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((My turn! NOWAI! *posts*))

Icarus raised his eyebrows at Terry. "What? Are you saying you want to be my partner? The Robin to my Batman? Only without the gay... sorry, that time I actually didn't MEAN to make the gay joke." He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "How about the... Jet to my Spike?" Karen laughed a little and he batted her with a hand. "Honestly? I don't need the help."

"Don't LIE." Karen piped in and spread her hands flat on the table. "You're a twig, Icarus. A malnourished twig... having Terry with some actual weight behind him would be a GREAT asset. Let's face it... you struggle if it comes to something physical." She fixed him with such a look. "You may have only been shot twice but your arms have been broken four times, you've had three broken ribs, three times your NOSE has been broken, and let's not forget-"

"OK! Okaaay." Icacus said shushing her with a finger to her lips. "I get it. I'm fragile." He grinned at her with a slightly raised eyebrow. She moved away from his finger and crossed her arms smartly.

"Like glass." She said. "Or a china doll. I bet I could break you!" She said.

"Don't kid yourself, tender foot." Icarus looked back to Terry. "You heard the woman. I could use the help." Of course, now Zoe sat down and he felt a sort of HALF guilt that he would say yes to Terry and then no to Zoe... but she WAS too soft. Terry on the other hand would be different, he was sure of it.

Maybe she hadn't even heard. He changed the subject just in case she hadn't.

"You'll get me something?" He smiled real big. "What about that thing you gave me yesterday? It... was... amazing." He felt his stomach growl. "I could totally go for one of those."

And then a very burly man wandered into the shop. Icarus hailed him with that angled smile of his that was full of charm. The sort of smile that was like a wolf in sheep's clothing, a grin that could convince anyone that the rough looking character it came from was absolutely harmless. It was the same smile that had gotten him out of and into so much trouble when he was younger.

"Heya, Jim." He said in a sing song voice. "It's good to see you out and about." He paused and nodded his head sort of vaguely. "I don't see why not. Got it with you? I'll have the time this week."

Karen leaned back in her seat to stare about at this giant. "Hey Jim." She said lightly and wiggled her fingers in a small salutation. She then looked to Terry and wagged a finger at him. "This'll be your chance, huh?"

((... thaaat's what Aka came up with.))

((MAI TURN YAI! Let's see if we can like, get something interesting going... Ya know? YA KNOW?!))

Terry gave a nonchalant shrug at Icarus' question. "Why not? I had no plans for life when I ended up here. I sure as hell ain't going back to my parents to beg for anything. They'd just kick me out anyway. I saved myself a trip." A wry little smile tugged at the corner of his lips at the Cowboy Bebop reference. "Your anime nerd is showing."

He frowned at hearing all the injuries Karen was listing off, giving Icarus a look. The man seemed to concede to the Indian woman's list, and offered for Terry to help out. The man quirked a smile. This would be fun.

Terry nodded to Zoe when she returned with food, giving him both a muffin and a sandwich. She passed out a muffin to Karen before sitting down and pointedly looking out the window. A shadow of a frown crossed Terry's face at her suddenly quiet actions, and he might have said something if the current situation hadn't been so awkward. It was pretty obvious why this Jim fellow was here, and despite being far more comfortable with Zoe's presence than he had been before (whether it be the alcohol in his system or something else), there was something there that was making him uncomfortable.

Time to ignore it!

Jim once more tugged at his facial hair and produced a little white envelope that seemed just a little too-full of paper. "Got it right here," he said with a grin. Icarus always seemed so chipper.

"Heya Karen," Jim said brightly, beaming at the much smaller woman. "Lookin' good this morning!" He gave her a cheesy thumbs up before clapping Icarus on the shoulder. "You kids have fun then, I'll pass the message along." Jim turned to leave, but paused momentarily to look at Zoe. His mustache turned down for a split second as something registered in his eyes. Shrugging, he turned and left the group to their own devices.

Terry leaned back in his chair again, having taken a gigantic bite of the sandwich. Zoe was right, it was damn good. "Sounds good to me," He said around a mouthful of turkey and ham. "Hopefully I won't disappoint."

He paused, then added with a snort, "That's what she said."

((Bounty taimu bounty taaaaimu... Being that this IS a bounty hunters thing. >.o))

((Something before I go out to buy things!))

