John drove his car out of his crappy motel and out toward the street. Del sat next to him. He was still buzzed from the drinks he had tonight but he knew if he could still stand he could still drink. Their destination was a bar down the street called The Dive. It was a bar they had frequented every so often and it was also not the bar Del knew and slept with the waitress at. He wanted to stay clear of that place.
John said, "So this guy the one you saw at the bar last night at Huntington Beach. He was all dressed up in a suit and tie? Do you think he was one of the representatives of the game?"
"I think so. He gave me these cards."
Del showed him the business cards. It took him time to get his wallet. He felt sloppy. His body didn't want to respond to him.
"Here you go."
Del was slurring his words.
"Those are neat cards," John said.
"I almost called it but I talked to my dad. We had dinner tonight."
"What? What did he want?"
John parked his car in front of the bar. They were in a small strip mall with a laundry mat, liquor store and check cashing business. The bar sign was in a red and orange colors. The lights made the large sign on top look garish and old. It seemed the bar had been here since the seventies and had never been updated.
It wasn't the best part of San Pedro. But people at the bar left them alone. Also, his friend John 6 foot 2 inches and very big. Del was no slouch himself he was 5 foot 11. And even though he hasn't worked out for a long time he was pretty muscular. They walked into the bar. Del was shuffling to the side. He knew he had way too much alcohol. Inside, it was dark with two small pool tables and a side bar on the right. It was almost closing time probably around one thirty and He thought maybe when they leave and could buy some alcohol from from liquor store. They sidled up to he bar.
The bartender looked at them and said, "I think you both had too much alcohol already."
Dell's said, "Hey, we're paying customers. We can order anything we want, barkeep."
He was slurring his words as he spoke and leaning forward at the little man behind the counter.
The bartender stepped back away from him and looked toward the left of him. Del was going to yell again, but a large man grabbed him and pulled him close and a large meaty arm shot around his neck. John instantly punched the bouncer in the face, knocking the guy backward. Del unbalanced fell to the ground and hit a few leather chairs.
Dell scrambled upwards. Another another bouncer came out of nowhere and grabbed John. Del wobbled forward and tried to punch the bouncer who was holding onto John, but all he could do was push the large bouncer into a pool table. John elbowed the bouncer in the face. Del was trying to react and get his friend out of this bar. This fight went out of hand.
Then he heard something and didn't know what it was until he realized it the sound of police sirens. John punched the bouncer.
Del said, "We need to get out of here."
They scrambled toward the door. Del was swaying to the side as he tried to move forward. With the help of John, they rushed outside the front door. The cool air rushed at them and he felt instantly lucid and sober. The door banged against the wall. A group of four uniform cops stood in defense positions Each held their guns pointed at them.
"On your knees, hands where I can see them, NOW"
They were pushed forcibly to the ground. His arms was pushed behind him and handcuffs was placed around his wrists. The cops pulled him upwards and they dragged and pulled him into the back of a black and white police car. The cop in the front read him his rights. His eyes started to get blurry and then he past out.
Some was pushing against him. It was one of the cops.
He said, "Wakey, wakey. Somebody wants to see you."
Del woke up. He was shock and surprised. The cop pulled him out of back. He knew he was in serious trouble. Turning to his friend, John, he realized he was not next to him in the squad car. The cop pushed him out into the crisp air and pushed him to face a man walking up to him. Del could hardly stand and he was held by two other men. Del's face kept rolling to the side. He drank too much tonight. Del was going in and out of consciousness. He heard the sound of the police radio chattering codes and orders.
He saw a man dressed in a three-piece suit next to the police cruiser.
The policeman said, "Is this the guy?"
"Yes."
Del's handcuffs were taken away and his hands were free. He slumped to the side and a burly man help him up.
"Put him in the SUV."
The man who spoke looked familiar. Del was pushed into a back seat of another vehicle. He saw a dark form next to him.
It was John. "Hey Del, are you awake?"
Del nodded.
John said, "I think we're going to be ok."
Before Del could wrap his thoughts about John's statement, he doze a drunken man's dream.

***

Del heard a noise. It sounded like a grunting and grating noise. He kept trying to sleep but the noise kept getting louder and then it would stopped. The racket shot into his head. Opening his eyes, he saw he was sleeping on a soft bed and across from him was another bed with John snoring loud. Del moaned. His stomach churned.
Sunlight poured from the open window. Del grabbed his pillow and threw it at John's head. John snorted and turn to his side. He stopped snoring. Del was about to drift off to sleep but he realized he wasn't sure where he was. He lay on a very soft bed and the blanket covering him was thick and not scratchy. The last thing he could recall was sitting in a back of a SUV. The room he was in was twice the size as his motel room. He was wearing blue silk pajamas with smelled faintly of fabric softener.
Del tried to lift his head, but he felt as if a monkey was banging his head and he also felt the aches and pains he had all over his body. He thought about the fight he was in last night. It was a combination of a hangover with being knocked back and forth against tables and bars. His arms and legs felt like lead and he had pain on his back, legs and head. He didn't want to move. Then he realize that today was Thursday and John should be at work.
"John," Del croaked. "John, wake up!"
John didn't move then he turned to his back. "What the hell? Where are we?"
"I don't know. This is not jail."
