Aces (1/2) (M/F) "Pull up! Pull up!" Piper cried as the heads up display showed the enemy on Bandit's tail, closing in for a missile lock. Bandit pulled up sharply, executing a flawless roll to the right that momentarily threw the enemy fighter off. But only for the moment. The Chinese Mao was one of the most advanced fighters in the world and could make even a kid fresh out of flight school look like an ace. Piper pursued his own prey to the very fringe of the atmosphere, to the extent that only the solid rocket boosters were providing thrust. A familiar tone sounded-his computer had acquired a lock, finally breaking through his opponent's countermeasures. What followed was completely automatic. The computer launched the weapon; thirty seconds later a brilliant fireball drifted over the horizon. "I can't shake him!" Bandit screamed. "Damnit, I can't shake him!" "Hold on buddy, I'm commin' down!" Piper said grimly, as the display showed him he might not be in time. Bandit was executing a series of dives and rolls to forestall the inevitable, but the Mao's computers had almost broken through the last of Bandit's jamming signals. When the last signal failed, a missile would launch; traveling and turning at a speed no human could endure. Ten years ago a Chinese missile would likely fail, but then China had caught the same quality bug that had swept Japan and the Americas. The missile wouldn't fail. "This is it, Piper," Bandit said, his voice eerily calm though the display showed he was engaged in high stress maneuvers. "I was looking forward to that home cooked meal you promised you'd have your wife cook for us when we got leave." "It's still a date, asshole," Piper replied, his voice ragged from the adrenaline pouring through his body. He was closing to weapons range fast and Bandit's computer had already uploaded the enemy's defensive information. He'd have a shot, but the computer predicted he'd arrive ten seconds too late. Switching the flight controls to fully automatic, Piper, already at full thrust, flipped two buttons, igniting the solid rocket motors in an uncontrolled burn. The seat slammed into his back as the contact was made. A second later, accelerating faster than both man and machine were designed for, the world went white, then black. ---- "Whoooohooooo!" Bandit's voice echoed through the cabin. Groggily, Piper checked the system, trying to work through the blurred double image. All clear. Two splashed bogies. "That was un-fucking-believable!" Bandit howled. "You must have been pulling thirteen G's! You came in so fast Charlie never knew what hit him!" "I'd say you owe me a beer," Piper said, suddenly surprised at how weak his voice was. "Piper, I owe you a whole fucking bar! Shhhiiiit! Ol' Bessy here's telling me the bogie on my tail was commanded by none other than Woeful Wu. There's seventy-eight dead red-blooded American pilots waiting to give him a proper welcome on the other side." "Wu, huh?" Piper asked, still trying to clear his head. "The ident codes match. I think you'll have more than a beer waiting for you when we get back." The return trip was uneventful, as was the landing and debrief. The trip from the debrief back to the barracks was not uneventful however, as word of the dreaded fighter ace's demise had rippled like a spark to deadwood throughout the base. Police action or not, the war ground to a halt as the base took a well deserved holiday to celebrate and toast their newfound hero well into the night. The beer, boasts, and bragging flowed freely. With a few drinks under his belt, Piper discovered that he recalled many more details of the encounter than maybe he had told to the debriefing officer. "Pipe pulled a fifteen G diving roll to intercept Wu!" Bandit was exclaiming, his words slurring a little. "He never stood a chance. Pipe pulled in with guns blazing and I swear every missile popped all making a straight B-line to Woeful Wu, who probably still doesn't know what hit him!" Bandit laughed uproariously at this and the crowed around him joined in. "Fifteen G?" A voice from the back asked. "Shit, no one can take a fifteen G roll and live to tell about it." "Hey, Hey!" Bandit cried throwing an arm around Piper who was trying to chase the sting from the last shot of whiskey with another. "Who's this party for anyway? It's all in the logs, me boyos." Bandit said as he chomped down on a cigar, a broad grin lightning his athletic face. "Piper pulled a fifteen G rolling dive and walked to debrief as steady as me." The voice in the back muttered, "fifteen G," again before drifting off. Someone raised their glass and yelled, "to Piper!"