The Ride Of My Life: Chicago

Chapter 27

I lay on the ground as the gas keeps coming, but after a while I decided that I don't want die here on the ground. Sitting up, a little to look around to find something to help to get out of here.
Sky and her task force aka, Night Skull are sprawled around on the floor, clawing at their throats.
"Hrk! Those bastards... Hrk! They betrayed us!" the woman said.
"Hff! Hff! Gotta find a way out." Skye say, trying to get up but can't.
"Nnnh." the man said.
The one they called Hensley is still sitting in a chair with a knife sticking out of his chest. I can't believe that Skye killed a man and is in the Night Skull crew. I should of seen the sign, but was to focus on what's going on with Tyler and the crews to pay any attention to what is going on, and also with dad and Katherine being together behind my back and having a kid together. And then having my best friend keeping things from me.
Everything was going great until I found out I was being used and being in crew that take cars and rebuild them to reselling them or running other side business. And getting caught between two crew: one trying to buy their freedom and the other blackmailing them until they say they're even and let them go for good. Maybe I should of listen to Tyler when he told me to run the other way when I see the first sign of danger. But didn't because I wanted to be someone else, instead of being the same old Estelle who does nothing with her life, but obey her dad's order, being a good student and never get in any trouble and have a good relationship with my friends. Well, maybe not the last part the out come might be the same with me having one best friend that's in the middle between Kendra and I.
But going back to what's going on right now, with trying to get out of this vault.
This was Mateo's endgame. He never wanted to buy them off... He wanted to lure them out. And Jack trapped me in here with them. Once I get out of here, I'm gonna with them hell for doing this and they'll gonna regret this, if not. I'm gonna make them regret and feel guilt.
I fight my way through the clods of gas to Skye, trying to pull her to her feet.
"Sk-- kff! Skye! I need your help." I said, coughing.
"We...kff! Need to clear the chemical from the air." she said, coughing a little hard then I did.
I look around desperately, my eyes stinging and tearing up from all this gas smoke that seems to keep coming.
"we have to... trigger the sprinkler system." I say, looking up to the ceiling, barely making out the sprinklers. "Do you have a lighter? You could boost me up, and I could-"
Without letting me finishing my sentence, Skye draws out her pistol and fires, her shot breaking the sprinkler's glass bulb and setting it off. The water particles absorb some of the gas... but not enough to go away to clear some of the air for us. And by the looks of it, it wasn't clear the air in time.
I struggle toward the vault door, dropping once more to all fours. I crawl, feeling lightheaded from being in here too long.
Slamming my fist against the thick steel in futile desperation and shouting from the top of my lungs. Screaming out Tyler name. Hopping he came me in hear, where ever he is. And then I feel my eyes closing, before the darkness took over me, I imagine having breakfast with my dad. I should of made up with him, if I knew my life would end like this.
Just before my eyes closed, I thought I was hearing the metal shriek as the vault door open and a shadow floats toward me.
"Nnh... Tyler?" I whisper.
"I've got you." he said, looking down to me.
Tyler picked me up from the ground and into his arms and carries me out.
As i emerge, my senses slowly returning, I see Mateo running onto the scene.
"Tyler! No! Why did you-" he started to say, but then stop in his track what ever he about to scrolled Tyler for ruining his plan. But he eased up when he saw me. "Estelle? What were you doing in there?"
"It's over, Mateo! We gotta go!" Tyler says, angry and giving him death glare too.
Mateo grits his teeth and runs for the vault door. He grabs the wheel and tries to pull it closed. But then inside, the gas has cleared enough for the Night Skull to see. And they're not happy what they tried to do to them seconds ago. And I feel their raft.
The woman draws her gun and fires unsteadily at Mateo. The shot glances off the door and wings him. He kind of deserve it, if I say so, myself for what he about do to and committed a crime.
"Argh!" he says, in pain. he staggers back, clutching his shoulder,his hand coming away slick with blood.
"Come on!" Tyler yelled at them and then set me down on my feet. "Can you run?"
"Kff! I think so." I told regaining my strength and sight.
"Then run." he said, grabbing my hand, and starts running away from them.
