Standing alone

A black limousine pulls into the parking lot, and Raul Stevens steps out. He is, as usual, dressed immaculately. His brown suit, rust-colored shirt, and beige and brown striped tie look very autumn inspired. In his hand, he's holding a large umbrella, which he pops open to fend off the falling rain. The driver hurries out, opens the trunk and grabs Raul's suitcase. Raul thanks the driver, and peels off enough twenty's to cover the cost of the limo as well as to generously tip the driver.

Raul quickly scans the parking lot. He notices, first of all, the absence of wreckage, and then sees Bubba Gump standing in the cold rain. His clothes are soaked, and the rain is running down his hair, and dripping off the end of his nose. He's holding a video and staring down an alley. Raul looks the direction Bubba is focused, and sees only a bunch of large men wearing work clothes hauling stuff into a recently built warehouse.

Raul walks over to Bubba and stands so the umbrella is covering both of them. He remains silent for some time, until Bubba seems jolted by the absence of rain falling on his head. He looks up in surprise, quickly on the defensive, until he notices Raul standing there.

Raul nods toward the video tape in his hand, and says quietly:

What did you find out?

Gump looks back at the workers and holds up the tape for Raul.

Gump: When Jamal left that match, camara crew's caught up ta em. Caught em askin his thugs if Buford were a problem. Jamal had his men do that. It were his men that put Buford in that hospital. He done made his mistakes in the past, and we done gotten over that.

Gump shivers for a moment, then regains himself.

Gump: But ta do this? He done sunk off the deep end, and I's don't what's gonna happenin.

Raul looks completely shocked. Jamal had always been, if not friendly, at least congenial with him. Raul had thought of him as inwardly tormented - just as Bubba had been tormented - with some of the actions of RIOT and some of the disagreements on the team.

Raul shakes his head in disbelief:

Are you sure? I know you guys have had some problems - but to destroy the bar and hurt Buford? Is there any way he could have been talking about something else?

Raul seems to know the foolishness of his words before Buford's gaze of disbelief mixed with anger found his eyes, and Raul looks down to the ground.

Hey - I promised I'd help, but I have to be sure. But.... it's not my cousin, either. How's Buford doing? Is he going to be all right?

Bubba holds the tape out for Raul to take.

Gump: Check it yer self. I's done watched it a billion times. I's cain't find no other way to interpret it.

Gump, tired of holding the tape in his clenched hand over the hours, finally forces Raul to take the tape from him. Gumps anger seems to lift a little, the catalyst channeling his anger toward the warehouse was now allowing the pent up aggression to flow out of his body. Shivering openly again, Gump looks one more time at the warehouse, then up at his temporary shelter.

Remembering his manners: Thank ya for the umbrella, and fer the use of yer car the other night. Buford is doin alright. Doc say's he's recoverin quickly. Shouldn't be long. Bufords a lot better at recovery than me. He's like an ox, that man...

Gump's arms wrap around his body, trying to warm himself. He see's Raul move to take off his coat to offer it to him, but Gump shakes his head.

Gump: I's appreciate it, but I'd better be gettin inside. Season starts up soon, and we got that draft to deal with.

Gump turns to head to the back entrance and the warmth of the showers.