Set sail my love

14

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Chase

Professor Edmund had left the class in a hurry and as everyone continued at the model UN up front I snuck out and ran down to the Accounts and Finance building to find Matt. I went through the door and down the stairs to a hooded figure in the middle rows.
"Hey," I greeted as I put my hand on his shoulder.
"You don't do extended trig." He stated as he took his hood down revealing a pair of Skull Candy headphones.
"Yeah. I need your car." I whispered as Professor Noakes went on about the corporate expenditure example on the board.
"Bring it around from the parking lot. Lemme grab my stuff." He tugged a girl sitting beside him and whispered something to her that upset her face.
"You don't have to go... you can stay."
"And suffer 2 hours of AP calculus with Kekotso? I think not." I sneered at his response before grabbing his keys and heading out to the parking lot to find the blue sports Audi he'd been with for a week. I started her up and zoomed back to his building, he jumped in and off we went to connect with the highway.
"So what's this about?" Matt asked as soon as we'd hit the interstate. "We got new business and you don't want the old man to track you down?"
"Lira's got the Cadillac..." I kept my eyes on the road but I could still feel Matt's hard questioning stare boring into my temples. "She  needed to go get Jessi. The girl's a mess talking about how her man lied to her or something?"
"That sounds dark man. But you never give anybody those cars, that's our whole center of business." I absently nodded in ascent because I had my eye on the rearview mirror.
"She needed it. I didn't." I was curt in response as I cut out of the outer lane and noticed a dark G class model car follow suit from 4 cars back. I swore under my breath.
"We being tracked?" Matt asked in all seriousness.
"Yeah..." I said calmly and surprised myself.
"Fuck Chase I thought you removed the sensors?" He looked at me incredulously and began unstrapping his belt so he could reach into the back seats.
"I did," I switched back to the outer lane and the car tailing us was only one car behind us now. The windows were all tinted and the plates weren't ones I'd seen before. "papers are in the glove compartment. Relax you know the drill if it comes to it." Here's when I looked at him. With a newfound fear which so resembled unquestionable strength. Matt had been my best man since grade school, he's the only person other than my parents and little sister, who's witnessed first hand the harsh reality we live behind all the tabloids. Matt is the whole reason I've made a fortune off unregistered illegal car trafficking, and the reason I have a seamless offshore account with R60 000 000 which I can cash out at any moment.
Matt and I had been running the car empire for a solid 2 sneaky years with so much fear and anxiety until he talked to the whole rugby team and everybody agreed to get involved. These guys are my brothers because they get their hands dirty at the risk of doing time in prison, and they know if I slip up my father will end me. This organization is so top secret because we all have something to lose if word gets out, and so we buy and deliver to my guy downtown and he's the one who gets directly in contact with our clients.
"I'm not going to do that to you Chase." Matt said in disbelief when he figured out which plan I meant. In the event that we got pulled over by the government and they realize we haven't been paying taxes as well as assume we've been stealing these cars, we mislead them to a standby ghost account in Dar Es Salaam which is stacked with R1 500 000. This would definitely take me down for 5 years minimum but the guys can continue with the business without getting caught.
"You knew you'd have to do this from the beginning god damnit." I bit through gritted teeth. Matt was raising his voice at me and this momentarily distracted me, causing me to break really hard when that dark car cut in front of me and parked blocking my way. The doors opened and a bulky looking guy exited from the front seat and headed straight to me.
"Mr Waters says it's your lucky day. I don't get to pound your face back in for not pulling over when you saw us behind you!" The man said and I ground my teeth together so as to curb my anger but this man was pissing me off.
"Charming. Look biggie I've got no time to exchange words of love with you today, I'm taking my friend Matt here to his chiropractor and then we've gotta make it back for practice so if you'll excuse us." I started my car up again with the big guys arm weighing down my whole door.
"Just do as you're told kid," he sneered at me. "Wouldn't want anything mysterious and irreparable happening to your mother." He spat disgustingly by his shoe and then stepped on it. I had to maintain composure in the presence of my dad and his men. I could not give away the bile rising to my throat out of fear. I could not look away first. I stared him down until he put his finger to his ear piece and listened in to a message from my dad probably.
"Roger that. Get out. I'll get your friend where he needs to be." Biggie sneered through my open window and I almost punched that smug look off his face but I had to hold it together for the sake of Matt.
As soon as I got out Biggie jumped  in and revved my engine. He reversed so fast and the cars which had all clustered behind mine nearly rammed into each other while trying to get away. Biggie and Matt pulled up past my dad's car and sped off onto the road we were headed toward in the first place.
"No no there's no need for that my love... Yes I assure you the trip will go splendidly for you and Catherine... He's right here... Oh I'll tell him... I love you too... Goodbye..." I ascended into the car and caught my dad ending a conversation on his phone with my mom. "Pleasure to see you son, so glad you could make it!"
"What're you doing dad? You could've caused an accident." I bit out through clenched teeth.
"Collateral damage." He made sure to enunciate each vowel as he held his hands up in mock defeat. I struggled not to roll my eyes at him. "I'd have been happy enough just to see my son. Be more excited to see your old man." He smiled genuinely at me and I remembered that somewhere in his twisted heart he was doing all this because he loved us.