Jack, Mateo,Tyler and I hurry back to the main casino floor, getting strange looks from the gamblers. Wondering what the heck is going on. Probably think we're getting chased by the security guard for cheating or something.
There, we run into Rylee, Nyla, Jordan, Kaden and Saul. They spot Mateo's blood.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Nyla said, as she started to asked questions. And she not happy with the angry look in her eyes, likes you could see fires in them.
"Tyler let the Night Skull out." Jack said, ratted Tyler out for doing something good like saving my life and not leaving in the vault to die, like he would.
"Tyler." Saul say, but it hard to tell what he feeling without giving any expression or using his voice.
"He-" I was about to defend him, when Skye and the other two detectives emerge from the hall. And they spotted us.
They draw their guns and start shooting. Instantly, panic erupt as the gamblers screams and flees.
"Everyone, get down!" Rylee yelled over the top of her lungs for everyone can hear with all the screaming from from then as they run for their life to safety. Rylee flexes and pushes over an entire roulette table on its side, like it weigh nothing to her and then taking cover behind it.
I can feel my heartbeat beating in my chest like a race horse racing on the track on the last lap to the finishing line.
Jack pulls a gun of his own from his waistband and fired back, forcing the Night Skull to shelter.
"Benson! Johnson! Flank them!" I hear Skye called out order to the two detective.
"You got it." Johnson said.
"The old guy's mine." Benson said.
Tyler and the crew tip over card tables for cover, I feel someone grab my wrist and pull me down behind the table. It's Nyla.
"Come on!" she said, dragging me with her into the abandoned high-roller area. "I saw another way out over here."
"Wait, you're just gonna leave the others behind?" I said, can't believe that she willing to leave them like this without helping them out.
"Of course." she said, not showing and emotion, but a serious glare.
"But, they need your help. Can't leave them like this for all the thing they do for you. Like accepting into their crew."
"That's not how any of this works, Estelle. We were always in it for ourselves." I look back into the main floor, where the Night Skull is closing in. Jack fires at them, but his gun clicks empty.
As I look at everyone hopeless trying to get away from all this without getting hurt. I can't just stand here and leave them behind, like she would. I'm not like her,when I see an escape out to get the heck of here. I'm someone that will risk life to help save them.
"There's only one rule in the Chicago Shadow Crew, Estelle, and they all knew it." Nyla said, not looking back to them.
As I look back to them and then Nyla to decide what to do. Do I go with Nyla, saving my life. Or do I stay and help them escape Night Skull. Looking back once more seeing them helpless, I finally made my choice.
"We can save them, Nyla. You and I, together, we can do it." I said, looking back to her with desperate eyes, pleading with her.
"I'm not a hero."
"Then don't do it to be a hero. Do it... for payback." then I got a little mad. "You're really going to let these people make you run off and hide? After they puppeted you around for weeks?"
"I'm not running and hiding." she say, getting mad, for calling her out. Which she know I'm right but don't want to accept it.
"Sure looks like it to me. You're really gonna let them get away with this?"
Nyla grit her teeth and clenches her fists as she think of all the time she was order by them for doing their dirty jobs.
"I suppose I could use... a little payback." she said, looking back to them.
"That's the Nyla I know." I smiled at her. "So what's the plan to save our friends?" Nyla went over to what we're going to do without getting hurt, but she not sure if it's going to work, but we have to at least try to, right?
After going over the plan, we crouch low, Nyla leads me back to into the main floor. I duck down behind the bar in the back. From here I can see Night Skull slinking closer to the crew, who are stilling taking cover behind the tables. But then Tyler see me. He mouth a warning. But I'm not going to listen him, he should know by now. Well, sometime I do, not this time though, when they needed our help. Then I hear Nyla saying something about he doesn't know how to say 'thank you'.
Nyla reaches down... and tears a strip fabric off the hem of her dress, shortening it even more.
"Get me a bottle from up there. Highest alcohol content you can find." she said. Doing as she says, I reach up as high as I could and grab a bottle of Gin.
"90 proof gin... This might be enough." she examine the bottle.
