Detour

The three of them hop in the car, and as soon as the doors close, Kyrie laughs. “Man, it really does smell in here. All of us need a shower, especially you, sexy boy.”

She grins, punching Mike in the shoulder. Mike chuckles. “Fiona is quite a woman. And quite talented.”

Alicia giggles as she starts driving. “She knows what she wants. And she seems quite taken with you! You must have made quite an impression, it takes a lot to get her that wound up.”

Mike shrugs. “As far as I could tell, the only reason she didn’t jump me on camera is that it would have ruined the interview.”

Kyrie nods. “And are you planning on joining her for some ‘after dark’ programming?”

Mike shrugs. “Maybe. It’s not something I ever expected. I’m nothing that special.”

Alicia rolls her eyes. “We just talked with Damon about how you’re changing into some kind of sex god. Don’t give us that.”

Mike laughs. “Fair enough. I suppose doing it on film would be a logical next step, huh?”

Before anyone can answer, Alicia has to stop the car. There’s a barricade blocking the road, with detour signs. Alicia looks confused. “That’s odd. I wonder what’s going on.”

She turns the vehicle, following the signs. Mike watches as they are guided into a narrow alley, and Alicia looks a bit nervous. “This isn’t…a good place to be.”

Kyrie nods, serious for once. “Every city has its bad spots, and this is one. I don’t know much about the people here, but I’ve heard rumors that it’s best to avoid…”

Alicia stops the car. In front of her are a couple men, one holding a iron pipe, the other a shovel. A couple more men step from the shadowed doorways, surrounding the car. They are of various races, and look too well dressed to be hanging out in alleys. One speaks up.

“Give us the alien, and you ladies can leave.”

Alicia looks at Mike, and shakes her head. She’s clearly scared, but she’s not about to throw him to the wolves. The man slams his pipe down on the hood of the car.

“Come on, lady! Don’t make this worse for yourself!”

The man with the shovel looks agitated, and Mike hears him speak to the other. “Not so loud, Ed! If SHE hears us in her territory…”

Ed shakes his head, pointing his pipe at Mike through the windshield. “Just hand over that asshole. Simple as that.”

Mike hears the doors lock, as Alicia shakes her head again. From the back seat, Kyrie snarls. “Big man with a posse, can’t do shit on his own.”

Ed opens his mouth again, but before he can speak, a rock sails out of the alley and hits him in the temple. He drops like a sack of dirt, and the shovel wielding man looks down the narrow alley. Panic on his face, he turns to the others.

“It’s her! Go!”

The men scatter, most dropping their weapons in their haste. Kyrie laughs. “Cowards! Get out!”

Meanwhile, Alicia and Mike look down the alley in trepidation. Alicia speaks quietly. “I think we’re about to meet whoever REALLY runs this alley.”