I hear her voice in the morning hour she calls me
Radio reminds me of my home far away
Driving down the road I get a feeling
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday - Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver
A sudden shake woke Jake up.
"We've landed!" stated the smiling Jess unbuckling herself from her seat.
Stiffness reigned through his body. Getting up, his joints popped.
"Thanks for the ride," said Jess into a speaker
"Yes, ma'am," answered back, but she already stepped out of the transport.
The wind cut through his coat. The cloud covered sky didn't allow him to figure if it was day or night.
"It's fucking cold," he mumbled, following Jess towards the rear of the transport.
She leaned against the side of transport as he ran in place to keep the numbness out of his legs.
A platform emerged from the transport. A door slid opened.
"You brought winter gear, right?" Forgetting his training in the Antarctica.
"Winter gear?" she said stepping onto the platform, "We don't need no stinking winter gear."
Watching her enter the rear of the transport, Jake couldn't believe how fucked up this was. Bad enough that she's hitting on him, now he was freezing cause she didn't bring winter gear. She knew they were going to Canada and didn't bring any winter gear.
"When we found this guy, wait a minute, who the fuck are we looking for?" he thought rubbing his hands together, "She hasn't told me who we're looking for yet," closing his eyes, "Stay focus, Jake," he thought breathing slowly letting his body warm up.
An engine roared to life inside the rear of the transport caused Jake to open his eyes. A black hummer drove from the transport. Stopping, Jess popped her head out of the driver side window.
"Hey good looking, you look like you need a ride."
Walking towards the passenger side door, "It better have heat."
"Want to share body heat?"
"Shut up," getting inside, "I'm not interested in you."
"Foreplay," putting the hummer into drive, "and a challenge."
Staring into the side mirror, Jake saw the transport leave.
"Where are they going?"
"We're on our own."
"Great," he mumbled turning the heat up.
Stopping near a water pump, "Sit down," he said forcing her to sit on a stone block.
Sitting on the stone block, she pressed her backpack against her chest. Inside was Jake's gun, now if she could get it out. It would take time to remove it from her pack. She could use her powers, but she would need them to travel back to Jump City. She could run for it which she did. She didn't get far.
Tackling her to the ground, he sat on her stomach. Trying to pin her arms down proved to be difficult since she was kicking, clawing, and punching to get him off her. In her panic, it didn't cross her mind to use her powers to knock him off.
"Calm down, woman!" he growled allowing him to pin her arms.
Hearing, "woman," snapped her out of her panic. Why did it sound familiar?
"If you behave, I'll get off you," he said, "but if you want to act a dumb broad, then I'll rough you up. Understand? Just nod your head."
Her head went up and down.
"Good, all good, stable relationships are built on trust. I'm trusting you not to runaway or try something stupid to escape from me," releasing her arms, "Understand, Miss… What the hell is your name?"
"Miss Roth," she hissed.
"Well, Miss Roth," getting up, "nice to meet you," holding his hand out.
Staring at his hand then his face, she returned to his hand.
"What's your name?"
"Mr. Nemo."
"Well Mr. Nemo…go to hell!" sending her foot towards his crotch.
Catching her foot, he flipped her onto her stomach. Planting his knee into her lower back, he grabbed her right wrist and pinned her right arm against her back. Pain shot through her arm.
"Stop it!" she cried, "It hurts!"
Tears flowed from her eyes.
"I warned you!" increasing the pain, "This what happens when you betray trust, Miss Roth."
"Stop it, you bully."
"Bully? Got in the middle of a shootout at Salon Des Refuses. Just blew the brains out of some guy. If I was in the mood, I'll break your legs, or your arm. Better yet rape you, but since I'm not in that mood to do either, yet. Let's start this all over again, Miss Roth," getting up, "Now we can change this line of conversation or we can be struck on the previous subject. Your choice?"
Turning onto her back, she saw him offering his hand again. This time she took it.
Pulling her onto her feet, "Sit down," he said with a less of a harsh tone.
Sitting on the stone block again, she watched him remove his coat and hat. He placed them on a wooden bench. Removing his shirt, he stared at the wound in his left arm.
"Hope it gets infected," she mumbled.
"Love your concern," he said opening his satchel bag.
Pulling needle nose pliers, medical rubber band, a lighter, and a bottle of peroxide out of his satchel bag, he tied the rubber band above the wound. Making a fist several times, he kept it closed. Flicking the lighter, he ran the needle nose pliers through the flame. Slightly opening the pliers, he pushed it into the open wound.
Hearing the sizzling of blood and flesh, Raven's stomach felt queasy. She felt like throwing up. She did when he pulled the bullet out.
"Ate something that didn't agree with you," he remarked pouring peroxide onto the wound.
"Shut up," she said bending over.
Putting a bandage over the wound, he removed a new shirt from his bag. Returning everything into the bag, he put the shirt on.
Putting his coat on, "Come on," he said slinging his satchel bag onto his right shoulder.
"Leave me alone," bending her knees, "Why don't you just leave me and go where ever you're heading?"
"No, can't do that."
Straightening her knees, "Why not?"
"You don't belong here just like I don't belong here. Something isn't right with this town so you leaving you alone would be a bad idea. Finally you don't have a choice in this matter."
"Meaning?"
"This," slinging her onto his left shoulder.
"Put me down!" she yelled pounding his lower back.
Putting his hat on, he noticed the sun lowering.
"Now a place to stay for the night," he said carrying Raven as she continued pounding his back and yelling, "Put me down! Wait until my boyfriend finds out, he's going to kick your ass!"