After they finished whatever it was they were eating, the whole group split up. Zoe had to go to work, and after a couple more hours, Karen admitted that she needed to get back to the hospital. Skipping lab time was nice and fun, especially having seen Terry for the first time in thirteen years, but work was work, and the longer it sat, the more there was going to be to do when she DID return.

That settled, they bid Karen goodbye (as they'd done with Zoe by her bookshop) and Icarus and Terry went 'on the town' for the rest of the day. In truth, not too much had changed, but they had their share of 'adventures,' finally ending up back in Icarus' shop just after the sun started setting.

Terry had thrown himself on the sofa, beer in one hand, a half-smoked cigarette in the other. It had been a long day, but it was fun. Catching up with everyone had been fun, but exhausting. A lot of people he'd known as kids had moved on, moved away, or somehow disappeared. Things had gone downhill, but there was that sense of nostalgia that the city held that kept Terry from downright hating it.

With a deep sigh, he glanced over at Icarus, waving his beer hand at the man, "So, I suppose I oughta get my hands on a gun... And get a rundown of how this works." He stuck his pinky in his ear idly, blowing a smoke ring at the bare light hanging from the ceiling. He didn't want to admit it, but he was excited. It had been a while since he'd been 'in the thick of things' so to speak, and that was one thing he DID miss about the military. It was exciting. At least when he wasn't in the country.

"So then, what kind of people are we going after? It sounds like most of 'em are pretty violent... Oh, and we are NOT taking my bike this time." He pointed meaningfully at Icarus, "I don't want random chicks driving off with it again."

((Haha okay, so it's dark out now, aaaaaand they're gonna go bounty hunting... Mmmyes.))

((GOOOO.))

Back at Icarus's shop the man was pacing around idly. A cigarette was in his hand but had long since run to the filter where it smoldered and smoked quietly at his fingertips. There was a sort of edge to his walk, an uneasiness. There was a thoughtfulness to his face and his eyes were sharp.

There weren't too many times when Icarus felt this way before a hunt. He was more relaxed than a dead man six feet under. He had nothing to lose and figured he never would. He was the sort of individual that had always lived his life recklessly and without hesitation or fear. The kind of man that knew even after a car crash, he'd walk away from it. If there was one thing he felt truly gifted with in this world, it was the unbelievable ability to walk away from near death experiences. He either figured God thought he was something left to do, God was an incredibly cruel b*****d, or he was just like that cockroach you couldn't quite smother with your shoe.

He had more than most would experience in several lives. Most people, when he was growing up, figured he would grow out of it. Years later and he was the same as he had always been: all scars, broken bones, and head injuries.

He paused to stare at Terry on his couch. "Maybe you shouldn't go." He deposited his burnt out cigarette in one of his randomly placed ash trays and started in on another.

Icarus had never cared for his own well being. He made up for it several times over by caring about everyone else.

"I mean... Think about it." Icarus ran a hand through his hair and sat at the edge of the sofa. "If you get hurt I MIGHT feel bad about it." He took a drag and continued. "If I feel bad no one feels good about anything because me feeling bad doesn't happen very often." Again he breathed in the smoke. "And... I mean... you're kind of out of shape, Terry." He looked pointedly at the man's growing beer gut. "Seriously. Can you run with that thing?"

He frowned, exhaling all that smoke he had breathed in through his nostrils. "This is really messin' me up, man." He chuckled. "I need a downer, or something." He was up again and pacing. "Do you really want to do this?" He wanted to know. He paused by his work table and dropped the information of the bounty on his stomach. "That's our man.... If you really want to do this. We'll do this."

((hahaha, second thoughts, Icarus? How STRANGE.))

(( *hops on Lala* Go train go! ;D! ))

Zoe continued to walk. She didn't go deep into town, figuring that staying near the outside would be best so she didn't get run over or shoved by the crowd. There was no place she wanted to go, no place she needed to be, instead she simply walked. There wasn't a day she didn't take walks or runs with Stan. It was an addiction of sorts. Ever since middle school she had run every day. The first time she had run it was from school. Things had been overwhelming, and if she hadn't run away she'd have completely broken down in front of the whole class. It was then she realized running took away everything. Nothing could touch you and nothing seemed important but to keep moving.

