Spare

[Isla Hudson]

It was a strange set of circumstances that had brought Isla to this place, at this time, but it was her stubborn, independent nature that had her changing a tire in the rain at midnight in a cemetery.  Sure, she could have called Steven, and yeah, she had 'roadside assistance' (her brother had insisted on that), but he had taught her how to change a tire, and she was determined to do this herself.

Of course, she wasn't really thrilled about being in a cemetery, not that she minded the setting, she wasn't suspicious, and it didn't give her the heebie-jeebies at all, but the location was fairly isolated, in a large park area, and it was dark.  But at least the trees provided some protection from the rain, and it had been the best place to pull over when a back tire had blown, not that there was any other traffic on these roads, and that had actually been the reason she'd decided to cut through the park -- she wanted a nice, casual drive home after the conference and dinner that she'd gone to in Bolingbrook, to the west of Chicago.

Well, it was too late now to take it back, or even to call for help, but at least she was managing on her own.  She had the jack placed under the frame, just as Steven had shown her when she was first learning to drive, she'd loosened the lug nuts and was working on removing the tire.

So far so good, except that she was staring to look like a greasy, drowned rat!

Steven Hudson

[Theodore Bennett]

|| TAG: Isla Hudson,|| WORDS: 0 || || NOTES: ... ||

Theo had just finished yet another download of information to the FBI, an agent called Voight. Those Voight’s seemed to get about the city like nothing else and while the cemetery had seemed like an out of the way place at the time. At midnight it was more than a little creepy and not a place he wanted to frequent for his next scheduled update of information. The rain seemed to beat down harder than normal, likely because his car was parked a way down the road as no one would think twice about a person visiting a cemetery.

He made his way down the road, his jacket pulled tight around him when he saw the outline of a car and what he thought was a jack under it. No one would be doing maintenance this far out he thought, stealing the car was out of the option given it had an issue and the closer he got the more he saw. Specifically the outline of a woman working on removing the tire, not an odd thing to see but the time and place it seemed a little odd to him that road side assistance was missing from the scene. The yellow flashing lights and the beeping of the car about to be towed to a garage.

Theo reached into his pocket and checked his phone, sure he had signal which meant that other people had to or maybe her phone died he thought as he approached. “Hey, want some help with that?” He called out deciding a cemetery at midnight was a little odd a place to be hanging around. Even for him but then feds always had a strange sense of irony. Theo knew enough about cars to change a wheel but other than that he was a little bit of a novice. “You can use my phone if you ran out of battery?” He asked offering the woman his phone, for one she looked like a drowned rat and getting elbow deep in grease was a new sight for him.

Red☠Frost

[Isla Hudson]

“Hey, want some help with that?”

Even as engrossed as she was in her task, and as much as the rain was making it difficult to stay focused, Isla had seen the man, although it wasn't until he was fairly close, and was obviously headed her way. It was too late to do anything about it now, not that she would have locked herself in the car or anything...in fact, there really wasn't much alternative than facing him and being prepared, if she had to be.

Straightening, she looked up at him, wiping her hand across her forehead to clear rain water, but mostly succeeding in smearing a bit of grease there.

"No, thanks," she answered with a friendly smile, "I think I got this...almost done..."

“You can use my phone if you ran out of battery?"

"Oh, no...I don't...I mean..." Her face twisted up as she grinned sheepishly. "I mean, my phone is fine, I just am being stupid and stubborn and doing this myself." She shrugged, then hastily added, "I did call my brother and he should be here any time...he's a firefighter."

Of course, she hadn't called Steven and she knew there would be hell to pay, even if this other guy hadn't shown up, but maybe thinking that someone was coming would dissuade him if he had any ill intentions.

Theodore Bennett

[Theodore Bennett]

|| TAG: Isla Hudson,|| WORDS: 0 ||
|| NOTES: ... ||

The situation was bad enough, approaching a woman, in a grave yard, in the rain who was trying to attempt mechanical repairs. It was so much easier if it was a bar with a ‘hi there’ and ‘can I buy you a drink’ rather than a ‘hey, promise not to kill you in the grave yard’ sort of situation that seemed to be happening. If there was ever a time to walk away it would have been five minutes ago and left the Voight in the rain and still be sat at home. Smart plan but then when did he ever get to make the smart choice in life?

