Journey north

(Please note - this thread is closed for now!)

Morgan turned the wheel a bit too harshly to guide the truck around a mountain road, one tire dropping to roadside gravel momentarily before she jerked the wheel to correct herself. The teenager turned to look at the slumped figure in the cab next to her, waiting to see if Agiel would wake up in a panic like the last time she'd nearly driven them off the road, but the rhythmic movement of his breathing didn't change. The girl nodded to herself, pleased to have more alone time.

It'd been a whirlwind of activity since she first met Agiel a few days ago. The teen had slipped Agiel's wallet from his jeans pocket at a county fair in Sarasota, Florida, though he'd noticed a few moments later and chased her down. The pursuit ended when Morgan ran into traffic to try and lose the angry man, nearly being hit by a car which had mysteriously crumpled before her as she lay on the road. It only figured that Agiel would be intrigued by this instead of freaked out like they usually were. He took the opportunity to drag the girl off with him, wanting to learn more.

Morgan had initially been pretty freaked out, though the anger she had seen in Agiel's face while he ran her down was gone. The man fed her and gifted her with a wad of cash... though not without conditions. The stranger requested her help in something he wouldn't clearly define. Although it was against the girl's best judgment she grudgingly went along, attempting to escape once or twice though Agiel had stopped her.

Their adventure didn't end there. There was a car crash, the startling revealing of Agiel's powers of duplication, and a fight between two redneck men (whose car they now drove). The teen was then forced to learn how to drive when her companion was injured.

Somehow Morgan had learned enough behind the wheel to get them safely out of Florida. They now traveled through the Appalachian Mountains, currently in the state of Georgia.

The bag of pork rinds Agiel found stuffed behind his seat was depleted. It seemed as though Morgan could eat her own weight and then some, so the teenager was becoming restless. She turned to peer Agiel's way, again allowing the truck to waver on the road.

"Hey. Batty," the redhead called. When Agiel didn't move she picked up the empty bag, stuffed it into a ball and tossed it his way.

Agiel slumped against the truck's window, trying to catch some sleep despite the slightly unsteady driving and more bothersome, the uncomfortable resting position he was forced to be in. His injuries from the car crash and the excitement over the past few days had exhausted him. He didn't worry much if they were going the right way...Morgan knew where they were going right? Little did he know they were heading north and continuing on that path rather than making their way west towards California, their intended destination.

Morgan intrigued Ag, as did her power. He didn't expect to get to know either right away but he hoped to the more time he spent with the teen. She certainly could be much help in the next stage of his plan...but such things would be discussed later. So far the short talk between the two about Ag's 'beliefs' concerning why people had these inborn abilities hadn't gone so well...Morgan already thought he was a freak. Now she was probably pretty sure of it.

Ag twitched a bit when the truck swerved, not fully awake but still on edge subconsciously after their first accident. He didn't wake fully however until the empty pork rind bag nailed him in the face. Grey eyes slowly fluttered open, a look of confusion running across the blonde's features. "What is it you named me? Bat tea?" The unsure expression faded into a pained smile as he sat up straighter, pushing hair from his face and looking out the front windshield as he tried to figure out how far they'd gone. "Where are we now? I am guessing we are not close, yes?" A quick glance in the red-head's direction would give him the answer...Morgan was very 'expressive' when it came to being asked 'stupid' questions. Luckily this amused Ag more than it offended him.

"Have you seen a place to stop? Eat maybe?" He stifled a yawn, kicking at the empty snack bag that had fallen to the truck's already trash covered floor. Crumpled cigarette packages, crushed beer cans and the like hid the stained carpet beneath. The truck reeked of both inside. "These people were not...clean." Agiel seemed a bit disgusted, and certainly had little remorse for the two country boys they'd 'stolen' the truck from. He gave a quick glance at the superficial wounds he had on each palm, both cuts having healed over to little more than small scratches. "Are you feeling well?" Near colorless eyes flickered over to Morgan's head, looking to see how well her own injuries had healed. He still felt guilty about the accident.

"Bat tea..." Morgan repeated slowly, giving Agiel an odd look from the corner of her vision. She shrugged. Batty, Bat tea... either nickname was okay with her. Both meant the man was insane... because he was. Or, that's what the teen was fairly certain of.

