See ya at the cuda
By: Trivette Lover Heather

" Come on...bubba!" Nash pleaded

" Just one more time Nash..." Joe said while pushing quarters into the machine and pulling the handle down.

" Joe! Get your measly little butt out here before I come in there and kick it." He screamed from outside. " That's it!" Nash stormed towards joe, grabbed a hold of his arm, and started pulling him to the exit.

" Nashman...come on, just one more time...one more..." he looked up at Nash.

" Let me think," putting one hand in the air while the other held onto his partner. " NO! Now either you come quietly or I'm gonna arrest your ass!"

" Alright, alright take it easy."

" Huh, bubba I AM taking it easy!"

The two friends walked out of the casino and Nash gave the ticket to the valet. Nash still had a hold of Joe.

" Ok, you can let go of me now."

" You know I probably could, but I'm
not going to."

" Come on Nash!" he pleaded.

" Alright, but if you so much as move from my side, ill throw you into on coming traffic and go home alone!"

" Ha ha ok!"

Nash let go of his arm and glared at Joe. 'Man he was crazy about money!'

" Dang man what in the hell is taking so long."

" Ill go check," Joe offered.

" Uh uh, oh no you won't, I'll go you stay here!"

" Fine," Joe shrugged.

Just as Nash began to walk towards the valet window, he heard loud sirens like an alarm, and then three men with machine guns rampaged through the exit and began running down the street.

" Joe! Come on!"

" But I'm not suppose to move!"

" Damnit Joe, this is no time to be cute."

Just then the cuda pulled up.

" Get out!"

" What about my tip?"

" OK here's one, get the hell out of the way before I run over your precious little toes!"

Nash checked for Joe then pulled out tires screeching!

" What the hell was that all about Nash?"

" Looks like a little heist went down inside, I don't know how the hell they got their guns in there, but when we catch them we will find out!"

" There they are." Joe pointed.

By this time Nash was streaming in and out of traffic. Nash and Joe didn't do anything drastic, they didn't want to cause a rampage of gunfire, there were too many civilians. The three men ran into an alley. Nash slammed on his breaks, blocking the entrance to the alley.

" What are they stupid?" Joe asked.

" Good question bubba, lets go ask em."

Joe and Nash followed down the alley, both not sure If there was an exit or not. It was very dark and neither could see much.

" Joe you take the left, I got the right, stay a little behind me and watch our backs. Let's find these punks!"

" Alright!" Joe agreed.

Both men streamed along the alley walls. Guns drawn, frequently checking on each other and their surroundings. They could see the alley was a dead end.

" Nash man..."

" Yeah I know, we gotta head back. They had to have gone in somewhere back there, stay close."

" Ok, I'm right behind you."

Both men headed back down the alley. Fear built up to its peak, both having to take care of themselves and each other. Joe heard a noise.

" Nash I heard something man, sounds like its coming from up there."

" Alright." Nash paced back, still alert to meet Joe back to back. " Alright, we are like sitting ducks here bub, we gotta keep heading back to the cuda. So stay next to me and keep walking."

" Ok man, whatever you say."

They made it a few more feet when Joe spotted on of them behind a Dumpster.

" Nash! There!" He pointed. The two men were under fire.

" Left Joe!" Nash yelled and pushed him to the side.

Nash was hiding behind a couple barrels of trash on the right and Joe was hiding behind a back entrance.

" Joe!"

" Yea?"

" We gotta flank em some how."

" But what about the other 2 guys, they are just waiting for us to come out to take us."

" Look! I'll start shooting then you come run across to my side. By that time, the other 2 guys would take shots too and we can tell where they are! In fact, ill come over to your side."

" What why? I'll come over to your side!"

Still bullets ricocheting.

" Bubba! This is no time to argue! You have more to lose, you got a wife, 2 kids!"

" Nash even if I do get taken out, the other has a slim chance of making it so here I come!"

" No Joe! ...Damnit!" Nash aimed his gun and fired a few rounds. When Joe was close Nash grabbed him and pulled him down.

" Don't you ever pull anything like that again."

" Did you see em?"

