My hands burned while gripping the steering wheel. Shifted down quickly to third and pulled the e-brake. Rogue drifted sideways elegantly between two poles. The lights and sirens were bouncing off the tall buildings that surrounded the back street.
"I thought the cops here didn't try to catch you," I muttered to myself.
I dropped the e-brake back down, pushed the clutch and pulled back on the shifter to fourth, then fifth and revved right up to 7000 rpm in sixth and let her fly through traffic. Car horns blared around me, adding to the chaos of the cop chase behind me.
Rogue started to ring and Jake's name popped up on the screen.
"Hey, baby," I answered.
"Are those sirens?" He sounded more concerned then angry. Cute.
"Yeah, i'll lose them on this next corner though, no big. What's up?"
"I was just making sure you were going to make it home alright, its later than usual, but now I know why..."His voice trailed off, staying silent.
"Yeah, i'm sorry I didn't call. Cop's caught up to me right as I was leaving, I've been trying to dodge them for a bit now."
"Alright, i'll see you when you get back." The phone beeped and went dead.
I sighed. I know he's angry about me racing, but honestly it's a lot better than him fighting and it'll make us more money in the long run.
Another down shift, e-brake, drift and up shift around a long tight corner and the lights behind me faded. Back in sixth and Rogue's engine roared making me shiver in excitement. I glanced in the rear-view and the lights had disappeared all together, the sirens still a slight echo in the background. I pulled Rogue into a small back ally and cut the engine and lights, sitting patiently. While I waited for the cops to pass by, I fooled around on the GPS trying to figure out where I was. After being here for three years, everything still looks the exact same and I can never figure out how to get places without the GPS.
The lights and sirens came and went, I waited an extra few minutes before starting the car back up and backing out on the road to continue home.
The garage rolled up as I approached it, slipping inside and cutting the engine as fast as I could. Inside the garage was terrible for echos. Rogue sounded amazing on her own, but magnified inside the garage draws unwanted attention most of the time.
My boots scuffed the pavement while I walked towards the shitty building, and the shitty apartment. The money in my pocket felt like a rock and I smiled. Six grand to add to the piggy bank.
I was still in adrenaline mode and on cloud nine when I opened the door to the apartment. The room was dark except for a dim light in the back corner where the bed was.
Jake shuffled on the bed and stood to come meet me by the front door. I flicked on the light and smiled as he approached me.
"Netflix and chill by yourself?" I teased, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He laughed lightly and returned my hug. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head.
"I'm glad you're ok."
I scoffed and pushed away from him, heading towards the bed. "No big deal, like I said, it's nothing I couldn't handle."
I looked back at him and he sighed, "I know, but this place makes me more on edge. Too much bullshit can happen, I worry about you."
"Well maybe you should start coming to races with me, you wouldn't have to be held up at home like some worried girlfriend," I snickered, pulling my t-shirt off.
He was silent, like he usually is when I talk about racing. I missed the days where we were both free and actually enjoyed racing for fun. Laughing with Zac and our friends. Collecting our pink slip vehicles.
I sighed and turned to face him. "I'm sorry. But good news on that note. Three grand to add to the piggy bank."
I replaced my naked top half with one of Jake's shirts and kicked my pants off. I reached into my jacket pocket and grabbed the wad of cash.
"I'll keep the other three grand for future buy in's, but we're getting there," I said as I offered him a smile.
He nodded. "Yeah I think I got around fifteen hundred for that fight last night."
I pushed aside my irritation about the fight and tossed the money into a blacked out glass jar we kept under the kitchen sink.
"Great, closer we are to going home."
Zac
I held the bottle loosely by the neck and took a swig of the clear liquid every so often. My throat burned every time I swallowed but it was just another shitty reminder that I was alive. Alive but alone.
My feet dangled over the edge of the cliff. My lungs filled with crisp morning air and I relaxed a little. Nothing a little fresh air cant cure. And a bottle of vodka.
I knew the service was shit up here my phone still managed to vibrate in my back pocket. I reached for it and spat when I read the name.
"Fuck off Diesel, i'm busy," I hissed into the phone
"You're drunk," he replied matter-of-fact.
"Yeah, what's it to you? I finished my race and won, so leave me the fuck alone!" I could hear my words starting to slur. I checked the bottle and raised my eyebrows to myself with over a half of the 2'6 was gone.
I brought the phone down to hang up on his dumb ass when I heard a name that punched me right in the gut.
"We found Alex."
"Excuse me?"
"She's in Tokyo, racing low level." Diesel's voice started to sound excited. Like he found a long lost family member but Alex was far from he family. Far.
"Tokyo?" I whispered. "She's not much for the world traveling crap. What the fuck is she doing half way around the world?"
"Listen man, I don't know. We found her, that's all I'm focusing on right now. Get your ass back here and we can talk details once you've sobered up."
The phone clicked and the screen went black.
"Asshole." I said out loud.
I scooted away from the edge of the cliff and tried to jump into my car without stumbling. I went to turn the engine over when I looked at the dash and realized I couldn't make out any of the numbers.
"For fucks sake!" I slammed my hand against the steering wheel.
It didn't take long for the alcohol to put me to sleep.
I woke up a few hours later. The sun was higher in the sky. Closer to the afternoon. My head throbbed as I sat up from the awkward position I passed out in.
Alex.
