Mabelreid's outdone herself again! Hope you enjoy!
"I don't think this is a very safe place to be."
"Am I detecting a bit of concern for your temporary charge?"
"Shut up Anya. Just because Chase is my Morgan…"
"Your Morgan?" Anya's eyebrows went into her hair.
"Okay, forget I said anything."
"Just make sure she doesn't poke her or anyone else's eye out with the thing."
---
"I don't think this little girl can beat me. Anyone wants to take odds on it, show me your money."
Most of the people in the smoky bar were crowded around the center pool table, watching Chase and a very large and hairy biker shoot pool. Or rather they were competing with trick shots. The huge biker has an abundance of blond hair, blond beard, and his own pool cue. He was six five and three hundred pounds. He looked like he could wrestle tigers with no problem.
"I'll go first."
"--Suit yourself,--" Chase said serenely.
"Anything goes?"
"--Anything goes!--"
The large biker went first after taking off his leather jacket and kissing the big breasted, blond haired woman on his arm.
The tricks were simple in the beginning and it went back and forth between Chase and Big Dog for over an hour.
Big Dog had just completed his signature trick called "The power of nine," in which the eight ball is trapped by six other balls in the center of the room. He made the shot in one attempt, sinking the ball in the center into the pocket of his lady's choice.
The crowd of bikers cheered him and he sneered at Chase. "Let's see you do better then that."
When Chase set up for her favorite trick called the "three go down" shot. The other bikers began cat calling and booing.
"No one can make that trick work."
"--I can do it with my eyes closed.--"
"Double or nothing," Big Dog challenged.
"--You're on. To show my good faith, I'll let you all try your hand at this trick.--"
Chase stepped back and was tapped on the shoulder by Morgan. "What are you up to?"
"--Don't worry!--"
Morgan looked back at Kyle, who was leaning against the wall next to the cue rack. He was smiling and looked completely at home in the biker bar.
"Okay, but I'm keeping an eye out for all the exits."
The guys tried the trick, which was to knock the eight ball off of two colored balls that leaned against the short rail at the head of the table. The trick was not to touch the bottom two balls. Most of the bikers and their girls tried complicated stuff like trying to make the cue ball jump. At last it was Big Dog's try and he failed, almost putting the cue ball through the opposite window.
Chase took her turn, hitting the ball so that it moved a very slow pace across the table. She slapped the table twice and the two balls that held up the eight ball separated. The eight ball fell just as the cue ball struck it and they fell into opposite pockets.
"I saw that. You're cheating."
Big Dog has stepped up to Chase dwarfing her with his bulk. Morgan stepped up to Chase and glared at the big man.
"--Come on Big Dog, you know you'll never make that trick work.--"
"I should throw you out of here on your ass."
"--Just try it!--"
"Okay…"
"Wait a minute, buddy. The lady's with me." Morgan stepped between the two of them.
"You don't scare me little man."
Little man!
"--Stop it Big Dog. Agent Morgan is with me.--"
"Well, why didn't you say so?"
The large man smiled and slapped Morgan on the back, almost knocking him to his knees. "Any friend of Chase's is a friend of mine."
"You're his friend?"
"--Of course!--"
"Do you know everyone?!"
"--No, I don't know everyone.--"
"Come on Chase, let's play another game."
"--Can't Big Dog. Will ya take a rain check?--"
Big Dog hugged her so tight she was gasping for air by the time he let her go. "Of course I will. Let me know if ya ever need my help."
Kyle and Morgan followed Chase out to the car. "Now wait a minute. How do you know him?"
--Chase and Big Dog met on a case.--
"A case?"
"--Yeah, I helped him out with small problem in LA.--"
"A small problem?"
--Don't ask, Morgan; even I don't really know what happened. I just know that Big Dog routinely 'loses' to Chase at pool.--
"--Alright, it's getting late. Let's get to your next challenge, Kyle.--"
"Do I have to go too?"
"--Yeah, one for all and all for one.--"
---
"That was close."
"Ah, she never needed Connie's help."
"Well, I still think the biker bar was way too dangerous."
"I agree with you, Connie."
"Are you two ever going to grow spines?"
"Just because we don't want our charges to get pounded by very large and hairy men..."
"Stop being so overdramatic, Stanley."
The Cloud Rover came to a stop as Anya braked hard and they climbed out at Cloud Nine. The portable view screen Connie had brought expanded to the size of a big screen television as they sat down.
"Looks like they reached their next destination," Anya called their attention to the screen.
