บท 148: Chapter 148: Ranger Walker
"Next round of beer is on the house," the restaurant manager shouted, trying to calm the situation, but by then, no one paid him any mind. Everyone rushed to the windows, cheering for their favored side.
Even Hannah, excited, pulled Jack to the door, loudly shouting in support of the fight.
"Beat those damn Cossacks! Yi~~~ha~~~!"
The atmosphere in the restaurant became even more heated than during the beauty pageant. Occasionally, some overly enthusiastic spectators would rush out to join the brawl.
Jack, who had never seen Texans this fierce, was shocked. He thought he had seen the most extreme "looking for a fight" attitudes before, but here in Texas, he witnessed a whole new level of crazy.
He felt that describing them as chaotic good wasn't accurate; he preferred to think of them as rebellious kids who remained undeterred despite life's harsh lessons.
The brawl didn't last long. About ten minutes later, as the sound of sirens approached, both sides stopped fighting, wiped their bloody noses, picked up their dropped gear, helped their dazed companions onto their Harleys, and roared away in a cacophony of engine noise.
By the time the police arrived, all that was left were some spectators and a few spots of blood on the ground.
A police car slowly parked in front of the restaurant. Out stepped a tall man wearing a white shirt and cowboy hat, with a Lone Star badge on his chest. His handsomeness was only slightly less than Jack's.
This was Jack's first time seeing the famous Texas Rangers. This special law enforcement unit exists only in the unique state of Texas, their name directly translating to the Texas Rangers.
Texas Rangers and Texas State Troopers both belong to the Texas Department of Public Safety but are independent of each other. They handle everything from public safety incidents to explosive threats, from border security to criminal investigations.
However, due to historical reasons dating back to the Civil War, the Texas Rangers were once almost disbanded. They regained some structure in the late 19th century, but even now, their numbers have never exceeded 200.
In a sense, the Texas Rangers are the most loyal armed force to the Texas state government. Only those who have served in the state police for more than eight years are eligible to apply to join them.
"Walker!" Hannah cheered excitedly, running forward and jumping into the man's arms.
"Oh hey, Hannah, you've grown up," Walker said. Although tall, around 6'5", he wasn't overly muscular, similar to Jack's current build—muscular but not bulky.
The enthusiastic collision made him take a half step back. He could only open his arms helplessly, his expression a bit embarrassed, looking like a tough guy not good at expressing emotions, but there was a clear sparkle in his eyes.
"Jack, this is Cordell Walker. His family's ranch is next to ours. They almost adopted me back then," Hannah introduced them. "Walker, this is Jack, my boyfriend. He's accompanying me home this time."
Jack extended his hand to Walker, and they shook hands, showing each other their strong grip.
"Nice to meet you, young man," Walker said, patting Jack's arm. Despite looking just in his thirties, he deliberately put on an old-fashioned demeanor.
The TV show "Walker, Texas Ranger" wasn't very popular due to the lack of timely Chinese subtitles, so Jack had only watched two seasons before his time travel and didn't remember it well. However, he knew the actor who played Walker from another supernatural TV series.
That was "Supernatural," one of the representative shows during the peak of American TV series. This actor played Sam Winchester, one of the Winchester brothers.
The contrast between the baby-faced young actor on the screen back then and the scruffy middle-aged man in front of him now made Jack uncomfortable, feeling like Walker would pull out a knife and salt to perform an exorcism any second.
Seeing the Harley enthusiasts all leave and the Texas Ranger arriving, the disappointed spectators returned to their seats, their interest not even revived by the waitresses offering free beer.
"Old Tiago came to find Molly this morning and informed her of your whereabouts. Molly ordered me to find a way to bring you back. Your house has been in disrepair for too long; it's uninhabitable. Old Tiago and his wife have been living in the adjacent cottage," Walker said.
"You know, if I can't fulfill my mom's orders..." Walker put on a pitiful face, making Hannah laugh out loud.
"Okay, I understand. I won't make Aunt Molly worry about you," Hannah said.
Walker followed them back into the restaurant, casually ordering a bottle of beer and glancing around.
"The first time I came here was also with your dad," Walker said. Jack opened his mouth but didn't speak. In such a familial moment, he felt like an outsider.
But Hannah quickly broke the slightly somber mood, lifting her jacket to show her FBI badge. Walker's eyes immediately sharpened.
"Are the Stephenson kids ready for vengeance?" Walker asked.
Hannah nodded, "We're planning to stay here for two days, then head to Georgia."
"Do you need me to accompany you? Old Anderson called me some time ago and said he prepared some things for you," Walker looked at Jack, seemingly assessing his combat capabilities.
"Thanks, Walker, but I don't want to worry Aunt Molly and Uncle Bonham too much. Your identity as a Ranger is too conspicuous, and we have other helpers," Hannah said.
Walker awkwardly rubbed his nose. "Do you? I was just applying to go undercover recently. Things at the border have been unstable, with people using illegal immigrants for drug smuggling."
Jack perked up, thinking. "Walker, Texas Ranger" was more of a family drama than a crime show, with few investigation plots and even fewer action scenes. The story mainly revolved around the Walker family's struggles.
The series began with Walker's wife discovering a drug smuggling operation and getting murdered, leading Walker to go undercover for revenge. Did that mean these events hadn't happened yet?
"How are Aunt Emily and those two little kids, Stella and August?" Hannah asked, making Jack perk up even more, hoping to see if he had a chance to tweak the strings of fate. If he could save Walker's wife Emily from the start, the family might avoid many future misfortunes.
After all, in the original show, Emily was the linchpin of the family. After her death, Walker's mother Molly had to step up and hold the family together.
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