Fenny’s lips were nearly touching Brad’s when she heard a familiar voice yelling at one of the croupiers.

“YOU’RE AN IDIOT…IF YOU’D PUT IT ON NUMBER THREE LIKE I SAID…” Rona had just lost another $100.

Fenny jolted away from Brad. “You should go, now,” she whispered.

“But what about…” Brad’s voice trailed off as he tried to decide on an excuse.

“Please, just go,” Fenny begged and pushed him off the chair.

Brad stumbled to his feet and straightened his jacket. “I love you Fen and I promise I’ll get you out of this,” he said weakly.

“Go,” Fenny pleaded again. He nodded before heading off into the crowd.

Fenny turned back to the screaming flashing poker machine as Rona appeared at her side.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed.

“Losing,” Fenny replied bluntly.

“That’s not what I meant. I wouldn’t bother trying to chat anyone up. Not that they’d want you anyway,” Rona scorned.

“Oh and your attitude is so becoming,” Fenny sarced, knowing full well that there was nothing Rona could do to her in the casino.

“I could have any man I want,” Rona breathed.

“Yeah, any 50-year-old, intoxicated ex-hippie would take you like that,” Fenny mused and snapped her fingers.

Rona crossed her arms like a teenager, narrowed her eyes and let out a huff.

Gina was passing the bar when she noticed a familiar figure leaning against it.

“Well if it isn’t the poisoned dwarf,” she mused, sidling up next to Paul.

“Oh, you’re hysterical,” Paul sarced. “Have a good grope in the broom cupboard?”

“Anyone recognised you yet?” Gina asked, changing the subject.

“Not really. One footy player thought I was the new host of Play School,” he shrugged.

“Well, it’s probably all he understands,” she mused taking the opportunity to look Paul up and down. “Nice suit.”

“You like?” he queried, taking several gulps of his bourbon and coke.

“Darling, you know you look hot in a suit, you don’t need to ask.”

“Thanks. That dress is…is…well…”

“Say it,” she breathed.

“Appalling,” he mused. Gina couldn’t help but giggle. “And you’re not wearing boots, which is amazing because you even wore boots on our wedding day,” Paul continued.

“You don’t like the late 80s, shiny stilettos?” she asked.

“The white knee high boots you wore for the wedding were sexy. Those shoes, however are nothing short of repulsive,” he replied, finishing his drink.

Gina turned around and leant against the bar. “Oh shit,” she gasped.

“What?” Paul asked and turned around.

“Rona’s being a bitch to Fen,” she grumbled.

“Like there’s something new,” he sighed.

“Well do something,” she ordered.

“What do you want me to do?” he gasped.

“I don’t know, use some of that McDermott charm on her. Just get her the hell away from Fen,” Gina scorned.

“Fine, but I’m only doing this because I like Fenny,” Paul huffed, placed his glass back on the bar and turned in the direction of Fenny and Rona. Gina grabbed his arm, and he turned back to face her.

“I know we haven’t been on the best of terms recently, but please, please be careful. Remember, she’s a total psycho,” Gina breathed.

Paul studied her for a moment. “You be careful, too. No more violence toward the kidnappers.”

They briefly smiled at each other, and then Paul was walking toward the poker machines.

Greg found Brad sitting in the lobby on some plush red velvet stairs.

“You find her?” he asked, joining Brad on the stairs.

“Who?” Brad asked, obviously in deep thought.

“Fen,” Greg said louder.

“Fen, yes…I did…she looked beautiful…well apart from that awful dress,” Brad babbled.

“Brad, if we’re going to talk, can you try and use coherent sentences?” Greg jeered.

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I haven’t seen her in ages and just to touch her hand. God, I’m going all sappy,” Brad scorned and got his feet.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Greg smiled.

“You find Gina?” Brad asked, running his fingers through his hair.

“Oh yes,” Greg nodded.

“Did you find out anything from her that we should know?” Brad queried.

“We kinda didn’t do much talking,” Greg said sheepishly.

“This is killing me,” Brad breathed and began to pace.

“Hey, it’s no party for me either.”

“Do you actually have any idea how we’re going to save the girls?” Brad snapped.

“Well, I was considering the idea that we all parachuted in using parachutes made of spandex and then attack the evil, psychotic sisters with silly string and jello,” Greg mused.