My mind reeled as I turned the engine over a drifted out of the mountains back to Diesels house.
My car screeched to a halt as I braked in the driveway, bounding towards the door.
"Where is she!" I yelled, stomping into the kitchen.
Diesel was leaned over the counter with a map and several pictures of Alex spread all around. I picked up one of the pictures and stared for what felt like hours. I had to look passed how different she looked to feel the pain in my gut. She is alive. Her long brown hair was gone, replaced with shoulder length blonde and brown. Her face was darker, like she had actually seen some sun for once in her life. She was walking towards a Legend look a like car, but turned to look back over her shoulder. The person taking the picture was among a crowd, well hidden from her.
I held back tears as Diesel was watching me. A couple other guys joined the counter space, watching me as well.
"That is your sister yes?" Diesel asked.
"Why are you asking me? Of course it is."
Diesel just smiled. "I thought it was, I just needed vocal conformation before we could proceed."
"What are you talking about?" I asked warily. "Proceed with what?"
Diesel gave me a weird look like I was stupid for not knowing what his plans were.
"We're getting her out of there. Bringing her back home."
I just stared at him, honestly trying to figure out how this low life piece of shit could even come up with a master plan to get Alex back here. We all have criminal records, its not like Alex can get on a plane to come home and we can't get on a plane to go get her.
Diesel saw my doubtful expression and rolled his eyes.
"I have a guy in Tokyo, he's looking out for her."
"Alex would drop him on his head before she would let anyone look out for her," I hissed.
"Well, she doesn't know who he is. He only just saw her for the first time yesterday."
I scoffed and shuffled through the pictures. They were all taken at a race scene. Crowds of people in the background, import cars off to each side of the road. But the focus was always Alex. She was the center of all the pictures. The last picture caught my eye. It was outside a window of a low grade building. The siding was chipped and broken, while the paint was faded and peeling. In the center of the window was Alex with an over sized t-shirt on and a wad of cash in her hand. It took me a minute to recognize the other person in the picture. The guy was huge and beaten up pretty bad.
"Jake," I whispered out loud.
Diesel growled. "Yeah we thought that's who it was. Buddy looks like he's been through hell."
I dropped the pictures back on the counter and slammed my fists down.
"So what's the plan genius. How do we get my sister home?"
Alex
I could reach out and scoop the tension up in the air. I had my back on the bed, looking up at the cracked roof. My successful night turned into another fight of which of us was going to provide the next source of income. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes hoping to fall asleep to escape the rest of the argument.
I could hear Jake bouncing lightly from foot to foot, throwing air punches at an imaginary opponent.
"If you go, i'll never talk to you again." I said blandly, trying to get him not to fight.
"Yes you will," he replied easily.
I re opened my eyes and rolled them, propping myself up on my elbows.
"I'll never have sex with you again."
He stopped punching and laughed coming over to the bed and landing on top of me.
"Yes you most definitely will," he whispered against my neck.
I shivered and pushed on his chest. He flipped over onto his back and rested his head on his arms behind his head.
"So how is it you can get all quiet and mad when I'm about to go race but you can't let me be mad at you when you're about to fight?" I questioned seriously. The bed squeaked as I moved to stand at the end of the bed so he couldn't touch me.
His mouth opened ready to answer and I held my hand up before he could try. "Let me remind you that my illegal activity doesn't involve me coming home covered in blood."
He propped himself up on his side and stared at me for a few minutes.
"What!?" I finally snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.
"I like it."
"Like what..." I was low key hoping he was referring to my attitude.
"Fighting, I like it." He spoke quietly. Almost scared to say it any louder in front of me.
I snorted and plastered a bitch face on front for him.
"And I love to race, but you still have to go and get an attitude!"
He groaned and face planted into a pillow.
"Oh there it is!" I yelled, bringing the heat back to the argument.
Jake's muscle rippled as he pushed himself off the bed and came face to face with me.
"Guy's are pigs." He simply stated.
"...and what does that have to do with anything?" I prompted, extra irritated.
"I can't go to races because we can't be seen together, you know this. So while i'm at home like some worried girlfriend" - quoting my earlier comment- "There could be some dudes throwing themselves at you."
My lips pressed into a tight line and I raised my eyebrow in a rude remark.
"You know I would throw anyone down who came near me. You aren't the only one who knows how to fight," I snapped with a hint of a warning in my tone.
I shook my head and walked to the furthest side of the room and grabbed the edge of the kitchen sink. I can not believe he thinks that that is an actual problem in our lives.
"Ok you caught me. I'm a little jealous." He said breaking the ten minute silence.
I laughed but it wasn't genuine and I most definitely wasn't smiling.
"You can't blame you doubting my loyalty to you by saying you're jealous, Jake."
Just as he was about to answer there was a faint flash coming out of the window by the bed. I caught it out of the corner of my eye and spun. Both our survival skills kicked in and we dove for different spots in the apartment, grabbing guns from their hiding places.
I army crawled to the side of the bed and slowly stood to see if I could make out anything in the dark. Faint lights from the city side just highlighted the demolished, decaying buildings we had a view of. There wasn't even anyone out walking, I mean it was close to three in the morning.
"Do you see anything?" Jake asked on the other side of the bed.
I shook my head, doing one last sweep before lowering my gun.
Before I looked away I swore I saw the ass end of a blue GT-R.