Ouroboros

A Friend from Before (Part 1)

     "So where are we going?" Chris asked.

     "To get some weapons and practice fighting," said Tegan. She unlocked the bright red car. "Here's hoping we don't get pulled over."

     "Don't speed, then!" Sofia laughed.

     "Where's Fiver?" Roman asked.

     "Ahead of us on the motorbike, I believe." Jim reached to open the front passenger door, but Tegan stopped him.

      "Backseat, gentlemen," she said. Sofia giggled and high-fived Tegan. With a sigh, Jim opened the back door instead. Before anyone could argue over who had to sit in the middle, he took the spot and spent the next minute or so struggling with his seatbelt.

     Roman and Chris got in on either side of him. At the sight of Jim's bionic arm right next to him, Roman tapped the metal with his fingers. "Can you feel with this arm?"

     "I can," said Jim. "And it's super strong. I could punch through a wall with this hand."

     Roman grinned. "That's so cool!"

     Tegan pulled out of the parking lot and into the busy intersection. "Keep it at a reasonable volume back there, okay?"

     Chris cracked his window a little. "Are we there yet?"

      Jim put his head in his hands and sighed. He hadn't particularly wanted to come along, but part of him feared what would happen if he didn't. The fact that everyone was acting like children on a school bus only made it worse. To break the tension building in his mind, he tried talking to Roman. "Excited to learn how to fight today, bud?"

     "I don't know," he said.

     "Why's that?" Jim asked.

     "I don't want to hurt people," Roman admitted. He glanced at his phone, then shoved it back in his pocket, where it continued buzzing.

      "What about protecting people? Do you want to do that?"

     Roman smiled. "Yeah."

     "Why's your phone going off? Is that your dad?" Jim asked. "You should probably answer him."

     "It's not Dad," he insisted.

     "Well, who is it, then?" Jim asked.

     "Matthew," said Roman.

     Jim swallowed hard. Something seemed very off about the situation. "May I see?"

     Roman recoiled a little as Jim reached for his phone. "No!"

     Tegan looked up to glare at them in the rear view mirror. "Hey!"

     "Sorry, Roman," said Jim.

     "Sorry," he said back, then turned to gaze out the window.

     Sofia twisted around to look in the rear seat. "Well, now you all look petrified. Anyone know a good joke?"

     "I've got one, but it's kind of inappropriate," Jim admitted.

     Sofia raised her eyebrows. "I didn't think you'd have it in you. Let's hear it."

     "You sure?" Jim glanced at Roman, then back at Sofia. "I wouldn't want to..."

     She laughed. "Just tell the damn joke! Do you really think Roman's never heard or said a bad word before?"