The X5 Reunion
"This is stupid." Zack stated.
They all ignored him.
"You're all insane." he muttered loudly.
Again they ignored him.
"I need a beer." he sighed.
Immediately, Jondy poured him a tall glass and set him up on a barstool. This was the bar where she worked now and for tonight it was all theirs. Whether Zack liked it or not. They hadn't known how Zack would react...well, that's not true. They knew he wouldn't like it. But with Zack you never know if he'll go nuts on you, pout about it, or say to hell with it and grudgingly join you. They had gotten a combo of all three tonight.
Zane started some music playing. Pre-pulse party music. Ty noticed Zack grimace and down half the beer in one gulp as it came on. Apparently, Zack's not a fan.
Ty forgot about Zack when Krit came up to her, the mischievous grin that she had come to expect from him firmly in place.
"What?" Ty asked him suspiciously.
"You have to dance with me." he stated as if it were the most obvious fact in the world.
"Is that so?" she asked, crossing her arms.
He nodded, his face the picture of innocence.
"Uh huh."
"And why's that?" she asked.
"'Cause if you don't, Syl will torture me." he said, giving her a look of mock-horror on top of the innocent look.
"What makes you think I'm going to stop her?" Ty pressed, letting herself smile at him.
The innocent look disappeared and the mischievous grin was back in place.
"'Cause if you don't, I'll torture you." he threatened.
Ty took a very small step towards him.
"As you can see, I'm really terrified." she said sarcastically.
He closed the space between them.
"And you should be." he told her placing his hands on Ty's waist.
Without warning, he tickled her. Ty gasped and jumped backwards.
"That...that...what was that?!" she demanded.
Krit grinned at Ty, cocking his head to one side.
"So innocent. Never even been tickled before. Looks like I'll have to corrupt you and bring you over to the Dark Side." he joked.
"Oh, yeah. What's that like?" Ty replied.
"Oh, it's great. You poke fun at Zack all day long, disobey orders, pull pranks on people like Jondy who would cream you for it if they caught you. Ask Syl, she's a master." Krit said, completely serious.
Ty rolled her eyes and offered Krit her hand.
"Alright, I'll dance. But I don't promise I'll dance well." Ty said.
"Good. Neither do I." Krit said, pulling her after him to join Zane, Syl, Jo and Lani on the so-called dance floor.
Meanwhile, Cade was sitting next to Zack at the bar trying to persuade him to have fun. Zack was on his third beer already.
"You keep this up and you're gonna get drunk." she warned.
"I don't get drunk." Zack replied.
Cade raised an eyebrow.
"That's what you say now. Well, go ahead and drink then. Maybe you'll be a funny drunk."
"I doubt it." Zack replied.
"Pouting won't help anything. You might as well enjoy yourself." she insisted.
"I'm not pouting."
"Zack, you're always pouting. You pout more than Max."
"Hey!" Max said indignantly from down the bar where she was talking to Jondy.
"Sorry." Cade said quickly, then muttered to herself, "But it's true."
She leaned in front of Zack, forcing him to look at her.
"You spend all your time protecting them, but now look at them. Look how happy they are." she insisted.
Zack indulged her by looking around the bar at the X5's with the audition of the two SP's, Cade and Ty. Max and Jondy were still deep in conversation, catching up on all the years they had missed. Ty was laughing so hard she was holding her sides as Krit attempted some kind of dance routine to an old song by a group called N*Sync. Syl and Zane were smiling at each other and sharing a pitcher at a nearby table. Derek and Jo were playing pool, both trying to impress Lani with their prowess at the game while she just laughed at them. Jay joined them with some more drinks acquired from Jondy. Cade was right. They all looked happy.
"Would it kill you to relax and be happy, too?" Cade asked, as if she were reading his thoughts.
Zack didn't reply.
"Don't make me whip out the handcuffs." she threatened.
"You promise?" he asked.
Cade just smiled.
Zack rolled his eyes, but smiled at her.
"I suppose it wouldn't kill me." he said.
"See, told ya. Now come on. If Krit and Ty can get away with calling that dancing, we're going to have to try it, too." she insisted.
Zack's eyes widened, but Cade shook her head at him before he had a chance to protest and pulled him out onto the dance floor.
Many drinks later.....
Krit swiped the microphone, his grin getting even wider. Ty stared at him like he was a lunatic. Syl laughed and leaned back against Zane who wrapped his arms around Syl's waist.
"What does Krit think he's doing?" Max wondered out loud.
