Another clear, balmy night. Good. Adam didn't really mind the rain, but it tended to be a pain in the rear at times. As he pulled up in his Harley and shut off the engine, he could hear some music ending from within the bar in front of which he sat. He'd already been here twice since his return. The place seemed to have pretty good food and service, and the comedy was good. Hell, how could it not be? Rich Vos wasn't exactly dullsville, and he'd been the reason Adam visited both times. He had a 'screw-you' attitude about things that nonetheless came off humorous.

Adam stowed the helmet in one of the saddlebags on the side of his bike and headed inside. It wasn't long before he'd gotten a chicken fried steak, baked potato and a beer. He sipped the Budweiser as Rich Vos, sure enough, was introduced to the audience. He mostly played in the States, but he'd been known to play in Canada several times. Adam wondered briefly if he spoke any French as he ate, but it didn't seem likely; the guy was hispanic, and only visited Canada - not frequented it. Apparently, Rich Vos didn't like Canada very much.

As usual, the place was pretty full. There were a few seats available, but not many. A three-day-old sign on the wall said something about Jim Carrey having performed the previous evening, but he wasn't really into Jim Carrey; truth be told, he didn't find the Canadian comedian all that funny.

It had been an hour since Jennifer had recieved a call from her best friend, Callie, saying that she would be there. Her brown eyes searched the club just to make sure before she sank back into her seat and took a long drink of whiskey. Stood up. Great, it hadn't even been her idea to come here and now she was alone and tipsy. Maybe she could call her again, maybe something had happened ... Jen wouldn't be such a great friend if she wasn't even a little concerned. She dug in her pocket for her cell phone and opened it illuminating the corner with a soft blue light. Currently there wasn't a signal, probably because she was inside. Jen cursed under her breath before getting up and started to make her way through the tables and the people. She made sure she brought her drink with her, Jennifer figured that after this was all over with she might need it.

It just so happened that she was squeezing her way past Adam's table when a man in his chair pushed back and hit her. A roar of laughter erupted from the other oocupants at his table making it apparent that it hadn't been an accident, they laughed even more when she stumbled spilling her drink all over Adam's table. The words of an apology were on the edge of her lips when the man, who was obviously drunk, shouted at her. "Hey baby ... my bad." More laughter. The guy grabbed for her hand and gave it a good tug. "Why don't you come and lemme make it up to you."

Jennifer pulled at her hand trying to release it of his grip, she didn't want to make a scene but then again she didn't want his grubby sweaty hands on her either. "No thanks, I think I'm good."

"I'm sure you are." The man had a wedding ring on his finger ... sick bastard.

"Let go." It was her last warning, she was officially disgusted by him and God knows she was angry enough as it was. "Now baby ... don't be mad." He smiled but it wasn't for her, Jennifer didn't have to look to know that they eyes of the other occupants were on her and that their mouths were twisted with malicious smirks.

Even Rich looked, but he went on. From what Adam, now rolling his eyes had seen, this was too commonn.

It took just a look. The bottle on their table was gone in a flash, and suddenly the guy with the girl's wrist in his hand was jerking back as the bottle - a large jug of vodka - smashed violently over his head. The room quieted amidst the sudden shouts and the scraping of chairs. Even Mr. Vos stopped, right in the middle of a joke.

Still sitting with drink in hand and frowning at the drunks only a table away Adam said loud enough for everyone in the immediate area to hear, "You know, where I come from, no means no. By the way," he said dryly, "This town's where I come from."

The drunks were bewildered and clearly didn't know what they had just seen, but they hadn't been the only ones to see it and they weren't the only ones trying to figure out what had just happened either.

"Maybe you boys should get some fresh air?"

Jennifer was suddenly left standing alone and awkward as the frightened drunks made their leave. Looking around now she could see that a few of the room's occupants had their gaze fixed on her now, the rest were looking behind her to Adam with their faces twisted with confusion and fear. What just happened? Jen turned to look at the man sitting at the table with the heat of the people's gaze against her back.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" She gestured to the chair across from him. Jen didn't want to be the only one standing right now and she really didn't want to walk across the room to her seat.

There was a sense of relief when Mr. Vos finished his joke and ended the silence. If he kept it up the incident would be forgotten by the end of that night.

Adam gestured to the seat across from him and said, "Be my guest. Can I get you something to drink? Name's Adam, by the way. You from around here?"

The girl seemed just as edgy as everyone else at the moment, but that was to be expected. Hell, some jackass had just tried to get a date from her - and not the dinner-and-a-movie kind, either - and he hadn't exactly been the tall, dark, and handsome kind of guy. Then again, look at the club they were in.

Jen sat down as he gestured to the chair and allowed one last look around her. She smiled, partically from relief that no one was watching them but also gratiously to Adam. "I'm Jennifer and no thanks I think I've already had too much." Those last few words included more than drinking. She paused upon hearing his last question. It was funny how natives could spot an outsider, if that was what he was. "No, actually. I'm from Texas. Huntsville, Texas." Usually when people got that response they imagined that a cowboy hat and boots were the what Texans refered to as casual attire. "I've only been here for about a month."

"And you?" Her brown eyes watched him as she tried to figure if she should ask about the bottle. Was it just better not to ask? Jen bit her lip before lowering her voice to a whisper. "I'm sorry, but that bottle ... was that you? And how did you ...?" She trailed off unsure of exactly how to put it.

He had to grin in spite of himself, and swallowed a couple of drinks to wipe it away - mostly.

"Let's just say this isn't exactly a normal town. Believe, I'm one of the more normal guys around here."

He shook his head.

"I've seen some strange stuff in this town. Can't really explain half of it, but you get used to it after a while. I grew up here," he said with a shrug, "so I don't really have much of a choice."