Morgan ignored the question on where they were at first, rolling her eyes as her teeth clamped down on the jewelry around the center of her bottom lip. The silver captive ring twisted to the side as the teen thought on how best to phrase her answer to Agiel's stupid question. "Oh, I think we're in Hollywood." Morgan's voice wasn't the deadpan one she normally used, her tone believable if they weren't literally in the middle of nowhere. The last town had been over an hour ago.

"I'm fine. Just starving," she complained, glancing to the wrapper- and bottle-littered floor of their stolen truck. The gash Morgan sustained to her cheek was a bit oozy but had at least stopped bleeding. It should probably be cleaned soon, least it really get infected.

It took a while longer but they soon reached a little town whose economy depended on the backpackers who traveled the Appalachian trail. Morgan eased onto the gravel drive in front of the town's single grocery store, going a little fast and kicking up a good amount of dust as she parked crookedly in front of the place. "Just don't do anything to make the locals get out their pitchforks," Morgan advised, using her hip to force the drivers side door shut before she went inside.

The teen pulled her hood forward and wandered into the store, keeping her eyes down as she ambled down the aisles. She lingered in front of the wall of snack food tucked safely away from the cashier's sight, hands shoved into her pockets and playing with the bills Agiel had given her. The time Morgan had spent living on the streets was difficult, the only thing keeping her relatively safe her ability... though not even that could help with hunger. She had no idea how long Agiel was going to keep her around, or when the next time was that she would get any money. Best save it for when she really needed it.

Morgan went against her best advice by sliding the bag into her pocket. She continued to the back of the store, pretending to look at a few things before exiting to wait by the truck.

Agiel's knowledge of the United States may have been a bit scattered, but he knew enough to figure they weren't in Hollywood. They weren't anywhere at all from what it looked like. "This is a sad Hollywood." He mumbled with a smirk, turning to watch the trees go by in silence until they reached the store. He smiled over at Morgan once they'd come to a stop. "I will drive next, yes?" He offered, though he secretly hoped she'd decline, stifling back a yawn. He was still exhausted. "And no attention getting." He gave a nod, amused that anyone would take them as anything than the normal young travelers with the munchies.

Agiel wandered on not too long after Morgan. He wasn't hungry really, but some kind of drink sounded good. Ag was still a bit stiff after the accident, and it showed in each step he took. He found a small drink cooler near the single register luckily so he didn't have to go far. He grabbed a couple of Sprite bottles, turning as he did so just in time to notice notice the red head leave the store...empty handed. Or at least, not with anything she'd purchased. Ag had been by the only register the entire time. And he knew her well enough to know by now that the starving teen wouldn't leave without food. He sighed loudly as he tossed the two sodas on the counter, the young blonde woman clerk giving him an odd look as she rung him up. "You a backpacker, hun?" Agiel sure didn't look the part, he was too clean and had hardly bought a thing. "Or are you with that red headed teen that jus' came in?"

Agiel tossed his head, the teal dyed lock of hair falling out over half his face before he leaned forward suddenly, both hands hitting the counter with a small 'thud' as he looked the clerk right in the eye, saying each word very slowly. "Kümmern Sie sich um Ihr eigenes Geschäft. Ich benötige nicht Ihre Hilfe. " He snatched the drinks up after, hoping to get the woman scared just enough to get her attention on him, and take any suspicions off of Morgan. Damn her stealing nature...Ag was sure it would come back to bite them layer. And perhaps he was right...

As Morgan made her way out to the truck, a police cruiser drove up behind the vehicle to park much in the same manner she had. ( Perhaps a bit straighter.) The officer got out soon after, the dust he'd kicked up billowing up like yellow smoke, swirling around the man as he stepped out. He pulled up the pants of his olive-green uniform, smoothing out his small brown mustache soon after. Officer Renyolds prided himself on keeping this stretch of road 'crime free', and the illegally parked truck seemed like a suspicious enough target to keep his record straight. He normally stopped at the small grocery store for a quick bite to eat anyhow...but now he was in luck. He was a taller man, with strong shoulders and a beer belly that was catching up with him. One hand fell to his belt as he caught sight of Morgan, approaching the truck with purpose in his step. "'Excuse me, ma'am...this here your ve-hicle?" He drawled as he came up to the truck, placing one hand on the truck's tailgate door with a too friendly smile.

Agiel meanwhile was still inside the store, not having noticed his partner's company just yet...but the blonde clerk did, already looking a bit shaken she waved towards the cop outside in fear the forgiener was going to rob her any minute...or worse.