Hi Dravenites I hope you're enjoying the story. I have good and bad news. Bad news is there are only a few chapters left But the good news is that I'm thinking of writing a sequel! Please enjoy.

'' I promise Riley, nothing's going to happen.''

'' Lucas…it's a bachelor party, I know what happens at them. I watch TV'' Riley said, her arms folded.

'' Riley trust me. We won't let anything bad happen in Vegas'' Zay said.

''Zay, no offense but I trust you even less than I do Lucas right now.''

Just then Farkle appeared in the living room. He had his suitcase and anything else he might need including emergency cash in his Blazer pocket.

'' Man, we're going to a bachelor weekend why're you dressed like a CEO?'' Zay asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

'' I am a CEO Zay. Secondly this is just one outfit'' Farkle said.

'' Take care honey'' Riley said as she kissed Farkle, to which he happily participated in.

'' Hey, Farkle not to be that guy but enough making out'' Lucas said.

'' Hey, I know for a fact that you and Maya did the same thing before you left'' Riley retorted.

'' Ya got me there'' Lucas rubbed the back of his head.

-x-

A few hours later, the three men had boarded a plane headed for Vegas, Lucas had assured the other two that this would be a fantastic weekend. Currently they were on the plane waiting for it to take off. However, not all of them were feeling relaxed.

'' Breathe Farkle'' Lucas said to his friend.

'' How can I, there aren't any open spaces, oxygen can't get in. Are we running out of oxygen?!''

'' Easy dude, here'' Zay gave Farkle a small brown baked good.

'' What is this?'' Farkle asked.

'' Just a brownie'' Zay shrugged.

'How'd you get that on the plane?'' Lucas asked.

'' I have my ways'' Zay shrugged.

Farkle ate the brownie and immediately he felt strange. He then lay back in his seat.

'' Zay, was that a-

'' Space muffin? Yep'' Zay said proudly.

'' Oh boy, this'll be fun'' Lucas put his hand to his face.

-x-

An hour later the men arrived in Vegas.

The June weather was pleasant, it was warm enough than shorter clothes were needed, yet not short enough to warrant having to spend their whole weekend in their hotel room with the AC raised to its maximum.

Currently they were off to the first destination on Lucas's list. It was a pub called the Salty Spittoon. It was primarily a watering hole for corporate tycoons. The three men entered and sat down at a table in the corner. The room was packed with people and surrounded by flatscreens showing sports games.

'' Alright, we're all agreed on what happens here?'' Zay asked.

'' Elaborate please'' Farkle asked.

'' First rule of the bachelor party. Do not talk about the bachelor party'' Zay said, a hint of seriousness in his voice.

'' Ok'' Lucas said, a bit taken back by his friend's attitude.

'' Hi'' came a voice. The three men looked up to see a buxom waitress in front of them. She had brown hair tied in a pony tail and was chewing gum as she spoke.

'' The name's Sherry, you guys from around here?''

'' No ma'am we're from New York. Well the guy dressed like Carter Pewterschmidt is. Me and my friend are from Austin'' Lucas said.

'' Oh a Texan eh? I knew a guy from there, he came here once but he ain't allowed in the casinos no more'' Sherry said.

'' How come?'' Farkle asked.

'' He counted cards. Unfortunately, the casino manager caught him. No one knew what happened to 'em. Anyway what do ya want to drink?''

A smirk crawled its way onto Lucas's face.'' Three whisky sours please.''

'' Sure, that's easy'' Sherry said as she walked away.

'' OK here's the plan, we're going to that casino'' Lucas said as he bent forward.

'' What? That's insane, we could get criminal records, I can't do time with this face'' Farkle panicked.

'' Yeah I'm with Farkle on this one. There's no way I'm counting cards'' Zay said.

Lucas put his hands behind his head and put his feet up on the table. '' Too bad, I heard you guys can make some serious cash if you do.''

Farkle and Zay looked at each other. Were they seriously about to risk being thrown out of a casino for some cash?

Farkle exhaled. '' We're in, but none of us know how to play cards.''

'' Lucky for you, I do. Our game is Blackjack, it's like the classic card counting game.''

'' Fine, how do you play?'' Zay asked.

'' The aim is to get to 21. Each card has a specific value. 1-9 are normal. jacks to kings are worth 10 and aces can be worth 11 or 1.''

'' Seems easy, I'm gonna dominate'' Zay boasted.

'' Easy Babineaux, you don't know how to count yet.''

'' Well then Matthews jnr, how do we count?'' Farkle asked.

'' S-

'' Wait!'' Farkle took out a pen and started to write on a napkin. '' Go on'' he said, without looking up.

Lucas began, '' Simple. Assign values to different cards,keep a running count of what's in the deck. Use that info to calculate the count per deck and raise as the count rises. Got that?''

'' Got it'' Farkle said.

'' I'll just do what Bezos over here does'' Zay said as he pointed to Farkle.

'' Perfect'' Lucas rubbed his hands together.

-x-

An hour later the men had gone to a casino called the Vermillion. It was a large building that got its name from the outside color scheme and the color of the uniforms its employees wore.

The trio walked into the casino and were greeted to 50s jazz playing through speakers, cocktail waitresses serving drinks and dealers swindling customers.

