The wizard squinted his eyes at the two of them. "I've never seen you two before. And where is my wand?"
Slate decided that enough was enough and just sucker-punched the man in the jaw, knocking him out before he hit the floor.
"Ow, that fucker had a hard face!" Slate grumbled, shaking his right hand with a wince.
“I’m not around much and he’s a new recruit,” She tried to explain before Slate knocked him out. Alex scowled at him and shook her head, tucking the guys wand into his hand, “I was handling things, Mr. Isaac. Let me do my job, and no more knocking people out without telling me.” Now she had to figure out what to do with the unconscious wizard, and where to put him so he wouldn’t know where they were.
Slate didn't seem to listen to her, stepping over the man and walking back into his home. About 15 minutes later, he came back out with a black duffel bag thrown over his shoulder.
"Don't worry about him," he told her, nudging the guy with his foot to make sure he was out for real. "I'd be surprised if he woke up remembering anything. I didn't pull that punch. Besides, we're not staying here any longer."
She just watched as he walked back into the apartment, deciding with a shrug to take the guys wand with as well. It technically wouldn’t work very well for her since she didn’t disarm him and claim the wand for her own, but it wouldn’t hurt to bring it with. Alex open one of her pockets and dropped it in, only the top sticking out.
“Where are you going now?” She asked as he came back out, puzzled when he had a bag with, “You’re leaving this place?”
"They obviously have my address, and quite frankly, I need some sleep. It's been a couple of days." He walked over to his truck and tossed the duffel bag into the back, unafraid of it falling out while driving. "Are you coming with?"
Alex sighed and shrugged, “I guess I am.” She strode over to the truck and looked back at the guy and house before shaking her head, “Do you know where you’re going?” He seemed to be just picking up and leaving with no plan in mind, though she couldn’t say she wouldn’t do the same in his situation. At least she would’ve planed a little more, made a never ending bag for her stuff and then left.
"I got a place, yeah," he said cryptically, hopping into the driver's seat and slamming the door. "Ever since I was attacked, I had my essential shit packed, along with a few extra surprises."
He started the vehicle and shifted out of park into neutral, holding the truck in place with the brake as he waited for her to get in.
(I didn't see you responded, I'm sorry)
(You’re good)
She raised an eyebrow as she got in, closing the door much more gently than he did before buckling up, “Do I need to be worried about these surprise?” Alex settles into the seat, not fully trusting Slate to not crash into anything. He seemed very paranoid and jumpy at the moment, but that was probably from the fact that he was being hunted down by wizards.
"Depends on if you plan on trying to kill me," he said, shifting into Drive and pulling out of the driveway.
After about 15 minutes of silence in the cab, he glanced over at her and said, "The surprise is a shotgun," as if it was supposed to put her at ease.
“I’m here to protect you, not to kill you,” She replied, looking over at him. Eventually she started daydreaming though, rolling up the sleeves of her suit-like uniform and running a hand over a smaller version of the Slytherin snake and shield right below the crook of her elbow. It was her house she was put in when she was a student, and any of her fellow workers that saw it always looked at her differently after seeing it. “Another one of your magic explosive things?” She asked, only vaguely knowing what a shotgun was.
Even in the situation they were in, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Wait, you think my gun is magic?" he asked, unable to hide a stupid grin. "Listen, if I knew how to do magic, I'd poof myself the fuck outta here and into some foreign land where no one could rat me out 'cause no one spoke English."
Alex scowled, “I never cared to learn much about the muggle inventions like your gun, they seem too complicated.” She rolled her eyes and tugged her sleeves back down, looking out the window, “Also, you don’t poof yourself anywhere, it’s called apparating, and it takes years of training to get the hang of. I know from experience.”
"I'm guessin you were born into a wizard family?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the road.
All he wore was a tank top, a pair of faded jeans, and, funnily enough, cowboy boots, making him look like a modern day cowboy.
