Hanzo is struggling to keep his eyes open. He can feel the drugs still clouding his brain, dragging him down to sleep again. He keeps catching himself, and jolting awake. He's not sure how long he can keep himself up like this, and he has no doubt the man next to him will take advantage first chance he gets. The last thing he needs is to end up chained inside another truck.

The man, who had introduced himself as Jesse, had been talking incessantly since they left the motel. He told Hanzo his name, described how expansive the Deadlock territory was, and gave a more detailed than necessary explanation on the history of old western movies.

"Now see...I got the belt, the hat...the tattoo.." He lifts his arm, displaying the tattoo on his forearm, "Shows the other members who I am. They know I'm one of them the moment they see me. But they're also gonna know I'm the one that went and ran off with you. You understand? So the second they see us...they're gonna shoot my ass, and run off with you again. So we ain't gonna get far."

Hanzo levels him with a look, "Then don't let them see you."

"Oh...that's so easy, is it? And where were you when they picked you out of a crowd? You don't exactly blend in here." Jesse huffs at him. He is quiet for maybe a minute before he starts back up again, "So what's your name?"

"Why does that matter?" Hanzo asks him, rubbing his eyes. It's unbearably hot out here. He's not sure why anyone would choose to do business in a place like this, let alone live here.

"Makes us more personal. Like friends." Jesse offers.

"I'm not your friend." Hanzo says sharply.

Jesse presses his lips together. He taps the steering wheel and glances at him, "I can make up a name for you."

"I can still shoot you." Hanzo offers instead.

"Not while I'm driving." Jesse grins broadly, "Last chance."

Hanzo just looks away from him, staring out at the desert. It seems so dead in this place. There's no green...no water.

Jesse clears his throat, "Right then...so...Darlin'. Honey. Sweetheart. Buttercup? Stop me when I hit one you like."

Hanzo rubs his face with his hand, "Hanzo. My name is Hanzo. Are you incapable of silence?"

"What kinda question is that? Course I am...but it ain't any fun. My last partner wasn't much for talkin' either. I was bored to tears when we was drivin' out to pick you up. He was good at ignoring me though...you rile up real quick. Hanzo." He nods, "Yeah that works better for you. I was partial to Darlin' though."

Hanzo squeezes his hand into a tight fist, focusing on his breathing. He was going to lose his temper. He can practically hear Genji telling him to calm down. What would getting angry do anyway? It was exactly what Jesse wanted. To get under skin and make him lose his focus.

"There we go...that's what I was lookin' for. See that diner there? Best coffee around." Jesse nods over to a little diner situated just off the highway.

Hanzo glances over at the run down diner and back to Jesse, "We should not stop."

"I told ya I was gettin' food before we left. Now I ain't drivin' any further without some coffee, a smoke, and a good meal. So you can sit yer ass in this hot truck and simmer for awhile, or you can come in and get something to eat."

Hanzo narrows his eyes at the tone, "Quickly. As you said..we must not be seen."

"Darlin'.." Jesse gestures out, "You may 'ave noticed this highway doesn't have many turns on it. There's only so many places we can go. If they sent people, they're comin' from both sides. Stopin' here ain't helpin' or hurtin' us one bit."

Hanzo looks back along the highway and shakes his head slowly, "Fine...stop."

"Was plannin' on it." Jesse says simply, driving them into the parking lot. He turns off the truck and jumps out ahead of Hanzo, making his way inside.

Hanzo doesn't have anywhere to put the gun, so he settles for unloading it and leaving it behind in the truck.

Jesse gets inside and orders himself a hot coffee and water as soon as they sit. The waitress is watching Hanzo curiously, "What about for you?"

Hanzo taps his feet impatiently, "Water."

When she leaves, Jesse leans foward, "So...how far you plannin' on taking us? Deadlock will catch up to us eventually, and we don't have the fire power to do much when they do."

"Where is the nearest city?" He asks him.