Nyla uncaps the bottle and plug it with the strip from her dress, handing the bottle to me. "I'm gonna go draw them away. When they're looking at me, hit 'em with this." she hand me the bottle.
She grabs a matchbox from the top of the bar, strikes one, and light the end of the fabric. She told me it's a Molotov cocktail. Which will burn stuff once I throw it. After that Nyla look over to see what the Night Skull at, before she sneak away leaving me behind and waiting for the signal.
Looking over from the bar. I see Nyla pop up from the other side without being notice from anyone.
"Looking for me, asshole?" She said, with venom in her voice and giving them death glare. If looks could kill they be on the floor the way she looking them with those eyes of her, like they have laser vision or something.
The Night Skull turn around to aim at her. But I hurried to stand up and throw the bottle in front of them. The bottle smash on the floor in front of them, causing the alcohol ignites, throwing up a small flame. Then the carpet catches fire, well in front of hem.
"Ha! You miss." the woman said, laughing.
"Did I?" I said, in way to her think twice to underestimated me.
the fire spreads, blocking their path to the crew, making it easy for them to make their getaway.
"Nice work." said, a proud Kaden with a smile on his face. I smiled back at him.
"Come on! Now's our chance!" I said, in hurried voice to get the heck out of here before they get the chance to get us.
"This way!" Nyla. said leading the way. As the Night Skull back away from the flames, the crew scramble out of cover and toward the VIP section.
"They getting away." Benson said. I took a quick glance to them but then see that Skye almost on me.
"Estelle, come here1" she said, with mad look on her face as she try to catch me. But soon I felt her grab me from behind.
Without even thinking I elbow her in the gut as hard as I can. She grunt and releases me holding her stomach in pain.
"Dammit, Estelle!" she looks up to me, a fury in her eyes, I never seen before which I'm kind of afraid of this look right at this moment.
"Come on! We've gotta go!" I hear Nyla yelling out to me. Nyla leads the crew through the high-roller area, to a back door that opens to a narrow, dark stairway.
"Hurry! Barricade the door." Rylee said, as she start to grab something to to block it, where there's no way they can get through this way.
After that we run several flights of stairs, and burst through a rusty door in the alley behind the store.
"We're out!" Jordan said, catching her breathe after running on though stairs.
"Estelle...Nyla... we'd be dead if you hadn't come back." Tyler said, looking at the tow of us.
For second I thought I saw something in Nyla when Tyler says though kind word, but then shield them to her normal tough looks.
"Don't get sappy on me yet, Tyler." she said, crossing her arm over her chest acting all tough like it nothing from saving someone that on your crew.
"What happened back there? That was a disaster." Rylee said, looking at anyone to who might of know what went wrong with to their plan, well mostly Mateo plan anyway.
Mateo pace anxiously, hands on his hips. His mind seems distant, like he's not here with us.
"Didn't have to be. We could've wiped them out, if it weren't for the damsel in distress." Jack said, mad that everything is ruined. And he better not be calling me that, even if I may cause everything. If it anyone fault it was Mateo for not listening to me in the first and Jack too, for locking me in the vault with them to be left to be dead with the gas. But it seems like I'm not the only one that is mad too, because the next I see is that Tyler grab Jack and pins him against the wall and he got real closed to his face and he looks to be rage mad.
"Tyler, it's okay. I'm fine." I said don't want to caused another fight and Tyler needs to calm down a little.
"See? No harm, no foul." Jack smiled and I wished Tyler should of punched him if he hadn't listen to me.
Tyler glowers, eyes alight with fury. He still holding Jack pinned, but he doesn't hit him, which I say second ago I wish he did.
"That's enough!" Saul yelled at the two of them to break it up, but mostly to Tyler. But at last Tyler finally releases Jack and took a few step away from him. "We're not in the clear yet. We have to split up. Meet back at the garage."
Saul starts to leave, beckoning the crew to follow. But something inside me say we're not finish.
"We're not going anywhere with you, Saul. Not before you answer one question." I yelled out to him in anger. Enough is enough, leaving us behind in the dark not knowing what we're going to walk into or what going to happen next after this night.
