Lucas stormed off back to the carpark and fumbled for his car key. Slamming the door shut behind him he yelled out at the top of his voice, slamming his fists down on the steering wheel.

He had just wanted to pay his respects and leave.

He hadn’t wanted to fight. He was just sick of Brad talking to him like that. And as if he wasn’t already feeling guilty about what the fault lying with him over what happened in that elevator shaft, he hated anyone else thinking the same.

Once the steering wheel had absorbed all of Lucas’ venting, he pulled out of the carpark and headed back to San Francisco. He needed a drink or six.

***

“Please don’t make it a habit coming in here looking battered and bruised. We've a certain class to uphold,” said the familiar drag queen behind the bar. Lucas stared at her blankly and ordered a JD and coke. “Oh honey, a penny for them?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Just drink and forget? Works for me too. First is on me, you look like you could do with a break.” Lucas shrugged a thanks.

The first time Lucas came to this bar he had just been punched in the face by an angry guy who thought Lucas was bothering his date. That time this same queen, Temma Tation, had come to his rescue and since then, Lucas made an effort to go in every once in a while.

This time at Garlands, after his confrontation with Brad in LA, he just wanted to get himself drunk and not talk to anyone.

“I’ll just be in that booth. If this looks like it’s been empty for too long, can you bring me another over?”

“I’ll set up a tab for you. I’m here if you need, ok?”

An hour had passed and despite the continuous drink refilling, Lucas wasn’t feeling drunk. I can’t even do that right, he thought. He even accused Temma of giving him smaller quantities or watered down alcohol which didn’t go down well with her, unsurprisingly.

Lucas looked up, someone had joined him in the booth. He made a face that looked like he was saying, ‘what are you doing here, go away’.

“Relax, I’m just here to talk. I don’t want to hurt you,” the man said, which completely threw Lucas off. What a strange thing to say to someone. Lucas studied his face. He looked familiar. Could it have been from here?

“I’m sorry but I just want to be by myself tonight,” Lucas said, in the hope the guy was just there to try to hook up with him.

“Well what you and I want are both quite different then. I’m not ready to leave yet.”

What is this guy’s problem? “Who the hell are you?”

“You don’t recognise me, do you?” The man looked impressed but also confused. “I’m Don Waters.”

Ahhhhhh, frick! That’s right! Lucas realised, feeling stupid for not remembering sooner. The lightbulb went on.

“You were lucky to escape the diner. And it was pretty bold of you, trying to break Leonard Patricks out of jail. Why would he want you to help him do that?”

“Actually, I needed him out to help me with something.” He openly explained how his sister had been writing to Leonard Patricks in jail as part of this pen pal scheme her Christian church group was involved in. When she realised she was writing to the man known as The Human Anvil, she fell for him even more and his charm and confided in Don about him.

Don realised that he could use Patricks’ help and strengths in his own revenge plot against a man called Perry Ferguson, and so proposed to spring him out of prison in order to do so. Oliver Hogon was only there as well because he had started to make a name for himself in Seattle where Don was also living, and was simply recruited as muscle to help with breaking Patricks out.

“So there you have it. My little origin story. But I'm here because I need you to do something for me.”

“Huh? What? No way, no. I’m not doing anything for you. I should be taking you in.”

“But you aren’t going to be doing that,” Don said dismissively and confidently. “You’re drunk, and by now you have probably remembered what I’m capable of.” Lucas did. He had seen footage from the diner CCTV in Far Rompton, Texas. “And I know what you’re capable of and how you can help me,” continued Don, with a level of threat in his tone.

“Right. And why would I help you?”

“Because you’re not stupid. You’ve probably calculated the risks in refusing to help me. And,” he paused, “You’re sat here in this bar by yourself on a Sunday night, looking rather sorry for yourself. You have been taken for granted for the last few years, your efforts and hard work constantly demeaned and belittled. Whatever you do, no matter how good it is, is for nothing. And today in Los Angeles, I can imagine that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Lucas was shocked that he knew so much. Has he been following me? Or was that lucky guess work? But then how does he know what happened in LA? “I don’t take your abilities for granted, Lucas. I’d be extremely grateful to have you do things for me. I can see what amazing things you can achieve. Whether that’s with The Collective, or working with someone like me. So look, I’ll cut to the chase. Right now, I just need information. An address of… an old friend. Perry Ferguson.”

“An old friend?”

“You don’t need to know anymore.”

“I do if I’m even going to think of helping you. IF. I need a bit of give and take.” Of course Lucas wasn’t going to help a wanted man but he was intrigued to know where this was heading.

“Ok… We used to work together in Port Lavaca. He’s responsible for the way I am now.”

“Only you are responsible for how you are now,” Lucas shot back.

“Perry Ferguson. That’s what I want you to do for me.”

“So this is a revenge sorta thing? You’re going to take your frustrations out on this guy?”

“Oh and you’ve never wanted revenge before? Don’t play cutsie with me.”

Of course Lucas had wanted revenge. There were points in time over the last three years where he was desperate to get Brad back for the guilt he had shifted onto him since the earthquake.

Revenge for the way he spoke to him.

Revenge on those friends of his who never stood up for him. Yeah he’d wanted it, but it was just in anger.

“Lucas, you’re on thin ice by not giving me what I want.” Don held his breath and began to expand out, spikes beginning to protrude from his body. He was behaving like an animal, making himself appear big and threatening in order to bully his way into getting what he wanted. He exhaled and he returned to his regular human physique.

“I’m not sure if you’re wanting to fight me, or mate with me after that animalistic display,” Lucas sarcastically suggested.

What Don didn’t know was that Lucas had already searched through the internet and various databases for Perry Ferguson and knew everything there was about him.

“Don’t make me cause a scene in here. It won’t end well. For you, or say for your drag queen server friend over there,” Don threatened, becoming more desperate and less patient. This was taking too long. He couldn’t risk sticking around too long in case Lucas was in some way signalling for help remotely.

“Now. I need to know where Perry Ferguson is.” Don slammed his fists on the table, attracting attention to their booth. “Tell me, or-”

“Or what? Don? I’m one of the good guys if you hadn’t noticed.” Lucas said, sobering up more and feeling braver.

“Or I’ll just kill you here and now. We know no one will miss you. I saw you take a beat down in Los Angeles by one of your colleagues no less. He doesn't have your back. He won't be there to save you if you need it. None of The Collective will. You've been sidelined. You're a waste of their time. Of my time. I should just kill you for wasting my time. You know, I could really have made you feel valued for once.”

Lucas felt the heat rise within him. He was the second person today to tell him he would be better off gone. Maybe they were right. No one valued him. Being one of the good guys didn’t matter for anything- there was nothing to show from it. Lucas took a gulp from his drink and stood up.

“Fuck you!” He grabbed a napkin and wrote down Perry Ferguson’s address, took another large gulp to finish his drink off and left, ignoring Temma Tation’s calls of concern from the bar.

Next week, the season finale and climax in The Fallout of Two Former Friends story, Network #6, ‘Signing Off’ picks up immediately after this issue. We find out what happens as Lucas reflects on his decision.