“So a mechanic then?” Theo asked her seeing the grease smear across the woman’s forehead. Well she seemed to know far more about changing a tyre than he did. It was a guy thing to offer to help, cars were the nuts and bolts and really how hard could it be though it was the exact reason he had offered to call for help. He could about work it out but in rain and cold, leave it to the professionals. “Got to admire a woman who can change a tyre, this time of night in a grave yard. Trying to work out if that’s brave or something else.” He said thoughtfully as he nodded to her.

“Ah well you’ve called in the cavalry, I’ll wait with you because you can’t be too careful.” Theo said, almost wishing the other Voight would still be in the area. First time he ever thought the Feds could be at all useful. “Can I help with anything?” Theo asked not entirely sure but then again being a help was better than just standing there and watching her work in the rain, though even that was far from an unpleasant experience.

Red☠Frost

[Isla Hudson]

“So a mechanic then?”

A blush came to Isla's cheeks, but fortunately it was mostly hidden in the poor lighting and rain. "Well, I wouldn't go that far." Changing a tire was fairly simple, really, once you knew where to put the jack.

“Got to admire a woman who can change a tyre, this time of night in a grave yard. Trying to work out if that’s brave or something else.”

"It was something my brother insisted on," she explained with a shrug. "Before he'd even let me take the driver's test, I had to show him I could do it..." She laughed as she took off the last of the lug nuts. "I kept telling him I could have Triple A, but he kept insisting that I did it on my own."

Stubborn Steven! But she was actually glad he'd made her do all that work so she wasn't a helpless female.

“Ah well you’ve called in the cavalry, I’ll wait with you because you can’t be too careful.” Theo said, almost wishing the other Voight would still be in the area. First time he ever thought the Feds could be at all useful. “Can I help with anything?”

"Um, sure, if you don't mind maybe getting a little dirty." Of course, he was out here in the rain getting wet, so there was the implied risk of getting dirty, too. And while it occurred to her to wonder what he was doing out here on foot this time of night, in the rain, she opted for now to leave that unasked, although she would keep a wary eye on him, and keep the crowbar near-by.

"You know, you can help me get the new tire on." As she asked, she pulled off the old one -- taking it off was one thing, but she was willing to admit that she could use some help lifting the spare into place. "Might be a cup of coffee in it for you."

Theodore Bennett

[Theodore Bennett]

|| TAG: Isla Hudson,|| WORDS: 0 ||
|| NOTES: ... ||

“So your brother is the mechanic then?” Theo asked not overly sure but anyone who could teach a family member how to change a car tyre had to at least know a little. He sort of wished he had a family like that though instead of tyres, he knew how to steal his way through life. A trait that brought him to the graveyard in the first place but then he was working for the supposed good guys now. “Seems like a good idea, I’m not sure how many Triple A guys would come out to a graveyard at this time and not think it’s a joke call.” He added.

It was an odd place that was for sure but all in all, it was starting to be a more interesting one by the second. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve gotten my hands dirty.” He added smiling; well sometimes stealing meant he had to do dirty work too. Not all suits, museums and art collections, there were a few occasions when he had to dirty a shirt or two. Theo was more than surprised that she was okay with having him around; he could honestly say there could have been better circumstances to hang out with a person even if it was a flat tyre and a meeting.

Theo started to turn up his sleeves; he was about soaked to the skink so there was no harm in getting dirty along with it. The rain would likely wash away any dirt and grease that might be there given the way it was coming down. “Who can turn down a coffee, so sure the spare would be?” He asked looking around as he motioned to the back of the car. “Under it or in the boot?” He asked not sure which it would be as he was less than familiar with the tyre workings of a car.

Red☠Frost

[Isla Hudson]

"My brother is a firefighter-paramedic," Isla declared with more than just a hint of pride in her tone. "The best there is!" This was said with a laugh. "He works for Chicago Fire...Dad did, too."

For the shade of a moment she was reflective, then she shook her head and smiled. If Steven knew where she was and what she was doing right now, he'd skin her alive then lock her in a closet for the remainder of her years!

But she really could use the help, even if she knew what to do, and in all honesty, she was glad she wasn't alone, even if she wanted to be independent, and she was taking a risk on a stranger in a graveyard in the middle if the night with no apparent reason to be there, nor means of getting there or out!

Besides, Steven would never find out, and she'd be careful to keep a wary eye on Thee.

“Who can turn down a coffee, so sure the spare would be?” He asked looking around as he motioned to the back of the car. “Under it or in the boot?”