--it was not the first, nor would it be the last toast of the evening. Piper stood shakily and yelled back, "To Bandit!" "Bandit?", the toaster asked incredulously. "To Bandit!" Piper said back firmly. "Who do you think kept Wu occupied while I was busy becoming a hero so we could all get shift-faced?" Captain Jensen, known as "the Cube," (which could mean either ice or square as depending on whether he was flying or on the ground), stood up and said, "Way I heard it, Ol' Bandit was going to be Wu's seventy-ninth flag until you came around." Piper's eyes narrowed dangerously. "We ain't flying HellJets BOY, and Bandit was holding his own. I'll take him as my wingman any day of the week, you got a problem with that?" Sixty pairs of eyes locked on Cube, who suddenly decided he'd had too much to drink and dropped the matter. The mood in the room had turned from festive to awkward silence until Piper raised his glass again and said firmly, "To Bandit!" "TO BANDIT!" the room cheered. And the party went on. "Cube's right." Bandit muttered over a beer later that evening. All but the most dedicated drinkers had left the bar. "My ass was grass. I had a Chinese missile with my name on it ready to go right up where the sun never shines." "So I save your ass, you save mine. You've gotten bogies off my tail before. It's what a good wingman does, and you're the best, Bandit. The only one here who don't know that is Cube, and he's got his head stuck up his bunghole." "Yea, but it's never been this close before." Bandit said quietly. "You and I both know you and your plane shouldn't have survived that burn, man." Piper shrugged. "We both do what we have to do. You'd have done the same for me." Bandit looked at his friend and wondered. Here, now in the bar it would be easy to say 'yes.' In the cockpit at full burn, knowing that engaging the solids could tear the airplane to shreds, that was something you never knew if you could do or not until it was done. The only man on the base Bandit _knew_ would do it was Piper himself. "Yea," Bandit agreed. It was the expected thing to say, but deep down he still wondered. "Ten-hut!" someone shouted from the entrance, and all eyes went immediately to the door. Colonel Briggs stared sternly around the room as men instantly staggered to their feet and stood waveringly at attention. "At ease, men!" The Colonel commanded. "Far be it from me to spoil this festive party you're all having!" It was a sarcastic remark. The festivities had ended an hour ago. The few men remaining decided that now would be a perfect time to call it a night, as the Colonel made his way over to the table where Piper and Bandit sat. "Captain Piper, Captain Gregs," the Colonel greeted them, motioning them to sit. "I guess, given the circumstances, you should be excused for your appearance." Then his usually harsh face broke into a wide smile and he shoved out his hand to shake Piper's. "Well done! Well done, both of you." The pride on his face was the same as a proud father. "Thank you Sir." Piper said, genuinely moved by this rare display of humanity. "I understand you have your first furlough in three days." "Yes sir. Bandit, uh Captain Gregs and I both. I was going to show him around L.A." "In two weeks, you're to appear at the Pentagon. It will cut four days off your leave." "Sir? I don't understand." "Word of your little sortie has reached Washington, Piper. General Hargrove himself wants to pin a new medal on your uniform. Since he's a General, you'll have to indulge him. It will only take a few days. Is this a problem?" A little unsure of his answer, since it had been over a year since he'd last touched his wife, Piper none-the-less answered, "No Sir!" "Good. You'll still have ten days for yourself. I'd extend your leave if I could, but we're shorthanded enough as it is. Those Mao's are eating our lunch, not to mention our best qualified pilots." The Colonel thought a second before saying, "Good job again, Captain Piper. It's the kind of by-your-seat and damn the consequences flying today that reminds me why we still put men up there. You made me proud to be a soldier again." "Thank you, sir!" Piper said as the Colonel turned sharply and strode to the door. "Well, isn't that just the cat's meow?" Bandit grinned, punching Piper in the arm. "Ol' Pipe sitting up in Washington with the big brass staring at him like some caged animal. Doesn't that just sound fun?" "Yea." Piper said glumly. "Four less days with Ilene. The army sure knows how to reward its so-called heroes." "Come on, Pipe. Time to call it a night. We've still got two more days of duty before the fun starts, and you've never been a fun drunk." ======================================== Chapter 1 07:50 - 10,000 ft over Los Angeles. ======================================== "L.A.," Piper said as they stared out the window of the descending plane. "The city of angels." "Isn't it also the city of gang wars, drug riots, and corrupt cops?" Bandit snickered. "As long as Ilene lives there, bud, it's the city of angels." Piper said. "Now me, I couldn't disappoint all the beautiful ladies out there by shacking up with just one. I figure I've got a good five, maybe ten years before I need to settle down." Piper laughed. "I was worse than you