Title: Restless

Chapter 2

Authors: muzaiden and yuuzaiden

Characters/Pairing: Trent/Miles Mentions Sam/Mikaela Sam/Bee ( that one's subtle)

Rating: Nothing to get excited about yet

Warning: there will be sex in this fic, along drinking and swearing

Disclaimer: As I don't own it I won't claim to, see my name isn't Hasbro or anything else like that

Notes: Sequel to Miles to Go & Before Sleep.

Started with the challenge

blazehex: 11. Sam always heard from Miles about his 'crazy' uncle. Never really thought it would turn out to be Simmons.

With the screeching of an alarm Miles woke up later than he'd intended. Nothing got better from there. The snooze button eluded his grasp as he flailed from the bed. When this happened the fifth time, Miles just shoved the clock off the dresser. The loud crash was somewhat satisfying.

His comforter was exceptionally warm, so he snuggled back into bed. He was intent on going back to sleep. The sunlight peeking through the window however, had other ideas. It was the unyielding stream of light that finally roused Miles. He staggered out of bed and tripped over his bag. He just barely he caught himself on the bed. The impact jostled loose a pop can from the opened zipper. As he leaned down to pick it up, Miles recalled his actions from the night before.

"Fuck." he groaned as his mother shouted he was going to be late. Shoving the can in his bag Miles tromped down the stairs. Syd wasn't there but Casey was, pouring cereal more over the whole table than her bowl.

"Good mfnif." She greeted with her mouth full. Miles waved and dove into the bathroom. After a shower and fight with his sister for the milk jug, Miles scarfed a bowl of cereal. Fed and freshly scrubbed, Miles gathered his crap and ran.

His car was still in the shop, a tragic case of transmission trouble, so he snagged his bike. Wind whipped his hair back and forth as he pedaled. He knew, well almost knew that Sam wouldn't give him a ride, so he was on his own. It was his own fault, but he'd rather endure the biking bruises than the pride bruises. Some pain was worth it some pain was not, this was well worth it.

Pretty confident in his choice, Miles took the corner with reckless speed. He hopped the curb and pedaled on. Hurtling down the street he careened into traffic. The owner of a nearby car stopped short. Apparently he was not keen on earning the vehicular manslaughter achievement. Swearing in reply, he flipped the driver off and continued down the road. Some people had no consideration, what was he doing lurking behind that sign anyway? Miles spared the car another glance before returning his eyes to the road. With mounting horror he realized he'd just cut off a police car.

'Well,' he thought 'that isn't gonna come back to bite me in the ass.'

Further down the road, the school building loomed as he pedaled. A simultaneous wave of nausea and nostalgia washed over him. He clamped it down by repeating "fresh start" as he approached the building. Gritting his teeth, Miles pedaled into the lot and up the sidewalk. The parking lot was full and the stairs clear of students. It wasn't looking good. Swinging his leg he hopped off the bike, grabbing the handlebars as it rolled. He was late, but if he hurried no one would call him on it.

It was the first day of the new semester after all. Not an altogether new start, but a chance to reinvent. He was going to be more than the tree guy or Syd's little brother. He was going to be somebody ultimately cool. But none of that would matter if he got detention on his first day. Bad boy was not the rep he was trying to cultivate. It was cool, but decidedly not him.

Miles hauled his bike over to the stand, propping against the bars as he fished the lock. A flick of the key and the lock secured his bike. With his task finished, Miles turned and with purpose dashed into the building.

The security guard waved him past once he flashed his id. The hallway was clear save for a few stragglers beside himself. Most of the students lounging among the lockers were seniors. He wanted that casual nonchalance, but cared for his grades way too much for that.

He forged on, searching for the homeroom. He was hoping that the destination hadn't changed in his absence. Not that it would bother him much. He could go hide in the main office till first bell and avoid going in at all. If he did that he just might be able to avoid Sam until he'd calmed down.

And the day had started with such promise. He felt good. Really good, he'd finally come out to his best friend except he hadn't at all. Why had he said that? What the hell was wrong with him? It was possibly the worst thing he could have said to Sam.

'Your girlfriend's a slut.' Why hadn't he just gone ahead and called Sam's mom one too?

Fucking fantastic. Sometimes, he was a goddamn idiot.

"Stupid high school. Best years of your life, my ass." he grumbled.