Jondy smiled and laughed.
"I think he's starting the first ever X5 Karaoke." she said.
Derek, who had joined them, groaned.
"Derek, shut up." Krit said into the microphone as the music came on. He started to sing,
"At first, I was afraid, I was petrified
I kept thinkin' I could never live without you by my side
Oh, and I spent so many nights
Thinkin' how you did me wrong and I grew strong
And I learned how to get along..." Krit cut off as Zane's jacket hit him in the face.
Everyone started clapping and Syl took a bow.
"Deadly aim, on that one, Syl." Derek called.
"Thank you, thank you." she said.
Krit pulled the jacket off his head and glared at her.
"Oh, Krit. Take it all off." Lani teased.
"Oh, Krit. Keep it on." Jay said in the same voice.
"You mean you don't wanna see my boxers?" he asked, looking hurt.
"No!" multiple voices said firmly.
"But they're army camouflage today." he said.
Ty looked at him. Much as she didn't like alcohol, she had indulged in a bit too much tonight.
"Interesting." she said.
Krit quickly got off the stage to talk to her. Zack started getting up to separate them. He still didn't like Krit with his sister. He stumbled and Cade realized that he must have had more drinks than anyone else in the room.
"Zack, I think you're smashed." she said, grabbing his arm, "I think you should sit. Now."
She pushed him down on the chair. She tried to calculate in her head how many drinks he had had. She frowned when she realized that he had drunk enough to kill a normal person. And then some, probably.
"Don't wanna." he said, sounding like a five-year-old.
He was very, very drunk.
Zack jumped off the barstool and onto the bar before Cade could stop him.
"Everyone...look...what I...can...do." Zack said slowly.
Zack proceeded to do a back flip. The impact sent any drinks on the bar crashing to the floor. Jondy winced, knowing those broken glasses would come out of her paycheck. Max gasped and looked at Zack with concern. Krit snickered to see Zack so drunk. Syl buried her face in Zane's shoulder to keep from laughing. Jo and Lani looked astonished to see their leader acting so strangely. Derek and Jay started slowly to the bar, thinking they had better get Zack down before he hurt himself.
"I am Captain Happy Pants." Zack announced, swaying, "And I..."
He never finished his sentence because he fell off the bar. Jay and Derek managed to catch him and break the fall. They lowered him to the ground slowly. Cade knelt next to him, concerned.
"Zack, are you alright?" she asked.
"No touchy!" Zack muttered, "I...fine. Sleep...now."
With that, Zack passed out.
"Of all the stupid..." Jondy grumbled, coming over, "I've seen a lot of guys pass out on the floor in here. I just never thought one of them would be Zack. There's a room in the back here. We can put him in there to sleep it off."
Derek and Jay nodded and carried Zack between them to the room Jondy indicated.
"Well. That was...interesting." Lani said into the relative silence in the bar.
Syl couldn't help herself. She snorted with laughter, causing Ty to laugh and soon most of the people in the room were laughing. It subsided after a moment and they turned back to what they had been doing. Most of which was stuff they wouldn't have been doing if they had been sober, although maybe not to the extent Zack had gone.
"Is it really possible to take off someone's pants with your teeth?" Ty asked suddenly.
Krit's eyes widened.
"I like you when you're drunk." he said.
"Just wondering."
"Wouldn't mind finding out." Krit grinned.
Ty shook her head, laughing, and pushed him away slightly.
"Zack..." she paused and smiled, "Captain Happy Pants, wouldn't be very happy with you."
Krit snorted at the name.
"I don't want to know why he said that." he said.
"Cade would probably know."
"Now, that's not nice." Krit said, leaning closer to her again.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you make very good eye candy?" Ty asked, smiling shakily.
"Sure, but Zane was very, very drunk at the time." Krit joked and kissed her.
Syl debated whether or not she should pull her partner in crime off of Ty. She looked up at Zane and then back at the pair in the corner. Maybe later, she decided and snuggled back against Zane.
Cade caught the pool ball a second before it would have hit her in the head. She glanced at the three at the table.
"On the table, please." she said, throwing it back at them, "It's a good thing a few of us are still sober."
As she said it, she realized she was probably the only one there who hadn't had at least one alcoholic beverage. She sighed, realizing she was the designated driver.
"Wouldn't Lydecker get a kick out of us now?" Max said sarcastically, "X5's too drunk to play pool and a C.O. who calls himself Captain Happy Pants and passes out."
Jondy shook her head and poured Max and Cade two glasses of water.