Brad looked at him strangely for a moment and then broke into a smile. “I like that idea.”

“Ah see, I know you so well,” Greg grinned.

“You know Brad never loved you,” Rona scorned.

“Oh yes, I’d forgotten about that,” Fenny mused.

“He loves my sister and their baby. They’re even going to get married. How does that make you feel huh?” Rona continued.

Before Fenny could respond, another voice broke in. It was Paul, and she looked at him surprised.

“I’m sorry, but I was just watching you from across the room and I just, was like, ‘wow.’ You look gorgeous…and I was wondering, if it’d be ok…if I was to buy you, like, a drink.”

Rona looked at Paul almost bashfully. “I guess that’d be ok,” she smiled.

“Great, let’s go then,” Paul perked. He winked over Rona’s shoulder at Fenny, and she covered her mouth to muffle a giggle as he led Rona off.

Gina waited until Paul had Rona far enough away and then hurried back to Fenny.

“Did that cow say anything to you?” Gina gushed.

“Only the usual, like Brad doesn’t love me,” Fenny mused. “But he does, because he just told me.”

“Brilliant! I ran into Greg in a broom cupboard.”

“A broom cupboard?” Fenny asked, clearly amused.

“Oh, I’ll explain the details later,” Gina giggled.

“Did you see what Paul just did?”

“Yeah, I told him to…. God he’s gorgeous in a suit.”

“I thought you were mad about Greg?” Fenny cussed.

“I’m crazy about Greg, but Paul is something else entirely.”

Fenny shook her head. “Do you think the guys are lurking about somewhere?”

“I hope so. Do you wanna have a sneaky peek?”

“You have some interesting words and phrases,” Fenny laughed. “Ok, what’s Ritza doing, first?”

Gina looked around the room. “Engrossed in several large cocktails with some freaky looking dudes.”

“That’s good enough,” Fenny perked and grabbed Gina by the wrist.

They ended up backing into the quite empty lobby and both let out large sighs of relief.

“I can’t believe we made it this far without Ritza noticing,” Fenny gasped.

“Legends,” Gina grinned. “Where now?”

“Up these stairs,” Fenny perked. The two friends ascended the stairs together and nearly died when they hit the first landing.

“BRAD,” Fenny gasped.

“FENNY,” Brad breathed, equally as stunned.

“Shit,” Gina laughed.

“Shhh,” Greg urged.

“How did you get away from Ritza?” Brad asked.

“We walked,” Gina replied bluntly.

“She’s a bit busy,” Fenny added.

“Have you seen Paul?” Greg asked.

“He was last seen taking Rona for drinks,” Gina mused.

“Why?” Brad asked.

“To get her away from Fen. He’ll weasel his way out of it,” Gina replied.

The four fell silent, not quite sure what to do now that they were together.

“So what do we do now?” Brad asked.

“Orgy in the stairwell,” Gina giggled, and pushed Greg back against the stairs as she kissed him, but Greg couldn’t kiss for laughing. Fenny cracked up as well, as did Brad as he got to his feet.

“We’re not as animalistic as them, are we?” he asked.

“Speak for yourself,” Fenny replied, grabbed Brad by his lapels and kissed him as deeply as she could.

After several drinks, Rona was much looser. Paul had several large scotches to settle his nerves.

“So Pauly, do you like champagne?” Rona asked.

“When I’m drunk enough,” Paul replied.

“I’ve got a bottle in my room, wanna help me drink it?” Rona purred.

Paul’s initial reaction was, ‘No, run away, run away now.’ “I suppose one or two glasses would be ok,” Paul nodded.

Rona slid out of her seat, took Paul by the hand and led him into the lobby.

“Who’s that?” Fenny gasped, pulling her lips away from Brad’s.

“I don’t care,” Brad replied and pulled her lips back.

“Go look,” Gina ordered, rolling off of Greg.

Greg reluctantly got to his feet and tiptoed down the stairs. He caught sight of Paul who looked at him for help.

“Oh there’s a taxi, come on,” Rona chirped and dragged Paul out of the door.

Paul gave Greg daggers as Greg waved him goodbye.

“Who was it?” Gina asked.

“Just Paul being dragged into a taxi by Rona,” Greg mused, falling back onto the stairs with Gina.

“Oh, the poor guy,” Fenny gasped.