A shoulder brushed his a bit roughly and he looked up in irritation. To his surprise he saw it was Sydney. She was dressed rather smartly, business casual was apparently the style of the day. She'd graduated the year before and then had taken a job as secretary. She was insane, what moron would go back to high school voluntarily ?

"You could have given me a ride." Miles said, flipping her off.

"I don't aid and abet delinquents who sneak out at night." Sydney replied with a crisp smile. "Get to class."

Miles flushed, so someone had heard him clamber back in last night. He was getting rusty. His sister smirked and then made shooing motions.

"You at least could have given me a hall pass." Miles muttered turning on his heel. He continued grumbling on his way to his locker.

A petite blonde barred the way to his miniature green cell. She was using the mirror tucked just inside the door. She was so intent on her reflection that she didn't notice him. He took advantage and brushed against her. The woman turned with a sharp word on her tongue that died when she saw who it was.

"Hey darling." She crooned, closing her makeup bag.

"Hey Tabbie." Miles greeted reaching past her to place a lock on the open door. It was great to see her again. She been out of town and they hadn't had a chance to talk before the school year kicked in.

"What's new?" she asked him leaning back blotting her lips as he shut the locker.

"I tried to come out to Sam." Miles whispered as she turned towards him. Tabbie was the only one outside of his family he'd told he was gay. Of course she'd taken it pretty well. And then she she'd made him swear never to take or seduce her brother.

She needed to know what had happened the night before.

Tabitha choked at his news,smearing her lip gloss. Slowly she rounded on him, eyes as big as dinner plates.

"What?" Miles hissed staring at her gobsmacked expression.

"I thought you weren't were pretty clear on that." She glanced around before whispering back "How'd he take it?"

"I said I tried. It didn't go as planned."

"What gave you the courage to climb out of the closet?" Tabitha asked reaching over to pat his face.

"The "Incident" " Miles replied shifting uncomfortably.

"What incident?" Tabbie echoed.

Miles blanched. He'd completely forgotten to tell Tabbie, his second best friend about the GGS 07. Well that wasn't exactly true, in reality he hadn't. He hadn't told anyone.

He'd been 100% that his football fuck up was one thing that he wasn't going to share in any shape or form. One mistake was enough to make anyone reconsider. He just had to get sober, not reveal the drug that had led to it.

"Look Tabbie Cat. I gotta go. Talk later?" Miles asked and scuttled away before she could so much as answer the question.

Mr. Hosney frowned at him as he tried to slip into the room

"You're late Mr. Lancaster. Not an admirable start to the academic year." He announced. A few students laughed and Miles waved to them.

"And I tried so hard." Miles replied turning his attention to the grid of chairs before him. Students filled most of the seats. Even his own, well it wasn't his own but he'd and that chair had history. When he found his spot had been taken, Miles slid into the seat behind Sam J Witwicky. He pointedly didn't look at his neighbor.

It was Trent, not that he made a note of it. Instead, he graced Sam's seat with a swift kick that jostled his best friend. Sam almost jumped. Grinning he heard a soft chuckle. He looked out of the corner of his eye and caught the smug expression on Trent's face. Flushing more out of anger with himself than embarrassment Miles looked to the board.

Hand over hand the syllabuses crossed the room and then attendance called. Through it all unsurprisingly, Sam only had eyes for Mikaela. It burned Miles that his best friend had traded up for a newer model as it were.

Not that he and Sam had been dating, but it was the thing they had sworn never to do. And Miles had meant it. He'd been a little in love with Sam since they met, and unfortunately he still was. Miles had always known he'd liked his friend Sam more than any girl.

This semester was gonna be hell.

Homeroom let out with a bell ringing out his momentary salvation. The crush of students filed into the hall. The multitude of students helped to hide the gratuitous PDA of Sam and his new woman. Holding hands and making out they were oblivious to the rest of the world.

"That jerk." Miles slammed his locker with more force than necessary and trudged off to class. He'd had enough of Sam ditching him for 'quality' time with his girlfriend.

Mistakenly,he'd assumed the harpy's stranglehold wouldn't carry into the school term.

He'd thought wrong. Thankfully, his first class was traitor and harpy free. not that he'd be so lucky the rest of the week. He and Sam shared most of their courses of course. They'd matched schedules the semester before.

passed out a pop quiz. His own way to gauge just how much his students had forgotten during the summer break. It wasn't too difficult but Miles' mind was not on literature. His brain was already occupied with the normal stresses that plagued teenagers. Well the gay ones at least. He wasn't scared to come out, not really. No he was more scared of what everyone would say when he did.

