Caesar's Palace & All Souls School

by michaelcahill

Background
Kidnapping and child trafficking has moved to Las Vegas. The Bard, homeless, mentally ill and poetic, assists the detectives in trying to solve the case. Millions at stake.

Previously, the decision to move to Las Vegas was made and confirmed by a call from the kidnappers. Barry's car was being tracked on the 15 freeway which was the way to Las Vegas and little else. Barry had seemingly been cut out of the deal by Elsa and that meant that Susan was also cut out of the deal. Now Angela's fate was in someone else's hands and they were not hands that were friendly. She was in a great deal more danger now. We continue on now as The Bard and Lucy track Barry. Elsa has Angela and the other children, also en route to the Las Vegas area. Everyone else has already arrived.

~~~~~~~~~~~Lucy's car in the 15 southbound

Lucy kept looking at the monitor with great interest. Where the hell is he going? What the hell? "Hell, all of a sudden he stops. It looks like he just stopped in the middle of the road. What is he doing?"

~~~~~~Barry's car on Brighton Canyon Road

That'll give em something to think about. Tail me out here why don't you. "Whadda say, Samson, anyone coming. Let them report that to their boss. Ha! They don't think I can spot a tail?" Okay, back on the highway. Damn you Elsa, that little bitch is mine. I'll put you in the ground before you get a dime. Back stabbin' whore. Barry spun the car around and headed back towards the 15 freeway. Samson continued his nap. He wasn't the least bit impressed.

~~~~~~~~Lucy's car pulled off on the shoulder of the 15 southbound

"Now what? He's headin' back to the 15. What's he doin', takin' a leak? Let's take the next exit and wait for him to pass and we'll follow him. If he keeps heading north that is. Who knows what this fool is going to do. Maybe he's taking advice from that cat."

The Bard was laughing.

"What are you laughing about?"

"That's funny. Taking advice from the cat. I'm just imagining the cat sitting there smoking a cigar like an old gangster movie" He started giggling. "You dirty rat, I'm gonna eat you like I ate your brutha, see? Yeah." He continued to laugh.

Lucy shook her head. "You know, sometimes I just envy the hell out of you. Other times,,, well?"

"Yeah. Drive on, Dollface, I gotta feelin Mugsy's up to no good, see? I think he's back on the catnip. Ya know how he gets on that weed, Doll. It ain't pretty. Nope. Ain't no ballerina makin' pickles in a cheese factory, if ya know what I mean?"

Lucy burst out laughing at that. "Yes, God help me, I do know what you mean!"

"Okay then, Doll. Don't get all misty on me now. I can't handle a dame when the waterworks are on. Just concentrate on them pickles. Think happy thoughts."

"Okay, he's coming up on our position. I think we give him about a ten-second gap. He's pretty nervous."

"All right. Just say when, and I'm on him. Well, not ON HIM. You know, behind him. Well… behind… I didn't mean that either… trailing… whatcha pointing at? Oh… go? Gotcha. Go."

~~~~~~~Barry's car, back on the 15 northbound

Barry took out his cell phone. "That's right. I have this damn number too. I want a call back. I have this stinking cat of yours. It looks like it would make a nice hat. That bitch is mine, you know that. If you think you're cutting me out, you are crazier than I thought you were. I know enough about you and your buddies to put you away for life. I'd call me back if I were you. Either way… here… I… come… how's that sound Samson. Does that make you purr?"

~~~~~~~Lucy's car, trailing Barry on the 15 northbound

"Tenaya, we have him in sight. He's back on 15 headin' your way. Don't know… Yep, northbound. No, we're hangin' way back. I'll keep you posted. Room 812. Okay. Got it."

~~~~~~~Caesar's Palace 8th floor, Presidential suite 812.

Tenaya reported to the people in the room. "Okay, they have Barry in sight. They're trailing him in to the city. Now we wait. You know, Susan, Anything you can remember about any of Barry's old associates might give us a clue. Name's in passing, overheard phone conversations… anything, even if it seemed meaningless."

Junior interjected, "He was a sleaze. I don't know what she ever saw in him. Swamp land in Florida, that's the level of his dealings. Real creeps and lowlifes hanging around him."

Susan bristled at that. "Like you're something classy? Passing out record deals on the couch in your office? At least I could sing, not that you ever bothered to listen."

"Hey, I signed you. Not my fault no one bought a record. No interest, sorrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy!"

"Jackass, you put all your ad money in your latest whore while I sat in the background…"

Harpster jumped up, "Enough! Who cares? I'm worried about my granddaughter. Too bad you aren't. That tells me a lot about the two of you."

Junior looked down, "I'm worried too, Dad. I'm sorry. She just gets to me. I have to ignore that and keep my mind on what's important. Whatever you think of me, I love my daughter. I do."

Harpster still looked unhappy, but perhaps saw some truth in what his son had said. He glanced over at Susan and the contempt couldn't be hidden. She looked like a caged animal ready to strike out. These were people that had lived lies for years suddenly forced to face truths. There was little to be happy about.

~~~~~~~Caesar's Palace 12th floor Emperor's suite

Winston paced in front of the window overlooking the city listening to the reports.

"They have a whole crowd down there on the eight floor. The old man is quite alive. The kids out of jail. Susan's there. The singer with the cash on hand. The detective."

"I knew the old man managed to survive. What about that jackass buddy of his, the crazy one. Yeah, and the so-called nanny?"

"No. No Slater, no Smaldino. We haven't spotted them. He could be laid up. He took a shot to the head. I'm not so sure Lucy was on board with them to begin with. She seemed looking for a payout if you ask me." Phil Ortega had been Winston's right hand man for many years. He piloted the helicopter that flew him from L.A. County General when Winston escaped. Hell, Ortega was the one that commandeered the Channel Seven Eyewitness News chopper that flew them to safety.

Winston seemed pleased with the information so far. "What about that partner of Susan's, Barry. He's a real thorn."

"He lost the tail we had on him, but he's on his way here. The 15 don't go anywhere but here."

"When he gets here, bring him in. I'd rather have him here than running around half-cocked. We'll take care of him later. What about Elsa and the kids?"

"They should be pulling into the school within the hour. Everything is in place."

~~~~~~Sacred Souls School and Church

The gate to the abandoned school hung by one hinge, but its main support was a wisteria vine that had taken over the school and chain link fence including the gate. At the moment, it was in full bloom and purple flowers made even the drab run down school look inviting.

The church stood closer to the road and still opened for Sunday service at eleven in the morning and again at four in the afternoon for services in Spanish. The school hadn't been used in twelve years. The land had been sold by the church to raise money for needed repairs and landscaping to the sanctuary and church grounds. Eight years had passed and it would be hard to point out where the money had gone.

The children were housed in the buildings at the far end of the baseball field. The front classrooms, once used for grades kindergarten through fifth, remained empty and unused. It had the look of being abandoned. Traffic in and out never took place during church hours and the children were not allowed out on Sundays at any time of the day. No one had any idea that as many as twenty-seven children lived there. At the moment there were seventeen, but seven more, including Angela Blackwell, would be arriving in less than an hour. Janine Cranston prepared to greet them and make them at home. She ran the day to day operations here. She was in charge of keeping them quiet and maintaining the secrecy of the location. She took her job quite seriously and was good at it.

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Everyone involved is converging on Vegas. But, not everyone knows where everyone else is. Suggestions are so appreciated and many are being taken and are working beautifully. Thank you so much. Please feel free to mention whatever occurs to you!!

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A chapter in the book Bel Air: A Bard's Guide

Caesar's Palace & All Souls School

by michaelcahill

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