'' Ok, according to the casino's website, the blackjack tables are over there'' Lucas pointed to the northeastern part of the room.

As the pair approached an empty table, they saw a familiar face.

'' Shawn, what're you doing here?'' Farkle asked.

'' Oh, hey guys, ya know, hustling, swindling dealers.''

'' Nice try Hunter, what're you doing here?" Lucas asked his father in law.

'' Fine, I came here to do an article and I'm running out of cash. For some reason I can't find an ATM so this is my choice.''

Farkle looked at the dealer, who was busy on his phone. '' You know how to count cards?''

'''Yes?'' Shawn said.

'' Good'' Lucas said sharply.

'' Hi'' Zay said to the dealer.

'' 25'' the dealer responded.

'' Sheesh, you ain't shy'' Zay handed the dealer the money and was handed a card.

The dealer drew two cards and gave one to Zay. The dealer's was a ace of hearts. Zay's was a queen of spades. '' what're you doing, you want to stand or you want me to give you a card?'' the dealer asked.

Zay stared at the man, then at his cars, then at the deck. '' hit me.''

'' Ok'' the dealer shrugged. He then drew another card which was an ace of clubs.

'' You're choice sir.''

'' I'll stand.''

The dealer drew a card for himself. '' Queen, dealer bust'' the dealer then looked at Zay as if he had just committed treason.

Zay turned to his friends. '' Ok, what's the plan?''

'' Well you just turned 25 bucks into 700 so, I say we tag in Shawn'' Farkle looked at the travel writer/photographer.

'' I don't know-

'' We do'' Lucas shoved Shawn towards the table.

'' 25 to play'' the dealer stated, his expression one of hatred.

'' You better know what you're doing'' Shawn hissed at Lucas.

The dealer drew two cards, same as last time and handed one to Shawn. The dealer's was a queen of hearts and Shawn's, a king of diamonds.

'' King of diamonds, your choice'' the dealer said.

'' Hit me.''

The dealer softly growled. '' King of spades, what're you going to do?''

Shawn looked at the three men behind him and smiled. '' I'll put in another 50.''

Lucas went up to Shawn. '' Are you insane?! You're gonna go back to New York bankrupt.''

'' Trust me kid, I know what I'm doing.''

The dealer drew two cards; an ace of clubs and a king of hearts.''

A small smile appeared on the dealer's face. '' Hit or stand?''

'' Hit.''

Lucas grabbed his head, '' oh boy, I'm going to have my in laws living with me.''

'' Ace, you win'' The dealer growled.

'' Yes!'' Shawn put his fists in the air.

'' How?'' Farkle asked.

'' To be honest Farkle, sometimes you just have to go with your gut'' Shawn patted him on the back, collected his money and left.

'' Alright Farkle, you and me'' Lucas said.

'' Uhm, ok'' Farkle said nervously.

'' Again? You three are going to bankrupt this establishment'' the dealer sighed.

'' Yeah yeah, hit us'' Farkle said.

The dealer drew two cards and handed on to the pair.

'' 9 of spades and jack of clubs'' the dealer half smiled, '' you're bet.''

Lucas gave Farkle a look that meant trust me. Farkle nodded understandingly.

'' We'll bet'' Farkle said.

The dealer drew a jack of diamonds for the duo. He also drew a 4 of hearts.

'' We bet'' Farkle said.

'' What? No, no we don't'' Lucas said shocked.

'' Trust me, I know what's going to happen'' Farkle whispered.

Lucas sighed. '' hit.''

The dealer drew and the pair one the hand.

'' I'm done. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to play baseball but no, unrealistic dreams don't apply'' the dealer said as he walked away.

'' Uhm, ok?'' Zay furrowed his brow.

'' Wow, what's next'' Farkle asked.

'' We collect our winnings and-

'' You come with me'' came a voice.

The three men turned around to see a muscular, tanned blonde man in a piercing black suit in front of them. '' Follow me please'' he said.

'' This is bad'' Lucas said.

'' Why?'' Zay asked.

'' We're going to get thrown out of this place, I knew going bad again wasn't a good idea, even for a weekend'' Lucas panicked.

'' Zay, what ever happens, keep your mouth shut'' Farkle hissed.

The men were led into a room where the unnamed man sat at a desk. HE then beckoned the three of them to sit on the chairs in front of him.

'' Look, you 3 have been doing pretty well tonight. Wonder why that is?'' he said.

'' Luck?" Farkle said.

'' How about you kid, what does your story tell?'' the man asked, his eyes squinting.

''No clue sir.''

The man then turned his attention to Zay. '' How about you? Any reason you lot are going away with 2000 dollars tonight?''

Zay started trembling, he had to make a choice. Would he play it safe and go along with his friends or would he crack?

An awkward silence echoed across the room.

'' Well?'' the man asked.

'' We were counting cards! All three of us, the tall one made us'' Zay confessed.

'' Way to go'' Lucas hissed.

The man put his hands together and put them on the desk. '' Look, you guys broke a huge rule here but it's your first offense so here's what's gonna happen. You keep half the winnings and we ban you for life'' the man said.

'' Fine'' Farkle sighed.

As the men left the building, a grand in their pockets, they agreed on one thing. They wouldn't tell Riley.

Ah the bachelor party, anything can happen.