Tranquility was a quiet town. And there wasn't a wealth of pride safe locations in the city limits. Even so he couldn't just stay silent forever.

Miles knew Tabbie wasn't going to let him squirm out of spilling his guts. And if he told Tabbie then others would find out. Not that he didn't trust her, it was just the nature of secrets. Secrets didn't stay secrets if you told anyone. Not that he was planning to keep it a secret forever. He was planning on telling people, loads of people, he was planning on coming out. He just couldn't do it alone. Miles didn't have the balls to do it.

Miles hadn't found any lgbta centers that could aid his coming out. He wanted the reassurance of a safety cord before he plunged off the cliff of social standing. Miles already was and didn't feel like becoming more of the social pariah. Nails that stuck up got hammered and not in any good way.

He wished he'd had Sam to vent to but the bastard was still mad at him about the 'slut' comment from the night before. The family motto was sacrifice but the Witwicky's were known for holding grudges.

He rolled his pencil between his fingers and glared at the sheet on his desk. His intense focus on the sheet didn't make words form on its surface. He gave up and started scribbling in answers just in time for the bell to ring.

The next class was a throwaway course. Thank the government for mandated exercise. While most of the class ran laps, Miles lounged on the bleachers. He get his laps in later or hopefully not at all.

"Why are we here?" Tabitha asked settling down next to him.

"Philosophers have been asking that question for eons." Miles replied, eyes watching the field although he tried not to. It was hard, Trent was good at catching attention. Seeing him dash across the pitch was hard to resist.

It was that night all over again, Trent leaning over him. He hadn't had another guy since and not for lack of trying. Trent had definitely left an impression, whether he wanted to or not.

"I mean why are you watching them?" Tabbie interrupted his internal monologue.

"Besides the obvious? I've got a plan involving #53 and a bucket of paint."

"#53 is my boyfriend." Tabbie announced and turned to frown at him.

"We're all aware of your sacrifice." Miles soothed and his eyes strayed back to the teen in the red jersey labeled 84.

"Dick, wanna tell me what was so important?" Tabbie asked leaning back against the bleachers.

"Not out here, later I promise." Miles replied eyes focusing on the field again.

"You can't hide forever." She pointed out before rising to wave at her beloved #53. Kase turned once prodded by a teammate, and waved back.

A few other members of the team saw the exchange and began pushing Kase and waving at Tabbie. She laughed and blew kisses. Trent turned toward the source of the team's distraction. Miles swore when those blue eyes didn't scan over him but stopped. He remembered the time he'd begun to see there was more to Trent than he thought. He'd woken to ridiculously clear blue eyes. The team saw Trent's momentary distraction and piled on top of him. The spell broken, Miles looked away and then and made up his mind to flee.

Tabitha saw the action and reached for Miles. "Oh no now you're telling me." She insisted grabbing his arm. "Don't you have some exciting news for me?"

But Miles had no words, he'd just seen Sam settle down lower on the bleachers. Miles made a pitiful noise and Tabbie saw the shift in his attention.

"You owe me details." She instructed him, fingers tight around his wrist.

Miles nodded "Come over after school."

Tabbie made a pleased assent and let him go. "Shout if you need anything." She said and turned back to blow kisses to her boyfriend

Miles picked his way down to his friends side. Sam didn't notice him until he'd sunk down on the bench.

"How's the other woman?" he asked.

"Miles!" Sam groaned shoving him. "Knock it off."

"I was here first." Miles answered.

"I'm not dating you." Sam said.

"You're not anything me." Miles grumbled.

"What?" Sam asked and for a moment Miles considered telling him. Sam despite evidence to the contrary, was his best friend. There was little they didn't moment faded when he saw Mikaela approaching. Miles bit his tongue and said nothing. Instead he stepped down the raised platform, going the long way round as he went.

On the chemical treated grass he twisted his heel as if grinding the butt of a cigarette. and decided not to spare the pair a second glance. Slinking off to find anywhere else to be, he walked through the bleachers, an easy out. He resolutely did not give the football team another look.

Miles' ire only lasted until lunch period. He stepped into the cafeteria and the smell of greasy fried food hit him hard. The mass of teens, jostling for space in line made him almost nostalgic. The is until someone shoved him. He flipped the guy off and settle back in the line, smiling a bit. Compared to the rest of high school this was easy. Snagging a tray he stepped up to survey the bounty of food. The mystery meat and gravy combo slid off the spoon like some sort of life form. It jiggled with every step he took. But the golden fries gracing the top corner of his tray more than made up for it.