bud. Before Ilene I was bringing a different girl home every night, sometimes two! Then I met Ilene and she turned my world upside down. Until her I was just like you - I couldn't see myself with just one girl. Then suddenly I couldn't see myself with anyone but her. Funny how that is." "Yea, har-har." Bandit joked. "The day I meet a woman like that is the day I run out and bed every woman who'll have me until it passes!" "That's my Bandit, stealing the ladies affections as easily as he steals his splashes." "Ain't it the truth!" Bandit agreed as he cast a winning smile and a quick wink at the stewardess who was moving through the cockpit to prepare the passengers for landing. She paused a moment and smiled back at him, a slow blush growing on her already rosy cheeks. "One year, five months, and three days," Piper said wistfully. "When is the last time you said something understandable." Bandit laughed. "That's how long it's been since I've been with Ilene." Piper said. "Oh. Five hours for me, I guess." "Five hours?" Piper asked incredulously. Bandit leaned back in his seat. "While we were waiting at the airport there was a female reporter, really cute one too. She wanted a few thoughts on how the war was going, so we slipped off and I gave her an exclusive. It would have been an hour but the lavatory was in use when I caught the stewardess' eye and the moment passed." "How can you stand it?" Piper asked with a laugh. There was a bump and dull rumble as the plane touched down. "It ain't easy buddy. Fortunately, we've just landed in a city with a few million women." Bandit's eyes were ripe with anticipation. --- "Ilene!" Piper shouted as they exited the boarding ramp. He jumped over a waist high rail and pulled a woman into a powerful hug. Bandit smiled as he made his way over to them, and stopped a discreet distance away. He had seen Ilene before on the vid-phone, and there was no denying she was a drop-dead gorgeous woman. But here in the flesh, Bandit found the vid-phone didn't do her justice. The phone just couldn't capture her graceful form under the simple short-skirted dress, how creamy her complexion was, how her beautifully formed legs seemed to go on as long as the passionate kiss between her hand her husband. Piper had his hands wrapped firmly around her buttocks, holding her up so her legs could wrap around him. The fevered kiss and the way their hips ground into each other told everyone in the terminal that here were two passionate lovers who had not seen each other for a very, very long time. Ilene was panting as Piper lowered her enough for her feet to touch the floor. Her cheeks were flushed and two very prominent nipples showed through her simple blouse. The dress was simple, but the effect the dress gave to her lithe form was simply devastating. "Bandit!" Ilene squealed with delight as her eyes fell on the voyeur a few steps away. She ran over to him and paused to admire him a moment. "I finally get to meet the man who made sure my husband returned to me in one piece! I can't begin to thank you!" She planted a lush wet kiss on his cheek before drawing him into a strong hug. It was a friendly kiss, a friendly hug, but as the scent of flowers on a warm spring day wafted over him, he felt her nipples push into his chest and felt her waist against his. Bandit's cock sprang to full attention. Ilene couldn't help but feel the effect she was having on her husband's partner, and stepped back, a deep blush appearing on her cheeks. A blush which deepened even further when she lowered her eyes to sneak a glance at the bulge she had evoked. Her blue eyes twinkled with mischievous delight and an eyebrow raised appraisingly as she said, "Now I know why Jim say's you're the ultimate lady's man." Bandit, for the first time in his life, was left completely speechless. He had expected a beautiful woman and was not disappointed. He had not expected to find himself attracted to his best friend's wife. The confusion was not helped when Piper walked over, put an arm around Ilene and smiled at him like a man who had everything he ever wanted in life standing beside him in this airport terminal. "Well, we can't stay here all day!" Piper declared. "We better get back to the house so Ilene and I can make up for some lost time. And then, and then, you're going to get one helluva home cooked meal!" "After a year of army rations, I couldn't agree with you more!" Bandit agreed. "So what have you two got planned for your vacation?" Ilene asked as they walked to the car. "Well I'm just here for a good home cooked meal." Bandit laughed. "After that I've got a hotel room reserved and a rental car and I guess I'm off to see the sights." "Sights as in the women at the clubs, most likely." Ilene laughed and Piper joined her. "That sounds like a decent vacation to me, Ma'am!" Bandit agreed. "Well, you'll probably still want the car to get around in," Ilene said, "but I insist you stay with us! We've