James was out of it. Only realized a minute into the ride that the 

Uber

driver was the same as before. The one Chad had ordered on his behalf. Funny how that worked. Chad orders James a ride home. James arrives there. And there Chad is tied up.

How did Big Joe get Chad back to his place that fast? James searched through his night. Right. He had stopped for a pizza. Right next to his place. After eating two slices he had gone up to his apartment.

His favorite pizza was across the street and one block over. It was open late and sold by the slice. Often when he was drinking, James would wait to get some pizza at home rather than eating wherever he was. It was hard to beat the taste and feeling of it.

"I saw you just a minute ago didn't I?"

The Uber driver's face reflected off the rear view mirror. James didn't know how to reply. Was the driver on to him? No. Probably not. To the driver he was just going back out. Out for more drinks perhaps.

"Yeah. It's that kind of night." James imagined this was the kind of saying that implied a level of cool. But after having said that, now he was wondering where the hell he was being taken. It had been Big Joe who had ordered the ride. Did Big Joe say anything about where he was headed?

Think, James told himself. Think! Where could he possibly be headed. James knew it would be too weird to ask the driver. That was be awkward.

After a minute of trying to come up with the right answer. Then another minute of trying to keep his cool. Then another minute of wondering what-if? What if he just ran away from it all. After all this he realized the car was going out of the city. Out of anyplace he would go.

"Hey what time do you think we'll arrive?"

The driver looked at him in the mirror. Then his eyes glanced at the phone navigating him. 15 minutes.