Notice he didn't answer the question, either. But it was probably all the answer she was going to get for the moment. Let one illusion slip, it was an odd occurrence. But telekinesis? He didn't think she was quite ready for that - especially since she did seem a bit drunk.

Rich Vos had was now on a roll once again, even adapting to the situation as he saw it - some guy being drug out after he and his buddies started a fight with the wrong guy.

Jen smirked as she leaned forward against the table, leaning closer to him. "Well you certainly look like a normal guy, but I'm not gonna believe for one second that your completely normal." She had infact noticed that he didn't answer her little question. "You might not want to tell me, and thats ok, but I'm not an idiot."

She leaned back again propping her feet on the table, her brown eyes took on the smile that had left her face as she took a swig from a beer that she had taken from the table where the drunks had just been sitting.

(I apoligize for the wait, been busy)

He grinned at her a bit.

"You, I like."

There was a twinkle of laughter in his eye as he took a drink.

"So. I thought you'd had too much."

He was laughing at her again, but not in an unfriendly way. Actually - though maybe it was just because she was a bit drunk, but he didn't think so - she seemed kind of charming. For a girl. Laid back and up for the occasional party was how she struck him. Maybe she'd be fun.

But then, he wasn't trying to get laid. He just wanted to have a good time. But maybe things would work out either way.

((No prob. B) ))

Jen smiled at the fact that he took her response so well. That was always good, he seemed like a good guy and besides it wasn't like she was in desperate need to make anymore enemies tonight. She paused looking to the beer in her hand before she turned to meet his gaze with a wink. "I thought I needed a bit more." Needed was a bad choice of words, but like she cared right now.

The buzz had taken her mind off the fact that her friend had done a disappearing act, and it was slowly working at the memory of those awful drunks. By tomorrow morning she would remember it all but for now it was blissfully tucked away. She sat the bottle on the table so the rest of the contents somehow didn't end up like her friend. Jen could think just fine at tipsy at that was how she wanted to keep it, driving might have been a different story but public transportation was a beautiful thing. Besides her car had been in the shop all week, she couldn't drive it anywhere at it's present state unless someone was pushing.

Her brown eyes watched his, curious as to what he was thinking. He had been quiet for a good couple of minutes and Jennifer was all to familar with that look but it didn't always mean the same thing. "What?" Her tone wasn't rude, just curious.

He grinned, turning back to Rich Vos and laughing a bit. He probably did get a thoughtful look on his face, though, and he did seem to suddenly realize he was watching her.

He shook his head slightly, though.

"Nothing. Just pondering the company," he said with a smile. "Can you get home all right tonight?"

"Why trying to give me a ride?" Jennifer grinned before giving thought to his question. "My car is in the shop so I thought I might take my chances with a taxi cab." Taxi drivers actually scared the shit out of her with the way that they drived but it was always better than walking home. She didn't think the buses ran this late but she wasn't too much of a fan when it came to those either.

She wrinkled her nose as she thought about it more. "Yeah I can take a taxi."

He shrugged.

"I dunno. Do you want a ride? I drive pretty fast, just to let you know."

He seemed to smirk at that. Most people didn't like his driving, even when he followed the speed limit - i. e., whenever he saw a cop around.

He shrugged again as she mentioned a cab.

"Up to you, but I don't really trust the cabbies in this town. They seem almost as bad as the bureaucrats that run the place. The only difference is that when you see the bureaucrats smiling, you know they're lying through their teeth the way a cat knows a mouse is food. With cabbies, you can't really tell half the time, and the other half you don't want to know."

He laughed. He couldn't help himself. Yes, it was probably really tacky laughing at his own jokes - but he didn't really care. After all, it was kind of funny.

She didn't seem to mind, afterall he was right and yeah ... funny too. Jen stood then, her brown eyes taking a look around the room before she came to his side. "Sure, I'm probably better off not taking one." She knelt just enough so that he could hear her whisper over the background noise. "Although, I just hope your not too fast."

No innuendo there.

Jennifer smiled then as she continued on, walking to the door. She knew she didn't have to look back to make sure he followed.

He grinned, only just able to keep from laughing.

Fortunately he'd always been able to hold a bull's fill of alcohol and come out feeling like Superman, because the next thing he did was down his drink in one gulp and hide a small belch. Then he headed out to his bike and grabbed out the spare helmet. He donned his own and said, "You don't mind Harleys, do you?" He doubted she could see the gleam in his eyes over the small half-joke and the friendly, yet mischievous smile on his narrow face.

"Not at all." She took the helmet and put it on, pausing at first afraid it might mess with her hair. Such a girl. Jen then glanced into the darkened windows of the club to see her reflection and smiled. "Cute."

She got on behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest ... to hold on of course. Nevermind the fact that she was enjoying every second of this.

Oh yeah, directions. "You need to turn right on this street right here then just go straight until you come to a dead end. There's going to be apartments there and I'm in the second building."

"Gotcha."

The bike roared to life, the smooth rhythm of its purr filling Adam's body with a power only a true biker could feel, a power that set his soul flying free and let him do anything - anything! It wasn't long before the wind ruffled his clothes as he zoomed down the street, cutting the corner wide and coming in tight, hardly slowing. He sped up. The meter climbed. 60 - 70 - 80 - 100 - 130 - 160 miles an hour. Top speed for the bike. The dead end was there. He could see it now. There was a slow lurch, like life leaving him, as he suddenly slowed. He took the drive at a good thirty miles an hour in a wide curve. He didn't slow much until he got right up to the curb outside Jen's apartment.

He smiled back at her, though she couldn't see much more than the turning of his head.

"Still comfortable with me doing the driving?"

He almost laughed as he waited for her to dismount and return his helmet.

"You wouldn't happen to have a phone number, would you?"

Might as well take advantage of a good thing...