The Eternity Brigade by Stephen Goldin, Ivan Goldman

speaking to his oldest friends back home. Much to his own surprise—and quite against his conscious intentions—he found himself forming a friendship with these two comrades-in-adversity. He still could not match either of the others in volubility, but nonetheless he was drawn into the circle of intimacy that grew up around the trio.
    By the time they reached Las Vegas, they felt they’d known one another for years. Green suggested they check into a small motel to save their money, but Symington would have none of that. They were here to have fun, he insisted, and that meant first class all the way. Similarly, he insisted on a separate room for himself. “You guys can share if you want,” he said, “but I plan on running the broads through like a cattle call, and I don’t need you interfering, if you know what I mean.”
    They ended up staying at the brand new Bellissima Hotel. Hawker and Green did decide to share a room, while Symington went off on his own. None of them had ever been to Las Vegas before, but Symington fell immediately into the fever pace of a twenty-four-hour town. Hawker and Green were tired after the long plane flights, and slept for most of the first afternoon. By the time they awoke and went down to the hotel’s casino, they found Symington playing the roulette wheel with reckless abandon, placing bets with his right hand with his left clamped firmly about the waist of some pretty girl he’d already managed to pick up.
    The pair wandered about the casino floor for a while, dropping some coins into the slot machines and sitting in for a few hands of blackjack, but not getting totally involved in anything. By the time they wandered back to the roulette table, Symington had vanished along with the girl, and they didn’t press their investigation any further.
    They went to the bar for a few drinks, had dinner, saw a revue, then gambled some more in earnest before finally calling it a night at 3 AM and collapsing in their room. The next day they bought swimming trunks and sat out by the pool, lazily soaking up the desert sun. That was where Symington eventually caught up with them again.
    “Close your eyes, fellows,” he said as he approached them. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
    Obligingly, Hawker and Green closed their eyes until Symington told them they could look again. The big man had brought with him a trio of beautiful women, absolute knockouts in their skimpy bikinis. “I never did properly thank you for saving my ass back there in the bar,” he said. “I just thought this was one way to show my appreciation. Take your pick—except Laura here, I’m afraid I saw her first.”
    Hawker and Green were both speechless, so Symington, never one to abide a long silence, jumped into the breach. “Felicia, why don’t you get yourself acquainted with my friend the Hawk over there? Maya, this is my friend David Green. Normally he talks a lot; I guess he’s just struck dumb by how beautiful you are.” As the girl named Felicia moved over to stand beside Hawker’s chair, Symington brought Maya over and set her gently down in Green’s lap. “There, isn’t that better?”
    Felicia was rubbing her long-nailed hands through Hawker’s chest hair in an erotic pattern that instantly produced the desired results. Self-consciously Hawker crossed his legs to hide the growing bulge in his trunks.
    Hawker’s embarrassment, though, was nothing compared to Green’s. That young man’s face was brick-red, and he made a great effort to keep his hands firmly on the arms of his chair and away from Maya’s tempting flesh. “Uh, Lucky, this is very kind of you—”
    ‘Think nothing of it, ol’ buddy. I always repay favors.”
    “It’s just that I, uh, right now that is…”
    “Don’t be so shy, Dave. You don’t want Maya thinking you’re queer, do you?”
    If anything, Green’s blush only deepened. “I, uh, I forgot I already made another appointment.” He lifted Maya off his lap and