• Trip City
    December 17
    2158 hours

    The lights were blurring by as I swerved in and out of traffic. Car horns blasting from people being pissed off from my negligent form a driving; I was exceeding the speed limit by at least forty miles an hour.
    I realize I seemingly have started the race early, it’s most likely shouldn’t be doing this considering someone’s most likely gonna call the cops.
    But man! The adrenaline feels so good after being so inactive the last couple of weeks.
    Plus I’m almost late.
    With Sum 41’s “All Killer No Filler” album blasting in my ears I hit the gas, (yes I realize that I’m listening to music over fifty years old, but I like the oldies) making those little blurs of light become fireflies, horns still blasting all around me at my immaturity, the little needle on my speedometer was pushing ninety as I swerved around a corner.
    It was a straight away from there. I pressed the pedal down further; my speed was now moving up to a hundred. I was getting too close by this time and I quickly shifted my foot to the brake and pressed down quickly and softly. I came to a decent stop just out side the large open lot where people had their cars lined up.
    I blew my horn and the crowd dispersed enough so I could pull in and find a spot to park. I passed other racers’ cars; their hoods were open to show off their nice shiny engines or trunks open to let the massive sound systems blare out into the crowds; the noise definitely exceeding the 104 Decibels that the Navy instructors at A-school taught us needed double ear protection; we didn’t listen to them, why would civilians?

    I parked my car, reached down, turned the car off, and slid my keys out of the ignition. I opened the door and got out; locking it behind me. I stood up and pulled my long black leather trench coat around me tighter to block out the chill. I then headed over to where the most commotion was coming from.
    And sure enough, there was Sphinx right in the middle of it with the three other guys I was supposed to be contending with. Sphinx is a big guy; he’s got a full head of curly black hair and one of those diabolical mustache/goatee; you know like you saw on those guys in the silent films.
    Next to him was a skinny black guy who likes too call himself Big Rick J with long braids and flashy clothing; women are always hanging on him. Then there was Hiei Kurosama, he’s apart of some gang over in Little Asia on the opposite side of the city; always quiet. Lastly there’s Vincent; he’s Bullit’s driver, a good guy.
    “Well now that our fourth driver has decided to join us we can get started,” Sphinx said.
    “Yeah, well you know me.”
    “Sphinx!” Rick said suddenly, “You expect us to race against that?”
    “Yeah, what’s the problem?”
    “You think he can compete with Vincent or Hiei? Let alone me?”
    I saw Hiei’s and Vincent’s eyes narrow as they glared at the cocky SOB.
    “He can hold his own, I vouch for him,” Sphinx said, a dangerous edge entering into his voice.
    Rick seemed too thick too catch it.
    “Vouch or not, I’m Rick J! He won’t even smell my exhaust!”
    He snapped his fingers and one of the women produced two Gs from her cleavage and handed it too Sphinx and with that he turned and moved off with his little entourage of females trailing after him.
    “Okay, pay up; entrance fee’s two grand. This is gonna be a drag race, obviously. All four of you are going to go down to where Suzetta is at then come back. First back wins. Any questions? Good! Let’s go!”
    With that turned to make to their positions, racers to their cars and spectators to the best spots they could get. I quickly grabbed Vincent by the arm.
    “Hey, Bullit said that when you’re done beating my a** that you need to call him.”
    Vincent laughed and nodded his head then we both made for our vehicles.
    Soon all four of us were in position. I was the second to the left most car, Vincent in his Nissan on my right, Big Rick J in his Honda on my left, and Hiei in his Honda on my far right . All three of these guys were good; it made my heart beat faster, the anxiety began to turn in my stomach.
    I loved it.
    We all began to rev our engines as one of the girls in the crowd walked slowly out into the middle of the road; slowly the feeling in my stomach got stronger, the anticipation was killing me. I hit the button on my steering wheel and the CD in the tray changed and I heard the three string guitar riff of The Offspring’s “Staring At The Sun” begin.

