Road to Nowhere

Part 7

"Viva Las Vegas," Jack muttered as the city limits were announced with a neon sign.

"So where to now? The Luxor?" Sam asked from behind the wheel. Jack had allowed her to drive part of this leg of the journey with a warning to watch her speed.

"Y'know, as much as those holding cells on Goa'uld motherships have started to feel like home, I'm thinking' something a little more old school Vegas. Head for the Xanadu. I got connections there."

"'Old school Vegas'? What does that mean?"

"A casino that isn't run by a big corporation."

"You mean like mob run?"

"Kinda," Jack shrugged.

Sam shook her head and not for the first wondered what Jack had up his sleeve.

"I wanna see Reuben," Jack told the woman at the desk.

"Mr. Tishkoff is busy," she replied coldly.

"I'm sure he is, but I think he'll see me. Tell him Jacky from Minnesota is here."

The secretary rolled her eyes, but dutiful picked up the phone.

Sam looked over at Jack and quirked an eyebrow. "'Jacky'?"

"Nobody had best hear about that, 'Sammie'," he told her sternly.

"Whatever you say, Jacky," she replied with a amused smile.

Jack was just about to retort when the secretary got off the phone. "Mr. Tichkoff will see you, sir," she said as she rose to lead them to the office behind her.

"Jacky! What the hell are you doing here? And why the hell do you look like that?"

Sam smiled as a large man with thick black framed glasses and flashy Versace shirt under his suit enveloped Jack in a huge hug.

Jack pulled away smiling, "I'm in disguise, Reuben."

"Well, you certainly don't look like Jacky O'Neill. What gives?"

"I'm in a tad bit of trouble."

"A 'tad'?" Reuben laughed. "When the hell aren't you?" Then he turned his attention to Sam. "He get you in trouble?"

"No, actually I got him in trouble," Sam responded with a smile. She decided she liked this boisterous man.

"Well, if anybody'll get you out it's Jacky. He's had lots of practice."

"Thanks, I think." Jack gestured to Sam. "Reuben, this is Sam Carter. Sam, Reuben Tishkoff."

"Nice to meet you." Reuben shook her offered hand and then demanded, "Did he dress you up like that?"

"Yes."

"You're an idiot, Jacky. Hiding a beautiful lady like this."

"Reuben, we're in disguise," Jack repeated again good naturedly.

Reuben grinned and moved back behind his desk. "Sit. Sit," he gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. They sat and Reuben picked up his cigar from the ash tray on his desk. "You two had lunch yet?"

"No," Jack replied. "We just got into town."

Reuben picked up his phone, "Amy, send up lunch for three. The ginger chicken salad." He glanced over at Sam, "You allergic to ginger?"

"No, ginger's fine. Thank you."

"Three ginger chicken salad's then, Amy. Thanks." Reuben hung up the phone and leaned back into his chair, puffing on his cigar. "So, Jacky, what ya need?"

"Well, most importantly, we need new IDs," Jack told him. "The works."

Reuben nodded and suggested, "EP."

"I thought of him, but I figured he'd be retired by now."

"Eh, semi-retired," Reuben gestured with his cigar. "His kid's pretty much taken over by now, calls himself EP2."

"He any good?"

"Oh, yeah. Does a lot of fancy stuff with computers. He can make you a whole new life."

"Excellent," Jack nodded in satisfaction.

"How're you in the cash department?"

"We're good. I've got a decent amount set aside for this kind of thing."

"You always were a smart kid, Jacky. But I'll set you up a line of credit while you're here. You're going to need some things for tonight. The credit will be good at any of the shops in the hotel."

"That's not really necessary, Reube."

He waved Jack's protests away, "No, need to spend all you're dough in one place."

"Thanks."

The door opened and Reuben's secretary came in with a tray. Reuben led them over to a couch and chairs in the corner of his office. Amy set the tray down on the table and Sam sat beside Jack on the couch.

"Anything else, Mr. Tishkoff?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, contact EP and tell him I'm sending him a couple over tonight and they need the works."

"Yes, sir."

"And set up a line of credit for…" Reuben looked questioningly at Jack

"Michael Truex and Lucy Simpson," he supplied.

