by Susan Stec
As "Mustang Sally" blared over the sound system, Tom yelled into his microphone, his voice competing with the music and a group of off tune bowlers screaming, "Ride, Sally Ride!", "IS EVERYONE READY TO PAR-TY? PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER, AND SHAKE THOSE HIPS, BECAUSE IT'S TIME TO THANK THE MAN WITH ALL THE TRICKS! LET'S HEAR IT FOR MIKEY, BOWLERS!"
The crowed agreed boisterously as bowling balls slammed into pins against the back of the alleys. I was ready to hit Sally's ibuprofen bottle.
We gave Sally our names, adding Dorius and Marcus to the list, with a description of who she would be looking for when they arrived. She promised she'd direct them as soon as they got here. We paid her for a chance at winning the ten big ones and headed for the registration tables. Sally headed for the bald man with the microphone.
~~~~
Outside, Marcus got out of the Suburban, the other three immortals joining him as they headed for the bowling alley.
"Dorius, you and I will do all the talking," Marcus announced as he reached for the door. "I want as little attention drawn to us as possible. Just go with the flow and maybe we can get them out of there in a hurry."
"This is ridiculous. I think we should just drag their asses out and be… Holy shit!" Warren whipped his head around as the door opened and the obnoxious sounds of the rowdy crowd enveloped them to a background of Steppenwolf, singing 'Born To Be Wild'.
"Shit is exactly the word I was looking for," Dorius said as he walked through the door scanning the room. "Warren, Camillio, hang around by the front and back doors. If anyone asks you what you're doing, tell them you're observers. If one of the women tries to leave, stop them."
Warren and Camillio split up, heading for the front and back entrance.
"'LAWDY'S MAUDY MAMA'S', 'THE CALYPSO'S', 'CHILLER THRILLERS', 'THE IMMORTALS', 'HONKY TALK HERO'S', AND 'THE GAY BLADES', YOUR SHIRTS ARE AT THE FRONT DESK."
Dorius stepped forward into the mass of confusion, rubbing his temples, his eyes searching for the women. Marcus scanned the area, his smile falling on Sally as she approached.
"Are you guys looking for 'The Immortals'?"
Marcus burst out laughing. "That we are."
"Dorius and Marcus, right?"
Dorius ground his teeth. "Where the hell are they?"
"Lane thirteen. Let's get you over there before the games get started."
As if on cue, the bald man behind the front desk nipped the music and yelled, "ALL RIGHT BOWLERS, GET YOUR BALLS, SUIT UP AND PICK YOUR FIRST TEAM. ONLY FOUR PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED ON THE PLATFORM. THE SEATS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE LANES ARE RESERVED FOR THE REST OF YOUR TEAM. THE FIRST GAME BEGINS AT MIDNIGHT - THAT'S TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES, PEOPLE! AND WE WILL BEGIN ON TIME!"
As Joe Cocker blared from the speakers croaking, 'You can leave your hat on', Sally grabbed Dorius by the sleeve of Zaire's 'Born to be Bad' T-shirt and ushered him toward lane thirteen. Marcus exploded in laughter as Dorius turned back glaring at him, wincing each time pins cracked in protest.
Dorius was deposited onto the lane by a hurried Sally, and Zaire immediately glared at him. "Are those my jeans and T-shirt? Those better not be my friggin' pants!"
Sally turned and wiggled her eyebrows in Zaire's direction while sizing up Dorius' ass. Zaire snorted in disgust.
Sally ran off in another direction, waving her pen at an old bald man in a bright green team shirt with a German Shepherd on a leash following behind him. "Hold up! No pets in the lanes! That dog has to go outside, now!"
I turned to Paul with a nasty grin.
"Did you go through my dirty underwear too, you pervert?" Zaire asked, still hot for a fight.
"Not me… I'm not into dirty laundry sniffing." Dorius smiled at his brother. Marcus gave him a warning glance. Paul watched the two, intently.
Gibbie hovered in front of Zaire in a flutter of silver dust. "Don't start, black woman. We're letting the wolf handle this, remember?" Gibbie told her through cute little clenched teeth, his shrill voice adding to the calamity.
Zaire immediately shot a concerned look around the alley.
"They can't see me, little black woman," Gibbie squeaked.
Dorius bent and tugged at the ass of Zaire's jeans.
"I asked you if those are my F'n clothes, you blood sucking bastard." Zaire had her nose close enough for Dorius to take a bite out of it.
Bowling balls hit pins, music blared, and I still heard Dorius' growl as he used up another inch of space between his face and Zaire's. "You don't want to do this here, do you?"