"Oh, too bad Dr. Reid isn't here."
"Am I detecting a note of concern? Are you missing him?"
"Missing him? Are you kidding?! I'm having the time of my life! At least I don't have get Morgan out of life-threatening jeopardy every five minutes!"
"Whatever… I think you miss him."
"Be quiet, you two. Let's watch what happens now."
---
Morgan was sure that he was in an alternate reality. He liked Star Wars--a lot--but seeing normal law abiding citizens dressed up like Darth Vader, and Queen Amidala was a little strange. There were several "light saber" duels in progress. Booths lined the walls selling everything from comic books dedicated to Star Wars, to books, to collectors' items.
--So…what are you going to buy, Morgan.--?
"I'm not purchasing anything. I like the movies, but I don't need memorabilia cluttering up my place."
--I'm going to get a light saber.--
"--Not very original, Kyle--"
--Bite me!--
"Let's just find the trivia contest and get this over with so we can get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."
A few hours later Kyle began the last game. He'd moved steadily up the ranks and was set to face off against a very beautiful black haired woman with a tattoo of a rose on her bare arm. She wore the gold bikini that Princess Leia had worn in "The Return of the Jedi."
--Now I know why you like the movie so much, -- Chase signed.
When Kyle only smiled she signed --You're a sick man Kyle.--
The young man's grin widened as the one of the judges said into his microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round. We're down to last year's champion, the lovely Samantha Warner, and this year's newcomer, Kyle Parker. Let's have a round of applause for them both. The crowd clapped and Samantha turned to wink at Kyle.
"Don't let her psyche you out, man!"
--Just watch me.--
"First question goes to the returning champ. "What is the official capacity of a Land Speeder?"
"Two," she said without hesitation.
The crowd cheered as the judge said "Correct."
"Mr. Parker… What did Yoda cook for Luke?'
--Root leaf-- Kyle finger spelled.
"Also correct, this is going to be a close one Ladies and Gentlemen."
The questions went back and forth. They came faster and after one hour and three tie breakers Kyle was victorious.
His prize was a complete set of action figures from all six movies. Samantha didn't look very happy. She glided up to Kyle, but veered off when she saw the look on Chase's face.
"Geez… All you have to do is give the evil eye and people back off."
"--It's better them flashing a badge, which might have freaked out the freaks.--"
"Hey!" Kyle said out loud. "We are fans, not freaks!"
"--Whatever… Let's just get the group challenge out of the way.--"
---
"I knew he'd beat her despite that girl's obvious flirting."
"Then why have you bitten your nails down to the quick?"
"Shut up, Stanley!"
"It's off to the group challenge, you guys," Connie interrupted.
"That's what scares me."
"Live a little, Stanley. You might have some fun."
"Not with this group."
"Were you this big of a stick in the mud when you were mortal?"
"No!"
"That means yes, Stan. I'll bet your head was in the books all the time."
"Yeah, I'll bet you dressed like Dr. Reid."
Stanley opened then closed his mouth. "You're right," he admitted. "I was a bit of a nerd, but not like Dr. Reid."
"Right!"
"Can we just get to the group challenge?"
---
Emily followed Josh and JJ out of the woods. It was dark and cold and getting late, but they'd made the one mile group hike out into the woods and back.
"That," Josh opened the door to the SUV and climbed inside, breathing hard, "that was not fun."
"Sure it was, it's not that cold and the walking kept us warm."
"Easy for you to say Emily. You're not terrified of the woods."
JJ and Emily got into the truck. Emily took the wheel and soon they were on their way back to headquarters.
"When I get my hands on the person that put in this challenge…"
"Oh it was fun--and good exercise."
JJ glared at her friend while Josh nodded his head in agreement at JJ's unspoken sentiment.
"I can't believe you screamed when that cute little squirrel ran out in front of us."
"Am I never going to live that down?"
"No, I plan on teasing you for the rest of your life."
"Hey Josh, you know a lot of people. Is there anyone you can refer me to that would be willing to bump off Emily for say, five hundred bucks?"
"Hey!"
"Well, Mademoiselle JJ, I do not know anyone quite so cheep. Pearhaps you can pay five hundred and fifty dollairs?"
"That's very cute, you two should take your act on the road."
"You were the one that almost got us lost."
"So I had the compass upside down one time and dropped the flashlight twice."
"Still, I'm glad that's over."
"Mademoiselle JJ ees right. Now we are feenished and can relax. May I have a glass of deecent wine now?
"I told you we'd never convert him to the ways of junk food, Emily."