"To Manticore." Max offered with a twisted smile, "May they never hear a word of what went on in here. And may Zack never get his drink on like that again."
"I'll drink to that." Cade replied, rolling her eyes.
"Good song!" Ty exclaimed suddenly.
She pushed Krit away from her to get up and turn the stereo system louder. Krit followed her.
Jondy recognized the song as an old song by Third Eye Blind called "Eye Conqueror". Cade listened to the lyrics and ignored the so-called dancing being done by Ty and Krit. Seriously, hand-to-hand combat looked more graceful. Not that this was exactly the song for nice, graceful dancing. It was an up-beat rock song.
Cade found that the lyrics reminded her somewhat of Zack. At least, they reminded her of a sober Zack. That probably wasn't all too surprising. Lots of things reminded her of Zack.
'I am the conqueror.
I taste your scent in the wind.
Set my sail, but then you sing my boat.
So I begin to swim.
Bash my foes until I win.
Lances smash across my chest.
That's my quest you wonder why
I will never die.
The only thing I bleed for is you.
Oceans of love.
I crossed them for you.
In the Matrix of your garden
I find you in bloom.
And now that you found me
No one's gonna get around me
I'm coming for you.
Coming for you.
Coming for you.
Coming for you.'
Okay, maybe not that terribly romantic. But neither was Zack. Manticore didn't exactly encourage that type of thing. But the song did capture some of Zack's overprotective nature and his fierce spirit. She resolved herself to listen to the rest of the words.
'Nothing I cannot do.
There is nothing I wouldn't do for you.
And you put me all through the worst
I am cursed with a light that's meant to burn
That's where I shine
And now you'll be mine.
Oceans of love
I crossed them for you.
In the Matrix of your garden
I beg your pardon.
And now that I've hardened
No one's gonna get around me.
I'm coming for you.
Coming for you.
Coming for you.
Coming for you.
I am the conqueror.
Byzantine mosaic in the heat.
I am cursed, through the worst
With a life that's made to burn
That's where I shine, where I shine now
And you, you, you, you, you
Are mine, mine, mine, mine, mine
Love
I crossed them for you.
In the Matrix of your garden
I find you in bloom.
And now that I've found you
No one's gonna get around me.
You.
I'm coming for you.
Coming for you.
Coming for you.
I am the conqueror.
I am the conqueror.'
It repeated that last line a few more times before ending. Strange song, Cade decided.
"Boy, this is rich." Jay announced from where he was laying on top of a table, staring at the ceiling.
"What?" Derek asked, frowning as the white ball seemed to move in front of his eyes on the pool table as he lined up his shot.
"This. Krit and Zack's sis, Ty, are over there acting like she's in heat or something..."
"No. Not in heat." Lani interrupted, "When you're in heat, you're not interested in foreplay."
The guys all looked at her.
"Good to know. Anyway...Zane and Syl sit around like they're married. Jondy and Max are actually acting like the responsible ones. Zack's getting drunk, doing back-flips, and calling himself Captain Happy Pants. And his new girlfriend, Cade, is sitting there giving us all the Zack scowl, like she has to take his place while he's passed out."
"You forgot to mention the rest of us are almost drunk enough to start calling ourselves Sergeant Froo-Froo, Colonel Boxer Shorts, and Lieutenant Cookie Face." Lani said. She smiled to herself, "Oh, Zack is so gonna hear about this in the morning."
The three men near her all smiled at the thought.
"The question is," Jo said, "who gets to be Colonel Boxer Shorts?"
"Judging from his near show and tell, I'd say Krit won that designation." Lani replied.
The guys all shuddered.
"Now that's a thought I didn't need." Derek said.
"Could be worse. At least he's wearing underwear." Lani said, enjoying the second shudder and the disgusted looks the guys gave her.
"Ewww." Jay said.
"He's like a brother to me, but we ain't that close." Jo agreed.
"I wonder what kind of boxers Zack has." Lani said.
"Bigger ewww." Jay said.
"I'm serious." Lani said, "Twenty bucks says he's got smiley face boxers and that's where Captain Happy Pants came from."
"No way. This is Zack. He's probably got the army camouflage like Krit." Derek said.
"Nah. American Flag." Jo said.
"Alright. So this is a full-fledged bet now. Money in the pot, please." Lani said, pulling her hat off and throwing it down on the pool table.
The guys threw money into the hat.
"Jay, what's your guess?" Lani asked.
"Umm...I don't know. Do they make boxers with machine guns on them?"