Marcus cleared his throat.
Zaire didn't move a muscle. "You didn't answer my question, Fang-Face."
Mom huffed onto the lane carrying a handful of pink t-shirts. Resi stepped up behind Zaire, ready for an altercation.
Gibbie buzzed to Paul and back to Zaire, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Jeni and JoAnn were cooing as they picked through the t-shirts Mom held.
Just another fun filled night with my new immortal family, I thought, watching Marcus' eyes sparkle.
"LETS PUT THOSE HANDS TOGETHER, ALL YOU FANS, WITH A LITTLE FO-OD FOR THE SOUL, GRABBING THAT MO-OD FROM 'ELECTIRC LIGHT ORCHESTRA', NOTHING LIKE ROCK TO ROUND UP A FLOCK," Tom announced, as 'Strange Magic', filled the air.
"Stop standing there in a damn daze and put this frigging shirt on." Mom handed me a team t-shirt and turned away to hand out the rest of them.
"Oh, this is my favorite color, Mom," JoAnn told her, donning hers as pins crashed in time with the music.
Zaire was still in Dorius' face. He smugly smiled at her. "Yes, they are your clothes. But I left a pair of Rufskins black Truxton's hanging over your shower with my new Gordini silk crew. I think I got the bad end of the deal. Nice cologne, by the way. I love Ferrari Black."
"TWENTY MINUTES BOWLERS. LET'S GET THOSE LAST MINUTE PRACTICE BALLS - WE CUT YOU OFF IN TEN MINUTES."
Four very butch looking women, followed by four very lady-like men strutted onto the lane throwing bowling ball cases, shoes, jackets, and bags of food under the chairs by Dorius and Zaire. Gibbie wedged himself in between the two of them. "Both of you knock it off or I start with the itch dust."
A team two lanes over got everyone's attention with obnoxious war cries, as pins crashed and a bowler jumped in the air. "STRIKE! OH, HELL YES! WATCH AND LEARN, 'THE TERMINATORS' HAVE ARRIVED!"
Dorius flinched and Zaire turned her cheek to his lips. "Pop a mint, Casket-Breath," she said, eyeing up the opposing team settling into our alley.
They all stood proudly wearing black t-shirts sporting 'The Gay Blades' across their chests. They didn't look like gaiety was part of their persona, though. I watched them bang around doing an Alpha routine that had Paul frowning. I assumed gay referred to sexual preference, while blades referred to something that actually slices and dices.
Dorius pulled his face from Zaire's chin, turning to the other team. He smiled at the largest woman I'd ever seen in my life. She was at least six foot tall and weighed in at around two hundred and fifty pounds. She had a gold nose ring the size of a kumquat and spiky carrot red hair tipped in black. I didn't think they made jeans big enough or long enough to cover an ample body like hers, but she wore a black pair, snuggly covering her bulbous lower half. Her name, Nadine, was stretched across a pair of knockers that looked like two fifteen pound bowling balls.
Pins slammed against alleys, bowlers whooped and hollered, and the DJ hit the microphone. "FOR ALL YOU PLAYERS WITH A KICK, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PICK, LET'S SWING AND SWAY WITH WAYLON AS HE CROONS FOR ALL OF YOU THAT ARE TRAILIN'. Waylon started wailing, 'You Don't Mess Around With Me'.
"Nadine, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dorius, this is my brother Marcus and these women are…'The Immortals'. Dorius smiled, extending his right hand.
"Fuck you, asshole." Nadine sneered. "We play to win so get your scrawny butt in your painted-on jeans over where it belongs."
Zaire cackled.
The other three women vibrated with the anticipation of a fight. They sto
od in front of the chairs behind the lane with curt smiles on their faces. The men huddled beside them, all eyes on Dorius' ass.
Dorius sarcastically looked them over. "Well now, aren't you just a bundle of someone else's joy."
I turned away, trying to ignore them as I sized up Marcus again. The minute our eyes met, he grinned a cute lopsided smile.
It's a pleasure to meet you, Susan. I have waited a long time for this moment.
I shook my head, the noise in the room fading. Son of a bitch, he's pushing my mind. He's playing me.
For a brief second, his eyes jumped to my mouth, and then his grin turned to a smile as he pushed his thoughts into my head again. I'd love to play with your mind, or any part of your body, my love. Be patient, my sweet destiny.