"Well...we're high north in Arizona now. Was meant to take you back toward New Mexico, but that's deep into Deadlock territory. Ain't smart to head that way..." Jesse considers, "Reckon we could head up further north into Nevada...then the closest city...that'd be Vegas."

"Then we go there." Hanzo tells him, "We can stay hidden in a city...much easier than we can out in the open like this."

"What's this 'we' shit? I can drop you off and keep headin' north myself. I told you...Deadlock's gonna be after blood. They went to some effort to get you here. I have no idea what the hell for.."

Hanzo doesn't offer an explanation for why either. He sits back and crosses his arms, "You know your people. What they'll do...how they operate. You help me, and I will make sure my family keeps you alive. We can get you away from here...safely. Give you a new life."

"That's a lot of pretty promises when I have no idea who the hell you are." Jesse tells him. The waitress comes back and drops off their drinks. Jesse is quick to order food for himself. Hanzo declines to order at first but Jesse levels him with a look, "You got all that shit in your system...it'll do you more good to eat. Get your energy back."

Hanzo stares down at the menu for a long moment. He finally resigns himself to it and orders something simple for himself. He looks up at Jesse slowly, "I would think you'd want me to pass out."

"What good will that do me? I already ran off with you...they ain't gonna listen to me when I tell them what happened. You're more useful in a fight if you can stand without wobblin' around on me."

Hanzo sits back quietly for a long moment. He looks around the diner, taking it in. The seats are hard plastic, bursting at the seems so the stuffing is poking out. There's tacky fifties themed decor stuck all over the walls, and pictures of old American film stars. It seems just as sad as everything else in this desert, and it's so foreign it almost feels like it's not real.

Jesse clears his throat to catch his attention, "So...we headin' to Vegas then? You contact your family...and they do what? And this is assuming Deadlock don't catch up and kill us before we get there."

"They will send people to get me." Hanzo tells him, "And make sure your people understand what kind of mistake they made crossing us."

"And how do I know I'm in the clear when they show up?" He asks, "I'm not interested in dying just yet. I'll take my chances on my own."

"You'll live longer if you stay with me." Hanzo tells him pointedly, "I have some sense of honor. I would not lower myself by lying to you. If I say my family will grant you protection, then it will be so."

Jesse holds in a breath for a long moment and slumps over a little. On one hand...he could lead them somewhere Deadlock could find them and hope they believed him when he said that was his plan the whole time. He could also ditch Hanzo in Vegas and make his way as far north as possible.

He looks up at Hanzo and breathes out slowly. The man has this look about him. He keeps his shoulders back and eyes sharp, always taking in the details around them. He's quick to anger, but usually able to see reason. The word 'entitled' comes to mind...and stubborn. Still...Jesse is possitive he wont be able to pull one over on him. Even if he did, he's sure Hanzo's final act would be putting him into an early grave.

"So...to Vegas then?" Jesse asks slowly.

"If that is the best option, then yes." Hanzo nods slowly.

"And you'll help me when your family shows up?" Jesse asks. He holds his hand out to him, "Shake on it. Man's only as good as his word, understand?"

Hanzo eyes his hand for a moment before he reaches out to shake it firmly, "I understand."

Jesse nods and offers him a smile, "Well then...we have a deal. Looks like I'm workin' for you now."

Hanzo scoffs at the idea, "You would not qualify."

"Hey now...don't be mean." Jesse leans on the table in front of him, "You do stick out like a sore thumb though, Darlin'."

"There is not much I can do for that." Hanzo sighs at him.

"No...guess not." He looks out the window, watching the road coming in. He still half expects Blue to come speeding up the highway, ready to rip his head off for ditching him in the middle of nowhere. He wouldn't be able to blame him really if he did. He turns to Hanzo again and smiles a bit. Stubborn and angry as he was, he was a beauty to behold. Jesse's pretty sure they're both dead men walking, but it's not going to hurt him one bit to spend his final days looking at him.