On his search for a seat, Miles saw Tabbie. She was gliding over to the the popular table. It was where the jocks and the girls dating them usually were. He knew she'd sneak by later as usual. Just because she had to make an appearance at the popular table didn't mean she was gonna stay there.

Miles found a deserted corner and settled into the bench. He tore open his utensils and poked at the meat. The brown mass parted easily under the press of his fork. So engrossed in dissecting the potential meat Miles almost missed Sam appearing.

"Come to join the leper colony?" Miles asked abandoning his lunch autopsy to look at Sam. Sam blanched but slid into the bench across the table.

"I'm still mad." Sam grumbled.

"Tell me something I don't know." Miles murmured before slurping milk from the carton.

"Why can't you two get along?" Sam asked digging in his lunch bag.

"Cuz a girl like that doesn't give a guy like you the time of day, unless there was a sweet ride in the deal. She's using you as a status symbol." Miles replied going back to poke at the poorly reconstructed meat.

"Your crude and hurtful concern aside, just try to be nicer." Sam asked.

"As long as I don't have to talk to her, see her and you cannot mention her." Miles declared.

Sam was about to counter his statement when Mikaela appeared and sat down.

"Speak of the devil." Miles made a face and jabbed at his meat..

Sam ignored him and lean over to engage his girlfriend in an animated display of PDA. Miles resisted the urge to gag, but it was a long fight.

"Why don't you like me?" Mikaela asked as Sam pulled back.

"The fact that you're an evil jock concubine. You stole my best friend and you're no good for Sam." Miles said waving a fry for emphasis.

"It's his choice, I'm his girlfriend and if you can't take it tough, it's between me and Sam."

"And the sixty or so guys you slept with." Miles countered. His remark earned him a smack on the back of the head.

"Hey Mik slumming with the riffraff?" Tabitha asked leaning over him to see Mikaela.

"I don't see why…" Mikaela replied. "The company is lacking."

"Tabbie, it so good to see you vertical." Miles bit out leaning away from her.

"Miles it so glad to see you wearing pants." Tabitha laughed and climbed onto the bench next to him.

"Your feminine bits are touching me." Miles muttered, but Tabbie knew he was putting up a front.

"Is he always this much of a misogynist?" Mikaela asked.

"No, he's showing out for company." Tabitha answered. She threw her legs over his lap for emphasis. "You wanna behave?"

Miles sent her a look of utter betrayal and she ignored it.

"So what's this you were talking about this morning hmm?"

"Oh my books?" Miles asked hoping she would take the hint.

"No, the "incident" as you dubbed it." she replied missing it.

Miles tucked into the fries so he didn't have to answer. She'd put him in a bind if he doesn't say anything Sam would get suspicious and ask. He couldn't lie to Sam, not about this. And if he did say something lunch wasn't the best time or place. He tried for the most neutral answer possible without lying.

"I sorta met someone?"

"Someone?" Sam asked incredulously, leaning in as if he hadn't heard right.

"Sorta I guess." Miles shrugs striving for nonchalant.

"You guess?" Tabbie interrupted.

Miles felt trapped.

"We've only had sex, so there's no precedent for a relationship." Miles clarified and then turned his attention to his food to avoid more questions. He was in the middle of peeling the top off his pudding cup.

"Only?" Mikaela asked and Miles hated her all the more for asking her that.

He went quiet for awhile thinking of an answer that will please them.

"One night stand, one of us was drunk, the other was "slumming". It's a match made in heaven." he said finally.

"Do you like her?" Sam asked.

He thought about it, the complicated mess "Yeah, I maybe I do,"

"Then you should tell her." Sam said, with a sidelong glance at Mikaela. "You never know."

"I don't have the sexiest car to seal the deal." Miles responded "I doubt the moment would ever happen again."

He started shoveling the pudding into his mouth to avoid any more uncomfortable questions. Mikaela gives him an unreadable look

"So what's with you and Trent?"

Miles wasn't expecting the question, and so the pudding goes instead down his windpipe. He coughs, spraying the rest of the pudding across the table and Mikaela. It would have been funny, if he wasn't more concerned with breathing.