Stan walked beside her as always, nose sniffing the air and sniffing the ground whenever an interesting scent came near. Suddenly he stopped. Zoe continued, unaware he was no longer beside her until he growled. She twisted her head to look at him. His ears swiveled and he looked to the side, down an alley way. His head lowered and he took a few steps back towards Zoe, as if to protect her. Her heart started to thud in her chest. She must of picked the perfect day to NOT bring her guns, or really any protection.

"What is it?" She whispered as she knelt down against the wall near the alley. Stan stood in front of her, teeth barred. A figure came from the shadows. The flickering street light over head lit his face, and then covered it in shadows, and lit it again, over and over. He looked grim. His jaw was squared and somewhat crooked, a stubble beard covered his jaw. His gaze flickered over to her and Stan barked roughly. She could hear the blood rushing through her veins and she stood up quickly, taking a step backwards with a fist raised before her.

"Where ya going so soon, little lady?" He asked with a gravely, rough, smoker's voice. Zoe winced and narrowed her eyes bitterly at him.

"I'm leaving. And you'd be best to let me do it." She growled. Something grabbed her shoulders from behind and she yelped. Turning around she swung her fist against someone's head and slammed her knee into his gut. The man doubled over in pain before the other one grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall. His hands pinned her arms down.

She attempted to knee him in the groin but his legs were quickly pushing against hers. Stan barked madly and jumped up at the man, teeth clamping down on his arm. The man yelled at threw a gun at Stan's head. The dog yelped in pain and stumbled to the ground. Zoe was already scrambling from the wall and towards Stan but the man who had grabbed her shoulders threw a hand around her face and pulled back. She tried to bite his hand but it completely covered her face. Her arms grabbed his and tugged roughly, he slipped and she bit down hard. He gave a started cry and shook his bony hand.

The other man, now with a bleeding arm shoved Zoe back against the wall and once again had her pinned. "Let. me. go." Zoe his out, green-blue eyes flashing with bitter hatred. Her lips pulled back into a snarl and she wiggled, trying to get free. She was scared. It wasn't like this hadn't happened before, but she always had her guns, or some sort of weapon. Now she didn't have any guns, and her only exterior defense was knocked out on the ground.

She felt his breath against her face and she shivered, making a disgusted face. His friend stood up, coming close to her and putting a hand on her cheek. "What's a girl like you doing out so late?" He asked softly. Zoe blanched and she winced, his fingers running across her face. Bile rose in her throat but she held back. She noticed blood leaking from the skinny one's mouth, probably from the punch in the face. At least she did some damage.

"I was walking. And let me guess you guys are out looking for fun?" She had to refrain from barking it out at them in hate and terror. They both laughed and the man pressed against her. Zoe felt her body run cold and freeze. If she hadn't known what they were up to before, she did now, and it left a cold fist in her stomach and goosebumps on her arms. She felt tears in her eyes and didn't let them fall.

All the time she was hoping Stan would be okay...

((HOKAY. here we go...))

"Much better, Icky." Terry said lightly, returning Icarus' grin with a little sneer of his own. He hated being called 'kid.'

Getting to his feet as Icarus gathered a few things, Terry located his jacket and new shoes (there was no way in hell he was going to wear the ones he'd ruined the night before, and so had picked some up while they were out), then sat back down and waited for Icarus to reappear.

When he did, Terry lightly took the gun he was being offered and turned it a couple times in his hands. He then nodded and looked up at Icarus, "Duh. And don't worry man, I can take care of myself now. No more ickle Terry stuck in that thorn bush... Or hooked on the top of that fence... I've got it handled." He offered up a wide, stupid sort of grin before tucking the gun into the back of his belt and nodded at what information Icarus had. "Lead the way."



Their bus ride took them into a particular part of town that Terry had many times gone through. Sure, it looked smaller, dirtier, and a little more seedy than he remembered, but he chalked that up to just not KNOWING when he was younger, as opposed to an actual decline in the state of the place. He and Icarus carefully walked the street, eyes peeled for anything suspicious. They really had nothing to go on, as Icarus had previously said, and Terry half expected them to have come out here for nothing.

But those thoughts were put on hold when they came across what looked like a dead dog lying on the sidewalk. There was a bloody mat just above its eye, and upon closer inspection, Terry realized that it was breathing. He didn't get much closer though, because he knew good and well just how violent a scared and injured dog could be.