Like a door slamming against a harsh breeze, I sharply shut my mind, the sound of locks clicking in my head. I glanced around to see what reaction the other girls had to his words. None of them seemed to know he was communicating with me. I frowned, turning back to his grinning face. I actually felt him moving around in my head. Goddamn it, I just closed my mind. How the hell are you rummaging around in there?
The phrase ménage a' trios' assaulted my senses as JoAnn joined Marcus in my head. Susan, can you stop looking like you're going to punch that man? Don't start a fight before we even get introduced. God, I have to pee.
"FIFTEEN MINUTES, PLAYERS. IT'S TIME TO GET ORGANIZED. I STILL HAVE T-SHIRTS FOR 'CHILLER THRILLERS'; YOU CAN'T START WITHOUT THEM. PHONDA PETERS, PHONDA PETERS, I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU FROM FULLER WHOLE. HE WANTS YOU TO CONTACT HIM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."
JoAnn shot me nasty eyebrows. "Go find a frigging bathroom and stay out of my head, damn it," I said out loud.
Would you like me to block your sister's intrusions? Marcus injected with a grin.
"Susan, can you pull your goddamn eyes from that man for one minute so we can get on with this," my mother growled at me, handing Resi a pink T-shirt.
Paul stepped forward, trying to get Dorius' attention because he was back to glaring at Zaire.
Resi turned to Marcus as she pulled her team shirt over one that read, 'Nobody knows I'm a lesbian'. "So what do we do now? Because we're not leaving this alley until this is settled."
"I'm sorry. I seem to have been lost in thought. I believe you were going to do some explaining, Mr. Forrest?" Everyone turned to Paul except me. I stood glaring at Marcus.
Lost in thought, my ass.
Marcus favored me with a quick dicey little grin and turned back to Paul. I heard my mother sigh obnoxiously and shot her a nasty look as Marcus pushed himself back into my head. Your sister will not be mentally bothering you again tonight. You can thank me later, my sweet.
"ALL RIGHT NOW HERE'S A BLAST FROM THE PAST. IS EVERYBODY HAVING FUN?" The DJ hit the switch, sending 'Boz Scaggs' off and running with, 'Lowdown', reverberating around the alley as the crowd clapped.
"Here, put this on and go get some shoes. Then we talk." Mom handed Dorius a pink T-shirt.
"I am not putting this on. Let's all just stroll out to the car and we can have our discussion there." Dorius tossed the shirt over the little desk that was used to keep score. The pink shirt was projected to an overhead screen, the word, Immortal, glowing purple, displayed for all to see. It didn't stay there long before one of 'The Gay Blades', picked it up and threw it at Dorius. It wrapped itself around his left shoulder.
"There is no need for hostility…" Dorius said, glancing at the name printed across the thin blond man's chest. "…Terrence."
Terrence smiled, snapped his fingers and answered, "Keep it in your own yard, stud muffins. But if you want to meet me in the men's restroom later, I'd love to swap spit with you."
Dorius was livid as his cell phone beeped. He pulled his eyes off Terrence and walked away from the chairs, his phone against his ear. "What have you got, Peter?"
"We found one of the mortals sleeping in a Volkswagen on the beach. He told us Christopher's headed for Cuba on a surfboard."
"He's what? I don't have time for this shit. Get the BAMVC copter and head out to find him. When you get back, call me. There's going to be hell to pay when I get my hands on him. I haven't heard from the team yet. Any idea on their ETA?"
"They should be arriving soon. They have orders to touch base with you when they get there."
"Good. It’s turning out to be a fiasco here. Never mind. When you get the little fucker, do not, and I repeat, do not let him out of your sight."
"Got it boss. Is that 'Creedence Clearwater Revival' I hear in the background?"
~~~~
Chapter Twenty-six
~~~~
"Susan, darn it, stop ignoring me!" JoAnn yelled. I sent a look her way that shut her up in a heartbeat.
Marcus glanced at me with knowing eyes and a sassy grin. I wondered how Marcus was keeping my sister from blasting me with her comments.
Dorius walked onto the lane and Marcus picked up his shirt and handed it to him. "I think we should get suited up. If the ladies want to play, I say we play."
My stomach did a little flip and the hair on my arms tingled. I ran my eyes over his square jaw that had just the right amount of stubble.
Dorius was not amused. "If you think I'm going to toss a ball down an alley wearing a pink T-shirt with 'The Immortals' printed across my chest, you're out of your mind."
I am out of my mind, brother dear, and I intend on staying there, Marcus pushed at me, his eyes on Dorius. "Look around, brother. Do you think we have any other choice?"
