actually have black belts in taekwondo, karate and judo.” When he saw that they didn’t believe him, he pulled out his phone and tapped it a few times, then passed it to them. “Proof. Go through the album.”
Tegan took the phone and held it, the others craning their necks to get a closer look at the screen. Jag let out a low whistle as she swiped through the photos of the blonde-haired fellow sparring in the black belt division of countless martial arts competitions. “Dude, that’s insane.”
“Looks are deceiving, aren’t they?” Kody muttered in awe.
Tegan passed the phone back to its owner. “We didn’t mean to doubt you, it’s just . . . ”
The young man laughed again. “Don’t worry about it. But that’s the beauty, right? I don’t look like I can defend myself, but if someone ever tries to best me, they’d be in for a nasty surprise!”
Jag grinned. “Good stuff.” He reached past the others and held out his hand. “I’m Jag, by the way. And these guys and girls are Aari, Tegan, Mariah and Kody.”
“Pleasure making your acquaintances. Name’s Anthony, but you can call me Tony.” He shook Jag’s hand.
The five chatted with him until their meals arrived a few minutes later, at which point Tony smiled at them and returned to eating his pancakes.
The friends gladly dug into their food. “Who’s paying, by the way?” Kody asked as he munched through his dinner.
The others just stared at him and grinned in response. He stared back at them, then groaned. “I had to ask . . . ”
While the five ate and laughed over stories, Mariah couldn’t help but notice that the Mustang driver in the other booth constantly glanced in their direction. He had a rather imposing air about him and Mariah felt a bit uncomfortable.
They spent nearly an hour in the diner before Jag finally said, “Alright, we should find a place to stay the night. We’ve got another early morning tomorrow.”
“What about that motel right across the street?” Mariah asked. “It looks decent enough.”
“Let’s go check it out, then. Kode-man, you’re up.”
Kody grumbled as he grabbed his root beer and trotted to the counter to pay for their dinner. The group then said goodbye to Tony before leaving.
As they headed toward the exit, Mariah saw the bearded man get up. He ignored them completely as he went to the cashier, but Mariah still felt uneasy and hurried the others out of the door.
They walked past the rows of cars until they came upon the Jeep parked in the back. Mariah saw the red Mustang parked a few slots away from them and frowned slightly as the five of them got into their vehicle and buckled in.
Jag was starting up the engine when a knock on his window startled them all. They looked out to see who it was. Mariah’s eyes widened when she saw that it was the bearded man who had been surveilling them.
As Jag was about to press down on the button to lower his window, Mariah stopped him. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing what this man wants.”
“I don’t think we should.”
“Why is that?”
“I . . . I don’t know. We should just get going.”
“That would be kind of rude. Look, he’s holding up a map. I think he needs directions.” Before Mariah could protest further, Jag lowered his window and smiled at the man. “Hello, sir.”
“Hiya.” The man’s voice was low and pleasant, his smile cheery and disarming. The five noticed some scars on the left side of his face as he brought up his large map to show to Jag. “Could you tell me where exactly we are on this thing? My phone died and I have no GPS, so I’m stuck using this dinosaur.”
Jag chuckled. “Sure. We’re just passing through here ourselves, actually, but we are right—” As he raised his finger to the map, the man suddenly shoved the chart toward Jag. Mariah heard a quick metallic clinking before seeing the man toss a spherical object the size of his palm through the window. Jag let out an oath.
Tegan took the phone and held it, the others craning their necks to get a closer look at the screen. Jag let out a low whistle as she swiped through the photos of the blonde-haired fellow sparring in the black belt division of countless martial arts competitions. “Dude, that’s insane.”
“Looks are deceiving, aren’t they?” Kody muttered in awe.
Tegan passed the phone back to its owner. “We didn’t mean to doubt you, it’s just . . . ”
The young man laughed again. “Don’t worry about it. But that’s the beauty, right? I don’t look like I can defend myself, but if someone ever tries to best me, they’d be in for a nasty surprise!”
Jag grinned. “Good stuff.” He reached past the others and held out his hand. “I’m Jag, by the way. And these guys and girls are Aari, Tegan, Mariah and Kody.”
“Pleasure making your acquaintances. Name’s Anthony, but you can call me Tony.” He shook Jag’s hand.
The five chatted with him until their meals arrived a few minutes later, at which point Tony smiled at them and returned to eating his pancakes.
The friends gladly dug into their food. “Who’s paying, by the way?” Kody asked as he munched through his dinner.
The others just stared at him and grinned in response. He stared back at them, then groaned. “I had to ask . . . ”
While the five ate and laughed over stories, Mariah couldn’t help but notice that the Mustang driver in the other booth constantly glanced in their direction. He had a rather imposing air about him and Mariah felt a bit uncomfortable.
They spent nearly an hour in the diner before Jag finally said, “Alright, we should find a place to stay the night. We’ve got another early morning tomorrow.”
“What about that motel right across the street?” Mariah asked. “It looks decent enough.”
“Let’s go check it out, then. Kode-man, you’re up.”
Kody grumbled as he grabbed his root beer and trotted to the counter to pay for their dinner. The group then said goodbye to Tony before leaving.
As they headed toward the exit, Mariah saw the bearded man get up. He ignored them completely as he went to the cashier, but Mariah still felt uneasy and hurried the others out of the door.
They walked past the rows of cars until they came upon the Jeep parked in the back. Mariah saw the red Mustang parked a few slots away from them and frowned slightly as the five of them got into their vehicle and buckled in.
Jag was starting up the engine when a knock on his window startled them all. They looked out to see who it was. Mariah’s eyes widened when she saw that it was the bearded man who had been surveilling them.
As Jag was about to press down on the button to lower his window, Mariah stopped him. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing what this man wants.”
“I don’t think we should.”
“Why is that?”
“I . . . I don’t know. We should just get going.”
“That would be kind of rude. Look, he’s holding up a map. I think he needs directions.” Before Mariah could protest further, Jag lowered his window and smiled at the man. “Hello, sir.”
“Hiya.” The man’s voice was low and pleasant, his smile cheery and disarming. The five noticed some scars on the left side of his face as he brought up his large map to show to Jag. “Could you tell me where exactly we are on this thing? My phone died and I have no GPS, so I’m stuck using this dinosaur.”
Jag chuckled. “Sure. We’re just passing through here ourselves, actually, but we are right—” As he raised his finger to the map, the man suddenly shoved the chart toward Jag. Mariah heard a quick metallic clinking before seeing the man toss a spherical object the size of his palm through the window. Jag let out an oath.
Similar Books
