It was lucky that the barn doors were facing the field - as good as Spock claimed to be, Jim doubted he could drive derby in this hunk of junk (or any fine modern motor vehicle; it probably wasn't the Vulkhansu way to do donuts in the middle of Shi'Kahr).They had managed to wheel the '50's convertible out of the barn in relative silence, even tied the coil of rope they had found around the various hooks and hitches in the outer hull (and they really had to find them because the ship was still invisible) before arousing suspicion.
Jim could have heard the back door creak from ten miles away. Could have felt that anger in his sleep from a moon in the Beta Quadrant.
Spock flinched and ducked out of sight before Jim even opened his mouth.
"JAMES KIRK!" Frank yelled from the porch, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WITH MY CAR!"
Jim hoped the ropes were secure. "Spock get in the car," he hissed, "make sure he doesn't see you. We gotta go now."
Frank started towards them, moving in an odd walk-run-jolt, like he was so angry he had lost partial function in his legs. Jim hopped in the driver's seat and started the engine.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE-"
But it was too late.
Jim slammed his foot down on the accelerator, and his and Spock's heads snapped back at the force of it.
"Get down, Spock!" Jim yelled over the rusty engine, "he could see you!"
Spock nodded, and sunk down in his seat. They sped towards the barn, leaving a spluttering Frank far behind them. Jim let out a whoop as they came to a jarring stop, which winded him for the second time that day. Spock exhaled slowly, centering himself, before getting out and grabbing the shears to cut the ropes.
He was halfway through when Frank's indecipherable anger started getting clearer. And closer.
"Spock, hurry up," Jim urged, opening the car door and picking up a broken piece of glass to hack at the binding with. It was awkward to hold and sliced his hand, but it was better than nothing.
"-ASSHOLE, YOU FUCKING NO-GOOD SON OF A-"
The rusted shears managed to cut through the last piece, and they both sprinted back to the car. Jim started the engine and drove straight through the timber wall, no doubt adding to Frank's laundry list of beatings Jim was gonna get.
The cut on his hand stung and left a smear of red on the old leather steering wheel, but their dumbass plan worked, the wind was in his face and he had an alien in the passenger seat.
Jim glanced at said alien, grinning and fully intending to say something illogical and funny but he couldn't remember what it was because Spock was next to him, bowl cut messed up and thrown about his face, with the utmost expression of a contentment he knew couldn't last, but was enjoying it anyway.
Spock was enjoying it. There was a slight upturn of his lips and he closed his eyes, leaning into the sensation of running away, of freedom short-lived but bright-burning.
And Jim was bright burning, looking at Spock. His brain hiccupped, and Spock must have heard it because he opened his eyes and turned to Jim.
"It would be prudent to keep your eyes on the road, Jim," Spock said, "so that we don't die."
And they had reached the road. Jim hadn't realised until he had been told to do the sensible thing (by the sensible, logic-worshipping alien who was having fun) that the old car was zooming down an empty road.
He grinned. "Watch this," he said, a pulled at the latch in the roof just above his head. It probably wasn't meant to be fiddled with at high speeds because as soon as it came undone the rest of the top flew off and clattered on the road behind them.
Spock was startled for a second, and then relaxed into it again. His hair had streamlined behind him, which Jim thought was hilarious. Slicked back hair did not match his face. It just didn't work.
They were surrounded by cornfields, and even though it was a dime a dozen view in Riverside, Jim knew exactly where they were.
"We're near Death Canyon," he told Spock.
"That is not its name," Spock replied.
"Riverside Industrial Mining Quarry sucks ass and you know it, Spock," he said, half to watch Spock flush green at the expression and half because it was true. Like the Riverside Industrial Mining Quarry, most things sucked ass around here. The shops, Frank, Frank again because he sucked so much, the school, the kids in school, the kids everywhere (with the one and only exception of Bones, who was ten years older and not really a kid but awesome enough to give alcoholics a good name).
He jerked the steering wheel to the right when he saw the dirt road that led to the Riverside Industrial Mining Quarry, making the back spin out behind them and the car skid before Jim slammed on the brakes (as smart as he was, he had never actually driven before). They sat there, slightly out of breath, and Jim started laughing.
"Frank really is gonna kill me," he said.
"I am unable to discern if that was a joke or not," Spock said simply, "but either way know that I would never let that happen."
Jim smiled. "Yeah I know. I'd also knock Stonn out in a cage match, no questions asked by the way."
"Stonn is Vulkhansu and therefore would not only possess superior strength and skill in combat, but also refuse the challenge of a cage match, as it does not suit the honour of battle," Spock countered.
"Yeah, but he's a dick."
"Incorrect. He is Vulkhansu."
"Stonn's the biggest dick I've never met," Jim said, and Spock did not disagree.
Instead, he said: "there's another car coming."
Jim tensed and gripped the steering wheel again, easing onto the gas this time. Because while it could be literally anyone else in Riverside going to a drive on a Tuesday morning, Jim knew if Frank was angry enough, it would be him.
And Frank was pretty angry.
"Death Canyon it is," Jim said, and drove down the dirt road leading to the Riverside Industrial Mining Quarry.
Mere seconds later, the car followed them.
The tenuous freedom was well and truly gone from them now; urgency had crept back into their minds and actions and they were speeding towards the quarry with a madman hot on their tails.
The edge was getting closer and closer and still Jim did not stop. If Spock could really read Jim's mind through the bond that may or may not have been created, Spock must be pretty worried because Jim was going to drive the car off the edge if he didn't think of something soon.
Because the edge was straight ahead and Jim honestly wasn't thinking about all that much he was just going.
"Jim!" Spock yelled, and Jim hit the brakes and twisted the wheel sharply, passenger side facing the road. Spock was already standing on the seat. He yanked Jim up and they both jumped just as the clunker went over the side, landing heavy on hard, red rock that scraped at their arms. The small patch of dirt and pebbles Jim could see from where he was pressed into Spock's side by a tight arm around his waist looked sort of like T'Kasi. But only on a surface level; it was still weird that he could tell the difference between Iowa, Earth, and Shi'Kahr, T'Kasi purely because that rock there was off.
His ribs hurt. His knees hurt. Everything hurt.
There was a car parked right in front of them. The door slammed shut and heavy boots stepped out and Jim rose slowly as the comforting arm left his side. Spock stood up to meet Frank head-on.
"Kirk," Frank said, breathing fire, "who the fuck is this?"
"I am S'chn T'gai Spock," Spock said, and he was angry too. Jim knew because he could feel it; an all-encompassing yet restrained anger Jim was beginning to recognise as not his own emotion. All of Spock's had this control to them, like they had a constant internal monologue of 'now, Spock…'
"You're a what?" Frank spat, and then shook his head "Who cares. What fucking business do you have trashing my property like this piece of shit kid?"
Jim rose to his feet next to Spock, holding his side. Spock's lip had a trail of green making its way down his chin. When neither said a word, Frank scoffed and made to grab Jim, but was intercepted by Spock.
"You will not touch him."
Frank's eyes went wide, darting from the adolescent hand that contained a surprising amount of force to the green blood to his eyebrows. "What the f-oof."
Jim punched him in the gut. And then the groin. And then Spock's hand moved to where Frank's neck and shoulders met and the man dropped like a sack of potatoes.
"He will not touch you," Spock said, and Jim was in awe.