Welcome to Jam Pony
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: The day Max walked into Jam Pony looking for a job, her life changed forever. Also featuring Original Cindy.
DISCLAIMERS: Dark Angel, Jam Pony, etc. belong to James Cameron and the people at FOX. Don't sue, I'm just a poor fan fic writer entertaining my audience.
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Fifteen minutes later, Max followed Original Cindy through a crowd of people on North Market Street. She was just getting used to the wobbly spare bike they'd found in a storeroom, and she was trying to memorize the streets and alleys they'd passed. She'd learned her way around dozens of cities, finding escape routes and hiding places in case she needed them. It was this skill that had helped her get out of Portland before Lydecker caught her.
Max thought of the explosion in the Jam Pony headquarters not long ago. She got scared when she heard the boom, remembering the artillery that peppered training missions back at Manticore. Now she laughed at her reaction, but fifteen minutes ago her heart had pounded with fear.....
She braked suddenly and turned right, her thoughts lost as she kept up with Original Cindy. They were in a nicer neighborhood now, one with small but trim houses and green lawns. A neighborhood that might have stuff to steal.
Spotting the address they were looking for, Original Cindy turned into the driveway of a white two-story house with dark blue shutters. They got off their bikes and wheeled them to the door. Cindy rang the doorbell as she instructed Max.
Now you gotta get the customer to sign your clipboard, or else Normal gonna have a fit. Aiight?'
Max nodded. She was starting to like this Original Cindy and her rhythmical way of speaking.
A boy about seven or eight years old opened the door. I got a package here for your parents,' Cindy said to him. The kid vanished down the hallway, yelling, Mommm!!'
Max peered inside the house. A few plastic toys lined the hall, a painting hanged in the staircase on her right. Not much worth stealing, but that wasn't a surprise. The Pulse had forced many families to sell what valuables they had for food.
Then her eye fell on a small table along the left wall of the hall. On it stood an antique clock with a wide face, set inside a rectangular glass case. She could fence it for maybe a hundred dollars--not much, but it was cash that she desperately needed. As the girl regarded the clock, trying to decide if the metal trimming was brass or a cheap alloy, a woman walked down the hall to them. Original Cindy handed her the clipboard.
Just as she finished signing, the boy came running down the hall, with a girl that could only be his sister following him and yelling at the top of her lungs. Their mother tried to separate the children in vain. During the ensuing chaos, Max dodged speedily inside the house and grabbed the clock unnoticed.
Paul! Dana! Stop fighting this instant!' The mother pried her children apart and sent them inside with a frown. Sorry about that,' she said as she took the package from Cindy.
The two messengers got on their bikes and rode away. Now back to Jam Pony,' Original Cindy said. She didn't see Max tuck the clock into a pocket of her leather jacket, nor did she see the flicker of a smile on the girl's face. This job's gonna be easy, she thought.
Several hours later, Original Cindy rolled to a stop outside a busy diner. Wanna stop for lunch?' she called to Max, who nodded and dismounted. Damn, that girl hardly talk at all, the woman thought. They locked up their bikes and went into the diner, which boasted The Strongest Cup of Coffee in Seattle'. Cindy found a table and sat down, not without relief: her legs ached from a morning of pedalling.
Max perused the menu, looking for the biggest meal for the least money. She ended up ordering a hamburger and a glass of milk. Original Cindy seemed amused at her beverage order, but Max shrugged. It's good for you.' And it'll keep my seizures from coming bad.
While they ate, Original Cindy watched her co-worker and let the buzz of noise in the diner wash around her. Max wasn't petite, but she wasn't tall either. She looked several years younger than Cindy's twenty-four. And yet her eyes seemed much older. Like she'd seen a lot.
The curly-haired girl had been wolfing down her food as if someone was going to snatch it from her, but now she slowed and looked up from her plate.
You some kind'a hungry,' Original Cindy said with amazement.
I hadn't eaten in a while,' Max explained, tracing a fry in ketchup. More like two days. So how long you been at Jam Pony?' she asked.
Seven months, at least. Original Cindy ain't xactly counting.'
Well, I'm just lucky to get a job.'
Original Cindy drank the last of her iced tea. It ain't so bad, I guess. I mean, Normal get on your nerves, but you get used t'im after a while,' she said thoughtfully. An' the other workers are nice, like Theo an' Herbal an' Julia. Sketchy's a total airhead, no doubt, but he's okay. The bikin' ain't hard cept for the weather.'
The other girl smiled. I don't mind a little rain.'
Original Cindy gonna use the restroom, then we'll go. Aiight?'
Aiight.'
Max watched her walk away, then slipped the clock out of her pocket. It was about five inches tall and lightweight. As she'd suspected, the metal framing the glass case was real brass. She had seen a pawn shop near Jam Pony this morning that looked promising. Once she got the money, what would she use it for? Tryptophan? Her supply was running low. Or maybe she'd use it for renting an apartment.
Original Cindy walked back to their table, wondering why on earth restaurant bathrooms had to be so disgusting. As she drew closer to the table, she saw Max tuck something in her jacket. Something that shone..... was it that clock from the little white house? It looked awfully similar. Cindy felt cold, realizing why Max probably wanted to be a messenger. She's a thief! I gotta say something. But 'frontin her might make it worse. She swallowed her anger as best she could and walked the rest of the way to the table.
Max stood up. You ready to go?' she asked. This time it was Original Cindy's turn to nod dumbly.
I'm paying,' Max said while they walked to the counter.
No, let Original Cindy pay.' Cuz I don' want you usin' other people's money, she added silently.
They left the diner and unchained their bikes. Unable to stop herself, Cindy asked a question that brought Max to a halt. When you gonna give that lady her clock back?'
Max looked at her sharply, then tried to disguise her recognition. I dunno what you're talkin' about.
Original Cindy already saw it, so don't tell her no lies.'
Max's temper began to flare. Look, it's none 'a your business!'
Girl, stealin' is wrong. That woman prob'ly work as hard as you n me do to support her family. She don't need nobody stealin' her things!'
You don't understand,' Max growled at her, brown eyes furious. She jumped on her bike and sped away.
Max!' Original Cindy called after her. That girl gonna get into a world'a trouble if she don't stop stealin', she thought. But that ain't Original Cindy's problem.
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