Second Time

Hearing Destiny defend him, Jett squinted up with one eye, a bit surprised. For someone who didn't fit into this crowd, she had guts. After she'd looked at his head, he was still cringing, but nodded a little. "Yeah... I'll be okay... and if I'm not, I won't give them the satisfaction of seeing it."

Glancing up at her hand, he hesitated. He could feel his face was beet red, partially from humiliation and partially from pain, but mostly from humiliation. If he was any sort of man, he'd get up by his own strength an go sock Neil in the mouth. But then... maybe "Shrimpy" really did fit.

He finally took her hand and stood up, brushing off his pants before tossing her a smirk. "Yeah well... I'm flattered of your impression of me... even if it is unrealistic." His face remained red as he sighed. "It's just Zan they respect, and even that only goes so far. Me?" He shook his head, which only made it hurt more. "They know I couldn't take on a toad, let alone them."

He started to get back up on the tailgate, but then decided standing was probably a better option for his tailbone. Hearing engines start to rev, it at least provided a distraction from all this. He brushed his shirt where the beer had spilled, hoping to help it dry faster. "Looks like they're getting ready to go," he mused.

Within seconds, the cars took off into the desert, creating a dust cloud that swept over the crowd. Jett's grin finally returned a little, and he pointed. "Zan's in third. Not a bad start." He reached back into the bed of the pickup, and handed Destiny a pair of binoculars. "Here. These'll help. Once they get out far enough, ya can't see anything but taillights without them."

Shifting gears to stay in a good place, Zan kept his eyes on the cars around him. Swerving slightly to the right, he cut off the car behind him to keep them from passing, and grinned. Shifting again, he sped up, keeping a light grip on the wheel and feeling the sand skid beneath the tires. By the time they'd rounded the far curve, he was in second place, and directly ahead of Thunder who was in third. 

Halfway back, Zan made his move to pass. But just as he did, Thunder came up fast, nicking the passenger side of his back bumper. They were going too fast for Zan to control the sudden hit, and his car whipped around, out of control.

"No!" Jett yelled, then winced as it hurt his head. By now, he was in the bed of the truck, standing so he could get a better look. "Thunder just clipped him, the stupid..." What he called Thunder next wouldn't be worth repeating later.

Zan tried to pull his car around, but it was useless as he spun out in the sand. Without warning, his front tire hit a rock, and his world was turned upside down, over and over and over. 

Jett's eyes widened. "Ohhh... no, no, no!" It was almost an exact repeat of the last time.

Now that Zan's car was out of the way, Thunder passed the number one car and slipped into first place, right before crossing the finish line. 

Jett hopped down off the pickup and motioned for Destiny to follow. "Come on." He got into the driver's side and waited until she was seated next to him before pulling around, hoking his horn to get people to move out of the way. Once they were in the clear, he gunned it and sped out, avoiding the incoming cars and aiming for Zan's upturned car. Sliding to a stop, he threw it in park and got out. "Zan! Zan, you alright?!"

Zan was just unbuckling his seatbelt and crumbled to what was the ceiling. He groaned. "Jett?"

"Yeah, man. You hurt?" Jett knelt next to the open window and peered inside.

"Um. Don't think so..." Blood trickled down the side of his face. "Except maybe a cut. Get me out of here."

Reaching inside, Jett latched onto one hand. He looked up over his shoulder at Destiny and motioned for her to assist. With her help, Zan was cleared from the wreck and lay on his back in the sand, breathing heavily. "What the heck just happened?"

"Thunder," Jett hissed. "You do realize this is the second time in a row that he-"

"Don't remind me," Zan complained. He looked up at Destiny in the light from the pickup's headlights. "Well... wish I could say I showed off tonight but... looks like I'm broke now, in more ways than one."

 
Jeff nodded, even though his faith in this whole thing was growing thin. "Okay... we'll talk to her and Jason in the morning and... whatever they decide... we'll let them do." 

It felt like a long night. Too long. While the ranch was lying in peace, there were those who were far from it. And when morning finally came, tension hung thick in the air... 


"So... that's what I think you two should try." Rick stood in the bedroom, talking with Katie and Jason. Cindy, Jeff and Rosetta were present as well. 

Jason was sitting up in bed with Katie, not as sick as the day before, but just as tired. Rick was right... they hadn't bounced back, and it seemed they had plateaued in this weakened state. Jason himself was afraid of the next episode, unsure if Katie could take it. His fingers wrapped around Katie's and gave them a squeeze. Rick wanted them to go off alone... far enough away so no one else would get hurt... and potentially kill themselves? 

I don't know what to say... It sounds too risky but... what if it's our only chance? 

Rick looked between them as silence reigned. "Either that... or we can work on an antidote again."

"No." Jason shook his head. "No... we're not doing that again."

Rick sighed. "This is a danger to you both, but it poses more of a threat to Katie than you."

Jason's hand tightened on hers again.
I don't know if I can do this to you, Katie... I don't know if I can take this risk.
He looked at his mom... Jeff... Rosetta... then Katie. He searched her eyes. 
"I'll do whatever you want to do."