"What? We don't have time for this." he say calming, which frustrate me more.
"Estelle. Don't. not now. Not here." Mateo said, stepping in and getting mad.
Tyler looks at me, confused, but my eyes are locked on Saul. His stoic expression is already beginning to break, I could see it.
"Saul? Why did you lie to your crew?" I said, ignoring Mateo and standing my ground. Saul didn't anything, and not looking at but behind me at nothing.
"Lie? About what?" Rylee asked, a little confused to what I'm talking about. And probably can't believe that he would lie to them again. But they should know better, if you lie once, who know if your lying again or telling the true after for once. It's hard to believe and trust them after that and have to decide on your own if you wanted to believe again or not.
"It's because you knew they'd skip town, didn't you?" I say, once again ignoring to Rylee this time. "If they knew the Night Skull were cops."
The news hits the others like a sledgehammer. Tyler takes a step back, dumbfounded. I mean I would too, if I look up to someone and accepted me in their crew after everything happened in my past, then turn around to find out that your boss is hiding more secret and working with the enemy.
"They're... cops? How do you know?" he asked, looking over to me for answers since Saul probably won't give them one. And he just standing there staring at the wall.
"The girl in the red suit, their leader. That's my dad's old partner, Skye. The rest are her anti-gang task force." getting angry a little.
"You're telling me... that we just tired to kill a bunch of corrupt police?" Jack say mad that you can see vein might pop on his big forehead.
"Yes. That's not the bad part. The bad part is that they lived to pay us back." Mateo say matching Jack's mad looks.
"We are so screwed." Jordan said, pulling on her hair and started to pacing.
"I'm so sorry. To all of you. If-" finally Saul say something but then he got interrupted. And he looks sad or something that looks like it that he blame himself for everything that go too far into this.
"If we'd known it was cops who were blackmailing us, we wouldn't be in this mess! We would've been long gone!" Tyler said, getting angry, his face starts to get a little red with rage.
"Don't you see, Tyler? That's why I couldn't tell you. I couldn't do this alone." Saul sadly reaches out and rests a hand on Tyler's shoulder, but Tyler throws him off. "You can all walk away from this crew, but I can't. this crew is my whole life."
"What crew?" with that Tyler walks away. Not knowing what to do I went after him.
Tyler must of sense that I followed him because he did stop or look over his shoulder to know I'm there.
"I left my car this way, come on. I'll take you back." he said, leading the way.
"Tyler... I'm so sorry." I said, following him and feeling bad to what happened minutes ago with the crew and especially with Saul.
"Sorry for what? It's already in the past. My mind's already onto my next crew." he say it non-enchanted or faze by it. Like he holding back and don't want anyone to see him break. It hurt me to see him like this and I'm kind of the cause of this. If I haven't spilled Saul secret maybe he wouldn't be like this and leaving.
"I know Saul meant something to you." Tyler shrugs, apathetic.
"Nope. Not really." just then, Tyler freezes and look back. I can hear wailing sirens carried over the wind. I wonder what's going on. I hope it's something we did, which I doubt since half the town don't know about the underground casino.
From out of the alley, the rest of the crew comes running.
"The cops are coming. The real cops!" Mateo said, running up to us and have a worried look on his face.
"Guess we're skipping the closing ceremonies." Jack said, trying to make light joke. But that didn't help with everyone being a little tense.
Tyler hops in his car. I reach for the passenger door, but Tyler stop me.
"No. Go with Mateo, Estelle. I'll draw them off." he said giving that look to listen to for once.
Before I can respond, Tyler punches the gas and yanks the wheel, peeling out in the direction of the sirens are coming from.
"Well? Let's move." Mateo said, giving out order like he's in charge.
"Everyone, split up! Different directions! Meet back at the garage!" Saul called out to everyone. He still have that look on his face, the look of quilt and sadness. But nobody's listening to him. They're already running off on their own.
I hop on the back of Mateo's bike, clinging to his waist as streetlights whip past in a streaking blur.