"Smooth move." Tabitha murmured shoving napkins toward her friend. As Miles hunched over the table gasping, Mikaela wiped the confection from her eyes.

It was way too much for one day, Miles slipped from his seat and bolted.

Trent appeared at that moment strolling past the table. He grinned at Mikaela, taking in the streaks of pudding in her hair and across her face.

"Bunny that's a good look for you." He said leering.

Sam hit him as a lack of anything better to say.

Miles fled to the safety of the teachers restrooms. It provided quiet and that was what he needed.

He ran the tap till it was warm and stuck his head under the spray. Miles scrubbed the residual pudding from his face and the tips of his hair. Water cascaded down the back of his neck and scalp, running down his shirt. Miles squeezed the moisture from his hair and grabbed a few paper towels to mop up the rest. Nothing seemed to be going right, but at least he was clean.

His reflection in the mirror looked wan and sick. He'd been agonizing about it too long. So Sam was growing up, that didn't mean he'd get left behind. He was the one who needed to grow up.

"I'm an idiot." he grumbled patting the water from his collar. A new girlfriend wasn't enough to kill a 12 year friendship.

"Bros before hos. Especially Jock ones."

He slipped out of the door and Tabbie grabbed his hair as soon as he appeared.

"Go apologize!" She ordered when he turned to look at her.

"No." Miles said tugging his hair free. Tabitha was a good friend but he wasn't going to just go along with what she said. He still didn't like Mikaela.

"Look do you care about this friendship or not?"

He wanted to ask 'which one?' but he didn't want her to answer that one. Instead he asked, "Oh so you're taking her side to?" That was even worse, how could she do something like that?

"No, but she is my friend."

"I was your friend first."

"It's not a competition you idiot!" She snapped and then she caught him by the shoulders drawing him in. "We're both still your friends and I know you and Miki could be ok acquaintances at least. Just go her first that way that way she knows and tells her boyfriend."

He noted bitterly she said her boyfriend and not your best friend.

"You want this you want her to like you." Tabitha insisted. "This will save everything you fucked up."

"Tabbie.."

"Repeat after me. Two words. I'm very sorry."

"That three words." Miles countered because he knew she was right and he was resisting admitting it.

"Very is a stressing point, sorry is the core of your argument. Go."

"I'm really sorry." He parroted and she seemed pleased.

"Good now don't fuck up. 4th floor back hall. Run Forrest."

The bell rung signifying the end of lunch. Miles ran because he wanted to get it over with. For good or ill,he just wanted everything to stop. He hustled up the stairs and she was there of course flanked by two blonde girls. She didn't even bother to look up, her posse had it covered. He took a moment to catch his breath and then approached the girls with purpose.

"What do you want?" Harpy Harbinger number 1 one snapped.

"To talk to the queen bee not a drone." he retorted.

"Rude! As if you don't even rate." the other girl said.

Miles glowered and then said. "I don't know if its because I'm smarter than you or have less of a chance to winding up on 16 and pregnant. But you're not going to ignore me anymore."

''What do you want?" Mikaela asked parting through the curtain of lipgloss and vapid.

What did he want to say? Now that the chance as presented itself, he was tongue tied.

"Spit it out."

"I'm not happy with you dating Sam but I can't change that so I want you to know if you hurt him I will end you."

Ok that wasn't what Tabbie had in mind and he knew it.

"What?"

Miles continued because it was already out of his mouth, and he had no real way of backing out of it. "You heard me. You're cancelled like Star Trek, nothing more than reruns."

"Are you serious?" Mikaela asked stepping towards him, almost in challenge.

Her posture aggressive and Miles used his words as a weapon to ward her off.

"Are you? I doubt it. Let's face it, you didn't show the slightest interest that boy until he got that car. So you're nothing but a shallow status seeker. I will end you if he gets hurt, sleepless or just generally fed up as of you in any way."

"Its nice you want to hold his hand but Sam's a big boy now and what's between us is between us. No third wheel necessary."

"Can't be much between you." Miles countered crossing his arms.

"Not that it's your business. I hate to break it to you, but you aren't dating Sam. you weren't dating Sam so stop worrying about us."

"But if-"

But she continued. "Why don't you go to that Trent thing."

He flushed and bit his lip "How?" he stammered. That was the very last thing he expected to hear from her. How the fuck did she know that?

"It was obvious, you need to get outta my shit and handle yours."