"Um...in..." The trunk was already open, so all he had to do was rummage through the emergency medical kit, spare blankets, snow gear, chains, small tool kit, cans of oil, jumper cables...Well, Big Brother made sure she was prepared for anything. "It's under all the junk in there, so good luck!"

She already had the lug nuts off and was working on pulling off the tire. "I'm going to need more than just coffee after this!" she quipped, and then she realized that, by offerinf Thee coffee, she was offering a ride...to a stranger...

If Steven ever found out, she was sooooo dead!

Theodore Bennett

[Theodore Bennett]

|| TAG: Isla Hudson,|| WORDS: 0 ||
|| NOTES: ... ||

It was clear to hear the notes of pride in her tone as she spoke of her brother, he found himself smiling at the fact. Theo had no way of speaking like that about his own family, the proud moments were more when he managed to pick his first lock or steal the first item. “Well the city does have its finest among us, good to know there a good people still in those jobs.” Theo added having no issue with the services in the city. “So following in the footsteps or trying to make a new way in life?” He asked her referencing her father and brother not overly sure if he had a child if he wanted them to take over his business.

Likely not given what he knew but then Theo and Son sounded pretty great just not for an arrest record. Hearing where the spare was, he started to rummage under the things he could see. Isla seemed ready for the apocalypse in his mind. All forms of Chicago weather could be undertaken with items in the trunk of the car. Fetching the tyre out as he bounce it lightly against the wet ground before wheeling it back around.

“Coffee and a cake or donut or soup... hot warm soup.” He mused holding onto the tyre, the rain seemed to seep through each layer of clothing. Rain had a way of doing that, making him feel a chill to the bone above and beyond the outside temperature but that would teach him for being out in the middle of the night.

Red☠Frost

[Isla Hudson]

“So following in the footsteps or trying to make a new way in life?”

"Both, maybe?" Isla shrugged, thinking that Steven likely would have chosen something in the Public Safety realm regardless of what had happened with their father. "He likes the activity, being outside, that kind of thing...oh, and helping people, that counts for something!"

“Coffee and a cake or donut or soup... hot warm soup.”

"Or all of that." Glancing at him, Isla grinned, then she pulled away the old tire and let it flop to the ground. "So, lift that up there, then we can get it secured, then get out of the rain."

Even though it would be warm and dry in the car, chances of either of them drying off significantly were pretty slim, but there wasn't much that could be done for that. At least she had a couple of towels they could use on the seats.

"Coffee, donuts, soup, bacon..." She added to the list of possibilities as they worked, going over the menu at 'Vic's All Night Cafe' in her head. "You are headed toward the city, right? I mean, I just assumed that..."

Was she really offering a ride to a complete stranger in the middle of the night? She could hear Steven yelling at her now, yet she managed to stifle that voice of reason!

Theodore Bennett

[Theodore Bennett]

|| TAG: Isla Hudson,|| WORDS: 0 ||
|| NOTES: ... ||

Theo grinned; both seemed like a fair answer to him and one he wished he could have followed though more setting his own path. Being anything but a criminal was hard to see though he never figured he would be working with the feds, that was a step beyond any imagination he had. “Yeah helping people, it takes a lot to do that so it’s a good field to be in.” Theo had little notion of what helping people was really like, helping take something of theirs. Yes he did that well but actually helping someone, he had no clue.

“Sure all of that works too.” He added laughing lightly as he watched her pull away he old tyre. Theo did as she said and lifted the new tyre into place as he held it there. It would be good to get out of the rain and be warm but then again, was that when she took off and decided it was best to leave the creepy graveyard guy standing in the rain. Only time could tell if that was an option as he wondered about the woman he was there with.

“Oh yeah, I was heading home and didn’t figure much on it raining ... until it did and well you know the rest.” Theo said figuring he could get his car at a later date, it gave any onlookers other ideas if he was seen with someone else leaving the cemetery at night. “I really do pick the best nights to be outdoors. What about you, heading back into the city or leaving it?” Theo asked her curious to see if she was escaping the lights or heading back toward the magnetic pull of people, cars and nightlife within the city.

Red☠Frost

[Isla Hudson]

It was funny, but Isla suddenly realized that she had no idea why the man was out here, in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night in the middle of a rainstorm without a car, and it was too late now to really ask. She'd offered a ride and was too polite to take it back or to question him, and she just hoped it didn't 'come back to bite her'.

