They Call Me the Coroner | Top Gun: Maverick

Tilted Lanes

"Yowzah!" Coyote holds up a shirt to Phoenix. "This would look swell on you!"

"And here's the perfect hat to go with it!" Fanboy settles a floppy sunhat over her head.

I see her roll her eyes, scowl at the two, and motion to Payback. "Who invited them?"

She sets the giant, pink hat off to the side on a rack, and pushes the Hawaiian shirt with puffy sleeves back to Coyote.

"Oh, come on. This is style, baby!" Coyote smiles innocently. "Can't say no to the trends."

"I definately could." Bob pops up behind Phoenix, startling her. She scoffs at him, giving him a light punch on the arm.

"Starting the fun without us?" Hangman motions me further inside the little clothing shop. Everyone smiles as we walk up.

"Coroner!" Phoenix grabs me in a hug. Bob pats my back.

Rooster walks up, keeping a rack of clothes between him and everyone else.

"Hey, Rooster." I wave. He barely curls his lips up and nods.

I grin...and I want to die.

Instead of focusing on our awkward interaction, I turn my attention to the shop we've met at.

The store smells of leather and the beach. How that's possible, I don't know. I pass by a couple aisles of boots and flip flops.

The floor has Hawiian flowers printed on creaky worn-out hardwood. There's a place with boom boxes and next to them are musical triangles of different sizes.

The clothes are a mash up of rodeo attire and swimming trunks. There's those weird stick horses next to the counter up front. A pile of crystals, shells, and sand dollars lay in a box up off the ground.

"Man, this store looks as if a southern belle and a beach bum hippie had a baby. Why did we meet here?" Fanboy raises his brows at Hangman.

Apparently this was all Hangman's idea.

"It's just a random place..." He shrugs.

Phoenix scoffs. "Uh-huh. Sure. There has to be some catch."

"What's your game, Hangman?" Rooster asks.

"Bowling, my feathered friend." He wraps an arm around me and Payback and pulls us close. "I know a great place just a block from here. Three of us against the four of you. Coroner, I know I said I would take you to some shops, but this idea seemed better."

"I'm not complaining." I smile.

"I can't see how the teams are very fair." Bob says. "We would literally smoke you."

"Tesha here was bowling champ back at the academy. She could make a strike with her eyes closed. Could probably take us all on without breaking a sweat."

"No...no. Bob has a point." I smirk. "I have a better idea."

"Which is?" They all gaze at me.

I wait a beat for thrilling drama's sake. "Guys against gals. And gals get to pick the bowling alley. Winner gets chicken dinner plus icecream paid in full by the losers."

Phoenix's face drops and the guys laugh.

"Oh, I'm serious." I stand over next to Phoenix and take her towards a rack of clothes.

"Listen, I know what you're thinking, but hear me out. I got this great place in mind and trust me, they will never win." I whisper.

She scoffs with a smile. "I hope you know what you're doing because if you don't and they win, you're paying me back."