got a spare bedroom and there's no need for you to spend your hard earned money on a hotel. And you absolutely positively have to let Jim and I show you around a little!" "Begging your pardon Ma'am, but I get the impression Piper has his own plans and they don't include much beyond you and your bedroom." Bandit gave her a sly wink. Ilene smiled broadly and patted Piper on the butt. "I think we can manage to find a little free time outside of the bedroom," she laughed. "If you're sure. I mean I don't want to impose." Bandit said. "It's all settled!" Ilene assured him. "Isn't it Jim?" "It's what I suggested from the start." Piper agreed. "But Bandit wouldn't agree until he heard it from you." The stopped in front of an old 1996 white Mustang GT convertible in absolutely mint condition. Piper smiled broadly as Bandit circled the car twice, his mouth resting on his chest. "Awesome! Un-fucking-believably-awsome! V8?" "V8." Piper smiled back. "Where do you get the gas?" "Oh there's a few collectors around, and you can still get enough gas to keep it running." Piper hopped over the driver's side door and rested in the driver's seat with a self-satisfied grin. Bandit followed, hopping into the back seat and letting his hands caress the cool leather. Ilene, a bit more sensibly, opened the passenger side door and stepped in. The drive back to Piper's house with the cool California wind rushing through their hair was an experience as exhilarating as anything in the cockpit. "You've got to let me drive it!" Bandit cried as he stepped out onto the driveway. Piper laughed and tossed Bandit the keys. "Have fun, buddy! I know I will." Bandit grinned like a kid with a new toy as he settled into the driver's seat. Piper had moved around and scooped Ilene up into his strong arms. For the briefest of seconds, Bandit felt a twang of envy as Piper started carrying the beautiful creature towards the house. But it was only for the briefest of moments before the raw thundering power of a V8 internal combustion engine began to sing its siren's call. ======================================== Chapter 2 09:15 - Los Angeles ======================================== "God, how I missed this!" Piper murmured as he pushed his face between Ilene's breasts. Ilene moaned softly as Piper pulled back and sucked a wonderfully erect teat between his lips, her hands played through his hair as she pulled him into her, arching her back ever so slightly in anticipation of the moment he would take her. Piper pulled away and moved up beside her, gazing at her angelic face while his hand lightly traced the curves of her body. "You've grown even more beautiful since we parted." "I've been so alone, Jim." Ilene said, her face showing the full extent of her needs and desires. "It's been so hard knowing the man of my dreams was half a world away." Her voice hitched and she continued, "Knowing he may never come back to me." "I'll always come back to you, Ilene. You're the reason I live." Piper replied solemnly as he moved over her. Ilene reached down and wrapped her hands around her husband's engorged penis, guiding him to her entrance. Piper moved forward slightly and entered her, savoring the way she engulfed him, feeling her contract herself around him, reveling in the hot, moist sensations. With him fully embedded within her, they both paused, existing for a moment as one. Two lovers, parted yet together again. Then Piper began to move and Ilene moved with him, their moans and screams filling the crisp spring morning air. *** "You're my main man! My number one man! Love me! Fill me! Do me! Like nobody else can!" Rock and roll thundered even above the roar of the wind as Bandit wove through the traffic. He was doing ninety easy and the car wasn't even beginning to protest. He took a curve marked for fifty at eighty five and let out a loud whoop as the tires stayed glued to the road, the G forces tugging at his body, the wind howling through his hair. "Come on baby! You're my man! Take me, take me on the desert sands!" Over the wind and music Bandit heard a shrieking whine and a quick glance in the rear view mirror showed a motorcycle cop right on his tail, lights flashing. Bandit sighed as the joy ride ended and he pulled over to the side of the road. It would be worth the ticket -- he hadn't had so much fun since he had taken his first jet out for a spin. His instructor hadn't been able to withstand the G-forces, Bandit hadn't been able to resist the urge to see what the beauty could do. He had survived his instructor's ranting, no doubt he would survive a traffic ticket. The figure stepping off the motorcycle was definitely feminine, despite the uniform, though Bandit couldn't see a face in the side mirror. When he looked up he saw the perfect image of authoritative femininity. The officer studied him a moment, noting his uniform before saying, "You're not in a cockpit, flyboy. That was the most reckless piece of driving