After just under two hours of straight interstate and Jak humming loudly along with his music, the two cars finally arrive in the outskirts of Amarillo. A brief argument and Alex ensued upon arrival, which ended with Alex reluctantly taking over the wheel to drive them normally to Bill's house, a little way from the city's college and main downtown area.
Traction dropped behind them, letting Alex lead the way to the rather posh, residential part of town.
It didn't take long for them to pull up outside Bill's large, house which looked a lot like a mansion crammed in with others of a similar style. Alex honestly preferred little wooden houses, but Bill had money and liked to flaunt it, especially when he had very little. He'd rather spend all his money on a car, rather than a car and a house. The house looked like it wasn't in Texas, the area more like Los Angeles with the fancy trees, large garages and towering white homes. But Bill liked it, and after all it was her house, not his. Her money not his.
"Remember in an out," Jak swung open his door, "No touchy feely stuff. Tract will most likely drive into the house if you take too long, thinking you've been got."
Alex flushed slightly at Jak's casual comment in regard to intimacy, since Bill was just his friend, nothing more, but he tried to ignore it all the same, "If he does, I don't think anyone would be happy."
"I'll keep him preoccupied," Jak waited for Alex to get out of the driver's seat before edging casually and slowly towards Traction who was parked facing him.
Alex sighed and hurried away from the two vehicles, up the house's path, weaving through the various flowers and plants lining it.
He stopped in front of the door and was just preening himself prior to ringing the doorbell when the door opened itself, revealing Bill standing in the doorway, arms folded tightly across her chest, her red hair snaking over her shoulders.
"I'm not drunk," Alex said quickly before she could start.
"The brand new shiny Mustang?" she indicated Jak.
"What?" Alex glanced at the car then twigged, "No! I didn't steal it!"
"You sure didn't buy it," she raised her eyebrows.
"It's a friends. I'm borrowing it for a road trip," he covered as casually as he could.
"Alex, I'm your only friend. That's not my car. No one you know would even have a Mustang, let along lend you one if they were sane. You stole it," Bill scowled.
"No, Bill listen," he lowered his voice to a whisper, "The car. It's a psycho robot alien. It's trying to take me somewhere. Some Cadillac nearly killed me!"
Bill stared at him before shaking her head in disgust, then suddenly just slapped him hard in the face, "You are drunk. Drunk and driving. Alex, I told you to stop before you hurt someone!"
Alex yelped in pain as her hand collided with his face, "I'm not drunk!" he touched his cheek gingerly, wincing, "Can you smell alcohol on me? No? That's because I'm sober! I may have hit my head," he indicated the gauze, "But I'm fine. I'm not lying. I'm not drunk. The car is alive!"
"Get out Alex, I'm not talking to you until you stop spouting crap, drunk or not. I want my friend back," with that Bill slammed the door in his face, her footsteps audible as she stalked away.
Alex stared at the door before growling a few curses as he turned away and slumped back to Jak.
"Interesting," the Mustang commented as he let Alex back into the driver's seat, "At least you vaguely mentioned the road trip."
Alex grunted, "You have women where you're from?"
Jak shrugged by lifting up his front and letting it drop, "Sure, but they're not like her. She seems pretty cool. She's got style, I like it."
"Oh, yeah? Slapping equal cool?" Alex rubbed his cheek, grumbling to himself, "Women are insane. She's always convinced I'm drunk. I've only called her a few times when I've been out of it, and I've only turned up with a stolen car once," he muttered.
Jak snorted slightly as he revved his engine, "No comment there."
Alex scowled and sat back in the seat, folding his arms, "You guys take me where you want to. This road trip had better be good."
"Eight hundred miles with me? It'll be fantastic!" Jak immediately cranked up the music's volume again, almost blasting Alex's ears off.
"Oh yeah," Alex muttered, "Fantastic," he purposefully put his hands over his ears, but Jak didn't seem to notice as Traction pulled away in front of them, leading the way.
Meanwhile, unknown to Alex, Bill was watching him and the other car pull away from her house from where she was crouched down by her own silver BMW 1 Series convertible. She had no idea what Alex was playing at, but she wasn't going to let him get himself into deadly trouble. At least she remembered the meaning of friendship.
Just as the Ram and Mustang began to disappear down her street, she slipped into her car and quickly started the engine, backing out of her driveway.
She was prepared for a long drive, and wasn't letting him out of her sight.