Chapter 14: Old Friends

"What can I get you guys?" Cindy asked as she looked at the tree gathered around the table.

"Three beers, please," James replied. "Budweiser, if you got it." She looked at Eragon and Saphira, shaking her head as she looked them over.

"Eh, what the Hell? I'm already breaking the law serving booze to that one over there. Why not just add to the list?" She walked away while James placed his hands onto the table.

"Okay, so if this cockamamie family thing is true, how come my mom never mentioned you?" Eragon sighed and turned to face Saphira.

"We do not know, James," Eragon replied. "She abandoned me and left me at Uncle Garrow's."

"If I were to guess," Saphira interjected, "I would say that she wanted to start over."

"What?" Eragon and James both asked.

"Let me explain." She reached out and fiddled with a white saltshaker that was beside a napkin dispenser. "Eragon and I both know that Morzan was not as nice of a man as your mother possibly described for you. He was evil, James, and he served under the former king of our land…Galbatorix. Selena loved Morzan before he turned so despicable, but probably tried to erase everything after he changed." She turned to face Eragon, who had a hurt expression on his face. "I am sorry, but that seems the most logical."

"Wait a freaking minute!" James exclaimed. "If she left Morzan, then who was my real dad?"

"I am starting to question that too," Eragon muttered. Suddenly, Cindy arrived with three Budweiser Select bottles in her hands.

"Here you are," she muttered as she sat them in front of the three guests. "Just keep it to a minimum fellows."

"I barely will finish this one," James informed. "I am doing a night flight back to the carrier tonight."

"Don't want to fly wasted, huh?"

"My crew would appreciate it if I didn't." She laughed and pulled out a pen and a piece of paper.

"I reckon that this should also be on the house? At least the double discount."

"Double?" James asked. Cindy smiled and took her free hand to place it on his shoulder.

"The military discount," she explained. "I can 'accidentally' put it in twice for you."

"I see," James mentioned while tossing her a brisk wink. "Okay."

"What can we make for you guys today?" Eragon and Saphira stared at the two strange bottles in front of them as James flipped the bottle cap off of his.

"I'll take the Skyline Steak," James ordered. "Err…my friends may need a little more time."

"Well, that's okay. I'll come back in a few minutes." She turned on her heel and walked over towards Jackie, who was stirring one of her small glasses with a straw.

"How do you get to the beer?" Eragon asked. "I see no handle or latch." James laughed and reached over to grab his bottle.

"Pay close attention, alright?" James commanded. He placed his thumb against the bottle cap and pushed upwards, forcing the cap to pop off and onto the table. "That keeps it fresh and cool." He suddenly sat the drink back on the table and shuffled it over to Eragon's waiting hand. The young rider caught the drink and tightened his grip as he lifted it to his mouth. "Careful, it's going to be cold." Eragon opened his mouth up and poured the amber liquid down his throat. James watched with a chuckle as Eragon slammed the bottle back to the table and wrapped his hand around his neck.
"Cold," he choked. "Dear gods, I have never had anything that…that…?"

"Refreshing?" James finished. "Yeah, we have freezers and refrigerators here that keep them really cool. What did you think?"

"The mead at our country does not taste like that." Saphira placed her thumb next to her bottle cap and popped it off, just as James showed her.

"If my mate tried it, so must I." She took James advice and slowly suckled the drink, gently swallowing it as it splashed against the roof of her mouth. "Ah."

"Good?" Eragon asked. She nodded her head and brushed her blonde hair out of her face.

"Very. It tastes different…but it also tastes better."

"Welcome to American beer," James joked. "You can have six of those and be completely tore off your ass."

"I doubt it," Eragon replied, lifting his bottle up so Saphira could knock hers against it. They both said cheers and took another drink.

"Anyways, go ahead and pick what you want to eat. The menus are right there next to the napkins." Eragon sat down his beer and casually picked up the multicolored menu while Saphira did the same. "I'll pay for this one."

"That is nice of you," Saphira muttered. "So, James, how long exactly have you been piloting these helicopters?" He placed the opening of his beer to his lips and took a quick swig.

"Too many," he joked. "I'm thirty-nine." Eragon looked up from his menu and stared at him.

"What?"

"Yeah, I'm thirty-nine." Saphira joined in the stare. "What now?"

"I am only nineteen," Eragon said quietly. "How could you be born after me, but be so old?" Saphira nodded her head as if she was wondering the same question.

"This is really freaking me out," James muttered. "Look, I don't know what to say about that, and I am pretty doubtful of us being blood and all, so let's drop it."

"I want to see her."

"Who?"

"Selena."

"I want to meet her too," Saphira blurted out. "It would be nice to meet my mate's family." Her eyes suddenly grew wide at a picture of a perfectly cooked rack of pork ribs that was displayed flawlessly on her menu. "Oh, what is this delectable entrée?" She opened up the menu and gasped at the decorative display of food that was inside of it. "Can I have one of each?" Eragon rolled his eyes at her and placed his hand on top of hers.

"You are not a dragon," he warned her. "If you eat as much as you would in that form, I am sure that you would explode." She sighed and placed the menu down onto the table.

"Very well then." Eragon watched as she placed her right index finger on a picture of a very odd meal. "This looks rather small."

"What is it?" he asked, leaning over to get a closer look.

"It's a…a…ham…what?" She cocked her head at the word beside it and tried to ignore James' laughter.

