meet up

"Mhh.. you know anyone else that will be there?" Keith began replacing his sides suspension, as Eva worked on the other side, both similarly doing their work as they talked.

"There will be Hao and Magnus,… but why do you ask… only now scouting out the competition?" she raised her brow, giving him a questioning look of disappointment..

"Only curious as to who I am beating…" Keith recognised one of the names, not knowing who Magnus was, but knowing Hao to be at least somewhat skilled..

"Ohh big words coming from someone who hasn't been racing in weeks.. sure you are not just letting your car carry you through?" Eva stood up mere moments before Keith did so, both getting the tire back on the new suspension.

"While a good car helps, the driver is the only one who can control the outcome of the race." Someone good limited by their car could always rise higher, but someone terrible with a good car, wouldn't grow as a driver.. eventually losing one way or the other.

"Where did you hear that type of bullshit… driving can only make up so much time, having a better car just means outrunning them on the long stretch, to bad you only got one straight to go on." Keith knew that his words could be considered false although he himself truly believed that a good car needed a good driver to show its fullest potential, just like a good driver needed a good car to show his.

Getting up after finishing his side, Keith leant against the hood of the car… speaking up as he seemed to realise her words "What do you mean?"

"The track…" Eva paused also getting up after finishing her side, seeing Keith's surprised face.

"It begins near the beach, goes along the main strip, and climbs the mountain, ending near the billboards overlooking the city… don't tell me you didn't know?"

"Only learned about the race today?" Keith was worried for a second as he thought that they would be having some complicated rout all leading to a straight passage to the finish line, meaning that he needed to get up in the front before that part, as the turns up on the mountains didn't allow someone to overtake easily.

"That's your own fault for not listening… every car meet had talks about it… you have had to be deaf for to have missed it."

"Fine, my fault for setting up a success vol business instead of going around hearing the latest rumours." Keith mockingly accepted the fact that he had been away from the racing scene for to long.

"Agh… you know what." Keith looked back at her as she scratched her head in frustration..

"I will tell you about the race… and you better remember it because I am not repeating myself."

"Don't worry I wouldn't dare to ask.."

"You…" She sighed, calming herself down before beginning to talk about the race and the five opponents he would be facing in the first round.

The tournament had three main parts, the first part had already been decided, with the top five contestants coming out to race in the second part, Keith had been allowed to skip the first race, in stead directly coming into the second one.. angering some of the contestants both on and off the track..

The winner of this race, would go up against the current champion, challenging him for the throne.

"Mhh.. interesting…" Keith found it od that he had been allowed to pas the first race, not even hearing about it..

Him not racing in the first part meant that some people were already upset with him, so if he didn't come by this time then his reputation would certainly plummet.

"Tell me about the other racers.." the track had been explained already, only leaving his opponents.

"Kai works for you… but he wont hold back so.." She seemed a little hesitant to bring it up.

"I wouldn't expect him to either." To Keith nothing was better then a worthy opponent, something to increase the trill of a race even further.

"..then there is Hao… you might know him, organises some of the races himself?" Keith had heard about him, some good, some bad..

"I heard of him… he talks more then he drives right?" Alex laughed. Confirming what Keith had suspected.

"Yeah, but he isn't a pushover… speaking of people not easily mushed over, Magnus.. he is quite aggressive on the road, plays dirty too.." Alex spoke of him as if she held a grudge… clearly disliking him.

"Hmm, the other two?" Aggressive drivers were easy to beat, provoking them a little could likely reveal mistakes, making them easily beat by skilled drivers.

"John and William.. both are some rich kids, reckless and with faster cars then the rest.. they win the small leagues, but this is a little over their heads, but hey, maybe you will be riding alongside them with your own tuned ride.

"Mhh… I see.." Keith lost interest after hearing the other contestants, Alex had originally described it as something big, but the only real challenger seemed to be Kai, someone he knew the performance of.

They continued to work on the car for a couple more hours, until Keith could hear his phone go off… it had already reached the time where he needed to go… meaning that he couldn't continue with the car…

"hey Alex, could you finish it up, before bringing it to the race… I have an appointment with someone so ill be heading off.."

"You serious?"

"Time management isn't my strongest suit." Keith headed to the office inside of the warehouse, removing his sleeveless shirt as he did so…

He didn't have the time to take a shower, but some cologne would do just fine for now, changing his clothes back to the suit he had on prior, Keith headed for the door, hoping that the car he had asked for would be there..

Just as requested a cab stood before his building, parked on one of the parking spots beside the entrance, with a familiar face being the driver..