"You heard, Amy."

"Yes, sir," she replied again and shut the door to the office.

"Your father-in-law, Jacky?"

"Ex-father-in-law," he clarified. "And who would suspect?"

"True," Reuben picked up his plate. He took a bite his ginger chicken and then waved his fork at Sam. "You know how I met this kid?"

"No, " Sam responded suddenly curious. She had been quiet since Jack and Reuben started discussing what they needed. Jack seemed to know what he was doing and she was content to follow his lead, but she couldn't help wondering how an Air Force Colonel made the acquaintance of such a flamboyant casino boss.

"Reuben, do we really need to share this story?" Jack asked shifting uncomfortably.

"Sure. I just want Sam to know what she's getting into with you." Reuben turned his attention back to an interested Sam. "It was the summer of '64 in Chicago. I was eighteen and my Pop had given me a red Cadillac convertible for my birthday. Beautiful car. I had parked it outside my barbershop and when I went back out, it was gone. Well, I called my Pop and the police. The cops were taking my statement when here comes my car back down the street and parks in the same place it was before. Then out was this tall skinny kid and cool as anything walks up and says, 'Didn't mean any trouble, folks. I just wanted to see if I could hotwire a car.' This kid was twelve years old!" Reuben pointed with his fork at Jack, who was staring very intently at his ginger chicken. "Can you believe that?"

Sam laughed and looked over at the red faced man next to her. "Actually I can."

Jack huffed avoided her eye and glared at Reuben. "Can we please stick to the matter at hand?"

"Okay. Okay," he grinned holding up his hands in surrender. "You two go to EP's tonight and then hole up here until he gets your stuff ready."

"Sounds like a plan," Jack agreed and dug back into his food. A little while later a thought struck him and he asked Reuben, "Hey, what's Danny and Rusty up to these days?"

"Danny's in jail."

"No way. What happened?"

"He got caught trying to get rid of some kind of ancient mask thing, supposed to be worth big bucks. Rusty was in Italy but I hear he's in LA these days. "

"That's convenient," Jack said thoughtfully. "I was thinking about heading in that direction."

"I can get you his address."

"I appreciate this, Reuben. Really."

"Ah, hell, Jacky, it's not like you haven't helped me out of a jam or two." Reuben stood. "I'll have your luggage sent up to the Shangri-la suite. Stay as long as you need to."

Jack got to his feet and shook the other man's hand gratefully, "Thanks, but we'll be outta here as soon as EP's done. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

Sam moved to stand beside Jack. She smiled at Reuben, "Thank you for lunch. Is was great."

"I'm glad you liked it, Sam. We'll have dinner after you're done at EP's. I've still got a couple of story's about Jacky."

"I'll look forward to it."

Jack glared at Reuben one last time before leading Sam out of the office. Sam followed him out to the lobby before she finally decided to speak up, "So what now?"

Jack raised a hand to run through his hair but stopped thinking better of it. He would only ruin the slicked down look. He dropped his hand, "Well, now we go shopping."

"Shopping for what?"

Jack held up his hand and began ticking things off on his fingers, "You need a dress, I need a suit, and rings. That's about it I think."

"What?"

"It'd be mighty suspicious to show up at a wedding chapel without being part of a wedding party."

"Wedding party?"

"Yes, we have an appointment at EP's House O' Love."

Sam stopped walking and stared after him. Jack noticed she wasn't with him and turned back around. "Relax. It's just a front."

She still stared at him.

"Trust me."

Sam took a breath and then her lips twitched in to a smile. "I'm not wearing a veil."

Jack chuckled and they began walking again. "I guess that's okay. You did wear one at our first wedding after all."

Sam stopped in her tracks again, "Excuse me? First wedding?"

"Remember, I traded my weapon for you. Daniel says according to Shavadai culture and a couple of others that means we're married."

"Remind me to trade Daniel to someone next time."

"Maybe you can get a big honkin' space gun for him," Jack smiled at the thought. "You know those alien chicks go nuts over him."

TBC

A/N- As I hope you've figured out Rubin is a character from Ocean's 11. This story takes place about a year before the events of the movie. More crossovers to come.