"I missed you too dad... but a call would be much more appreciated next time you know, before hand to avoid this... this calamity!" I reasoned with him and he nodded at me with what I called his plastic face.
"Yes but I did call you. And I left multiple messages. You don't open my emails either I had to act drastically d'you see now?" He was right. I rarely got in touch or read through what he sent but only because he didn't understand that I've got rugby practice. And maybe also because he didn't know about my after school occupation with the cars.
"Okay okay I get it. So what's so urgent you had to risk so many people's lives to tell me?" I asked him leaning my head back on the rest and letting the calming vibrations in the seat ring throughout my entire body as the driver I'd never seen before drove back into position and took off down the interstate. There was another guard riding shotgun with us and he kept his eyes on the road just like he was trained to do unless my dad was under threat.
"You have done well son. You've infiltrated the enemy's camp and gained her trust." My stomach sank to my feet as it reeled in that I had been played by my father. When we started freshman year my dad told me to stay away from the Vuurs and anybody directly related to them because they would end us if I didn't. He knew I'd go against his words because he knew I've loved her since I was 9. He used reverse psychology on me and yet this whole time he'd been tailing me to see if I'd bite the bait.
"I don't... I don't know what you're talking about." He didn't rush to confirm what I was thinking, and for a good 12 seconds I had the liberty to believe that my initial thoughts were wrong. He leaned slightly out of his seat and pulled out a shelf from the back of the seats across from us. Once open he pulled out a flask with some vermouth and added Plymouth gin before violently shaking to mix. He opened the cap and sieved his well made martini into 2 waiting cocktail glasses. He opened a mini fridge I hadn't noticed before and added some fat olives to the glasses.
"You got Lira Vuur to take you to an official dinner hosted by her father. It may have taken us two years to get here son but we made it." He handed me my glass and toasted to his success. As he brought it up to his lips and motioned for me to do the same all I could think of was what have I done? "Thanks to you now we've got an in to discover what's the big secret project that man has been working on for over a decade. Obviously the girl knows. And thanks to you and your charm which you inherited from me, we'll figure it out before December and have him arrested before the next elections." I was frightened by the way he said this so calmly with the smudge of a smile smearing the corner of his mouth.
"he's been building the Routledge House for foreign ministers and advisors, that's the big reveal the party was about." I laid my untouched glass a little too hard onto the mini bar counter out of frustration.
"Of course, no doubt that unnecessary building exists which, for your own interest was built on poor people property and they were displaced unfairly with barely enough compensation but that's none of my business." He too slammed his empty glass onto the mini bar. One thing that helped me sleep at night was knowing that my dad was a modern day Robin Hood. He'd do anything for the oppressed in this country simply because he hated how the rich made money off innocent blood. "But that man is working on something illegal. I've got a reliable lead that says it concerns the Kimberly diamonds son."
"you've obviously got qualified agents working for your little hobby you don't need me to use someone's emotions for your selfish reasons dad. You should leave all of this to the cops or something." I exhaled as I sat up and tried to meet his eyes which were hard on mine in return.
"Remember the guy has an impossibly thick wall of security around him 25/8. There's no way anybody trained for the job can get through without being detected. And the officers love him they're all on his payroll so nobody's willing to investigate the hand that feeds them." I must've dropped my shoulders or shaken my head in refusal because his demeanor became stone cold toward me. Something he only does when he feels disrespected.
"Look, dad I care about the majority as much as anybody but this is a suicide mission which you should be taking up with the government not your business major son. You're going to get all of us killed if you proceed with this for all you know he could be feeding you the evidence you already have and leading you on an alternative prerogative that's going to get you and all of us six feet under." He didn't say anything, he merely averted his gaze to outside his window and I took that as a clear chance for me to drive my initial point home. "I love Lira. Honestly I do and maybe she loves me too dad. But I'm not going to manipulate her feelings for me and her allegiance to her father all so I can endorse your short end of the stick. I'm not that guy anymore. What we've done in the past is in the past but from here on out you're gonna have to count me out. I've held up my end of the bargain so now it's your turn. Let me go dad... You've got to let me go." I felt tremors resounding through my whole being at that because I realized that's probably the most honest I've been with my dad ever in my life. But still he didn't say anything or even flinch at my words. And that's what scared me. Because my dad is someone who thinks things through thoroughly before biting back with an irreversible venom.
"That's a lovely speech son. Warms me up that you're infatuated with a prize you can't have." I felt my throat close up. "... She's not going to disrepute her father's instructions and marry you. Even if she wasn't dating that lawyer guy there still wouldn't be a chance for you with her. Because our families are sworn enemies." The car slowed down to a stop and I refrained from checking where we were because I needed him to finish his train of thought. "We had a deal yes? And you haven't finished the work I've set out for you. When that happens, I will, as you say let you go." The guard in the front seat got out and came around the car to my door to let me out. I jumped down with my teeth ground together so I wouldn't say anything else he could throw back in my face. I realized we were back where he'd ambushed Matt and i so I walked around to cross the road and get where Biggie was walking away from my car and Matt was frantically waving me over. Then I heard my dad's window sliding down and I looked back where he motioned me over. I walked to him and when there was no way I could get closer he whispered the worst atrocity in my ear. "Your mother and Catherine are going on a vacation weekend to Cuba in a few weeks... I hope they'll come back safe." At that he rolled his window up and once Biggie was in they took off.