Del heard a soft knock at the front door and it sounded like thunder. They both moaned. The door opened and a guy dressed in a black and white suit came in pushing a tray with plates. Del smelled bacon, eggs and coffee. His stomach instantly went into convulsions. He wanted to vomit.
The tray of food was placed by the foot of the bed. The man left them alone.
Del stood and stumbled to a room that seemed like the bathroom. He knelt by the toilet and vomited several times. He lay on the ground. The door was still open and John stumbled the doorway.
"Are you ok, Del? I hope your done by I have to go."
Del nodded and crawled out of the bathroom and lay on the floor. He vowed to himself probably a hundredth that he was done that he would not drink again. John rushed into the bathroom and closed the door.
He scanned his surroundings. On the right and behind him was a large window with tan long drapes. Sunlight poured through and struck him on his back and shoulders. He didn't want to move for fear of his stomach starting to gurgled.
He crawled to the bed and used it to help him stand. He wondered where the hell they where. This couldn't be a new type of jail. Del flopped onto his bed. He looked at the food. They were cover by a round tray. He could smell the pancakes and sausage. The door opened. A man walked in. He was middle age with short steal gray hair. He had a dignified look to him. Del sensed this man had money loads of it. He wore khaki shorts and a blue polo shirt. His white tennis shoes seem to glow.
The man said, "You and your friend are the two people who beat the game a few nights ago."
Del was not sure if this statement was a question or not.
He nodded. "Yes."
"Your name is Del and you're friend is John. I know everything about you guys. Del, you're currently suspended at work and John is still working there. Is that right?"
"How do you know this?"
The bathroom door opened and John walked out. He looked surprised.
The man said, "Come sit. You guys can eat if you want,"
John sat on his bed. They both stared at the older gentleman. Del's brain was still fuzzy. He couldn't make sense of all this. He wondered if this gaming corporation was this powerful to stop them from going to jail and also know all about them. He thought their identities inside of Strike Blast was anonymous. Del was wrong.
He said, "How do you even know that we play the game. There should be laws against what you're doing."
The man smiled. "I'm offering you guys a way to repay me. I helped you with the police. If I didn't step in, you two would be in jail pending a trial. Also I think you guys want to play this new game that we have."
John said, "I don't feel like playing any type at this time. My head is pounding I don't feel too well."
"Oh, I have something," the man said, "that could take away your hangover and aches and pains. Do you want to take it? It will help you."
Dell said, "This better not be some crazy drug like LSD or acid."
The old gentleman looked at them and said, "No, it's like a protein enriched vitamin. Only the rich have this. The poor do not. It will relieve you if your aches and hangover. You will feel better."
Del said, "I'll take anything to stop me from getting sick again."
John merely grunted.
The man took a round golden vial out of his pants pocket. The container had scrolls and designs on it. He couldn't discern it for his vantage point. The older man opened the top and shook out two white pills. It looked like aspirin. He placed it on a plate.
The man said, I will leave you for now. Have some breakfast. Take the pills first. And tell me what you guys want to do. An agent will be waiting for your reply outside the door."
The man walked out of the room. Del moved toward the tray and took one of the pills. His head pounded and his eyes felt like sand. He swallow the pill without water. Del flopped back down on the bed. John did the same but he drained the pill down with a cup of orange juice.
Del didn't expect to feel better. He had hangovers before and sometimes it took him several days to get better. Laying on his bed, his headache dispersed and then his aches disappeared. He turned toward John. They both looked at each other. Del was ravenous and he pounced on the cart. He play spoonfuls of scrambled eggs on his plate and started to eat. He also ate the pancakes, toast, hash browns and sausage. John was also eating ravenously. They didn't talk and when the food was gone. They both sat back on the bed. Del felt great. He wanted to do something like run or exercise. His body tingled with energy.
He looked over to John and saw his friend was also feeling better. John was actually smiling. And the next thing if pain Dell felt was famished that he was hungry he wanted to eat something anything. Del walked over to the door and opened it. He saw the tall agent guy standing outside almost like a statue.
"We're done."
The agent man nodded and walked into the room. He pushed the cart with the food tray away. Del sat on the bed he looked over to John. He looked different somehow. It was as if Del could feel John's energy pulsating coming out of him. It was some type of weird halo around him.
Dell said, "Do you see something odd? It's like a halo around you."
John said, "Yes, I see this thing surrounding you. What is it?"
"I don't know."
Suddenly, the halo disappeared surrounding John.
"It's gone," he said
"I guess we were seeing things," John said, "What do we do? Should play this new prototype game?"
"I think we should. This guy saved from going to jail. We should at least play this game."
"It might be dangerous."
"It's only a game."
They heard a knock at the door and before Del could say anything the door opened. The older gentleman walked in.
The man smiled. "Do you feel better? What do you say? Will you help me?"
Del said, "Sure, we will play your game."
"It will only take a few hours of your time and you'll be compensated. There're extra clothes in the closet for you. When you're ready? Talk to the agent again."
"Yes."
"Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Christopher Toler. I am the co-CEO of Highwall Timber games. Thank you guys for helping us out."
Del already know this man was the first time he saw him an hour ago. John nodded to him.
Del said, "I like to shower before we do anything."
Christopher said, "There is no rush."
The man walked out.