    “Maybe life is like a ride on a freeway
    Dodging bullets while you're trying to find your way
    Everyone's around but no one does a damn thing
    It brings me down, but I won't let them    ”

    I begin to move my head with the beat slightly as I watch the girl, and I then looked to my left to see Rick grinning at me; he then took his hand off the steering wheel and gave me the thumbs down signed. I decided to salute him.
    One fingered style.

    “If I seem bleak, well you'd be correct
    And if I don't speak, it's cause I get disconnected
    But I won't be burned by the reflection
    Of the fire in your eyes”

    I turned back and saw the girl drop her hands and the race was on.

    “As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)
    As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)”

    I quickly shifted gears and hit the gas.

    “As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)
    As you're staring at the sun
    As you're staring at the sun”

    Big Rick quickly took the lead, his car was better on quick starts than the rest of us, my car being the worst at it.

    “When I ran I didn't feel like a runaway
    When I escaped I didn't feel like I got away
    There's more to living than only surviving
    Maybe I'm not there, but I'm still trying”

    I heard the RPMs building and quickly shifted into second gear on the peak, a perfect shift, just like Sphinx taught me. I was now beginning to catch up to the others, all in a tight group but Rick with a two second lead on me.

    “Though you hear me, I don't think that you relate
    My will is something that you can't confiscate
    So forgive me, but I won't be frustrated
    By destruction in your eyes”

    I was beginning to get close, my car had good acceleration.

    “As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)
    As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)”

    There it was I heard the sound I was waiting for and I shifted again into third gear. I was now beside Hiei, who was behind the other two.

    “When I ran I didn't feel like a runaway
    When I escaped I didn't feel like I got away
    There's more to living than only surviving
    Maybe I'm not there, but I'm still trying”

    I was now pulling up on Vincent; who was right on Rick’s tail. I heard the peak and shifted into fourth.

    “Though you hear me, I don't think that you relate
    My will is something that you can't confiscate
    So forgive me, but I won't be frustrated
    By destruction in your eyes”

    I was now up beside Vincent and Suzetta was just up ahead standing on a cement island in the middle of the road.

    “As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)
    As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)”

    ”Maybe life is like a ride on a freeway
    Dodging bullets while you're trying to find your way
    Everyone's around but no one does a damn thing
    It brings me down, but I won't let them”

    Rick hit it first. He fishtailed around the island and was rocketing back towards the end. I hit it just before Vincent. I down shifted and gently pressed on the brakes, holding my breath as I did; too much pressure at this speed could send me rolling. I sighed in relief as I came back straight, Vincent right beside me.

    “If I seem bleak, well you'd be correct
    And if I don't speak, it's cause I get disconnected
    But I won't be burned by the reflection
    Of the fire in your eyes”

    ”As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)
    As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)
    As you're staring at the sun (oh whoa oh oh)
    As you're staring at the sun
    As you're staring at the sun”

    The song ended as I shifted again, going back into third by this time.

    “You can do it”

    Began The Offspring’s “Original Prankster.” Rick had a good three seconds on me. I flipped open the button on top of my gear shifter and hit the little red button. I was pushed back into my seat further as the NOS kicked in; flames shooting out my tail pipe.

    “Until the break of dawn
    Life life
    Cannot go by the letter
    Time time
    Prozac can make it better
    Noise noise
    Any kind will do
    Can you feel it slip away
    When it's all on you
    Hey, hey
    Crime crime
    Rockin' like Janet Reno
    Time time
    Eighteen and life in Chino
    Freud Freud
    All along it's true
    Well you'll see there comes a day
    Catches up to you, yeah”

    I quickly shifted into fifth by this time and was coming up on Rick. He must have seen me in his rear view because I saw the flames as he hit his NOS, I was too close by this point and activated my other can of NOS and moved in right behind him to use his own speed against him. All wind resistance was gone now.

    ”Knock down the walls, it's alive in you
    Knock down the place, you're alone it's true
    Knock down the world, it's alive in you
    You gotta keep your head up through it all
    You're gonna
    Bust out on it - original prankster
    Break out yeah - original yeah
    Bust out on it - original prankster
    You never stop now, stop now
    That's what the main man say“

    We were moving fast was an understatement, everything around us was a blur, nothing had a distinct line, everything became one solid mass all I could see clearly was the back of Rick’s car.
    That had to change.

