He'd been fronted enough money to stay at the hotel in town, with the understanding that it would be returned once he had any extra money to his name. He'd offered to even put it in writing but the thought had been waved off.
"Handshake is binding around here. Plus, there were enough people around who could point you out."
He'd appreciated Junior's help in that sense, but had to remind himself this was technically a business deal.
Weeks had passed and he was still surprised at how cheap the cost of living was. He was current up until the end of the week but without any more cash flow, he'd soon find himself back where he had been, only this time in debt.
If it were up to him, he'd spend every waking moment at what everyone called the homestead. He'd seen more of Lou, River, and Junior so far than he had any of the Hudsons, and spending more time with Doc was the whole point of going through all this...
He hoped that would change with the agreement that had been made earlier that week. He'd be driving the Ford, and Jesse was adamant that if someone was so keen on driving with them, that they'd have to maintain and work on their own car.
Lightning had nearly groaned, biting back a come on, Doc when it had been decided upon. He'd stared at the Hornet despondently while the Hudson brothers had cleaned it up that Sunday afternoon.
"We've got our own rigs to worry about. I'm not babysitting-"
"Jesse."
Lightning had bristled at the remark, but hadn't gotten the chance to protest. He'd only met his mentor's gaze defiantly while crossing his arms.
"Well, I don't." Jesse had leaned back against the Hornet and looked over their recruit appraisingly. "You really want to do this, no one's holding your hand."
That had been the last real conversation between them...
Lightning sighed and flopped back on the bed in his hotel room. Someone was supposed to be coming by to pick him up, and until then he was going to figure out how to get past the wall he didn't realize he'd have to break through all over again.
It was just Doc, though, right? But it wasn't his Doc. It wasn't having his door pounded on at five in the morning because he needed to see the sunrise at the butte. It wasn't late nights sitting at the V8 under the neon and watching the bugs gather around the flashing closed marque. This wasn't Lightning listening to advice or answering questions about his own background. It wasn't stern reprimands hiding concern or good intentions. This was challenging, and impatient. It was being weighed and tested for merit. This was an ego in navy and white behind aviator sunglasses.
Alright...so it was Doc...
He blinked a few times, sitting up once more and staring at his reflection in the full length mirror across from him for a moment before smiling faintly.
He checked his watch, and his smile faded as he glanced out the window and to the road below. His ride was there, and it wasn't a Hudson pick-up.
"Any idea what kind of work it needs?"
"Just some fine-tuning." Jesse stared at the Ford in front of them, arms crossed as he leaned back against the Hornet's frame. "Drives fine, just hasn't been used for performance. Hasn't left town in years."
Lightning nodded. "May I?"
Jesse only shrugged a shoulder and gestured to the vehicle.
Lightning might not have known that particular car, but he obviously knew his stuff and was comfortable enough to know he didn't look like a fool in front of the other. He'd held back a grin, afraid his face might actually crack when curiosity had gotten the better of his former (eventual?) mentor and they had ended up going over the engine that afternoon together.
He used that time to his advantage, asking what he could about this deal while one on one instead of in a group.
"So when is this run supposed to be happening?"
Doc...Jesse...he didn't know how to address him mentally as he considered the fact that this person had carried some habits apparently throughout his life. Lightning hadn't heard a word he said since the kid was speaking from under the car.
"What?"
Jesse's head popped in to view beside the passenger tire. "He hasn't set a date. He doesn't have enough ready yet."
Lightning grabbed a tool that had been balancing precariously on the fender before it had a chance to fall and hit Jesse in the face. "So you're lying low until then?"
"Hell no."
At his questioning look and furrowed brow, Jesse continued. "If it all suddenly goes silent, they'll be on to us."
"They...they as in..."
"Georgia's finest."
"You mean the cops..."
Jesse had disappeared under the car again, but Lightning could hear him this time. "They grow up so fast."
Ignoring the ribbing, Lightning crouched in front of the car, twisting awkwardly to see. "You're running from the cops."
Jesse was preoccupied with tightening a clamp, attention on a hose in a hard to reach location. He glanced in Lightning's direction quickly before looking back up in to the menagerie. "What do you think running shine- what is so funny."
Lightning could only shake his head, laughing as he stood up once again. Unable to control himself, he was soon lost in a fit of laughter and dropped the tool he'd been so careful to keep from falling. It clattered in its descent through the engine compartment.
"Ow! What the hell, McQueen?!"
"You can ride with Hud."
Lightning could have been knocked over with a feather. He didn't even care that it was immediately being protested.
"I don't take passengers."
"He's gunna be driving your car next time. He needs to see the route." Junior raised a brow.
"You're the decoy car." Lou added.
"Who made that decision anyway." Jesse continued to argue. "The most distinctive looking car of the bunch is the decoy-"
"We did. It's your turn."
Jesse only glared silently before tossing his keys up and snatching them out of the air. "Fine. McQueen, you're with me."
He tried not to look like some over excited puppy, forcing nonchalance as he made his way to the passenger side door. He paused, and pretended to be occupied but tried to hear the conversation between the Hudson twins through his open door as they stood at the front of the car.
"I'm not lying."
"And you don't have to. If anyone comes around, tell 'em we're out for a drive."
Out for a drive, right.
"They're not going to buy it."
"We're barely leaving the county. We'll be back before twelve."
"If not? Who am I supposed to call."
"Well who'd you call last time?" Jesse asked in a knowing tone.
"That isn't funny."