"I doubt it."
"Alright. Put me down as..." Jay paused.
Lani's eyes widened as he reached under his waistband and pulled up his own boxers into view.
"Flannel?" he said uncertainly.
Lani nodded and walked over to see if she could get Syl, Zane, Krit, and Ty in on the bet.
"Hey, Syl. You in?" she asked.
Syl looked at the hat full of money and then at Lani.
"What's the bet?" she asked, immediately understanding.
"What kind of boxers Zack's got."
"Oh. Hmmm. Tough one. They still make G.I. Joe boxers?" Syl asked.
Lani shrugged.
"Oh, I know! Animal print! That's my bet." Syl said, throwing money in.
"Zane?" Lani pressed.
"Much as I don't want to know, I'll bet that they've got stars on them." Zane said.
Lani grinned and turned to Krit and Ty. She cleared her throat loudly to get their attention.
"Zack. Boxers. Got a bet?" she asked.
"Zack's boxers?" Krit frowned.
"Well, we already know what kind yours are." Lani replied.
"True." Krit agreed, "I'll bet Zack's got Ninja Turtles boxers."
Ty laughed.
"No, watch, they'll be white with red hearts on them." she said.
"Money, please." Lani said, sticking out her hat.
Krit and Ty both paid. Lani went over to the bar to talk to Max and Jondy.
"Alright. What's the bet, now?" Jondy asked.
"What kind of boxers Zack's got." Lani said for the third or fourth time.
"Nice bet." Jondy said, rolling her eyes.
"Plain Army green." Max piped up.
Lani and Jondy both looked at her.
"Well, it's Zack." she shrugged, "You know."
"I'm not getting in on this." Jondy declared.
"On what?" Cade asked curiously.
"Taking bets on what kind of boxers Zack's got. Care to tell us who won?" Lani asked.
"Excuse me?" Cade asked, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"What kind of boxers is Zack wearing?" Lani repeated.
"Not telling." Cade said with a slight grin.
"Give you half the profits." Lani offered.
Cade looked at the hat brimming with cash.
"Okay." she said quickly, "They're black."
Everyone in the room groaned and Cade knew they had been listening in with their hypersensitive hearing. She grinned. Obviously, no one had won.
"I'll take my half now, thanks." she said and snatched the cash before Lani could protest.
Lani grumbled and returned to the group by the pool table.
"Zack should be more interesting." she complained and downed the rest of her beer.
Max walked over just then with four tall glasses of water.
"Jondy says that's enough. We don't have enough room for any more passed-out drunks in the back rooms." she announced and set down the tray of glasses on the pool table.
She placed her hand firmly down on the pool cue before Derek could take his shot.
"And Cade says if you hit her with one of this, she'll make you eat it."
"Can I put salt on it first?"
Max just smiled her characteristic 'try me' smile at him until he dropped the pool cue.
"Wish Ben and Tinga and Brin could be with us tonight." Lani said quietly.
Max frowned. She had been thinking the same thing.
"If wishes were horses, we'd all be trampled dead." Krit's voice came from behind her.
Max whirled around to face him.
"Hey, Maxie, did you say something about Jondy cutting us off?" he asked.
"Uh huh. Not a bad idea, if you ask me." she said, noticing that Krit wasn't exactly sober himself.
"But Ty's a fun drunk. And I mean really fun." he protested, trying for a pouty look.
"Krit, behave yourself." Lani warned.
"I suggest you do, little brother." Jay agreed, "Zack may be unconscious at the moment, but he won't stay that way. And if he finds out..."
"You'll be discussing your boxer shorts with angels." Derek finished, "Or devils."
Krit rolled his eyes.
"Krit, we're serious." Max insisted, "I think you should get some fresh air for a minute and see if that little brain of yours still works before you do something really stupid."
"Yes, mom." Krit said sarcastically.
Despite his sarcasm, he did as Max suggested. Max was glad. She didn't want to have to kick anyone's ass tonight.
Ty frowned, seeing him leave. She tried to stand up, to follow him or to ask Max why he'd left, but hiccupped harshly and fell back into the booth. She decided it might be a good idea to just sit still for a while and see if the room stopped spinning.
Zane couldn't believe that Syl had actually fallen asleep in his arms. The small X5 looked very comfortable. She shifted in her sleep and sighed happily against his arm. Zane smiled and settled himself into a more comfortable position.
