Ride or Die

Chapter 19: How is it going to end?

Suddenly the floor beneath rocks and shudders.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"The truck started driving." He said and offered me a smile.

"What do we do?"

"What do you mean? We do nothing and let ourselves be chauffeured away from the crime scene."

Ten minutes later, Peter breaks the silence.

"Okay, based on the sound of the engine, I think we're on one of the freeways. Time to make our move." He said. Peter hops out of the car and pushes over the rear doors of the truck, revealing the highway.

"You want to drive out of this trailer, into the freeway, going the wrong way?" He gets back and revs the machine.

"Yup." Peter pushes the gas. The car ramps down on the freeway, weaving out of the way of couple oncoming cars.

"Look out." I shouted. Horns from angry motorists bleat as Peter handbrakes, whipping a 180 to right his direction. As Peter drives, his phone lights up with a text.

"Read that for me?" I quickly grab his phone and look on the screen.

"It's Hans. He is waiting for us at the shop." I sigh. "And he wants to talk to you."

Back at the garage the crew is shouting at each other and I feel so guilty that I caused this behavior. I sit silently on the hood of a car nearby, thinking about what I've done. I warned them, I've betrayed my dad.

Looking up, I notice Peter watching me. I know they were criminals but I couldn't let dad throw Peter in prison.

"Her dad is not just any cop, he's a goddamn hero detective!" Says Trinity and shows a picture of me and my dad, as he receives a medal.

"How bad is it?" Asked Ralph.

"We let a kid of the guy trying to throw us behind the bars spend a whole damn night hanging out here." Said Sydney. "I'd say pretty bad." She added.

"Sydney I'm not gonna tell anybody—" Sydney interrupts me furiously.

"I'm not gonna bet my freedom on someone's word! Not again!" She angrily. "We've gotta split. Each take our share and just go our own way." Suggested Sydney.

"Sydney, Bailey saved us back there! You really think she'd do that if she was just gonna rat us out?" Said Peter, defending me. "Cmon Hans! You know it's true!"

"Perhaps." Said Hans.

"I'm sorry. I was just protecting myself. I had no idea that you'd do that to me if you found out who my dad was. You care so much about protecting yourselves, but you'd judge me for doing the same thing?"

"She's got a point there." Said Ralph.

"Bailey I like you but I don't know if you don't willingly give us up, you could still lead your father here by accident." Said Trinity.

"How do you know she hasn't already?" Asked Mason happily.

"You seem to be enjoying this, son." Said Hans angrily.

"Just admiring the machine like efficiency of this crew you put together. I can see why you don't want me here mucking it up." Said Mason sarcastically.

"This isn't about you, Mason!" Shouted Peter, while he goes chest-to-chest with Mason.

"It's not about you either!" Mason puts his hand on Peter's shoulder. "You've been here what? A year?" He mocked.

"Get your hands off me." Said Peter angrily.

"This isn't your crew, Peter. Bailey isn't risking what your family built for generations." Mason yells. "So you don't get to say in this just because you have a crush—"

Mason doesn't have the chance to finish his sentence and Peter takes a swing at Mason, connecting his fist to Mason's jaw. Mason falls on the ground and Peter comes on Mason punching him continuously. Together they wrestle to the floor.

"Stop this!" Shouted Sydney.

"Mason stop it!" I yelled and Mason glances back at me, panting.

"You're always around to save the day, aren't you?" Asked Mason sarcastically.

"You're really lucky I am, Mason!" I shouted. Hans clears his throat and everyone goes silent.

"Peter's right. We're not going anywhere." Said Hans. "The girl saved us. She stays."

"Have you completely lost it, old man?" Asked Mason angrily.

"Question me again boy and you'll see me lose it. The girl stays." Said Hans. Without another word Hans heads into his office. Everyone is quiet for a moment following his proclamation, looking at me.

Mason wipes some blood from his mouth and shakes his head at me.

"How exactly do you think is it going to end?" He asked me. "The double life of yours won't last Bailey. It can't." He walks away and disappears.

Peter slumps against the car behind me, a bruise already forming under his eye from the brawl.

"You fine?" He asked me.

"I'm fine. You look worse to wear though."

"Doesn't it make me look tough though?" He smiled.

"A little." I murmured. "I owe you an apology. I'm sorry for hiding who I was."

"You didn't. Who your parents are, isn't who you are. So apology not accepted, got it?"

"Got it." I said and I felt relief by his words.

"But your dad... I mean this is crazy. For how long has he been after us?"

"Just a couple of days." I replied. "He just got assigned to your case." Peter nods, trying to process everything. He breaths out a weak laugh.

"Do you want to leave? After that I would completely understand if you never wanted to see any of us again."

"Honestly, I don't know. I know that I shouldn't be here but I also know that the last week has being the most freeing, most unforgettable week of my whole life." I admitted. "So maybe I'll leave and never see you again, but I don't want to make that call yet."

"I don't want you to make that call yet either." Ralph slides up, hands in his pockets.

"So Bailey I thought about what you said about your old car and that now you don't have one." He said. "And I decided to offer you my services."

"Services in?"

"Services in building your very own car."

"Are you kidding me Ralph? That would be amazing!" Ralph leads me to the other side of the garage.

"We've got a few base models I think you'll like."