"Milpitas was a thug's town. Felix hadn't always been a thug, and he hadn't grown up in Milpitas. He had found Milpitas because of its reputation, and he works hard to fit into the reputation." Boomtown starts in 1974 in the South Bay Area. As the Squirt makes his way and reputation at the police academy, and Candy continues to work on becoming a nurse, Hooker slogs his way around south San Jose. But things aren't right as business after business experiences freak explosions that defy explanation. Trouble continues to find Hooker and the Squirt. Through the slow drizzle of spring, business is just enough to prevent much-needed maintenance on Mae West. Hooker and the Squirt both know in their guts-her cables stretched and worn, should have been replaced long ago. They only hope the cables still hold when their lives depend on them the most.