Max smiled as she watched her brothers and sisters. This wasn't exactly the X5 reunion she'd been hoping for, but it was nice. They had enjoyed themselves for the most part. And they had actually all been together for one night and she had gotten to know the people they had become. And for that she would always be thankful. No matter what Captain Happy Pants said.
Max smiled even wider as she thought of that. She had always thought Zack needed to loosen up, but she had never, ever imagined him being quite that loose.
Cade excused herself from her conversation with Jondy, deciding to go check on Zack. She slipped into the back room he was in and sat down next to him on the bed. The mattress shifted with her weight and Zack stirred. His eyes opened slightly and he groaned. His arm came up to shield his eyes, as if even the meager light in this room hurt them.
"Morning." Cade greeted him.
"Morning." Zack groaned in reply, "Hangover."
"Uh huh." Cade agreed, "Funny how that can catch up to even a super-soldier who 'doesn't get drunk'."
Zack just groaned some more.
"Would you like some aspirin or something?" Cade asked finally.
"I'm fine." Zack replied.
Cade sighed in frustration. Zack hated taking medicine. He had this irrational idea that it was a weakness.
"Fine. Have it your way, Captain Happy Pants." she said, standing up.
Zack's arm dropped back to his side and he stared at her.
"What?" he asked dully.
Cade grinned.
"Don't remember much, do you?" she asked.
Zack didn't answer.
"Apparently, you have a new code name." she told him snidely.
Zack groaned again and rolled on his side away from her. Cade shook her head to herself and walked out the door, leaving him alone.
Krit and Syl would have lots of fun with that one for a long time coming.
Cade decided that Zack would never be getting drunk, ever again.
Syl awoke with a start, almost panicking before she realized where she was. Once she did, she calmed down and gave Zane a sheepish look.
"I didn't mean to fall asleep, really." she said.
Zane just smiled at her.
"And it's not like you're boring or anything." she added quickly, "You're just...very comfortable."
"Thanks."
Syl rolled her eyes and punched him lightly in the shoulder. Zane rubbed his arm as if it had hurt and continued smiling at her.
"You know, I'm really glad Krit told me you had a crush on me." Zane said.
Syl's eyes widened.
"Krit did what?!" she demanded loud enough for everyone to turn and stare at her.
Zane realized his mistake a moment too late. His mind whirred, trying to find the right thing to say, but he wasn't quick enough.
"Oh, Krit's dead." Syl said, jumping up and heading towards the door.
"Syl!" Zane called after her.
Syl ignored him. She shoved open the doors with enough force to nearly knock them off their hinges. They banged against the walls and Krit jumped.
"Syl, what's up?" he asked, seeing her.
Syl pounced, knocking him to the ground, straddling his chest. Her hands clenched around his throat and she squeezed, hard.
"Syl. You're...choking...me." Krit gasped.
"No shit." Syl said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Syl." Krit protested.
"You, Krit, have the biggest freakin' mouth and you don't know how to keep it shut." Syl declared, "And you, Krit, have opened that big mouth for the last time."
"What...Syl..." Krit choked, feeling himself start to black out from lack of oxygen.
"Why the hell did you have to tell Zane, Krit?" Syl demanded, ignoring Krit's strangled protests, "Why the hell did you do that?"
"Can't...breathe...Syl..." Krit choked.
Syl released him roughly and sat back on his chest. She crossed her arms, waiting for an explanation.
Krit rubbed his throat, imagining the red marks he would find there. He coughed and tried to get air back into his lungs.
"God, Syl." he said at last, "You could've killed me."
"That was the point." Syl said crossly.
"Just because I happened to mention to Zane that you were interested in him..." Krit began.
"No." Syl cut him off, leaning forward threateningly, "You told him I had a crush on him."
"Okay, so maybe those were my exact words. But it helped, didn't it? I mean, look how well you two hit it off. What are you trying to kill me for? I helped." Krit said.
"The next time you 'help' I'm going to break your arm." Syl growled, "And then I'm going to let Jondy set it for you."
Krit winced, imagining how painful that would be.
"Right. Got it. Don't help Syl's love life." Krit nodded quickly, "Won't happen again."
Syl glared at him one final time before getting off of him and going back into the bar. Krit sat up and looked after her, suddenly feeling very sober. He judged how much time he should give Syl before heading back inside. Finally, he got up, dusted himself off, and carefully reentered.
"Krit! You're still alive!" Zane called.
Syl gave him a dark look and Krit decided it would be best not to say anything to Zane. Instead he quickly found Ty.
"Krit." she sighed, hiccupping again.
