Fear and Loathing with Russell Buckins

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I said, "no, I was just looking at that bear."

"You get a cash prize if you fight 'er," he said.

"Is $500 really worth wrestling a bear?" I asked.

"If you're drunk enough, it is."

I laughed, "what idiot would be stupid enough to..." my voice trailed off when I saw a guy with a gray crewneck turn his head and talk to his friend from a table right in front of the wrestling ring. I immediately recognized his beautiful, fluffy, dark hair through the smokey air and my heart dropped to my stomach. I turned back to the bouncer and said, "oh my god. That's my stupid idiot. Uh... yeah, actually, I will go in."

I pulled my wallet out of my jacket I took the fake ID that Tom and Doug and I got for an assignment a couple months ago and handed it to the bouncer. I just celebrated my twentieth birthday, so I have one more year before I will be legal. He took a hesitant look at it but let me in anyway. As a cop, that was a red flag but this isn't my jurisdiction so I didn't really care.

I began walking toward the back of the bar, slinking my way through as I saw the guy finish his drink and stand up from his table and started heading to the ring

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I began walking toward the back of the bar, slinking my way through as I saw the guy finish his drink and stand up from his table and started heading to the ring. I ran faster and finally got close enough to reach for his shoulder to turn him around.

I felt relieved when I saw Tom's beautiful face, and a big smile spread across my lips.

"Tom! We have been looking everywhere for you!" I said over the sounds of the drunkards of the bar still cheering for the bear.

The atmosphere of the bar was dark and almost hazy from the amount of smoke that lingered in the air. He stared at me blankly for a moment before he seemed to realize who I was. I could smell the harsh stench of booze on his breath, so strong I could light it on fire, which was completely out of character for him.

"Mick? What are you doin' here?" He asked loudly. His eyes looked half closed.

"I've come to take you back home," I said, "Fuller is not happy."

"Why?" He asked. His face was flushed, like an old-school drawing of Santa Claus.

"Cause you missed your court case with Ioki," I reminded him, "did you not remember that?"

"Hey, lady," Tom's friend, who I assumed was Russell Buckins, walked over to us and put his big hands on Tom's shoulders and shook him a little. "Tom's abouta win $500 for a broad, don't flirt with him."

"I'm not flirting with him. I'm a cop, we work together," I said sternly.

Russell laughed, "right and I'm the Queen of England."

I reached into my pocket with an eye roll and pulled out my badge and flashed it to Russell. His laugh stopped abruptly. He cleared his throat and said, "well, I'm Russell. I'm just now meeting some of Tom's other friends in his life but I've heard so much about you all. I felt like I was Tom's imaginary friend."

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