“Yes,” She replied, looking out the window again and resting her hand on the handle of her wand to give herself something to do, “Both my mother and father were wizards, though my mother was like your brother, born into a muggle family but with magic in her.” She was wearing a very deep blue suit that looked black, though it was more loose fitting and easy to move around in. Her white undershirt and matching deep blue shoes made them look like quite the crew together.
(I'm ChAnGiNg ThE nAmE tO tHe CoWbOy AnD tHe WizArD)
"So you've never experienced anything outside of the wizarding world?" he asked, sounding like he had something in mind.
(XDXD ok)
She shrugged, “I’ve interacted with people like you obviously, but otherwise..no.” The muggle world wasn’t her fathers favorite thing, he preferred for her to focus on studies and excel rather than learn somewhat useless things about the muggle world. “The only other time I’ve spent out in this world is when I was learning how to act to blend in for this case.”
"Well, then, we're taking a detour," he said, turning on the left-hand blinker and slowing down. "And see how good this acting is."
After another 30 minutes of driving, Slate pulled into a gravel parking lot in front of what looked like an old warehouse. It was difficult to find a parking space from the amount of vehicles packed as close as sardines. He found one all the way in the back and put the truck in park, turning off the engine.
("That sounds vaguely inappropriate.")
“I was only given the basics, Mr. Isaac,” She said, looking curiously at the building. Alex had no clue what to expect and her hand slipped to her wand as she unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the car. “What is this place?” Was her only question as she looked over to him and wondered what was going on.
"It isn't Mr. Isaac," he said with a grin, sliding the gun from his waistband and putting it onto the floorboard, "It's Slate. "And there's no need for the magic stick. It's a bar."
She rolled her eyes, “It’s called a wand, not a magic stick, and it is Mr. Isaac, that’s the name I was told to address you by.” A bar, she had heard of these bar things, though knew they were nothing like the ones she was used to. Alex gently tapped her wand twice and it morphed into a pencil again, which she tucked into her pocket just in case. She was very curious as to why he was bringing her here, as it had nothing to do with the case.
"Well, if you insist," he said with the shrug, reaching into the bed of the truck and pulling out the duffel bag, throwing it over his shoulder. "But with the way you're dressed, calling me Mr. Isaac will make people assume you're an escort."
“Lets just get this over with, Mr. I-Slate” She replied, crossing her arms and mentally forcing herself to call him Slate as she looked to the bar and slowly started towards it, “And just for the record, I am no escort, I’m just here to keep you from being killed.” The place looked intimidating from the outside, and with the amount of cars parked around, she reckoned it would be very very packed inside.
He let out another laugh. "Not that kinda escort. 'Round here, an escort's a fancy word for hooker."
Slate walked over to the door and held it open for her, the sounds of a crowd snaking out of the door and into their ears.
Alex’s face flushed and she rolled her eyes, following him with crossed arms. “Muggles and their weird language,” She muttered, shaking her head before stepping inside. The place was loud, she could say that, though not nearly as loud as some places she had been on assignments.
He walked in after her, grinning widely as every face in the bar turned to him and let out a loud cheer. Seems he was well known in the place.
Because the warehouse was so big, there were actually two bars: one to the left as soon as you walk in, and an identical one on the opposite wall. The tables and seats were pressed up close to the walls, leaving an almost intimidating space for dancing, or just standing around. Loud country music blared out from hidden speakers that seemed to be everywhere. It seemed Slate was in his element, for the jumpiness he had only 20 minutes disappeared, replaced with a calm demeanor.
"Slate!" A huge man shoved his way from the middle of the crowd and clapped a monstrous hand on Slate's shoulder. "Where da fuck have you been, boy?"
The man wore a massive red flannel that looked more like a sail than a shirt and a cowboy hat, finished off with a dirt-stained pair of jeans and work boots.
''Round," he responded with a grin. "Hey, is Rich here tonight?"
"Nah," the man said, "Dealin' wit the missus. Why?"
"Found myself in a bit of a pickle. Anyways," he turned back to Alex, "Alex, meet Big Mark." He jabbed a thumb over at the giant, who smiled wildly in response.