"Hamburger," James finished. "It's America's most popular food." She looked at the picture and then turned her gaze to Eragon.

"Care to try it with me?"

"Uh…okay." James laughed again and took another drink.

"Well guys, I don't have much longer till I get back. I'll give you the number of my mom if you want it, but just don't go all psycho on her with this thing, alright? It may be too much for her."

"Psycho?" Saphira asked. She looked at Eragon. "I've never heard that before."

"In short, don't bring this 'older son' thing up," James scorned. "This may push her over the edge a little bit." Cindy walked back to their table and took out her pen and paper once again. "Their ready now."

"Good," Cindy replied. "It is almost quitting time for me, too."

"Two cheeseburgers, ma'am," James ordered politely.

"Navy boys are always so polite when ordering."

"That is what BASIC does to you," James snickered. "You know, I'll take a coke in place of this beer, if you could."

"Of course." The three watched as Jackie tossed her hood over her head and stepped up and over to the elevators.

"Jackie!" Eragon called out. "Where will we meet you?" She turned back with a slight blush over her cheeks.

"Meet me at the Metro by Foggy Bottom," she informed. "I'll be there and waiting."

"Why are you avoiding us?" Saphira asked. "Surely one drink beside your new friends could not have hurt."

"You don't know," she replied while shaking her head. "There are a lot of things that I have to make right here before I leave."

"Let me guess. Are you fixing something involving your past?"

"Sort of." She turned away. "I have some dues to pay." With that said, she pressed the button of the elevator and tied the laces that dangled from her hood to tighten it. "I'll be at the Metro Station at eleven, just before the lunch rush. See you then." Eragon and Saphira both nodded as she stepped into the elevator to disappear from view.

"So how many hours until our food is ready?"

- - - - - - - -

They can't know, Jackie thought to herself as the floor numbers decreased on a digital counter while the elevator descended to the ground floor. She pulled out the white powder that she received earlier and gently rubbed her fingers against it. "I have to do this. If not, I am better of going to prison." She sighed and stuffed the bag into her sweatshirt pocket again."I just can give this to him and we will be square…I hope."

- - - - - -

"Here you guys are," Cindy exclaimed, placing three plates in front of Eragon, Saphira, and James. They all licked their lips as they stared at the meals in front of them.

"It looks better than the fairth," Eragon muttered.

"What?" James asked. "Do you mean 'the picture'?"

"I…err…guess so." James reached out and picked up a large steak knife that was set on his plate while Eragon and Saphira continued to stare at the meal.

"Dig in."

"How?" Saphira asked. "It looks so…awkward."

"Look, pick it up and bite it. It can't be any simplier." She sighed and grabbed the burger with both hands, cautiously sliding it to her mouth. Saphira took a hearty bite but let out a subtle squeek, dropping the cheeseburger back down onto the plate.

"Hot!" she whimpered, chugging her beer to put the fire on her tongue out. Eragon and James both laughed. "What is so funny? Dragons do not worry about taste buds and heat."

"Saphira, humans have feelings on their tongues. Heat…hurts us."

"So I've learned." She reached out again and took another bite. "Aside from the burning, it is quite filling." Eragon did the same and smiled at the delicious taste of the meat that seemed to melt in his mouth.

"Fantastic," he muttered in admiration.

"Well, I have to get going guys," James sighed. "I'll leave the tip and the payment here for Cindy when she gets back…?"

"Wait. How do we get to this Foggy Bottom?" James looked at Saphira, who asked the question.

"Follow this street and look for a giant M sign," he explained. "You should come to an escalator somewhere near it. Ride it down and you should be there."

"Escalator?"

"It's like a staircase…except it moves." James took a drink of his coke that Cindy provided with his meal and pulled out his wallet to drop a twenty on the table near his plate. "Look, if you need anything, I want you to call me." He suddenly snatched a pen off of the kitchen countertop that was nearby and wrote several numbers down on a piece of paper. "This is my phone number in my quarters on the ship. If you want to know more about my mom or whatever, give me a call. I'm sure Jackie has a cell phone. After all, she is a teenager."

- - - - - - -

"Do you have my 'blow?" a dark-skinned man sneered to Jackie. He was very skinny and looked as if he were to die from hunger, but his eyes remained fixed on the girl in front of him. "You still owe me big for my last favor." Jackie shook her head and pulled out the bag of white powder. The black man suddenly pulled out his bony hands and swiped up the bag. "How many ounces?"

"Thirteen pure," Jackie informed. "Just like I owed you before I left." The man laughed and stuffed the bag inside of his blue jeans. "Now, is South Side straight again with Witchwick?"

"I dunno," he replied. "I may need a little more…?"

"Look Lenny," Jackie growled. "I am not back to my dope dealing anymore, man. You should consider yourself lucky that I managed to get this shit. Now, stay the Hell away from Witchwick since we are even now."

"Whatever girl," he muttered. "They're just a bunch of sluts and hookers anyway." He sighed. "I remember the first favor you did for me."

"That was years ago," she said, blushing slightly as she turned away from him. "That was also before you became an addict."

"Yeah I know," he scorned. "That was when you flushed my 'K' down the toilet."

"We're even now, shitbag." Jackie grit her teeth as the man placed his hands against her breasts. "Get your hands off of me."

"They were mine," he growled. "One more time, and then we're even."

Someone has lied…

PEACE!