Cargo

Jason thinks for a moment then shakes his head. "Naw... well... if you see any cream soda, I've been craving it this week for some reason." He grins. "Just don't tell Rick. He's been on my case about my sugar." 

Getting back to work wasn't easy, but at least now Jason had something to look forward to tonight. Reports for Reese were finished, a meeting with Con and Gunner was accomplished, and phone calls made. When it was finally time to quit for the day, Jason was glad. He felt more tired than normal tonight... maybe it was just stress. But he was ready to relax for the evening. 

Heading home, he showers and changes clothes, throwing on his knee brace for the rest of the day. He hadn't worn it at work... but should have, and now he was paying for it with muscle ache. He wasn't going to let that stop him though. Rick might not be happy with all he was doing while still recovering but without the foreign substance running through his veins, healing seemed to come a whole lot easier lately. 

Foreign substance...

Jason looks himself in the bathroom mirror, his comb hovering above his wet hair. Like a flashback, he was suddenly in the woods at the ranch, exhausted as his sugar crashed. He'd thought it was just a combination of his low sugar and suppressed memories... but that had been the beginning. The beginning of one of the hardest, most stressful roads Jason had known. Meeting Katie had set the deadly game in motion.

Glancing down, he turns over his hand to see the circular scar on his palm. It was the only thing that was left. The forever-reminder. And for him... it was a reminder of mostly pain. 

Shaking his head, he brings his mind back into focus and finishes cleaning up. Socks, shoes, Trooper, wallet, keys... he was ready to go. Hitting the store for the meat, he then heads back towards the park. 

Alec had yet again been somewhat surprised at Misty's invitation to join her and Jason at the park for the evening. Maybe somewhere he just expected her to grow tired of him being around, although he'd tried really hard to do some household tasks for her today too. At least he was feeling better - a cough lingered and he still tired easily, but overall he was on the mend from being sick.

Sitting at the picnic table with Misty, waiting for Jason, Alec's eyes roam the park. It seemed to be a pretty quiet evening, which was surprising since it was so nice out. Nibbling on a potato chip he felt a little awkward with the silence, but maybe silence was better than talking about things he didn't want to. He and Misty hadn't been here long, but already his stomach was starting to growl. He'd skipped lunch... that could be part of it. 

Glancing over at Misty, he studies her for a moment. She sure was handling this whole thing well. With divorcing Carson, that is. She seemed so cool and collected... yet Alec would never say she was cold. What made her so confident? So strong? What made her able to help someone like him, when she was going through hard times herself? And again, Alec felt humbled. He wasn't worth any of her effort. 

Jason pulls into the gravel lot of the park and shuts off the truck engine. Grabbing the package of hamburger and the small bag of charcoal, he slides out before clipping a leash to Trooper and letting him out as well. The giant dog hops out and yawns, taking a moment to stretch. Not being allowed at TJY anymore, getting out at all was a treat and he looks at Jason expectantly, curious as to what they were doing here. 

"C'mon, Bud. Let's go find Misty and Alec." 

Trooper obediently falls into step at Jason's heel, taking in the sights and sounds of the park with keen attentiveness. 

Spotting Misty and Alec at a nearby table, Jason heads in that direction, coming up to them from the side. It looked like Misty had everything else ready - they just needed the meat to get cooked now. "Hey, guys. Don't tell me I'm late again."

Having still been lost in thought at the table, Alec hadn't even seen Jason approaching. Turning to see him, it's only now that he notices Trooper there as well. Standing quickly, he detangles himself from the picnic table bench and backs up several feet. "Aw no... uh-uh... Nobody told me that dog was going to be here." 

Jason rolls his eyes and sighs looking to Misty with annoyance then back to Alec. "He's fine as long as you are."

"Well I'm not fine!" Adrenaline was already surging through Alec's veins. There were very few things he feared in life, but make no mistake, he was still petrified of large dogs - especially this one. 

"Come on, Alec," Jason prompts. "I'm not gonna leave him in the truck and I can't take him home now." 

"Look, I still got the scars and a numb spot on my ankle from that dog!" Alec remembered all to well, the feeling of Trooper's teeth sinking into his leg. He hadn't even been able to walk himself to the infirmary and he'd bled all over the place. It hadn't been a pleasant experience. 

"That was only because you got riled," Jason counters. "Cool it and Trooper won't have anything to get upset about." 

Trooper looks between his master and Alec, sensing the rising tension and he gives a low woof.

Alec jumps and shakes his head. "Uh-uh." 

Jason shortens the dog's leash and quietly tells him to sit. Trooper seems to question him for a moment, but then obediently lowers his haunches to the grass while keeping his eye on what was happening. "See?" Jason gives his head a pat. "He's fine. Now come on. Quiet being a such a sissy." Laying the leash over the picnic table, he takes the meat to the grill that was a couple feet away. "Alright... how does everybody like their burgers?"

Alec's mind had long since strayed from food, and hunger was now the least of his worries. Remaining where he was, he looks to Misty, the fear still in his eyes.

Stepping into Katie's bunkhouse, Hunter's senses are met with the sweet fragrances, lingering after her shower. "Mmm..." He takes a deep breath. "You smell good." 

Grinning, he leans on the doorframe as she puts on her shoes. Her comment about the bike just makes his grin widen even more. "Who said anything about going fast?" His quirked eyebrow accompanies the humor that danced in his eyes. She knew him too well to think he'd take the road slowly. 

Stepping back outside with her, he laughs. "I was born ready. Come on." 

After retrieving the food Katie wanted to take to Jeff, Hunter helps secure it in his backpack, which he lets Katie wear since she'd be sitting in back. He was glad he'd opted to bring his extra helmet too.

Mounted up, he starts the engine and waits until he feels Katie settled and hanging on before he steers slowly down the driveway  and out onto the road. The road was going to be nice and straight for a good long while - that much he'd observed yesterday. 

"Alright, Cargo..." He grins as he speaks into the helmet's mic. "You wanna feel what it's like to fly?"

Dani giggles as she gets into her car, Dalton's compliment making her feel so good. She'd been told that she sounded good on the radio before, but hearing it from him was special. 

Hearing his enthusiasm to come over, she laughs again, starting up her car. "You can come whenever you want. I'm just now headed home. If you want to come right over, we can hang out while I fix supper. Either that, or you name the time and I'll have supper ready by then. I don't care one way or the other." 

She checks her mirrors before backing out of her parking space and aims for the street. "No... that's a lie. I do care. I want you for as long as I can get you." She grins, knowing that if he were sitting here, she'd spy some color in his cheeks.