"Its my shit because Sam's my friend!" He shouted, slamming his hands on a locker. The action didn't frighten her but it gave him something to hold on to.

"And if you ever hurt him I will kill-"

His next words came out muffled because someone threw an arm around his neck. Miles panicked, struggling and the grip tightened. Mikaela face had the barest hint of a smile. His vision swam and blacked out.

When he could breathe again, the sights and sounds of the hall came back to him. The hall was full of students staring. Heads were poking out of classes to sneak a peek of him, pinned against a wall by a security guard. His partner was taking a statement from Mikaela and her posse as he was lead away. Miles went quietly because he had no other choice.

In the office, his sister sat, ensconced in paperwork. She didn't notice them until the officer cleared his throat.

Syd looked up and then gaped.

"Miles?" She demanded rising from her seat.

"Sometimes my mouth gets me into trouble." He offered meekly.

The guard deposited him in a chair and joined Syd by the desk, the pair speaking quickly. Syd giving the security guard a stack of papers before disappearing into the principal's office. Mile wrote out his side of the story in the meantime. Afterward he spent an uncomfortable hour in the office chairs wondering his fate. When it seemed as if the verdict would never come, the solid metal door swung open

Syd stepped out of the principal's office shaking her head. She saw him perched on the chairs and strode over to him.

"The first day back," she groaned. "I don't believe you."

He shrugged and she smacked him on the back of the head.

"I expect that out of me not you." She admonished.

"What's gonna happen?" Miles asked, half afraid to ask.

"In school suspension and you stay away from her. They're going easy it's your first offence. That and I pulled a few strings."

"Gotcha." Mile answered chastened but relieved it wasn't worse.

"You're to stay here till someone can take you home."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Dangerous student you are." She explained, punching him in the shoulder. "Just stay out of my hair OK?"

"Right." Mile replies sketching off a weak salute.

As Syd went back to her desk and the ringing phone, Miles slipped out the office door. The halls were vacant and he easily made it to the back hall and out the door. If he waited for a ride, his father would give him the riot act. He didn't feel up to that kind of familial interaction so he made his escape.

"That was a fucking shit show." Miles said stepping out into the warm sunshine. He made it about as far as the parking lot exit, before a police car drove up to the curb. The officer wore a fierce expression, much like the ones worn by uncle Reggie; the no nonsense glower of government mandated power. The difference was it looked good on him.

Miles skirted the car and kept walking, he didn't turn back.

The officer rolled down the window and peered out at Miles. "You're not skipping class are you?"

Even his voice was powerful. It was utterly masculine and it made Miles' mouth water. Slowly he turned to look at the officer. The man was pretty fit and younger than Miles had first thought. While he didn't have a baby face, he seemed fresh, not jaded by the job just yet.

"You're not a truant officer are you? " Miles countered willing away the stirring in his body.

The officer laughed and the mask of ferocity slipped away. His voice was rich and Miles loved it.

"I'll give you a ride." The officer said.

Miles stepped forward to inspect him, and asked suspiciously "Why?"

"Because I remember what its like to be sixteen."

"Seventeen." Miles clarified. It wasn't the first time someone had mixed up his age. His cheeks burned and he turned away.

"I also remember what its like to be small for my age. It made me a fighter."

"And yet you work for the the man." Miles gestured to the uniform. "I'm sure you seen the irony, Officer-" He leaned into the car to get a look at the man's name tag. "Bailey."

"To bring down the establishment from the inside." Bailey replied reaching out and tugging at id badge hanging from his. "Miles."

Hearing his name roll off the man's tongue was electric. As if Bailey focused on him and only him, and the thought was immensely flattering. Miles reached out and plucked the id from the man's hand his fingers tingled. He curled his hand into a fist and looked back to the officer. Bailey winked at him and shifted in his seat. Miles heard the lock pop open.

"Get in." Bailey said and his tone brooked no argument. Miles debated and then slid into the backseat.

"Do I have to sit in the back?" He asked leaning forward between the seats.

Officer Bailey started the car and it rumbled to life. He pulled his seat strap down before buckling in and taking the hint Miles did the same.

"Well?" Miles asked once the officer's hands curled around the wheel.

"Object lesson." Bailey replied and shifted gears. He pulled off so fast that Miles back slammed against the seats the sheer power vibrating under him. Miles struggled to sit up and he caught the officer' gaze through the rearview mirror.

"Good luck with that, I never learn." Miles replied as the car pealed out of the lot.