"It's kind of funny."
"Just go, Jesse Aaron."
"I'm going, Ruth Anne."
Lightning wasn't sure what he'd been expecting. This wasn't like his driving through the woods when he'd spent that part of a week training with Smokey, but it might have had something to do with the fact that he wasn't the one driving.
He was white knuckling the bench seat of the Hornet, afraid that if he grabbed any part of the door it would fly open and he'd go tumbling out.
"I can't believe you're driving like this- I can't believe you're driving like this- I can't believe-"
"Will you shut up."
"We're gunna crash!"
"I know what I'm doing!"
"Is your ploy to act like you don't? Cause you had me fooled!"
Jesse shot a look across the car in the dark before putting his attention back on the barely perceptible trail in front of them, weaving in and out of the forest undergrowth. He down shifted just long enough to make a hard turn and the engine whined, tachometer spiking up as he worked back up through the gears.
"Do you always treat this car this badly?"
"I do not treat this car badly!"
"What do you call this?" Lightning could barely see him, eyes wide and cringing as they went over uneven ground.
"Exercise." Jesse grit through his teeth as they came out on to a gravel road, fishtailing violently before straightening out. Sirens wailed somewhere back in the trees, he'd have to backtrack and circle around more than once before he could assume he'd lost them.
"You're too hard on this car."
"Oh, please."
"It should be treated with respect."
He was surprised when the other burst in to startled laughter. "Respect? This car's my paycheck! You think I don't-?"
"Not from the looks of it." Oh...he was starting to sound like a disgruntled parent...
"You keep thinking that." Jesse replied with faint amusement, slowing as they finally came to a paved road and blended in to the general traffic.
Jesse doubled back, driving through town and back out through the country, this time on marked roads. Pulling in to the lot of The Cotter Pin, he rolled down the window when he came up beside his brother's truck.
"Haven't seen anyone."
"No." Jesse replied. "Think I lost them back by the tracks."
"Wait a bit before you go home."
Jesse had only nodded. Then spying something outside of the Hornet, he opened the door to investigate.
"You dented it, didn't you." Lightning muttered. "I knew it..."
All three of them stood in front of the chrome grill as Jesse pulled a small bough from beneath the undercarriage. He tossed it to the side of the building with a low curse as a cruiser made its way in to town.
Lightning had been hoping the car would pass by. Instead, the officer parked beside the Hornet and got out slowly.
He wasn't oblivious to how Smokey had put himself between them and the officer, either.
"Evening, boys."
"Good evening, officer."
"Evening, sir."
The man didn't look like the type to be able to run anyone down on foot, but had the air of someone who had enough pull to get what he wanted. "Where your friends at?"
"Dunno." Jesse answered. "Supposed to meet them here in a bit."
"You wouldn't happen to be cover tonight, would ya?"
"I'm just sittin' here, sir."
"Would you mind opening the trunk of your car?"
Lightning frowned, looking between everyone present. He wasn't surprised with the answer the officer received.
"I do mind, actually, but since you asked so nicely and all." Jesse reached through the open window and popped the trunk open, letting the officer look with the use of his flashlight. "You wanna look under the hood too? That's where most people's interest is..."
The officer ignored the jab, centering the beam of the flashlight briefly on Lightning. "You're that new kid I've seen hanging around their group."
"Sir..." He nodded politely, unsure what else to do.
"Where you spend your evening, son?" He nearly had his back to the Hudson brothers, focusing on what he could get from this line of questions.
"Was with Hudson all day..."
"He showin' you the area, then." He glanced once at the local boys.
Lightning nodded. "I've gotten to know town, I was getting a look at the river and tracks and whatnot."
Jesse glared at him over the officer's shoulder. Of all the places not to name...
"Is that so." The man's grin said the same, looking smug as he turned his attention back on the shine runners.
"You're lucky there's nothing on you, boy."
"There never is." Jesse replied defiantly.
"You know." The officer spoke airily as he returned to his car, standing beside the driver side door. "Your Pa's probably rollin' in his grave seein' how you turned out, guess I can't blame it on your folk, though."
That was a slap in the face even to Lightning, and he saw Jesse jump forward, only stopping when Smokey knocked his shoulder with his own, having quickly faced the other way and muttered lowly.
"Don't, Jesse. Don't prove him right."
"Listen to your brother, kid. He's done his best-"
Smokey cut him off. "If you're finished, sir."
The man nodded, tipping his hat arrogantly before getting in to his cruiser.
They were silent as they watched him leave, and to Lightning's surprise, it was Jesse who broke the quiet.
"That should've bought enough time...I'm going home."
Lightning wasn't about to ask for a ride, and turned to start walking up the dark stretch of road toward town.
"You should stay with us. For the night at least."
He paused, turning on his heel. "What?"
"They'll be watching you now."
He wasn't going to ask for any further explanation and got in to the car. Sitting in uncomfortable silence through the short drive to the homestead, he picked at a hole in the knee of his jeans and stared out the passenger window. More than once he opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again and bite his lip.
Smokey had followed them out, and Lightning hung back awkwardly in the kitchen, afraid to intrude too much.
Jesse had thrown his keys on the counter, ignoring his sister's question of how things had gone. She had only nodded silently when Smokey gestured in the direction of the steps after Jesse had disappeared upstairs. "Ruth Anne, could you..."
Smokey turned around, pinching the back of his neck roughly and seeming to suddenly realize Lightning was there. "Guess we better get you a blanket."