"Good afternoon boss.." David smiled kindly.

"Its good that you are on time.. lets go immediately, wouldn't want to keep anyone waiting."

"No problem sir.." David opened the car door, allowing Keith to get into the back of the luxurious cab he himself owned..

Getting in the car by himself, David glanced at the backseat using his rear-view mirror, before speaking.

"Where we headed to boss?"

"High rise apartments in the upper parts of the city, before heading to the beach for a dinner there.. I recommend you get something for yourself as well while we are there as I will need you back after two hours."

"Don't worry sir, my wife made me something to eat after hearing that I would be driving you around." David siled happily, seemingly not to discontent with a homecooked meal in stead of some fast food.

"Ohh how nice.. how is she anyway?" Keith recalled what they talked about last time, thinking back to when they met.

"She is doing fine, seems happier as of late.."

"Any particular reason as to why?" last time he had expressed that she would be upset if he got home late, but they needed to money, so either could have improved her mood significantly.

"I am not sure… although I am happy that we get along better now…. We actually got a real start on saving up for the holidays, as she was hoping to go to her family on the other side of the country.."

"Oh… and how is that plan working out?"

"Ill manage to get enough for the trip if I work a little more, maybe work an extra day to make it.."

"Ill see if I can pull some good tipping customers your way." Keith didn't know many rich people in town, but he believed that molly did, so getting her acquainted with someone as provisional as David would be a bonus to them all.

The ride quieted down after their talk, with Keith allowing David to set the radio on, filling the silence that neither of them seemed to want to fill…

Coming close to the apartment complex Keith send a quick text to Molly, telling her that they had arrived.

David slowed down the car a bit, signalling for them to stop before Keith got out of the car… waiting for Molly to arrive near the car, phone in hand where a text told him that molly was on her way down..

After another minute of waiting Molly exited the building, wearing a nice blue evening dress with a wite jacket to shield her from the cold..

Opening the car door, Keith greeted Molly with a hug before letting her enter the vehicle, before heading to the other side, entering the car on his own before signalling David to begin driving.

"How have you been?" Keith immediately turned to the woman at his side.

"I'm doing better… it's just that I have to much time on my hands to do anything but stay home." Keith was surprised by her answer, not expecting her to have nothing to do.

"I thought that you would be focusing on your job, as soon as possible?"

"Normally I would, but…" she sighed.. "…my tasks are being managed by others as I am currently on leave."

"Mmmhh.. sounds like you aren't enjoying your free time enough.." Keith thought that she would need to make the best of the situation, not seeing a reason as to dwell on not having to do your job for a small period of time.

"No.. not particularly.." Molly fiddled with her hair as she awkwardly looked out of the widow on her side.. "…I do know something that would make it better though." Keith looked at her questioningly, thinking about what it could be that would make the business driven woman happier.

Although Keith wasn't a mind reader, he saw those eyes of hers before. A certain sense of loneliness and longing.

"I already have something planned.. I don't think you are interested but you can come if you would like to." Keith felt somewhat awkward about the current situation, thinking that the business relation he had build with Molly would come into conflict with their personal lives…

"Tell me about it." Keith quickly went over the race and what it meant for both his and a friends reputation, seemingly convincing her..

"Ill watch, but I can't be at the finish…" The race would be pretty long, going from the beach to up in the mountains, likely finishing near midnight if they were fast.

"Great.. I mean, it's great that you are willing to watch it, but to bad you can't be there in person." With it being a event, Keith was sure that there would be some cameras following them, maybe even some drivers halting traffic, although it most likely wasn't needed with when the race started.

The video quality would be poor, but there would be enough angles for them to get online… police could use the video as evidence, except that they were being shown as a movie, enough along with the heavy stack of cash to convince the police not to interfere.

They continue to talk with each other eventually calming down their chatter as they entered the restaurant..

After which they were quickly seated, the restaurant was more busy then when he had last been there, but it didn't seem to delay the food by much.

They enjoyed their meal to the fullest, before parting ways once again, with Keith staying behind in the restaurant to wait for Alex to bring the finished car.

Grabbing some drinks at the bar where he found Sir midnight behind the counter..

Seeing him prepare a drink Keith waited for him to be done, before being surprised by the drink being placed in front of him.

"Its on the house.. as a thanks for helping Bella out last time."

"oh.. well thank you.. it wasn't a problem.." Keith accepted the drink looking at it curiously as he didn't recognise it.

"Its one of my specials… so I don't think you have had it before." The man smiled at him, revealing his shining teeth, in complete contrast to his strained eyes.