"Dammit! That was our one chance to take them out. You just had to grow a conscience, didn't you?" Mateo said getting mad again. And really he have to give bring it up. I try to warn him way before. And even if I hadn't come to stop this they still be in big trouble if they don't know that Night Skull were cops. They could be in serious trouble if they left them in the vault with the gas.
"I wasn't going to let you kill people, Mateo! You were going too far!" I said, now getting angry and kind of yelling in his ear. He deserved it, if I so my self.
"Not far enough if you ask me." I could see him rolling his eyes. I so badly wanted to knock some sense into his thick head, but can't at the moment maybe later when he's not driving his bike.
I look behind us to see if I see anything. But not really with everything is going by in a blur. But the sound of the sirens fades in the distance.
"Guess he did it. Tyler led them away." he said, calming now. Yeah, I hope he doesn't get caught or anything, and that he'll meet us at the garage after he take care of the cops.
As i turn to look over Mateo shoulder, two cop cars come flying off the side streets right in front of us. Mateo narrowly weaves between them. Mateo say something, but couldn't hear that well with the sirens.
Mateo guns it, engine redlining. He takes a turn so fast, my knee is inches from the pavement, and I'm trying to hold on tight without falling to my death.
"I know how you love the high ground, Estelle, but I did this for the crew. For all of us! Including you." he yelled for I can hear him better. He could of done something else if he trying to help instead of planning this crazy plan of him that could get them all in trouble.
"You knew it was wrong!" I said close to his ear where he can hear me.
"Of course I knew. But I didn't care, and I'd do it all over again to get it right. I will do whatever it takes. That's the difference between us." he was all calm but then his mood shift back to mad. "You keep talking like there's some line I was crossing, but there's not. Not in the real world. We had one way out, and I took it."
I stay calm as I try to talk to him. "When did your dad tell you the truth?"
"After the two mission ago. After I proved myself. It was the first time my dad's ever trusted me. The first time he's ever asked for my help." he got quiet as he think back to that day, I could feel it.
"My dad learned the Night Skull was running the investigation, but didn't know their identities." he said, snapping out of his thoughts. "He bought some information from a few contacts in the force, and he got a name."
"My dad." I said, as the realization hit me.
"Do you get it now? That's why my dad had Tyler win you over."
"Wait, are you saying, you think my dad is one of the Night Skull." thinking of my dad being in that crew, I couldn't image him doing that. He loved his job and protecting the people in his city. But I don't know he'll go that far by joining Night Skull, doing all though thing. I just can't.
"I'm saying we didn't know."
"Absolutely not. No! It can't be. I'm sure of it." at least I hope he not. But who knows what he keeping from these, like keeping a secret about him and Katharine having a child together. And, oh god, are they even together together. I don't know since I never listen to him after leaving the house that day to hear him out, I was hurt by all this and just needed space from him for a while.
"Yeah, well we were all sure of a lot of things a few hours ago. When I told you there were worse options on the table..."
"Saul wanted to go after my dad." I said feeling down thinking about everything.
"I wouldn't let that happen. Not until we're sure, and we're not. I'm just warning you. Don't trust anyone."
A few second later another police car is on our tail, nearly ramming into the rear tire. Mateo revs to open up some space.
"We've gotta lose them." I tell him, as to looking where to go. "Take the alley on the left. They can't fit there." Mateo swerves into an alley, threading between dumpsters and fire escape at high speed.
I look behind us, where the cruiser is stopped on the street, helpless. For a moment I thought we're in the green light, but the moment we emerge from the alley, another cop car almost plow us over. Mateo steers out of the way, barely keeping balance as the chase begins anew.
The squad car pull up close alongside us, nearly sideswiping me. Mateo's forced to head back the other direction.
"What the hell? It's like they're trying to kill us! These aren't the Night Skull, they're just regular cops!" Mateo getting pissed at these cop cars coming at us, where it's hard to lose them. I hear an electronic chirp coming from Mateo's pocket.
"Answer that! It's the radio we were using to communicate."I do as he told me. Reaching into his jacket pocket and take out the radio.
"Estelle! Mateo! I've got three cops on my tail. They keep blocking my escape routes!" It's Tyler and he telling us where he's at at the moment.
