The next couple of weeks flew in; Sarah had been busy getting the tickets printed, they were to be $30 and this would include two drinks, either soft or alcoholic, anymore would need to be purchased, and of course a finger buffet, but she did have enough to cover the bar, and the food. The college were supplying the crockery and the MCCS, the glasses.

Tony's tux had been altered, and even he could not help admire himself in it. He felt every bit the Secret Agent; in fact he had an idea.

The weekend before the event, Tony took a drive, out to Vienna, that would be Vienna VA, 22182, the full address 8550 Leesburg Pike….yes, the Aston Martin franchise. He had dressed in his best suit and having taken a selfie, and having asked the tailor to take a full length photograph of himself in the tux, he now stood outside the showroom, the shades over his eyes, as he took a deep breath and smiling the DiNozzo smile and mustering all the charm he could think of, and entered the showroom.

Forty minutes later, one very Special Agent exited the showroom with an even bigger smile on his face than he had gone in with, ok it had cost him a bit, $500 but it was worth it and, oh and he had a driver and a date. One suave talking Agent had talked the sales man into hiring a DB9 for a journey to the College. As much, as Tony would have loved to drive himself to the event, it would have cost an arm and a leg for the insurance. But the salesman had said that for a donation to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes, then he would personally pick Tony up from his apartment and drive him to the venue. How he got home was his own business. As he looked at the receptionist, the lovely Felicity, her strawberry blonde hair falling seductively round her shoulders, the gentle heaving of her chest, clad in an exquisite cross over blouse, he could not help himself but ask, if she would care to accompany him to the Casino Night. She replied that she would be delighted, any excuse for a new dress. Anyway did her name not mean "Happiness", deriving from the Latin, felicitas, meaning "Luck, and good fortune," maybe she would bring him luck.

-oOo-

The evening of the event arrived and Sarah had done a good job organising, she just hoped everyone and everything would turn out fine. Word had got out that a famous author was to be a guest and crowds had assembled outside the venue. They didn't have long to wait as a limo drew up and out stepped Thom E. Gemcity with the lovely Amy, the crowd cheered and shouted, and Tim looked the ever so handsome writer.

Delilah had arrived earlier with Sarah, and had been helping with the layout of the tables, especially with her wheelchair, making sure access was ample, she had of course sold tickets to some her fellow physiotherapy class. One friend, Lorraine, had decided to come as Carrie Palmer, one of the nieces of Jessica Fletcher, this of course was causing a lot of confusion with Jimmy, who was convinced that he didn't have a cousin.

Another of the charity tables, the roulette table, was being sponsored by Neuhaus Chocolatier, who had a branch situated within Union Station, at 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, the croupier was dressed in a typical croupier outfit, but the manager had really gone to town and was dressed as Hercule Poirot. Chocolates were the coins of choice or should that be chips of choice, and anyone found eating was immediately removed, but the winner could have his fill.

Over at one of the blackjack tables, the sponsor there was "It'sugar", a sweetie shoppe on 714 7th St NW, the dealer there was a guy, who was dressed as Kojak, the bald head and the lollipop.

And the sponsor of the craps table, dressed as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, was a fumbling his way about much to the amusement of his fellow invitees.

But one guy at the door was having difficulty gaining entrance, Lieutenant Columbo, in the scruffy raincoat and carrying the cigar, the doorman was adamant that dress code was not "scruffy", to which the reply was, he was in costume, but ok the cigar would be extinguished, on hearing that the doorman allowed access.

As Tim signed some autographs Abby looked about, where was Tony, she wondered? But she needn't have worried; she turned to see a silver DB9 drive up to the steps. It stopped and the driver got out, and walking round to the passenger side opened the door. To the surprised crowd, out stepped one very dashing Agent Bond, someone shouted from the crowd, "Who are you supposed to be?" as Tony turned to face the question.

"Bond, James Bond," Tony replied in a very convincing Scottish voice, as he now watched Felicity alight from the car, and taking Tony's arm, they walked towards the college.

Oh yes, what had shaken him in the initial proposal, had stirred the imagination, so now he was totally stirred and no longer shaken, and finally the outcome was something to marvel, as he climbed the stairs and entered the building.

The End.