A/N: First off I would like to thank my reviewers for the last chapter. All two of them.
Then I have a short announcement. My computer is refusing nourishment (the cable jack is fubared), so updates will take longer. I only have one more chapter that is on another site and can be transferred here, but I want to keep that in reserve in case the whole repair thing takes longer than expected. So at least you guys will nto be completely un-updated. Is that even a word? So another chapter that more about character growth than anything else, and I just love Alec. And there is another crossover cameo in this, mainly because I couldn't work in the crossover in any permanent way without making my life and brain totally confused. A virtual cookie () with sprinkles for however notices it first.
A lot apparently, Alec reflected as he trudged back to his truck. After dinner he had driven Max and Tara back to the motel and then gone to the truck stop with some seed money.
The truckstop was the usual deal. Dimly lit, smoky, basic, solid furniture. It was doing good business, though it looked as if people were resorting to drinking homebrew. Not surprising. Apparently Budweiser hadn't felt the need to put something as old-fashioned as maps in their drivers' hands.
Well the lack of regular booze would make this slightly easier. Homebrew was stronger generally and nobody would believe that a newbie would be able to keep up with the locals.
The pool table was in use so Alec took a seat at the bar to case the competition before making his move. The barmaid appeared almost instantaneously for his order and he swept her form as a matter of course.
Threat-assessing just like he had for every other person in the bar as soon as he had stepped inside. She had a nice body, poured into hip huggers and a tank top. Mistaking his look for more than casual interest, Mindy - as her nametag proclaimed - leaned in close for his order, giving him prime view of her cleavage and the knowledge that she'd chosen to wear black lace that day.
Alec ordered his drink, dismissing the her from his thoughts as a no-threat. His attention focussed on a bunch of locals surrounding the pool table. Each town, each bar had its own rules when it came to proclaiming interest in the game. Some quite obscure. Thankfully this one was fairly straightforward. Anyone interested slapped a twenty on the table and took on the winner of the previous game.
He let half an hour go by, nursing a couple of glasses of the homebrew they called beer here, before joining the spectators. At least service was good. The barmaid checked every ten minutes or so to see if he needed anything.
Joking around with the locals was no effort and pretty soon he laid his own twenty on the table. The first few games flew by and Alec was eighty up. Not early enough to help the three of them along, and he didn't feel like doing this every night. Even now the thought that the two girls were alone in a strange unfortified place was eating at him. Logically he knew that Max would kick his ass if she knew what he was thinking, but this had nothing to do with intellect. He had decided to keep the two of them safe and no matter what Max said, having Tara around would hamper her.
In the fourth game he began to add the odd flourish. Cracking jokes, and generally putting on a performance as an affable jokester. Soon the locals were challenging him to do trick shots. Trying to come up with a shot he wouldn't be able to perform. Betting against him. The money began to pile up and he probably wouldn't have to play much longer. Not to mention he didn't want to completely alienate them all, in case they decided to gang up on him in the parking lot. It was a fine line to tread. He needn't have worried. In this town a barter had been a form of commerce even before the pulse had hit. And loosing a few greenbacks to a drifter that obviously needed it more was no skin of their noses. Plus he had been good for a laugh.
Alec was just putting the pool stick away, to the good-natured ribbing of the others, when a hand fell heavily on his still smarting shoulder and twirled him around.
"you the guy who fancies himself a pool player?" The voice was gravel and spit, already thick with alcohol fumes. Alec looked up and then up some more.
"I do my best." He grinned at the man, hoping to defuse the situation. Although he had no clue as to why the guy was pissed at him in the first place.
The gorilla's face tightened, his fists clenching as Mindy the barmaid chose that moment to flounce past them and, smiling at him, whisper: I'll just put it on the table over there, shall I?"
"Play me." It wasn't a question. Shrugging, Alec peeled off a twenty from the wad in his back pocket and laid it on the table, already reaching for his abandoned stick. He figured he would win gracefully and be on his way.
"Play for 400." Again it was a statement, and really didn't sound like he was going to take no for an answer. That put an entirely different spin on things. Now'd he have to win and risk the gorilla having a go at him and then he would have to take him down and make a run for it. Never his favourite part of hustling.
Four hundred came close to what Alec had managed to make that night. 'Well, shit. We need that money.' He thought to himself.
"Sam." It took a moment before Alec remembered to answer to the name he had picked for himself. Turning he saw one of the oldtimers he had been passing time with earlier.
"Yeah, Mr. Sorenson?"
"Told ya to call me Jakob, lad. That there's Mitchell." He gestured at the hulk now glowering Alec's way from the other side of the pool table. "Local royalty. His folks own a spread south of town. He's our Mindy's ex."
Alec was confused. "Who's Mindy?"
This had Jakob and his cronies cracking up laughing. "She's the barmaid been making googly-eyes at you all evening."
Alec's jaw dropped. He looked over at the bar and sure enough saw the girl he had dismissed earlier in the evening as no threat, smile brilliantly at him, adding a little wave. Turning back he saw Mitchell glare at him even more if that was possible, his grinding teeth clearly heard, while racking the balls.
