"What's the problem, Terry?"

He smooths back his hair, straightens his tie, and says, "Nothing, kid. I got it all straightened out. Everything is totally cool, really. Let's get a drink."

"If you say so."

"Hey, would *I* lie? To you?"
You pull into the sportsbar. It looks like a dive.

"Of course you would." *smile*

"You're a cute kid. I like you."

"Say, what camp do you support? Coke or Pepsi?"

"Man, I support either. Both of them having ad wars is just primo, if you ask me. But always remember to drink something with an ad people will REMEMBER, or else you've wasted your money."
He gets out of the truck, and heads into the sportsbar. Your suspicious are confirmed, the place IS a dive.

No problem. I go in with him.

There is a bar, and some tables, and a big screen TV.
Terry chooses a table.

"Do you play pool, Terry?"

He looks at you and shrugs, "Yeah, sometimes."

Is there a table, GM?

There is in fact a table. The place is pretty empty. There is a guy at the bar, and a bartender, and two people at a back table. Other then that, it's empty.

I'll go over to the table and load some coins into it.

[confused discussion of coin-op pool removed]

"What gaame do you play, Terry? 8-ball, 9-nine ball, straight pool?"

"8-Ball."

"Good if you would've said 9-ball I'd know you were too good for me."
"I haven't played since Korea."

A waitress approaches you two. She looks tired and bored.
"Can I get you two something to drink?"

"Just," I'll glance at Terry "a Coke for me."

Terry says, "I haven't played since last week. But the Imps clean me out, bastards."

The waitress blinks at Terry's comment, and he causually says to her, "You didn't hear that last one, babe. I'll take your favorite Coke product, and remember to endorse how good it is."

She blinks, and says, "Okay," and walks away.

I rack the balls, set the cueball on Terry's side...

He looks at you. "The last comment. Don't worry, she knows."

"Worry? Here, you can break."

"That she won't bring your Coke."

I'll idly swing my cue stick in one handed sword defense patterns.

He takes the cue, and breaks.

[discussion of the rules of 8-ball removed]

Terry breaks, and he only sinks the 6. He follows the cue ball around the table, and aims for the 4. He shoots, and misses.
He looks at you. "Go ahead."

OK, I'll shoot at whatever stripe is easiest. :-) Can I assume we don't need to play out every shot?

Indeed. You guys just play the game.

"So, Miami - Orlando.... Who do you think'll win?"

Your Cokes arrive, and the Waitress mumbles something about that "Coke is much tastier then Pepsi."

"Huh, what's that Miss?"

The waitress walks off, and Terry's eyes follow her. Then he chuckles and takes his turn. "I would say Orlando."

I'll take out a travellers check. and sign it. "20 on Miami"

He lifts his eyebrow.

I hand it to him. "to win the five game series, not the game."

Terry grins. "A single phone call would ensure your money was in my pocket."

*shrug*

"But kid, I like you."
He whips out his wallet, and pulls out a twenty. He takes the traveller's check, looks at it, and puts it with the bill.

"You hold it."

Both disappear unconsciously into a suit pocket.
He shoots, and sinks a ball. His second shot misses.