    “You can do it”

    ”You know it smells like s**t
    Goddamn
    Tag team the double header
    Son of Sam
    Fire always makes it better
    Navigate
    With style and aplomb
    Cause wherever you're at
    That's the tip you's on
    Hey, hey
    Lies, lies
    Says he's down in the Bahamas
    Tries tries
    Bangin' little hoochie mamas
    No way
    None of this is true
    Well he'll see there comes a day
    When the joke's on you (hey), yeah”

    I slingshot around him and the finish line was right there. I already had the momentum and I sped past Rick’s car like it was standing still.

    “Hey
    You can do it”

    ”Dime dime
    So good to see ya
    Nine nine
    Don't want to be ya”

    ”Crime crime
    Fine sensimilla”

    ’Well you'll see there comes a day
    Catches up to you, yeah”

    The race was mine, I crossed the finish line and hit the brakes spinning around and coming to a stop. Everyone ran to my car, bouncing the front of it, the girls screaming.
    This is what I live for.

    “Knock down the walls, it's alive in you
    Knock down the place, you're alone it's true
    Knock down the world, it's alive in you
    You gotta keep your head up through it all
    You're gonna
    Bust out on it - original prankster
    Break out yeah - original yeah
    Bust out on it - original prankster
    You never stop now, stop now, stop now, stop now
    That's what the main man say”

    The song ended and I turned off my car and got out. Sphinx was right there.
    “See kid, I told you could do it,” his grin was going from ear to ear, “Here’s your money, you earned it.”
    He handed me a fat wad of cash, some six thousand odd dollars. Like I said, I don’t do it for the money, but it is nice.
    That’s when I was tackled from the side almost taking me to the ground. I felt arms around me and lips come up and I got a big fat one on the cheek.
    “Congratulations handsome!”
    I turned and saw a very attractive girl with long blond hair; parted to make pigtails, bronzed skin, and a pair of glowing green eyes.
    “Wow, hi Nat!” I said to the girl, this is Bullit’s daughter; I mentioned earlier that her name was Trigger; well that’s what everyone else calls her. She gets mad when I call her that. I’m supposed to call her Natalya, but she was thrilled when I shortened it to Nat, “What are you doing here?”
    “I came too watch Vincent race and was very happy too see you race too!”
    Natalya’s eighteen and completely developed; if I might be so bold. A lot of the time she acts like a fifteen year old school girl; which I’m still trying to figure out if it’s an act or not.
    Then she did it.
    “Do you like my outfit?”
    I looked down and saw she was wearing a short blue skirt that I’m surprised was covering anything and an extremely tight white button up blouse that was practically see through so I could see her blue brassier and looked like her chest was about to explode from and the top couple of buttons were undone so I could see a great amount of cleavage.
    “I…it”s great!”
    “I’m glad you like it and I was wondering,” she said as she turned on the sweet and innocent look and moved closer, “What you were going to do later.”
    “There you are!” came the voice of my savior; it was Vincent, “Trigger, we gotta go! The boss said we have business! Hey TC, good race.”
    Nat got a pouty look on he face, one of those looks girls use to turn guys into putty; Nat could stop a horde of Mongol Calvary with her eyes.
    “T…th…thanks,” I said relieved, “I’ll see you guys later.”
    Her pout was gone as fast as it had come; I can never be sure if it’s an act or if that’s how she really is.
    “Bye TC! I’m hoping to see you on Christmas!” She yelled over the crowd as she skipped after Vincent.
    I turned to get back to my car shaking my head when I came face to face with a man in a dark blue suit and the face of a bull dog.
    “Mr. Casey?”
    “Yes,” I said slowly and warily.
    “My name in Mr. Clark,” The man said, “I work for the Sicilliano Family.”
    Oh…
    “We have a proposition for you.”