I've seen since I joined the force." "Shoot, that was nothing." Bandit grinned. "This baby was just starting to get warmed up." "Uh-huh" The officer said dryly. "License and registration." Bandit fished out his military ID and rooted around for the registration. "You stayed hot on my tail. You enjoyed it as much as I did." Bandit said playfully as he handed the paperwork to the officer. She said nothing as she studied the ID. "Look Officer, uh, Bannon. I'm new in town, on furlough, and I don't really know anyone here. After you write the ticket you wouldn't be interested in maybe showing me around?" The officer looked over at Bandit with a mixture of surprise and incredulity on her face. Bandit exuded a boyish charm and sincerity that had made his exploits legendary among his fellow pilots. "How long are you in town for?" She asked still trying to decide if he was halfway serious. "Only a few days." Bandit replied. "Then it's back to the war." He rolled his eyes mockingly, "Oh sorry, police action." "I hear it's really rough over there." "It is." Bandit agreed. "I never really know when I'll take off if I'll be another statistic on the nightly news." Though he said it with a straight face his tone made a total mockery of the soldiers often used pickup line. So much so that the officer had to laugh and Bandit joined her. "I was heading back to the station. My shift's over. Why don't you follow me?" Bandit grinned broadly as she handed back the paperwork without the expected ticket. "And you can call me Jane." "Nice name." Bandit agreed, then let out a whoosh of excitement as Jane walked back to her cycle and led him back to the station. *** "So soon?" Ilene asked in surprise as Piper felt her breasts from behind. "Hey! It's been over a year." Piper laughed softly into her ear. "A year without sex, a year thinking and dreaming of you. I'm horny as a teenager." "Rorrrr." Ilene growled agreeably as she twisted around in his arms to face him. Piper parted her robe and let it fall to the floor, then he lifted her up and lowered her on to him. Joined, and laughing with each step, Piper carried her back to the bedroom. "Bandit's been gone a while." Ilene said as Piper lowered her onto the bed. "Good." He replied as he stared at her luscious form stretched out before him. "We shouldn't be worried?" Ilene asked. Piper laughed. "Honey, Bandit can take care of himself. My guess is he's already found a pretty little filly to introduce him to the joys of L.A." "You're kidding!" Ilene protested. "Never about Bandit." Piper said as he slid into her. Suddenly Ilene lost all interest in their missing house-guest. *** "Oh God!" Jane moaned as Bandit moved inside her. "Yes! Fuck me! Fuck me hard!" Her long fingernails raked Bandit's back digging into his flesh as he long shapely legs wrapped around him, the soles of her feet running along Bandit's legs. Bandit smiled knowingly, and altered his pace and technique, a little trick he had learned that always drove the women wild, and Jane proved no exception to the rule. Jane threw her head back and let out a long scream of pure pleasure as her orgasm washed over her. Bandit finally yielded his self-control and followed her, as her hot pussy clenched in orgasmic rapture around his engorged cock. ======================================== Chapter 3 17:35 - Los Angeles ======================================== "Hey guys!" Bandit said as he stepped inside. "Hope you didn't miss me to much!" "You were gone?" Piper laughed. "I guess with a woman like Ilene around, you can be excused from missing my normally overwhelming presence." Bandit laughed. "And where were you?" Ilene asked with an arched eyebrow. She had given only passing credence to Piper's theory, despite the numerous tales of Bandit's almost legendary exploits, but seeing his slightly disheveled appearance she began to wonder. Bandit blushed. "Well, your city seems to have just the nicest cops!" "Cops?" Piper asked. "My car! Nothing happened to the car!" "No! Nothing happened to your car!" Bandit said, rolling his eyes. "It's just that one of L.A.'s finest decided to explain to me why I shouldn't drive it so fast." "Ohhh. And I suppose one of L.A.'s finest would happen to be a woman?" Piper asked with a wink. "Why, now that you mention it, I do believe you're right! I never would have noticed it myself, at least not until she dragged me back to her place." Bandit winked back. "You are incorrigible!" Ilene accused. "I never really believed half of what Piper told me about you, and only hours after I first meet you, you run off and prove it's all true." Bandit grinned broadly as he put a fat cigar in his mouth, giving him the appearance of the cat who had just ate the canary, and made the canary enjoy it to boot. "I bet Piper didn't even tell you half of the stuff you wouldn't believe." "Well, now that you two men have made up for your celibate military lifestyles, I guess I'd better get dinner