" Yeah they are both up on the balconies, one on left the other right. Um, throw something out and ill see if I can get a clean shot of the one behind the dumpster..." He aims. " Alright now!" Joe threw a box! Nash took aim and fired, shooting to kill. And he hit his target!'

" Alright, way to go nashman!"

" Teamwork's a beautiful thing! Ok now, crossing pattern. You ready?"

" Yeah I think so"

" Bubba, don't think!"

" Well you asked me a question."

" Joe?"

" Alright! Lets go..." Joe grabs a hold of Nash's arm before he runs out. " I love you man"

" Ha, I love you too bubba, see ya at the cuda!"

Just then the two men dashed out criss-crossing trying to confuse the shooters, bullets flew everywhere, one hit a some type of tank and gas flew every where. Nash somehow made it to the cuda.

" Ah, I made it" he gasped for air. He could no longer hear any shooting.
" Joe? Joe?" He looked around to see no sign of his partner. " Oh god!" Nash ran back. Just then a Uni arrived. " Bout damn time, follow me there may still be shooters. Again gun drawn Nash entered into the alley, the gas was beginning to clear and in the midst of the clearing he saw his partner, laying still.

" Ah god Joe?" He ran over to his partner's side.
He was still breathing. " Take it easy bubba, ambulance is on they way!" He turned to the Uni.'s. " Officer down damnit, get an medic here now!"

He held pressure to Joe's wound.
" Hang on Joe, hold on."

" Damn this hurts," wincing in pain. " ah, you ok?"

" yeah I'm fine" just then Joe closed his eyes and stopped breathing, his head fell back from Nash's hand.

" Joe? No Joe! Hold on they're here! Come back to me Joe, Joe?" He pleaded. The medics arrived and pulled Nash away to work on Joe. Nash listened as they hollered and watched as they rolled him into the ambulance.

Nash attempted to go into the ambulance but they said there wasn't room. He got to the cuda and followed the ambulance to the hospital. On the way he called Evan and Harvey, and called Nick and Cassidy to pick up Inger.

He ran out of the cuda and headed into the emergency behind Joe.

" Uh sir, you can't leave your car here!"

" I'll be right back sister!"

Nash ran to follow them but was stopped.

" I'm sorry sir, this is as far as you can go!"

" The hell it is!"

" I'm sorry sir! But you will have to wait."

Nash stood outside the closed door. Did he lose Joe? He walked to the waiting room, sat down and prayed. Soon after Harvey and Evan walked in.

" Hey Boss, how is he?"

" I don't know, damn people been in there forever! Won't tell me a damn thing."

Just then a doctor approached the waiting room. The same one who had stopped Nash earlier. Nash got up and introduced himself. She did the same.

" So how is he?" Harvey asked.

" Well, we almost lost him there when we brought him in, but he's stabilized."

" Thank god," Nash added. " Can we see him?"

" Yes but only one at a time and only for a short while, he's still heavily sedated and should be resting the rest of the night. Follow me."

" Uh harv, I left the cuda out their can you go take care of it for me?"

" You're gonna let me drive the cuda."

" Don't get too excited bubba, it's just a parking lot."

" But it's a step boss." He smiled.

" And Evan can you stay and wait for Inger, Cassidy and Nick?"

" Sure thing Nash!"

" Thanks!"

Nash followed the nurse into ICU. He's right through there. Nash stepped into the room. Gasping at the sight. Tears forming in his eyes. Tears of sadness yet happiness. Joe was going to be all right. He approached the bed and took his hand. " I'm glad you're gonna be all right bubba." He smiled and glanced up. And threw up a little thank you to heaven.

It was about a week when Joe was released. There was a big welcome back party for him at the SIU.
With fake dollar bills on his desk as welcome back gift.

" Ha ha, hey Nash, how about another trip to the casino tonight?"

" Yeah sure thing bubba," He said sarcastically rolling his eyes. " Don't take too much time gawking at that money, its fake you know...we got a lead to track down."

" Right now, I just got back!"

" Do I have to pull you out of here by your arm again?"

" Ok ok!"

Nash smiled. As if to say I'm glad you see it my way. Nash glared over at Joe.

"I'll see ya at the cuda bubba!"