Driver

Driver - Chapter 4

They met at a bar located between Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood. As soon as he walked in the Danny knew it was him. Being conspicuous was not exactly this guy's strength, Danny thought to himself. Dressed in pressed khakis, a dark T-shirt, sport jacket, and a gold watch he stepped through the door. The guy grabbed a Johnny Walker, neat from the bar, Danny stayed with what he had. Together they moved to a table near the back.

"I got your name from Rendell Lint."

Danny nodded. "Good man."

"Getting harder and harder to find someone like you in this town, know what I'm saying. Everybody here thinks he's bad, everybody here thinks he's the next big thing, everybody here thinks he's the best driver."

The guy continued "You worked with Rendell, I have to figure you're a pro."

"Same here." Danny liked keeping his sentences short.

"Fact is, from what I hear you're the best."

"I am.", Danny said bluntly.

"Other thing I heard is you can be hard to work with."

"Not if we understand one another."

"What's there to understand? I am running the show here. I am the pitt boss. I call all the shots. Either you sign on to the team or you don't.", the guy said raising his voice a notch to make his point clearer to the driver.

"Then I don't sign on."

"Fair enough. Your call…"

"Another sparkling opportunity wasted." he said shaking his head. "Let me buy you another drink. It’s the least I can do."

He walked towards the bar to buy a new round.

Setting down the fresh beer on the table he asked curiously, "I have to wonder though, care to enlighten me about your way of doing things?"

"I drive. That's all I do.", Danny explained himself. "I don't sit in while you are planning the score or while you're running it down. You tell me where we start, where we're headed, where we'll be going afterwards, what time of day. I plan the route, I decide how we get there, and how we get out. I don't want any names, I don’t know anyone. I don't carry weapons. I drive."

"With an attitude like that offers must be few and far between." the guy said mockingly.

"It's not attitude, it's principle. I turn down a lot more work than I take."

"This one's sweet."

"They always are."

"Not like this."

Danny shrugged casually.

The score was a Check N Cash store in one of the rich communities with half a million dollar homes. Writing something on a piece of paper the guy pushed it across the table with two fingers. It had a number written on it.

"You don't wanna participate, but just want a cut right. This will be your fee for your simple service. We keep it simple."

Danny threw back his beer and pushed the paper back across the table. "Sorry to have wasted your time."

"Would you consider if I added an extra zero to it?"

"Add three", Danny said coldly.

"No one's that good.", the guy was taken aback by Danny's words.

"Like you said there are plenty of drivers out there. Take your pick."

"I just did.", he nodded Danny back to the chair and pushed the beer towards him. "I was just testing you man, Have to know who you're working with right?". He continued speaking, "There will be four on the team, we split five ways. Two shares for me and one for the each of the rest of you. That work for you? "

"I can live with it.", said Danny.

"So we have a deal?"

Danny agreed, "We do."

"Good. You up for another shot?"

"Why not?"

 Danny finished his drink and left the bar. As soon as he did, Mickey removed his phone and dialed a number. On the other end was Immanuel Silva.

"Nino," he said emphatically "We have our driver."

"Good. He play hard to get?" Nino enquired.

"Exactly like you said he would." Mickey agreed.

"Yea, the kid likes being dramatic at times. But he's worth what he asks."

"Nino, you sure we're setting this up right?" Mickey asked with a flash of concern in his voice.

"Don't sweat it Mick, I have this all worked out. We needed someone as good as him to pull this one off convincingly. Nino licked his lips, "After this score we'll own those crooks."

Danny had yet to realize what he had entered into.