I crossed over the 4-way and got to where Matt's car was parked. I got into the passengers seat and let Matt take the wheel. He got in and wanted to pull back into the lane when I stopped him.
"You look shook dude. D'you need a minute?" I glared at him once I picked up the sarcasm in his tone. He always did this. "No but we can't go downtown anymore. Not today." He gave me a quizzical look.
"I don't get it. Biggie didn't leave anything in here and I checked for markers all around so we're cool."
"There's another car that's probably been tailing us since morning. We're gonna have to change our drop off point." He nodded in understanding and we pulled back in and headed to our accomodation.
I walked up the stairs and let myself into Lira's apartment. I have to tell her i thought out loud. It's better she hears it from me before my dad gets some twisted story to land in her ears. I checked my phone and she left a text saying I shouldn't leave her dinner but I knew her well enough to know that she'd be exhausted and hungry by the time she got back from Jessi's. I got to the kitchen and whipped up some rice and fish with vegetable stir fry. When I was done I took a shower and settled on the kitchen island then called my guy downtown to set up the new drop off point. We agreed on the docks at 8 tomorrow night. I sent the detail to Matt and the team before clearing my RAM again. A part of me felt guilty for keeping this side of me away from Lira but I convinced myself it's so I can protect her. I'll have to tell her everything when we go see my mom together. I scrolled through my emails and saw a particular one which stood out to me. It was from Cantella Dionesues Marika Beluwefu Gideoné Rosis  of Nigeria. I was invited to the Nigerian Ambassador's residence for dinner on the second Saturday night from here. This must be the guy we talked to at the opening of the Routledge House in Sandton with lira a few months ago. I was surprised and for a moment I wondered if I should ask Lira about it. But then what if she didn't get an invite? What if this guy only wants to dine with me? He did say he'd like to speak with me again. This could be my chance to investigate for my father without dragging Lira into it. I could finally save my girls!
A few years ago when my mom went crazy my dad became an unfeeling person to avoid depression if he were to lose her. He practically moved out of our house into one in the city and he said it was so he could be close to work but he wanted to distance himself from her to soften any blow that would come from her condition. However he will always love her and so he visits a lot and even stays over but never for more than a few days. My sister has been hit the hardest by this turn of events. She was only a year old when things started changing in our household and now she's turning 12 next month and she turned out great for somebody who doesn't really have much of a family. I worry about her living alone with my mother and as often as I can I go back to help out and just be present. I may be the only consistent father figure she'll ever know.
My mom was hospitalized for a few months at first and when she returned Catherine was already turning 3. She tries to be a good mom but sometimes her condition prevents her from sane loving and Catherine gets scared. In these moments my father flees back to the city and all this young child has is the nanny he's paying for and the comfort of FaceTime with me. When my mom was discharged my dad had a home nurse employed and set up in the house to look after her, medicate and observe her condition. He pays her excessive amounts of money every week as well as paying all the papers in the country to keep the story out of the tabloids because it could ruin our perfect family illusion. Obviously Catherine is homeschooled and because she was born at a time when we'd become estranged from our extended family she really doesn't have that many people in her life. Her nanny, Rosa Kupeich has an 8 year old daughter and I encourage her to bring her to work so Cat can have company. Honestly we were so lucky we found her because she is such a good mom to my sister when my mom becomes inadequate. This job my dad wants me to do is the 4th in an illegal streak of bringing justice to the South African majority but by far the most complicated because everybody fears Mr Vuur for his ability to make your existence vanish when it begins to threaten his ascent to power. But I have to do it or else my father will cease paying for my mom's medical bills and that will kill her. Or it would've 3 years ago. Up until recently, I hadn't made enough money to take her away but now I have. I can now take both of them away  with the assurance of financial security as well as neutral protection from the Swiss guard or in the worst case scenario, the UN.
"Hey," Lira pushed the door closed as she got in and I nearly jumped out of my skin because she'd startled me.
"Hey. Didn't think you were coming home tonight." I mentioned as I stalled so I could get my bearings. I helped her with her shoes and bag so I could distract her from my anxious demeanor. Once she'd settled in we had dinner and got ready for bed.
"Jessi and I always talk about sailing away together to one of those neutral countries...." She began when we were in bed but I had my eyes closed and I was hoping she'd pick up on the fatigue I had so she could also just fall asleep. "I guess she could come with us." She lay back down on me with her head on my chest as she continued to speak of our escape sail away from our controlling parents. "Now all we need is a date." She said after a while and I had to force myself to contain the news inside until our chance to be together for good was set in stone. "Where were you tonight when I tried calling you?" She barely whispered but I heard it. I had to even out my breathing to keep up the ruse that I really had fallen asleep but the guilt wouldn't stop eating at me that she deserved to know about the cars. She deserved to know about all of it.