*~*~*
It was a lovely day. Garath was sunbathing by the pool in his backyard. He loved feeling the sun bearing down on him. Garath had already applied sunscreen earlier and decided to catch some rays. Everything was peaceful. But unbeknownst to anyone, Oscar and his friends were back. Oscar was angry that his car was destroyed and he wanted to make Garath pay for it even though it was his own fault.
"I don't know, Oscar. We really shouldn't be here. You know Garath hates trespassers." Rick said.
Unknown to Oscar and Thomas, Rick knew Garath better than them. Because of that, Rick knew that Garath would kill them for trespassing on his property.
"I don't care. If Garath had raced me, none of this would've happened." Oscar said angrily.
He had lost his license for a year and had an additional twelve weeks of community service to add insult to injury.
"No Oscar. Rick is right. I heard about what Garath did to one of his next door neighbors, Henry. He threw the kid back onto his own property like a ragdoll and Henry ended up breaking his left leg when he landed in his backyard. His mother Bessie tried to demand an apology and force Garath into letting her son play with his rifle, but he refused to bend to her will. He even grabbed her by the throat and threatened to kill her if she didn't back off. The fire in his eyes was enough to scare George shitless." Thomas replied.
Oscar ignored the warnings of his friends and broke into Garath's house where he beat up Heather and Jimmy with a baseball bat. It wasn't long before he came out of the garage while driving Lara. Thomas and Rick quickly got into Rick's 1970 Chevelle and left alongside of Oscar as they drove off.
But Garath heard the sound of Lara screaming for help and he saw them driving off with her. He ran inside and saw how badly his mother was beaten.
"What happened?" Garath asked.
"Oscar. He came in here and attacked us. After that, he stole Lara." Jimmy said, as he knelt by his wife since he wasn't hurt as much as she was.
Seeing his mother injured and knowing that his girlfriend was kidnapped, Garath was furious.
"Sure. Attack my parents, KIDNAP MY GIRLFRIEND.!" He growled, as he stormed upstairs.
*Cue Battle Without Honor or Humility*
When Garath came back downstairs, he was wearing a black leather jacket with spikes, a black leather shirt with matching jeans, black half-fingered gloves and black leather boots with purple flames.
His Walther PPK was holstered in his belt. He was carrying an UZI 9 mm machine gun in his left hand and his sunglasses in his right hand. He also had an AK-47 assault rifle holstered on his back.
"Alright. LET'S PARTY." Garath snarled angrily, as his mother woke up while he put on his shades.
"Whoa, easy son. Are you okay?" Jimmy asked.
"Lara may not be human, but she is a life form and has a soul. But Oscar may try to kill her." Garath said, ignoring his father's question.
Heather struggled to stand.
"What are you gonna do?" She asked.
"Pursue, capture, incarcerate!" Garath answered.
"Come on, son. These are serious guys. You can't take them all on at once." Heather said.
Jimmy and his wife tried to block Garath's path, but the young man holstered his machine gun and grabbed his parents by the collar of their shirts before lifting them up with little effort.
"Mom, dad, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Stand aside." He said tensely, as he dropped his parents off to the side and went into the garage.
Garath climbed onto his motorcycle and rode off into the city to rescue Lara. He knew where Oscar was taking her.
*~*~*
Oscar and his friends arrived at an abandoned warehouse by the pier. Thomas and Rick climbed out of Rick's car while Oscar exited Lara. They had no idea that Garath was already on his way to rescue her.
"I am rather impressed that you managed to steal that car. But I have a sneaking suspicion that your victory will be short lived." Thomas said.
"I agree. I didn't see him, but I have a feeling that Garath is on his way here. And from what I heard, this Aston Martin is more than just a car to him." Rick replied.
Oscar looked at him with confusion.
"It is?" He asked.
"Yes. Based on what my brother Ken told me, this car's name is Lara. She may be a car in the eyes of people such as ourselves. But to Garath, she's his girlfriend and he loves her in a fashion to where he sees her as a real woman. If I know him, Garath absolutely will not stop, EVER, until he gets her back. And when he's on the hunt for someone or even something that he loves like he probably is right now, Garath will kill anyone that stands in his way." Rick answered fearfully.
This answer caused Oscar's blood to run cold and he showed a fearful "Oh shit" expression on his face. Oscar remembered a time when he borrowed Garath's motorcycle and repainted it as a joke. Garath hunted him relentlessly like a wolf, and Oscar was left with a broken leg for almost a year when Garath got through with him. Suddenly, they heard the sound of a motorcycle engine roaring towards the pier.
"Is that a motorcycle I'm hearing?" Oscar asked.
Rick peered outside the window only to quickly back away and run back to his friends.
"Yeah. It was Garath. He just pulled up here, and he looks very unhappy. In fact, I would probably say that he's really pissed off." He said.
"What? How can this be? He didn't see us leave with his girlfriend." Thomas said.
"No. But something tells me that Garath knew that we were coming here. He knows every inch of New York like the back of his hand. We can't outrun him. And there's no use in trying to hide." Rick replied.
They heard a loud BANG at the garage door where they came in. The banging sounds repeated until the metal from the door began to bend as it became weak with each impact. Oscar and his friends watched as Garath's fist broke through the door. Garath grabbed either side of the hole in each hand and ripped it open wide enough for him to walk into the warehouse. Oscar and his friends were too scared to move as Garath pulled out his handgun and pointed it at them.