Dorius flinched as two teams started a full-fledged fight near alley seven. They were swinging fists, tossing obscenities and climbing over chairs to get at each other. Beer bottles broke, a pizza box went sailing across the lanes and hit the alley; pizza flying all over the place as one man dragged another down the lane toward the pins through all the mess.
"I NEED A FEW MEN ON LANE SEVEN. CLEAN UP AND SECURITY GET YOUR ASSES OVER TO LANE SEVEN! WILL THE TWO TEAMS RIPPING EACH OTHERS HAIR OUT ON LANE SEVEN STOP IMMEDIATELY OR YOU WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE PREMISES!"
Marcus patted the seat next to him as he looked into my eyes. Come here my pet; let's get to know each other a little.
I raised one brow, put my hand on my hip, my nether parts all a thunder as I pushed back. Certainly, you do not think beckoning me like a small animal has my body all a-tingle. Maybe you should cruise the alley. I saw a blonde woman with most of her teeth lingering in the bar.
Marcus' laughter roared in my head.
"TEN MINUTES BOWLERS. EVERYONE BOWLING, THROW YOUR LAST BALL AND GET OFF THE LANES." Mike announced in a reverberating squeal.
Oh, Suzie Q screamed John Fogerty as my eyebrows met in a kiss.
Nadine turned from the ball sailing down the alley, a confident look on her colossal face. She winked when all ten pins came crashing down behind her.
Jeni whispered to Paul, pointing at Marcus' feet, then walked toward the front desk.
Paul cleared his throat and got Marcus' attention. "After talking to the ladies this evening, it seems they misunderstood my directions. Evidently they felt contacting you by email was enough to set your minds at ease. Especially when their…(ahem) order was delivered the next morning."
Will you get those damn sexy eyes off my ass? I didn't hear a thing Paul said.
I am afraid it's hard to remove my eyes from your ass when you stand there swaying it around in front of me. Marcus reluctantly turned his attention to Paul as he pulled his pink shirt over his head.
"You assholes gonna play or are you gonna stand around all night?" Nadine asked. The other three women sat awaiting instructions. The men were huddled together listening to Terrence with what appeared to be the attention span of three gerbils as he gave them orders in a flurry of animated hand gestures.
Jeni walked up with two pairs of size ten bowling shoes, laying them on one of the chairs by Marcus.
Mom strutted toward Nadine. "Look, just back off lady, before I lose my bowling ball
in that cave you have decorated like a mouth on your fat face."
She turned to Dorius before Nadine could come up with a rebuttal. "You, Mr. Hot Pants, get your ass in that shirt, put on those shoes, and get on the lane. You, Zaire, Susan and me are first up. Marcus and Paul can spot us."
She looked at JoAnn with a scowl. "We don't use her unless we get really desperate. She can keep score. Jeni, you can help her. She doesn't have her calculator with her." Mom pointed to the chair in front of the small desk. A short sassy woman in spandex sat in the other chair. She looked like Cyndi Lauper, her hair in about thirty multiple colored ponytails sticking out in various angles around her head. She smiled as JoAnn sat next to her and Jeni moved up behind them.
"I did not receive an email from any of them, Mr. Forrest," Marcus said as he slipped on his shoes. He looked so totally in control and my damn clitoris was now zinging with the hair on my arms.
"That's because we didn't send you one." I glared at him, at the same time trying to get my libido under control. "And none of you want to be bothered by a phone call, either," I spat. Paul and Gibbie let out a sigh in unison.
Marcus' eyes judged my statement, his lips curving up ever so slightly as my damn sister started yelling at me.
"Okay, if you want to be a bitch and not listen to me, I guess I will have to say it out loud," JoAnn snapped. "We're letting Paul handle this, remember!"
Dorius swaggered onto the lane, donned in shirt and shoes, with a ball in his hands, glaring at Nadine as she searched for hers.
"JoAnn, why don't you go pee or something so I can keep track of the game. Jeni can keep score," Mom ordered, waving her hands around in front of her.
Gibbie flitted over everyone's head, dusting frantically.
JoAnn, eyebrows slammed together, said, "I don't have to go now."
"IS EVERYBODY READY? FIVE MINUTES, FIRST BOWLERS TAKE YOUR MARK. AND I DO NOT WANT TO SEE AN OUTBURST LIKE THE ONE ON LANE SEVEN OR THE GAMES WILL BE CALLED!"
The crowd gathered behind the chairs with mixed wagers. The lanes fell silent as players ambled up to get ready for the first game. Bob Seger started wailing, 'Rock And Roll Never Forgets'.
