Different Drum

Eli got up off the couch too, and yawned. He was a night owl but couldn't afford to be most days. Pausing his route to his bedroom as Ryan asked him about Tal, he was quiet for several moments. "He's okay." He'd leave it at just that, but he knew Ryan wouldn't let him get away with it. "He's... well, I see him at work of course. We sometimes do lunch, but, um..." He shrugged. He wasn't going to tell her he knew Tal frequented the bar again, or that he'd quit going to church, or that he was grouchy half the time. Eli knew it was just a rough patch Tal was going through, and eventually he'd pull out of it...but he didn't want Ryan blaming herself. He forced a smile. "He's doing alright." 

Passing by her in the hall, he patted her shoulder. "Goodnight, Sis. I'll see ya tomorrow."


Scott's eyes widened as Dalton gave him a hug, then just returned it and chuckled. Looking up at him, he was immediately reassured that his friend was still his friend. 

"Me? Oh, I... I'm..." His eyes fell. He couldn't lie to him. "Honestly... I've been pretty crappy." He glanced back up at him. "Guess I deserve it though." He shrugged. "Just... trying to survive til Justin tells Reese I can come back to work, but I'm not expecting that to happen any time soon." 

He glanced around the office and saw some of Jamison's things. And something in his heart hurt. "Can't be too quiet around here," he reasoned. "With Jamison being here and all."


Pete chuckled lightly and slid back to sit on the edge of the table. "Chance is different all the way around. He's got a rather colored history, too. A while back it was discovered he was a double agent for an obscure vigilante group he called the Underground. We never could find out more about them, or how big they were or where their home base was. But Chance was one of their guys and had been playing on both sides of the fence." He sighed wearily. "Was stripped of his rank and dismissed from the Elite. Then his services were needed so he had a chance to redeem himself. He did and... was reinstated with hopefully a stronger sense of loyalty."

He thought for a moment. "He's always been a bit odd. Super skilled but definitely marches to the beat of a different drum." He caught Ron's eye. "I really don't think he'd do something like this... not after all he did to get back into the Elite's good graces."


Travis looked down at Ashlee and smirked. "You just hush and get on up in your saddle so Eric can start telling you what to do, too."

Eric grinned as he rode over to them and stopped. "We were working on getting his heels down," he explained. "Just getting him ready for bareback."

"What??" Travis' eyes widened. "Me?"

"I think it's a good idea."

Eric and Travis both turned quickly at the sound of Lane's voice and Eric grinned. "Howdy."

Lane just smiled and entered the corral with Ginger, a tall chestnut mare. "I don't wanna interrupt. Mick said this girl could use a little attention was all."

Eric cocked his head at the lack of a saddle. "See?" He looked at Travis. "Bareback."

Lane walked a short ways away from the fence before easily swinging up onto the mare's back. He walked around a little, then started slow trotting in figure eights.

"See that?" Eric pointed so both Travis and Ashlee would watch. "See how he's sitting? Where his legs are? Look at his heels, even though he doesn't have stirrups. See how straight he's sitting?"

"Alright, alright." Travis huffed a sigh. "I get the picture."

Eric laughed and turned Static. "We'll come on then. Show me."

At the other end, Lane continued to ride, taking the mare through some rather complicated paces and gaits, all the while perfectly comfortable without a saddle.