"So what are you going to do when you return to Caro? If you return, that, is." [simultaniously] "So, hang out with Horton a lot?" "Hell no. The guy is a prick." "I'll have to wait for Kezef." "There's another prick for you. It's a prick convention." "Why were you with Mr. Grey that first day? I met you?" "Andre wants his kid back. I got called out here by said kid. I said, 'Yeah, sure, cool, whatever.' So I figured I'd be all helpful, cool, and they would get what they want and I could needle them for things I want. Everyone be happy." "Some agent." "I didn't know the situation, you know." He shifts his weight. "Hey, I keep the kid from getting killed. It's not easy sometimes. I get his call, 'Help me, angels are beating me up'. I came to get him outta here, you know? Everything cool." "We weren't beating him up." "Well it all worked out in the end, huh? Any publicity for your man is good publicity." "He was wetting his pants. It was not real attractive." "You're right about that." "And this is someone bred to be attractive. How he maintains not being totally eludes me sometimes." He shrugs. "I'm doin my job, man. I dunno what you want me to say. It'll turn out good, though." "...and if it doesn't you can always spin it." "Of course." He grins. "That's the way it works." "You no what happens if you use too much spin?" spins the cueball in place. "The ball doesn't go anywhere." He sighs. "You're a good kid, you know that? Your Lord is probably proud." "I'm sorry. That's no way to cheer you up. Lecture over." I'll pat him on the shoulder. He nods at you, and leans to shoot again. He scratches. "You didn't answer my question, though. Now what?" "You heard what we were thinking about. We've got to find a way to get Horton and Kezief to screw each other." "Oh yeah, that. It would be pretty entertaining, and get great ratings. Can you see it? All those big ass celestials." Terry seems to be thinking over a plan. I'll just shake my head. "Let me think up something where no one gets crucified. Will that make you happy?" "Well... I think we have to fix this one ourselves." "Okay, what is it you WANT to accomplish." "It's not really your problem. You probably have bigger things to take care of." He shrugs. "Do you even know what you're fixing?" "I've got some idea. That usually enough." "Dig too deep and suddenly the truth is lost." "Know what I mean?" He gives you an interesting look. "I would think so, yes." "Ever heard of Edie Brickell? Paul Simon's wife?" "Mmmmm... no, sorry." "Really? I'll be darned." He shrugs. "Sorry, I don't actually know EVERYBODY. Close, though." "She sings a song on the topic." "Hey, that reminds me. I'm sorry about your phone." "I didn't know the Ofanim would break it." "I can get another one. It got smashed, didn't it." "Ofanim are a lot more palatible when they become Calabites." "I've never met a Calabite with style." He reaches up and fixes his tie. "And likewise for an Ofanite." *grin* I'll order another Coke. What time is it? It's a little after 5. The waitress will come around with another Coke after a few minutes. Terry clears his throat. "There's something you should probably know." I'll listen. "I had a talk with Dana, and after a little fact finding, it turned out that her apartment in New York got ransacked. I told her I'd send some people to check it out, right? No problem, just a little favor for the pretty lady if you know what I mean. Yeah, well, they turned up in Trauma." "I'm sorry to hear that. Why are you telling me?" "Dunno. You look like an honest kid with a big sword. It sounds like a little message that people are gettin, you know, pissed off. Probably mistaked my people for your people." "Opps." They should be more careful." "Well, you know it wasn't me." "I'm sure they will be in the future. I'm not referring to my people." " ' "Here's the way it is. If people are pissed at me, they a can bring it on. I'm not easy to kill. I don't think it's worth their effort." "No, it wasn't you." He narrows his eyes. "How experienced are you with tangling with big people?" "I killed a Captain once. It was a mistake I realized later, but even that blew over." He sighs. "This is what I get for helping a bunch of halos out, with their misplaced egos. I'm just saying that something was waiting for your little Cherub friend or her friends to show up, and they waxed 'em. No more, no less, baby. No skin off my nose." *smile* "You've told her, right?" Can I shoot the eightball yet? "Not yet. I will, though." You can shoot the eightball. OK, I'll sink it (assuming I don't screw up). "Another game?" You sink, no sweat. "If you have time. Don't want to miss being shot by the human cops." *laugh* "now why would they shoot me? For resisting arrest?" "Are you going to resist arrest?" "That wouldn't get me anywhere. I just want to talk to the Agent." "Maybe if he's not there." "Maybe he'll show up with a dozen or so SWAT cars." "That's not very subtle." "Humans rarely are. It will make for decent showing in Shal-Mari, though." "The FBI is subtle." "How many people did they claim you killed?" "Only 6. Stange isn't it?" " He laughs low. "Yeah, it's strange. You should have hid the bodies, baby." "Sorry, that's not really my style." "You know there's still one left up in Alpena.. " "One what? Human you missed?" *laugh* "No, he's not human." "You know what was weird?" ""There are alot of things that are weird, but go ahead, add another one." The symphony and 'GOOD' don't always go hand in hand." Hey "What a concept." "I won't let demons, the undead, or even humans hurt the innocent if I can help it." Terry is looking at you curiously. "That's understandable, considering who you are." "On a smaller scale the police and the FBI are the same way. - Protect and Serve." They might not condone me, but they are on the same side." "We just answer to different powers." "I certainly don't answer to them. FBI." ""Hey, look, kid, I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life. I'm not arguing with you either. We all answer to some sort of higher power." "That's you job you know..." "telling people how to live their lives." "We just give 'em options. They have a hundred channels to choose from, endless web pages, hundreds of radio stations." *smile* "No one telling them anything. Just giving them less then subtle hints. And it's their choice to waste their lives away with it." "Hey, free will and all that crap." "Well, it's been reall . I'm not sure if we bonded or what. See you shortly. I'll keep in touch." I hunt down the waitress and pay and tip her. "I hope you intend to drive me back." "Sure where are you headed? " I thought he drove. :-) No, you did. I don't own a truck you know. "I would assume back to the motel. In Caro? With a flaked out Renegade?" Car? What did you guys come in? Maybe you took Dana's car. I have a rental car. That would be it. The rental car. Good enough, I don't care. OK, I drive him back. When he gets out of the car... "I like you Terry, but I know I can't trust you, which is OK, it just means I have to make this a threat..." "Don't charm me again." "Nothing personal." I drive off.