15367/Another Bar, Another Round

Another Bar, Another Round
Date of Scene:	12 July 2023
Location:	Josie's Bar
Synopsis:	Zinda and Thomas go on a bar crawl and discover a bootlegger problem, along with a mystery.
Cast of Characters:	Zinda Blake, Thomas Blake

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Zinda Blake has posed:
Thomas and Zinda haven't gone out drinking together in far too long. They stop at the fourth bar on their crawl to finish the evening. Josie's is, in polite terms, a dive. The crowd is a bit rough, but nobody is stupid enough to start anything.

Trading drink for drink with her nephew, Zinda halfway considers starting something herself. Hell, it's been a long time since she's been in a proper bar fight, and she can think of no one she'd rather have at her back than her bruiser of a nephew. Gonna need a few more beers to get into the proper mood, however.

She's sitting at the bar with Thomas, elbow to elbow. The blonde is wearing her signature skirt and boots, along with a flight jacket over a crisp, white t-shirt.

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake took precautions. Zinda just became the last Blackhawk. Tom was pretty sure she'd do him up proud, drinking and fighting. So he made sure he got plenty of sleep, drank a quantity of olive oil to coat his stomach, had a big meal, and rounded it out with a little yellow pill that was hell on you the morning after but increased your tolerance for alcohol. So loaded for bear and outweighing his ancient and ageless aunt, he figured he'd have no problem out drinking her, carrying her drunk ass home and tucking her in.

He was keeping up. Barely. When did the Blakes drink like THAT?

Thomas orders another beer and gives Zinda a hug. "How you doing, Wings?"

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake slips an arm around the bigger man in a one-armed hug. "Crusin' at altitude, Skipper." she quips back. Casting him a sly look, she tilts her head. "Why, you need a breather?"

Without waiting for an answer, Zinda holds up an empty bottle and waves it at the bartender. "Shoot us four more!" she calls out. "Somethin' other than this weak shit." The blonde casts a tactical look around the bar as well, and she is careful to keep a couple longnecks within reach.

Thomas Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake was a tall woman today. Back in the day she was damned statuesque. But even so, Thimas had no clue where she put it all. This was a bonafide super power!

"Ah'm stayin' in formation, sugah. No worries," he said in imitation of Zinda's drawl. "But I mean... Chopper, your friends. You need to talk? Cats are good listeners."

At that point a barfly comes up and says loudly, "Hello pussycats... hey! Everybody! Josie... and the Pussycats! Amiright?"

Thomas says, "Ahhh... that fucking cable show."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake half-grins to Thomas at that. "You jus' stay on my wing, then." she replies. Putting down the bottle now that the bartender has gone to root around for more, Zinda catches the pussycat comment.

Her bar stool swivels around to face the loud barfly, and she scoots off. She may be tall for a woman, but this guy is still bigger. No words and no preamble, as soon as boots hit the floor she rears back and gives him a right cross to the jaw.

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake watches for response. His usual move is to grab his barstool and lay about with it or draw a blade. He doesn't want to see Zinda get hurt or locked up. So as the barfly hits the floor he grabs his stool and sets it down on the man, pinning him.

"You should let me buy you a drink, consider getting pasted by a living legend an honor and get the hell out of her..." He catches the bottle thrown at his face. "Okay screw it. I been living like a citizen too long!" He throws the bottle across the floor and an onrushing brawler slips on it and goes down.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake peers down at the guy pinned under the bar stool. He's blinking and only semi-conscious, so she looks up at the others in the room instead. "That all you got, fellas!" she yells out, reaching for a bottle on the bar.

Zinda isn't as nice as Thomas, and she flings the bottle at the next guy out of his seat. Overhand. Whoop-whoop-whoop-<CRASH!> The duck was late, but the bottle glanced off of his head and into the wall instead of taking him full in the face. Seeing the others starting to close, she raises her fists and braces. "I ain't drunk enough to be in -prime- fightin' shape, but I'm sure y'all are gonna know you've been in a fight once we're done."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake is not nice at all. He's being strategic. Two guys are already out of it. Then one guy pulls a knife. He's obviously a brawler who found the shank somewhere. He leads with it, great way to get your hand cut up or wrist grabbed. His wrist does get grabbed. Thomas nearly breaks his arm slamming it onto his thigh. Then the guy is flying into his friends. His knife comes out and he waits, clearly unimpressed. Clearly ready to take it to a whole new level.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Two more close on Zinda, who doesn't look deterred at all. She ducks a wide swing, driving her knee into the guy's gut as a response. While he's doubling over, she spars with the next guy. Actually Zinda blocks a punch and returns with a combo. She hits hard... for a man, nevermind a woman... but she's been used to brawling with soldiers. The second guy staggers back, surprised, as the first guy finds his feet again. "You fellas really -are- determined to show a gal a good time, ain't ya?"

And it looks like she's going to let the gasping guy recover and stand again. How nice.

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake doesn't seem willing to close and get mobbed. So he grabs a bottle from the bar and gets ready to throw it, egging them on to do something stupid like rush him. He pauses a moment then another to look at the bottle. The knife seems to be keeping the regulars off him. "You guys want to stop right now... I'll buy a round for the house. And you want to stop. Hey Zinda... looka this!" He waves the bottle at her. It's a black glass bottle, short neck and circular. It's label has a familiar emblem in black and yellow and a small pin up girl style likeness.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake is about to re-engage when the wagging bottle catches her attention. She half-turns, raising a hand to stop the two guys she's fighting with. "Whoa now, fellas. Hang on a sec, now. Let's stop while this is still friendly, you heard the man. Drinks for the house."

Considering the ferocity of the blonde in the short skirt, free drinks apparently sound like a good idea.

Zinda steps closer, peering at the bottle. "What the hell? I ain't got a mole on my cheek." She looks from Thomas to the bartender, squinting. "Where'd you get this? It sure as hell ain't bottled with my approval."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake points to a former hostile now getting a beer and shot. "I was going to bust him in the head with it. 'Lady Blackhawk Reserve.'" He looks between the bottle and Zinda. "Yeah, mole where it shouldn't be... what? I've seen you in a bikini." He doesn't comment on the pink thong the model wears. "Well, let's get Scooby. Looks like we got a mystery on our hands!'