A/N: Thank you for reading this story, for putting it to alert and favourites. And even more thanks for the lovely reviews. I'm really glad to hear you like this story. You put a smile upon my face.
Still trying my best. Have fun reading!
Fear and Loathing in Seattle
CHAPTER II: Workaholic
By the time she arrived at Jam Pony she was furious. Picking up his lock had been terribly easy, but Alec's apartment had seemed to be abandoned.
It had been quiet and empty, except for his usual messiness of course, his black leatherjacket thoughtlessly thrown across the chair, a glass of scotch standing on the bar, half-full, an old playboy lying on top of his unmade bed. She had had the creepy feeling he would burst into his room any second, with his corky smile, teasing her. Maybe he just had spent the night with one of his pretty pickups. But he didn't make an appearance.
Still her skin prickled and the knot in her stomach told her something was wrong. If only he had not gotten himself into trouble. Again. She was so tired of saving him all the time.
Jam Pony was buzzing with action as always. Going to her locker, she tried to calm down, but with taking a look on her service schedule for this week her anger grew once again. Incredibly annoyed she made her way to Normal's office.
"You can't be serious, Normal!" she hissed, slamming the piece of paper on his table. "Double shifts, again? Isn't anybody else working here?"
She stood there, in full height, staring down on the little man with the headset, with her arms on her hips, ready to fight.
Normal shortly winced in his comfortable chair at hearing her voice. He had been occupied with some outstanding bills and wasn't in a mood to discuss peanuts like this. Totally unaware of the danger pouring from every single fibre of the black haired girl he only shrugged, saying: "Alec took the week off."
Max wasn't pacified at all: "He took the week off. You have to be kidding me…nobody ever gets holidays in here!" Her voice grew louder and louder, slowly getting to the point close to screaming.
Normal kept playing with his pencil, scanning the papers scattered across his desk. "He said something about some urgent family drama…not sure. You know, I am human, no matter what you think…now, enough, bip, bip, bip, packages are waiting!"
With this he waved his hands, shooing her away, so he could finally move over to more important stuff.
Completely stunned, she was about to give him a not so nice reply, when suddenly OC appeared behind her back, putting her small hand on her shoulder, whispering: "Hey, boo, never mind, karma will get him eventually. Isn't worth the trouble."
Bristling with anger, Max turned around. "I don't get. He doesn't even have family! This lazy ass is having fun while we are working our guts out. This selfish little bastard. He won't like it, when I get him, this is sure." She grabbed her bike and stormed out.
OC smiled. You better stepped out of Max's way when she was in her warrior mood. Even Sketchy was aware of this fact, hastily hiding behind the closest locker doors he could find when Max rushed past him.
"Hey, what is wrong with her?" he asked with his usual crooked smile, strolling towards OC.
OC just shook her head. "Seems like Alec decided he gonna need vacation."
Sketchy frowned. "Yeah…and what is wrong with that. I don't get it."
OC sighed and patted his shoulder. "Oh, sure, after all you're only one of 'em guys." With that she as well took her bike, leaving Sketchy behind, completely confused.
Max did her work mechanically. Going through the moves she knew by heart. She kept smiling while collecting her signatures and delivering the packages. But her thoughts were spinning around.
Alec went on holiday to visit his family?
Really mysterious. Even more mysterious the fact, he told Normal but never considered her wanting to know where he was going. She wouldn't admit, but it hurt. She had thought they were getting closer.
Deep in thoughts, she blew some hair out of her face. No. She shouldn't care. Okay, so he didn't trust her enough. Only because they both came from the same governmental institution didn't mean that they had to like each other. Or had to become friends.
But there was something inside constantly harassing her. The fact, that his apartment hadn't looked like he had planned to go on a longer journey. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that something was far from right here.
She speeded up. Only three packages left for sector 4. Afterwards she could still run some errands for Eyes Only. Quickly she drove along the alley and made her way through rush hour when suddenly her anger was back.
What fancied Alec himself to be? Was he still thinking she had nothing to do but to look for him? Save his silly ass again? No, she didn't care any longer. She was not longer responsible for all the reckless, stupid stunts he was playing. He was old enough to care for himself. After all he was a trained soldier, ready to fight, a weapon designed to kill, so he should be able to do it anyhow.
She snorted. "He's probably on a wonderful trip with one of his pretty, little girls, enjoying his life. And who has to pay for this? Always the same, he's only thinking about himself."
She placed her bike in front of the fence, ringing the bell on the last door for today. The yellow house had the number 18.
"Jam Pony. Package for you." She said to the young women opening the door.
The girl was shining. "Oh I 've been waiting for this for so long!"
Max forcedly returned the smile. "Yeah, nice. I need your signature here."
One hour later Max shut her locker door at Jam Pony with a loud bang when OC tipped on her shoulder.
"Hey, boo, everything all right? Wanna come over tonight, relaxing, drinking some wine, talking about, you know, girls stuff? OC is missing her girl…"
Max sighed. "OC, I'm sorry but I still have to finish some stuff for Logan." She shrugged.
"After Alec letting us down, I have to do everything on my own. He is sneaking away with some girl and I'm left here with all the work to do. Pff…and Logan wanted me to give him a second chance. He's had more than he deserved, really. He cannot be thinking I'm okay with him secretly disappearing and one week later, tadaa, there he is again with his dopey grin. I'm so not gonna accept this. He can drop dead, I don't care!" Her voice grew louder with every sentence. Angrily she gave her locketr a kick, a loud bang crashing the silence.
"Uwow, honey, yeah, take the brother out. He really got you pissed." OC couldn't help to smile watching her best friend, radiating with anger.
Max defiantly raised her chin. "Of course I am. I have every right to be! I can't be together with Logan because of him. And if that wasn't enough he is now stealing my free time, because I have to do double shifts while saving the day. And along the way save him from doing something stupid. I've had it! I'm fed up with him! Why is it always down to me in the end?" With a sudden movement she lifted her messenger bag from the ground over her shoulder.
OC gave her a pat. "You know, boo, you're way too good for this world. And you always care too much."
Max mumbled. "But I don't care about him. I'm not responsible."
"Of course, you ain't" OC smiled. "Take care, hon'. And if you decide you do wanna have some fun after all, you know where to find me." She squinted.
Max calmed down a little now. "Thank you. See you tomorrow!"
Slightly amused OC watched her friend, driving away with her ninja. Despite anything Max was saying OC knew she cared about Alec a lot. She worried about him, only she would never admit her concerns for his well being. OC shrugged. She would never be able to change Max's mind. So Max could go on fooling herself with the idea, that she didn't give a damn as long as she wanted to.
