Slick wiggled her fingers. “Not strong enough for rapid fire on an Uzi. I heard Hawkins washed out. Now that’s a mind-bender right there. C’mon, Sam, pack up and let’s head for Flip’s. I could use a drink. If you cry, I’ll smack you, Sam. Accept it, we weren’t good enough. I can live with that, and so can you. We can cry in our beer at Flip’s. Not here. Wait, wait, wait! I have an idea.” She ran to the closet and yanked out a scarlet spandex dress and tossed it to Sam. She had her own suitcase open within seconds. Five minutes later, she’d shed her jeans and donned skimpy thong underwear and a black push-up bra. “We’re going out of here in style, baby, and I don’t want to hear another word! That means makeup and hair-style. Fifteen minutes and we’re both runway material. Now, goddamn it, Sam, move!”

Sam moved.

Fifteen minutes later both women looked at their reflections in the stainless-steel mirrors fastened to the closet doors. Sam gasped. “We look like sluts!”

Slick waved her hand airily. “There are sluts, and there are sluts!”

In spite of herself, Sam laughed. “Should we call down to have someone take our bags?”

Slick took a second appraising look at herself in the mirror. Satisfied, she turned to Sam. “I say we leave the damn bags. I don’t want any reminders of this place, and I don’t think you do either. Take the makeup, though. Now, aren’t you glad I insisted we bring these outfits? The first rule in modeling is always be prepared.”

“Oh, yeah,” Sam drawled. “I hope I don’t kill myself in these three-inch heels. The first thing I’m going to do is take a gardeniascented bubble bath when I get home to get the stink of this place off me. Are we really leaving our bags?”

“Yeah, let them paw through our cotton underwear and have wet dreams while they’re doing it. Is the bath before or after Flip’s?”

“After.”

Slick’s hand was on the doorknob. The time was four-thirty in the afternoon. Within seconds the hall would be full of agents and their classmates. Slick cupped her hands under her breasts, gave a little push, tugged the spandex down over her ass, and marched out to the hall. She turned to Sam, and hissed, “Strut, baby! I showed you how to do it, now make me proud of you. Head back, and push out that pelvis. Don’t look at anyone and follow me.”

Catcalls, whistles, and lewd comments followed them down the hall and out to the main concourse. A group of Marine officers stopped in their tracks, giving Sam and Slick stunned looks and raised eyebrows. Slick slowed, twirled her beaded purse before she wagged her finger under the officers’ noses. Sam winked, and said, “Your loss, boys!”