Racer's Heart©

Chapter 22: It's Alive?

"Ah, we meet again Ms. Langston," Craig smiled. If he had not been holding a gun, Maia would almost have thought the man was a longtime friend welcoming the chance to meet.

"Little snoop," the short man behind Craig's scowled. He re-adjusted the labocat he was wearing.

Suddenly Maia realized something. Craig had yet to notice Jacob! Hastily she stepped forward, putting her hands up. "You got me," she blocked any view of Jacob, hoping he had gotten her cue to stay hidden.

"Hm, what are you doing here little girl?" Craig grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her forward into the open area of the room.

Maia noticed the tall businessman and the scientist were staring at her hostile. "Uh," she tried to smile as she looked at Craig. "I was just looking around."

"On private property?" Craig raised an eyebrow. "You thought that was wise?"

"Jeez, it's just a warehouse," Maia shrugged nervously, trying to stay calm. Play dumb. Play dumb. "You should lesson a little on your equity-I mean why do old warehouse's need barbed wire anyway." She was hoping she might direct Craig to think she was just a random kid exploring not having come after her car.

Craig ignored the girl's comment. "How long have you been here?"

Maia shrugged. "Not very long."

"You're hiding something," Craig raised his gun so that it was pointed straight against her forehead. "I want to know why you are here."

"Craig! She's just a kid!" the businessman spoke up in an anxious tone.

"Stay out of this Zack," Craig snapped. "Or you can expect yourself to be out of the deal."

Blinking, the man hastily backed down, fear in his eyes.

Coward. Maia thought as she faced Craig.

"I can kill you, and nobody will ever find out," Craig said calmly as if talking about the weather. "You know that, right?" He pushed the gun harder against her forehead.

"Just like you killed my mom?" The words flew out of Maria's mouth before she could stop them. She saw Craig's eyes widened and knew then that it was true. He had killed her mom! So much for playing dumb.

"Oh yes," Craig suddenly broke into laughter. He then just as quickly looked at her darkly. "Just like I killed your mother."

"Why did you kill her?" eyes bright with fury, Maia scowled at him.

"Simple," Craig pulled back the gun and with a click shut the safety lock off. He pointed  at her head. "She stuck her head in the wrong place just like you."

Maia's eyes widened. He's going to actually shoot me! She threw her hands up to protect herself and scrunched her eyes shut.

Suddenly there was a revving sound and a loud bang of a gunshot.

Feeling no pain, Maia's eyes widened. She was just in time to watch as her corvette zoomed across the room, right in front of her, the bullet bouncing off it.

What on earth? Wide eyed, Maia stared at the car, watching as it spun to the left, revving and heading straight for the three men. Who's driving it?

Startled, Craig jumped back, accidentally knocking into a stack of crates. His gun fell out of his hand as the tower crates fell over him. The other two men turned and bolted from the room, with cries of alarm.

"Maia, quick!" Jacob was at her side, tugging on her arm. He pulled her towards the car and opened the door.

Heart thumping, Maia climbed inside the driver's seat, Jacob taking the passenger. She glanced back at Craig. He was pushing the crates off himself angrily as he searched for his gun. He killed my mom.

"Cowards!" He yelled at the scientist and businessman. "Come back here!"

"Maia, get us out of here!" Jacob hissed, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Brought back to the present, Maia hit the gas and spun the corvette around, looking for a door big enough to exit through. But none of the docking bays were big enough.

"There's no way out!" She scowled.

Suddenly the wheel jerked in her hands, and the car turned to face a wall.

"What are you doing?" Jacob exclaimed over the loud revving of the corvette.

"I didn't do that!" Maia's eyes widened. The gas pedal fell beneath her foot and she was thrown back as the corvette shot forward towards the wall!

"Ahh!" Both she and Jacob cried out as the car crashed into the wall and broke straight through it completely unharmed!

The corvette pulled free of the debris and zoomed forward- past the yelling security guard and straight through the barbed wire fence.

"I'm beginning to think this is not a normal car," Jacob said in a breathless voice as the corvette raced into the nearby forest.

"Me too," Maia lifted her hands off the wheel as it jerked once again without her moving it. Her eyes widened as she watched the wheel turn on its own, the gas pedal doing likewise. "This car is practically driving itself!"

"There's one question though," Frowning Jacob looked at Maia, a worried expression on his face. "Where is it taking us?"

Shaking her head, Maia threw her hands up. "I have no idea!"