Need a drink? - [Male OC X Ford Pines] - Complete

18: Gideon-bot

"Soos," I sighed, looking at the new part time hire. "Please just don't burn down my bar, okay?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Porter," he said, saluting me.

"Waiter," Stan's voice said from the counter, "give me a glass of the strongest most expired apple cider you've got."

"Sure thing, Mr. Pines," Soos said.

"Soos?" Stan looked up.

I stepped up beside Soos. "How's about a Berry Sweetheart instead?" I asked. "We don't really keep 'expired apple ciders' here."

"Sounds fruity."

"It is if I make it right." I grabbed a clean highball glass

Stan nodded to me. "What are you doing here, Soos?"

I poured the drink as Soos responded, "Since the Mystery Shack shut down, I've had to take on a bunch of part-time jobs. Grave digger, bus driver, really awesome cook... Hey, is the kitchen supposed to have that much fire in it?"

"Soos!" I yelled turning to see my stove had started a grease fire. Soos ran and put the fire out with the fire extinguished, nearly ruining my kitchen but luckily stopping it before it reached the bar full of liquor and my single picture of the Pines twins that hung on it. Although I suppose there was two set of pines twins at that point. "You're lucky I have good insurance, Soos." I passed Stan his drink and sighed, shaking my head. "I was sorry to see the Shack shut down. Are you and the kids coping okay?"

"We're staying with Soos and his grandmother but I don't know if I can keep it up," Stan took a drink of the mocktail. "I'm out of money, we're out of food... I think it's time for me to face the facts..."

"Here." I set 40 on the counter. "Drinks on me. That should be enough to get bus tickets home for the twins and food for the day. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Why are you helping me?" Stan asked. "I've never actually done anything for you. You might be the last person in town who doesn't hate me."

"You're my friend," I said. "You don't have to do anything for me. Plus..." I touched the picture of the two in their ruined prom suits. "He'd kill me if I turned his brother away."

Stan laughed lightly. "Soos is fired, isn't he?"

"Even if he wasn't," I said, "he's destroyed my kitchen. This place will be closed to the public until further notice. Maybe I can finally use my savings to make this place what we always dreamed it would be."

~~~

"James!" Stan yelled, his car screeching to a halt before me. "I figured it out! Get in!"

I sat in his front seat, pulling on my seatbelt. "Figured what out?"

"Gideon's tricks!" He said, racing toward the Mystery Shack. "My hearing aid is collecting feedback from cameras and mics in his pins! The reason it's not a problem around you is you don't support that little fraud."

"I don't believe in psychics," I said, steadying myself. "Guess it's justified." I was thrown sideways still in my seatbelt. "How the actual fuck do you still have a driver's license?"

"Who said I did?" Stan hit the brakes, burning his tires as he stopped in front of a giant robotic Gideon that was laying on its side. He jumped from the car, struggling with his seatbelt. "Wait! Wait! Stop everything! I've got somethin' to say!" I climbed out of the car. "Just wait! Look! You guys all think Gideon is so perfect and honest, 'Oh! I could never tell a lie! I'm Gideon!'"

"He's more honest than you!" Blubs said.

Durland agreed. "Yeah! And he's psychic too!"

"How's this for psychic? Bam!" Stan kicked the Gideon-bot and a panel fell off. "Take a good look!"