“We’ll save him later,” Brad chuckled.

Back at the hotel, Rona led Paul into her room and closed the door behind him. Paul looked around feeling more than a little uncomfortable.

“So, champagne,” Paul announced, nervously wringing his hands,

“Screw the champagne,” Rona replied and unzipped her dress. It dropped to her ankles and she kicked it off. She stood there in nothing but a pair of strappy sandals and a black thong.

“Oh my god,” Paul gasped and averted his eyes to the floor.

“Oh baby, you’re not going to get all shy on me now, are you?” Rona purred and glided over to Paul.

Paul looked up, caught sight of her bare breasts millimetres from his chest, and looked up at the ceiling.

“Um, shouldn’t you put your dress back on?” he swallowed.

“Whatever for?” Rona mused and undid the buttons on Paul’s jacket.

“You don’t need to undo that,” Paul babbled.

She ripped his shirt open and began to caress his skin.

“Rona, the drinks were nice but I really hadn’t planned to…”

Paul was cut off as Rona’s lips came crashing down on his. He struggled against her as she began to undo his belt.

“Get off me, you crazy bitch,” Paul snapped when he managed to push her away.

“I thought you wanted me?” Rona panted.

“Hell no, I’d rather fuck a rabies-ridden Rottweiler than rub uglies with you,” Paul hissed

Rona let out a furious shriek and Paul made a dash for the door. He kept running until he was as far away from Rona as humanly possible.

“Paul’s taking a long time,” Gina pointed out as she rested her head on Greg’s shoulder after they’d calmed down, and managed to go more than five minutes without sticking their tongues down each other’s throats.

“Maybe they’re doing the horizontal tango,” Brad mused as Fenny plonked herself in his lap.

“That’s not a nice mental image,” Greg scorned.

“I hope Rona doesn’t do anything nasty to him,” Fenny breathed, not daring to let go of Brad.

“I’ll kick her arse if she lays a finger on him,” Gina scowled.

“Well, aren’t we protective of the ex,” Fenny mused.

“Would you kick her arse if she did anything to me?” Greg asked sulkily.

“Of course I would, Speccy,” Gina cooed.

“You two are truly nauseating,” Brad scorned.

“Mr Proops, we meet again,” a voice announced.

Greg leapt up and looked behind him, to see the familiar face of Jacques, the man who had instructed his heavies to kick the shit out of Greg the last time he’d been in Australia.

“Jacques,” Greg gasped.

“Go,” Brad ordered Fenny. “Both of you.”

“No,” Fenny gasped.

“Yes, we’ll meet up later, I promise,” Brad begged, kissing Fenny quickly on the forehead.

“Gina come on,” Fenny ordered grabbing Gina’s arm and dragging her back down the stairs.

“I’m surprised you are back so soon,” Jacques smiled.

“Yeah well, nice to catch up, gotta go now,” Greg scorned.

“But Mr Proops, I have something to give you,” Jacques announced.

“Oh no you don’t,” Greg breathed and began to back down the stairs.

“But Mr Proops…” Jacques gasped, reaching into his pocket.

“RUN,” Greg yelled, and both he and Brad bolted to the exit as they heard Jacques yelling for them to come back.

“That bastard better not hurt Greg,” Gina sobbed.

“He’ll be all right,” Fenny soothed.

“Where the fuck have you two been?” Ritza announced abruptly, causing both Gina and Fenny to jump.

“Nowhere,” Fenny replied lamely.

“We’re going,” Ritza announced. “Now.”

Both Fenny and Gina wanted to say something but knew it was pointless arguing with Ritza, so they followed her obediently out of the casino.

“Stupid fucking idea, use that McDermott charm. McDermott charm…I was nearly fucking raped by a mad woman,” Paul muttered to himself as he walked back toward the casino. His hands were dug deep in his pockets and his shirt flapped open, since it was now devoid of buttons. He angrily kicked a plastic Coke bottle, which bounced into a lamppost and came back to hit him on the head.

“Bastard,” Paul hissed and jumped up and down on the bottle until it was completely flattened, then rounded the corner, still angrily staring at the ground. He came to a sudden halt when he blindly ran into another pedestrian.

“Sorry mate, I was…fuck.”

Paul had run headfirst into the two heavies whose car he’d help to steal earlier.