Conflict

Part 1, Chapter 4

"So let me get this straight." The forest green Gran Fury squinted into the sunlight, trying to see his friend through the glare. "Through some weird chain of events, you get shot, Mother Theresa de la Chrysler starts letting you in and out of the gate, and the first thing you do is fly two hours straight here?"

"Where else was I supposed to go?" Strip shrugged. "I've never been outside the gate before."

Wayne laughed and shook himself in disbelief. "It's good to see you, man. Even at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. Come on in."

Strip followed his old best friend into the small house, still jittery from the excitement of the trip. Flying under the cover of night, he was able to make the trip from Michigan to North Carolina in nearly no time at all. The air had been so fresh and pure up above those clouds his general distaste for flying seemed to vanish. And the roads! After he'd landed, the roads he'd driven on to get to Wayne's countryside home were beautiful. They wove in and out of the mountains and were excellent for sport driving. Despite not getting an ounce of sleep the night before, Strip was wide awake with excitement. Everything felt so new.

"Yeah so this is the living room. That's the kitchen. That's my room over there. Oh, and a guest room that's completely empty. That's about it – the grand tour," Wayne pointed out.

Strip looked around and wondered what he would do with a space this big. "I can't believe you're out on your own already. It's been what, less than a year since you were adopted?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I had things I wanted to do. I played my cards right and was able to move out pretty quickly. My parents were okay. We still talk sometimes, but I like being independent."

Strip nodded, turning back from his brief tour to face his friend, who was intently looking at him. A few seconds passed where neither of them said anything.

"You know, now that I'm here, I honestly have no clue what to do," Strip admitted.

"Impulsive as ever." Wayne cracked a smile. "Well lucky for you, I actually have stuff lined up for this weekend. And now, you're gonna tag along. You need socializin'."

"Alright, what's the plan?"

"I think you'll like it."

Later that afternoon they drove into the nearby town to meet up with one of Wayne's college friends at a bar near where they worked. The company they worked for seemed to be the only real business in the town. There was one tall building with a 'Dinoco' marquee illuminating the top on the outskirts of a lazy small town. Strip thought it funny that such a big name company would have an office way out in the middle of nowhere.

The name of the bar was the Slim Trim, a little hole-in-the-wall type pub in a refurbished grain silo. It stood on the edge of a field right across the road from the imposing Dinoco building, and seemed popular. Strip followed Wayne inside to a table in the back corner where a Cadillac no older than they were awaited them.

"Hey, Tex," Wayne hailed the golden car as he approached the table. "Got someone I want ya to meet."

The Cadillac looked up from his drink and acknowledged Wayne's presence with a subtle nod and a warm smile. His paint seemed to shimmer when he moved under the amber light, contrasting with the rustic nature of his cowhide vinyl top and the bull horns attached to his grille.

"Tex, this is my friend from way back in the factory days, Strip Weathers. Strip, this is Tex Dinoco, heir to Dinoco Enterprises." Wayne introduced them with a bit of his usual unneeded extravagance.

"A friend," Tex humbly corrected him as he looked at Strip. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Strip responded, moving slightly to the side to make room for a waitress bringing them drinks.