started." Ilene declared as she strode into the kitchen. "A cop?" Piper asked. "Hey! You're not the only one allowed to have fun on his furlough." Bandit said. "I take it the old fire's still burning?" "At least a three-alarmer" Piper said as he leaned back in the chair. "You know, I can't remember seeing you quite this happy before, buddy." Bandit said as he took a seat. "Maybe there's something to this marriage thing I've been missing out on." "Maybe." Piper said with a wink. Ilene returned, passing out glasses of cold beer and kippers. As they waited for the roast to cook, Ilene settled down into Piper's lap, and listened with baited breath as Bandit told her how Piper had saved his life in their last engagement. "Hey! What's the matter? Pipe's a hero!" Bandit asked, as he finished. Ilene was trembling and biting her lip; the worry and concern on her face was evident to anyone who looked. "I'm sorry, Bandit, but you just don't know how hard it is for me with Jim away like he is. It's wonderful he saved you, it's wonderful he's a hero, but you said yourself he never should have survived. That's the kind of thing that gives me nightmares." With a trembling hand she wiped a tear away from her eye and stood up. "I'm sorry. I'd better check dinner." Bandit gave Piper a confused look and Piper just held up a hand to hold of until Ilene left. "Sorry Bandit, it's a touchy subject around here. We risk our lives every day. Ilene knows that, she just doesn't like to be reminded about it." "Ohhh" Bandit mouthed, and finished off his beer. "It's funny, you know. How telling one woman she might never see you again gets her all hot and horny, and another woman all upset." "The difference is called love, Bandit." Piper said. "You'll discover the difference one day, I imagine." Bandit shrugged. Dinner was an elaborate affair, and was so different from normal military fare that it would have been good even had Ilene not been a world-class cook. "Hmmm." Bandit groaned as he shoveled the food into his mouth. "This is better than sex!" Ilene laughed joyfully but Piper merely looked at Bandit in open astonishment. "You have a fever or something, buddy? Did you just say something was better than sex?" Bandit paused, looked at the half-eaten plate before him, then back to Piper. "Women are a dime a dozen, but a good meal, now that's a rare thing. My Ma wasn't this good a cook!" Bandit grinned and raised his wine glass. "To the lovely and charming cook!" Then he turned his glass towards Piper and finished, "And to the luckiest man alive!" Piper and Ilene laughed as they raised their glasses to his, completing the toast. They all helped with the dishes afterwards, and then retired to the living room for a pleasant evening of conversation. The talk was light, often humorous, and pointedly avoided mentioning the war. Piper was telling the tale of how he had first become interested in aviation when Bandit found his eyes wandering over to Ilene. She was still the gorgeous image of perfection; a beautiful face, with a beautiful figure, in a simple dress that was strikingly erotic. She was exactly the sort of woman Bandit would pursue relentlessly, have a night's pleasure with, and then move on. Ilene glanced at Bandit, and for a moment their eyes locked, then she blushed slightly and lowered her eyes. It was all perfectly innocent, but for the briefest moment Bandit got the distinct impression that, as Ilene had lowered her eyes, she was sizing him up. He discarded that idea when Ilene returned her attention to Piper, gazing on her husband with adoring eyes. *** "He's right next door!" Ilene's muffled voice protested. "You know how thin these walls are!" There was a muted chuckle and a muted squeal of delight. "I once drove Bandit from Balikpapan to Samarinda in a hummer. He was in the back with one of the natives, and they were going at it like the world was about to end. If I could do that for him, I think he can put up with a few muffled grunts." "It feels so nasty!" Ilene protested again, but without much force. "We won't be doing anything Bandit hasn't done before. I promise." Piper replied. Conversation lapsed into a long series of moans and groans. Bandit turned in the bed, trying to push out the sounds of their lovemaking, but if anything the new position only emphasized each movement made in the other room. Bandit tried in vain to push out the unbidden images of Ilene. If the sounds and movements from the next room had to bring up images, Bandit tried to let them be of him and Jane just a few hours earlier. But Jane's presence had already faded to insignificance. Yet another conquest he had seen, fucked, and moved beyond. She had already joined the mental scrapbook of countless women who had shared his bed. As the sounds next door became more fevered, more passionate, Bandit drifted off to sleep with an erection; Ilene's form moving over his in his mind's eye, and her soft muffled moans in his ears.