Victor, Victorious

Chapter Eighteen

Inside the car, hip-hop softly played. Marijuana smoke made the air hazy. Sway now drove at a more relaxed pace, so as not to capture the attention of the 5-0. Directly behind him sat Panda, who rummaged through Colin's backpack, throwing various items out, making a mess.

"Hey! Careful!" Colin cried from the seat next to Panda.

Sway looked back through the review mirror. "Anything good in there?"

"Naw," said Panda. "Just homework and crap."

"He got a lunch?"

"And you say I'm the hungry one." Panda searched the rest of the bag. "No, there ain't no food in here."

Sway asked Colin, "Where's your lunch money, kid?"

"What?"

"Your mama didn't pack you a lunch. Must mean you got some lunch money on you."

"I don't," Colin said.

Sway reached under his chair but was still able to steer with only a single hand. He revealed a pistol, pointing it into the back, at Colin, but not taking his eyes off the road.

"Whoa! Shit!" That was Panda.

Sway screamed, "Where's your lunch money at?!"

Colin held up his hands, like they might shield him from a bullet. "I get free lunches, okay?! Free lunches! My mom doesn't make a lot of money, so I get lunches for free!"

"Put that away, dawg!" Panda shouted. He crouched low, against the door, getting as far from the gun as he could. "You've seen Pulp Fiction, right? You know you don't point your piece at people in moving cars, man!"

Sway brought the gun down, smiled. "You shoulda seen the looks on your faces. That was priceless."

"Holy shit, don't do that again, man!"

"Why're you guys doing this?" Colin asked. "I've never even met you before!"

Sway answered, "'Cause we hear you been causing drama at school."

"No, I haven't."

"Don't even bother lying to us," said Panda, sitting up straight.

"Thing is," said Sway, "you're gonna stop all the nonsense. This is your warning."

Panda nodded. "And you only get one warning."

"You're trying to intimidate me?" Colin said.

Sway smirked. "What? It ain't working?"

"No, Josue, not really."

Sway swerved the car to the curb and slammed on the brakes. He threw the gearshift into "Park" and turned to the boy. "Josue? How you know my name?"

"I'm gifted," said Colin. "Didn't your cousin, Bart, tell you that?"

Panda scratched his thick head. "Okay, for real, what's going on here?"

"You think you're in control?" Colin asked. "I am the one in control."

Colin gazed past Sway, to the radio secured under the dashboard. The boy gestured with his right hand, like he was turning the dial. The rap switched to pop music, to alternative rock, to country...

Colin violently threw up both of his palms, and suddenly the country music blared. Sway and Panda held their ears.

"Turn that off!" begged Panda.

Sway struggled with his radio. "I can't!" He aimed his gun at Colin again. "Turn it off now!"

With a flip of his wrists, Colin cut the music short. "Don't shoot me, Josue Campos!" he yelled, a frightened twinge to his voice. "Please!" The boy then smiled.

"What're you doing?!" Sway demanded.

Colin turned to Panda. "Rodolfo Fuerte, aren't you gonna tell your friend to put down the gun?"

"How the hell you know my name?"

"I'm gifted, remember? I've read your phones' memories. I know which names you registered them under."

"Shut up!" Sway shouted. "You seriously want me to cap you?"

Colin "tsk-tsk"ed him. "Josue Campos, it's not really smart to threaten me when your friend Rodolfo Fuerte has 9-1-1 on the line."

With wide eyes, Sway said to Panda, "Check your damn phone, dawg!"

"What? Why?"

"Gimme your phone!"

Panda took the phone from his pocket. Sway leaned over and snatched it from his grasp.

"Damn!" Sway threw the phone across the car like it was a hot potato. "You got 5-0 on the line!"

Panda was puzzled. "How? I didn't dial nothing!"

"No," said Colin, calmly. "I did. Now, I'm gonna get out of the car."

Sway pushed the barrel of his gun closer to the boy. "No, you ain't!"

"You want the police to find you with some kidnapped kid in your car? That's what you want?"

Sway and Panda watched helplessly as Colin gathered his belongings and put them into his backpack. Police sirens approached in the distance.

"Hurry up, man!" Panda shrieked.

Sway screamed, "Get the hell outta here already!"

But Colin took some more time. He moved very slowly, methodically.

"Come on!" said Panda. "Get lost!"

Finally, Colin opened his door and stepped out. "It's been fun, gentlemen." He closed the door and ran off.

The sirens were closer.

Louder.

Closer.

LOUDER.

"Let's go, Sway!" Panda bellowed.

Sway threw the car into "Drive" and pressed on the gas pedal, but the engine didn't start. The vehicle went nowhere. It merely click, click, clicked.

"Aw, man! No!"

Panda was on the verge of a total breakdown. "What is it?!"

Sway smacked his steering wheel. "The battery's all jacked up!"

"How?!"

"I don't know! It was just working!"

"Hurry up, man! Sounds like the cops are right around the corner!"

"It was that kid! I'm gonna kill that little fool!"

The police sirens crescendoed. In his rearview, Sway saw blue and red lights approaching.

He threw open his door and, pistol in hand, bolted, leaving slow-ass Panda flabbergasted in the backseat.