• TPA Headquarters
    December 18
    0816 hours

    TC…
    Ooooooo…my skull.
    TC…Wa…
    Feels like somebody's using a jackhammer on it.
    TC…Wake…
    What happened? I don't remember drinking enough to make it feel like someone was using my melon to play the bongos. In fact I don't remember drinking at all.
    TC...Wake...Up...
    Now I'm hearing voices?
    “TC WAKE UP!”
    I snap my eyes open and try to sit up, but I feel somebody's hands on my shoulder pushing me down.
    "Don't move, you might hurt yourself more
    I look over and saw the concerned face of Liz.
    "Uh, Liz?"
    "What?"
    "How did you get in my apartment and why are you in my room?"
    I really don't remember drinking that much!
    She laughed in a relieved way, "You're okay."
    That still didn't answer my questions; I sat up slowly with Liz's help and saw that I was laying in my living room/office amongst the ruined remains of the little table that used to rest beside my bedroom door. Then I remembered getting smacked upside the back of the head by 8-Ball.
    Well at least that answered one of my questions.
    "Okay, but how did you get in?"
    "Clepto picked the lock."
    "Why didn’t he use his key?"
    I heard noises coming from the kitchen. Should have known that too. I slowly got to my feet and made my way to where I could smell food cooking. I leaned on the door way and watched Clepto fry bacon and eggs.
    "Decided too just let yourself in huh?"
    "Well, I got a very reliable tip that something had happened, so I grabbed Liz and came on over."
    I looked down at the food.
    "I wasn't even aware that I had eggs and bacon."
    "You didn't, I picked them up on the way over."
    I laughed, if there was one person who knew what I did and didn't have in my fridge, it was Clepto. He was a good friend; He, Liz, and I grew up together and he was over here all the time.
    "I hope you brought enough for everyone."
    "Of course professor," He said in a sarcastic tone, "Why don't you go sit. That was a nasty bump. I'll bring you some food."
    I turned and went over to my desk and plopped down in my chair. Liz was nowhere to be seen.
    "Liz?"
    "Yeah?" I heard come from my room. She walked out with an Ibuprofen bottle.
    "Just wondering where you went."
    "Too get you this, I'll bet your head is killing you."
    I took the offered bottle and took out two pills. Clepto decided to take this moment to come out of the kitchen with a plate and a cup of coffee.
    "You are a blessing, you know that?" I said to Clepto.
    He shrugged and placed the food down in front of me. I took the pills with a drink of coffee. Soon all three of us were eating and Clepto then decided to ask the question that was obviously on both of their minds.
    "So what happened?"
    I put my fork down and then swallowed the egg I had in my mouth.
    "It seems that I took a job that the Andretti Family doesn't like, so they sent over their usual messengers to "politely" ask me not too." It actually was polite, they didn't kill me.
    "So The Jester and his two little friends came by."
    "Yeah, He told me I got forty-eight hours to rethink taking the job."
    Clepto looked thoughtful for a minute before he spoke, "Well, I don't think you have to worry about that anymore."
    "Huh? Why?"
    I was more than a little confused.
    "It seems that The Jester and his crew were gunned down in the Dranx last night. The Jester was shot straight in the face with a very large round. It seems that you've got a guardian angel."
    Whoa, that's one too make you rock back on your heels. I sat back and rubbed my face. I seriously doubt that whoever did this; didn’t do it on my behalf.
    "Finish your food, I gotta pack, I think it might be best if I don’t stay here for a few days."