Krit sighed and shook his head.
"Party's over, Ty. I think we'd better get you home. You're really gonna hate the morning." Krit warned.
"O...okay." Ty said and started to stand up.
Krit caught her from behind before she fell back down again.
"Maybe you shouldn't walk." Krit said, imagining Ty getting six steps before she passed out.
So instead he picked her up and carried her. He headed for the door and found it blocked by Cade.
"Where you going?" Cade asked, trying to make it seem like a casual question.
"It's okay, Cade. I'm taking her home. So she can sleep. Alone." Krit said, seeing how his original explanations weren't helping matters.
"Darn." Ty muttered.
Cade nodded, glad to see Krit was thinking clearly again.
"Wait a minute. I'll drop you off." she said.
Cade turned to face the others.
"Alright. Let's clear out people." she called, "Either you walk or I can drop you off. Max, Jondy, would get Zack for me, please?"
Cade ushered all the now quiet X5's into the van. She suspected that they would all crash once they found their own beds or wherever they slept. She was glad to see that Zack looked slightly better. He grimaced whenever a noise assaulted his ears and he was still squinting, but he was able to walk on his own.
"Next X5 Reunion, why don't we serve punch?" Max suggested.
"Cause we know that Krit or Derek or one of these guys will spike it." Jondy replied.
"Shhh." Krit shushed them.
Max and Jondy both looked back at him. Ty was curled up in his lap, her head on his chest, asleep.
"Cute." Jondy whispered to Max.
"Yeah, until she wakes up and horks on him." Max replied.
"Deserves it." Syl said from nearby where she was sitting on the floor next to Zane.
"Give it a rest, Syl." Jo complained.
"You wanna be on my list?" Syl threatened.
"And what list is that? The Captain Happy Pants brigade?" Jo replied.
"I heard that!" Zack growled.
"I'm Vice-President." Cade quipped.
Syl sent a half-hearted kick in Jo's direction. Jo stopped her shoe with his hand. They soon arrived at Jondy's place where she and Max were dropped off. Max was staying with Jondy for the night and was supposed to leave in the morning. Zack would probably have to threaten and argue tomorrow to make sure everyone did as they were supposed to do.
Next, Jay and Derek and Jo got dropped off. The three guys had found a place to crash while they were in town. Lani's stop was close by.
Krit, Syl, and Ty's place was next. Cade remembered how angry Zack had been about Ty sharing a place with Krit. They had had to go and check out the place just to make sure there were three bedrooms. That was Zack for you, overprotective as could be.
Cade watched with a raised eyebrow as Syl pulled Zane out of the van with them. Well, at least that saved her a trip.
Cade pulled up the van in front of the motel she and Zack were staying at. Zack had hardly said a word the entire trip. He continued this trend as he followed her to their room.
When he finally did say something it caught her by surprise.
"Thank you."
"For?" Cade asked.
"Watching out for them when I couldn't." he said.
So he was going to beat himself up about that. She should have guessed.
"Let's just go to sleep. Things will look different in the morning." she promised.
Zack glanced at the clock on the wall.
"It is morning." he said.
"It's not until I say it is, mister." Cade replied firmly.
Zack gave her a small smile and did as she said.
The next day was just as Cade had anticipated it. She went with Zack as he stopped by to make sure all the X5's got themselves relocated. He argued with Max about Seattle and she blew him off angrily, speeding away on her motorcycle. Then, he argued with Krit, Syl and Ty. He wanted them to separate. They didn't want to.
"Split up for a week, then. After that, do what you want." he sighed finally.
The three seemed happy with that.
"Yes, sir, Captain Happy Pants!" they said in unison and snapped to attention.
Zack glared at them and quickly stomped away.
They woke up the three guys and sent them on their way. Lani was already gone when they reached her place. She left a note for Zack, which seemed to satisfy him.
Now Cade and Zack were on the road again, headed for who knows where.
"X5 Reunion." Zack snorted suddenly, "Have you ever heard a stupider idea?"
"X5 Karaoke." Cade offered.
Zack snorted again.
"You owe me, by the way. I didn't get to part because you went all Captain Happy Pants on us." Cade said.
"Oh, yeah. And what kind of drunk are you?" Zack asked.
"You see Ty?"
"Yeah."
"I'm much worse." Cade grinned.
"Damn it!"
They lapsed into silence for a moment.
"This should never happen again." Zack declared finally.
"Shouldn't." Cade agreed, but then grinned, "But that doesn't mean it won't."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~