Kates scoffed at the mention of poetry.

"I tend to have more... practical pursuits. I don't think I could name a poet for a million dollars, unless Shakespeare counts."

As Robert started talking about sweet lips, softer breasts, and lang'rous waists, she dropped a hand down towards the knife she still had hidden on her calf. Her scoff turned into an angry scowl. What the hell was with these two? She assumed they were putting the moves on her... what else was poetry for? As Hamish piped up, she spun around angrily.

"I'm not the girl. I'm not a girl at all. My friends call me Kates. You can call me that, or Katherine, or Miss Sparato. And I'm here because your brother doesn't trust me enough to let me go, but since I talked to my boss I'm reasonably sure that I'm not going to get buried out in the middle of nowhere. So for now, I'm along for the ride. Maybe I'll even find a way to salvage this for myself or earn some money."

"Ah the Bard. Rather good, but sometimes a bit wordy. I enjoy his comedies. As for the poetry, I apologize that it seemed to offend you. We read a lot of it back home and just before you showed up, I'd managed to pick up a small treasure trove of poetry from a little book shop in Detroit. I quoted that one because the sun was going down and it reminded me of his words."

He could have gone on but Hamish piped up from the back seat, setting off an unholy terror of caterwauling from his passenger. Robert very nearly slammed his foot on the brakes as Kates started hollering at Hamish who was very clearly out of his wits. The beating Kates had given his brother had clearly addled his brain a bit too much and now she was biting his head off. Testy one wasn't she, good lord he'd never met a woman quite so strident and while he appreciated her ability to hold her own, the car was not the place to be defending ones honor. 

"Miss Sparato"

He spit, clearly holding in a much more terse tone through his crisp rebuttal of her. 

"Would you kindly settle down and keep your voice to an acceptable level for car travel? I'd appreciate it if we didn't run off into a ditch due to all this screaming."

He sounded like a school marm to be frank. One with a severe glower and a small pair of glasses on the tip of her nose. The kind that could silence you with a glare as she pushed a stray hair back into her graying bun. 

"I understand your frustration in being held captive as, shall we say, insurance. I am simply transporting you to St. Louis although at this point I am wondering why I am doing that as well. I was vaguely aware of the fact that you grudgingly offered your assistance in exchange for keeping your life and I think that's a rather fair trade."

He paused as she continued to seethe and Hamish continued to gibber in the back seat. Perhaps she really had rattled his brain a bit too much and at the moment, he was looking rather green around the gills. Robert quickly pulled off to the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and allowed Hamish some time to commune with nature. Rob was concerned for his older brother who seemed to keep asking the same questions over and over and then telling them the answer. 

"I think we might have to make another stop." He said quietly.

"Aye, I'm sorry G- Miss Kates.  I don't mean any disrespect to you at all.  Other than the fact you fight better than any man I've ever sparred with, I cannae think o a reason why my brother is keepin ye."  Hamish was getting more disoriented and was trying to keep a clear head, but each second that ticked by things seemed to make less and less sense.  Robert was yelling, but Hamish really couldn't concentrate on what was being said.  Suddenly his younger brother pulled the car to the side of the road and almost before he had opened the door a torrent of bile erupted from his aching stomach.  After what seemed like hours he eventually stopped vomiting and crawled back into the car.  

"Robert, who is the g- he paused "Lady?"  

"Her name is Kates." 

"Ok." Hamish looked to the front seat and saw a woman sitting there. "There's another woman in the car?" 

"It's the same woman Ham." 

"Oh? What's her name?" 

"Her name is Kates." 

Hamish shook his head, trying to clear what felt like huge fluffy clouds in his brain.  Unfortunately, things stayed just as muddled.  He opened his mouth to ask Robert a question and was shushed.  

"Rest your eyes Ham, you've bumped your head." 

"I never read Shakespeare; I just know his name. Doesn't offend me at all- I just don't know anything about it."

She narrow her eyes as Robert attempted to rebuke her.

"I wasn't yelling. You can speak harshly without it being yelling you know."

She crossed her arms.

"Yes, I'm offering my assistance. I'd just prefer to have my name used instead of being dismissed as some girl."

Kates stretched as the car pulled over, leaning against the hood of the car. Hamish didn't seem to be doing so well, based on the vomiting and forgetting. She must have rung his bell pretty good. Kates looked at Robert and spoke matter of factly.

"If he's forgetting this much, he should probably be lying down in a dark room with a cool cloth on his head. Maybe some medicine for the headache he surely has. I've dealt with the same once or twice and so did my dad- even if he saw a doctor, there's not much to do except give it time to heal without straining himself."

She paused.

"If it's a concussion. I guess he could be hurt worse. But I didn't hit him that hard, so I'm pretty sure."

Robert ran his hand through his hair, showing signs of distress as Hamish shook his head trying to clear his brain fog. This whole thing was an absolute shit show and at this point in the game, they were several hours outside of St. Louis, he was hungry and thirsty, and Hamish definitely seemed to be more injured than Kates thought. 

Nothing seemed to be going well on this stupid journey and with Hamish laid up, there was nothing else to do than to accept defeat and stop somewhere for the night. He thought about what he was going to say, including an apology for his harsh tone, but nothing quite seemed right to say. He and Hamish had been raised as gentlemen. Their mother and sisters back in Scotland had stressed the importance of treating people with respect always. Even now as a somewhat above the law drug runner for the mafia, he still did hit utmost to promote those lessons. Kates was making it difficult because she completely broke every rule in the book. She was strong, smart, and capable but she was also cagey, sharp, and known to inflict serious damage. He wasn't sure how she'd react to his next suggestion but with Hamish asking about the lady every few minutes, there was no way they could continue. 

"We need food, and lodging. And perhaps some place to put him until he's well rested. I uh, hope you don't mind. I can pay for a separate room?"

Kates nodded.

"Food and lodging sound like a good move. Happy to have my own spot or stay in the same room, as long as you take it as an invitation. I'm not much for comfortable or luxurious living."

She paused, glancing at Robert.

"Can also try to find a doctor, if you're worried about him. If you give me my weapons back, I'll go out, get a doctor, and come back. You'd be trusting me a little there... but not as much as if you left me alone with your brother. Your call, of course."

Hamish slowly opened his eyes and squinted at the ceiling.  He could hear what sounded like bickering.  His face was throbbing but his head felt much clearer than it had before.  He reached up and touched his forehead, a bandage swathed it.  It took a few minutes but eventually he managed to pull himself up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed.  The previous evenings events came back into memory and he winced.  The gi- Kates had come to his room and beaten the snot out of him, before she could finish him off Robert had come in, eventually the whole shit show had moved into Robert's car, on the road to what he assumed to be St. Louis.  He didn't really remember what had happened since he'd ejected himself from the car to vomit.  He winced and got a cup of water from the nightstand, finally deciding to eavesdrop on the conversation outside. 

"It doesn't make sense to make me come with you?" 

"Well too bad Miss Sparato, not a lot about this entire adventure has made sense." 

Miss Sparato?  Ah yes, the girl. Ham paused.  Kates.  He checked his pockets and walked outside, waving a hello at Robert and tipping his hat at Kates.  

"Shall we depart then?  I'm needed in St. Louis."