Skunks

As an extra person shows up, plans quickly shift. Con wasn't sure now how the other three would handle the situation, but he knew his position. Surveying the situation from his vantage point, he couldn't see clearly enough to know which man was whom on the ground level, but they looked tense. Whatever that fifth man was for, it appeared this was not quite the casual meeting they'd assumed. 

"Looks like maybe we need to take it a step slower," Jason advises as he peers carefully out the window while speaking quietly. He knew Nate was in charge, but he also knew he didn't mind his input. "Let's take up our spots behind those crates like we planned." He gestures in the dark warehouse interior. "I wanna hear what all this is about and why we didn't know about this fifth guy."

Shifting his weight on his elbows, Con fiddles with his scope setting as Jason and Nate converse. Wait... had someone else just said something to him? He stops and concentrates on listening, hearing Dalton say, "Let's do this." Okay, that was all. Right. And his job was to watch the front, making sure no one got out that way or to alert the others if any more unexpected visitors showed up.

Without having heard Dalton's words to watch his back around the corner of the warehouse, Con focuses on the front door again, counting the men enter the building. Five. And his scope remains in that position in case he was needed. He hoped not, but he was ready if things went sour. What he didn't see was a sixth figure in the shadows moving towards Dalton's unprotected position.

And just when the first five men enter the building, a shot rings out. 

Inside, behind the stack of crates with Nate, Jason looks to him quickly, his eyes wide. But by now, the targets were inside and they couldn't speak without giving themselves away.

The five drug dealers all come to a sudden halt in the dimness, seeming to be just as surprised.

 Outside, Con's eyes whip to the side, his gaze coming to rest on the shooter - and a downed body. Adrenaline surges through his veins and without hesitating, he takes aim and fires. The shooter goes down. 

As the second shot is heard, the five men start to run back for the door. Jason steps out from the shadows with Nate, taking aim, though risky, in the dark. "Police! Freeze!" 

No one listens, and instead, gunfire comes in their direction, forcing them back behind the crates. "Con, what's going on out there?" Jason shouts, ducking another bullet. No answer. "Con! Dalton? 

Con's voice finally comes through - angrily. "Dalton's down... repeat, Dalton's down. Get those skunks outta there so I got some targets!"

Tal grins and shrugs, not having much of a comeback. Ryan was right... he did hang out with Eli all the time. And it wasn't nearly as bad as he joked about. If anything, he and Eli were getting to be as close as brothers - and both liked it, even if they drove each other crazy sometimes. 

"Well, your brother wanted to watch a movie. I wanted to try out the new video game. Then we wanted to rent that new action flick but they were all out. So then we thought about catching a football game, but we don't like either team, so then we went back to fighting about finding a movie here or playing the video game, so we arm wrestled for it." 

Eli snickers as he grabs some steak sauce from the fridge.

Tal throws him a look before glancing back at Ryan. "Yeah, you know how that went."

Coming to the table, Eli flexes his bicep. "So what movie are we watching?" 

Tal finally laughs. "Let Ryan pick. I don't care anymore." 

Supper was pleasant, and the steaks were good. With a little bit of banter, laughter came easily. Even though the three hung out a lot, it never seemed to get boring. By the time a movie was chosen and the evening moves on, Tal winds up on the couch with Ryan as usual. Tonight though, it felt like just a little something was... off. Tal couldn't put his finger on it, but for some reason, he felt as though he needed to hold Ryan a little extra tight, as if he might lose her if he didn't. Kissing her goodnight later, he found himself not wanting to leave, but he knew he had to. 

Still sitting in his chair and watching the last of the movie credits roll, Eli keeps to himself as Tal leaves. He'd pushed aside his questions about Ryan, but now they were coming back again. He knew better than to ask her what had happened before she'd come home earlier, but as her brother, he was worried. It seemed too many things had been upsetting her lately and he didn't like seeing her like that. 

Rosalyn finds herself smiling again, though just a little sheepishly. Here Chad was doing his best to give her an enjoyable evening and she wasn't exactly making it easy. "Yeah, okay." 

Withdrawing, she pops another shrimp in her mouth and grins. "One good thing... If it weren't for a fight, I probably wouldn't have gotten to go on a date with you."

"...and Jim's so hot that he didn't even finish up the chores. Becky came looking for him and I was the one that had to tell her about Rosalyn and Chad." 

Mick sighs as he washes his hands at the kitchen sink, cleaning up before he and Rosetta and BJ would head over to the dining hall. Things hadn't gotten easier after Chad and Rosalyn had headed to town, but Mick was just as glad that they were gone. Maybe it was just postponing more conflict, but deep down, he wanted to give the couple a chance. He didn't know Chad personally, but he knew Rosalyn was smart, and he wasn't going to assist in stopping her from being her own woman. 

Shutting off the water and grabbing a towel, Mick turns to give Rosetta a worried look. "It's been a long time since I've seen Jim that mad."