CABARET GIRLS, BARTENDERS, AND COFFEE
BY: COVER GIRL

Chapter Three

    “Duke? He’s in the shower. What do you want me to do charge in there waving the bloody phone?” She growled, swinging her legs off the bed. “It’s nearly 4:30am. It can wait. We were out till 3am covering the club,” she walked towards the bathroom door tugging Flint’s t-shirt back into place.

    “Look Lady Jaye, I need to go over a few last minute details with him. Put him on the phone, NOW!” Duke growled back. He heard her grumbling as she walked to the door.

    Scarlett rolled her eyes, and shook her head at him. “She’s not going in there,” she mouthed. Duke nodded yes, placing a finger to his mouth before touching his ear and pointing to the phone for her to listen.

    “Dash! Duke wants you,” she wrapped on the door. “DASH!” She waited, lifting the phone. “Duke, he’s not answering.”

    “I need him on the phone, Lady Jaye. Yell louder, or stick your head in there but get his ass on the phone NOW!” He smirked at Scarlett, mouthing, “Watch she’ll do it.”

    Scarlett shook her head no, and rolled her eyes back at him.

    “DAMN YOU DUKE!” Lady Jaye hissed. Scarlett covered her mouth, and looked away. “Dash!” She closed her eyes while opening the door a few inches to reach the phone inside. “DASH! Duke wants you on the phone. He said it couldn’t wait.” He was turning the facet off, reaching for a towel when he heard her.

    “Ah…just a minute. I’ll—ah… be right there,” he glared at the mirror drying his hair. <This had better be a fuckin’ emergency or I’m going to kill him. > He wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out to take the phone from her.

    She couldn’t help but watch him standing there with a towel tied about his waist, water droplets still rippling off his body. His hair was damp and tussled. She found herself watching him walk off towards the living room raking his fingers through his hair, before heading for the closet. <What the hell is so important he has to wake us up like in the middle of the night? All I got was a complete rehash of everything Hawk already said. I swear I’m going to kill him the next time he pulls this shit on me. Arghhh…where are those damn robes? Great! They didn’t leave any. Where’s my robe? > She reached in the closet pulling out the short black silk robe she’d inadvertently packed. The other item packed by mistake was sitting at the bottom of her dresser well hidden from prying eyes. She slipped the robe on walking towards the door, loosely clinching it about her waist before she opened the door.

    Flint was standing with his back towards her, waving his arm when she leaned against the doorjamb. <Great! Duke’s going to talk all night, and he’s got him all fired up. > She sighed watching him. <Uh-oh tell me he didn’t hear me do that. > She saw his back stiffen, and caught a slow grin form over his face. <Ok…I guess I’m safe. >

    Lady Jaye reached for a magazine, and sat down in a chair waiting for Duke to finish. She watched Flint out of the corner of her eye. <He’s pissed…what the hell is going on? > He lowered his voice to a deep whisper and turned to face the wall, waving his arm as he growled back at Duke. Flint was livid about something. It amazed her how he could be so easy going most of the time. But get him fired up, and there was hell to pay. She watched him raking his fingers through his hair, and found herself wanting to do the same. <Don’t even go there Allie. He doesn’t see you that way. It’s time for you to go back to bed before you make a spectacle of yourself. Damn, why does he have to…he’s done. > She watched him close the phone.

    “What are you doing up?” He scowled.

    “I figured something big had to be going down, if he had to call you this early,” she tossed the magazine on to the table. “Care to share why he felt the need to drag us both out of bed?” She curled up on the chair tucking her feet under her.

    “He didn’t tell you anything?” Flint frowned.

    “Nope, a complete rehash of what Hawk said earlier,” she rolled her eyes watching Flint clench his jaw.

    <That son of a bitch…he just wanted to drag her out of bed. What’s the old adage? Oh…yeah…plan your attack between 2 and 4am. Memo to self…frag Hauser’s ass next chance. > “Let me get something on,” he reached for his shorts and t-shirt and walked into the bedroom only to return a minute later. “He has Roadblock coming to join us tomorrow. He’s going inside the club as a bouncer to cover you when I can’t be there.” He sat on the table in front of her, leaning slightly forward with his hands resting on his knees. Taking a deep breath he continued, “He also said an federal agent would be contacting us. I hate dealing with…”

    “I know tell me about it. Did he say who it was?” She bit the inside of her lip.

    “Yeah…some guy named Provost?” He caught her glare. “What?”

    “Please tell me it isn’t Phil Provost? The man thinks he wrote the book on covert ops. Don’t get me wrong-- he’s a nice guy, a regular comedian. It’s just he’s grates my nerves at times.” She shuddered, recalling a few jokes he’d pulled on her the last time he worked with her. Her revenge had been sweet but that was another story she didn’t want to get into with him.