"I've come for Lara, and you'd better stay where you are. Or I swear that I will blow your slaggin' heads off." He snarled angrily.
Oscar suddenly got a burst of courage and tried to advance on Garath. But he stopped the very instant that Garath pulled back the hammer on his pistol with his thumb. For no sooner did he hear the sound of Garath cocking his gun than Oscar froze.
"Don't move. I know what you're trying to pull, Oscar. Attacking my family and then kidnapping my girlfriend. This is low even for you." Garath said.
"If you had raced me, I would still have my Mustang and none of this would be happening." Oscar countered.
But Garath narrowed his eyes into a death glare that would put the Bat Stare to shame.
"That's your own fault. Now I am taking my girl back, and you will not stop me." He said.
Jimmy had followed Garath and loaded Garath's motorcycle onto the roof of his Jeep before driving home. He knew that things were about to get ugly. Suddenly Oscar rushed forward and punched Garath in the face and knocked him down. While Garath scrambled to his feet, Oscar climbed into Lara and drove off. Garath tied up Thomas and Rick with incredible speed and climbed into Rick's car before speeding off to chase Oscar.
*Cue Holding Out For A Hero by Bonnie Tyler*
Where have all the good men gone and where are all the Gods?
Where's the street wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need
It didn't take long for Garath to catch up to Oscar. Some cops noticed what was going on and joined in the chase. Garath saw them and quickly rolled down the window.
"Officers, that silver Aston Martin in front of me is mine. The person driving it at the moment is the thief. His name is Oscar. I need you guys to set up a roadblock and spike strip. I'll take care of the rest." He called.
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life
The police chief pulled out his radio.
"All units, focus on stopping that silver Aston Martin. The driver is Oscar whose license has been suspended. The owner of that silver Aston Martin is helping us. He's currently driving Rick's black Chevelle to pursue the suspect. Set up a roadblock and spike strip ahead of them. Don't let Oscar escape, over." He said.
Somewhere after midnight in my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach there's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
"Ten-four chief. All units, block off the road ahead and set up a spike strip ASAP." One of the backup units responded.
"It's a dead end, Oscar! Give it up!" Garath called out.
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear that there's someone somewhere watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
But Oscar heard this and managed to avoid the roadblock by taking a backstreet to get around it. The police were unable to follow Oscar, but Garath was right behind him. The police worked their way around the block as fast as they could and set up another roadblock at the end of the alley. Garath saw them up ahead and there was nowhere for Oscar to go.
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
"Oscar, you will not get away! I am really pissed off!" Garath yelled.
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
Oscar saw the roadblock and tried to find a way around it. But then he heard a loud BANG behind him. Oscar looked into one of Lara's rearview mirrors and saw that Garath was shooting at him with his PPK.
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
Garath fired another shot and hit one of Lara's tires. Oscar tried to control the car but there was nothing he could do as he ran over a policeman before smashing into the roadblock which brought him to a halt. Garath drifted to a stop as he closed the gap. Garath got out of the Chevelle and stormed over to Lara's driver side seat where he opened the door and dragged Oscar out by his hair. One officer arrested Oscar as another squad car pulled up with Rick and Thomas handcuffed in the backseat.
"Take him away boys." The police chief said.
The officers forced Oscar into the backseat with his friends and drove off.
"Chief, I do believe that Rick wanted nothing to do with this. Rick and I were once classmates in high school alongside of Thomas and Oscar, where he confessed that he only works with them out of fear for his life since Oscar threatened to kill him if he refused." Garath said.
"You know them?" The chief asked.
"Yes. I thought they were my friends. But I was wrong. Nevertheless, I know that all Rick wants is to be free of those two. If anything, Oscar and Thomas are the ones to blame." Garath answered.
The chief seemed to think for a moment.
"Very well. We'll question Oscar first. And Rick will be saved for last." He said.
"Thanks chief." Garath replied, as a pair of tow trucks pulled up. One of them hooked up Rick's car and took it to the impound, while the other transported Garath and Lara to a nearby repair shop where Lara was repaired. When she came back out, Lara looked good as new.
"Thanks fellas." Garath said, as he paid the bill.
"Anytime. And ya know what? I think she's lucky to be with a man like you. She's a beauty." The mechanic said.
Garath climbed into Lara and drove home.
"Lara, are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. I'm alright." Lara answered through her radio.
"I'm sorry for shooting you back there. But it was the only way to stop Oscar from getting away." Garath said.
"It's okay, sweetie. I knew you had a reason for that. I could never be angry with you." Lara replied.
*~*~*
Garath and Lara arrived home by sundown and parked in the garage.
"That certainly was a wild ride." Lara said.
"Yeah. I'm just glad you're safe. I love you, Lara." Garath replied, as he hugged her.
Lara warmed her engine in response.
"I love you too, honey. Nothing will ever separate us." She said.
Garath went inside to turn in for the night.
*~*~*
Lara's POV
Today was a crazy day. Oscar came by and kidnapped me. Although from what I heard Garath telling the police chief, the boy whose name was Rick didn't want to help Oscar and Thomas with kidnapping me. In fact, Rick seems to most likely work with them out of fear for his life. I sensed that sort of fear while we were headed for that warehouse at the pier. Out of pity and understanding, I decided to spare Rick's life. But Oscar and Thomas are next on my hit list. I'm going to make them pay for what they did.