As tears go by

// 9 'Otel Terminus

It was just six o'clock in the afternoon, but it was cold and gloomy. A lightning bathed the parking lot in front of her in a milky-white spooky light. As the light died out, it was impossible to make out anything else around. Another bubble of light stroke killed the darkness with a silver light, but the thunder did not follow. Instead, heavy rain drops hit her so hard that she held her breath. The water bullets hit the wrinkled asphalt with a burst. It was like a machine-gun attack. The drumming built up until it became continuous, liquid. The heavy rain penetrated her clothes, making her body shake, and her teeth chattering. She was soaked to the bone in a moment. A harsh wind swept the parking lot and whipped the dim light of the street lamps. The air temperature dropped instantly. A empty bottle tinkled away. Some plastic bags rolled across the parking lot and got lost in the murk. In front of her there were already a line of parked cars. Hookers and clients' vehicles alike. Sleek new Mini Coopers and supersize SUV. What a match. She pushed the electronic car key button. Headlights blinked for a moment and she discovered which one was Vanni's car.

She sat – almost on the ground – in a Ferrari F 458 Italia. She buttoned up Vanni's jacket and snickered. Some men were foolish. For a fuck they fucked themselves. She gripped the detachable steering wheel (with a Lifeline quick-detach) and fired the engine. The 458 was powered by a 4,497 cc engine of the "Ferrari/Maserati" F136 V8 family. It had a dual-clutch 7-speed Getrag gearbox, shared with the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. It was the first mainstream model without a manual transmission. Carbon ceramic brake discs, double wishbone suspensions at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. It was able to stop from 100 km/h in 90 feet or in 85 feet with run flat tires. The top speed was 339 km/h and 0-100 km/h acceleration was 3.4 seconds. She knew by heart that car because a year before she spent all her money to enrol in a Ferrari Challenge and she had the chance to drive an F 458. The difference between that model and the racing one, was that the weight was reduced from the standard 458 through the use of thinner body panels, carbon fibre replacement panels, polycarbonate as windows and windshield, a racing cockpit with a Sabelt racing seat and six-point seat-belt harness, a racing exhaust. She flatted the pedal. The V-8 roared to life. The car shot away on the asphalt slick for the rain.

Half an hour drive later, she found herself inside a snowstorm. She drove past street signs riddled by bullets, spooky rundown buildings. Deserted roundabouts. Thirty clicks of that gloom after, she made out in the full darkness the illuminated sign of a shopping centre. She did not want to stop, but she realized she needed clothes, and tools. She nosed the car in to the parking lot and killed the engine. She looked around. Not many visitors with that weather, but sufficient to make her inconsistent. She pulled up the collar of Vanni's Jacket and headed for the entrance. Inside a nice ambient music filled the air and shut out the frozen howl of the wind, the sinister ticking of the sleet, and the murk.

She started from the underwear. She bought black culottes and bras; then an Armani black silk tuxedo. The jacket with shaped lapels, edges and cuffs was decorated with rectangular tonal rhinestones. The soft-cut pants were enhanced by a vertical stripe down the sides and embellished with raised rectangular rhinestones as well.

A Marianne Faithfull black leather catsuit. A Burberry trench, a Hermes foulard, Caovilla's velvet boots, her usual Gucci's Bamboo Bag, sun glasses, gloves, make up. A couple of cellphones ended in her bags. She giggled. Vanni paid their shindig a substantial amount of money.

In the home department she bought a toolbox, a powerful flashlight. Heavy duty clothes and industrial shoes. A holdall. In the fast food bathroom of the shopping centre, she donned the heavy duty clothes and tossed Remo's tracksuit. Last thing, she withdrew all the cold cash she could. Last shot, she pushed Vanni's maxed out credit cards in a manhole.