Skirting around the canine, he followed Icarus toward the source of what sounded like a scuffle. Upon seeing the two men and woman, it was QUITE obvious what was happening. Terry gave Icarus but a single glance before stepping forward, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't you two have something better to do?" He raised a dark eyebrow and waited for their response.

The guy who had Zoe pinned froze, glaring. "You'll get out of here if you know what's good for you," He ground out, nodding to his friend, who was already taking the safety off his gun.

"Yeah, you didn't see anything, right? Or do we have to make sure of that, you little b*****d?" The other man said, gun pointed at Terry and Icarus. Terry almost laughed. The man was holding his gun sideways and gangster style. There was no way he was hitting anyone with that.

"How about nothing happened?" Terry offered, dropping his hands to his sides before waggling a finger at Zoe, who at the moment Terry had no idea was her. "I think that'd be best." Yeah, he was giving them a chance... A chance he had a very strong feeling they wouldn't take.

It was odd how calm he was in this situation... It even surprised him. Usually he was a bit of a wreck if he was around anyone he didn't know, and they were talking to him. Especially if it was a woman, and she was throwing compliments. But if there was one thing being shipped off had done for him, it was to get over any real fear of dying. He'd seen it happen to a lot of guys, and well, there was a lot of desensitization going on when it came to that.

"What do you think, Icarus?" He looked over at his friend, hardly a joking look on his face. Hell, maybe they could get these guys into the police station and catch something for doing a 'good deed.' It didn't occur to him that these two might have been the ones they were looking for. After all, a situation like that would be too perfect.

((I Figured I'd give Aka a chance and and and the bad guys too! biggrin Or something...))

((ahahaha you posted RIGHT when I did. Ya crazy.))

Zoe was squeezing her eyes shut. Hot breath smothered her face and a pair of hands touched her sides. She no longer wanted to see anything. She didn't know what hand was sliding along her curves or which face was inches from hers. And it was best that way. A hand moved to her hip and she flinched, trying to push herself into the brick wall. Her body curved and one of the men pushed harder, causing her to straighten.

When she heard another man's voice she felt sick again. They had more? How many did they need? Surely they all weren't planning on getting some. She felt bile rise again and tears burn her eyes until she recognized the new voices. She dared to opened her eyes and looked to the side where the flickering light was casting shadows across Terry and Icarus' faces. She wasn't sure if she was relieved, grateful, or terrified.

The skinny man already had his gun out and Zoe glanced up to the large one, his hands and legs still holding her tightly. He sneered at the other two men and Zoe struggled against his hold. "You mean give a gorgeous lady like this up to you two?" He barked out a laugh and Zoe furrowed her brows.

"No...I'm rather ugly..." She attempted to say, in some lame attempt to make their appetites less craving. Well...they probably couldn't see her face TOO well under the darkness. "Really..."

The men ignored her as they looked at each other and back to Icarus and Terry. "There's no point in playing hero. You won't win." The big one said, obviously the one with more brains...if that was possible.

Now Zoe was hoping someone would just shoot someone so they'd let her go. And her hope was answered by a gun shot. Both men jumped, enough for her leg to get loose. In a split second she thrust her knee in between his legs. The man gasped for air and stumbled forward, kneeling over in pain. Zoe scrambled away from the wall and towards Icarus and Terry. She was fast, but a hand snatched her ankle and she fell to the ground, arms and legs scrapping against gravel and a pain shooting up her jaw. "Let go!" She screamed, her free leg kicking frantically. "If they don't kill you I will!" Her voice strained against a clenched throat and she was seized by another hand.

"Feisty b***h ain't she?" The small one laughed like a hyena and he turned to the two men. "Shoot again and you'll get it, she will too. In more way then one. Eh?" Zoe's hands shook as she was pulled to the large man. Her eyes widened before she swung a fist into his face, trying to wrench free. She caught sight of Stan's body and she swung another fist at him, trying to get to the dog. Yelling out she was pulled into his chest and her arms pulled behind her back.

"LET THE ******** GO!" She screamed, squirming around against the man's strong grip. "I'll kill you! You bastards! If he's dead I swear I'll beat you to death and then feed you to a pack of wil-" Her mouth was clamped over by a dirty hand and she screamed, muffled by the skin over her mouth. Her angry eyes narrowed and she looked over at Icarus and Terry as if telling them to shoot them till they were unidentifiable.