CHAPTER TWO:  red dot

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MAXWELL 'MAX' KENNER SAT ON THE WOODEN CHAIR, HIS BEST FRIEND, JACK O'MALLEY ONLY INCHES AWAY FROM HIS FACE. The two sat in Jack's 'computer room'. Max has came over a little over an hour. He was aware that Jack was working on a case, he himself had been working this morning and the two planned to just meet up at Jack's place later at night.

"And I'm the reckless one?" Jack questioned, as he cleaned the cut on Max's cheek.

"I could have done this myself," Max says, but doesn't move back from Jack.

"Yeah, before you came here. Why didn't you?"

"I was going to, but, my first aid kit is empty, so, I came to use yours."

Jack turned, after putting a gauze over the wound , using the foam drawing bandage.

"It's that a bit over kill?" Max gestured to the bandage on his face.

Jack turned to his computer. Across from them, in the separate room, the television was on. It was playing boxing match, Max never was the type of watch sports.  The only time he ever watched them, was with Jack.

"Here," Jack had apparently momentarily left, holding  a larger box of Chinese take-out.  He extended his arm out to Max.

Max accepted the white box, opening it. "How did you I even wanted any food?"

"You always do. Even when you say you don't," Jack sat back in his chair. "When I don't get you any, you steal mine."

"It's not stealing if you offer it to me and are already making the plate before I could answer," Max opened up the box. "Which reminds me," he placed the box onto the edge of the table , which held various computer screen. "Hey, Jack," Max pointed to the blinking red warning that showed up. Not that he needed to, as a small alarm sounded off.

Seismic activity detected flashed on the the screen. Leading to Jack plains his take out meal down and attend to the screen.  He typed into the key board, as Max removed the bottle from his bag.

A red dot blinked on the screen, as Jack began to track it. And then called a number.  "Go ahead," the voice spoke, clearly using a voice modulator.

"I got it," Jack speaks. "I don't know what the hell it is, but I got it."

"Send the coordinates," the voice demanded.

"Well, why don't you send something my way first?" Jack asked back.

Max rolled his eyes at his best friend's dramatics. He picked at the white rice, taking some of the chicken fingers from the box that Jack had placed for Max before he noticed the red blinking dot.

"Wiring the first half now," the voice replied. "the rest when the data is verified."

On the screen the words 'wire transferred completed' appeared. Jack pumped his first, before he went to back speaking. "Pleasure doing business with you." Then hung up the call.

Jack immediately turned around. "Yes!" He stood up. "Yes!" He turned, when he caught a glimpse of the tv screen. "No. No."

"Morris is down!" The tv announcer yelled.

"No! Oh my god!" Jack collapsed to the ground.

Max patted his shoulder, keeping back the mocking comment of how he thought his best friend could be stupid.  More than most the time.

"How much did you bet on this fight?" Max asked, picking up another chicken finger. "I bought another bottle." He lifted his bag.   "And some chips."

Jack sighs as he stands up, taking the bag from Max. "You had time to get a groceries , but not take care of your wound?"

"No. I ordered it online and did curbside pick up. I didn't go into the store," Max told him.

"So, you got groceries, and not anything to take care of your wound?"

"I don't like this conversation. Don't talk to me when I'm eating," Max turned his attention, not wanting to hear the lecture. "And isn't it me who's typically lecturing you?"

"I know. It's weird this way. Don't do anything I would do," Jack says, instead of Max's typical 'don't do anything I wouldn't do' not that Jack actually listened to when Max said that.

"So don't be stupid?" Max smiled.

Jack threw the empty take-out box at him, smiling.   Max turned his head away, so his mind wouldn't rattle off with how Jack had a nice smile, how Jack was nice to a selected number of people. Of course, Max was one of the few people. Or, how to the two worked for the safety of each other when they were at work.
Or how the two always spent the day or night, depending when and where the job they were working at the moment, at the other's place.

They spent a lot of time together. It's why some people thought that the two were dating.  But, no, there was no way, not a chance on earth, heaven or hell that Jack would like Max that way.
And Max definitely wasn't in love with Jack.

Jack barked out a laugh. "Yeah, you're completely right," he says in a sarcastic tone.

Max turned, momentarily thinking he did something stupid. He hadn't had nearly enough to drink to accidentally say his thoughts out loud.

"I'm the irresistible one, and you're just so responsible!" Jack continued, sarcastically. "The man who did his groceries instead of going to a clinic or hospital for a cut that barely missed his eye."

"Hey! I'd be like Deathstroke," he shrugged. "Mercenary, ex-military, and missing an eye!" He shakes his head. "Only problem with that, is I'm note sure I would nearly as handsome as he does in missing an eye and wearing a patch.

"You'd look handsome no matter what," Jack takes the bottle, from a momentarily stunned Max.

Max hoped that Jack would chalk his red face up to the alcohol. And not notice that Max only ever got nervous, around Jack.
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