Car Trouble

"Let's not do that again, ever." Koty said as he relaxed in the comfortable leather seat.

"Why not?" Chance countered sarcastically. "It gets your blood pumping. Seems great for circulation."

"Care to explain why you are so friggin calm?" Koty had expected a businessman to freak out and panic or just completely freeze up.

"Brat, I've been around a little while longer than you. Do you really think that this is the first time in my life that I have ever been threatened? The only thing different this time is the stakes are a little higher. Plus, I've got you guys. Why should I worry? That was one hell of a burnout by the way."

"Thank you, Mr. Addison." Lola said from the front seat.

If Chance knew him a little better, he would know Lola took pride in his driving ability. He would also know that right now Lola was very much pleased with the escape and had enjoyed knocking the rust off his old skills.

"Unbelievable..." Koty ran his hands through his short copper colored hair and then held his forehead. "Day one and I'm the only sane one here."

"Did you tell Nev yet?"

"Dammit! She's gonna kill me."

"I hate to interrupt but we appear to have been followed." Lola looked in the rearview mirror and watched a grey unmarked van match their route, turn for turn.

"Go ahead and shake them off." Chance didn't sound anymore concerned than before. If Mack had been able to entrust his life to Lola, why should he doubt him?

"Yes, Mr. Addison. Please fasten your seatbelts."

Once he heard the two buckles click, Lola pushed the accelerator to the floor.

Seeing that their target was getting further and further away, their pursuers resorted to more desperate means. The passenger side door slid open to reveal a man holding a shotgun.

The man raised the firearm, took aim, and pulled the trigger. Lead pellets could be heard peppering the rear of the car.

Chance had yet to see Lola angry. Though there wasn't much difference in his facial expression, the air pressure in the car seemed to have increased a bit. He wasn't just mad, he was livid.

No one touched his car and got away with it but that was a debt that would have to wait.

The shooter racked the gun and fired again and again, clearly unbothered by potential collateral damage.

Lola took the first ramp up onto the highway to get out of the suburbs and away from innocent bystanders.

Since they hadn't yet entered the city limits, traffic was sparse enough for Lola to weave in and out between other cars but the van still remained close enough to predict his next move and to keep them in firing range.

By some miracle, no other cars were hit by the sporadic gun fire.

There was a cloverleaf interchange coming up an a couple more miles. If they could make the turn, it would put them on another major highway that would head away from the city.

Lola got into the right lane and merged onto the ramp. He cut the wheel and pulled the hand brake with perfect timing to lock the rear wheels and guide the car into a drift. He executed a perfect bootlegger's turn and made it through the two hundred seventy degree curve without breaking a sweat.

The grey van was not so lucky. The driver was going too fast for the vehicle to handle and lost control. The van flipped and went off the road. It rolled a few times before smashing into a stand of trees and catching fire.

Lola smiled ever so slightly as he pulled the rear of the car back in line and sped down the road. He didn't slow down until he felt he had put a sufficient number of miles between them and the mysterious attackers.

"Mr. Addison, I am afraid we cannot take this car back into the city without attracting unwanted attention."

"What do you have in mind?"

"It will take some time to get the repairs done so we will need to make a quick purchase."

"I understand." Chance nodded and waited for Lola to continue.

"Do you have preference?"

"Big would be nice. Something built like a tank and armored would be perfect."

"I know a place."

An hour later, the trio arrived at what looked like an abandoned airplane hangar.

It had boarded up and busted out windows. The few that remained were cloudy from decades worth of built up dirt.

The massive hangar bay doors were covered in rust and vines. It was a wonder that they hadn't already succumbed to the elements and caved in.

Peeled paint chips littered the ground around the building. The aluminum siding and roofing were both bent and sticking up in various places at odd angles.

Chance looked around with genuine interest while Koty looked at the others like they were insane.

Lola led them over to a rusted side door and pressed an old decrepit doorbell. The raspy voice of an old woman grated through a hidden speaker.

"How can I help you hon?" The voice wheezed and coughed a few times.

Koty turned and gave Lola a strange look, which was subsequently ignored.

"Good evening, Mrs. Mason. I'm afraid my friends and I have run into a bit of car trouble."