"Well, shit."
Jakob and his cronies laughed once more. "Don't you worry none, son. Mitchell fancies himself the best player in three counties. You just beat 'im and we'll see to it that he pays his debts." The 'and does nothing stupid' went unsaid.
"Good thing I'm not staying in the area longer then. We're planning on getting back on the road in the morning." Alec had no idea what had gotten into him. That was now two people in a week he had told the truth instead of the lie.
"We?" Jakob asked, surprised.
Alec shrugged to himself. 'In for a penny-'
"My wife and I are heading north to the family. Was supposed to be visit, the family haven't seen our girl in a while. Now we figure its going to be safer there." The fabrication came easily, felt too comfortable. "They're waiting for me back at the motel up the road. Trip is turning out longer than we thought."
Jakob nodded. "Been that way for a lotta people." He winked. "That's why you've been oblivious to our Mindy's charms, eh? Missus a looker."
Alec laughed. "Yeah, she's a looker alright. Regular little spitfire with temper like a volcano."
Jakob laughed. "Hah! My missus is the same. Good thing we love them."
Alec froze. He could feel something well up inside him, a realisation, was trying to get a grip on it, could feel it at the tip of his fingers-
"Play!"
He shook himself, the thought gone, sunk back into his subconscious, and bent his mind to the serious business of beating hulk's pants off.
It didn't take long. Pulling out all the stops, not holding back anymore, he ran the table in under five minutes, not letting Mitchell get a shot in edgeways. Just to rub it in.
Finally he potted the black, letting the cue ball roll back until it was exactly where it had stared the game, just because he could.
The bar was silent for a single charged moment and then two things happened at once. The regulars burst into applause and Mitchell took a swing at him. Alec saw it coming in slow motion, swayed to the side to let the fist pass his face. Grabbing Mitchell's wrist he pulled him further off balance, sliding in behind him and giving a push that made the man slam belly-first into the pool table. Still holding on to the wrist he gave it a turn and pulled his opponents arm up his back, immobilizing him in for the duration.
The bar had gone silent, applause died down as quickly as it had started. Alec cringed inside. This had the potential to get really ugly, real fast.
"Well, shit son. If I had known you had moves like that I wouldn't've worried so much." Jakob's good-natured words pierced the tension in the bar and many people laughed.
Alec laughed and let go of Mitchell's arm, stepping back swiftly. He wasn't stupid enough to stay in kicking distance of the man. The man who was even then straightening up, a look of homicidal rage on his face.
Alec readied himself for another round when Mitchell was stopped by a hand dropping heavily on his shoulder. It belonged to a man in his late forties, early fifties, some grey at the temples, compact build. There was something about him that screamed fellow soldier at Alec.
"The boy won fair and square Mitchell. Pay up so the man can go back to his wife and kid. Don't let your dick do the thinking just cause Mindy won't give you the time of day." His voice was deep and competent.
Mitchell relaxed, probably mostly because he registered that Alec was nor real competition for Mindy's dubious affections. Pulling a thick wad of cash from his back pocket, he peeled off 400 and handed them over with a bright smile that transformed his face.
"No hard feelings?"
Alec laughed, tucking the money away and slapped the man's shoulder. "No worries. Come on, I'll buy you a drink before I head out."
Mitchell waved him off. "No, let me. Least I can do." And he was off with the other man in tow to get a round of drinks.
"And that was Uncle John to the rescue." Jakob remarked with a grin.
Alec raised an eyebrow in query, curious for more information.
"Used to be in the marines, runs the local auto shop now. Mitchell's uncle from the mother's side. Damn near the only one that can stop that man when he's set his mind on something."
And then there was no time for further questions, as Mitchell and John came back with two trays of drinks.
Alec stayed for another half hour, before finally saying goodbye among much well wishing and advice on which roads to avoid. Quickest routes out of state and where he could mention a name if he and his girls got stuck.
When he finally turned off the road and into the motel parking lot, he was drained of energy. The latent worry he had felt all evening knowing his girls were alone, combined with the tension of the pool games and the demands of his still healing body sapped his energy.
Stumbling slightly he unlocked their door and slipped inside. The curtains had been closed, but a single lamp shone in a pool of golden light by the door.
They'd left the light on for him.
His girls were fast asleep in the bed they'd pushed up against the wall before he left. A quick trip to the bathroom to strip down to his boxers and brush his teeth. Then Alec could finally lie down and rest.
Max and Tara were in the position they had become accustomed to in the last few nights. Tara closest to the wall, Max behind her, back to the room. Alec slipped into bed next to them, curving his larger body around them both, putting himself between them and anything that might come through the door. Half-asleep he nuzzled into Max's hair and laid his arm over hers where it lay protectively around Tara's middle.
Dimly he registered Max wriggling closer to his body in her sleep, but exhaustion was already claiming him and he drifted off.