"I'm headed home, into the big city," Isla explained as she threaded the nuts onto the tire then started to tighten them with the lug wrench. "I was at a conference, and I just cut through here to avoid traffic, and honestly, now that I think about it, I'm really kind of glad I was here when I got the flat and not on the freeway where some drunk idiot could run me down!"

Once she was sure that the tire was secure, she lowered the jack and tossed it in the trunk. "It was that easy!" Laughing, she shook her head. "Thanks for the help, it made things go a lot faster...now, hop on in before we both drown!"

Theodore Bennett,

[Theodore Bennett]

|| TAG: Isla Hudson,|| WORDS: 0 ||
|| NOTES: ... ||

“Yeah the freeway is the worst place to break down, other drivers are the ones to watch and with rain too. Always brings out the nutters of the world.” He stated though what Isla thought about him being out in the middle of the night. Best not hover too much on the nutters angle he thought as he smiled. “But at least it’s a quiet area right, and lit to a point too. Could be worse places to get a flat.” He added though a graveyard was a pretty bad one if he had to pick.

“You made it look very easy.” Theo said as he grinned at her. “Sure but I think as far as drowning goes, we already might have.” He said as he pulled open the door to the car to hop on inside. It was nice just to stop being rained on for a while as he tried to keep as much of his jacket off the seat as possible as he pulled it off. Placing the rain soaked jacket on his keeps to at least save as much of the car seat as he could from becoming soaked.

Not much, but then in repayment for a lift into town he felt it was fair to at least try not to rain too much on the inside of the car if he could help it. “So where are you heading home from? Or were you just visiting in the area?” Theo asked deciding to try to be a little friendly. Stopping where they were the visiting part he could get as really it was a good meeting place if he really thought about it.

Red☠Frost

[Isla Hudson]

Before she ducked into the car, Isla grabbed the spare hoodie that she kept in the back seat and put it down to sit on, to minimize potential damage to the upholstery. "Don't worry too much about getting the seats wet," she commented, "it's just water, so it'll dry out."

To help that process, and to take the chill off, she turned on the heater, then pulled back onto the road.

"You live in the city?" she asked...she hadn't thought to ask that earlier, "or are you one of those tourists who come to see if the excitement is true?"

She grinned as she glanced at him then turned on the wipers as the rain started to get heavy again. "I know! Looking for some authentic pizza, right? Steal the recipe and go home to Italy to create a new sensation?" Laughing, she steered through the park toward the glow of lights from Chicago.

Theodore Bennett

[Theodore Bennett]

|| TAG: Isla Hudson,|| WORDS: 0 ||
|| NOTES: ... ||

Theo smiled and nodded to Isla, “Thanks but I’d rather not ruin a stranger’s car that’s giving me a lift back into the city.” He said smiling, “Who knows what might happen if I did.” Much like a mutual trust Theo knew as much as he could be a serial killer so could Isla, he doubted it as he hardly got that feel from her but then never trust a book by its cover. He knew that better than anyone given his line of work or lack there of.

“Oh I live there but I used to be one of the tourists that came to see if the excitement is true. We lived just outside of the city which was great but you know... not much to do.” He explained, it was mainly true he just failed to mention the criminal side to it all and the fact it was easier to be outside the city away from the ‘excitement’. “What about you, city dweller all your life or country girl?” He asked her curiously, he could see her on a far or working some high flying office job.

“Damn and I thought I was being so careful with my plan, the pizza is second to none here. Okay so maybe Italy but on this side of the world, it’s the best there is. Don’t forget the cannoli’s though or the wine... cannot beat pizza and wine.” He said grinning; his family as flawed as they were knew one thing well. They had a pretty decent wine collection and despite it all, nothing was better than a glass of wine and a pizza slice.

Red☠Frost

[Isla Hudson]

"City, all the way," Isla explained, shurgging. "But, you know, as a kid you live at home and don't have a say. Really, if I'd had my way we would have lived on a farm and had hundreds of animals...cats, dogs, bunnies, horses and goats and cows! Oh, my!"

She laughed, then added, "Now that I'm a grown-up, it just makes more sense to live in town, near work and stuff." Another shrug. "Of course, in a few years when I'm ready to buy, I can get something in the sticks...I can probably transfer to another hospital away from the big-city hassle."

It would be nice, she thought, to sit on the porch in the evening and not hear the roar of diesel, the wail of sirens and incessant honking of horns.

"And," she continued, "I'd love to be able to see the stars at night, have it be really dark...just don't tell my brother, he'd be crushed!" And that was why she'd probably never move from the city proper.

Theodore Bennett,