    “Well, it’s not like we have a choice. This guy’s set everything up for us. Speaking of which, he better have a damn good excuse for how the hell my room disappeared. Now, why don’t you get some sleep? We’ll...ah...talk more in the morning.” He offered his hand to help her up. Her touch sent a charge up his arm. <I definitely have to get another room ASAP. > He watched her go off the bedroom.

    “Night, Dash,” she smiled back at him.

    “Night, Allie...ah Alison,” he grinned, watching the door until the light disappeared. <Snap out of it Dash…or it’s off to an ice bath this time. > He rolled over punching his pillow.

    She rolled over to her side; her hand had felt a strange tingling as well. Placing her hand on the pillow beside her she sighed. <Get over it Allie…you’ve lost your mind if you think he’s even going to notice you. You’re nothing more than one of the guys. Yeah…right. >

    “Duke, you’re playing with fire.” Scarlett glared at him.

    “I prefer to think of it as helping two friends get together. Besides, I’m not the only one.” He grinned up at her.

    “Oh great drag me down with you. Tell me something, is Ace still running that ridiculous pool on them?” She crossed her arms across her chest, scowling at him.

    “He might be?” Duke smirked, a glint of mischief played in his eyes.

    “What’s it up to? And, who’s in the lead?” She groaned.

    “$700 and its down to a handful,” he looked down at his desk.

    “I see so if I understand this correctly, you’re running out of time, aren’t you?” She grabbed his chin turning his face up to face hers. “Thought so, don’t come running to me when it backfires.” She sauntered out of the office.

    “It’s not going to,” he yelled after her. <Nope, can’t fail…not losing to Ace or Hawk on this one. > He chuckled.

    “Geesh…it’s 9 already,” she rolled over hitting the alarm. Stretching and yawning she pulled herself out of the bed, and reached for her robe. “Time to get moving girl,” she sighed opening the living room door. <Poor baby…look at him. Better send him in the other room before I call room service. > She knelt down next to Flint smirking at the boyish grin on his face. She was about to shake him when she heard him murmuring something and listened carefully. <Did he just say my name? Did he just call me Allie? > She smiled leaning over to gently shaking his shoulder. “Hey sleepyhead, time to get up.”

    “Hmmm? * yawn * Five more minutes, babe,” he turned into the pillow.

    “Sure, hon,” she chuckled softly walking away as his eyes flew open.

    <Shit! Did I just call her….yep I did. DAMN! > He watched her head towards the bedroom. “Ah…Lady Jaye, did you need something?”

    “So we’re back to square one, huh?” She smiled. “I was just going to tell you I’m going to take a shower, and call for room service. Why don’t you take the bed? I’ll wake you up when it gets here in about an hour.”

    “Sure I guess,” he stood to follow her.

    “Dash, don’t forget the pillow and blanket. Never leave housekeeping something to wonder about,” she called back before heading inside the room. “Anything in particular you want for breakfast?”

    The simple question rattled him. “Ah…anything’s fine,” he sputtered tossing the pillow and blanket on the bed before climbing in. He watched her place the call and head into the bathroom with clothes in hand. He sighed before snuggling down into a pillow inhaling her scent from it. <DAMN….memo to Dash get room problem solved today. >

    The sound of someone pounding on the door woke him. Flint looked towards the bathroom door. <She’s drying her hair. > “Just a minute,” he yelled reaching for a pair of sweat pants.

    “Room service,” he heard a man’s voice call through the door as he pulled it open.

    Flint watched a man with blonde hair roll the cart inside scanning the room. <She called that one right. > “Is that breakfast, honey?” He heard Lady Jaye call out to him, opening the bedroom door.

    “Where would you like this, sir?” The man smirked humorously hearing her voice.

    “Right there’s fine,” Flint pointed to the table.

    “Will that be all sir?” He held out a hand awaiting a tip.

    Lady Jaye stepped between them quickly. “I’ve got a tip for you,” she poked the man in the chest. “Stop playing bloody games right now, Phil.”

    “PHIL! You know him?” Flint glared at the man.

    “Flint meet Phil Provost, covert ops attaché to the Army.” She nodded to him.

    “Nice to meet you,” he extended his hand to Flint.

    “Of all the…where do you get off playing…”

    “Flint, I warned you he’s a bit of a comedian,” she pulled his arm leading him away from Phil.

    “C’mon, how was I supposed to know you were staying here?” He looked at Flint. “I checked the hotel computer before I came. It has two occupants listed in this room.” He shrugged, walking around the room as Flint and Lady Jaye uncovered the tray.

    “Get away from there right now Phil,” she warned him away from the bedroom door.