"Same here." Nyla said, into the radio.
"I tired going south, but they've got me heading west!" Saul said. And he's mad by the second I can tell by his voice.
I look up and see a large bridge span dead ahead. And then hit me, as to what they trying to do.
"They're not trying to hit us, Mateo. They're funneling us to that bridge!" I said, as shock of realization hit me.
Mateo is confused as he try to think what I'm trying to say. "Funneling us? Why would they?"
Within moments, we're on the bridge. On either side, the ground drops away into the river. And straight ahead, at the other end of the bridge. Dozen police vehicles form a barricade.
"We've got a serious problem! They were leading us right into a roadblock." Mateo said into the radio, that I'm still holding into my hand while my other is holding on tight onto to Mateo for dear life.
I glance back, to see the rest of the crew's cars are forced onto the bridge.
"Dammit, there's no way out." Tyler said, as the sound of him hitting the steering wheel in frustration. Everyone slows down, trapped in a pincer move between the pursuing cops and the roadblock. Well everyone except Saul. He floors it, zooming past us.
"Mateo! Your dad!" I said, wondering what he doing. Is he crazy trying to drive through them. He not going to make. If anything else it gong to damage the car and he'll get hurt and from there sent to the hospital and then go to jail for life after he's releases.
"Dad, what are you doing? They have the whole thing closed off!" Mateo says getting frustrated that he not slowing down.
"I told you I couldn't break free of the Night Skull alone... but this? This I can do alone." Saul said over the radio. And I can hear the guilt and sadness in his voice. But then it's sound like his voice about break into more sadness. He start to go a little faster, hurtling toward the roadblock. "I was so obsessed with fighting for my own freedom that I jeopardized yours."
"Saul! Stop! There's gotta be another way." Tyler yelled over the radio.
"Dad, no! Come back!" Mateo calls out to him pleading him to listen to for once. That he could help find another way out of this mess.
"Promise me one thing, son. You'll get of here. You'll leave this life behind for good. You can be anything. Be more than this." I could picture Saul trying to hold back tears as he saying these word to Mateo. Like this might be last thing he hear from him again. "Stay back. All of you."
"That hissing soud... His Nos system!" Kaden said, as he know what he going to do. And I catch on what he means and what's Saul doing.
"My god... he's gonna blow up the barricade!" I said, shock washing over me, as I watch.
Soon, up ahead, the cops manning the roadblock realize that Saul isn't stopping.
"Dad... please, you can't leave me." Mateo voice break, trying again to make Saul back down from what he going to do.
"Go, Mateo. Go, and don't look back" Saul said. Before we hear the loud sound of explosion. Saul's car slams into the roadblock at a hundred miles, I'm guessing at rate he was going at to cause that explosion.
The gasoline detonates, in turn igniting the nitrous in a thunderous explosion. The vehicles of the roadblock go somersaulting off the bridge, meteors of flaming wreckage.
And not only that I hear the crying in Mateo as he scream in pain. He side-skids his bike to a stop, watching the roadblock burn, the flames reflect in his dampening eyes. Then Nyla and Tyler slam their brakes, coming to a stop nearby.
"I can't believe it." Nyla said, speechless as she watch the flames of the wreck in front of her.
"He's... he gone." Tyler said, looking at it too. Like he can't believe that happen right in front of his very own eyes.
"Mateo..." I said, softly to get try to get his attention. "We have to move. There will be time to grieve later, Mateo." I know it's mean to have him pushing aside his grief, but we need to get out of here before more cops shows up. "But he made a hole in the roadblock for us. We have to go now, or it will all go to waste." I see where Saul sacrifice his life to make path for us to get out of here.
"A waste." Mateo said making his voice sounded distance. Only I can hear him. Mateo twists the throttle and revs it.
We pass through the twisted steel of the roadblock. I try not to look, but my eyes are drawn to the wreckage. I'm not sure what to see in the flames, as we past through.
Soon we made it back to garage. But soon stop a few feet away when we sees... smokes coming where the garage is at.
He stops and climbs off the bike, walking in a slow daze toward, the garage. To see that it's in engulfed in an inferno.