. Friday at 7, a private dinner, 6 of us, dark suit, red tie and I better know how to dance after was all it said. Saturday Tux, Black Tie award’s presentation, rubber chicken et al, if I behaved real food at 10pm. Room reserved at The Carlyle under Blackstone Group. She would be representing the company for arranging twelve various conferences and events the next year, estimated value to her company to be $10-12,000,000 worth of business. Saturday was a gathering for someone else which was to be an example of what her firm could do. This was a new client and she was worried that a single woman was not taken seriously in Vegas. Upon reading that, I was nodding my head in agreement.

Her closing statement, after her contact information was to ask for my banking account and routing number so funds would be transferred that day for any expenses I would incur. It was still Monday, and I did not expect any of her funds would be needed and told her that in my reply. I would be in Vegas before Thursday afternoon then had a ‘care package’ with some things sent to me in Vegas.

I called my Mom, told her I would see her on Sunday and have a lot of food on-hand, because MRE’s were not that filling. It, that call was about as pleasant as going to the dentist but family was family. I next called AMEX, explained I needed them to schedule things for me to three places that met a list of attributes. A long, hot shower at the hotel was next and then I started counting sheep. Jesse from AMEX, then Wendy were my follow-up dreams. I had not used my card much in the jungle but told her my past history for debits and auto-payments was pretty good.

Tuesday, got up almost at noon LA time. Shopping for some things, 2 more phone calls then caught the junket ride to Vegas at 6pm. Got to my room at The Cairo by 8:30pm, ate some room service for dinner then shower and bed by 11:30, exciting Ehh?

On Wednesday, an e-mail from Monica and from Wendy were there in receipt stamped 15 minutes from each other. Wendy’s telling me that Monica was worried about if I would still be coming. The LOL motto bearing her question of ‘What had I done to her sister was right there also? ‘She never had acted like this before’ she wrote. The one from Monica was like one from a High School girl, worried about an upcoming prom date showing up would send. I replied: “In Vegas already, 2121 at the Cairo and ‘All is Well’. Call if you are free for lunch or dinner Thursday or need to give me any instructions before Friday night. JJ!”

The next night Walking with her on my arm was quite pleasant. My 6’ 4” frame towered over the 5’ 2” pixie. I doubted she even weighed 100 lbs.(about 45 kilos) If that was the only surprise that night I could go on not caring about anything, after-all I had done that 4 years ago already. But no, it was not to be that easy!

When we entered the room I could only stare at two men at the table. One stood up placing his hand on the other to sit back down.

I said: “Better that you lost some weight ‘Old Man’, you were getting fat but your choice in young blonds is getting better too. They seem almost as old as Mona(His step-daughter) too.”

“Like I would insult the goddess next to you by trying to compare your tastes to mine.”

As we went over then hugged each other. “How have you been Gino? It’s been awhile.”

“You sort of vanished after things happened. Your Mom never did say where you were.”

“Hey, time heals all wounds or was that wounds all heels? Missed you Uncle!” I looked over to Monica. “Gino, Ms Monica Blaine; Monica my Uncle Giovanni Gardelli. The ugly guy is my cousin Vincent, the cute blonds are possibly at the wrong table or don’t know any better.” Vince bite his hand and finger saluted me, but laughed too. Monica was turning red and blue at the same time.

“No, she is not a gift for you or Vince, Monica has better taste than that, she is with me after all; although if you have business together I am concerned.” Yep, almost playing ‘Native American’ now, red, very red-faced she was; matched her dress.

“You know, she got me here with the promise of a lot of raw meat so Monica Dear a large, filet rare please and it’s showtime for you with these almost gentlemen.” I motioned for the waitress and pointed to Monica. After several aborted attempts to order she finally got into the game. When the ladies excused themselves Gino, Vince and I discussed some of the past. No hard feelings about Mona, business was business, family topped that but not always.

The ladies returned then we were served. I ate my steak, listened to my date a bit then thought back and imagined how things might have been back then, if...

Her ‘Thank you for everything and we’ll see you tomorrow’ sort of woke me up. As we walked out, her: “Why didn’t you tell me you knew who we were meeting?”

Quick as a frozen coral snake in a block of ice, I replied: “I did not know those girls, maybe you were meeting them for a snack, Mistress Monica?” If looks could kill! “Wendy I’ll kill you!” Was all she said. “I’m so worked up, I’ll buy ‘Brunch’ tomorrow. They were not what I had expected.”

“Ahh, they’re men, I doubt they will remember anything you said, call their rooms to remind them to show up, but not too early, it may be a late night for them if I know Gino. All I asked Gino was to do me a little favour.”

I walked her to her room and opened it with: “I’m across the street, suite 2121 and if you call, tell the desk that I am expecting the call or they will not put your call through; or call my cell, same if you call for Gino, he is in 2222.” Not certain what she was expecting but I did close her open mouth.