    “Hey, just making sure you covered yourselves,” he snickered. “I mean if I were just a room service attendant stopping in, you’d pass. But if I were housekeeping…”

    “It’s taken care of…leave it alone,” she watched him grinning back at them.

    “What the hell is he looking for?” Flint stared at her.

    “You don’t want to know,” she rolled her eyes, handing him a plate.

    “Why not?”

    “Flint…” She stopped, watching him bite into a stack of pancakes.

    “Just want to see if she tossed the bed right,” Phil turned the knob and walked in, leaving Lady Jaye to pound Flint’s back from choking.

    Recovering quickly Flint stalked to the door, seeing Phil going through closets. She was right behind him pulling his arm back. “It’s standard covert ops procedure when to agents are posing as a couple to make the room look…well occupied,” she blushed slightly.

    Phil picked up on the blush, and decided to push her buttons, knowing what his old buddy Duke had said about this pair.

    “Not bad, not bad at all Allie,” he grinned. “But you’re missing something?”

    “What’s missing other than the fact that he has to put his stuff away?” She stood glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

    “You should have left a night gown or something laying around for the maid.”

    “I forgot to pack one. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. They lost his reservation,” she growled.

    “Then you leave a pair of panties or a bra someplace, come on Allie you know the drill,” he reached for her dresser.

    “That’s it, you’re out of here, RIGHT NOW!” Flint growled jerking him by the arm to the living room. “I’m giving you five minutes to bring us up to speed on this mission start talking now.” He looked up to see Lady Jaye standing in the door.

    “What’s the plan, Phil?”

    “Hey, you’re not angry about that are you Allie?” nodding to the bedroom door. “C’mon it’s not like Sacramento.”

    She caught Flint’s puzzled expression. “It was my first assignment with him out of covert ops school. He decided that I hadn’t tossed my bed enough so he decided to show me how it was done.”

    “What did he do?” Flint growled.

    “N—nothing,” Phil sputtered, catching a murderous glare from Lady Jaye. “Well, it wasn’t like I knew they we’re in the next room.”

    “Huh?” Flint tightened his hold on the squirming man.

    “A minister and his wife were staying in the room next to ours. He was on the floor.” She snarled at Phil. “Anyway, he decides I didn’t toss the bed enough and started jumping up and down on it. I told him to knock it off. But did he…NO…he starts moaning and groaning at the top of his lungs.”

    “C’mon Allie, it was all in good fun,” he gasped feeling Flint’s hand tighten on his shoulder. “Ow…I bruise easy.”

    “That wasn’t all,” she continued. “He had to start banging on the wall,” she rubbed her hand across her eyes, while Phil burst out laughing. “The next thing I knew I had the hotel manager, the minister, and the minister’s wife pounding on the door. You want to tell him the next part Phil or should I,” an evil gleam sparkled her eyes.

    “Ah…don’t, c’mon Allie you got your revenge,” he gulped suddenly becoming somber.

    “What happened?” Flint’s eyes narrowed on her.

    “I told them the truth. My husband had *problems *.” She burst out laughing, wiping tears from her eyes.

    “It wasn’t that funny,” Phil growled. “I had to listen to that senile old minister go on and on about the sanctity of marital relations. And…she…she played the poor innocent little wife to the hilt.”

    Flint was stunned. “You’re a regular prankster, aren’t you Phil? A regular laugh a minute,” he shook his head trying to rein in his laughter. “I think we should just call you Chuckles, what do you say Lady Jaye?”

    “I say he better start talking fast before he wears out his welcome. I have to head over for that impromptu audition in an hour,” she frowned looking at the clock.

    “You need me?”

    “Nah, she can handle it, besides Roadblock’s already there. Rumor had it they were looking for another bouncer so we sent him in last night. By the way, nice touch going in as a redhead,” Chuckles grinned at Lady Jaye.

    “What how did you?” Flint glared at him.

    “Roadblock said he spotted you with a redhead. I figured it had to be her, huh?” He went to elbow Flint and stopped dead in his tracks. <DAMN, he doesn’t play does he? >

    “Look, do you have anything else for ME or can I go?” Lady Jaye rolled her eyes.

    “Nope, you’re fine. Handle it just like Vegas, I thought that was one of my best plans,” he puffed his chest.

    “If that was one of your BEST, why the hell did she have to slip the chip to me?” Flint growled, pulling him around to face him.

    “I—ah, well it was until …” he gulped.

    “Flint, I can handle this. Don’t let Chuckles get to you. Things happen and you learn to roll with it.” She smiled patting his shoulder. “Now I have to change and go…behave Chuckles and remember I know where the bodies are buried.”

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Continued in Chapter Four!
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